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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
My Fight for Irish Freedom , by Commandant General Dan Breen, of the Third Tipperary Brigade, is a story written in the plain unaffected language of one of Ireland’s bravest and most devoted sons. Many of Ireland’s great champions passed from this world without leaving any authentic record of the battles in which they took part, save that which tradition handed on from generation to generation. As time passed, many of the most important phases of the stories thus transmitted were forgotten, and
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CHAPTER I. A VOLUNTEER’S TRAINING
CHAPTER I. A VOLUNTEER’S TRAINING
It was in 1914 that I first joined the Irish Volunteers in the village of Donohill, some four miles from Tipperary town. At that time I was about twenty years of age. I soon became known to the local police as the “Sinn Feiner,” then a very rare sort of animal. At a later stage in my career the same people, I believe, conferred upon me the still higher title of “Prince of the Assassins”! But I must beg the reader’s patience while I briefly outline the position in Ireland the year the Great War b
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CHAPTER II. PREPARING FOR THE FRAY.
CHAPTER II. PREPARING FOR THE FRAY.
The local police duly informed their headquarters of this open defiance of British law in Tipperary. They were ordered to arrest the culprits. But, as we had no desire to enjoy the hospitality of His Britannic Majesty’s jails, Sean Treacy and I went “on the run,” that is to say, in order to evade our pursuers we had to leave our homes, and keep moving from the house of one trusty friend to another. But on the Friday following our public parade, Sean was arrested by the “Peelers.” Members of the
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CHAPTER III. OUR FIRST MUNITION FACTORY.
CHAPTER III. OUR FIRST MUNITION FACTORY.
During the summer of 1918 the threat of Conscription hung over the land, and young and old flocked to the ranks of the Volunteers. It is safe to estimate that at that time nine-tenths of all able-bodied Irishmen between the ages of sixteen and fifty were Volunteers of a kind; while the women had their association—Cumann na mBan—and the boys had theirs, the Fianna or Boy Scouts, all preparing to be our auxiliaries. As most of our officers were in jail on one charge or another, we who were out wer
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CHAPTER IV. OUR FACTORY BLOWN UP.
CHAPTER IV. OUR FACTORY BLOWN UP.
My most exciting experience was to see our munition factory blown into the sky. I had a narrow escape, for I was within fifty yards of the door; but my partner, Paddy Keogh, had an even more wonderful escape, for he was actually on the premises when the explosion occurred. We never knew what brought about the havoc. I had gone out to a well to fetch a can of water, for necessity compelled us to do all our own cooking and cleaning. As I was returning to the cottage, I saw the roof leaving it, and
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CHAPTER V. THE POLITICAL LANDSLIDE.
CHAPTER V. THE POLITICAL LANDSLIDE.
In December, 1918, came the event which gave the Irish Volunteers the moral sanction for their subsequent activities—the General Election. It is important to bear in mind the position at that time. No General Election had been held in Ireland for seven years. In that interval the vast majority of the people had completely changed their views. They no longer had any faith in England, or in the efficacy of sending their hundred representatives to the British Parliament, where they were in a helple
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CHAPTER VI. SOLOHEADBEG.
CHAPTER VI. SOLOHEADBEG.
At the beginning of January, 1919, we received information to the effect that a quantity of explosives was to be conveyed to Soloheadbeg Quarry for blasting purposes. The consignment, we knew, would be guarded by armed policemen, as was always the rule at that time. I spoke to Sean about it. “Here is our chance,” I said, “let us start the war soon, or the army will lose heart.” I knew we had but a very small number of men with determination enough for such a job, but I knew too that the number w
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CHAPTER VII. OUR ESCAPE.
CHAPTER VII. OUR ESCAPE.
