Page 1 - Kilkenny Men Interned in Ballykinlar 1920-21

Resistance in Ballykinlar, Tom
Jim and Mary Roughan/Rowan
The Treacy family
Autograph Books
The Capture of Ernie O’Malley and Glenmore and Castlecomer
Treacy and the discovery of more Kilkenny Arrests. Connections to Camp 2 Ballykinlar. Kilkenny Men Interned
dictaphones / listening devices. 9/10 December 1920. Initially I used the county lists for both camps which appear in Liam
Ó Duibhir’s very informative book (Prisoners of War, Ballykinlar
Tom was a member of the prisoners’ officer council which met When Tom Treacy, Jim Lalor, Tom Nolan, and Mick Loughman were Internment camp 1920-21). I recognised seven of the fourteen names
in the Black Hut. It became apparent to them that certain protest arrested in late November 1920 the Kilkenny Brigade had been given for Kilkenny and could add one more i.e. Tom Nolan. Only in Ballykinlar, Co. Down.
actions they had planned were being stymied by the introduction of planning an attack on Woodstock House, in Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny
more soldiers to the camp. Tom remembered he had read an article which was the headquarters of the Auxiliaries in the Southeast of some of the remaining names had an area address. So that meant I
about a device called a dictaphone which could essentially listen in Ireland. Tom Treacy and Jim Lalor having reconnoitred the area were focused on Glenmore first and Castlecomer later. Given the scarcity
to conversations. He suggested a search be made for these devices, aware that of information ,I was not successful in all cases. The roll books in the
but nothing was found. However, the problem reoccurred, and he Woodstock could only be taken by strategy and every detail in the Kilmainham Gaol Ballykinlar Collection were invaluable for shedding 1920-21
light and confirming the identity of some of these lesser-known men.
persisted so much that his fellow officers felt he had dictaphones on planning had to be carefully considered, as it would be disastrous for us Equally the Military Archives website is an extremely useful resource
the brain. They were still sceptical about the likelihood of finding such if our first engagement with the Auxiliaries were not successful. They
a device and about where to search in a large camp. which is releasing information in tranches, and we look forward to
had also decided to use Flying Columns in the operation along with finding more relating to Kilkenny men and women during the War
Tom suggested that they start with the Black Hut where the officers diversionary tactics. of Independence. If any reader can supply clarification on any of the Possible material for Front page of brochure
met around the stove. Using the skills of Tom Hickey and other Tom Treacy had been summoned to meet Chief of Staff, General men who were interned in Ballykinlar contact can be made through
carpenters among them and hampered by lack of proper tools they Richard Mulcahy in the Banba Hall, Parnell St. Dublin earlier in Kilkenny Library Local Studies section.
duly searched again. In his Witness Statement he said, after a number November. Here he was introduced to Ernie O’Malley, an I.R.A. Kilkenny Men Interned in Ballykinlar, Co. Down.
of boards had been removed, they found a dictaphone about two training officer, who he was informed would be sent to Kilkenny to From the Truce to Release Possible material for Front page of brochure
feet from the stove. None of them had ever seen anything like it help the Kilkenny Brigade take Woodstock. Such a task was no easy 9 December 1921.
before as this was advanced technology. He continued 1920-21
thing to achieve as the Kilkenny Brigade were well aware of from
To describe the discovery as a sensation was to put it mildly. I will never their reconnaissance of the imposing and strategically well defended The agreement of a Truce in July 1921 did not bring release for the Kilkenny Men Interned in Ballykinlar, Co. Down.
forget the look of consternation on the faces of Joe McGrath, Mossy site of Woodstock House which was situated on an elevated site, thousands of internees. Many County Councils, Kilkenny included,
Donegan. Dr.T.F. O’ Higgins, Barney O’ Driscoll and other members of commanding a view of Inistioge and the valley below. In addition the protested about the continued incarceration of their colleagues. Tom
the Camp Council. Auxiliary division was well-armed, and also mobile being supplied with Treacy had been elected to Kilkenny Corporation in the January 1920 1920-21
Crossley tenders. These facts contrasted starkly with the dearth municipal elections. By October 1921 he became last Commandant of
In all they discovered about six “listening sets”. Joe McGrath, of weaponry available to the Kilkenny men. At this initial meeting Camp 1 after the escape and recapture of Mossy Donegan.
Commandant of Camp 1 and T.D., gave him the job of searching O’Malley contributed little to the conversation. After the signing of the Anglo - Irish Treaty on 6 December 1921
each morning for the wires and cutting them each time they were
replaced. The sandy soil in the area made this easier to spot. On the 23 November when they were arrested Tom Treacy and Jim word came that the prisoners were to be released. The Freeman’s
However, the soil made it more difficult to dig escape tunnels but Lalor were still awaiting the arrival of O’Malley to Kilkenny. He didn’t Journal reported that a chorus of delirious ecstasy echoed through the
undaunted the internees managed to dig seven tunnels. The tunnels arrive until the 4 December the very day the Kilkenny People was Camps and the men were allowed fraternise for the first time.
were discovered, and Army engineers studied them carefully and reporting on the opening of camps for mass internment. When questioned about the response to the Treaty one internee
the plans still exist in the British National Archives and were an O’ Malley attended the brigade meeting where Peter DeLoughry was replied, We had long and contentious debates all night, foreshadowing
inspiration to P.O.Ws during World War 2. elected Brigade Commandant and he noted down the names of the the bitter Treaty debates to come.
