NOTES ON CARLOW IN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE PROVIDED BY LAVINIA GREACEN Interview with the late Major General Jim Lillis (1980’s) “We were in Ducketts Grove, 6 to 9 miles out of town, when we were instructed by GHQ to take over Carlow Barracks. I was brigade adjutant, aged 24 at the time and I’d been born in Carlow. We had rooms, but no uniforms. I wore a lounge suit with Sam Browne belt which identified me as an officer. I didn’t carry a gun and hardly ever wore a hat. All the Privates were Volunteers. The arms were a miscellaneous collection of South African war ones. (Ducketts Grove was burned after.) Food varied: some chap who had been a butcher would steal a couple of sheep. We ran simple courses with 50 – 60 men, none of us had enough training to do proper courses.I was a teacher, and had little experience as I’d been on the run, captured and interned in the Rath. In Carlow we always had a lot of reports to make out. Commandant Stack was in his mid 20’s, about a year older than me, from Kerry and also on the run. He’d been a chemist’s assistant in a shop beside the Post Office, and didn’t appear ! in public till after the Truce- a lightweight, but he had glamour. The C.O., Malone, was an alcoholic.” “We had to deal with local fellows robbing and infringing orders – two in particular. The Adjutant General in Dublin said, ‘OK, I have the keys of Mountjoy’, and sent a senior officer by train to collect them, take them back up by train and march them via O’Connell Street to Mountjoy. He turned out to be Sean MacBride, then a young-looking 18 with the rank of Captain – just a little whippersnapper, with a strong French accent. We were very annoyed. That he was such a youth was bad enough, but a Frenchman was the last straw! And he was all in arms with bandoliers – can you imagine what we in civvies thought when he turned up? But he was tough enough.” “There were few disturbances really.* the N. Fusiliers didn’t manhandle us or be abusive. I couldn’t say a word against them. They weren’t popular, but certainly weren’t unpopular. Our vindictiveness concentrated on the Auxiliaries and the Black and Tans. (One Black and Tan had been hanged by the British for a murder in Baltinglass.) For the 3 days of taking over Carlow Barracks, I was the officer sent [from Ducketts Grove]. We had lunch at the Royal Hotel, sitting at different tables. We never shook hands. The quartermaster with the inventory showed me through every room of the barracks, stables included, locked the door and and handed me the keys. I signed for them, and my lot marvelled at the way I could sign. The soldiers left the barracks in good condition. Next day we marched [in] by arrangement and the military presented arms as we did so. When we had settled in, we then presented arms to them as they marched out. We entered the barracks and the gates closed behind u! s. After the gate shut we held no private ceremony; just went to our allotted places. We were a scratch lot – a motley crowd - with a funny collection of arms, an assortment of guns and equipment. We had a few short Lee Enfield rifles, some long Lee Enfields, and a couple of Mausers. I myself shouldered a Le Henry rifle that probably last saw service long before the Boer War. We took over their lorries so we were able to carry on where they left off with what they had. Ducketts Grove itself was burned [some time] afterwards.” • When the Northumberland Fusiliers arrived in June 1921, an army lorry waiting at the station to meet their 11.15am train was seized and burned out by armed men. Local girls had their hair cut for fraternizing with soldiers. A youth was found tied to the chapel gates with a placard reading ‘Convicted for aiding the enemy’. • In Borris, the company (of the same regiment) stationed there couldn’t wait to leave. Did they shoot or fish at leisure, as it was claimed? “Not bloody likely,” snapped one officer subsequently. His wire cage was opposite the low wall of an estate belonging to the famous huntsman, Kavanagh, born without arms or legs, who rode on a specially constructed saddle with the reins clamped in his teeth. “After dark, Kavanagh’s middle-aged son would slip across the road in carpet slippers to dine with us, terrified but lonely. We probably did him an injustice to invite him at all.” A couple of subalterns were drinking in a pub further down the street, despite a warning notice, when a rifle was pointed at them from Kavanagh’s wall. • Back in Carlow early in 1922, after the Truce, sergeants from the First Battalion were relaxing over a pint in a local hotel – unarmed, as