Now began our career of real excitement. If we had disarmed the police without firing a shot the thing would not have been so serious. But the shots had alarmed the countryside. In a moment men and women would appear at every doorway. On the roadside were the two terrified civilians, James Godfrey, the driver of the cart, and Patrick Flynn, the County Council employee. Within an hour hundreds of police and military would be scouring the countryside for us. Henceforth I realised we were to be out
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CHAPTER VIII. HELPED BY THE BRITISH.
CHAPTER VIII. HELPED BY THE BRITISH.
We spent two nights in Mrs. Tobin’s house. Then we went to Ned McGrath’s, of Tincurry, and from there we were taken by Ned to Gorman’s, of Burncourt Castle. We then arranged to go to Ryan’s of Tubrid, and sent on word that they might expect us. But after sending word we changed our minds and did not go to Tubrid; and lucky it was for us—or for somebody else. Just at the time we had expected to be there the house was surrounded by eight peelers, and Ryan himself was arrested. We decided to go on
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CHAPTER IX. OUR RETURN TO SOLOHEADBEG.
CHAPTER IX. OUR RETURN TO SOLOHEADBEG.
That evening we reached our destination—the house of the priest to whom I have already referred. Here we got a right hearty welcome. No trouble was spared to make us feel happy and cheerful. The housekeeper—Molly—was like a mother to us. She was a bit of a dictator, too, where dictation was for our good. When she had given us a good hearty meal she ordered both of us to bed, where we remained for two whole days. Can you wonder that we felt loth to leave the blankets, with memories of newspapers,
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CHAPTER X. SEAN HOGAN CAPTURED.
CHAPTER X. SEAN HOGAN CAPTURED.
From Donohill we went to Rossmore, and then on to Rosegreen, and finally into Clonmel—the Headquarters of the R.I.C. for South Tipperary, and a large garrison town. We spent several days in that district, and were not idle. We met the local officers of the I.R.A.—they belonged to our brigade—and found out what plans they had. We did our best to induce them to get things moving more rapidly, and to get on with the real serious work. One morning while in Clonmel district I had an unusual adventure
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CHAPTER XI. THE RESCUE AT KNOCKLONG.
CHAPTER XI. THE RESCUE AT KNOCKLONG.
As I have said, we arrived at Emly at 3.30 a.m. The first train on which the prisoner might come was not due till noon. When all was in readiness a few hours before noon we waited eagerly for the arrival of the men from Tipperary town in response to our request. As the hour approached we grew anxious and restive. The minutes grew into hours. Eagerly our eyes scanned the road from Tipperary, but no cyclist appeared. What had happened? We could not let ourselves believe that the help we needed so
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CHAPTER XII. OUR ESCAPE FROM KNOCKLONG.
CHAPTER XII. OUR ESCAPE FROM KNOCKLONG.
Before describing our escape from Knocklong and the adventures which ensued, I must pause to outline the experiences of our comrade, Sean Hogan, since his arrest a few days before. They throw an interesting sidelight on the methods of the Peelers, though at that period these methods were not so cold-blooded and barbarous as they became within a year. When the dance concluded that morning at Ballagh, and when the rest of us had gone on to O’Keeffe’s for a sleep, Sean Hogan went up the road with B
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CHAPTER XIII. MANY CLOSE SHAVES.
CHAPTER XIII. MANY CLOSE SHAVES.
One day while we were still in West Limerick we had what was probably our narrowest escape after the Knocklong affair. In was in June, 1919. Sheer luck drove us half a mile outside a great encircling movement made to capture us. This was the sixth great attempt by the enemy to net us, and each time they engaged thousands of troops—to catch four of us. They knew well by now that each of the four of us would offer armed resistance, and that if luck was at all favourable many of them would fall nev
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CHAPTER XIV. ON THE TRAIL OF LORD FRENCH.
CHAPTER XIV. ON THE TRAIL OF LORD FRENCH.
When we got to Dublin in the Autumn of 1919, there were many signs that the war with the British was soon to develop. Any good judge of the situation at the time could have foreseen the intensive guerilla struggle that was to ensue for a year and a half. Raids for arms were becoming more numerous, and attacks on police patrols were by no means rare. But open warfare had not yet developed. British soldiers and police could go about with comparative safety. Our great danger while in Dublin was fro
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CHAPTER XV. THE BATTLE OF ASHTOWN.
