First-hand account By Patrick Tunney The Western People In the throes of fear, terror and anxiety, the year 1920 dawned throughout Ireland, with the death of Terence MacSwiney, the burning of the Loughnane Brothers, Galway, and the assassination of Mayor O’Callaghan, Limerick; Canon Magner, Cork; Peadar Clancy and Dick McKee at Dublin Castle; Tom Ashe […]

A force of 100 strong E company, Auxiliaries, were stationed in Westport, one week after the Carrowkennedy ambush, arriving on 11th June 1921 and left on 18th January 1922. They were billeted in the Railway Hotel, Joyce’s Private Hotel, offices of solicitor Mr. John Kelly and private residence of PJ Doris. A report stated that when […]

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The White Cross is a forgotten organisation that provided a lot of help during the War of Independence. Attached is a summary of the amount dispensed and a letter from Fr. Conroy from the Report of the Irish White Cross on 31st August 1922 by W. J. Williams. Sean Cadden Click to View

Dr Myles Mac Evilly With the authorisation of James Chambers, Commandant of the Castlebar Battalion of the West Mayo Brigade IRA, a local committee was formed at the beginning of January 1922 to collect funds “to provide a Castlebar Memorial Cup to perpetuate the memory of Captain James Mac Evilly and his four comrades who […]

Were German submarines successful in landing weapons for the IRA on the North Mayo Coast during WW1? The arrival of the first German submarines in the Irish Sea in January 1915 was followed a month later by a declaration from Imperial Germany that the seas around the whole of the British Isles were an ‘area […]

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The Irish nationalist youth organisation Fianna Éireann Left to Right;Back Row: Willie Malone, High St.; John Tom Walsh (drill instructor), High St.; Tom Derrig (scout master), High St.; Joe Gillivan, James St.; John Malone, High St.; James “Broddie” Malone, The Fairgreen; James “Broddie” Carney, Mill St.; James McKenna, “The Pound”, Carrabawn; Joe Walsh, Mill St.; […]

Josie Doherty was born on 5th  October, 1899[1]; he was christened Patrick Joseph.  He was the only child of Edward Doherty and Mary Regan. His parents spent some part of the year in Scotland and he lived most of his time with his grandparents,  Owen and Bridget Regan,  née Horan,  in Cullentragh.  His first cousin, […]

Click to View Images One of  those involved in setting up the first Slua or company of Na Fianna Eireann in Mayo, ‘Sluaigh Castlebar‘, on Sunday September 13th 1914 was Tom Mac Evilly ( 1899-1976 ) from Thomas St., Castlebar at a meeting in the Rooney Hall. (1). He was 15 years of age. At […]