[deise go deo]

Originally Posted by CDfm

Did any of the RIC join the Gardai - how did it work ?

Was the prosecution of crimes and the handover affected. Were crimes prosecuted or was there an amnesty.??

Quite a few as far as I know, I skimmed through a book listing every member there had been of the RIC in a library, A good few had garda listed at the end of their info.

Not sure about procecusions, havent heard anything about them though.

[Denerick]

Originally Posted by CDfm

Did any of the RIC join the Gardai - how did it work ?

Was the prosecution of crimes and the handover affected. Were crimes prosecuted or was there an amnesty.??

Many RIC and former British army soldiers joined the Free State army. And subsequently the Guards. Fearghal McGarry wrote a great biography of Eoin O'Duffy, the first commissioner (It really is a great book, it illuminates the war the whole 1916-1940s era very well) if you're interested.

[CDfm]

Originally Posted by Denerick

Many RIC and former British army soldiers joined the Free State army. And subsequently the Guards. Fearghal McGarry wrote a great biography of Eoin O'Duffy, the first commissioner (It really is a great book, it illuminates the war the whole 1916-1940s era very well) if you're interested.

it is - i will look for it

it is very interesting that you see George Plant brought up a bit but usually in isolation.

http://fethard.com/reports/george_plant.html

He was involved in a post office robbery and an execution style killing. Executed in 1942 this was exactly the type of activity the Anti treaty side had been involved in during the Civil War.

Now, the deal on the table at the time was to renounce activity etc or face the penalties. Certainly, I knew some guys my grandfather knew who had taken this option and were even fixed up with houses and jobs.

This is not one of them but you get the idea

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen...ish_republican)

Take Maurice O'Neill listed here -executed for shooting at police. Brendan Behans family feared would happen him after this incident

http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/ireland.html

The bones of the story are here - but the real deal was that Behan grabbed a gun off one of the firing party at an IRA funeral and fired at detectives. There was no need for it and no doubt in that context the Quare Fellow is a totally different experience.

Not long out of Borstal in England, Behan was arrested after a shoot out with detectives about to arrest an I.R.A. man in Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin. Convicted of attempted murder, Behan was sentenced to fourteen years and sent to Mountjoy Prison. Again prison served Behan well; through the governor's invitation, Behan met Sean O'Faolain who encouraged Behan as a writer. Indeed, his first published work paralled Behan's time in Mountjoy. He also acquired the material for his play The Quare Fellow, and he learned Irish from Sean O'Brian, a fellow inmate and teacher from Kerry http://www.irish-society.org/Hedgemaster%20Archives/behan.htm

So in that way you can see a progression from the DeV who signed the oath of allegience with a pencil, used the Statute of Westminster to rewrite parts of the Treaty and the DeV that hedged his bets and held off declaring a republic.

[CDfm]

Its easy to forget the Limerick Soviet but here is a nice link

http://www.marxist.com/commemoration...ick-soviet.htm

However, the Limerick Soviet was to be the first of many struggles in the county for the next few years. More Strikes were to follow with the establisment of other local Soviets by the farm labourers and dairy workers of Limerick County. Also, there were many communists in the Limerick IRA that played a prominent role in the War of Irish Independence (1919 to 1921) and the Civil War (1922 to 1923). But such events in Limerick, sadly, play a less recognised part in Irish history and communism did not become a respectable ideology here, unlike certain countries in Europe.

I imagine selling Communism to the Kukaks in Clare was always going to be a hard sell

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/324575/kulak

But the Strike was set to escalate at national level. Already, other Irish Trade Union Councils were sending supplies to their comrades in Limerick and even Irish labourers in Britain were Striking in support. But by the end of mid April, the Church and the British led TUC waned in support. It was difficult for the people of Limerick to sustain this struggle on their own. After much heated negotiation with the Irish representatives of the TUC, it was agreed that British Martial Law would be lifted in return for ending the Strike. A few days after the people of Limerick returned to work, the British troops were withdrawn. No doubt, this industrial action was a great success at local level, but an ideal opportunity for an international Strike within Britain and Ireland was lost.

[mikemac]

Originally Posted by Denerick

Fearghal McGarry wrote a great biography of Eoin O'Duffy, the first commissioner (It really is a great book, it illuminates the war the whole 1916-1940s era very well) if you're interested.

I hope the book didn't mention he was the first commissoner. One of the most well known commisioners but he wasn't the first.

That was Michael Staines, in the job for 7 months or so
It's a very popular pub quiz question which most people get wrong

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Staines

[Denerick]

Originally Posted by feelingstressed

I hope the book didn't mention he was the first commissoner. One of the most well known commisioners but he wasn't the first.

That was Michael Staines, in the job for 7 months or so
It's a very popular pub quiz question which most people get wrong

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Staines

Well there you go. I assume the book makes note of that, I did read it a couple of years ago so do forgive me!

[CDfm]

Originally Posted by Denerick

Well there you go. I assume the book makes note of that, I did read it a couple of years ago so do forgive me!

Note to self. Do not join any pub quiz teams that Denerick is on

I thought I would have had more of a reaction to the Limerick Soviet and the Industrialised North as a huge ideological divide.

[Duffy the Vampire Slayer]

Originally Posted by Denerick

These two counties were almost non existant during the war.

Although Mayo didnt have the same level of activity as Cork or Tipperary it wasnt non-existent. In the later months of the war there some large-scale ambushes particularly in the west of the county.

[nuac]

Yes, especially at Carrowkennedy.

That ambush was said to be instru
mental in persuading the British to make the Truce

[jonniebgood1]

Originally Posted by nuac

Yes, especially at Carrowkennedy.

That ambush was said to be instru
mental in persuading the British to make the Truce

Bumping old threads is OK only if there is something new to add that is relevant to the discussion, i.e. if there was a new source supporting what you say above. This is as per the history forum charter.

Moderator.

[Snickers Man]

Originally Posted by CDfm

Note to self. Do not join any pub quiz teams that Denerick is on

On the contrary: kill to get on any quiz team Denerick is on. Just don't join a team playing against him.