FORCED TO MOVE ABROAD
alone in County Cork. His activities were noted and this resulted in him being arrested in April 1920 at the age of 19 and interned in Kilworth Internment Camp. After a few months Patrick was released in June without trial.
These return visits continued throughout 1918, 1919 and 1920. Patrick progressively began to confide with Con Leddy, that the vocation for the priesthood was more an aspiration of his parents that his own. He returned to college until the Christmas December break of 1920, but stayed at home from January 1921 onwards. The Fermoy Battalion Active Service Unit/Flying Column had been formed in December 1920 which had eight Araglin volunteers amongst its core members, led by Sean O’Mahony from Lyre, Araglin and the now Fermoy Battalion O/C Con Leddy.
In March 1921, Patrick Casey joined up with the Flying Column doing scout and billet duty, but at times being armed with a rifle as part of the engagements, amongst which were; lying in wait for anticipated ambush in Araglin at the end of March 1921 which didn’t materialise; an armed raid on Rathcormac RIC Barracks in April; the shootout near Midleton; military exchange at the Golf Links, Ballyhooly and on July 2nd, 1921 the Tallow ambush where one Black & Tan was killed. This proved to be the last exchange prior to the Truce coming into effect on 11th July, 1921.
Patrick
like
his comrades attended Battalion and Brigade training camps in readiness for the re-commencement of the war with the British, and on July 20th, 1921 he was appointed Fermoy Battalion Adjutant and entered barracks initially at Moore Park camp during Easter 1922 and subsequently, Fermoy Barracks on June 22nd, 1922 where he was appointed Staff Captain. During this period, Patrick was Presiding Officer at the IRA courts held within the confines of Fermoy Barracks.
Along with all his Araglin comrades and the vast majority of officers under Liam Lynch’s command, Patrick opposed the Treaty and joined the Republican side when the Civil War broke out. In July 1922 he participated in the fighting at Kilmallock, along with fellow North Cork Republicans. He returned to barracks in Fermoy on July 19th, 1922 and towards the end of the month, General Liam Lynch, Chief of Staff appointed Patrick as Adjutant, 3rd Eastern Division. Along with Thomas Barry, Glanworth similarly appointed Director of Operations, 3rd Eastern Division. Patrick travelled via Waterford where they fought against the Free State army and by August, was operating in County Wexford mainly around Mount St Benedict and Gorey. It was generally a rearguard action and attempts to organise effective resistance was proving difficult in an area that comprised all of counties Wexford, Carlow and parts of counties Kildare and Wicklow.
Constantly on the run, the inevitable happened that September, when Patrick, Thomas Barry along with Dick Sinnott, Quarter Master 3rd Eastern Division, were captured at Courtown Harbour, Wexford. Initially, Patrick was interned in Maryboro Jail in Dublin, before he was transferred to Tintown No. 3 Internment Camp at the Curragh, County Kildare. Patrick’s internment lasted approximately 10 months until he escaped in July 1923 along with Tom Malone, more commonly known as Sean Forde, who had renowned service primarily in East Limerick. Now ‘on the run’ he returned to the Wexford/Carlow area to resume command but again found the area in disarray and continued till the end of March 1924, mainly avoiding arrest.
With the ending of the Civil War, Patrick returned to his home district but like many on the Republican side was not able to secure work despite having graduated from the National University and was forced to emigrate to London towards the end of 1927. Here, he found work in the dairy industry and rose to manager level in the milk distribution business and worked in the London area for the next 10 years, initially staying at Albion Square, Dalston and latterly Uxbridge Road, Shepherd’s Bush with research stints in both Germany and Denmark.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic Ocean, prohibition was taking effect where brewing alcohol was banned. Established breweries in America needed to find alternatives to survive. In the city of Rochester, New York where at least seven breweries operated, one of the largest, Bartholomay Brewery, converted its plant to dairy production. A dairy company manager was required for its main facility and Patrick Casey in London was recruited for the position. A visa application for entry to America was submitted in August 1937 and Patrick, at 36 years of age, was again moving countries for work and duly arrived in New York that October of 1937.
Patrick made an impression quickly as he was appointed general manager/ treasurer of Bartholomay Co. Inc, Rochester the following January 1938. This promotion was noted in national and local newspapers back home in Ireland, as per the initial lines in this article.
In 1939, Patrick married Margaret Casey, more commonly known as Rita. They had one daughter and settled in Rochester initially on Alexander Street, but in 1940 moved to Elmwood Avenue. Around this time another promotion followed, when Patrick was appointed president of the dairy company. Prohibition was abolished and the primary plant of the Bartholomay company on St Paul Street, Rochester returned to brewing beer and still does to this day, brewing Genesee beer.
Despite this, Patrick continued in his position with the Bartholomay company for at least the next ten years, returning home to Araglin for holidays in three successive years in 1946, 1947 and 1948. The initial and latter trip was by aeroplane, flying in and out of Shannon, with the middle trip by boat via New York and Southampton.
By now Patrick had applied for the military pension and was successful and received the coveted IRA service medal with bar. No doubt Patrick reminisced with his many volunteer friends in Araglin during these trips and Con Leddy notes this in one of his many letters to Florrie O’Donoghue when composing the book, ‘No Other Law’, on the life of Liam Lynch.
Also, at home in Gortnaskehy and surrounds were Patrick’s siblings. Patrick was the oldest of 8 sons of John and Mary Anne Casey. Patrick, born in 1901, was followed in 1902 by twins Thomas and Michael, then John in 1903, James in 1904, Denis in 1906, Maurice in 1907 who only lived for two months and Jeremiah in 1908. Michael Casey took over the farm in 1944 after the passing of their father, John.
FINAL WISH
Patrick and Margaret had relocated to Garden City, New York in 1966 and only three years later Patrick passed away, aged 68 on 22nd May, 1969. His wish was to be buried back in Ireland and the following week his remains was flown to Shannon Airport and after Mass in St Patrick’s Church, Fermoy, he was buried in Kilcrumper Cemetery where his remains were draped with the tricolour in honour of his contribution to Irish independence. It was fitting that his final resting place was Kilcrumper, where many of his Araglin Company and Fermoy Battalion comrades, the most notable being Michael Fitzgerald and Liam Lynch in the Republican Plot, also rest, as do other members of the Casey family.
Patrick was back where he started after an eventful life contributing to many aspects where he rose to high positions, be it military rank during the War of Independence and Civil War as Adjutant of the 3rd Eastern Command and in business as general manager/president to one of the largest milk distributing and processing firms in the state of New York.