War of Independence and Civil War: Testimonial Statement
by
P. Keane
ex O/C Kilnamona Coy, 3rd
Batt, Mid Clare
This
statement was made by Pat accompanying
his application for a Service Certificate, a necessary requirement
for the award of a Military Service Pension, dated 13th
May 1935.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
I joined the Kilnamona Coy. Clare Bgde. I.V.
(Irish Volunteers) in 1913 and took the side of the I.V. at the
division in 1914.
The Coy was reorganised on the 31st October 1915
when I again joined.
The original roll of members dated 31st October 1915 is
still available – the Coy was then 29 strong (J. Keating O/C).
I took part in all Coy parades and carried out all orders of
my superior officers.
In Easter week 1916, I did no actual fighting but attended meetings
and standing to.
Five of the senior members of the Coy turned out with arms
etc. awaiting further orders. They cut wires and did other minor
things (names: Ml Brody (deceased); John Brody; John Keating; Ml
Hegarty and T. O’Brien). After Easter week I helped to raise funds
for the Volunteer force and dependents of Volunteers. There was very little activity in Coy area from May 1916 to
May 1917 when the Coy was reorganised on a large scale. Reorganisation was helped by the general enthusiasm before
and after the East Clare election campaign. The Coy in October 1917
was about 70 strong - all those who took the side of the Redmond
Volunteers in 1914 having again joined the I.V.
I took a very active part in the
East Clare election – did guard duty at several places including
Ennis, Clooney, Ruan and Kilnamona.
I did guard duty for two days, the day of polling and day of
counting of votes at Ennis Courthouse and on the streets of Ennis
under Frank Barrett and Major General Brennan. We were then armed
with sticks. On the 11th Sept 1917 I took part in an
attack on two R.I.C. at Kilnamona with stones and other missiles on
the occasion of visit by the late Peader Clancy to Coy area.
I took part in open drilling and
organising in presence of the R.I.C. in the autumn of 1917.
Our arrangement being to drill in turns as each man was arrested,
casting lots for places. Only one man was arrested (T. Marrinan).
When general release took place in February 1918 I marched
with Coy to the Crowe estate and did guard duty for the day. I was arrested with three others on the 18th March
1918 and charged with unlawful assembly on the estate.
Up to 60 persons assembled on the lands, but only four were
arrested and charged. I
was picked out for arrest as a result of the attack on the R.I.C.
the previous September - I had information that I would be arrested
at the first opportunity.
I served three months hard labour at Limerick and Mountjoy
jails in company with Major T. McGrath, Pierce Beasley (member of
the Dáil for Kerry East) and several others. After
release I again joined my Coy and continued training and securing
arms when the opportunity occurred.
In July 1919 I was visited by the
R.I.C. after the attack on the Inch and Connolly R.I.C. Barracks.
During that year I took part in all the activities of the Coy.
On the 23rd
June 1920, I was posted with gun at O’Connell St Ennis to hold up a
British soldier with rifle and bayonet on the occasion of the
successful disarming of the British Patrol (O/C J. Barrett).
On the occasion of the successful capture of Ruan Barracks on
the 18th October 1920 I was on outpost duty at Toonagh on
the Ennis-Corofin, Ruan roads.
Five other members of the Coy were with me (P. Brody, J.
Barrett, J. Griffey, T. Cahir and T. Brody). About 9th
Dec 1920, accompanied by P. Brody and T. Cahir from Coy, I received
war material near Mental Hospital Ennis from Chief Supt Con Halloran
and Guard Stephen McInerney and conveyed some 20 miles by night to
equip column for Monreal ambush the following day.
I took part in the capture of mails for four Post Offices on
every occasion that they were taken prior to the truce of July 11th
1921.
I was appointed Coy O/C on the 9th
of February 1921 over the 1st
and 2nd Lieutenants – I was Coy Adjutant previously.
About 18th February 1921 with P. Brody and T. Callaghan,
Dysart I visited P. Kelly Rate Collector and demanded his Rates
Books, which were not in his house.
We compelled him to come with us in his own car 4 miles to
Ennis and got his books at the Abbey Club 35 yards from the R.I.C.
Barracks, and then compelled him to drive to the other side of the
town. Kelly was under
R.I.C. protection for several years previous to that and was known
to be well armed.
On the 24th March
1921 I marched with the column 10 miles to attack R.I.C. on Black
and Tan patrol at Corofin. We remained in ambush several hours, the enemy failing to
appear. Others with me
on the occasion: Sean Casey O/C, Commdt P. Kierse, Jas Kierse, P.
Brody, M. Hogan, D. O’Loughlen, Peadar O’Breen and two others.
I was solely responsible for the capture of a suspect
named Quirke, May 1st 1921 who was wanted by the Brigade. I kept him prisoner for a week until taken over by Brigade
Council.
