IE CCCA/U342. Old IRA Men s Association (Cork County)

Transcription

1 Cork City and County Archives Descriptive List Identity Statement Area Reference Code: Title: IE CCCA/U342 Old IRA Men s Association (Cork County) Dates: (1923) Level of description: Extent: Fond / Item 7 items Context Creator Old IRA Men s Association (Cork County) Archival History The collection was deposited in the Archives in Biographical / Administrative History The Old IRA Men s Association (Cork County) was established in February 1934 by Tom Crofts (elected Vice Chairman), Florence O'Donoghue (Hon. Sec.), Liam Deasy (Chairman). Moss Donegan (Hon Teasurer) and others. Membership was open principally to those who served in the Irish Volunteers, Irish Republican Army and Fianna Éireann from [1914 to 1924], and their supporters. Membership amounted to over 4,800 individuals by The majority of members appear to have been former or current anti-treaty supporters. The organisation or its members may have had associations with the Fianna Fáil party which was in power in the 1930 s. The aims and objectives of the organisation included; working for the achievement and recognition of the Irish Republic, defending the rights of those who suffered (and their dependents) because of their national service, to encourage the Irish language, Irish games and pastimes, and the purchase of Irish goods, and to promote the collection of a permanent record of military and political operations between 1914 and The organisation consisted of units which were based on the IRA Battalion areas in 1922, each of which sent a delegate to All Rights Reserved Cork City and County Archives

2 the County Committee. A Standing Committee was also elected. The Cork organisation also seems to have participated in the federation of Old-IRA associations. The proposed Ex-IRA Mens Association, mentioned in a 2 earlier documents documenting IRA brigade meetings in early 1923 (U342/6 and /7), appears to have been an early precursor of the Old IRA Men s Association. Content and Structure Scope and Content Collection U342 consists mainly of a Minute Book volume containing a record of meetings and resolutions of the General County Committee, Standing Committee, and Annual County Convention of the Old IRA Mens Association (County Cork) from Also 7 items enclosed in the Minute Book consisting mainly of directly related material such as Secretary s report for 1935, minutes of County Convention 1936, minutes of Easter Commemoration Committee, 1936 and a minute of the Standing Committee, July Also found are two much earlier items comprising minutes or draft minutes of conventions apparently of the Cork 1st Brigade IRA referring to proposed 'Ex IRA Mens Association' and other matters in January and February 1923, chaired and signed by Florence O Donoghue. The collection documents the beginnings, organisation, and activities of an autonomous part of a federated organisation that was politically, socially, and culturally significant in Ireland in the 1930 s and 1940 s. It was a precursor of a large all-ireland Old IRA association that came to prominence from the 1950s. The collection is of particular use in the study of the activities, concerns and attitudes of a large group of former IRA men and their supporters including those who supported the anti-treaty forces during the Civil War, and those who were in national service during the revolutionary and civil war period, and their dependents. System of Arrangement 1 Minute Book (U342/1) plus 6 enclosed items closely related to the contents of the Book (U342/2 U342/7) Allied Materials CCCA: U692 County Cork Old IRA Benevolent Association PR6 Seamus Fitzgerald Papers SM625 Thomas P.Waters papers U156 Riobard Langford Papers All Rights Reserved Cork City and County Archives

