Brigade leader’s deeds to be recalled

THE deeds of a Meelick man, who was head of the East Clare IRA Brigade, will be recalled when Clare County Council hosts its July meeting at Knappogue Castle.
Michael Brennan was the chief of staff of the IRA Flying Column and he was joined by John McNamara, Cratloe; Austin Brennan, Meelick; Michael O’Neill, Cratloe (a grand-uncle of Councillor Cathal Crowe); Patrick White, Meelick and Michael Gleeson, Meelick.
During the War of Independence, Clare County Council held their meetings at Knappogue Castle where they were guarded by the East Clare Flying Column. Michael Brennan, General of the East Clare Brigade also used the castle as his headquarters during that time.
Councillor Crowe tabled a motion at a recent Clare County Council meeting asking the local authority to hold its July meeting in Knappogue Castle as July 11, 2011 marks the 90th anniversary of the end of the Irish War of Independence.
He said he is delighted the council has granted his proposal and looks forward to attending the meeting at the popular tourist attraction run by Shannon Development.
He said it is important the council marks importance occasions in the social history of the county.
The decision was also welcomed by Councillor PJ Ryan, who believes the actions of the East Clare Brigade should be made more accessible for tourists and visitors.
“It is no harm to remember significant incidents in Clare’s history. There was a reluctance in the past to refer to incidents where people were killed because of the deaths on both sides.
“Old wounds may have healed with the passage of time and reconciliation following the Good Friday Agreement. It is good exercise for Clare County Council to bring its meetings out of Ennis on occasions to historical places like Knappogue.
“Michael Brennan seems to be a very colourful character at the time. From what we have learned about him, he was extremely meticulous and planned operations in great detail. The ambush at Glenwood near Sixmilebridge was very successful from a military point of view. The more publicity about commemorative events, like the one we held recently with a re-enactment of the ambush, the better,” he said.
Michael Brennan led the IRA ambush of police patrol in a Crossley tender at Glenwood, four miles from Sixmilebridge, which resulted in the deaths of six policemen in 1921.
The six men were DI William Clarke, Sergeant Michael Mulloy, Constable John Doogue, Constable Michael Moran, Constable Frank Morris and Constable William Smith. Two others were wounded, Sergeant Egan and Constable Selv and two others escaped. There were 37 men in the ambush party broken into three sections led by Michael Brennan (O/C Brigade ASU), Thomas McGrath (Brigade V/C) and Joe Brennan (Brigade O/C). About half were armed with rifles and the rest, barring scouts, were armed with shotguns. The Crossley came into the exact spot planned by the ambushers, which was the reason for the high casualties. There were no casualties on the IRA side and they captured eight rifles, six revolvers and a quantity of ammunition.
On September 18, 1920, an IRA attack on the Scariff RIC barracks led by Brennan had to be called off when the time bombs fail to explode. The barracks was vacated two days later.
A week later, a five-man RIC patrol was ambushed in the village of Broadford resulting in the death of one RIC Constable Michael Brogan and the wounding of another Constable Brennan. The IRA party was led by Brennan and included James Hogan later a professor in UCC. Brennan claimed later that there were only two men in the RIC patrol.