STATEMENT BY WITNESS. Witness. Michael Joseph Lawless, Canal Road, Galway. Identity. Subject. (a) National activities ; Nil

Transcription

1 RONN COSANTA. BUREAU OF MLTARY HSTORY, STATEMENT BY WTNESS DOCUMENT NO. W.S. 727 Witness Michel Joseph Lwless, Cnl Rod, Glwy dentity. Member "E" Compny, 2nd Bttlion, Dubl Brigde 1913-; Lter; member R A Dubl. Subject. () Ntionl ctivities ; (b) College Brgeons nd Jcob's Fcry, Dubl, Ester Week 19l6, (c) Bloody Sundy, 2l/ll/l920 Conditions, if ny Stipulted by Witness. Nil File No. S.2028 Form B.S.M. 2

2 CONTENTS. Pge. 1. Service Ester Week. Witness escpes t surrender. Subsequently rrested nd relesed Ambush - Newcomen Bridge Bloody Sundy - 38 Upper Mount St. 3 & Witness employed s full time pid member Munitions Brnch.R.A Conclusion. 5 & 6.

3 Sttement Mr. M.J. Cnl Rod, Glwy, formerly member E Coy 2nd Bttlion Dubl Brigde rish Volunteers nd rish Republicn Army., Michel Joseph Lwless, ws born on 17th Ocber 1890 Cnng Plce, f Oriel. St, Prish St. Lurence O'Toole, Dubl. n 1914 ws livg "First Avenue", f Seville Plce. ws n monir Christin Brors Schools Seville Plce ws workg for Woods (Agriculturl Mchery) South Dock St. joed Volunteers t ugurl Meetg Rotund Rk December ws member E Coy 2nd Bttlion. Dubl Brigde (Tom Wfer). n 1914 ws. opertion t L.N.W.R. (lter L.M.S.) sres North Wll, which consisted commndeerg severl cses Mrti rifles which were consigned Redmondite Volunteers. n Ester Week served College Surgeons. with Citizen Army, on Mondy t Shelbourne Hotel gte, for rest week on gurd t wdow overlookg Glovers Alley nd houses occupied Grfn St. direction. On Sturdy night ws sent with prty Jcobs for food nd brought bck supplies Surgeons. Then some us E Coy men who hd been Surgeons durg week, rejoed, by permission Commndnt Mll, our Compny which ws Jcobs. On surrender next dy, got wy ccompnied by John O'Rourke Seville Plce. rrived home next dy, Mondy, but ws rrested lmost immeditely nd brought L.N.W.R. sttion North Wll where British post held vrious, prisoners. ws brought before Mjor Somerville. re, bout fortnight lter nd relesed. Tht ws only imprisonment ever experienced. remed E Coy 2nd Bttlion when

4 2. it ws re-orgnised under Sen Russell ( best my recollection). On promotion Sen Russel1, Billy Byrne ws, thk, Cpt. At ll events he ws Cpt t time Truce. n Sprg 1919 ws present t mbush goods tr for west t Newcomen Bridge. This tr ws crryg mmunition nd troops. ws tke signl. box t bridge but got orders proceed Mountjoy Brewery signl box wrn lds re not terfere with shuntg enge tht ws movg up nd down le. Returng ws held up by British sergent but mnged concel from him my.45 my sleeve nd eventully got wy. The opertion ws on whole filure. ws on vrious ptrols nd rids for rms subsequently. ws t burng Rheny brrcks ws detiled for ttempted rescue Kev Brry from Mountjoy durg which some us wited for 12 hours house "Pressor" Mgni" dncg mster, North Gret Georges St. As regrds opertions Bloody Sundy, 21st November 1920, ws ordered report t Pters' Hll Gloucester St. (s it ws n) on Sturdy night (20/11/2O), by my Compny Officer, B. Byrne. There met few or men nd we received orders from somebody G.H.Q. ( cnnot remember whom). The orders were be t Dunlop House, fterwrds Oriel House, (corner Westlnd Row nd Merrion Row) on followg Sundy morng t 9 o'clock. Myself nd Johnny McDonnell (bror Pddy McDonnell, very well-known (G.A.A. footbller period - St. Lurence O'Toole Club) nd

