Continuing our posts on small collections held in UCD Archives, we will look at an incomplete history of ‘A’ Company, 1st battalion, Dublin Brigade, IRA, for period 1914–23, written by Peadar McNulty. It is a standalone document in our collections but can be read against McNulty’s files which form part of the Military Service Pensions Collection project* and other memoirs and accounts of the period. The document was given by Con McNulty to Olive Bodley née Murphy, whose husband, Seóirse Bodley, presented it to UCD Archives in 1975. It is an interesting document, providing information and colour to other first-hand accounts of the 1916 Rising and significant events from the Irish revolutionary period.
The Military Service Pensions catalogue provides the following information on McNulty’s service: ‘Peadar McNulty served as a Volunteer, Section Commander and First Lieutenant with the Irish Volunteers and as a First Lieutenant and Company Commanding Officer with the IRA. He also served as Officer Commanding of Republic Police with 1st Battalion, Dublin Brigade IRA.“
McNulty’s history consists of 36 pages written as a third person account (it is not a memoir, although the language is sometimes reminiscent of one). The document begins in October 1914 (the top of that page is marked “1914 Continued”) and ends in April 1923. It is structured as a chronological list, with entries for a particular day and month. Headings are written in red and mostly record the change of year. Pages 1 to 4 give general information from 1914 to 1916, ending on 24 April 1916. The next page (p.5) bears the title: “A Co[mpany] 1st Battalion, Dublin Brigade I.R.A. Concise History of the Company’s activities during the years 1916–1923.” It continues with yearly headings and occasional insertions to provide additional information (names of officers and men of A Company participating in a raid, for example, p.14).
UCDA LA9 Papers of Peadar McNulty, pp. 1, 5, 14
McNulty outlines the development of the Dublin Brigade and A Company, noting its involvement in specific events and he often provides lists of those involved in various actions and engagements. The document illustrates some of the issues involved in using sources written from memory (misremembered dates, for example). A thread runs through the document describing gun running and raids against the Company and by the Company. He discusses the split in the Volunteers between those who supported John Redmond’s leadership and those who left to form ‘a new Brigade retaining the name of the “Irish Volunteers” under the Command of Eoin McNeill, Padraic Pearse, Tomás McDonagh.’ He does not mention the role played in the split by Redmond’s call to Irish Volunteers to enlist and fight in Europe.
He goes on to comment on the growth of the Dublin Brigade and A Company, and to give specific examples of their actions and contributions, noting that by 15 August 1915, ‘ “The Irish Volunteers” were by now recognised as a growing revolutionary organisation definitely hostile to England and having for their aim the total separation of Ireland from English rule. A-Company drilled, trained and armed during this year, fully aware that they were a unit of an organisation whose final aim was the Complete Independence of Ireland.’ (p.2)
UCDA LA9 Papers of Peadar McNulty, p.2
The events described in the document include McNulty’s account of O’Donoven Rossa’s funeral (1 August 1915). He writes that on 15 August (sic), ‘Jeremiah O Donovan Rossa having died in America, his remains were brought to Dublin. The Dublin Brigade took charge of the funeral procession and marched 2,000 strong to Galsnevin. A-Co supplied a guard of honor (sic) to Rossa’s remains when lying-in-state in the City Hall. The company also paraded at Glasnevin to preserve order at the graveside.’ (p.2) .
McNulty describes the Easter Rising from A Company’s point of view. Following his entry for 17 March 1916, he writes ‘The Company continued with its usual drill and routine work until Sat 22nd April. The Men were ordered to mobilise with full arms and equipment for parade on Easter Sunday 23rd April.’ Then he gives a separate entry marked ‘23rd Sunday’. ‘Mobilisation order cancelled by Eoin McNeill.’ (p.3) He continues ‘April 24th Monday’. ‘A Company were mobilised to parade at their Headquarters at 12 o’clock sharp. The 1st Battalion under the Command of Commandant Ed Daly were on parade at 5 Blackhall Street at 11.30am. The commandant addressing the parade informed it that the Irish Republic was to be proclaimed that day at 12 noon and he expected the companies of the 1st Battalion to operate during the coming fight with courage, earnestness and discipline. He further informed the men on Parade that at 12 noon they would be no longer the “Irish Volunteers” but the 1st Battalion Dublin Brigade of the “Irish Republican Army”. He provides a list of men from A Company who took part in the Rising. (p.4)
UCDA LA9 Papers of Peadar McNulty, pp. 3, 4
McNulty gives a detailed description of A Company’s actions from 24–30 May (pp. 5–7). He describes the end of the fighting and Pearse’s surrender and the events of 29 and 30 April (p.7).
UCDA LA9 Papers of Peadar McNulty, p.7
29 April
At about 6.00pm fighting ceased with the English Troops withdrawing from the attack. It was then learned that a truce had been called all over the City.
A Priest from Church St and a British Officer under a flag of truce approached and asked for the leader P. Holohan. They informed him that Padraig Pearse had surrendered and the officer demanded the surrender of A Co and men of other units holding the Church St–North Brunswick St position. After a consultation with the section commanders P. Holohan informed the British Officer that he would not surrender unless an order came from Padraig Pearse. The officer divided to obtain the necessary order from P.H. Pearse and a truce was arranged until Sunday morning at 10 o’clock.
30 April
The order of surrender signed by Padraig Pearse was presented at 9.30am Sunday, and 60 men under P. Holohan surrendered to the North Staffordshire Regiment. A-Co was in charge of Section Commander Breslin acting as O/C company. The Company was taken under British escort to Dublin Castle, thence to Richmond Barracks. That evening A Company was placed on board a London North Western boat that transported to Staffod and Knutsford jails arriving there on Monday [1 May].
