 |
| File Reference |
MSP34REF31293
|
| Name |
Robert Lankford |
| Gender |
male |
| Maiden/Other names |
Ríobárd Ó Longphuirt
Robert Langford
Bob Langford
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
21 South Terrace, Cork
|
| County |
Cork
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Address detail |
| Street |
Lee Press, Paper Merchants, Printers, 20/22 South Terrace, Cork
|
| County |
Cork
|
| Country |
Ireland
|
| Date of birth |
1894
|
| Notes |
Exact date of birth not recorded on file
|
| Date of death |
1975-03-13
|
| Associated files in MSPA |
34C561
|
| Civilian occupation |
Printer, Lee Press, 20/22 South Terrace, Cork, ireland;
|
| Easter rising service |
No |
| Organisation |
Irish Volunteers |
| Rank |
Lieutenant
|
| Unit |
1 Battalion
|
| Company |
C Company
|
| Brigade |
Cork Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Robert Lankford (self)
|
| Organisation |
Irish Volunteers |
| Rank |
Company Captain
|
| Unit |
1 Battalion
|
| Company |
C Company
|
| Brigade |
Cork Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Robert Lankford (self)
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Company Captain
|
| Unit |
1 Battalion
|
| Company |
A Company
|
| Brigade |
1 Cork Brigade
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Robert Lankford (self); Dan Donovan; J. Logan;
|
| Organisation |
Irish Republican Army |
| Rank |
Staff Captain
|
| Unit |
Special Publicity Service
|
| Division |
General Headquarters
|
| Commanding Officer(s) |
Liam Lynch
|
| Pension Claim |
Yes |
| Award Pension |
Yes |
| Army Pensions Act 1923/1953 |
No |
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1924 |
No |
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1934 |
Yes |
| Grade |
C |
| Notes |
Awarded 6 and 1/3 years service for pension purposes in 1937. Grade increased from D to C following appeal in 1947
|
| Military Service Pensions Acts 1949 |
No |
| Digital file |
Scanned/digital copyMSP34REF31293 Robert Lankford.pdf
Scanned/digital copy34C561 Robert Lankford.pdf |
| File dates |
21 December 1935 - 16 January 2003
|
| Subject Information |
Archivist’s Note: The applicant’s surname has been spelt both Lankford and Langford. The Irish version is Ríobárd O Longphuirt.
File relates to Robert Lankford’s receipt of a military service pension in respect of his service with the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the service periods between 1 April 1917 and 30 September 1923 during the War of Independence, Truce period and Civil War. Applicant also claimed unsuccessfully for service in the periods between 23 April 1916 and 31 March 1917.
In 1909, Robert Lankford states that he joined the O’Growney branch of the Gaelic League, which met at An Dun, Queen Street, Cork. In 1911, the applicant claims that he joined Na Fianna Éireann and attended the organisation’s first meeting in Cork along with Sean Hegarty, Sean Sullivan, Michael Ua Neill, D. Corkery (MSP34REF44) and Countess Markievicz. From 1911-1913, Robert Lankford states that he taught Irish classes for the O’Growney and St. Patrick’s branches of the Gaelic League.
The subject states that he enlisted with the Irish Volunteers in Cork in 1913 and was engaged in drilling and rifle practise; helped to organise a large Irish Volunteers public meeting at Cork City Hall and defended it from attack from the ‘Molly Maguires’ (January 1914) and co-organised the first meeting of the Irish Volunteers Auxiliary (precursor to Cumann na mBan) which was attended by Miss Alice Cashel (MSP34REF55390), Dr. Alice Barry, Aine Breathnach, Shelia Fennell, Susie Walsh (MSP34REF55532), Mrs. Sean Hegarty and Nora O’Brien.
Robert Lankford claims that he was one of only 26 men who publicly paraded in 1914 with Tomas MacCurtain and Terence MacSwiney after the Irish Volunteers split.
In March 1916, references on file states that the applicant was sacked from his job as a line-operator in the Cork Examiner after nearly eight years service. Robert Lankford claimed that it was due to his political activities.
Before the 1916 Easter Rising, the applicant claims that he started a small printing press at Victoria Road, Cork after Diarmuid Lynch (MSP34REF497) acquired material from a printer in Dublin named Patrick Mahon.
As First Lieutenant of C Company, 1 Battalion, Cork City Brigade, Irish Volunteers, Robert Lankford states that he mobilised and organised 35 men during Easter Week 1916. He states that they met at the Volunteer Hall, Sheares Street and paraded to Crookstown and Macroom. Claims that they stood to during the whole week but had no fight.
Following discussions between the Irish Volunteers, Bishop Cohalan and the Lord Major, it was agreed that the Volunteers would surrender their weapons to the British Army. Robert Lankford states that he removed bolts from the rifles to make them defunct.
In periods from 1917-1919, the subject claims that he helped to re-organise the Cork Irish Volunteers in Ballinhassig, Kinsale, Bandon, Skibbereen, Macroom, Coolea, Ballinadee, Clonakilty, Skibbereen, Bantry, Baltimore, Allihies, Eyereis, Castletownbere, Ballingeary, Millstreet and Clondrohid; organised and took part in an arms-raid on the Cork Grammar School which captured 49 rifles, 12 bayonets and 2 revolvers; an arms-raid on a military store at the rifle range at the Glen; was arrested on 2 November 1917, sentenced to six months under the Defence of the Realm Regulations and released on 8 December 1917.
In 1918, Robert Lankford states that he was attached to A Company, 1 Battalion, Cork Brigade, Irish Volunteers under the command of Dan Donovan and took part in the disarming of three British Army soldiers at Grand Parade, Cork. Further claims that he secured three Ross pattern rifles from a Norwegian steamer that had been torpedoed and was being salvaged at Ardfield, Clonakilty, County Cork (September 1918).
