Thurles to host War of Independence event

Tipperary in the Decade of Revolution Group are hosting their second event in Thurles, including a walking tour and unveiling of a plaque at 4pm this Saturday, August 14, to mark the dramatic final year of Ireland’s War of Independence appropriately.

The event will commence outside ‘The Source’ Library building at 4pm. A plaque will be unveiled by Michael O’Connell at 24 Liberty Square to commemorate his grandfather, also Michael (or Mixie) O’Connell. The O’Connell pub was headquarters of the No 2 (Mid) Tipperary Brigade of the IRA during the years of revolution after 1916.

COMMEMORATIVE BOOKLET

Local historians Seán Hogan and Neville O’Connell have compiled a high quality 40 page centenary booklet titled ‘War, Truce and Treaty in an Irish Town – Thurles in 1921’ telling the dramatic and deadly events that took place in Thurles in 1921. The booklet also provides a short biography of Michael O’Connell, Vice-Commandant of the No 2 IRA Brigade and other figures who were involved in events in Thurles. The booklet will be distributed during the event on Saturday and will be available for €5 at the Bookworm bookshop in Thurles.

Thurles was central to early events in the War of Independence, which were remembered at an event hosted on January 25, 2020, just before Covid-19 disrupted everything.

The conflict was particularly bloody in Thurles in 1921. On March 7, 1921, the Thurles IRA abducted and shot two local men, James Maher and Patrick Meara, alleging they had been giving information to Crown Forces. On the night after their bodies were found on March 9, groups of gunmen, believed to be police, raided houses across Thurles. They shot dead Laurence Hickey and William Loughnane, and badly wounded another man, Denis Regan but failed to find their targets in the other houses. The places associated with the deadly events of that particular week will be covered in the walking tour.

REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS

Our event will remember the people who were shot and killed in Thurles in 1921 and the impact of events on the individuals and families involved. The unveiling of a plaque at 24 Liberty Square remembers one important individual, Michael (or Mixie) O’Connell (1887 – 1936). He was the vice-commandant of the IRA’s No 2 (Mid) Tipperary Brigade and was central to events in these dramatic years. O’Connell stood trial for his life on a capital murder charge arising from the Knocklong train rescue, but was acquitted. Others were not so lucky.

On the other side, we remember RIC Sergeant Thomas Enright from Listowel in County Kerry who was shot dead on December 14, 1921 after the Truce and Treaty were put in place. Just days earlier the hand grenade had been thrown from the bridge onto the railway station platform in Thurles, wounding many people. Although it is not clear how Sgt Enright’s name came to be associated with the grenade attack, he was shot dead four days later. The walking tour part of the event, led by local historian Seán Hogan, will visit places associated with individuals and events in Thurles in 1921. The unveiling and walking tour will take approximately one and a half hours and is free of charge and open to everyone, young and old, who wishes to walk and hear about your local history in Thurles. Every person attending is requested to wear a face mask and to observe the social distancing guidelines as recommended for Covid prevention.

SHARING OUR HISTORY

‘Tipperary in the Decade of Revolution’ is a non-political and non-partisan group of local historians. Our aim is to bring history back to the locations where it was made – to remember the people and events of 100 years ago. We want to remember the generation involved appropriately and with the respect they deserve for what they have given us. Our motto is “Remembering and Sharing our Tipperary History”. We are delighted to work with the O’Connell family and others in Thurles to stage this event.

We look forward to welcoming you to our second Thurles event on Saturday, August 14, at 4pm.