Irish prison escapes

Wolfe Tone

Thought a thread on this could be interesting...

The only ones I know of are the Provo ones...

During the Troubles, Irish republican prisoners had escaped from custody en masse on several occasions. On 17 November 1971, nine prisoners dubbed the "Crumlin Kangaroos" escaped from Crumlin Road Jail when rope ladders were thrown over the wall. Two prisoners were recaptured, but the remaining seven managed to cross the border into the Republic of Ireland and appeared at a press conference in Dublin.[1] On 17 January 1972, seven internees escaped from the prison ship HMS Maidstone by swimming to freedom, resulting in them being dubbed the "Magnificent Seven".[1][2] On 31 October 1973, three leading IRA members, including former Chief of Staff Seamus Twomey, escaped from Mountjoy Prison in Dublin when a helicopter landed in the exercise yard of the prison. Irish band The Wolfe Tones wrote a song celebrating the escape called "The Helicopter Song", which topped the Irish popular music charts.[3][4][5] 19 IRA members escaped from Portlaoise Jail on 18 August 1974 after overpowering guards and using gelignite to blast through gates,[6] and 33 prisoners attempted to escape from Long Kesh on 6 November 1974 after digging a tunnel. IRA member Hugh Coney was shot dead by a sentry, 29 other prisoners were captured within a few yards of the prison, and the remaining three were back in custody within 24 hours.[5][7] In March 1975, ten prisoners escaped from the courthouse in Newry while on trial for attempting to escape from Long Kesh.[5] The escapees included Larry Marley, who would later be one of the masterminds behind the 1983 escape.[8][9] On 10 June 1981, eight IRA members on remand, including Angelo Fusco, Paul Magee and Joe Doherty, escaped from Crumlin Road Jail. The prisoners took prison officers hostage using three handguns that had been smuggled into the prison, took their uniforms and shot their way out of the prison.[10]

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

There is a decent bit of detail on the great escape from the maze prison and a fair amount of info on the helicopter escape from Mountjoy on Wikipedia. They would be two of the better known ones I imagine. Does anyone have any other detail on the escapes, particularily the escape from Portlaoise? Angelo Fuscos escape sounds quite interesting too.


Does anyone know of any other prison escapes in Irish history? Only other one I can think of off the top of my head would be Devs.

Nhead

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Thought a thread on this could be interesting...

The only ones I know of are the Provo ones...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maze_Prison_escape

There is a decent bit of detail on the great escape from the maze prison and a fair amount of info on the helicopter escape from Mountjoy on Wikipedia. They would be two of the better known ones I imagine. Does anyone have any other detail on the escapes, particularily the escape from Portlaoise? Angelo Fuscos escape sounds quite interesting too.


Does anyone know of any other prison escapes in Irish history? Only other one I can think of off the top of my head would be Devs.

There are two I can think of There was a famous escape from the Curragh in the 2Os and also from Newbridge. Busy at the moment but I'll get back to you with details.

Nhead

 

PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM HARE PARK CURRAGH CAMP

As published in Leinster Leader 17 September 1921

Sensation at Curragh Camp.

Prisoners escape from Hare Park.

The Signal “All clear”

 

It is scarcely necessary to say that excitement was at its height in the Curragh Camp and in the adjoining centres on Friday morning when it was known that a great number of the boys who were being interned at the Curragh had succeeded in an attempt to break camp. It was evident that the spirit of the men soared some little bit over the height of the entanglements and in this instance, at all events, the iron bars were not sufficiently moulded to complete the cage which their captors had hoped for. When I was first told of the escapes of some prisoners I was rather inclined to think there was no foundation, but soon it was ascertained at the Curragh Camp that something had occurred very much out of the ordinary, and the military police, as well as the Constabulary, were busy. Reticence was observed to a very great degree and it indeed sensed to be the wish of the military and the government forces generally, not to give any information even of the slightest kind, which would tend to throw any light on the situation which was being so keenly discussed. It was, indeed, with much difficulty that the following facts were gathered from some reliable sources:-

            There are 70 men missing from the Rath internment camp at the Curragh and it is considered that the manner of their escape was effected through the boring of a tunnel at which the men must have been secretly engaged for over a month before the attempt to burst outside in the greenlands of the Curragh and make the final attempt for liberty which was made on Friday morning. The burst for freedom was indeed most successful and all who were concerned got away with the exception, it is said of one young man who got caught in the wire entanglement and who lost an amount of blood. When he found that he would be but hampering the cause of his comrades he with a spirit of self-sacrifice quietly crept back to his hut again where he was found in the early hours of the morning badly wounded in the foot. It is said on the other hand that at that moment when he was entangled in the meshes of the barbed wire that the sentry hearing a noise fired in the direction and the young man who has been recaptured, is said to be rather badly wounded.