McNulty outlines A Company’s internment in Frongoch and imprisonment in Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubs jails, noting that ‘Practically all the men were released by the end of August.’ (p.7) His account of the Rising and its aftermath, ends with an entry for October 1916 (p.8). He also refers to the General Amnesty of June 1917 (p.9).
UCDA LA9 Papers of Peadar McNulty, pp. 8, 9
October 1916
The members of A. Co who had taken part in the rising assembled at the Company’s Headquarters and held a meeting to elect officers and put the unit on a training footing again. About 40 men attended this meeting and elected the following officers: Liam O Carroll, Co-Captain. Peadar Breslin 1st Lieut. Peadar Healy 2nd Lieut. Denis Neary, Quarter Master, Sean Geraghty, Adjutant Section Commanders, Tom O Brien, Johnny Byrne, Larry Lawler and Peadar McNulty.
The Company paraded every Monday evening and proceeded with Organisation, Drill and re-arming. By the end of the year about 30 new recruits had increased the Company’s strength to about 70 men.
June 1917
The Officers & men of the I.R.A. who had been sentenced to Penal servitude after the 1916 rising were now released from English prisons and A. Company with all the other units of the Dublin Brigade paraded to welcome them on their arrival in Dublin.
McNulty describes gun running in 1917 (p.10) and 1918 (p.12) and being raided ‘on several occasions … but the dump was so cunningly constructed that it was never discovered.’ (p.10)
UCDA LA9 Papers of Peadar McNulty, pp. 10, 12
November 1917
During this period Peadar Breslin had got in touch with certain British Soldiers at the Wellington, Portobello & Royal Barracks and procured about 20 Lee-Enfield rifles together with ammunition.
November 1918
At this period a considerable quantity of small arms were imported from England through the Agency of a sailor on the British & Irish boats. The sailor brought the arms at night time to Misery Hill at the rere of the Gas Works. These arms were collected at Misery Hill by members of A. Company and brought to Michael Staines, Q.M.G. at the time.
Throughout the document, McNulty refers to the policing duties of A Company. His entry for 11 November 1918 recalls the ‘Cessation of fighting in France, Armistice declared. A Company under the command of Peadar Healy patrolled portion of the City to prevent rowdyism by British Soldiers and other Imperialist elements.’
McNulty describes the events of 20 November 1920 (pp. 20, 21).
UCDA LA9 Papers of Peadar McNulty, pp. 20, 21
20 November 1920
Bloody Sunday. Attack on British Intelligence Agents all over City. 15 of them were killed. A-Compnay operated at North Circular Road and Marlboro Road. The house on N.C. Rd was not visited, as there was a guard of D.M.P. men on a house opposite. The house on Marlboro Rd was visited, but there was no Intelligence officers in residence there.
Bloody Sunday. Tom Ryan of A Company was killed at Croke Park when a large party of British Auxiliaries fired on the crowd assembled to watch the football match between Dublin & Tipperary.
The effect of the ongoing War of Independence on the A Company is described in McNulty’s entry for January 1921 (p.22).
UCDA LA9 Papers of Peadar McNulty, p.22
January 1921
The Company was now being seriously efected (sic) in its numbers by the arrests of men and the transfer of others to the “Squad” and Active Service unit. Many men were on the run and could not reside in their homes. Extra precautions had to be taken in the holding of Company parades as the Company’s headquarters had been raided on a few occasions and the members of A. Company and of other units in the hall on the occasions of the raids had been arrested and interned.
McNulty notes that on 11 July 1921, ‘a truce was arranged’, (p.31) and that in January 1922 ‘The Treaty with England having been signed and satisfied by a majority of Dail Eireann, a general election was called by the Provisional Government of the Free State.’ (p.32), noting that in February ‘A convention of the Dublin Brigade I.R.A. was held at 41 Parnell Square and by a large majority the Brigade renewed allegiance to the Irish Republic.’(p.32)
UCDA LA9 Papers of Peadar McNulty, pp.31, 32, 33
We will end with MacNulty’s account of the taking of the Four Courts in April and June 1922 (pp.32, 33).
14 April 1922
Acting on orders issued by the Executive Council of the Irish Republican Army the Dublin Brigade took possession of the Four Courts, and Masonic Hall in Molesworth Street. A party of A Company under the Command of Phil Leddy took over the building. During the occupation Tom Dunne was wounded by the accidental discharge of a revolver.
June 28th 1922
Early in the morning the forces of the Free State attacked the Four Courts after having called on the I.R.A. Garrison to surrender and hand over the building. The Republican forces were surrounded and heavy fighting took place, the Free State troops being assisted by English Artillery. …
The Battalion endeavoured to relieve the Four Courts by breaking through the Cordon of Free State troops. Commandant P. Holohan with a party advancing through Mary St to Abbey Street and Captain Phil Leddy with A Company moving through Parnell Street. The Free State troops held Capel St and Streets adjoining the Four Courts, and as the I.R.A. & attacking force was greatly inferior in numbers, the party was obliged to retire back to Parnell Square. …
30 June 1922
An explosion of the ammunition dump in the Four Courts practically wrecked the whole building and as the place went on fire and became untenable, the I.R.A. Garrison were compelled to surrender.
UCDA LA9 Papers of Peadar McNulty is available to consult by appointment in the UCD Archives reading room.
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* Pension application by Peadar McNulty under the 1934 Act, File 1
Pension application by Peadar McNulty under the 1934 Act, File 2
This post was written by Kate Manning, Principal Archivist, UCD Archives