3 SM701 McCarthy Republican Material SM718 Newscuttings of th Anniversary Elsewhere: UCDAD/P98 National Association of Old IRA Conditions of Access and Use Access: Open by appointment to those holding a current readers ticket Language: English Finding Aid: Descriptive List Archivists Note Brian McGee, Archivist, Cork City & County Archives February 2010 List of Items U342/1 18 Feb Jan 1937 MS / TS. Minute Book of meetings of the Association s General Committee, Standing Committee, and Annual County Convention. Contains copy adopted Constitution (18 Feb 1934). Various matters are discussed and proposed, such as; a letter from County Advisory Committee of Fianna Fáil referring to a guard of honour for the President of the Executive Council (Eamon De Valera) on his visit to Cork in May 1934 (Standing Committee, 14 Apr 1934), and such as, military service pensions Bill (Joint County and Standing Committee 25 Aug 1934) and such as, donation to Benevolent Fund from pensions (County Committee, 1 June 1935) and such as, address by Mr. Loughrey Secretary of Clan na Gaedhal concerning an all-ireland Old IRA organisation (County Committee, 24 Aug 1935), and such as, changes to membership clause in Constitution to exclude any persion guilty of any action inimical to the Republic or contrary to the principles of the Irish Republican Army, plus battalion unit resolutions from Ballydehob, Dunmanway, Midleton, Millstreet, Ovens, and Blarney Units (Annual All Rights Reserved Cork City and County Archives

4 County Convention 9 Feb 1935) and such as, Easter Commemoration in Macroom (Standing Committee, 13 Mar 1936); and such as, the question of unemployment of members (County Committee, 6 June 1936); and such as, proposal by Florry O Donoghue for consideration by the Brigades That every Party standing.at the next General Election shall be requested by the National Association of Old IRA to put before the electorate a declaration that, if elected they will immediately on taking office proceed to establish the Irish Republic. (County Convention, 19 Dec 1936); and representations to the Fianna Fail Party concerning Partition (Meeting of Delegates of the 5 Cork Brigades, 16 Jan 1937). Volume contains loose enclosures (Items U342/ 2 7). (c.40pp). Enclosures in U342/1 U342/2 7 Mar 1936 TS. County Secretary's Report for the year 1935 delivered at the Annual County Convention, 1936 (5pp) includes description of meetings, organisation and membership, pension and benevolent fund. (5pp) U342/3 7 Mar 1936 TS. Minutes of the 3rd Annual Cork County Convention held at Laochra Gaodhal, 17 Cook Street, Cork, with list of Unit/Brigade delegates including Dan Corkery TD and Tom Hales TD, Minutes of previous Convention, Hon. Treasurer s Report, Federation of Old IRA Associations, Election of Officers and Committees, and various resolutions proposed by various units such as, Dunmanway, that it was the Governments duty to compensate people who had suffered losses during the fight for Freedom by billeting our forces. (6pp) U342/4 20, 21, and 30 March 1936 TS. Minutes of Easter Commemoration Committee meetings comprising of members of the Old IRA Men's Assoc., the G.A.A., and representatives of the local Fianna Fáil Comhairle Ceanntair. The commemoration takes All Rights Reserved Cork City and County Archives

5 the form of a 'Monster Parade' in Macroom on 16 Apr 1936 with an oration by Sean Moylan T.D. and also involving ITGWU Trade Union members, Irish Labour party members, the Gaelic League and the INTO, as well as various pipe and brass bands. Matters dicussed include rail transport, finance, organisation, publicity, badges, flags, slogans etc. (6pp) U342/5 10 July 1936 MS. Minutes of Standing Committee. Refers to dismissals from employment of Old IRA members working in Mallow Beet Factory, federation meeting. (On reverse of Easter Commemoration Committee Headed note paper). (1p) Other Items: U342/6 Jan 1923 MS. [Draft] Minutes of 1st (Cork) Brigade Convention chaired by Florence O'Donoghue, concerning nomination of delegates to an all - Ireland convention of the 'Ex -IRA Members Association and resolving to avoid contact with political parties 'until peace is attained' (2pp) U342/7 16 Jan 9 Feb 1923 MS. Minutes of meetings of the Ex-IRA Members Association, Cork, chaired by Florence O'Donoghue and signed by him. Mentions matters of organisation, printing, name of association, correspondence from Provisional Executive on date on convention, arrangements for meetings of 1 st and 2 nd Battalion Officers and election of officers, brigade convention, (10pp) All Rights Reserved Cork City and County Archives