            The huts in the Rath Camp in which the men have been interned for such a long time, are raised a few feet from the ground, and in this instance we are informed from a very reliable authority that they are not even a little bit of an improvement from the huts which were placed on the Curragh plain at the early portion of the European war when the Dead March was being heard as a result of the insanitary foundations and surroundings through the streets of Droichead Nua and Kildare evening after evening, while the coffin loads were being brought over to England. At that time reports on such matters were banned and the real truth never caught the ears of the public here or across the Channel.

            All around the Rath Camp there are strong block houses and it would appear to the average person that there was not the remote possibility of escape from the place, which is so strongly barricaded with a remarkable series of barbed wire entanglement, while patrols are always on the move outside as well as in the interior of the camp.

            The escape of the prisoners was through a tunnel from the huts in the grounds of the camp. The huts are raised up on a foundation extending somewhat over the ground, and it would appear that underneath the foundation the men burrowed down some ten or twelve feet, their sole implements being knives and spoons, which they had been using in the ordinary way, while at their meals. With these the men patiently burrowed time after time when they got the opportunity until they had the necessary tunnel prepared out in the open air overhead. The digging must have been under the control of someone experienced, as it is said that the tunnel was planned and carried out in a most scientific manner. It was merely run some eight feet down into the earth while there was the necessary allowance made for the falling of matter, etc. At this point the huts were surrounded by guards. The tunnel having been completed it was but necessary to await the most favourable opportunity to commence the escape, and it is said a concert was being proceeded with in the huts when the boys crawled into the tunnel and afterwards when they felt the Curragh breeze in the open they made a dash for freedom. It is said that there were entirely 1,500 men in the camp, and that of these there were over 60 less when roll was called. On the first section getting out they had to remain in quietness immediately outside until they were joined by their comrades and then they quietly cut the barbed wire at a point already agreed on but during this operation a number of men got rather badly cut about the hands, while their clothing was badly torn. The men on getting into the open distributed themselves, taking different directions, but all got away safely.

            The military and police have been busy in their searches which included the Newbridge and Kildare railway stations, but up to the present there have been no arrests.

            With the Rath Camp, from which the men escaped, and the French Furze camp now in progress of construction there are nearly two miles of a stretch covered round with barbed wire entanglements, while the Hare Park internment camp, about a quarter of a mile distant, contains 400 prisoners. There was a rumour that one elderly man was captured in the neighbourhood of the Curragh during the morning and taken to the Camp, but this was afterwards verified. The men on leaving the camp are said when getting into the open to have first struck over by the Stone Barracks by the main road round by the Y.M.C.A. huts and on to the borders of the Curragh where they distributed themselves. It is stated that a number of the men went in the Hill of Allen, Droichead Nua, Kilcullen and Rathangan direction. Some of them were during the day in the interplace until motors arrived and conveyed them to their destinations. Some of the men were in their bare heads when seen. The majority of the men who escaped are said to be from Dublin, Tullamore, Mayo and Galway district, and it is said that only one of the Kildare men is included amongst the number who escaped, Kildare men been in different huts. The Rath Camp for a considerable time back has been completely cut off from all connection with the main road, and even the roadway passing by to the main military camp at the Curragh has for a long time back been closed up and barred to the public. From a reliable source the writer was informed that on Wednesday night at 12 o’clock it was found that two tunnels having been completed the signal “all clear” was given, and the men went out of the prison huts into the tunnels two at a time. At first, it is said one man got out and returned to make a report that all was right, and then he was followed by another man, both getting safely through the wires into the open. Two by two their comrades went down into the tunnel and getting out passed through the barbed wire on to the open greenlands of the Curragh until 70 men were breathing the air of freedom, and immediately afterwards were striking out for the hilly country in the distance having first broken up into little batches. It is said that a number of men not knowing the lie of the country and rushing in the darkness must have run in somewhat of a circle as dawn found them again back on the verge of the camp. Happily they discovered their mistake in time, and they wearily pursued their way this time striking out for the friendly hills. From this and other incidents of which I have learned it would appear that there was no real alarm given until morning, and, indeed, it is stated by a reliable authority that the actual state of affairs did not penetrate the minds of the military authorities until roll call in the morning. The night was a very foggy one, and this very much facilitated the men in their escape. There was much danger at one moment and a false step would have brought the din of bugles in their ears and the noise of an aroused camp. One of the prisoners afterwards said that at one point there was a crucial moment as out of the fog only four yards away they perceived a sentry standing, and, indeed, only saw him just in time, after which they slightly altered the direction of travel, and in a little time were entirely outside the outskirts of the camp, and the greenlands of the Curragh were soon left far behind.

