Around this time with the help of Jock McPeak, an armoured car was taken from Bandon. It was named by the Free State Army the "Slievenamon". It was brought to Galvins, near Crookstown, home of Bishop Galvin and his brother who was killed in the Black and Tan fight. The sight of an armoured car must have been a strange sight to Mrs. Galvin and she said to Jimmy Lordan Cork 3, 'We will have the Republic in a week". Jimmy blandly replied "We'll give them a month, ma'am". The Free State Army were very annoyed at the loss of Slievenamon and they scoured the countryside with large numbers of troops. Unfortunately, for us, the car was disabled and it was easily captured back by the Staters. The driver Jock McPeak was a deserter and we knew what his capture would mean so he was smuggled back to Ballingeary and from there I took him to Quills, Gurtluera, Kilgarven. Since the bridge was blown we had to cross the river while straddling a tree. Jock unfortunately let his rifle fall and it crashed to the river below. From there Jock returned to Glasgow but was arrested some time later (when the civil war was over) and he was sentenced to five years imprisonment. In February 1923, Liam, Deasy was arrested in Tipperary. It seems that he had proposed a Cease Fire when in custody (as he had already done previously), a dumping of all munitions by the I.R.A. and an end to operations. This suggestion was repudiated all over the country and a deputy Chief of Staff appointed. Matters dragged on and a full 1st Southern Divisional Meeting was held at Gouganebarra, with Liam Lynch Chief of Staff presiding, Tom Andrews coming later from General [SN84] Headquarters. Irrespective of the wisdom of Liam Deasy's suggestion, myself and others knew only too well that Liam's action, although that of a very brave soldier, was solely guided by the fate of the I.R.A. and the Nation. Liam never considered his own safety. The picture was far from bright and this was evidently sensed by the Free State Troops. Six of our men were released to pave the way to the stoppage of hostilities or to try and negotiate its ending. Not one of the six prisoners tried in any way to influence those on the outside as they knew only too well the treatment meted out to Dick Barrett, Liam Mellowes, Joe McKelvey and Rory O'Connor who had been executed without trial. Three of the prisoners on parole were Tommy Kelleher Batt. O.C. Cork 3, Dr. Joe Kearney 1st Southern Division staff, Connie Murphy Cork City staff. The other three names evade me. At this full meeting of the 1st Southern Division, in addition to Liam Lynch, Tom Crofts Divisional O.C., Paddy O'Brien Vice O.C. Division, myself as Divisional Adjutant, Cork 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Brigades were represented. Also Kerry 1, 2 and 3 Brigades and Doctor Connie Lucey of G.H.Q. plans to resume operations were made. A full report was sent to G.H.Q., Dublin, while Liam Lynch took another copy with him. Unfortunately the copy intended for Dublin was captured there during a raid on a friendly house and the newspapers then publised the report in full. Some of the comments made at that meeting did not look too refreshing in newspaper print. Sad to relate Liam Lynch was killed about seven to ten days later. Other had travelled with Liam, including Sean Hyde, Tod Andrews, Tom Crofts etc. A week later Connie Lucey and I and Nick Murphy left with all the papers etc. for the east. Travelling all night, we did realise the horse which we had was practically starving, with the result that we had to drag him along part of the way. A mishap occurred when we missed a bundle of papers, which included a confession of the Ballyseedy massacre. We went along the road and found them about four miles back. We proceeded to Harringtons, Greenville, where we dumped all the papers and extra rifles and ammunition in a created dump there. Some days later Mick Murphy left [108] for Cork. Prior to this, and while at the Brigade Cork 1st Headquarters at Ryders, Crookstown, Dan Donovan had the bad luck to be arrested and placed in Cork Jail. At that time Connie Lucey contracted a very severe cold and cough. One morning we were awakened by the commotion of raids taking place all around us, with Free State troops arresting most of the male population. Connie and I managed, just in time, to squeeze into the Harrington's "Dump". This consisted of a narrow partitioned space between two bedrooms. We barely dared to breath while the search was going on with poor Connie in agonies as he had one violent coughing spell after another ever since early that morning. He virtually gagged himself with his handkerchief all the time as we looked through spy holes in the partition watching several of the Free Staters searching all the likely spots where something might be hidden. They left after about one hour but this hour lasted a lifetime for us! Connie went back to bed immediately and remained there for days with a high fever. After he felt better and was up and about we were walking along the read, one morning, to Poulnaragid and we met Charlie Browne and Bill Powell, both attached to 7th Batt., Cork 1
52
Powered by FlippingBook