“Nov. 1920 was surrounded by Auxiliaries under command of Thomas McInerney. Was on the run for two months.”
William Quinn’s service with the Irish
Volunteers/IRA appeared to have ended in 1920. What happened during that ambush
in November 1920? Why was he “on the
run?”
In a 1939 narrative about his service in 1920,
William Joseph Quinn II wrote, “My home
was sacked and burned the tans were
looking for me when I was not here they
burned my house outhouses and all the hay corn and live stock my
brother was home so they beat him and fractured his scull with the result that
he is now in an insane assilum in Ballinasloe. Was on the run latter part of
year took part in the burning of
Kinvara RIC Barricks, Kileolgar house. Took
part in several ambushes in Kinvara Ballindereen Adrdrahan and some in Co Clare. I am sorry I
can not memorise any of the dates aft Jan 1921”
While William Quinn was vague about the date that
his home was burned, Michael Fahey was not. Michael, a friend and neighbor of
the Quinn family in Ireland, accurately reported that the original Quinn family
home was burned by the “tan” on February 11, 1921. The following accounts of the burning of the
Quinn home were found in old Irish newspapers.
Galway Man’s Plight
Stripped and Clothes Burned
A
number of disguised men on Friday night, a Gort report says, visited the house
of Mrs. B. Quinn, Cahiraroneen, Kinvara, where 9 young men were card-playing.
These were taken outside, put against a wall, and ordered to take off their
clothes. Two made their escape, and as they did so shots were fired. The
clothes of the remainder were put in a heap and burned, and they, meantime,
were compelled to lie on the road face downward.
The
dwelling house, some corn, and a barn containing oats, potatoes, machinery,
etc., were also set on fire. The young men were after told to clear off, and as
they did so, more shots were fired. Mrs. Quinn says the raiders stated they
were looking for murderers of police, but no murder of Crown forces had taken
place in that district. Mr. P. Glynn of the same district, it is also alleged,
was taken from his bed on Friday night and ill treated.
From the Irish
Independent - Monday, February 21, 1921
(From Our Correspondent)
On Friday night, the 11th inst. a
party of men, numbering about fourteen, visited the house of Mrs. Bridget
Quinn, widow, Caheraroneen, Kinvara. The party wore false moustaches and
beards. On entering the house, where about nine young men were card-playing,
they ordered’ “Hands up!” and questioned each man. Then they searched the house, and put the men
outside the door. As each man passed the
threshold he is alleged to have been ill treated. When the last man had come
out, all were placed against a wall and ordered to take off their clothes. At
this moment two of the men made good their escape by running away, seven or
eight shots being discharged in their direction.
The remaining seven men had to take
off their clothes, which were then placed in a heap and burned to ashes. Meanwhile the dwelling-house was set on fire,
and when this was done the barn and two stacks of corn were burned. The barn
contained oats, potatoes, machinery, etc. in the stable were two horses which
had narrow escapes from the flames.
The owner, Mrs. Quinn, implored the
raiders to allow her to free the animals while the buildings were burning, and
they did so. Fowl fled to and fro in the yard, and were killed. While the young men’s clothes were burning, they
had to lie on the road, face downwards. After about an hour, when the second
party of raiders came from another house {Patrick Glynn’s home}, the men were ordered to stand up, and, it
is alleged, they were marched about one-and – a – half miles to where two
lorries were situated, and compelled to sing “God Save the King,” the words
being repeated after one of the men in charge. Ultimately they were told to
“clear off,” several shots were fired after them. The flames from Mrs. Quinn’s
house lighted up the village. The young
men were scarcely able to move after the terrible ordeal they had gone
through.
Mrs. B. Quinn, in an interview
stated: “When the raiders arrived my daughters and I were placed in a room, and
instructed to stay there. The outer door was locked on us, and they began to
set fire to the house. We were told to go out the back door. There was no back door to the house; so I
informed them of this. We were then
allowed to go out the front door.
Immediately the house was set on fire, and then the barn, stables, and
two stacks of corn were burned. While all were burning the young men who were
at my home were being badly treated on the road. My two horses were badly burned, as it was
with great difficulty I was able to loose them from their stalls. The raiders stated they were looking for the
murderers of police. No murder of Crown forces has taken place in this
district. I am now left with my house
and everything inside it burned, and I did not get one moment to take out
anything.”
From
the Connacht Tribune - Saturday, February 19, 1921
Search
At Mr. Patrick Glynn’s Caheraroneen
On Friday night the 11tin inst., the
house of Mr. Patrick Glynn, Caheraroneen, Kinvara was searched. Mr. Glynn was
in bed at the time the searchers arrived. He was told to get up and open the
door. He did so, and on answering his name, it is alleged, he was ill-treated
and brought outside, where a man with a hay-fork placed him against the wall,
put a prong of the fork each side of his neck, and held him there with his
hands up. While he was in this position
the house was searched. The party then
came out and closed the door. Mr. Glynn
was marched along the road from his house and it is alleged, beaten with rifles
and the hay-fork. A flash-lamp was
turned on him, and he was ordered to “clear off” when several shots were fired
after him.
From the Connacht
Tribune - Saturday, February 19, 1921
Michael Fahey might have been one of those nine
young men. Although much younger than William Quinn, he served in the old IRA. Michael Fahey stated, “Willie {William Joseph Quinn II} was missing so they burned the house. Willie left in August or
September 1920. He went to Dublin, then to Galway, and then to the USA.”
Peter Quinn, William’s brother was one of the seven
young men abused by the disguised men. Michael said, “Peter was dragged to town by the tans.” This was three miles from the
town of Kinvara. William Quinn wrote, “my brother was home so they beat him and
fractured his scull with the result that he is now in an insane assilum in
Ballinasloe.” Michael Fahey said, “Peter
was in good health for awhile. Peter had the land in the 1930s. 55acres. Put in
a home.” Bill’s notes from his 1980 visit with Michael was “Peter- hospital and died.”
As always, please contact me if you have heard
stories about the burning, William Quinn’s service, or have any other Quinn/
Murray family information to share. I
have the following questions:
When and where did
Peter Quinn die? Where is he buried?
When did Bridget Quinn
die and where is she buried?
Which daughters were at
home when the house was burned? All but Delia (Bridget) had moved to the United
States.
See my site for
Quinn/Murray pictures. Does anyone have additional pictures to share?
Links:
Next - The Irish Uprising: The Quinn Home
Diana
© 2011, copyright Diana Quinn
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