 
http://www.curragh.info/articles/prisonerescape.htm

BigCon

http://www.rte.ie/tv/scannal/scannalprisonbreak.html

Worth a look

Nhead

http://www.kildare.ie/library/ehistory/2011/06/escape_from_newbridge_barracks.asp

Some of the text is missing from this but you get the idea.





THEY ESCAPED FROM NEWBRIDGE BARRACKS AND THEN FIVE MEN TREKKED HOME
Mountains were our safeguard


Seamus O’Connor and his Republican comrades in arms were captured in July 1922. After imprisonment in Limerick Jail they were shipped to Dun Laoghaire and then imprisoned in Newbridge, where they immediately start into tunnelling:
Everything had to be done neatly. There were periodic inspections for tunnels. All operations were kept as secret as possible in case of spying. We agreed that whichever tunnel was through first would be made available to the other teams, so that all could escape at the same time.
After a few weeks we got word that one was ready. The escape was planned for that night. Newbridge was an old cavalry barracks. There was a large manhole in the square. It was connected with an old main sewer. The authorities had shown nervousness about this, thus drawing attention to its possibilities. The sewer ran right through the centre block, into the Liffey about 300 yards away. The tunnel was dug from a ground floor room into the sewer.
Each block of four rooms was self-contained and each room held nearly twenty men. Word was passed to everybody who knew of the tunnel. No person could leave his block, by order on penalty of being fired on by the sentries. At about seven each night a whistle was blown and each man had to withdraw from the square to (presumably) his own block until morning. There was no check afterwards, however, on the occupants of each block.
The tunnel was not in our block and a few minutes before whistle time we got ready to move in silently to the escape block. A message was however passed to us that the escape had been postponed until the following night. When the whistle blew we went to our own rooms.
The following morning whilst in bed somebody whispered in my ear that 70 men had escaped. It was true. The information given to us at the critical moment the night before was wrong. We moved into the empty escape room and took it over.
The authorities knew nothing of the escape. It was in our favour that the day was Sunday. The prisoners here, as in Limerick, also looked after themselves. The soldiers merely acted as guards on the outside.
On Sunday usually, there was little or no connection between them and us. Before an hour, the escape was known to all the prisoners. It was made clear, however – with the aid of butchers’ knives from the cookhouse – that drastic measures would be taken against anybody trying to pass out information. As it happened, no information was passed out.
We knew nothing of the working of this tunnel – all who did were gone. A wiry, diminutive lad – Hussey of Killarney – was selected to make an inspection that morning. He came back, leaving his shoes outside – perhaps that he would have an excuse of going out for them again, or to prove that he had made the journey.
We decided to escape that night. We found it would be impossible to get away by day. And now we had a bit of trouble. We prisoners had our own commanding officer. He now approached us and claimed the right to take over control, as he was anxious that a batch of key Dublinmen would escape first. We very reluctantly agreed on condition that ours should be the second batch.
When the whistle blew in the evening for everybody to go to their blocks, there were up to two hundred men in the escape block. We waited. An hour passed. We wondered what was delaying the first party. They were patiently waiting in a ring round the tunnel entrance in the escape room.
At last the O/C called for attention. It was now about 8.30. The escape was called on, he said. He had definite information, he said, that there was an armoured car outside with machine guns trained on the mouth of the tunnel. Naturally and very correctly, of course, he refused to be responsible for sending unarmed men to their deaths. After the order his men fell back from round the coveted spot. We edged in and took their places. At that moment we felt responsible to no-one but to our individual selves. Turning to them I said “Are we going to drop it?” There was no doubt about their “No”. I lifted the neat square board that covered the hole, and threw it aside – the bed underneath which it was hidden had already been moved earlier that night. Hussey, the guide, went first, and each of us who had elected to come followed him.
After about a dozen feet, we got into the sewer. We were able to crawl without difficulty on our hands and knees. The distance seemed long. It seemed to take over an hour. The noise made by the crawling line – about 25 of us – seemed very loud. We passed under a sentry box. It seemed almost incredible that he could not hear us.
Tom O’Brien had a new blue suit on. Earlier in the night he had carefully wound a cloth round the legs to preserve it. He was after me, I kept asking him how his suit was. It was unnecessary to ask.The knees of our trousers were soon worn through, and then the skin began to come off at the knees and palms.
There was a disused sawmill on the bank of the river. The sewer passed beneath it. The architects of the tunnel knew their geography well and they bored right up into the mill house. The entrance to the river had been blocked with iron bars by the Free State authorities. We waited to give a helping hand until all were up. We decided that five of us should make the first attempt to cross the river – the others to wait until they were sure that everything was in order, and then come as they wished.
We crawled out in single file, turned to the right along the bank for a hundred yards, in order to avoid going too close to where we knew there was an outpost, and then struck straight across the river. The river was high enough to cleanse us after the sewer. O’Brien carried his cigarettes and matches in safety under his cap. Suddenly a light shone down on us, along the river. We froze, crouching where we were, expectantly. It slowly lifted, turned aside, and passed on. It was probably the light of a car travelling the Naas road.
We climbed a steep bank on the other side, into a large field. Then we were free.
Never again do I hope to experience the exultation I felt going up that field – the joy of being free.
When we reached the top of the field, we were together. Suddenly from behind, I heard my first name called. I waited. A young lad came running up, 15-years-old Tully O’Sullivan of Tralee. He asked me to take him with us.
Thinking he would be too great a liability to us and to himself I advised him to go back and link up with another party. He pleaded and I consented. Just then another figure loomed up. Nash from Newcastle West. He like O’Sullivan had also stolen after us, and he pleaded to be allowed accompany us. He had been wounded previously and on that account, perhaps we consented.
We were now seven. Besides Allman and Hussey, there were two Dublin lads, Tom O’Brien already mentioned, and Jimmy Kenny. Kenny was in the Fianna in Easter Week with Pearse and had been in charge of the 4th Batt., Dublin Brigade, for some time. O’Brien had seen a good deal of service. We had shared the same room, and I had previously initiated them into the

