Custom House Burning - Part 1 / John Wilson

[Gary Deering]

Thank you Seanod, I had heard is was in the squad but like many family things they get blown up too be more then they where, so I did not post it. What I heard was he joined the IRA as a young lad & was caught in the Custom House.He had been on the run for a long time & always carried a gun, The Tans raided his parents place quite often so he was known to them.He also got my grandfather(his brother) in on the act in a small way ie hiding rifles under the bed of my grandmother when she was pregnant !When he was caught in the Custon House he was given a death sentance (again must have used the gun) & he was released when the treaty was signed & became a Captain in the free state army.He was buried with full honours.Every time I see Michael Collins funeral I am looking out for someone that looks like my granddad as I never seen a picture of Johnny.

[seanod]

Margnip, It was hard to locate anything about Philip Flynn. There was an actor of that name in the Dublin theatre at that time. I used the browse function to find the copy you cited, anyway and found this:

Meal Caused Man's Death

A verdict that death was due to cardiac failure and haemorrhage caused by food he had eaten in England was returned at the inquest held at the Mater Hospital, Dublin, on Philip Flynn, Summer Place, Summerhill. He was employed as a clerk in the R.A.F. and was stationed at Essex.
Evidence was that Flynn had a meal of fish and chips in London before coming to Dublin on December 23rd. He became ill and was attended by a doctor. When he arrived home he again got an attack and on December 26th he became unconscious and died shortly afterwards.

That's all there is. Doesn't look very hopeful, as I can't see the RAF employing an IRA veteran to do their accounts! Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings. At least you know it's not relevant and you won't have to pay sixty euros to get it!

[tommobecket]

Seanod

Thanks for your help and effort and doing the look ups, really very appreciated.

I'm aware he isn't in the documented lists, as saw the link on here. A friend on a Merseyside geneaology website helped with the following - "... although there is a record of a Denis Bryan from to have come from a list made by Dr Ann Matthews in a recent book edited by Ruan O'Donnell The Impact of the 1916 Rising; Among The Nations, She has also written on the ICA in the same book 'Vanguard of the Revolution? The Irish Citizen Army 1916'. I can't see a Denis Byrne in the list but there is a Denis Bryan in the Aungier St No. 2 Company whose address is given as 8 Vances Buildings in Bishop St.". I

I wondered if the name may have been wrongly transcibed, but there is another Bryan in the list so probably not. I think I have found our Denis Byrne in 1911 census residing in Mansion House in Bishop street, so potential link. Tentative, but I'm grasping at straws.

I've got his pension application from 1935 with verification and witnesses etc so clearly he took part, but not in any of the existing lists. Somebody suggested these are not yet comprehensive with further additions to come?

We don't know his middle name. My dads name (his son) was John (Sean?), so another profoundly weak link (but they're adding up)

Denis died on February 20th 1940. (I appear to have lost the reference for the Times but it was late February 1940! Keeping records not a strong point as you can see ...)

Seanod and Margnip, you're absolute stars honestly, thankyou

Denis

[margnip2]

seanod don't apologize.  That man is my granddad.  You don't know how happy you have made me finding this.  Thank you.  Philip Flynn did join the RAF in about 1942, he was in a Lancaster Bomber, rear gunner we think, he also spent time up on the Isle of Lewis.  After the war he stayed working as a clerk.  The story about him eating fish and chips in England is one I grew up with.  Is there anyway I can get a copy of this without paying a hefty fee.  We will not be going to Dublin again till next year, but if I know where to go that would be helpful.  My mother said there was a piece about him in the Evening Herald. 

Once again thanks.

[gormangenealogy]

Just came across this tonight.
Ninety-seven Volenteers were sentenced to death but had the sentence reduced to some years of penal servitude.

Sentenced to death but commuted to penal servitude
J Wilson 2 years
P Wilson 3 years
W Wilson 3 years

There is a big list of names which i will post ASAP

[seanod]

That's great! Glad to be of help. I'm not much of a one for technology but I'll try to post a copy of it here. S.

[seanod]

Margnip, could you email me at (*)?

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[seanod]

Sorry about that! I'm not very good with information technology.

[Gary Deering]

Thanks for that gormangenealogy, so what I heard was true about the Death sentence .

Just something I seen here  on this thread & got me wondering, How many Ex IRA men joined the British in WWII ? My Grandfather William Deering (not the same as the post theres 3 Williams on my side) Was a Boy Soldier served in India, then Left the BA & joined the IRA was also in the Free State Army & then Rejoined the British in WWII. Being around 40 at the time or maybe aware of his IRA past he was put in the pioneer corps.