Athlone Martyrs In Proud Remembrance

January 20th 1923

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Thomas Hughes – Executed in Athlone – January 20, 1923

Michael Walsh – Executed in Athlone – January 20, 1923

Herbert Collins – Executed in Athlone – January 20, 1923

Stephen Joyce – Executed in Athlone – January 20, 1923

Martin Burke – Executed in Athlone – January 20, 1923

RÉAMHRÁ

January 2013

January 20th 2013 marks the 90th Anniversary of the execution of Thomas

Hughes, Michael Walsh, Hubert Collins, Stephen Joyce and Martin Burke in

Athlone Military Barracks on January 20th 1923.

These Volunteers of Óglaigh na h-Éireann, the Irish Republican Army were

executed because of their involvement in the war in defence of the Irish

Republic – the Republic declared at the Dublin GPO, Easter 1916 and

established on January 21st 1919. They rejected the British solution to the

conflict in Ireland. This solution was the partition of Ireland and the

introduction of two British States in Ireland, the 26 County “Irish Free

State” and the 6 County “Northern Ireland”.

The betrayal of the 32 County Republic that began with Michael Collins in

1921 was joined by others down the years, prominent among them were

Eamonn De Valera and Fianna Fail in 1926 and Gerry Adams and the

Provisionals in 1986. All those who entered the British imposed

partitionist assembly of Leinster House broke faith with the Irish Republic

and became part of the murderous “Free State” regime upholding British

rule in Ireland.

November 1922 marked the initiation by the Pro Treaty Government of a

policy of “Official executions” of republican prisoners. Starting November

17th 1922 and ending on May 2nd 1923 the “Free State” (26 County State)

executed 77 Republicans. The Free State executed three times as many

Irish men in that time than the British did in the Tan War, 1920-21.

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Along with the official executions there were 124 unauthorised killings or

“wayside murders” as Brian O’Higgins referred to them in his Wolfe Tone

Annual of 1962. The State attempted to cover up many of these actions

with excuses such as “shot while trying to escape”.

Locally, such murders carried out by members of the Free State (26

County) Army were Toby Mannion at the Hill of Berries. Christy “Kit”

McKeown in Moate and Dick Bertles shot dead while standing at the

counter of Cunningham’s public house in Ballymore.

The blood lust of the 26 County State did not end there with the ending of

hostilities, in 1923 we can remember others like Richard Goss executed on

the 9th of August 1940 and Paddy McGrath and Thomas Harte executed 6th

September 1940.

George Plant was executed on March 5th. Charlie Kerins was executed by

way of a British Hangman imported by De Valera’s Fianna Fáil

administration.

On this the 90th anniversary of the executions of the Athlone Martyrs it

may be a good time to look at the role played by the 26 County State

alongside the British State in denying the right of the Irish people to

national self determination and sovereignty.

An Phoblacht Abú

Ciaran Dolan, Runaí,

Seán Costello / Martin Hurson Cumann,

Republican SINN FÉIN Poblachtach,

Athlone / Áth Luain.

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Thomas Hughes, Michael Walsh, Hubert Collins,

Stephen Joyce, and Martin Burke.

There were five executions on the 20th of

January 1923 in Athlone, where the Western

Command of the army was being entangled in

the web. They are of particular interest to us

because all five had Galway or Western

connections, as had the sixth person, General

Tom Maguire, TD who was also sentenced to

death, but possibly because of his status as TD

the death sentence was not carried out in his

case. On Saturday January 20th, 1923 those five

men were taken out in Custume Barracks,

Athlone, lined by a wall and, on the orders of

Highest Command in the Free State Forces,

executed.

Their relatives were not informed until at the

earliest, 6p.m., in the case of Captain Hughes’s family which lived nearby, some

ten hours later. The Connacht Tribune of the following Saturday, April 14th

describes the event.

“The condemned men went to their doom firmly and with brave hearts. They

had been attended during the night by two priests and in the morning heard

Mass, at which two of them served. The priests were with them to the last.”

The news of the executions cast a gloom over the people who could hardly realise

what awful happening had taken place in their midst that morning. About 8 a.m.

two volleys were fired and it is stated that the condemned men were taken out in

parties of three each and blind folded and their hands joined in prayer. They had

prayed fervently during the night before and in the morning and were fully

consoled, prepared to meet their Creator. The six bodies enclosed in six coffins

were interned in the ground with-in the Barracks and it is stated that the ground

was consecrated.

On October 28th 1924, the Free State released the bodies of the executed soldiers

of the Republic. Some 20 bodies, those executed in Tuam, Athlone, Drumboe,

Tullamore, Birr and Tralee were released through the back gate of Custume

Barracks, Athlone at ten minute intervals.

(From Civil War in Connacht and Seventy-Seven who died for Ireland)

Comdt. General Tom Maguire Patron of Republican Sinn Féin at the time of his death in 1993 and a lifelong faithful republican.

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Mairfidh A Chuimhne Go Brágh

Thomas Hughes

Lieutenant Commandant, O/C. Munitions, and Western Division, IRA.

Formerly Captain and attached to 3rd Engineers Dublin Brigade, and O/C.

