Police awarded compensation due to recent political disturbances

Dublin, 7 October 1919 - Compensation has been paid out, this week, to a number of police officers who have been injured in the recent political disturbances around the country.

Detective Officer Patrick Redmond, of the Dublin Metropolitan Police, was awarded £50 for injuries received during an attempt to arrest a pickpocket, whom the crowd believed to be a Sinn Féiner, on Marlborough Street.

Detective Redmond had pursued the pickpocket to Marlborough Street when he was tripped by a crowd, knocked to the ground and kicked. He, along with a colleague, were later pelted with stones on Gardiner Street, being struck on the arm, neck and head. Detective Redmond was on sick leave for two months and could not sleep at night. The City Recorder, who presided over the compensation hearing, said that it was appalling that such fine Dublin officers should be set upon in this way.

In Tralee, Sergeant Oats was awarded £250 and Constable O’Connell £50 in respect of injuries sustained at Ballinascarthy on 24 June when they were attacked by a party of masked men and knocked from their bicycles.

The constable was held on the ground with a knee on his throat while his rifle and pouch of ammunition were taken. The sergeant was fired at by a man with a revolver, but the bullet glanced off his brace buckle.

Two men are awaiting trial in connection with the matter.

[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.]