A chara,—I refer to an item in September’s ON THIS DAY in the last issue (HI 30.5, Sept./Oct. 2022) on p. 7 and referenced 20/1922. The item erroneously states that four people (it uses the term ‘Irregulars’ for Republican forces, a pejorative term coined by pro-Treaty propagandists) were summarily executed on Ben Bulben, Co. Sligo. In fact six, not four, Republicans were murdered, having either surrendered or been taken prisoner (opinions vary on this), by pro-Treaty forces under Capt. Charlie McGoohan of Mohill, Co. Leitrim. The six murdered men were:
Brigadier Seamus Devins TD
Brian MacNeill, divisional adjutant
Captain Joseph Banks
Lieutenant Paddy Carroll
Captain Harry Benson
Volunteer Thomas Langan
This Ben Bulben/Glencar incident, the events leading up to it and the funerals of the six murdered soldiers, still referred to as ‘Sligo’s Noble Six’, are well documented.—Is mise,
LIAM MAC an ULTAIGH
Co. Ros Comáin