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| File Reference |
MSP34REF11213
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| Name |
Winifred Murphy |
| Gender |
female |
| Maiden/Other names |
Clancy
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
Kilkishen, Six-Mile-Bridge
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| County |
Clare
|
| Country |
Ireland
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| Address detail |
| Street |
6 O’Connell Villas, Ennis
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| County |
Clare
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Date of birth |
1890-09-01
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| Date of death |
1971-05-03
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| Associated files in MSPA |
34E6653; DP19023
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| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Cumann na mBan |
| Rank |
Unknown
|
| Unit |
5 Battalion
|
| Company |
Kilkishen Branch
|
| Brigade |
East Clare Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Miss Quinn
|
| Pension Claim |
Yes |
| Award Pension |
Yes |
| Army Pensions Act 1923/1953 |
Yes |
| Type of Award |
SPASpecial Allowance (DP file)
|
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1924 |
No |
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1934 |
Yes |
| Grade |
E |
| Notes |
Awarded 1 and 1/3 years of service for pension purposes in 1942.
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| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copyMSP34REF11213 Winifred Murphy.pdf
Scanned/digital copy34E6653 Winifred Murphy.pdf
Scanned/digital copyDP19023 Winifred Murphy.pdf |
| File dates |
2 May 1935- 29 June 1971
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| Subject Information |
File relates to Winifred Murphy’s receipt of a military service pension in respect of her service with Cumann na mBan which was successful for the service periods between 1 April 1920 and 11 July 1921 during the War of Independence, Truce period and the Civil War. She appealed unsuccessfully for service in all other periods between 1 April 1917 and 30 September 1923 and for an increase in rank allowed.
Winifred Murphy states she joined the Kilkishen branch of Cumann na mBan in June 1917, was Captain from the start and was engaged in routine activities including collecting funds, organising dances, assisting in election work and attending First Aid lectures. She had two brothers, Joe and Paddy Clancy, in the Irish Volunteers and later the IRA, and applicant and references state her home was used as a call house. Murphy states she continuously catered and cared for men visiting, and carried dispatches for same.
Throughout the War of Independence Murphy states her brother Joe was Company Captain, and as a result she worked full time catering, carrying dispatches, observing and reporting enemy movements, storing and caring for arms and ammunition in a dump on their land, conveying same, providing bedding and other supplies to a dugout nearby, and assisting him and the local company. Murphy and references state she assisted the Flying Column (Active Service Unit / ASU) prior to and following various engagements, including ambushes at Scarriff (September 1920), Newgrove (October 1920), Clooney (October 1920), Cratloe (12 January 1921), Glenwood (20 January 1921), Mountshannon (4 April 1921), and the sacking of Kilrush (20 April 1921) and South Galway (11 July 1921). They also state she was frequently raided following these ambushes, and was badly beaten by “Black and Tans” (Royal Irish Constabulary/RIC) on several occasions. Murphy states a third brother still living at home was forced to leave due to frequent threats from RIC that he would be shot. Applicant claims she nursed her brother Joe Clancy back to health after he went on hunger strike for 21 days while in Wormwood Scrubs. Murphy also claims she had custody of rates and rate books as Joe Clancy was also a rate collector.
In the Truce period Winifred Murphy states she was engaged in receiving and delivering communications from Brigade Officers, assisted IRA men coming off the run or recently released, sent supplies to camps and continued usual Cumann na mBan activities. She notes there was very little activity in the area at this time.
During the Civil War Period, applicant states reorganised the branch after the split, observed and reported enemy movements and collected and handed over arms and ammunition to Paddy Houlihan. She also states her brothers were Pro-Treaty, one joined the National Army and the other emigrated to America.
File includes: original handwritten material submitted and signed by Winifred Murphy in support of her application including a statement signed by Michael Gleeson, Stephen Minogue and Patrick McGrath; handwritten and typed statements regarding claimant’s service activities from Kathleen Foley, Paddy Houlihan, TD, JJ McNamara, Thomas Dillon, Mary Ryan née Quinn, Tomás [McGrath] and Seán Hayes (25 July 1937 - 27 March 1942); handwritten notes relating to discussions held with K[athleen] Foley and other unidentified verifying officers regarding claimant's service and activities (10 May 1939 - 24 February 1942); typed transcript of sworn evidence given by claimant before Advisory Committee on 26 April 1938 and summary of same; material relating to her application for and awarding of a Special Allowance under the Army Pensions Acts, (paid from 15 January 1957 until her death) including medical reports and material relating to the settlement and closure of claimant's service pension following her death on 03 May 1971 - partly closed for reasons of data protection.
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