Kilkenny Battalion officers and weaponry available to the Brigade. He The joy of release was tempered by the events of their journey
then decided that he would go to Inistioge and meet James Hanrahan home when the special trains packed full of now ex-internees were
who was the local commanding officer. Despite warnings about this attacked by a sectarian mob near Banbridge. Tom details all this in his
course of action he ignored advice from Tom Stallard not to bring Witness Statement 1093 and it was reported in the newspapers at
his notebook to such a dangerous area so likely to be raided by the time. He felt they were lucky not to have experienced fatalities.
Auxiliaries. He was captured in Hanrahan’s house on the 9 December Unfortunately for one released internee, Declan Horton, from
1920 along with his notebook which prompted a jubilant Auxiliary to Waterford, this was to be the case. A bomb was thrown at the train
exclaim We have the lot ! James Hanrahan was arrested along with from the parapet of the railway bridge by Black and Tans as it entered
his brother and cousins, Ned Holland and a workman named Joseph Thurles Station. Several other people were injured. Declan Horton
Colleton. The Auxiliaries then set fire to the Hanrahan house in died that night from his injuries.
Cappagh. In February 1921, the men were tried by field general court
martial in Waterford. James Hanrahan was sentenced to 12 months Of the Kilkenny ex-internees several of them were not happy with
and Ned Holland was sentenced to 10 years penal servitude. the Treaty but accepted it and returned to civilian life. At least two,
Mick Loughman and Patrick Dempsey joined the National army for
View of Sentry Tower and Huts in Ballykinlar 1921.
a few years. Some went on to marry and start families. Tom Treacy View of Sentry Tower and Huts in Ballykinlar 1921.
returned to civilian life. His Witness Statement simply said I took no
Courtesy Kilmainham Gaol Library and Museum.
Photo Courtesy of KMGLM Ballykinlar Collection part in the Civil War. View of Sentry Tower and Huts in Ballykinlar 1921.
Camp 1 Internee Officer Council Despite differing opinions, a bond remained between the men but Courtesy Kilmainham Gaol Library and Museum.
Back Row Left - Right very few of them spoke about their experiences. The men who
Kilkenny People
Irish Independent
Kilkenny People
Tom Meldon, Barney O’Driscoll, Thomas Treacy, D. Hogan were interned in Ballykinlar were in the first mass internment camp Courtesy Kilmainham Gaol Library and Museum.
Front Row Left - Right opened during the War of Independence and they were interned the
Art ODonnell, Mossie Donegan a.k.a Thomas Fitzpatrcik, Joseph McGrath longest. Now at the centenary of their internment is a good time Kilkenny People
T.D., Dr. Richard Hayes T.D., Dr. T.F. O Higgins to remember them. As William Murphy pointed out they too were Modern Printers 056 7721739
Joe Rice Ned Comerford revolutionaries, challenging the system from within as much as their
Tom Nolan’s Autograph Books, comrades from outside.
This was a second severe blow to the Kilkenny Brigade and led to the
Kilkenny Archaeological Society. arrest of Peter DeLoughry, the newly-elected Brigade Commandant
and Mayor of the city, on the 10 December, along with Jim
Many prisoners kept autograph books and got their fellow prisoners Roughan/ Rowan, Joe Rice and Ned Comerford. Peter DeLoughry
to write verses in them.
was eventually released about five weeks later from Arbour Hill and
Tom Nolan’s autograph book is a particular gem because it was duly re-elected Mayor for a third term. The other men were
contains verses written by other Kilkenny prisoners and wonderful interned in Camp 2 in Ballykinlar which was opened because there
watercolours by Jim Lalor showing the interior of Hut 19 and the were over 1000 internees in Camp 1 by this stage. By February 1921,
prisoners’ altar in the chapel. the authorities opened Spike Island as an internment camp and 33
Kilkenny men were interned there.
Tom Nolan was very involved in Conradh na Gaeilge and he wrote
in Jack Creed’s autograph book about his love of the Irish language. When Ernie O Malley published his book On Another Man’s Wound
Jack, from Burncourt, Cahir Co. Tipperary was also an inmate of in 1936 the Kilkenny Brigade disputed his interpretation of events
Hut 19. and characters and his generally poor view of Kilkenny and Kilkenny
‘Sí an Ghaeilge an teanga is binne liom agus labhróidh me í i gcónaí. men. The Kilkenny Reply comprised several articles in December 1936
‘Sí teanga na naomh is na n-ollamh í agus tagann sí díreach ón chroí. in the Irish Press, and it was signed by Tom Treacy, Jim Lalor, Ned
Comerford, Seán Byrne, Joe Rice, John Joseph Byrne, and Patrick
(For me Irish is the sweetest language, and I will speak it always. Bryan, then Mayor of Kilkenny. They countered O’ Malley’s criticisms Supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht,
It is the language of the saint and scholars and it comes directly from the heart.) and pointed out the incongruity of his actions so close to Woodstock, Sport and Media under the Decade of Centenaries 2012-2023 initiative.
the headquarters of the Auxiliaries in the Southeast. What incensed
the writers was the fact that neither Peter DeLoughry nor Jim
Tom Treacy used the same verse in several autograph books, Roughan could defend themselves from criticism, since they were Orla Murphy, (Author) Carmel Cummins, (Editor)
Nolan’s included. It is a verse from Thomas Moore’s Forget not the both dead at this time. Thanks to descendants of the internees and all who helped in any way.
Field. This inscription from the Kilmainham Gaol Ballykinlar collection This project forms part of Kilkenny County Council Library’s Service’s,
is in patriotic green ink. Jim Roughan had died aged only 41 in 1925 and Peter DeLoughry in Decade of Centenaries Programme.
1931 aged 49.
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