5 3. Willie Mher, s we lived ner one nor, rrived re ger. nd met re Herbert Conroy nd Sen Dly (London-rish - Kimmge pre '16 - lter E Coy 2nd Bttlion - bror Lim Dly Old Dubl Brigde ssocition). Tom Ennis n rrived. We were ll E Coy members. Ennis ws chrge. He ld us wht job ws. He detiled us proceed twos. He nd Conroy went hed,, rest, well prt, two by two, followed. wlked with Sen Dly. We went Upper Mount St. direct. Tom Ennis nd Conroy knocked t house No. 38. We ll, met hll house which hd been opened him. ws detiled ptrol. out5ide house nd wtch out for ny unexpected developments. After few mutes hve impression herd shots from direction Lower Mount St. After bout 10 mutes herd hevy footsteps mn runng from direction pepper-box church (St. Stephens). ws movg up nd down nd s herd m ws movg down street with my bck church. A swift glnce over my shoulder showed me mn ws khki. moved just pst house where Ennis nd ors were, n suddenly wheeled round nd held up with my revolver soldier who ws only few yrds behd me. He lmost fell on his knees nd cried out, "Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" ordered him go up steps house nd knock t door for dmittnce, followg closely behd up steps. did not direct him knock ny prticulr wy s hd received no such structions myself. Previous our dmittnce mn put his hed out n upper wdow house opposite (nerer church) nd shouted somethg like, "Wht's gog on down re?". (This would be Mjor Crew. See Michel Noyk's sttement. L. O B.) He hd revolver

6 4. his hnd immeditely covered myself with soldier, shouted mn: "Get from tht wdow", nd fired t him. He disppered quickly. hdn't hit him however. The door ws opened n by thk, Sen Dly nd we were let. Tom Ennis ok him chrge n. He put him room on ground floor, f nd eir locked him re or left Dly chrge him. got glimpse nor room three men stndg up pyjms fcg wll with ir hnds on wll. (Apprently only 2 men were shot here - Ames nd Bennett. See M. Noyk's sttement. On potg this out Lwless, he sid simply, " thought re were three". Note by Lim O Bri). styed hll while shots were beg fired tht room. We ll left n immeditely nd crossg street,, went down lley nerly opposite (nerer Merrion Squre) clled "Power's Court" (?) nd nce keepg ger nd tkg bck streets nd lleys rrived t ferry sttion on South Quy opposite Common St. (ner B. &. sres). We met or men re comg from. or opertions. The ferry bot ws re but no men work it. However we got. fellow who ws hngg bout re scull us cross nd on rrivl Common St. we dispersed our homes. recollect beg on smll opertion t Rudge-Whitworth's cycle depot on Stephens Green, sometime previously. We ok wy from it vrious shell-cses nd suchlike, which would be useful our munitions' deprtment. This ws lso n E Coy job. Sometime fter Mount St. opertions, Sen Russell sked me jo stff engged chemicl

7 5. work for explosives. He sid py would be. 4, 1O 0 week, regulr py men engged whole-time on ctive service. sid ws redy do nythg for nothg. For bout three months before truce used go every morng bout 10 o'clock Peter St. dispensry, through hll (not witg room) nd directly downstirs bsement where we spent dy mkg "cheddr", with luncheon tervl durg which we used go home (sometimes) nd knock f bout 4.30 or 5 o'clock. There were re lso; John Joe Tllon, Tommy Kerns Mick Kelly, Dunne ( N.U.. mn) nd Donovn ( N.U.. chemist) who ws 0/C. We mixed ccordg scle given us chemicl substnces, which were n heted enmel sucepns on gs sve, fterwrds pcked little wooden kegs such s grocer would keep bred-sod, n brought by or men secretly n rmoury which ws situted somewhere behd City Quy R.C. prish church (Sen Russell showed it me once) nd or plces; or sent country. remed on re while fter truce. joed regulr ntionl rmy Beggrs Bush fter Trety nd worked for while re t chemicls under Commndnt Dn Stplen. On outbrek Civil Wr ws rmoured cr "Slibh n mbn" nd ws t cpture Greshm. ws rmoured cr fter firg hd cesed when fl shot from somewhere wounded Dn Stplen. Shortly fterwrds, July '22 probbly, ws sent convoy Limerick under Comdt. Jmes Hogn (now Pressor U.C.C.). We went vi Athlone nd t Kilchreest, Co. Glwy, were mbushed nd ws nerly

