We continue our Decade of Centenaries series by focusing on a scrapbook kept by Frank Carney, a prisoner in Ballykinlar Internment Camp.
Frank Carney was born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh on April 25, 1896. He joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at the outbreak of war in 1914, but due to continuous bouts of ill health, he was discharged from the British Army in December 1915. Carney joined the Irish Volunteers and rose rapidly to become Officer Commanding for County Fermanagh in 1918. He was also a prominent member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, and was close to his Commanding Officer, General Michael Collins.
Two entries in Carney’s scrapbook. One is a poem by Carney entitled ‘To Missy Baba’ the second is a reply written by Brian Kennedy while both in Ballykinlar Internment Camp in 1921.
In 1920, in the middle of the Irish War of Independence, Carney was appointed Officer Commanding of the 1st Northern Division of the Irish Republican Army, with the rank of Brigadier. However, just a few weeks later, the British Army were informed that Frank Carney was meeting his IRA Captains in Sweeney’s Hotel in Dungloe, County Donegal. They arrested Carney and his Captains, and they were taken to Derry Jail. Carney was then sent to Ballykinlar Internment camp in County Down where he remained until the signing of the Truce.
Carney’s collection is small and consists of a photocopy of a scrapbook he compiled while in Ballykinlar Internment Camp, Count Down. It includes poems by Carney and his fellow internees; aphorisms of a nationalist nature; cartoons and autographs. Each entry is signed by the author with his name and address.
After the signing of the Treaty, Carney was Chief Supplies Officer of the National Army, and he was one of the first Officers to accept the hand-over from British Forces at Beggar’s Bush Barracks in January 1922. In June 1922, when the Civil War began in Ireland, Carney was based in Portobello Barracks. He was commanded to hand over armaments by his commanding officer, General Eoin O’Duffy, so that these could be used to fire-bomb the entrenched anti-Treaty forces in the Four Courts building in Dublin. Carney was a senior officer in the National Army, but he refused to hand over the armaments. He held the view that he would not to be involved in any form of violence against those who had been his brothers-in-arms just a few months before. Carney and some of his fellow officers were arrested, but were freed after a short time. He was one of the few officers and veterans of the War of Independence who refused to take part in the Irish Civil War and he became a founder member of a small Neutrality Group, encouraging others not to fight. For this he won the respect of all sides in the Óireachtas when he took his seat in Dáil Éireann in 1927.
A hymn written by the Dublin fiddle player Frank O’Higgins.
Carney won his seat in the Dáil on his first attempt, when he was elected for the Donegal constituency at the June 1927 general election. He was re-elected at the September 1927 and 1932 general elections. On the morning of October 19, 1932 Frank Carney was in Dublin for the first day of a new session of the Dáil when he suddenly collapsed and died. He was just 36 years old.
This scrapbook gives an amazing insight into what these imprisoned republicans were feeling in a little known internment camp at a very tumultuous time in Irish history.
A list of prisoner’s names on the Crock’s Ward.
- This post was researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy, Archivist, UCD Archives.
Padraig Hannelly from Castlerea Co. Roscommon ,my grandfather was in Ballykinlar 1920 – 1921. He was in Hut 31. It looks like there were 25 in that hut. I have an autograph book from his time there . I am wondering if you have had contact with any grandchildren of other prisoners who spent time in Ballykinlar.
Regards ,
Mary Ryan
Email. maryryan04@gmail.com
Hi Mary,
Thanks for reading our blog and getting in touch. I am afraid I don’t have any contact with the grandchildren of prisoners held in Ballykinlar. But it may be an idea to contact James Durney, who wrote the article below for the Kildare Online Electronic History Journal.
http://www.kildare.ie/ehistory/index.php/ballykinlar-internment-camp-1920-21/
Also Liam J. O’Duibhir wrote a book entitled ‘Prisoners of War: Ballykinlar Internment Camp 1920-1921’ so it may be worth trying to contact him too.
https://www.mercierpress.ie/irish-books/prisoners_of_war_ballykinlar_internment_camp_1920_1921/
Best of luck with your research.
CHC
Thank you so much for getting back to me
Hello,
Frank Carney was my grandfather. Thank you so much for your well researched information on his life.
Regards,
Kate Tammemagi
Hi Kate,
We love to hear when we have been able to shed a little more light on to the life of a follower’s relative.
Thanks for getting in touch!
Slán,
CHC
Hello Mary,
Frank Carney was my grandfather, and this is his autograph book. As you will see in this excellent piece, he died long before I was born so we have little personal information on Ballykinlar. Have you seen his Autograph Book?
Regards,
Kate Tammemagi
My father, who was a native of Tipperary town, was an internee in Ballykinlar from Bloody Sunday until his release around December 1921. I have just begun transcribing and cataloguing his letters and papers from Ballykinlar and would welcome any information on similar projects or initiatives. I have a photograph of the internees of Hut 8, D Company, Camp Number 1 as well as an autograph book and some oddments. A number of my father’s hut mates were from Clonmel and South Tipperary.
Hi Eddie,
I recently re-located a letter my Grandfather wrote whilst in Ballykinlar Camp. We only have the 1 but it is a fascinating read. My Grandfather was a William Patrick Quinn and he as from Iniskeen, Co. Monaghan. All the best, Emma Delaney
I have a cassette recording made in 1982 by Patrick Franklin who was a prisoner in Ballykinlar. On tape he speaks of his time there and mentions the killing of two prisoners by a British soldier.Mention is also made of Sean Lemass and other leading figures. . Patrick Franklin emigrated to the U.S. and his son Jack became fire chief in Anchorage Alaska. It was his son Jack who made the recording and sent it to my husband John Franklin years ago. I unearthed the cassette from our attic as I came across a photocopy of a scrapbook from Ballykinlar with contributions from quite a few prisoners. The writings and illustrations are impressive. Jack Franklin says on tape that he has the original in colour and should have it placed in the Irish American Historical Museum in New York or somewhere in Ireland. Where thst original is now I don’t know.
I am wondering if the items in my possession are of interest to a historian.
The above mentioned people are all dead so I feel I must pass these items on for safe keeping if they are of historical interest.
Marion Franklin
Dear Marion,
Many thanks for your comment on this post. This sounds very interesting, and I would recommend contacting my colleagues in UCD Archives (archives@ucd.ie) for further advice.
With best wishes,
Katy (UCD Special Collections)