In the opening volley of the War of Independence in 1919, the Third Tipperary Brigade under commanding officer Séumas Robinson ambushed a RIC convoy transporting dynamite at Soloheadbeg on January 19th. Dan Breen’s brother, Lar, had told the IRA that the consignment was due to be moved under escort, and the raid included Volunteers Seán […]
The infamous and notorious Black and Tans will not be forgotten in Irish history. 100 years ago, the first tranche of them arrived from Britain, mainly recruited from the unemployed veterans of World War 1. They had 3 months training and their pay was ten shillings a day. Their ‘uniforms’ were mixed, some with Khaki […]
Peadar Toibin wrote movingly and well on this website yesterday about his principled objections to the Government’s now-cancelled commemoration for members of the Royal Irish Constabulary and Dublin Metropolitan Police: “There are few families in Ireland that do not have mixed heritage. One of my Grandparents was a member of Cumann na mBan, while another […]
Daniel Breen – Dónall Ó Braoin – was a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. He was born in Grange, Donohill parish, County Tipperary, his father died when Dan was six, leaving the family very poor. He was educated locally, before becoming a plasterer […]
November 21 marks the 99th anniversary of one of the most momentous days in modern Irish history. That date in 1920 fell on a Sunday, the first one in this country to be given the sombre appellation Bloody for it was the most violent day in the War of Independence. Thirty two people in all […]