The Forgotten Ten (An Deichniúr Dearmadta)Oglach Kevin Barry, Oglach Patrick Moran, Oglach Oglach Thomas Whelan, Oglach Patrick Doyle, Oglach Oglach Bernard Ryan, Oglach Thomas Bryan, Frank Flood, Thomas Traynor, Edmond Foley, and Patrick Maher. The hanging of Kevin Barry, on 1st of November, was the first execution during the reign of the Black and Tan terror and it occurred one week after the death of the Lord Mayor of Cork, Terence MacSwiney, in Brixton Jail, after he suffered 74 days on hunger strike . The execution of this 19 year-old medical student was meant to terrify the Irish people into submission during the War of Independence. Kevin Barry’s death happened shortly after the Black and Tans partially burned the town Balbriggan. Kevin Barry had took part in an ambush on 20th September he was captured along with Frank Flood their plan had been to 8 British soldiers, disarm them and burn the lorry they were using to collect bread from a bakery. Kevin Barry was supposed to be sitting his final repeat medical exam at 2pm that day. The raid failed,, three British soldiers were killed Barry hid under a truck as the British searched for him but was discovered when a passer-by, concerned for his safety underneath the huge vehicle, inadvertently warned the soldiers of his whereabouts and Barry was captured, under torture he refused to give the names of his comrades. The night before his execution a vigil outside the prison, was led by Father Albert of UCD. Barrys sister, Kathy, noted that there were hundreds of students from UCD there. Ere Four months later the British made a decision to hang 6 more volunteers, 2 on the hour every hour three days before Saint Patricks Day. These 6 were Thomas Bryan, Patrick Doyle, Frank Flood, Bernard Ryan, Thomas Whelan and Patrick Moran (who was a veteran of 1916). Frank Flood led a 6 man ambush on a Black and Tan squad who were collecting pay for British troops at Gormanstown ( the Drumcondra ambush). The Black and Tans were an hour and a half late, the Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP) had spotted the rebels and there ensued a fierce gun battle, as the volunteers they were attacked by both the DMP and the Black and Tans, Mick Magee of Arbour Hill was fatally wounded and the rest were captured. A 17 year old Dermot OSullivan had his death sentence commuted because of his age. The 6 were executed on March 14, 1921. The remaining three were Thomas Traynor (hanged April 26, 1921) and the Galtee boys Edward Foley and Patrick Maher. Foley and Maher they were hanged for their alleged involvement in a raid at Knocklong railway station two years earlier. It was during this raid that the legendary Sean Hogan was rescued. They wrote on the eve of their executions saying, We are to be executed at seven oclock in the morning, and our bodies when Ireland is free, shall go to Galbally. You Tube Link 10 Forgotten Men (Irish Brigade)
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 16:24:11 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015