Munitions, Athlone Brigade.

He was the eldest son Mr. Patrick and Mrs Hughes of Bogginfin, Athlone.

He has been “on the run” for seven months and was captured by the

National troops on December 20 at Currahan the previous year and it was

not until 6p.m. on the day of his execution that his afflicted parents were

officially notified of the event.

He was charged by a Committee of being in possession without proper

authority of arms and ammunition. On being blindfolded he shook hands

with some of the captors requesting them to inform his mother that his last

thoughts were of her. On October 30th 1924 his body was re-interred in

Cornamagh Cemetery.

Cornamagh Cemetery, Athlone. Wreathe laid by

the Irish Republican Movement at Easter 2012.

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In Undying Memory

Michael Walsh

V.C., 2nd Battalion No. 1 Brigade, 2nd. Western Division.

Born Derrymore, Co. Galway. Executed Athlone, January 20, 1923.

Letter to his parents

Athlone,

January 19th 1923.

Dear Loving Parents,

Parents dear, do not be overcome at this, for I am quite resigned to my fate.

We had a priest in to hear our Confessions and we are to hear Mass in the

morning and receive Holy Communion.

Michael

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In Loving Memory

Herbert Collins

Born Kicked, Headword, Co. Galway. Captured at Currahan and executed in Athlone on 20th January 1923. Buried Donaghpatrick Cemetery, Headford. His offence – being in possession without proper authority of arms and ammunition. He was tried by Committee. His last letter

Garrison Detention, Custume Barracks, Athlone,

19th January 1923. My dearest Mother

I again write you a few lines, but oh, Mother it is going to be the last. The last word to you on this side of the grave, as I am going to meet my great God tomorrow morning. But Mother dear don’t grieve for me as I am prepared to meet him who created me, to his likeness. But dear mother I know it shall grieve you all, but I ask one request of you not to worry but to pray for me because one prayer goes longer for me than all the sad tears that a nation could shed. I am fully prepared for what poor Thomas wasn’t. * Just yesterday two years he was put before the firing squad. And I hope to be with him by the time you get this letter. Oh, how happy he shall be to see me. Dearest Mother I am sending you my Rosary beads. The beads I got from Father Kearney the day of Thomas’ funeral. I know that I have died for the same ideal that he died for. Dear Mother I now finish by sending you dear mother my best love and also to Cissie, James and Joe. I shall write to them also. So cheer up now and we shall meet again in that happy land where there is no pain. Again I ask you all not to worry over this.

Goodbye and God bless you, Herbert.

* Thomas was shot by the British in Headford on 22nd of January 1921.

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Cuimhneachán

Stephen Joyce

Quartermaster 1st Battalion, No. 1 Brigade, 2nd Western Division. Attached to No. 1 A.S.U., since start of recent hostilities.

Born Derrymore, Caherlistraine, Co. Galway. He was charged by a Committee of being in possession without proper authority of arms and ammunition. He was executed in Athlone, January 20, 1923. Dear Mother, I am bidding you a last farewell in this little note. This has been the result of your teaching to me. You often told me of those brave deeds done by Irishmen. By this you aroused in me a spirit that could never be extinguished until the last drop of my blood should issue from my veins. Since this has been the case, I hope you will not grieve for me. I hope our blood will satisfy their blood lust and that peace will soon come to poor Ireland, and that we may be the last to suffer in her cause. Stephen

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Glór Don Athair

Martin Burke

O/C. A.S. Unit, No. 3 Brigade and Western Division.

He was captured at Downdallshill and executed Athlone 20th January 1923.

The charge against him was – possession without proper authority of arms

and ammunition.

Letter to his cousin, Kathleen Custume Barracks,

Athlone.

Friday night, January 20th 1923.

Dear Kathleen,

I suppose you heard my fate before this reaches you. I would not die without

writing to Ballinapark the spot I love best. But I bid goodbye for the last time on New

Year’s Eve, But goodbye to Aunt Delia, Nora, May, Uncle Jack and poor Patrick. I am

happy for we got a fair chance; we had the priest and will hear Mass in the morning. I’ll

see you reading this. I’ll be singing with the angels when you are reading this. I am

enclosing my beads as a keepsake. I am happy as I write this; I hope ye will remember

me in your prayers. Will you drop a note to Daniel and tell him I’ll die game...

Remember me as the wild boy of the family. Tell all the boys to pray for me.

Goodbye all,

From your darling cousin,

M.J. Burke.

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Teagmháil / Contact Republican SINN FÉIN Poblachtach

Athlone / Áth Luain Contact RSF in Westmeath;

Email; rsfwmeath@gmail.com Fón; 089 412 5973 Web; www.rsfwestmeath.blogspot.com

Contact RSF in the 26 Counties; Teach Dáithí Ó Conaill 223 Sráid Pharnell, BÁC 1, Éire. Teil: 872 97 47 R-Phost: saoirse@iol.ie Web: www.rsf.ie

Contact RSF in the Occupied 6 Counties; Oifig Bhéal Feirste, 229 Bóthar na bhFál, Beál Feirste,

BT12 6FB. Teil: 9031 9004

R-Phost: saoirse@iol.ie

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