War of Independence in Galway

Padraig Og

Hello all,
Ive recently put together a website about the War Of Independence in the IRA's 1st Western Division in counties Clare and Galway. The web address is;

http://www.warofindependence.net

Its content includes eyewitness accounts of events, period photographs, history articles, accounts of ambushes and barracks attacks and an interactive map with photographs and diagrams showing where key events took place and the location of war memorials and war graves today.Several other local historians (including Cormac O Comhrai from Galway ) who specialise in the War of Independence and Civil War period are contributing articles to the site.

Thanks
Padraig Og O Ruairc

the keen edge

Interesting website, I look forward to reading the various articles on it.

I have a quick questions for you, as you seem to be well up on the subject. What is the reason, or probably reasons, for Galway City and County, and even Mayo, never being a big participant in, or area for, IRA activities. With either the 'old' IRA or the Provisionals. I know the old IRA probably had a number of Galway/Mayo men and women in its ranks, but from what I can gather it was never a big supplier of Volunteers. Certainly nothing to rival Counties in other surrounding parts of Ireland. And I never heard of the Provisionals being active in the west either?; may be this is a result of the former.

Just something I always wondered about.

I always thought it could have something to do with in the life in the west, in auld days, being a struggle to survive as it was, without bringing more hardship on ones self by taking up arms and going to war!

Padraig Og

Hello Keen Edge,
During the War of Independence Id say it was down to the leadership - however the real expert on Galway in the War Of Independence in Cormac O Comhrai whose e-mail address is on the website. My expertise are more on the Clare side of things!

As to the modern I.R.A. incarnations "Provos etc" id say its due to the counties Civil War history where the Free State seem to have been largely unchallenged - certainly for possession of the city. In areas where there was much more fighting and often brutal Free State reprisals like Kerry - the memory of these events seems to have kept the militant republican ideology going.

Padraig

biko

Interesting, I don't see anything about Liam Mellows though?

unJustMary

Magnus wrote: »

Interesting, I don't see anything about Liam Mellows though?

I thought boards was a discussion forum, not a flyer site?


(ducks for cover ....)

happyoutscan

unJustMary wrote: »

I thought boards was a discussion forum, not a flyer site?


(ducks for cover ....)

Yeah, get over it.:rolleyes:

biko

We'll get this started here for everyone's info and then I'll shift it to History/Heritage. Nothing flyer about it imo.

Padraig Og

Hello Magnus,
I have written about Liam Mellows, the 1916 Rising in Galway, and his escape into Clare afterwards in my book "Blood On The Banner".

The website is primarily about the War Of Independence not 1916 - during that period Mellows was in America with De Valera seeking American recognition for the Irish Republic - the sites focus in on events in Clare and South East Galway from 1919-1921 so Mellows does not appear.

Rather than focusing on well known Personalities of the period Liam Mellows, Eamon De Valera etc and well known events, the sites aim is to bring to light new information, explore the folk legends that have grown up around the war and conduct/publish/prompt new research into the unexplored aspects of the conflict.

Padraig

PomBear

Good website, information on the west's war is poor at best, thanks

civis_liberalis

God dammit,

I thought this thread was going to be a call to arms...

Oh well, back in the gun cupboard for another while...

Sponge Bob

Interesting, are you covering the activity of the Soviets in the region too ??????

More here

skelliser

Is this thread not a blatant advertisement for a site and an associated book?

Padraig Og

"information on the west's war is poor at best," - Not any more Pombear thats what the website is there for!!!

Sorry civil liberallis - no call to arms ... Yet!

Hi Sponge bob - again Ive writen on the soviet in my own book but it dosent fall within the remit of the website Clare and South East Galway from 1919 - 1921. The Limerick Soviet didnt extend into Clare (though the death of Bobby Byrne which precipated it happened in Meelick, Co. Clare) many if not most of the soviets happened in the Civil War not the War of Independence - so again isnt going to appear.

The site is run on a voluntary basis and its a very big subject - so I cant cover everything.

Any information on soviets in Clare / Galway 1919 -21 would be most welcome. Id be happy to publish any articles on the same if they are of appropriate quality.

Connor Kosticks book is very good for information on the Soviets and the Irish Left during the War

Padraig Og

Hello Skelliser,
Only mentioned the book when asked why things werent covered on the website - yes I want to let people know about the website and the history of the Irish War of Independence, all the articles and information on the website are available free of charge im not telling or asking anyone to buy anything - If they like what they see and want to learn more then they can get hold of the book - from a public library if needs be.

