The IRP - The Police force of the Irish Rpeublic

tdv123

The IRP had no permanent jails or prisons in which to confine suspects and offenders. Despite this obvious limitation in a system of criminal justice, improvised solutions were found to detain prisoners. Some of those convicted by the Republican Courts were expelled from the area and even from the country. In one incident, three offenders who had been banished by a Republican Land Court to an island off the coast of County Clare for three weeks refused to be rescued by the RIC "The IRP had no permanent jails or prisons in which to confine suspects and offenders. Despite this obvious limitation in a system of criminal justice, improvised solutions were found to detain prisoners. Some of those convicted by the Republican Courts were expelled from the area and even from the country. In one incident, three offenders who had been banished by a Republican Land Court to an island off the coast of County Clare for three weeks refused to be rescued by the RIC declaring that as citizens of the Irish Republic, the RIC had no jurisdiction over them.

Have to say I found that rather amusing. How did the RIC react to situations like this? Did they just leave these people on these islands until their sentences were over or what?

Does anyone else know of any other stories like this?

tdv123

Anyone know? Or does anyone even know what I'm on about?

jonniebgood1

tdv123 wrote: »

Have to say I found that rather amusing. How did the RIC react to situations like this? Did they just leave these people on these islands until their sentences were over or what?

Its not a situation I have come across very much. This would suggest that it was a rare occurance, a nuance of the particular period. Should a real criminal be offered an easy escape such as the situation suggested then I doubt they would turn down a free escape opportunity.

Can you give any more information on the described event, i.e. source.

tdv123

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

Its not a situation I have come across very much. This would suggest that it was a rare occurance, a nuance of the particular period. Should a real criminal be offered an easy escape such as the situation suggested then I doubt they would turn down a free escape opportunity.

Can you give any more information on the described event, i.e. source.

Unfortunately this the only source I could find.

http://www.citizendia.org/Irish_Republican_Police

That part of emigration is rather ironic & funny as well.

Does anybody know of any good books about the revolutionary state to read about it?

An Coilean

The republican justice system at the time is an interesting aspect of the war, and on that has not recived much attention.

Books I have read contain references to prisoners taking on gaurd duty while their jailers slept for fear of being captured by the British.

Historybluff

tdv123 wrote: »

Does anybody know of any good books about the revolutionary state to read about it?

The following books might be useful:

Arthur Mitchell, Revolutionary Government in Ireland: Dáil Éireann 1919-21 (Dublin: Gill & Macmillan, 1995)

Mary Kotsonouris, Retreat From Revolution: The Dáil Courts, 1920-24 (Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1994)

Mary Kotsonouris, The Winding Up of the Dáil Courts, 1922-1925: An Obvious Duty (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2004)

computer44

The man that made Ireland,

Tim Pat Coogan. 2003 Hodder press.

computer44

Are you sure. The Civil war was fought in this country circa 1922. DMP and the Black and Tans were in control then. Jesus they caused Mayhem.

FAMINE OF ANOTHER SORT.