Sir,—I set up a ‘Garda Síochána and Civic Guard Genealogy and History Ireland’ Facebook group as a hobby three years ago, and it now has over 9,200 members from across the world. The aim of the group is to create an online community/forum where members can share their stories of their family history of having served in An Garda Síochána from 1922 onwards, including numerous old Garda photographs. The Civic Guards replaced the disbanded Royal Irish Constabulary in 1922 following the foundation of the Irish Free State and consisted primarily of IRA veterans from the War of Independence. People have uncovered never-before-seen photos of their relatives in Garda uniform—father, grandfather, grand-uncles etc.
For instance, this recently discovered but previously unseen photo was sent to me by a descendant of one of the first members of the Civic Guards to arrive in Tipperary Town in April 1923. Using the Garda Review Magazine, which listed postings to Tipperary Town for that month, the names of those in the photo are:
Sgt Chris Keogh (Reg. No. 2078), Sgt John Millane (Reg. No. 2113, middle row, second from left), Sgt Charles Armstrong (Reg. No. 1034, back row, centre), Gda John Twomey (Reg. No. 2627), Gda Joseph Nevin (Reg. No. 2913), Gda Michael Corcoran (Reg. No. 2933), Gda Thomas Farrell (Reg. No. 2541), Gda Charles Galligan (Reg. No. 3022), Gda John C. O’Leary (Reg. No. 2091), Gda Daniel Coll (Reg. No. 2875), James Toole (Reg. No. 2899), Gda Thomas Hanley (Reg. No. 2877), Gda Patrick O’Donnell (Reg. No. 2958), Gda Michael Mannion (Reg. No. 2745), Gda Robert Crossey (Reg. No. 2726, back row, left).
Can any readers match the rest of the names to the men in the picture?—Yours etc.,
MICHAEL REYNOLDS
policinggenealogyireland@gmail.com
https://www.policinggenealogyireland.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/186966864206935/