THREE ARRESTED AND JAILED AFTER TRIAL IN BELFAST
TWO days later, in the early hours of Saturday 28th of August a large force of RIC accompanied by British military arrived in Enniscrone.
At 4am they headed first to the home of William O’Neill, a twenty year old local fisherman. He was sleeping when the RIC and military entered his bedroom. While searching the room, RIC Sergeant William Connolly from Sligo noticed a jacket hanging on the wall near the bed. He asked the now awake William O’Neill if it was his jacket and he replied that it was. On searching the jacket, Connolly found one revolver cartridge in the right hand pocket.
William O’Neill was immediately arrested and charged with “Breaking and entering the Coastguard Station at Enniscrone” he made no reply.
The next home to be visited by the RIC and Military that morning was that of nineteen year old blacksmith James Dowd. After an exhaustive search of the home nothing was found. James Dowd was arrested, and on being charged by RIC Constable Hugh Malley, James Dowd replied “I know nothing about it.”
The final home to be raided in Enniscrone that morning was of nineteen year old tailor Joseph Kelly. Once again nothing was found after searching the property. Kelly was arrested by RIC Sergeant William Connolly, and made no reply to the charges.
A fourth man, Martin Tolan from Enniscrone had been arrested as he fitted the description of the leader of the attack, but no details of his arrest were included within the file.
The four prisoners were immediately transported under heavy military guard to Sligo Gaol where they were held for identification purposes. While being held in Sligo Gaol, Tolan wrote to The County Inspector of the RIC in Sligo protesting his innocence and insisted that he had been in Belmullet that evening until 7pm. The District Inspector RIC Ballina confirmed by cipher that “Tolan was motoring at Ballina on the night of 26 th of August and was held up by the police between 9.30pm and 10pm.”
Tolan was released from Sligo Gaol shortly after.
The remaining three men were held in Sligo Gaol for a month, they were then transported by British Naval Destroyer to Belfast and imprisoned in Crumlin Road Gaol awaiting Court Martial.
The Court Martial of William O’Neill, James Dowd and Joseph Kelly took place in Victoria Barracks Belfast at 11am on Tuesday 26 th of October 1920. There were two Prosecution Witnesses, Chief Officer Coastguard Arthur Thomas Livermore and his wife Alice Livermore.
Following the Court Martial, William O’Neill was sentenced to three months imprisonment. James Dowd and Joseph Kelly were sentenced to one years hard labour each, a sentence which was served in Cardiff Prison.
Joseph Kelly died on the 18th of December 1977 aged 77. William O’Neill died on the 26 th of March 1969 aged 69. James Dowd died on the 9 th of November 1964 aged 64. While researching this event I was struck by two things; The first one being the fact that an operation on this scale could be launched successfully by upwards of 150 men, and that there were no casualties on either side, is incredible in itself.
Secondly, as someone who now lives in Enniscrone, I can’t help but think of what it must have been like for three young men (two of them teenagers) to be taken in the dead of night, transported to Sligo Gaol and then by British Naval Destroyer to Belfast, which was at the time, a crucible of sectarian hatred and conflict in 1920.I am indebted to Peader O’Neill of Carrowhubbock South, Enniscrone for sharing with me the story of his father, William O’Neill.
Frank Fagan lives in Enniscrone and is a Volunteer in the Jackie Clarke Collection in Ballina. He would like to hear from anyone who has family connections with, or stories from the War of Independence and Civil War, from all sides and none.
He will be happy to assist and guide those family members through the available archives.
He can be contacted at frankfagan1963@gmail.com