As Company Captain of A Company, 1 Battalion, 1 Cork Brigade, IRA, it is stated that the applicant took part in IRA operations and general activity during the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921) including: an attack on Blarney Barracks; having his house raided by the ‘murder gang’ on night that Constable Ryan was captured; a raid of Income Tax offices in Cook Street (April 1920); the burning of the police hut on Dublin Hill as a cover for the shooting of RIC Sergeants Garvey and Harrington [May 1920]; active duty during the shooting of [Lieutenant-Colonel] Smyth at the Cork County Club, South Mall [July 1920]; an ambush of about six policemen at Parnell Bridge (January 1921); reported the re-appearance of a spy named Mohally who was shot and wounded in Alfred Street and later removed to the South Infirmary and executed [February 1921]. The subject claims that he was caught and interrogated by Lieutenant Koe who had tortured IRA Volunteer James Roche (later died in Eglinton Asylum) and Tom Hales (Thomas Hales) (MSP34REF2074) (including pulling off his fingernails).
In July 1920, references on file state that Robert Lankford established the ‘Lee Press’ at the request of Tomas MacCurtain (DP22353) and Terence MacSwiney (DP19903). It was responsible for printing IRA propaganda, stationery, typewritten orders, duplicates of motor licences issued by County Council for the IRA and other material. After posters were printed publicising the hunger strike of Thomas MacCurtain in August 1920, the printing press was dismantled by Crown Forces and removed to Victoria Barracks.
Robert Lankford states that he was arrested on 20 May 1921 and imprisoned in Victoria Barracks; Spike Island and Bere Island and was present when IRA Volunteer White (Patrick White) [1D135] was shot by guards in Spike Island. The applicant claims that he was released on 21 December 1921 at the General Amnesty.
During the latter part of the Truce period, Robert Lankford claims that he continued to do printing work for the Cork IRA and General Headquarters (GHQ).
Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War (June 1922 – May 1923), it is stated that the subject established a “compact mobile field printing plant” which operated in Ballincollig Barracks before the evacuation and later in Ballyvourney, County Cork. For three months (August 1922 – November 1922), it was responsible for producing 20,000 copies of the weekly war bulletin ‘An Phoblacht’ edited by Erskine Childers. Robert Lankford claims that the printing press was removed to Renanirree and temporarily dumped in Coolmountain.
During this period, he claims that the entire party operating the mobile printing press was armed including Erskine Childers, Con Twomey (MSP34REF50784), Joe Turner and Tim Leary and was involved in the holding up of National Army column with 18 pound artillery who were en route from Coolmountain/Dunmanway to Inchigeela (September 1922). Robert Lankford states that he also had fights with the National Army at Coolea and Caolmhath [both County Cork].
He states that he took up the printing work at Lee Press, South Terrace, Cork until it was dismantled and destroyed by National Army on 27 January 1923. Robert Lankford claims that the mobile printing press was again put into commission at Bord Inse near Ballingarry and “under the personal instructions of General Liam Lynch” and gave the public “the first authentic news” regarding “atrocities” in Kerry committed by the National Army such as the “Ballyseedy murders, tying of IRA prisoners to mines” and the activity of National Army [officers] “Daly, Hogan and Neligan” in Kenmare, County Kerry.
The applicant states that his Lee Press printing plant which had been dismantled and removed in January 1923 was only returned “in part and (in) useless condition” in August 1925.
Material on file shows that Richard Langford married Catherine Langford (née O’Callaghan) on 14 June 1932.
File includes hand-written and typed references in support of the subject’s claim from T. T. (1937); Florence O’Donoghue (1937; 1947); Sean Culhane (1936; 1947); Rev. Timothy Johnson (1937); Michael Walsh (1937); Eugene Walsh (1937); P. O’Donoghue (1936); Mark Wickham (1936); Seán P. MacCartaigh TD (1935; 1942; 1947); Daniel McSweeney (Undated); F. Cleary (1937); Tom Hales (1936); M. Murphy (1937); Eilís Ní Connail (1937); Thomas Crofts (1937; 1943); Dan Corkery (1942); John F. King (1943); Joseph O’Connor (1947) and Liam Deasy (1947). Representations were made on behalf of the applicant by T. Crofts (1945). File also contains a typed sworn statement made by the applicant before the Advisory Committee on 7 June 1937.
File also includes some contemporary documents including: a hand-written letter from Commandant JJ O’Connell stating that Robert Langford (sic) attended a two week course for Irish Volunteer Probation Officers (9 February 1916); a hand-written letter from applicant to unknown requesting his attendance at “special meeting of the B Council” [26 July 1916];the applicant’s prison discharge sheet (21 November 1917); a copy of ‘Bulletin’ (No. 1, 23 December 1917) published in Volunteer Hall, Sheares’ Street; a typed letter from Major WG Dickson, Headquarters, 6 Division, British Army to solicitor Denis Boudren regarding removal of the Lee Press printing plant (23 October 1920);a typed letter from Major William L Govey to solicitor Denis Boudren asking if the Lee Press was prepared to stop printing material of a seditious nature (17 February 1921); a typed letter from [the applicant] to O.C, 17th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division, Victoria Barracks, Cork seeking return of printing plant (17 January 1922); a copy of An Fhírinne (‘Truth’), Cork Sinn Féin tri-weekly newspaper printed by Lee Press, South Terrace, [Cork] (8 December 1923); a copy of Irish Oifigiúl (The Dublin Gazette) published by the Irish Free State (2 February 1923) and four typed letters of correspondence between the applicant’s solicitor and Collins Barracks, Cork regarding the return of the Lee Press printing plant (April-August 1925).
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