Osprey - Essential Histories 065 - The Anglo-Irish War 1913-1922

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66 Essential Histories • The Anglo-Irish War Pearse) Street, Neligan volunteered to become a G-Man at the end of 1919 because he was 'heartily tired of uniform and beat duties'. Before the Troubles Neligan tells us that G Division was difficult to get into, but casualties had made it unpopular. Whilst in uniform Neligan had been amongst the party who had found the body of DMP Detective Sergeant (DS) Daniel Hoey after Collins' Squad had shot him outside the Central Police Station in Brunswick Street on 13 September 1919. Neligan also knew another victim of the Squad, DMP DS John Barton, killed by Sean Tracey on 29 November 1919. He probably even knew DMP DS Patrick Smyth who was killed on 30 July 1919. Neligan is very matter of fact about these killings but there is no evidence to suggest that he was behind these deaths. The men who probably were guilty of these murders were three other G-Men: DS Eamonn 'Ned' Broy, Detective Constable (DC) James McNamara and DC Kavanagh, who had worked for Collins since at least 1917. In fact, Broy even smuggled Collins into the G Division archives in Brunswick Street where he was able to assess just how much the Castle knew about his organization. Between them these men were responsible not only for the deaths of a number of British intelligence agents but also for damaging the Castle's efforts to contain the IRA. Even after joining G Division Neligan remained acquainted with several Sinn Féin activists, including De Valera's secretary Paddy Sheehan. How and why Neligan knew Sheehan is never explained, but he does mention that he recognized DS Hoey from a Sinn Féin meeting without explaining why he was there himself. His brother Maurice was a Trade Union activist, and along with Sheehan they convinced Neligan to resign from the police, which he did on 11 May 1920. Before Neligan resigned he did make an offer to Sheehan to work for the rebels, but Sheehan declined to accept. When Collins heard of this he was furious that the opportunity to turn another G-Man had been squandered, and not long after his resignation Neligan was contacted by the IRA and eventually met Collins in Dublin. It was the beginning of an association that would only come to an end when the IRA shot Collins during the civil war. On Collins' instructions Neligan made his way back to the Castle and told his old boss, Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Bruton, that the IRA had threatened to kill him. Neligan always felt that Bruton did not really believe him, but he was reassigned to G Division nonetheless. Neligan proved to be a valuable asset and was soon passing Collins high-grade intelligence. It was Neligan who told Collins that an ex-RIC District Inspector and Resident Magistrate, Alan Bell, was investigating how the rebels were funding their operations. Neligan betrayed Bell's address, movements and security arrangements and within days he was dead. By 1921, G Division had been rendered more or less ineffective against the IRA. Five G-Men, including Assistant Commissioner William Redmond, had been murdered and at least four were IRA activists. Both RIC Special Branch and the Secret Service knew that something was wrong with G Division and consequently placed little reliance upon it. According to Neligan the division's parlous state was simply a symptom of a 'demoralized state practically finished'. Despite his IRA activities no one suspected Neligan of 'working for the enemy', and much to Collins' delight he managed to join the Secret Service in May 1921. Neligan was extremely complimentary about the Secret Service, whom he claimed 'sent some of their crack operators here. I must say they were brave men who carried their lives in their hands.' Despite obvious admiration and a degree of empathy for them he provided much of the information that led to the mass killing of British agents in Dublin on 21 November 1920, which is perhaps a comment in itself about their efficiency. When the civil war broke out, Neligan became a colonel in military intelligence where he earned a fearsome reputation in Co.
Portrait of a soldier 67 Kerry. He was allegedly involved in the torture and execution of several anti-Treaty IRA men in February 1922. The Free State commander, Paddy Daly, said that, 'Nobody asked me to take kid gloves to Kerry and I didn't.' After the civil war ended, Neligan returned to the DMP as a Chief Superintendent heading up its post-war G Division, and eventually became the head of the Garda Detective Branch. By the time he retired he was in receipt of a pension from the British Government for his time in the DMP and Secret Service, and from the Irish Government for his time in the Garda. When asked in later life if he would do any of it again his answer was an unequivocal no - 'revolution devours its own children'.
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PETER COTTRELL is currently a servi
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Essential Histories The Anglo-Irish
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Contents Introduction Chronology Ba
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8 Essential Histories • The Anglo
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10 Essential Histories • The Angl
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Chronology 1169 Anglo-Norman invasi
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Background to war A troubled island
Page 16 and 17: 16 Essential Histories • The Angl
Page 18 and 19: Warring sides The combatants The Cr
Page 64 and 65: Portrait of a soldier David Neligan
Page 68 and 69: The world around war Civilian life
Page 80 and 81: How the war ended A brief peace The
Page 86 and 87: Conclusion and consequences Coming
Page 94 and 95: Index Figures in bold refer to illu
Page 96: About Essential Histories A multi-v
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Osprey - Essential Histories 065 - The Anglo-Irish War 1913-1922

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