*** … with a view of our going to Dublin. In return they were to supply us with arms there

***… picked out a star which we thought lay over Dublin, and

*** … us glowed the huge wall of light, forming a ring of death in the barbed wire around the camp.
We didn’t bless the whitethorn hedges – favoured by the farmers in Kildare and Dublin – through we had to force our way.
After about an hour we heard continuous bursts of gunfire coming from the direction of the camp. We knew the escape had been discovered. We later learned that one party of escapees – not the one that came with us – had been caught under fire. We heard afterwards that some were killed and wounded. One wounded man, swept down the river, got into a friendly house and escaped. Some went back through the sewer again. We heard also that one went astray in a smaller offshoot and got stuck there.
There were Free State posts at Naas and Blessington. It was important that we go between them. Our star carried us right through. When daylight came we approached a house for food. The poor woman had no bread. She baked us a cake on the griddle. We ate and rested in a nearby wood until nightfall.

*** … the village of Brittas. Somebody had a half crown. We bought a few bottles of stout and set out again by road.
Shortly after leaving the village, we met four officers on a sidecar – probably from the aerodrome at Tallaght!  They looked at us, and we looked at them. They said nothing and passed on. We thought they must suspect us and might organise a search party. We took to the fields again.
Then Allman hurt his knee crossing a fence. We could go no further. We looked for the light of a house, but could see none. We came on a field of hay left out to feed sheep or cattle for the winter. We made a bed in a dry dyke and slept until morning.
That day we got into Rathfarnham. The two Dublin lads and I slept for a week in a loft of a cow byre. The other four found refuge – through the help of a friendly priest in a barn. The gardener supplied food. They were closeted at hand for a week, as they had to remain, as they had to remain there until Allman’s knee was better.
Then one bright Thursday afternoon, armed with one service rifle, three Webley revolvers, a bottle of iodine and some bandages and a very good map of Ireland we turned our faces to the South, out by the Hell Fire Club, down across the Dublin Mountains on our journey home. There were five of us: Allman, Hussey, Nash, O’Sullivan and myself (four Kerrymen, one from Limerick).
As we came off the mountains on the road near Glencree we heard the sound of a bugle call. We immediately took cover in a ditch, and sent young O’Sullivan forward to investigate. Being young he was not likely to be suspected. He reported back that it was a Reformatory, run by a religious order – on semi-military lines, I presume, hence the bugle.
We knocked at the door and asked for our dinner. The Superior was called and we could see that he did not like our appearance. We had to certify that our arms were for defence only (like all great nations do).
He admitted us and provided us with a very fine dinner. He didn’t seem to like our side. It was dusk when we left Glencree, and followed a grass grown road made to subjugate Michael O’Dwyer, many miles long and wide, running through a huge glen. We were tired and there was no house except the broken-down block houses sight. That night we slept under a large overhanging rock. The night was cold and there were showers of sleet. It was the end of October.
We had no overcoats and our summer clothing was thin and scanty. (We from Kerry had no connection with our homes since capture). Some of us had no shirts. They had worn out in prison, and we had made ourselves instead a sort of long undergarment, from army blankets. We slept fitfully through a very long night, huddled on top of each other, for warmth.
At daybreak, we found we were only a short distance from a house surrounded by trees. It looked big, and we suspected a military post, as we had one marked on our map in the locality. We spread out and closed in cautiously.