CHAPTER XV. THE BATTLE OF ASHTOWN.
Lord French was due to arrive back in the Viceregal Lodge on Friday, 19th December, 1919. That arrangement was kept a dead secret, and even the higher officials in the Lodge and in Dublin Castle were unaware of his plans. But we were well aware of the arrangement. The time has not yet come when the source of our information may be disclosed. We not only knew the day but the hour. Further, we knew that when Lord French returned by the Midland Railway he would not travel into the terminus of that
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CHAPTER XVI. OUR ESCAPE FROM ASHTOWN.
CHAPTER XVI. OUR ESCAPE FROM ASHTOWN.
The ten of us now held a hurried Council of War at the cross-road of Ashtown. Nine of our party had escaped without a scratch: Martin Savage was dead and I was wounded and bleeding profusely. We had routed the whole body of British soldiers with their rifles, their machine gun, and their armour-plated car, and we had killed the Lord Lieutenant. We carried poor Martin’s body into Kelly’s shop. It was all we could do. We knew the enemy would soon return with reinforcements and take possession of a
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CHAPTER XVII. FROM TARA TO TIPPERARY.
CHAPTER XVII. FROM TARA TO TIPPERARY.
At the opening of 1920 I had plenty of leisure, while my wound was healing, to review the year that had passed. Soloheadbeg had borne fruit. The best tribute was that contained in the official statistics that were now issued from time to time by the British Government regarding “Crime in Ireland.” Crime as such was, of course, almost unknown in Ireland until the arrival of the Black and Tans. When the British Government used the word “crime” in reference to Ireland it generally meant active oper
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CHAPTER XVIII. THE BARRACK ATTACKS
CHAPTER XVIII. THE BARRACK ATTACKS
Our new plan for more active operations against the British was, in short, to attack them in their strongholds—the police barracks throughout the country. The peelers were now far too cautious to patrol the roads. They seldom if ever ventured any distance from their barracks. We could not meet them in the open. But if the mountain would not come to Mohammed, there was only the other thing to be done. We had got to go to the police and attack them on their own grounds. At this time, in the spring
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CHAPTER XIX. CAPTURE AND ESCAPE OF GENERAL LUCAS.
CHAPTER XIX. CAPTURE AND ESCAPE OF GENERAL LUCAS.
The capture of Brigadier-General Lucas was effected on June 26th, 1920, by Liam Lynch, George Power, and a few more of Lynch’s staff. General Lucas, who was stationed at Fermoy and commanded in that district, was accompanied by Colonel Danford, R.E., and Colonel Tyrell. Lynch and his comrades drove up in a motor car and surprised the three British officers at a place called Conna, near Castlelyons, seven or eight miles from Fermoy, where General Lucas had taken a fishing lodge. They were taken c
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CHAPTER XX. ADVENTURES WITH THE MURDER GANG.
CHAPTER XX. ADVENTURES WITH THE MURDER GANG.
The plan I put before Headquarters was the establishment of Flying Columns in every county, starting of course with Tipperary. My experience of ambushes and barrack attacks had convinced me that such a scheme would prove an immense success. Hitherto we had been relying very much on help from men who would take part in a barrack attack at night and be at their work in the shops next morning. That was awkward for many reasons. It meant first of all, that they could only help at night. Secondly it
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CHAPTER XXI. THE DRUMCONDRA FIGHT.
CHAPTER XXI. THE DRUMCONDRA FIGHT.
That night we left Fleming’s about 11 o’clock. In case we had been seen entering and were still being shadowed we left by the back. It was a bright moonlight night. From the back of the house we got out to Botanic Avenue. There Sean and I debated for a few minutes whether we should go round to our friend Mrs. Fitzgerald, in Hollybank Road, or go on to Professor Carolan’s, and we turned to the right and came up to the bridge over the Tolka. Curfew was at 12 o’clock, and the streets were already d
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CHAPTER XXII. MISSED BY INCHES.
