Centenary march to Nenagh barracks
Successful commemoration of evacuation of 3,000 Crown Force soldiers from Tipperary in February 1922
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Tipperary in the Decade of Revolution history group marking the centenary of the State taking over Nenagh Military Barracks from the British. A parade left Banba Square and retraced the route taken by members of the IRA from Laois and Tipperary, who took over the barracks on behalf of the State on February 14 in 1922. The parade was led by Piper Gerard Neville of the Moycarkey Pipe Band and members of ONE from Tipperary, Limerick and Laois. Odhran DucieImage 2 of 11
Una Doherty, Michael Walsh, Nora Ryan and Mattie Walsh are nieces and nephews of Captain Tom Walsh from Crowle, Cloughjordan, who led the local contingent from the Courthouse to the barracks in 1922 for the takeover. Odhran DucieImage 3 of 11
ONE local branch members, Tony Canning and Tommy Maguire, re-enact the lowering of the British flag. Odhran DucieImage 4 of 11
John Lawlor and Una Doherty re-enact the raising of the Irish flag. Odhran DucieImage 5 of 11
Sean Foley and Tony Canning of Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann (ONE) Lower Ormonde Branch, Nenagh, with the Irish flag at half mast. Odhran DucieImage 6 of 11
Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann members from Tipperary, Limerick and Laois at the military barracks centenary commemoration. Odhran DucieImage 7 of 11
Caitlin White (Tipperary in the Decade of Revolution, TIDR), Seán Hogan (TIDR), Cllr Michael O’Meara (Cathaoirleach, Nenagh Municipal District), Michael Reynolds (Nenagh Military History Group), John Flannery (TIDR) and Margaret Kennedy (TIDR) attending the centenary commemoration. Odhran DucieImage 8 of 11
Joe Mernagh, Paul Murphy, Richard O’Sullivan and Ray Murphy from the Enniscorthy Historical Re-enactment Society at the military barracks centenary commemoration. Odhran DucieImage 9 of 11
Seán Hogan (MC) addressing the large gathering ahead of the parade from Banba Square to the Military Barracks. Odhran DucieImage 10 of 11
Piper Gerard Neville of the Moycarkey Pipe Band and members of ONE from Tipperary, Limerick and Laois arriving at the Military Barracks. Odhran DucieImage 11 of 11
Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann local branch member Thomas O’Neill at the military barracks centenary commeration. PHOTOs: ODHRAN DUCIE Odhran DucieMORE than 150 people braved the cold and wet conditions in Nenagh on Sunday afternoon, February 13, to attend an event hosted by the ‘Tipperary in the Decade of Revolution’ history group, which marked the departure of more than 3,000 members of the Crown Forces – the British Army, the Royal Irish Constabulary and Black and Tans – from more than 100 barracks across Tipperary.
Events were held in both Nenagh and Templemore to mark the departure of the soldiers of the Northamptonshire Regiment from the former Richmond Barracks – now the Garda Training College – in Templemore and the North Staffordshire Regiment from the military barracks at Summerhill, Nenagh.
Those attending the Nenagh event took part in a parade from Banba Square to Summerhill where a ceremony was held at the military barracks. This saw the lowering of the Union flag by ONE member Thomas Maguire and the hoisting of the Tricolour by descendants of those who had performed the same historic ceremony 100 years earlier on February 14, 1922. The national flag was raised by John Lawlor, a grandnephew of Capt Terence Byrne, who took over Nenagh Military Barracks on behalf of the fledgling new State, and Una Walsh, a niece of Capt Tom Walsh from Kyle, who led the local Tipperary contingent that occupied the barracks.
Describing the historic events in Nenagh that were being remembered, John Flannery of the Tipperary in the Decade of Revolution Group spoke of the tragic Civil War that was to come and which would claim the lives of both Captains Byrne and Walsh, as it would two others in a photo of the party that occupied the barrack, fighting on the Anti-Treaty side, Comdt Jimmy Nolan and Vol Thomas (Laddie) Hayes.
A splash of colour was added to the event by the presence of members of ONE (Óglaigh Naisiúnta na hÉireann) – the organisation of retired members of the Defence Forces – who led the large crowd in the parade from Nenagh’s Banba Square to the now derelict military barracks in Summerhill. Members of the Enniscorthy Historical Re-Enactment Group attended in uniforms and carrying weapons from the period. Both groups stood to attention while the Last Post was sounded in remembrance of all those killed in the War of Independence and Civil War.
ONE veteran Seán Ó Foghlú from Puckane remembered Mick McMahon, another of the young volunteers involved in the events of 100 years ago. Cllr Michael O’Meara, Cathaoirleach of Nenagh Municipal District, also spoke at the event, thanking all those who contributed to the event and praising the work of Tipperary in the Decade of Revolution, who prepared the excellent 50-page booklet marking the centenary of the evacuation of Crown Forces from Tipperary. They have staged a hugely impressive programme of events over the past few years and Tipperary County Council were happy to have been able to support their work, he said.