*** … carded slings were scattered in the open hall. The soldiers had been there and had gone.
We knocked up the caretaker – it was a shooting lodge. He lit a fire and we thawed out. He made a huge container of tea and gave us all the bread he had - not much. He said he had to bring the flour six miles from Laragh on his back.
After a few hours we set out again, keeping as far as possible to the mountains. It was safer that way. To us, mountains were a natural safeguard. They had always been our main chance of survival. We made straight for Mount Leinster, up a sheep track, over the top and down near Borris-in–Ossory.
From there straight to Slievenamon and then to the Galtees. Rivers were a difficulty – bridges are usually on or near town, and they were occupied. We forded the Slaney, and crossed the Barrow by boat. We approached the Nore about a mile underneath Thomastown and were shown a ford. It was in flood and looked high and wide.
As we sought a place to cross, we saw a party of soldiers on the other side. They saw us and retreated towards Thomastown – we guessed for reinforcements.
We had no alternative now. We got into the water and crossed. Here young O’Sullivan was nearly drowned. He was being carried off when somebody pulled him out by the hair.
We slept in outhouses, stables, in the kitchens of farm labourers’ houses. Somehow, they understood human needs and frailties better than their richer neighbours. We developed an amazing brand of lice. Their quantity and quality in such a comparatively short time was truly phenomenal.
Once (in Carlow), we approached a very large residence for our dinner. The owner had a title of some sort, and we wanted to give him a chance to atone for some of the sins of his ancestors by contributing something to the Republic. He took us into a parlour, and produced a bottle of whiskey. He probably suspected who we were, because he showed us a newspaper which gave account of the big Newbridge escape.
His good lady assisted the maids to wait on us, and presented us with a towel and soap on our departure. We found the offer slightly embarrassing.
So far we hadn’t met any of our own, and when we did it nearly proved our undoing. We went astray on the Galtees, and instead of going west we turned north into the glen of Aherlow. We struck on a Republican doing sentry duty for a Column, east of Galbally. We met the members of the Column (McCormack’s) in nearby farm-houses and were entertained royally.
A horse and cart was provided to take us to some place near Ballylanders, where we slept in real beds. There was a Free State post in Galbally who must have heard of our location. The following morning we were forced to flee our bed by news of an approaching Free State party. We lay all that day in a

*** …We made a vow that we would not rest in bed again till we reached home in Kerry.
It was Saturday night at 7 o’clock when we started out again on the last lap. We met a rabbit trapper and we pressed him into our service. He took us out of the mountains and put us on the road.
We went on by Milford, Broadford, skirted around Charleville, which was occupied. Travelling all night, we arrived in Tullylease in County Cork about 11 o’clock, and we met the people as they were coming out from Mass.We parted with Nash at Rockchapel.
At Brosna (Kerry), we said good-bye to Hussey and Pat Allman. We were to meet again. In Pat I was reminded of what I had read was not yet 20, and was then of Red Hugh O’Donnell. He was not yet 20, and was then a Battalion Commander. He had already shown before his capture, and was later to prove himself a born leader and a very brave man.
Even his fine physique could not save him, however. In four years he was dead from much hardship and many wounds.
Now young O’Sullivan and I were alone. We had about eight miles to go. Towards the end it was becoming difficult to bring him along. At every fence he stopped and wanted as he said , “to lie down and die.”
At about one o’clock on Monday morning we reached home – Knocknagoshel, a little hill-top village beyond the Cork-Kerry-Limerick border. I knocked on the house of a friend, Charlie O’Donoghue. He got up, opened the door. He passed no remark, motioned us to sit down. He put the fire together and hung an oven. He sliced the bacon. He made the tea. We ate and went to bed.
To-morrow was another day. If we had only known it, what had happened was but a very little episode of what was to come- all part of the uneasy pangs of a nation being born.
END

MarchDub

Actually there is a tradition of prison escapes – one of the best stories concerns the young Red Hugh O’Donnell [in his early teens at the time]. He along with other young friends were kidnapped in September 1587 by the Lord Deputy John Perrot [under orders from Elizabeth I] and brought to Dublin Castle and jailed in the strongest part, the Birmingham Tower. The English authorities had made a habit out of kidnapping the sons of the Irish nobility as a way of having some leverage over the fathers.

