January 1923
Jan |
Paddy Daly takes over the Kerry Command of the Pro-Treaty forces from General W R E Murphy. Murphy claims to have broken the back of Anti-Treaty resistance in Kerry. |
Hopkinson (1988), pg 205 & pg 240 |
Jan |
Pro-Treaty army is re-organised with a training period in the Curragh instituted, a disciplinary code laid down, a battalion structure put in place and the Western Command split up. |
Hopkinson (1988), pg 224 |
Jan-01 |
De Valera and Stack announce that they are re-organising Sinn Fein. |
Macardle (1999), pg 829 |
Jan-08 |
Anti-Treatyites Terence Brady; Anthony O’Reilly and Leo Dowling, Laurence Sheehy are executed in Kilmainham, Dublin. Also, Sylvester Heaney is executed in Keogh Barracks, Dublin. Macardle says that five pro-Treaty soldiers were executed by their own side for “treachery”. (O’Farrell says that Brady was a pro-Treaty private who was captured by anti-Treatyites in Leixlip and afterwards tried for treachery by pro-Treatyites. He does not say what happened after he was captured.) |
O'Farrell P (1997), pg 222 & 223; Macardle (1999), pg 831 & 984; O'Farrell P (1997), pg 144 |
Jan-09 |
Senator John Bagwell’s house Marfield near Clonmel was burnt. (In January & February the houses of 37 senators are burnt to the ground.) |
Hopkinson (1988), pg 195; O'Farrell P (1997), pg 142 |
Jan-11 |
The Pro-Treaty Executive Council decides that some of its members should meet with the Army Council to discuss methods to deal ‘with the lawlessness prevailing throughout the country, with a view to bringing it to a speedy end’. In preparation for this meeting, Patrick Hogan wrote: “the civilian population will surrender definitely before long if the Irregulars are able to continue their peculiar form of war … Two months like the last two will see the end of us and the Free State”. O’Higgins called for executions in every county and Hogan concluded that a policy of extensive executions could only be applied for a limited time ‘but within that time they ought be going with machine-like regularity’ |
Hopkinson (1988), pg 221-222 |
Jan-11 |
Sligo railway station is burnt by Anti-Treaty forces causing considerable damage. Pro-Treaty army comes under considerable criticism for lack of response. |
Hopkinson (1988), pg 243 |
Jan-15 |
Anti-Treatyites Frederick Burke (from Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary); Martin O’Shea (from Carrinagreena, Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary); Patrick Russell (from Summerhill, Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary) and Patrick McNamara (from Nenagh, Co Tipperary) are executed in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary. Also James Lillis (from Bagnalstown, Co. Carlow) is executed in Carlow. |
O'Farrell P (1997), pg 222 & 223 & 224; Macardle (1999), pg 984 |
Jan-16 |
Martin ‘Sparky’ Breen, O/C of the anti-Treaty Tipperary No. 1 column is shot dead near his home. His companion Capt Denis Ryan is wounded and dies from his wounds on 4th June. |
O'Farrell P (1997), pgs 144-145 |
Jan-13 |
Anti-Treatyites Thomas McKeon (Piedmont, Co. Louth); Charles (or Thomas) Murray (White’s Cross, Co. Armagh) and John McNulty (Currymannon, Co. Louth) are executed in Dundalk |
O'Farrell P (1997), pg 223; Macardle (1999), pg 984 |
Jan-18 |
Liam Deasy , O/C 1st Southern Division Anti-Treaty forces, is captured in the Galtee mountains. After his capture, he issues a letter to senior Anti-Treaty officers calling for the armed struggle to be stopped. This is rejected by the men who receive his letter (but a major effect is to undermine rank and file confidence in their leadership). |
O'Farrell P (1997), pg xxiii; Hopkinson (1988), pg 230 |
Jan-20 |
11 Anti-Treaty prisoners executed (two in Limerick, four in Tralee and five in Athlone). The men executed in Athlone are Martin Bourke (Caherlistrane, Co. Galway); Thomas Hughes (Athlone); Stephen Joyce (Derrymore, Caherlistrane, Co. Galway); Herbert Collins and Michael Walsh (from Derrymore, Caherlistrane, Co. Galway). The men executed in Tralee are Michael Brosnan (Ballyfadora, Co. Kerry); James Daly (Killarney); James Hanlon or Hannon (Ardfert, Co. Kerry) and John Clifford. The men executed in Limerick are Patrick Hennessy (Clooney, Ennis, Co. Clare) and Cornelius McMahon (Ennis, Co. Clare) |
O'Donnoghue (1986), pg 290; O'Farrell P (1997), pg 222 & 223; Macardle (1999), pg 984 |
Jan-20 |
First edition of Eire published by de Valera’s Republican Party. |
Macardle (1999), pg 830 |
Jan-21 |
A Pro-Treaty army report states that the “policy of militant action [by the Anti-Treaty army] is slowly changing to one of sheer destructiveness and obstruction of Civil Government” |
Hopkinson (1988), pg 221 |
Jan-22 |
3 Anti-Treaty prisoners executed in Dundalk. They are James Melia, Dundalk (aged 20); Thomas Lennon, Dundalk (aged 19) and Joseph Ferguson, Gyles Quay, Greenore, Co. Louth. All three were arrested under arms on 7th Jan 1923. |
O'Donnoghue (1986), pg 290; Gavin and O’Donnell (1999), pgs 42-43; O'Farrell P (1997), pg 223 |
Jan-23 |
2 Anti-Treaty prisoners executed in Waterford. They are Michael Fitzgerald (Youghal, Co. Cork) and Patrick O’Reilly (Youghal, Co. Cork). (O’Farrell says 25th January as does Macardle.) |
O'Donnoghue (1986), pg 290; O'Farrell P (1997), pg 223; Macardle (1999), pg 986 |
Jan-25 |
Cosgrave sends on report from Kevin O’Shiel to Mulcahy saying the war necessarily meant the postponement of the Boundary Commission. |
Hopkinson (1988), pg 251 |
Jan-26 |
3 Anti-Treaty prisoners executed in Birr. One is William Conroy, another is Patrick Cunningham (from Tullamore, Co. Offaly) and the third is Colm Kelly (Tullamore, Co. Offaly). |
O'Donnoghue (1986), pg 290; O'Farrell P (1997), pg 222 & 223; Macardle (1999), pg 985 |
Jan-27 |
2 Anti-Treaty prisoners executed in Portlaoise, Co Laois – one is Joseph Byrne (from Cruit Croghan, Co. Offally) and the other is Patrick Geraghty (Rochefortbridge, Co. Westmeath) |
O'Donnoghue (1986), pg 290; O'Farrell P (1997), pg 222 & 223 |
Jan-29 |
After being captured and sentenced to death, Liam Deasy sends a letter to the leaders of the anti-Treaty side asking for “an immediate and unconditional surrender of all arms”. Not published until 9th February. |
Macardle (1999), pg 833 |
Jan-30 |
Senator John Bagwell is kidnapped in Dublin by anti-Treaty forces. |
O'Farrell P (1997), pg 142 |
Jan |
Members of Collins old Intelligence staff , led by Liam Tobin, set up an organisation known as the ‘The Old IRA’ (and ‘The Irish Republican Organisation’). They claim that they have not been given positions in the Pro-Treaty army commensurate with their services during the War of Independence and they complained about the number of former British officers and post-Truce officers in positions of authority. |
Hopkinson (1988), pgs 225-226 |
Jan |
Eugene Fitzgerald (an Anti-Treaty army man) dies in Tralee from wounds, it is claimed that he got after capture. |
Macardle (1998), pgs 12-14 |