Ireland -- History -- 1910-1921; Ireland. Royal Irish Constabulary
Soon after the battle of Glenmuck the belles of the district received
the shock of their lives when shopping in a town some miles away with
these young men. About noon four Crossley loads of Cadets suddenly
dashed into the town with two women searchers dressed in dark-blue
uniforms, and that day the first real haul of revolvers and automatics
was made. As usual, the men passed their arms to the girls directly they
saw the Auxiliaries arrive, but this time no notice was taken of the
men, while the girls, who on former occasions had stood looking on and
jeering at the Cadets, found themselves quickly rounded up, and the
women searchers soon did the rest.
After this the moral effect of the women searchers was so great that not
a girl in the district dare carry arms or even despatches. The girls
were not sure whether the searchers were women or young Cadets dressed
up as women, and this uncertainty greatly increased their alarm.
About six weeks later Jones found out that a much-wanted Dublin gunman,
called Foy, who had murdered at least two British officers in cold
blood, was hidden in the district, and was being fed by his mother and
sister, who lived about two miles from Annagh. Time after time the
Cadets tried to surprise Mrs Foy or her daughter carrying food to Foy’s
hiding-place, but always in vain.
Foy’s presence soon began to be felt in the district. Two Cadets,
returning off leave in mufti and unarmed, were taken out of the train
and murdered just outside the station, their bodies being left there for
all who passed to see, and no man dared to touch the bodies until the
police arrived. Next the Cadets were ambushed twice in one week, both
times unsuccessfully.
Father John, who had hoped that at last his parish had returned to the
paths of peace, was furious, and denounced from the altar all men and
women who shielded murderers. Finally, after the murder of the two
Cadets, he refused Holy Communion to Mrs Foy and her daughter, which is
a very serious step for a priest to take.
And when remonstrated with, he replied that, sooner than not denounce
and punish murderers and those who aided and abetted them, he would
throw off his coat and become an Auxiliary. More power to you, Father
John!
XVII.
THE BOG CEMETERY.
After many months of the Sinn Fein Terror, the town of Ballybor became a
place of shadows and whispers. At night-time men saw shadows, real and
unreal, moving and stationary, at every corner of the streets and in
every lane; and during the day-time, when men met in the streets, they
would only speak in low whispers to each other, and always keeping one
eye over their shoulder.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account