On May 17th 1921 I with five others from my Coy fully
armed marched with Brigade Column to place of proposed attack on
enemy lorries on the Ennis Corofin Road (at Toonagh) (F. Barrett
O/C). The entire Brigade column, over 100 men were mobilised in my
area for the proposed attack, I being responsible for providing food
and other things for the Column the previous night.
Practically all members of my Coy were engaged in a network
of blockades for proposed ambush.
Two volunteers from my Coy were dangerously wounded in
an encounter with Black and Tans on the streets of Ennis on the 26th
June 1921 (see Frank Keane).
I visited them at the Hospital, Ennis a few hours later
getting through the guard to make arrangements for their removal.
On Dr McClancy’s advice they were not removed for two weeks.
Heavy duties as Coy O/C and member of the 3rd
Batt A.S.U. (Active
Service Unit), I was responsible for guarding Brigade Council
meetings as they were nearly all held in my Coy area.
In November 1921 I was responsible for making arrangements for the
review of three Battalions by President De Valera in my Coy area.
Truce and Civil War Period
I was the only
officer with the Battalion Adjutant J. Minahan selected by the
Brigade Council to attend for training as officers of the future
army at the Survey College Ennis in January 1922 under Major General
Brennan.
At the end of training period I was one of 33 out of more
than 100 officers from the 1st Western Division who
passed the exam for Commissions.
I was sent in Charge of Lisdoonvarna Barracks in March 1922
with about 16 men. After the division in April 1922 I was approached
on three occasions by Free State Officers and offered the rank of
Captain with charge of Ennistymon Free State army H. Qrs. if I gave
up my command of Lisdoonvarna Barracks.
I was
continuously active during the Truce period attending camps,
Battalion meetings and perfecting my Coy in drill and the use of
arms.
I was appointed Group Q.M. (Quarter Master) at Ennistymon (Q.M. for
5 Barracks) about May 1922 in succession to J. Minahan then
transferred to the Divisional Head Qrs.
S. O’Grady T.D. was then O/C Group. I was appointed O/C Group
about the middle of June 1922 at Ennistymon in succession to Sean
O’Grady T.D. who was transferred to the Divisional Staff. I held the
latter post until the Barracks were destroyed by us on the 1st
of July 1922.
I then went to Corofin Barracks,
the Divisional Head Qrs, and was taken from there to go out with a
Column of about 16 men under Capt J. Barrett.
When destroying a Bridge near Ennis we were ambushed by Free
State army forces. On
that occasion (July 1922) I
was in charge of 6 men and also in charge of a small number of men
on outpost duty when our Head Qrs at Edenvale was attacked by Free
State forces in July 1922.
I was in charge of an advanced guard of 7 or 8 men when
proceeding to destroy Latoon Bridge on the Ennis-Limerick road about
August 1922 (July 16?).
We were ambushed by 7 or 8 forces who were lying wait for us, one
man wounded. Capt J. Barrett was in Supreme Command on that
occasion.
In
August 1922 I was two weeks at Brigade Officers training Camp at
Kilfenora under F. Barrett; two weeks at Battalion Officers Camp at
Kilkeedy and Dysart, Sean Casey O/C.
About the end of August 1922 I
was sent by my commander Capt J. Barrett to plan an attack on
Ennistymon National army Head Qrs.
I was captured when making a map of the grounds and Barracks and
other arrangements (see account in earlier text above). I was
subsequently imprisoned at Ennis, Limerick Prison Ship at Dun
Laoghaire and Gormanstown Camp to December 1923.
Oscar Traynor was O/C at Gormanstown Camp.
______________________________________________________________________________________
Official Assessment Board Note:
After a rigorous scrutiny by a National Panel of Referees (at least
four in number), Pat was graded as of Rank D, which was appropriate
to a captain of not less than 60 men in strength ('First Critical
Period'), and similarly as Barracks O/C ('Second Critical Period').
(Rankings A, B and C were reserved for higher grades at
regional and national level). The sequence of Units in which Pat
operated were summarised in the Referee's report as follows: (1)
Kilnamona Coy, 3rd Batt., Mid-Clare Bde; (2) 3rd Batt., Mid-Clare
Bde, A.S.U.; (3) Ennistymon Bks.; (4) 2nd Batt., Mid-Clare Bde.
A.S.U. It is also interesting to note that the Referees
referred back a query to Captain Joe Barrett, Courthouse, Kilrush as
to Pat's A.S.U. work
(cf Pat's Application for a
Service Certificate in Dept of Defence, 1935/36). Surprisingly, Pat was not credited with any
service he had given up to the year 1920/21, but the Referees made
up for matters somewhat when he was awarded an equivalent of two
years credit for the nine month period July 1922 to March 1923
inclusive. On the basis of this criteria he was judged to have
given an equivalent of 5 and 1/12th years of 'Active' Military
Service (of the 8 years submitted), and was awarded a pension of
£50.16s.8p per annum, i.e. a rate of £10 (Irish pounds then at
parity with sterling) per year credited service.
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updated May 2014