agreed by the terms – when a group of Sinn Fein “armed to the teeth” walked in. One held up his glass and drank loudly “to the denigration of His Majesty and the British soldiers with language not fit for reproduction”. The sergeants left, swearing beneath their breath. • Chink Dorman-Smith whipped in, however, with the Carlow Hounds, and hunt subscriptions accounted for half the annual income of any hunt within riding distance of a garrison. Stand takings at the Curragh and Punchestown were comfortably padded out by Army money, and £100,000 a month was circulated in the garrison district. The Truce meant that all garrison towns were about to be financially hit. MILITARY LEAVING CARLOW. BARRACKS TAKEN OVER. 28th February 1922 Early in the week one hundred men of the Northumberland Fusiliers left Carlow, and during later days the remainder took their leave. In the meantime the stores, etc., had been auctioned and removed. It was at first stated that the formal taking over of the Barracks by the I.R.A. would take place on Tuesday morning, but the function was postponed till the following afternoon at 3 o’clock. Then 5 o’clock was mentioned. A large crowd had assembled in town, and there was much enthusiasm. The band of the Fianna was in readiness. However, shortly after noon on Thursday the Barracks were taken over, Brigadier-Commandant Stack having been previously handed over possession of the premises. During the actual taking over Commandant Stack was accompanied by several of the local Staff, and the general appearance of the occupying detachment reflected credit on the Commmandant and all concerned. The detachment left the Town Hall for the Barracks. A large number had assembled. Apart altogether from the processional display, there was a large assemblage at the Barrack Gate, and when the well-appointed men of the I.R.A. passed hrought the portals a ringing cheer went up. No doubt the scene was heartening. Carlow Military Barrcks – one of the oldest in Ireland – was taken over by the forces of the Irish nation. A large Sinn Fein flag was hoisted over the central entrance, and before a good many people understood the significance and historicity of the scene, the crowd had dispersed. Perhaps one of the best comments on the incident was passed by one old lady who tearfully exclaimed in accents full of sincerity: “Thanks be to God.” So say we all. REVIEW OF VOLUNTEERS. CARLOW BRIGADE AREA. On Sunday in glorious weather the above took place at the Polo Grounds, Browne’s Hill, Carlow. From about 10.30 the various contingents poured into the town from all parts of the Brigade Area in Wicklow, Carlow and Kildare, accompanid by several bands. A special train was run from Borris, which conveyed Volunteers from the southern portions of the county. It was the first Sunday train run on this line for a very considerable time. The scene at Browne’s Hill was a memorable one. Thousands of spectators who had travelled by motors, bicycles etc., from all parts of the adjoining counties witnessed the review. The various battalions were formed up on several lines reaching the full length of the field. They presented a very smart military appearance, which reflected the greatest credit on the various commandants. About 3.30 the lines were inspected, and afterwards to the strains of the Carlow Fianna Pipers, followed by the Boy Scouts, the several contingents reformed and marched! into the town. Notwithstanding the huge gathering, which was undoubtedly the largest ever seen in Carlow, the utmost order prevailed, owing to the excellent arrangements which were carried out by the I.R.P. The companies were dismissed by their officers at various points in the town. The following bands were present – Graiguecullen Flute and Drum band, Carlow Fianna Pipers, Rathvilly Pipers and Clashganny Pipers. [Probably from the Carlow Nationalist and reproduced without attribution in the Regimental Magazine, St. George’s Gazette.] St George’s Gazette 1922: The Garrison proper of the Barracks, Headquarters and Y Company, marched out at 08.00 on 7th February. Before departure steps were taken to render it impossible for the tricolour of the Republic to be displayed from the place formerly sacred to the Flag of the Union, and during the night the flagstaff was snapped off at a point where it proruded above the Barrack gateway. The Detachment was played to the station by the Band. The early hour precluded any great demonstration of dislike or regret. Almost might we have departed unobserved, save for the attentions of a few of the great unwashed who waved tricolour flags, booed, hissed and cheered.