ROINN COSANTA. - The Bureau of Military History 1913-1921

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11.in same shop there was a trunk of Con Moynihan's in which, therewas a .45 pistol.I carried out my orders arid landed the luggage from thenorth into Whelan's Hotel. The wire from the Brothersperformed its mission; Charlie was tried on a Friday,under hisalias,post haste and released!On Saturday morning Charlie arrived gleefully at Whelan'sand was about to start for the north road on his famous bicycleJust as he was about to leave, an I.R.A. courier came tearingup Eccles St. on a motor bicycle with a dispatch that GeneralMulcahy's office in Dawson St. was raided early on Saturdaymorning and that Charlie's name was found on a list under thealias of Con Moynihan now in North Dublin Union Barracks. Onhearing the news Charlie rushed towardsme, put his arms aroundme in a close hug and said smilingly: 'Muiris, that wire ofyours save my life this time' and then he pushed me off myfeet with urgent orders that I was to watch Kingsbridge Stationevery night till Con Moynihan returned from his Xmas holidaysin Kerry and that Con was to return home to Kerry immediately.Imagine Con's cavalier unconcern on hearing that he was torelinquish his job and return home to Kerry! Them were thedays! Con threw back his head in a comical grouse, smirkedhis nose and said: 'I am often thinking of joining the KerryFlying Column' and he did".Charlie Daly returned to his duties as soon as he wasreleased in Dublin. About the end of January 1921, EoinO'Duffy came to Co. Tyrone on a mission of some sort which tookhim to various districts in Co. Tyrone and Co. Derry. Ipersonally looked after his comforts in my battalion area. Iwas also in a position to get O'Duffy accommodation with aFather McNamee who was a relation of mine at Feeney in Co. Derrywhere Fr. McNamee was a Catholic Curate.
12.About March 192l, an important meeting of I.R.A. officerstook p1ace in my battalion area at the house of a man namedMicky Gormley, Eskerboy, Trooney. As far as Ican remember,the following officers attended:- Eoin O'Duffy, Joe McKelvey,Dan Hogan, Charles Daly. There may have been others presentat the meeting whom I didn't know then. I made all thearrangements for this meeting and took precautions to ensurethe safety of the officers. The object of this meeting was thena matter of the utmost secrecy and I was not told any detailsabout it. I believe, however, that the purpose of the meetingwas a discussion on the formation of divisional areas in thenorth.During the month of March 1921, a lot of meetings wereheld in Co. Tyrone at which Eoin O'Duffy attended. Thesemeetings were the occasion of a lot of extra work for the localVolunteers. O'Duffy had to be escorted from place to placeand guarded wherever he was staying. O'Duffy's order to eachunit of the Volunteers was to carry out some operation each weekit didn't matter how simple it was, cutting of wires, trenchingroads, etc. Any opportunity of attacking special patrols shouldbe availed of. He spent a lot of hia time in Co. Derry aboutthis time. He had to pass through our battalion area on hisjourney to end from Co. Derry. In our battalion area there weretwo very safe "digs" ready for him at any time, Hugh Grogan,Tromague, and Keenan's, Greencastle. On one occasion whilstO'Duffy was staying in our area Con Ward, later T.D. for Monaghancame to see him and they had an important conference which lastedfor some time. O'Duffy told me afterwards that ward's visit wascaused by Ward's endeavour to get O'Duffy to allow Ward to standas a T.D. for Monaghan. I heard from another source at the timethat Word's visit was due to his position as Diviaional I.0. tothe 5th Northern Division and concerned the execution of a womanSpy named McKenna who was later executed. O'Duffy introducedthe imposition of an I.R.A. levy in Co. Tyrone which was collected by the Volunteers all over the country. A11 volunteers,
Page 2 and 3: STATEMENT BY SEEAN CORR, 27 DINGLE
Page 4 and 5: 3.On the Sunday before the election
Page 6 and 7: 5.At the General Election in Decemb
Page 8 and 9: 7.police were reported to have been
Page 10 and 11: 9.he was and he said 'Catholic', so
Page 14 and 15: l3.officers and men on the run were
Page 16 and 17: 15.and another at Aldrummond. A div
Page 18 and 19: 17.time on the night of 18th March
Page 20 and 21: 19.men in the car knocked at the do
Page 22 and 23: 21.the provisional government. Agai
Page 24: 23Before finishing these memoirs I

ROINN COSANTA. - The Bureau of Military History 1913-1921

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