The young O’Donnell was a prisoner for over four years but eventually on Christmas night 1591 he escaped. Lughlidh O Clerigh gives the account in his c1610 biography of Hugh O’Donnell - Beatha Aodha Ruaidh Ui Domhnaill. O’Donnell escaped with Henry and Art O’Neill who were also imprisoned with him.

Somehow the prisoners managed to loosen each others' shackles and got out of the tower via a rope that they hung from ‘the castle privy’. Hugh O'Neill had sent an envoy to help them as they came outside. They jumped down into the ditch that surrounded the castle and climbed out of the trench on the other side onto the streets. Because it was Christmas night – and this was part of the cunning plan – the Dublin City gates were left open late so they just walked through the open gates to freedom. They went to Wicklow first – still mostly rebel country – to family friends and supporters and finally made their way home to Donegal.

The imprisonment all made for a bitter memory for Hugh O'Donnell though.

enfield

The Maze escape will be on TG 4 in February under the title Ealú. Watch out for the handsome older guy driving the British Army Land Rover

Nhead

http://curragh.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=contacts&action=display&thread=638

Above is an excellent link that shows pictures and documents from the Rath Camp on the Curragh.

Cork boy 55

The most daring of all the Catalpa rescue
The Catalpa rescue was the escape, in 1876, of six Irish Fenian prisoners from what was then the British penal colony of Western Australia.

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

BigCon

Here's a song that was sang by the Dublin City Ramblers about the Portlaoise Prison escape in 1974.

mods: I think this is ok, but if not please remove...

http://db.tt/3e0pFTcP

MarchDub

Just browsing though my books and papers and I can find many references to jail breaking - especially during the War of Independence when it became a necessity for Collins and the IRA to perfect the drill. In fact, Collins stated that it was of major importance to his fight. Tim pat Coogan in his biography Michael Collins claims that "the break-outs had a significant bearing on developments". They were also morale boosters.

Piaras Béaslaí had more than one escape but when he was sprung from Mountjoy it turned into a bigger success than anyone imagined. Béaslaí was imprisoned first in Maryborough Jail [later renamed Portlaoise Jail] for five years in 1917 by a court martial on what Coogan says was a ‘trumped up charge’. He was then transferred to Mountjoy. Collins wanted to get him out for publicity as well as practical purposes. He was a well known Gaelic scholar. For his escape a rope ladder was used - it was thrown over the 20ft prison wall by Collins' men outside - but what was planned to be a small escape of maybe three prisoners turned into a flood – and a huge success :

Paddy Daly, later Commander of Collins’ elite 'Squad' called out the names of the men who were to escape and five other prisoners with their hands in their pockets clutched what appeared to be revolvers kept the warders at bay. The ‘revolvers’ were, in fact, spoons, which added hugely to the public’s enjoyment of the escapade, when the news broke.

Collins himself broke into a fit of laughter when O’Reilly, whom he had stationed outside the jail with three bicycles, a measure of the total he expected to escape, rushed in to the Wicklow Hotel to tell him :’The whole jail is out!’

Later that evening as he worked at Cullenswood House, he was seen to throw down his pen several times to chuckle over the escape.

Béaslaí was picked up again by the Brits and had another escape from Strangeways Prison in Manchester.

MarchDub

Tim Pat Coogan in his Michael Collins on the Strangeways break-out of 1919.

The Strangeways breakout of 25 Oct 1919 was a particularly audacious affair. Collins himself crossed over to talk to [Austin] Stack about the arrangement beforehand, using an assumed name. Prominent GHQ personnel like Rory O’Connor and Peadar Clancy also took part in the final breakout which necessitated having volunteers from Liverpool and Manchester holding up the traffic while six prisoners climbed down a ladder propped up against the outside of the prison wall.

Dr.Nightdub

Two escapes from the Rath Camp during the War of Independence:

http://www.esatclear.ie/~curragh/rathcamp.htm

The man named Glennon in the last paragraph was my granda. The Bureau of Military History has a witness statement made by his co-escapee, J.V. Lawless, which describes their escape in more detail.

