14 more executed by Free State following Military tribunals

The policy of the Irish Free State executing its political opponents continues

Dundalk, 23 January 1923 - A statement issued by the General Headquarters of the Irish Army at Portobello Barracks notes that three more men were executed yesterday morning at Dundalk Barracks.

The three men were all found guilty of possessing arms and ammunition without the proper authority at Dowdall’s Hill, Dundalk, on January 7, 1923. They have been named as: James Melia, 2 Bridge Street, Dundalk; Thomas Lennon, Dowldall’s Hill, Dundalk and Joseph Ferguson, Cycle’s quay, Bellurgan, Dundalk.

The news from Dundalk comes within days of the revelation that a further eleven men had been executed at Athlone, Tralee and Limerick. An official report issued by the Army HQ at Portobello Barracks confirmed the details of these executions.

At a military court in Tralee, the following men were charged and found guilty of being in possession of arms and ammunition: James Daly, Knock, Killarney; John Clifford, Mountlake, Cahirciveen; Michael Brosnan, Ballyfedora, Rathany, Tralee and James Hanlon, Causeway, Co. Kerry.

In Athlone, five more men who were tried and found guilty of possession of arms and ammunition without authority were executed at 8am, the same hour as those in Tralee and Limerick were put to death. The five executed in Athlone have been named as: Thomas Hughes, Bogginfin, Athlone; Michael Walsh, Derrymore, Caherlistrane, Co. Galway; Herbert Collins, Kickeen, Headford, Co. Galway; Stephen Joyce, Derrymore, Caherlistrane, Co. Galway and Martin Bourke, Caherlistrane, Co. Galway.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Finally, in Limerick, Cornelius McMahon and Patrick Hennessy, were arrested at Currahan on the 16th January, charged and found guilty by a committee of officers of the destruction of the railway at Ard Solus on January 14th and for being in possession of articles looted from Ard Solus station. They were also charged with possession of ammunition. Both men were from Clooney, Co. Clare.

[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]