Musing over mysterious old scratchings in the dark
18/8/21 scratched on soft calcite rock.
Did the date refer to 2021, or 1921? With no evidence of a beaten pathway through the undergrowth to the cave, it seemed likely that the inscriptions and date must refer to 1921.
But surely others knew about the cave? I checked with Tim Fogg from Fermanagh Caving Club, who confirmed that it was known to its members as Pollabrock
Cave, but when located many years ago, it wasn’t surveyed.
Reporting later to Jim about the discovery of the initials and date, he indicated that he was unaware of them, as he had never ventured to the back of the cave; his remembered Latin script was at the entrance.
The third visit was with caver and geologist John Kelly, who described Pollabrock as a fissure within Dartry Limestone rock, that the initials had been scratched on soft calcite or moon milk, and modifications had been made to the wall of the cave at head height to remove obstructions.
My final visit was unaccompanied, and it revealed another inscription close to the original grouping, which seemed to signify a military officer’s rank.
I turned to the Defence Forces Pension Records Archive in Dublin to crosscheck names of combatants in the Fermanagh and Cavan brigades of the IRA with the initials found on the wall.
Contemporary reports from active units at the time showed that this was a febrile and dangerous period.
Throughout 1920-21, local police barracks were burned in Letterbreen, Arney and Trillick, and the Enniskillen Income Tax Office was burned.
Derrylin Courthouse and Barracks were also burned, Belleek Barracks was captured, and raids for arms were a nightly occurrence.
In nearby West Cavan, there were raids for weapons and attacks on barracks in Swanlinbar, Bawnboy and Ballyconnell.
Intelligence and secrecy were clearly paramount in this guerilla war.
To avoid detection, combatants may have moved easily enough through the wild trackless Cuilcagh uplands between Leitrim, West Cavan, Sligo and Fermanagh.
Pension records note that a hiding place for a flying column in the mountains was established outside Belcoo to give anyone “wanted because of his activities a definite place to go to”.
But then, between May and June, 1921, a cavalry column consisting of three regiments, supported by the RIC, auxiliaries and military aeroplanes, mounted a search through counties Longford, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan.
When 700 men were arrested in nearby Leitrim, poorly-armed guerrillas in the wider area presumably went to ground.
Pollabrock cave might then have been used as a hideout, as was Tormore cave high above Glencar in County Sligo during the later Civil War in 1922, when 34 IRA men on the run from Pro-treaty forces hid there for five weeks before surrendering.
Geologist Kelly, who contributed to the archaeological report on Tormore’s excavation, noted that Pollabrock cave was similar in size to Glencar, and could have accommodated a similar number of men if needed.
A truce was finally called on July 11, 1921, five weeks before the August date inscribed in the cave.
Fear and suspicion lingered, however, and combatants were reluctant to return to normal life, although once assured that peace had finally broken out, they may have felt confident enough to break their rule of anonymity and left their calling cards at the back of the cave.
So what do we know about Pollabrock? My bet is that the cave was used as a hideout.
Research of pension records revealed that two sets of initials on the wall matched the initials of two names on brigade lists.
Of itself this is not sufficient, but absence of evidence is not necessarily evidence of absence.
So, rather than scratching in the dark, it is perhaps best that the cave keeps its secrets, and I resume my search for the hermit and Latin script.
In order of appearance, thanks to Frank Mcmanus, Jim Gilleese, Patrick Gabriel Mcmanus, Francis O’reilly, Packie Drumm, Eddie Brogan, Alma Mcmanus, Roisin Smyth, Marion Maxwell, Tim Fogg, Pam Fogg, Johann Farrelly (Cavan County Museum), John Kelly, Iona Mcgoldrick and Arlene Anderson.