In mid-October 1922. Irish Republicans rejected an amnesty, and continued the war to establish an Irish Republic. In November 1922 The Irish Free States Provisional Government put before the Dáil the Army Emergency Powers Resolution, this legislation set up military courts to combat those IRA anti treaty fighters who refused to recognise the legitimacy of Michael Collin’s new Irish Free State . Martial law was introduced for the duration of the Irish Civil War. The legislation used to legitimise the execution of Irish republicans was commonly known as the Public Safety Bill. From November 1922 the Free State government and army embarked on a policy of executing Republican prisoners ,and Michael Collin’s free state Army also summarily executed prisoners in the field on several occasions breaching several articles of The Hague convention of 1907. Kevin O’Higgins and Richard Mulcahy stated that the Free State Government was the legitimate Irish government and Anti treatyites should be as criminals treated not as combatants, and the introduction of martial law and summary executions was the only way to bring the war to an end: “The breach of any general order or regulation made by the Army Council and the infliction by such Military Courts or Committees of the punishment of death or of penal servitude for any period or of imprisonment for any period or of a fine of any amount either with or without imprisonment on any person found guilty by such Court or Committee of any of the offences aforesaid. Provided that no such sentence of death be executed except under the countersignature of two members of the Army Council. The Catholic Hierarchy fully backed the Free State position and they issued a statement condemning the Anti-Treaty fighters, ending with: All who in contravention of this teaching, participate in such crimes are guilty of grievous sins and may not be absolved in Confession nor admitted to the Holy Communion if they persist in such evil courses. In effect Anti-Treatyite fighters would be excommunicated, and denied upon their denied a church burial. On 17 November, four Anti-Treaty IRA fighters were shot in Kilmainham. Remembering this week Oglach James Fisher, aged about 18 and an employee of Ruddell’s Cigarette factory in James’s Street Dublin. He was arrested on the 23rd of October. Oglach Richard Towhig, aged about 21 of 1 Connors’ Buildings (off James’s Street harbour), his trial was on the 23rd of October, he was arrested on the 23rd of October on Catherine Street Dublin. He was employed at the Inchicore Works of the Great Southern and Western Railway. His father had been Killed in Action in the First World War. Oglach John Gaffney, aged 21 of 3 Usher’s Quay Dublin, he was arrested on the 28th of October and his trial was held on the 9th of November, he was employed by the electric light department of the Dublin Corporation. Oglach Peter Cassidy, 21 years old of 7 Usher’s Quay Dublin, was arrested on the 28th of October and his trial was held on the 9th of November. He was employed by the electric light department of Dublin corporation. Fuair siad bas ar son saoirse na hEireann, dílis ar son Éire Aontaithe, I ndíl cuimhne i gcónaí. Fíor Gael É
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 22:54:58 +0000
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