Clare’s Civil War dead

This October marks the one hundredth anniversary of the re-internments of five young men from County Clare who were executed by the Irish Free State for their part in anti-Treaty activities during the Irish Civil War.
Cornelius McMahon and Patrick Hennessy from Clooney had been executed in Limerick Gaol on January 20, 1923 and their remains buried in the grounds of Castle Barracks, Limerick. Patrick Mahoney, Christopher Quinn and William Shaughnessy, from Ennis, had been executed on May 2, 1923 at the Home Barracks in Ennis and buried there.
In the early autumn of 1924, The Free State government finally decided to release the bodies of executed anti-Treaty activists for re-burial in consecrated ground. Families were required to make a formal application for the return of their loved ones and the bodies were eventually released on October 28.
The Saturday Record of November 1, 1924 states that the bodies of the Ennis volunteers were re-claimed by their families on the morning of October 28 and re-coffined in the Town Hall in O’Connell Street, Ennis, where they lay in state until 6.30pm that evening.
Their coffins were draped with the tricolour and relief guards kept vigil throughout the afternoon, large numbers of people visited to pay their respects and kneel in prayer. At 6.30pm, as the Cathedral bell tolled, the three were carried on the shoulders of fellow volunteers to the Cathedral mortuary, where the rosary was recited in the presence of a large congregation. The three bodies remained there overnight.
The bodies of the Clooney volunteers were not released to their families until the afternoon of October 28. They were then re-coffined at Barrington’s Undertakers, in preparation for the journey back to Clare. A motorised truck carried the polished oak coffins from Limerick and reached the outskirts of Ennis in the early evening of Tuesday, October 28.
It was met by a large group of Republican supporters who proceeded solemnly behind it to the town centre.
The coffins reached the Town Hall after those of the Ennis volunteers had been removed to the Cathedral, and lay in state in the Town Hall overnight.
The men had a guard of honour for their final night and each oak coffin was draped in the tricolour.
Once more, large numbers of people attended to pay their respects.
At 10am the following morning, October 29, whilst the coffins of the Clooney volunteers continued to lie in the Town Hall, a Requiem Mass was celebrated for the repose of the souls of Mahoney, Quinn and Shaughnessy, in the presence of a large congregation. At noon they were driven to Drumcliffe for burial.
Throughout the town, businesses had closed for the day and the streets were thronged with onlookers who, according to The Saturday Record, maintained a respectful silence.
The Ennis United Labour Band and the Newmarket Brass Band, with muffled drums, proceeded closely behind the hearses and played various airs, including the death march.
Thousands of pedestrians from all over Clare brought up the rear. At Drumcliffe, prayers were recited by Rev Fr Considine, and Brian O’Higgins gave the address.
In defiance of the government’s orders, three volleys of shots were fired over the graves and the last post was sounded.
Later that evening, the remains of Staff Captain McMahon and Lieutenant Hennessy were removed from the Town Hall and taken straight to Clooney graveyard for re-interment. The Saturday Record reported an even lengthier funeral procession than had been witnessed in Ennis. In addition to the bands that had processed to Drumcliffe, the Crusheen Pipers’ Band was also present. Brian O’Higgins delivered an oration at the graveside; a priest recited a final blessing over the coffins.
Again, a volley of shots rang out over the graves and the Last Post was sounded.
A detailed account of events around the release and reburials of the Clare men can be found in a recent publication, ‘The Memory of the Dead’, written by Patricia Hayward and published earlier this year.
It is currently on sale in the Ennis Bookshop, Scéal Eile Bookshop and O’Connors Newsagents.