Custom House Burning - Part 1 / John Wilson

[margnip2]

Hi Gary,

My grandfather was also captured for taking part in the burning of the Customs House.  I also had trouble finding any information about him.  The only thing I knew was after he was captured he was taken to Kilmainham Goal.  I wrote to the Goal and the people there were very helpful, they even found a photograph of my grandfather, taken whilst he was in the Goal. 

I also wrote to - Veteran’s Allowance Section, Department of Defence, (DOD) Renmore, Galway asking if he had applied for a pension.  I did get a reply within a few weeks saying that they would look into my request.  But it did take nearly two years before I got the information.

I now know that he was in 'E' Company, 2nd Battalion, Dublin Brigade.  I also have his Army Number from when he joined the National Army where he was the Company Sergant Major.  I know he recived the Service Medal 1917-1921.  his OC from 1917 - 1920 was Sean Russell and from 1920 - 1921 was William Byrne.  There is also mentioned on his application a Patrick Daly ex Major General.  I don't know if these names mean anything to you.

I have tried looking for information on his Company on the internet, but unfortunetly can find every other except 'E' Company.  If anyone out there can shed any light on this for me it would be much appriciated.  Here is the picture of my grandfather, his name was Philip Christopher Flynn and he shared a cell with a man called Leo Duffy.  The people at the Goal also found some of his writings in an autograph book that had been signed by the prisoners.  Wishing you luck in your search.

 .

[seanod]

Hi! This is a very interesting strand. I am doing some research on the Custom House - my father's uncle was killed there. My intention is to produce a book about the event, and so far with the internet I have found a lot of stray pieces of information. My great-uncle's name was Edward Dorins and he was also a member of E Co, Second Battalion. I would be grateful for any information that people have and I will try to find out more based on what you have given here. The only other member of E Co known to me was Capt Daniel J Begley, who was a veteran of the Easter Rising and died in 1940. I have no evidence that he was at the Custom House but it seems likely. I found an obituary from the Irish Independent for Capt. John Wilson which I don't have with me at the time of writing but I will post it as soon as I have the chance. I will also add PC Flynn to my list and let you know if I find anything else about him.

[seanod]

As promised, here is the information on John Wilson:

"Capt John Wilson, 51 Saul Road, Crumlin, who has died, was a former member of C Company 3rd Engineers, I.R.A., and of the Dublin Brigade Active Service Unit.
He was captured during the burning of the Custom House and interned. He was in later years a member of the staff of Bord na Mona.
The funeral took place after Mass in St Bernadette's Church, Clogher Road, Crumlin to Mount Jerome Cemetery.
The chief mourners were Mrs E Wilson (widow); Jack and Jerry (sons); Joan (daughter); Mrs M Quinn and Mrs Smith (sisters); Mrs McKenna (mother-in-law); George McKenna (brother-in-law); Mrs K Murphy (sister-in-law); Messrs J and M Scully (uncles); Miss Scully (aunt); Mrs M Wilson (sister-in-law).
The attendance included Mr J Carroll, T.C.; Col W Stapleton and Mrs Stapleton; Comdt T Donnelly; Comdt V Byrne; Capt W Corri agus Mrs Corri; Capt J Kerrigan; Capt D Hannon and Mrs Hannon; Capt E Breslin, Mr J Murphy and D Morrissey.
A firing party at the graveside consisted of members of the 2nd Batt Eastern Command, under Lieutenant Goggin."

Irish Independent, July 09, 1955. p. 13. Some of those mentioned were definitely at the Custom House - V Byrne, who is mentioned in the film Michael Collins (Vinny Byrne), Stapleton, Donnelly and Ned Breslin were all definitely there.

[tommobecket]

Seanod, wow, what an incredible piece of research, and what a send off for the hero - with attendance by famous names of Micheal Collins 'Squad', Bill Stapleton and Vinny Byrne, to pay their respects, an honour indeed. I have just found out that my grandfather too had a firing party at his funeral in 1940, it would be wonderful to know who attended. What a very rich source of information from the obituary.

Quaxer, fascinating to put the pieces together isn't it, again, what a great piece of research and a first hand experience too, wonderful. Yes, I've just got borrowed The 'Lost Dublin' book and obtained what seems to be the only image in the world of 'Littles' public house where my grandfather saw action in 1916. Indispensable.

Margnip, it took me almost 2 years too, to get the pension but well worth the wait!

Has there ever been a list or a biographical record  of all those who either fought in 1916 or the anglo irish war? Isn't this an essential legacy of Irish History?

There is some remarkable stuff in this thread, wonderful.

[margnip2]

I do have to say that it is very hard to get information on people who fought back then, if they are not high profile.   I have got further than I thought, and hope to find out more.   My uncle has told me what he can remember his father telling him, and I am writing down these stories.  But I have no proof that these things were true, or if time has faded memories and a veteran was streching the truth.  I do know that he was shot twice as this was how he met my Grandmother.  She was in Cumann Na mBan and tended to his wounds.

seanod, thanks for that.  Very interesting, and good to see that their are people who are interested in this part of history to keep it alive.

Here is another photo, this time with Leo Duffy.  I do'nt know if he was captured at the Customs House but my Uncle told me he was executed.  Also some images from the autograph books my Granddad signed

[margnip2]

And some more from the autograph book.

[seanod]

Yes, It's a disgrace that so much of the history of that time has been lost. The published histories give very little information about who was involved and my great-uncle is only mentioned in a couple of them because he was killed. Hopefully enough people will contribute to sites like this and Wikipedia and we will be able to make up for the shameful lack of published information. I think I have found Leo Duffy. He did die violently, but a long time after the War of Independence and the Civil War. He was shot by his brother who seems to have had mental problems at his home in Rathmines at New Year 1938. He was the Vice President of the Old Dublin Brigade Association and served in C Company, 2nd Battalion. Haven't found anything about Phillip Flynn yet but I'll keep trying. All the best!

[margnip2]

That just shows how stories can get mixed up.  My mother always said he had been shot, and my uncle said he had been executed.  They would have been both very young children in 1938 so may have overheard Leo Duffy being talked about. 

Unfortunatly I live in England so find researching my family quite hard.  Can only get over once or twice a year, and at the moment have only been once this year.

Good luck with the book.

[seanod]

So far I have had no luck finding this Dennis Byrne - there were quite a few Byrnes around, such as Joe Byrne, Vinnie Byrne and an E. Byrne but I couldn't find any obituaries for this Dennis in the Irish Independent. He is not mentioned in the book on the Squad by T. Ryle Dwyer or in the Who's Who of the Irish War of Independence. Couldn't find P. Flynn either. So far I haven't started looking for material in the Irish Press. As this isn't on the digitised Irish Newspaper archive it's much harder to access and search but I will certainly do it over the next year. If I do find anything, I will post it here but hopefully other people reading this may be able to provide you with information. If I do get around to publishing, is there any chance of getting permission to use some of the images provided here?