08 July
On
In Jail
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The court-martial of a member of the Connaught Rangers began in London today¹. Lance-Corporal J Dowling was arrested after landing near Doolin in a collapsible boat on April 12th , and is now kept in the Tower of London. The prosecution alleges that he was part of an Irish Brigade intended to foment revolution, and that he had been dropped off the the Clare coast by submarine. Dowling had been reported missing and captured in France in August 1914.Read More →

07 July
On
In Event
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A large group of police and military, under the command of District Inspector Sidley from Gort, arrived during a camogie match in Kilbecanty in Galway and ordered the play to stop¹. When the order was ignored, the police baton-charged the crowd to scatter them. Another camogie match, between Gurteen and Skehana, was prevented from taking place in Gurteen. In Barnaderg, a football match between Tuam and Cortoon was also prevented from taking place, by the police. In Leitrim, a football match due to take place in Kilmore was abandoned on the advice of the local priest, Fr. Calney. Police had escorted the teams (Strokestown andRead More →

05 July
On
In Raid
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The police launched a number of raids from Ballinasloe this morning¹ on houses in Galway, Roscommon and Kings County (Offaly) in an effort to seize weapons. By 8am, it was reported¹ that hundreds of guns had been seized. The raids were a follow-up to the proclamation earlier in the week. One of the houses raided was that of the Matron of Ballinasloe Asylum, Mrs. Harris O’Connor². No arms were found. Her son, Lieutenant Joe O’Connor had recently been killed in action.Read More →

02 April
On
In Jail
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A champion cyclist, Martin Hegarty, was jailed for 2 months in Ballina Court for illegal drilling¹ during St. Patrick’s Day in Crossmolina. He was escorted to the courtroom from Castlebar Jail by sixteen armed police, who restricted the number of the members of the public allowed into the courtroom. A group of Irish Volunteers turned up at the courthouse and sang The Soldiers Song in support. The defendant did not recognise the authority of the court.Read More →

27 March
On
In Information
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The Freeman’s Journal reprints editorials from The Morning Post and The Globe, which call for conscription in Ireland. From the Morning Post :-   … The exemption of Ireland from any of the burdens and obligations of the war has long been a crying scandal and an offence. The time has come to end that state of things, and to require not, indeed, an equality of sacrifice, but … a share of that sacrifice. From the Globe :- …It is now high time that Ireland should be asked to take her fair share in the great fight for freedom, particularly for the rights of smallRead More →

20 March
On
In Event
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Five men tried in Westport courthouse for illegal drilling. William O’Malley (Kilmeena) was sentenced to one month in prison, while M J Ring, Thomas Kitterick, Charles Gavin and William Malone (all from Westport) were all sentenced to six months hard labour. None of the defendents recognised the authority of the court. The Connaught Telegraph (Saturday, March 23rd, 1918) reports that :- Both for their conduct in Westport [i.e. drilling] and their hooliganism in the court, the magistrates decided to impose an exemplary sentence.Read More →

19 March
On
In Event
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Thomas Ruane was sentenced to two months for unlawful assembly, for leading a company of men in military formation in Crossmolina on March 3rd. A large number of Sinn Fein supporters sang “A Soldier’s Song” outside the courtroom, and a large force of police and soldiers kept them at bay while the trial was in progress. When asked by the judge if he had any questions, the defendant replied¹ :- I am a soldier of the Irish Republican Army and I cannot put a question in this foreign court. A fire has been lighted that cannot be extinguished no matter what the oppression is used.Read More →