CHAPTER XXII. MISSED BY INCHES.
Early in the morning—still October 12th, 1920—Mrs. Holmes at my request took a note to Phil Shanahan’s, with a message for Dick McKee. I wanted to be removed as soon as possible. I also wanted to report to Headquarters that Sean Treacy had been killed in the same engagement. While I was waiting the reply I learned from the people of the house that in each of the houses on either side a Black and Tan was lodging, both houses being the property of members of the Dublin Police. You can imagine how
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CHAPTER XXIII. EXECUTIONS AND REPRISALS.
CHAPTER XXIII. EXECUTIONS AND REPRISALS.
While I was lying in the Mater my faithful comrade, Sean Treacy, was never idle. His main concern during this time was to be ever on the watch for my safety. And that Thursday evening, 14th October, 1920, he learned that the hospital was surrounded. Without a moment’s delay he went to Headquarters to seek a rescue party of which he himself would be one. His request was granted, and within an hour he and other trusty comrades were busy mobilising their men. In his zeal to undertake a desperate ta
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CHAPTER XXIV. MY RETURN TO TIPPERARY.
CHAPTER XXIV. MY RETURN TO TIPPERARY.
From Dun Laoghaire I was taken in a motor car by Eamonn Fleming across the mountains into Wicklow. At one place Eamonn introduced me under an assumed name, but the man of the house laughed heartily and assured him that he knew me well as Dan Breen, for he was a patient in the same part of the Mater Hospital when I was there some weeks before. At this time I had to keep moving from place to place more rapidly, as England was now pouring troops into the country by thousands. The jails and penal se
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CHAPTER XXV. MARRIED IN THE BATTLE LINE.
CHAPTER XXV. MARRIED IN THE BATTLE LINE.
On the 12th June, 1921, just one month before the Truce with the English forces, I was married in circumstances as strange as they were romantic. In an earlier chapter I have already told how I first met my future wife, Brighid Malone, in September, 1919, and how she and her sister served us and our cause when sympathisers were few. From the day of our first visit to the home of the Malone’s, our friendship began and soon developed into a deeper feeling. I knew it was to Brighid’s constant care
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CHAPTER XXVI. THE TRUCE.
CHAPTER XXVI. THE TRUCE.
Early in June, 1921, I learned that a movement was on foot to effect a compromise with England. It did not surprise me then to hear that a Truce had been arranged as from July 11th, 1921. In many respects we welcomed the respite, though we never thought it would end as it did. For some time our area had been running short of munitions, and just before the Truce we had sent some of our men to the continent in the hope of negotiating for a cargo which would attempt to run the blockade. At the time
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CHAPTER XXVII. EFFORTS TO AVERT CIVIL WAR.
CHAPTER XXVII. EFFORTS TO AVERT CIVIL WAR.
When I arrived in Dublin I found that the situation was even more critical that I had expected. The old Republican Army had definitely split into two sections—one the new Free State Army, and the other the I.R.A. The British troops had evacuated Beggar’s Bush Barracks and Wellington Barracks, and handed them over to the Free State troops. The Republicans had seized and fortified the Four Courts as their Headquarters. Similar divisions existed all over the country, though the south was overwhelmi
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CHAPTER XXVIII. HOW I WAS CAPTURED.
CHAPTER XXVIII. HOW I WAS CAPTURED.
I have no intention of giving here a story of the Civil War. I can only say that I claim to have done my part to avoid it. But when I learned to my amazement that the Free Staters had in the dead of night placed British guns in position to shell the Republicans in the Four Courts I felt there was only one course open to me—to throw in my lot with my old comrades and carry on the fight for the Republic. In the course of that fight I lost nearly all my old brothers-in-arms. Even in the war against
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