‘I have been told the new policy and plan and I am satisfied, though I doubt its ultimate success in the main particular—the stamping out of terrorism by secret murder. I still am of opinion that instant retaliation is the only course for this . . .’ Sir, —Prof. David Fitzpatrick has performed a service … Read more
Sir,—In the last issue (HI 20.5, Sept./Oct. 2012) Professor David Fitzpatrick writes, ‘Dr Regan urges me … to unveil the identity and religious affiliation of those responsible for the Macroom or “Bandon Valley” massacre’. David Fitzpatrick misrepresents me. In the May–June issue Professor Fitzpatrick wrote: ‘The fact that names [of those responsible for the massacre] … Read more
Sir,—I refer to Seán Kelleher’s letter (HI, Sept./Oct. 2012) about my chapter on Kilmichael in David Fitzpatrick’s (ed.) Terror in Ireland. Mr Kelleher argues that Jack Hennessy’s Bureau of Military History (BMH) statement contains an account of a false surrender by the Auxiliaries, while simultaneously asserting that such surrender caused the ‘fatal wounding of three … Read more
The IRA became the first customers for the machine-gun designed in 1919 by General John T. Thompson of Pennsylvania and made by the Colt Patent Fire Arms Company of Hartford, Connecticut. The first three submachine-guns arrived in Dublin in May 1921 and were test-fired by Tom Barry at a demonstration on 24 May attended by … Read more
On Easter Monday, 24 April 1916, a small group of Irish Citizen Army soldiers under Captain Seán Connolly (no relation to James Connolly) attacked the centre of British administration in Ireland—Dublin Castle. At the time it was largely in the hands of civil servants, and sections of it had been handed over to a Red … Read more