Would it be fair to say that there might be at least a handfull of other posts on boards.ie that say:

"Ive got a bed going free - if the person who wants it can take it away"

"My Brother had one of those replacement wing mirrors you want, give him a call and he might sell it to you"

"Hey lads my band are playing tonight at..." Infact I believe theres a forum on here that allows people to "plug" their own bands and music.

If you believe I have broken any of the forums rules them please report me for same.

I have a great interest in early 20th Century Irish History and in particular the 1913 -23 period. I want to make information about that time available, dis-spell some popular myths and misconceptions about what happened back then, get people interested in local / Irish History and to promote/prompt new research. The website endevours to do all that and inform / educate/ create debate for free!

Sponge Bob

The site is a bit of a pimp but the interwoogie is the best way to gather what is now fragmentary second hand history and becoming more fragmented as the few primary sources who remember this period die ...they are all 100 years old at least.

Even the ones who heard the stories from their parents 'who were there' are old.

Therefore I would indulge such an exercise because we are all great at squabbling about history in this forum....just look at the threads on Galway Nightclubs of old

Padraig Og

http://www.warofindependence.net/?page_id=150 written by a Black and Tan who was there and published as a memoir

http://www.warofindependence.net/?page_id=368 written by a civilian who was there and published at the time

"fragmentary second hand history ..." no second hand sources here!

civis_liberalis

Both of those links are broken.

EDIT: Never mind. Couldn't get into it for a while though.

unJustMary

Padraig Og wrote: »

Would it be fair to say that there might be at least a handfull of other posts on boards.ie that say:

"Ive got a bed going free - if the person who wants it can take it away"

"My Brother had one of those replacement wing mirrors you want, give him a call and he might sell it to you"

"Hey lads my band are playing tonight at..." Infact I believe theres a forum on here that allows people to "plug" their own bands and music.

My observation of moderation in Galway City makes me think that:

"I've got a bed going free" - will probably be allowed, though you might be pointed to Freecycle or somesuch.

"I've got one of those X's you want" - is discussion, in response to a question that someone has asked.

"My band are playing to night" - will be rapidly closed, with a quick "no pimping" comment, and perhaps a direction to a more relevant forum.


I'm one of many Boards users who are also running sites that host information that people here find useful. Generally, mentioning "my" site in response to other people's requests for information (so long as it's relevant of course) is fine. So is having a link to it in my .sig. Personally I'd be cautious about a straight "plug" post: I got endorsement/suggestions from folks in the Commuting and Transport forums before doing a plug here for the first time, and I didn't sign up to boards.ie in the very month that I posted about my site.

YMMV.

And of course final decisions rest with the moderators (as they should).

happyoutscan

Thanks for the site Padraig Og, very interesting. Don't mind the troublemakers either, they just like to be noticed as usual.

Padraig Og

Thanks hayypoutscan!

coldwood92

Padraig Og wrote: »

Hello Magnus,
I have written about Liam Mellows, the 1916 Rising in Galway, and his escape into Clare afterwards in my book "Blood On The Banner".

The website is primarily about the War Of Independence not 1916 - during that period Mellows was in America with De Valera seeking American recognition for the Irish Republic - the sites focus in on events in Clare and South East Galway from 1919-1921 so Mellows does not appear.

Rather than focusing on well known Personalities of the period Liam Mellows, Eamon De Valera etc and well known events, the sites aim is to bring to light new information, explore the folk legends that have grown up around the war and conduct/publish/prompt new research into the unexplored aspects of the conflict.

Padraig

Magnus
I have a website about 1916 that contains genral info about the rising that i created:
http://easterrisingguy.webs.com

[-0-]

Great website. Loving it!

upncmnhistori

I think your website may have been hacked its chinese writting that comes up when I click on the links. As for Galway and the Irish War of Indpendence.

R. I. C. barracks were burnt near Athenry at Moyvilla and Bookeen.

There was an assaination of Frank Shawe Taylor at Coshla were it is believed
that it was an I.R.A. ambush but the case was left cold.

Luca Brasi

PomBear wrote: »

Good website, information on the west's war is poor at best, thanks

Go to Bureau of Military History website and use Search.

Put in e.g Ballinasloe in the search engine and it will show every reference to Ballinasloe in the statements submitted to the Bureau. Very informative