Tralee-man confesses in London court to burning Kerry Castle

London, 12 June 1923 -A former IRA leader told a London Court yesterday of his role in the burning of the historic Ballyheigue Castle in Co. Kerry in May 1921.

Mr. Thomas Clifford from Tralee delivered a statement to the London King’s Bench Division where the owner of Ballyheigue Castle, Mr. Jeremiah Leen, has brought a case against Lloyd’s underwriters on a policy of insurance.

Ballyheigue Castle was insured for a sum of £10,000 and the counsel for the plaintiff has argued that the policy covered damage for riot, civil commotion, rebellion and fire. Mr. Leen, the court was informed, had enlisted Messrs MacGowan, agents of Llyod’s underwriters, to take out ordinary fire insurance and paid a £10 premium. However, as a result of discussions, Mr. Leen also handed over a cheque for £150 to insure himself against damage from riot and civil commotion for six months. That was done on May 24, and on the night of May 27th, 1921, men came to the property and, at a revolver point, moved Mr. Leen and his wife to another property.  When he returned in the morning, he found the Castle had been destroyed.

In his statement to the Court, which is being heard by Mr. Justice Avory and a common jury, Mr. Clifford declared: ‘I burned the castle that night at 10 o’clock as the result of a despatch I received. I broke up the floors of two rooms, and broke up some boxes and put petrol on.’

The despatch received had come from the Dingle Peninsula, approximately twenty-six miles away. At the time, Mr. Clifford claims that he was an officer in charge of the IRA in north Kerry and that he had about eight men fighting in his area. He had previously been a shopkeeper until his shop, was burned down by Crown forces in November 1920. 

Clifford, who claims to have been a republican since 1913, told the court that he had taken charge of a flying column and had participated in between thirty and forty ambushes, but had left the IRA with the conclusion of the Truce.

Another to give evidence to the Court was Mrs. Jessie A. Palmer who, along with her husband, had lived at the Castle from October 1919 to May 1921. 

[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.]