Nhead

Dr.Nightdub wrote: »

Two escapes from the Rath Camp during the War of Independence:

http://www.esatclear.ie/~curragh/rathcamp.htm

The man named Glennon in the last paragraph was my granda. The Bureau of Military History has a witness statement made by his co-escapee, J.V. Lawless, which describes their escape in more detail.

Have it posted above:) check the link with the pictures

HellsAngel

Ernie O'Malley's account of his escape from Dublin Castle is very exciting, I know i wouldn't have had the nerve for it (also his torture there is quite brutal. His eyesight was permantely damaged when a red hot poker was held in front of his eyes, so close it made hiw eyelashes curl up and burned his face).

Probably the best book I have ever read on IRA prison breakouts is Escape from the Maze. Some of it is surreally funny, but the meticulous planning and how it all had to come just exactly right to take the block was stuff that the so called supermen of the SAS etc can only dream of. Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly and legendary Republican Bik McFarlane come out of it very well, two extremely capable men indeed. In fact the only thing that went wrong was the food lorry which they were tio hijack arrived 40 minutes late, which resulted in causing problems at the last gate with the incoming prison officers for the night shift in hand to hand fighting. Here is an account of it -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6qppOh2Oss

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

kja1888

I had a great book years ago called "IRA Jailbreaks 1916 - 1921", by Florence O'Donaghue IIRC. The Ambush at Knocklong Station featured prominantly.

A few that I can think of now are;

The 3 lads (including Jim Bryson) escaping from the Maidstone prison ship in the early '70s leaps to mind, as does the mass breakout from Derry during the 40's.

Pierse MaCuley and Nessan Quinlivan broke out of Brixton Prison, as did Gerard Tuite.

Liam Averill walked out of the Kesh dressed as a woman after being provided with clothes during a visit.

Not quite an escape, but Emmet Dalton went into Mountjoy disguised as a British Officer to engineer an escape, but was exposed and had to flee for his life hanging onto the back of a commandeered armoured car with a machine gunner on top of the prison raking him with machine gun fire.

MarchDub

Linda Kearns had an interesting capture and eventual escape from Mountjoy - here is a description of her arrest in her own words -

I was driving my car on the night of November 20th, 1920, at about 11.30pm. The car contained, besides myself, three young men and a certain amount of 'stuff' - 10 rifles, 4 revolvers, and 500 rounds of ammunition, to be exact. It was a very dark night, and we were going steadily along the quiet country road. My hands were on the wheel, my eyes looking ahead, intent only on my driving, when suddenly, like a thunder-clap, came the order to halt. How clearly it all comes back to me - the surrounding darkness, which our lights made more black, the men sitting tensely beside me, and then the silence broken by the sharp, quick word -'Halt!' And again - 'Halt! Damn you, halt!'


I stopped the car, and we were immediately surrounded by a crowd of the most savage and undisciplined men which it has ever being my misfortune to meet. They were all drunk, shouting and talking together, and no one seemed to be in command. They were a mixed lot, comprising military, police and Black and Tans. My three companions were at once pulled violently out of the car and searched, and the automatic pistol which the Commandant had in his possession was taken from him immediately. The three of them were very badly used, and it was impossible not to admire them for their coolness and self-control.


All was confusion and darkness, save where the lights of the cars revealed now and again some of their drunken and savage faces. Various orders were given and countermanded. Some one shouted 'Shoot them!' and shots were fired around us. I heard one of my companions say: 'Don't shoot the girl!' but one of the police said: 'Oh, we can't leave her to tell the tale!' The boys with me gave their names and addresses, one of them adding that he was a soldier of the Republic, for which he got a blow across the face, and in spite of my own hazardous position I was constrained to admire him, he behaved with such courage and coolness. Indeed, all three of my comrades were splendid, and all their thoughts even then were for me.


Meanwhile, the noise made by the Crown forces was deafening - it was like Bedlam let loose, and there was no discipline amongst them, for the Head Constable in charge of the police and Black and Tans seemed to have absolutely no control over his men, while the officer in charge of the khaki-clad lot appeared afraid to give them an order. This pandemonium went on for about half an hour, and then I was put back into my car and driven away in the company of three men, either police or Black and Tans, I do not know which, as the confusion and noise were very stupifying. The others were flung into the lorry, and we all met later in the barracks.

