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Tom Cullen of the Squad - What happened to him?

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  • 05-01-2015 3:06pm
    #1
    ParsleyQueen
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭


    I was paging through P. O Ruairc's book of photographs "Revolution" (a fine book, btw), and there's a group photo from an IRA meeting in Armagh to commemorate 1916. Included in the photo is Tom Cullen, who is identified as Michael Collin's bodyguard. This made me curious as to what happened to Tom Cullen. Liam Tobin has a brief statement with the BMH, but there's nothing from Tom Cullen.

    Does anyone know what happened to him after the revolution & Civil War?
    Tagged:


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    #2
    molders
    Registered Users Posts: 44 ✭molders


    Hi Tom Cullen died in a drowning accident on June 20th 1925 or 1926. Maybe an online newspaper from the period would shed more light if you searched on those dates.


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    #3
    ParsleyQueen
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭ParsleyQueen


    molders wrote: »
    Hi Tom Cullen died in a drowning accident on June 20th 1925 or 1926. Maybe an online newspaper from the period would shed more light if you searched on those dates.

    Wow. Thanks very much for taking the time to reply. I do have access to news archives, so I will look into it. I had a feeling he must have died young, as he seemed to have just disappeared, and there was no statement with the BMH.

    Again, thanks!


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    #4
    molders
    Registered Users Posts: 44 ✭molders


    Your very welcome, glad I could be of help. I've an old photo of Tom Cullen's grave with a number of old IRA men around (including Frank Thornton) but from looking at it I just can't be sure of the year of his death, but its definetly either 1925 or 26. I can't attach a photo as I've less then 50 posts sorry! If its any use in your search the inscription on his grave reads "Major General Thomas Cullen"


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    #5
    pedroeibar1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,108 ✭✭✭pedroeibar1


    After 1922 he was an army officer (General?) and was drowned on 20th June 1926 - it was in Lough Dan in Wicklow.


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    #6
    ParsleyQueen
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭ParsleyQueen


    I haven't found an obituary yet (my university doesn't have a lot of access to historical papers from Ireland), but I *did* find an item in the London Times from November 27 1925 that Maj. Gen. Tom Cullen was being evicted from his lodge in Phoenix Park after resigning from the free state army (and refused to relinquish his official residence!). He had been ADC to the governor general. So he was still alive at that time.

    I have the "too few posts" problem, too, so can't offer a link. Now to think of it, I should probably check "find-a-grave".


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    #7
    Santa Cruz
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,126 ✭✭✭Santa Cruz


    molders wrote: »
    Hi Tom Cullen died in a drowning accident on June 20th 1925 or 1926. Maybe an online newspaper from the period would shed more light if you searched on those dates.

    Thanks Molders for that information. It is great that you took the time to respond to the posters query


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