Parcell Rees Bowen - murdered Dublin 1920

[shanew147]

Thanks Shane - was covered with blushes after my error yesterday, so had another go, thinking of newspapers around in 1920!

PM

I dont think corisande's name or username appears anywhere obvious on the CairoGang/Dublin Castle website - so easy enough to miss that it's his.


Shane

[Pastmagic]

Yes, The last line of the webpage sade "Dublin castle intellegence" hence the error.Al;so its so well laid out it looked archival. But of course there is no overal authorship given...PM

[shanew147]

If you see anything online about the Cairo Gang or intelligence operations in Dublin c1920 - always suspect some involvement with Corisande!



Shane

[shanew147]

Got a quick look at the article Pastmagic found - his name is given as 'Purcell M. Bowen of Carmarthen, South Wales' and was found morning of the 28th '..in an archway off Lower Merrion Street..'

Apparently no sign of foul play ...have pm'd both of you more details...



Shane

[corisande]

Shane & PastMagic

Thanks. I have the articles now from Irish Independent and Freeman's

Both say natural causes, but the funeral in Wales newspaper article says "murdered by IRA"

Also the two Irish articles say he was demobilised 4 months previously. Which is true, but he was then called up again on a "special appointment" which invariably means undercover work in Dublin. In fact all the "special appointment men" including most murdered on Bloody Sunday, had previously resigned their commissions, and were recalled/volunteered for the Dublin work

My feeling is that the British hushed up his death, probably to protect the other man in 28 Upper Fitzwilliam St. Mind you they might have been daft enough to leave him there, and he might have been one of the one alluded to on Bloody Sunday and who escaped

[shanew147]

The timing is a little bit suspicious ok ... but maybe the Welsh Newspaper article is jumping to conclusions a little. I.e.  Army man dies in Dublin - so it must be Sinn Fein

The death cert should show if anything turned up later as to cause of death that was not obvious at the time of discovery.


Shane

[corisande]

Shane

What I need is his War Office file at Kew - I suspect the guy that did the write up on the Welsh grave has seen that, and that is where he go his info from

The British Army was not in the habit of buying coffins for men who died of natural causes. Even with the murdered men it would make your hair curl to read the correspondence with widows on the max that they would pay

I will have another go at contacting him now that I have those articles

[Pastmagic]

The Press reports say his body was taken to a hospital - maybe there would be a medical report? I have got docs from St. Brendan's hospital from 1930 without difficulty. Cant remember where St. patrick duns was? does it still exist? There must be a police report somewhere. Was this the period of the Dublin Metropolitan Police? If so, it really might be worth contacting the garda Archivists. PM

[shanew147]

The Press reports say his body was taken to a hospital - maybe there would be a medical report?
 ......
Cant remember where St. patrick duns was? does it still exist?
 ....

Sir. Patrick Dun's - the building is still there on Grand Canal Street, but not a hospital any more.


Shane