East Clare commemorations

COMMEMORATIONS will be held in Tuamgraney and Scariff on Easter Sunday to perpetuate the memories of the men and women of East Clare who fought and died during the independence struggle in the area. 
Since the 1970s, the East Clare Memorial Committee has organised annual commemorations in memory of those in the IRA and Cumann na mBan in the area who contributed to the fight for Irish freedom. 
The commemorations will take place at the Memorial Park, Tuamgraney at 9.30am and outside Scariff Church at 11.30am.
Committee member Tomás Mac Conmara told The Clare Champion the committee is dedicated to reminding the community of the sacrifices made by the men and women of the Republican movement in East Clare during the struggle for Irish independence. 
He explained the commemoration has become more important each year because of the apparent lack of patriotism displayed by the country’s political leadership.
“In a time when our political leadership is defined more by greed than patriotism, it is important to remind ourselves that there were people in the past who made sacrifices and who were prepared to fight and even die for their country,” he acknowledged. 
The period following the Easter Rising through the War of Independence witnessed a significant amount of activity in the area.  An infamous event that stands out was the murder of four young East Clare men by British Forces in November 1920. 
Volunteers Alphonsus Rogers, Michael McMahon, Martin Kildea and Michael Egan, known as the Scariff Martyrs, were murdered on the bridge of Killaloe on November 17, 1920 a few nights after being captured in Whitegate.  The men had been arrested on suspicion of being members of the East Clare Brigade IRA. 
Mr Mac Conmara outlined how the committee intend to use the commemoration to advance peoples’ awareness and understanding of this and other events that occurred during this formative period in Irish history.   
Fellow committee member, Councillor Pat Hayes, emphasised that the event offers an opportunity to ensure the memory of the Scariff Martyrs and others who lost their lives in the War of Independence remains alive.  He said plans are in place to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the War of Independence next November.
“We are working closely with our friends in Shanaglish who have been keeping the memory of the Loughnane brothers, murdered by British forces just weeks before the Scariff Martyrs, alive and we will be organising a joint event in November,” he revealed.
In addition, the East Clare Memorial Committee are looking to speak to anyone whose parents or grandparents remembered the murder of the Scariff Martyrs or who inherited stories about the time or event. 
Tomás Mac Conmara, who is researching a book on the event and period, explained that all information, even anecdotal, is important. 
“I have been researching this book for a number of years and I feel strongly that, without documenting the local oral traditions around the event, it would be incomplete. I would love to hear from anyone who may have heard anything about the time while growing up in East Clare,” he said.       
Anyone who can assist can contact Tomás at 087 9160373.