8 6. killed. A soldier clled Chrley O'Connor ws killed. bluffed 8 or 9 irregulrs surrenderg. One irs clled Kerns ws killed lso. Durg rest Civil Wr ws opertg, chrge cr Slibh n mbn, country round bout Limerick. Jmes Hogn gve me my commission s Lieutennt August 22. served rmy until '24. ws tke prt rmy muty, my job beg seize "Brin Houlihn" brrcks outside Trlee where ws n sttioned. ws n ctg Cpt, Specil nfntry A Coy 1st Bttlion. ws employed Cusm House subsequently nd 1937 cme live Glwy where m still residg (1952). Signed: Dte: M.J. (M.J. Lwless Lwless) 8/9/52 8/9/52 Witness: M F Ryn Comdt M F. Ryn, Comd't.

9 This Sttement ws wodlendown by Prol Lim OBrim on 27th ugust 1952 from Michel lwless chmber commerce, glwy, Michel Joseph Lwless, ws born 17th Ocber 1890 Cnng Plce, Oriel f St prish St Lurence Dubl O'Toole, n 1914 ws "first venue", Seville Off livg plce. ws n monir Christin Brors Schools Plce. Seville n 1916 ws workg woods (Agriculturl for Mchery) south Doc KS. joed volunteers t nugurl Rotund Rk December meetg ws member E. Co. 2nd Bttlion Dubl Brigde (Tom Wfer) n 1914 ws t opertion L.N.W.R (Lter L.M.S) Sres consisted commndeerg North Wll, Which severl cses

10 2 mrti rifles which were consigned Redmondite Volunteers Ester Week served college surgeon with citizen on rmy, Mondy t Shelbourne Hotel Gte, rest week on for qurd t wdow overlookg glovers nd houses occupied lley Grfn St Direction On Sturdy night for food surgeon. ws sent with Jcobs prty nd bck brought supplies Then some us E. Co. men who hd been surgeons week, permission by durg rejoed, commndnt mllen, our compny which ws Jcobs. On surrender next wy ccompnied by John dy, got Plce, O'Rourke Seville rrived home next dy but ws rrested lmost immeditely Mondy, nd brought L.N.W.R. sttion north wll where British Post Held vrious ws prisoners. brought Somerville bout re mjor lter nd relesed. Tht ws ever imprisonment experienced. before fortnight only remed reorgnized best Sen cpt. my E. Co. 2nd Btt When it ws under Sen Russell (To recollection) on promotion Ws, Thk Russell, Belly Byrne At ll events he ws cpt t time price. n sprg 1919 ws present t mbush goods tr for west t Newcomer This Bridge. tr

11 3 ws mmunition nd troops. crryg ws tke Box t signl but Bridge got orders proceed box signl wrn mountjoy brewery lds re not with terfere tht ws up shuntg enge movg nd down le returng ws held up by British sergent but mnged concel him 45 sleeve from my my eventully got wy. The opertion ws nd on whole filure. ws on vrious nd rids ptrols for ws t rms burng subsequently. ws detiled for Brrcks. Rheny ttempted reserve Kev Brry from mountjoy which some us wited 12 durg for hours house mgni" "pressor dncg mster, north St. gret Georges s regrds opertions Bloody 21st Nov ws ordered report Sundy, t Hll St. Pters Gloncester (s it ws on n) night (20/11/20), by Sturdy my B There met compny ficer, Byrne few or men nd we received orders from somebody G.H.Q ( cnnot remember whom) orders be were t house Dunlop fterwrds oriel house, Westlnd Row nd Merion (Corner on t 9 Row) followg Sundy morng o'clock. nd McDonnell (Bror Myself Johnny well Pddy Known G.A.A. McDonnell, very bller period St Lurence O'Toole foot club) nd Willie Mher, s we lived ner one nor, rrived re ger

12 4 Bror Lim Dly old Dubl Brigde ssocition nd met re Herbert Sen Convoy, (London rish (16-lter E. Kimmge-pre Dly Co. 2nd Btt) Tom Ennis n rrived we were ll E. Co Members. Ennis ws chrge. He ld us wht ws. job He detiled us proceed twos & he went Conroy well hed, rest, prt, two by two, followed. wlked with Sen We went mount upper St Dly. Direct. Tom Ennis & Knocked t Conroy house no 38. We ll met hll house which hd been opened him. ws detiled ptrol outside house nd wtch out unexpected developments. mutes thne impression for ny After few herd shots