In times of peril: leaves from the diary of Nurse Linda Kearns from Easter week, 1916, to Mountjoy, 1921

There was a documentary done last year by TG4 but I didn’t see it – did anyone else? There doesn't appear to be a link [maybe Cdfm can find it] but here’s a description from The Sligo Champion:

Linda spent the first six months of her sentence in Walton Prison in Liverpool. Her health began to deteriorate rapidly due to the adverse conditions in the prison there and she was eventually transferred to Mountjoy Prison in Dublin.
Once she was back on Irish soil she began scheming with fellow inmates on ways to escape. With the aid of some dental wax and a cunning decoy, she and three of her female comrades escaped over the wall of Mountjoy in October 1921.
For the first time Linda Kearns's story will be uncovered in the Éalú series, revealing a gripping and unusual tale of resilience and determination in times of peril.
Linda was serving her sentence with Aileen Keogh from Co. Carlow, jailed for two years for possession of explosives; May Burke from Co. Limerick, serving 2 years for giving copies of military ciphers to the IRA and Annie Coyle from Donegal, serving 12 months for possession of seditious documents.
Linda was the main organiser of the escape plot but was said to have received valuable assistance from the officers who were sympathetic to the IRA.

Full text:
http://www.sligochampion.ie/temp/lindas-mountjoy-prison-escape-featured-in-new-television-series-2123369.html

I found a photo of three of the women -




Caption reads:

Shortly after escaping. Mae Burke, Eithne Coyle and Linda Kearns, Carlow 1921. Notice that they are standing on the Union Jack flag.

Wolfe Tone

Thanks for all the replies, very interesting and informative, love that picture Marchdub.

Incidentally today in 1973 the IRA engineered the helicopter escape from Mountjoy.

Alopex

HellsAngel wrote: »

Ernie O'Malley's account of his escape from Dublin Castle is very exciting, I know i wouldn't have had the nerve for it (also his torture there is quite brutal. His eyesight was permantely damaged when a red hot poker was held in front of his eyes, so close it made hiw eyelashes curl up and burned his face).

Probably the best book I have ever read on IRA prison breakouts is Escape from the Maze. Some of it is surreally funny, but the meticulous planning and how it all had to come just exactly right to take the block was stuff that the so called supermen of the SAS etc can only dream of. Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly and legendary Republican Bik McFarlane come out of it very well, two extremely capable men indeed. In fact the only thing that went wrong was the food lorry which they were tio hijack arrived 40 minutes late, which resulted in causing problems at the last gate with the incoming prison officers for the night shift in hand to hand fighting. Here is an account of it -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6qppOh2Oss

I have watched that video perhaps you can explain something: what were they waiting for in the tally lodge? They kept "arresting" prison officers but what was the actual plan - did they not know how to open the gates or was it on timer?

Alopex

http://iskra1916.hubpages.com/hub/INLA-Cage-5-Escape-1975-The-First-Ever-Mass-Escape-From-Long-Kesh

9 inla men escaped long kesh in 1976

ejmaztec

Alopex wrote: »

I have watched that video perhaps you can explain something: what were they waiting for in the tally lodge? They kept "arresting" prison officers but what was the actual plan - did they not know how to open the gates or was it on timer?

He can't explain anything because he's banned.

Alopex

ejmaztec wrote: »

He can't explain anything because he's banned.

lol thought this place had gotten a bit less infuriating:pac:

maybe someone else can answer

Fenian Army

http://issuu.com/anphoblacht/docs/iris-number-18/1


Fantastic read.

cormacocomhrai

There was a jail break out of Galway Gaol during the Civil War, March 1923. 14 republicans escaped using a rope-ladder smuggled in by a soldier. Greater numbers would have got out except for the alarming being raised as a large number of prisoners were out of their cells at the time. One of the guys who got out hid under a boat, the gaol was beside a canal, and nobody though of lifting the boat while they were searching the area around the prison. He got away after a day and half. One of the republicans who had got out of his cell was Séamas Ó Máille from Oughterard. He was executed a few weeks later.

cormacocomhrai

Ocean 11 email me at cormacocomhrai@hotmail.com. Your account is refusing to take my pm response.

Msecc27

Ealú on Tg4:

Documentary series has a lot of information on Irish Prisons breaks, sometimes it actually has the people who escaped on the programme, one I saw was a man suspected of being a IRA member, broke out of the Maze by dressing up as a priest.

Ealú= Escape/Exit

Louise_M1990

Surprised no one yet has mentioned the escape from Kilmainham Gaol

Ocean11

Cormac.

Should work as I am now fully registered.

Ocean11