New Irish War Of Independence Website

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 who specialise in the War of Independence and Civil War period are contributing articles to the site.

Thanks
Padraig Og O Ruairc

johnny_doyle

I've popped onto your site a couple of times. Interested in finding out more about Pte R Williams, RWF, the motorcycle despatch rider drowned at Bunratty (interest sparked by a query from Tom B on the 1914-1918 forum).

Would you have any info about the Free State search for his body?

Padraig Og

Hello Johnny Doyle,
Im doing a Ph D. on the Truce at the moment so I know a fair bit about Williams. (I also Know Tom Buttler who you mentioned) There is information about the Free State Army's search for Williams body in the book "Remembering The War Dead" by Fergus D'Arcy

Padraig

johnny_doyle

Hi Padraig,

I've just got Tom's book re Wexford War Dead and am ploughing my way thru this. Will see about getting "Remembering The War Dead" too.

Would you have Pte Williams forename (or that of his mother)? They are only referred to by initials on the CWGC website.

I see on the Spies & Informers page you have a note re CSM Martin Doyle VC MM being in the barracks at Ennis. I'd assumed that he had been demobbed in 1919.

Have you come across any references to Clare volunteers assisting Limerick (Galtee) volunteers after the Knocklong Rescue?

Johnny D

Padraig Og

Hello again Johnny

Pte Williams forename - Hes just listed as R.W. in D'arcy's book as well. He was in Ireland with 2nd Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers I went to their Regimental Museum a few years ago and asked for information about him - unfortunately the man working that day was significantly less than helpful! That was some years ago and I'm going to write to them again in the hope that they have mellowed a bit.

"I see on the Spies & Informers page you have a note re CSM Martin Doyle VC MM being in the barracks at Ennis. I'd assumed that he had been demobbed in 1919." - Not according to Bartlett's Military History of Ireland - but I haven't accessed his service record yet

"Have you come across any references to Clare volunteers assisting Limerick (Galtee) volunteers after the Knocklong Rescue?" - No Cant say I know of any but there will be two books on Limerick on the shelves in May. One is By John O Callaghan, the other is by Tom Toomey. Both of them promise to be very good!

Padraig Og

Just went to his memorial marker in Old Bunratty grave yard which simply names him as "R.W. Williams" Theres a picture of the marker on the map thats up on the site.

Padraig Og

johnny_doyle

thanks Padraig. I'm back in Ireland at Easter and heading to Galbally. May make a tour towards Bunratty as I've never been up that way before.

The listing of only his initials and the limited info about his mother is painful. His service number is a post WW1 number so no chance of linking to any potential service records or medal cards. I suspect he was too young to have served in WW1. Is there any info about the chap travelling with him who survived?

Padraig Og

I think I have his comrades name in a newspaper account somewhere - ill see if I can find it.

johnny_doyle

Padraig, did you manage to track down the other fella's name?

I put a query into the CWGC to see if they had records that would give Pte Williams forename but they were fairly unhelpful.

johnny_doyle

Williams now has an entry on Findagrave :

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=49507901


From the Irish Times archive : In July 1924, the body of Peter Walsh of Limerick was found on the bank of the River Garney (O'Garney? - formerly the Raite) which flows into the Shannon at Bunratty Castle. The body was found in the tidal portion at Ballinphunta after a high tide.

Would Williams' body have travelled south of the bridge like Walsh's or would the tidal effect have pushed it north? The note at Living History has the body being found north of the bridge :

http://livinghistory.ie/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1273


The river appears to be quite slow flowing. Not quite sure how deep it is. Is there any information re attempts by witnesses to track or recover the body immediately after the motor cycle hit the trap?