13 5 direction hour mount St from bout 10 mutes herd fter mn Lery footsteps runng direction from box church pepper (St Stephens) ws movg up nd down nd s herd m ws down street movg with bck church. A swift my over shoulder showed me glnce my mn ws khki. moved just pst house where Ennis nd ors were, n wheeled round nd suddenly held up with revolver soldier my who ws behd me. only few yrds He lmost fell on his knees nd cried out "Don't shoot Don't Shoot" ordered him go up house nd steps knock t door for dmittnce, followg behd closely up did steps. not direct him knock ny prticulr s hd received wy no such structions Previous myself. our dmittnce mn his put hed out n wdow upper house opposite (nerer church) nd shouted somethg like "Wht on down re." would be This gog Crew see He hd revolver his hnd. immeditely Mjor Noyk's Michel covered with soldier, myself Sttement shouted mn "get (L.O.B) tht wdow," nd from fired t He him. disppered quickly

14 6 hdn't hit him however, door ws opened Apprently only 2 men wereshot here Ames & Bennett see McNoyk's sttement this out on potg Lwless, he sid " thought simply re were three" note by (Lim OBri) (We re wodg glwy i-m lwless-l.ob.) Ner B & sres n, by thk, Sen Dly we were let. Tom Ennis ok him n. He chrge put him room on ground floor? floor, f nd eir locked him re or Dly glimpse men chrge stndg nor up him. room nd left got pyjms three wll with ir hnds on wll. styed hll while shots were beg fired tht room. We ll left n immeditely nd street, went down crossg opposite (nerer lley nerly Merrion Squre) clled "Power's Court" ger nd ferry lleys opposite nd or men re nd nce keepg bck streets tkg rrived t fcg sttion on south quy Common or opertions. The St comg ferry we cot met from ws re but no men work it However we fellow who ws bout lngg re scull us nd cross on got rrivl Common St we dispersed our homes recollect on smll opertion beg t Rudge-Whitworth's depot on Stephens Cycle We sometime ok Green, previously. wy from it vrious shell-cses nd such like, which

15 1 would be useful our munitions deprtment this ws lso n E. Co. Job. Opertions, Some time mount St fter Sen Russell sked me jo stff chemicl work engged He explosive. sid py would for be L 4 10 week, regulr py men engged whole time on ctive service sid ws do redy nythg for For bout three months nothg. before truce used go every bout 100 clock Peter St morng hll (not through dispensry, nd down room) directly stirs witg where bsement we spent "Cheddr", with dy mkg

16 luncheon tervl durg which we used go home Kerns. nd knock bout 4:30 or 5 o'clock. (sometimes) f There were re lso. John Joe Tllon, Tommy Mick Kelly, Dunne ( n.u.j mn) nd Donovn ( n.u.j. chemist) who ws O.C. we mixed ccordg scle given us chemicl substnces, which were n heted enmel sncepns on gs sve, fterwrds pcked little wooden kegs such s grocer would keep bred-sod. n. n broughtby or men secretly n rmoury which ws situted somewhere behd city R.C. prish church (Sen quy Russell Showed it me once) nd or plces, or sent country. remed on re while fter truce ntionl joed regulr rmy Bush fter Beggrs trety worked for while re t under Commndnt Dn Stplen chemicls nd outbrek civil wr ws rmoured cr "Slibh n mbn" nd ws t cpture ws Greshm. rmoured cr hd fter cesed when firg fl shot from some where wounded Dn Stplen. Probbly under Shortly fterwrds, 22 July ws sent Limerick convoy Commt Jmes Hogn (Now Pressor

17 9 W.C.C) we went vi thlone nd t Kilchreest Co were Glwy mbushed nd ws killed nerly soldier clled O'Connor ws Chrley killed. cluffed 8 or 9 coolqulrs One surrenderg. irs clled ws killed lso. kerns ws opertg, n mbn, Limerick. rest Durg civil wr chrge cr Slibh bout round country one Jmes Hogn gve commission s Lieutennt ugust 22 my 24. served until rmy ws tke prt rmy muty, my job beg "Brin Houlihn" brrcks Trlee where ws ws n cpt, ctg A. Co 1st Bttlion. serge outside. sttioned n specil fntry ws employed cusm house live still subsequently glwy residg nd 1937 cme (1952) where m (Signed) M. Lwless J. Cnl Rd Glwy 27/8/52 Signed Dte Welness