A
few years after the failed Rebellion of 1916, the British Secret Service
with the full consent and tacit approval from the British Government, unleashed
their dogs of war on the Irish populace, to subdue them into submission.
This extreme act of folly united the nation behind the Irish Republican
Brotherhood as never before.These armed-to-the-teeth mercenaries had mixed uniforms, earning them the name that will forever be remembered in shame, ‘The Black and Tans’. Along with the Black and Tans, Secret Service chiefs spirited another gang of assassins here. These proudly named themselves ‘The Cairo Gang’, and were recalled from Colonial Egypt where they had successfully quelled a revolt with bullets and cruelty.
Their orders from their bosses in London were explicit: do the same in Ireland. First among their instructions were to seek out and execute Michael Collins, along with his right-hand men, who were the chief thorns in England’s side.
They dispersed across the city into various lodgings and hotels to gather and collate any information possible, to help them complete their mission. Dublin Castle detective David Nelligan informed Collins of their arrival.
From all over the city honest and decent Irish people spied and watched out for them. Maids, policemen, waiters and ordinary decent citizens closely monitored their movements and relayed them back to him.
On September 19th 1919, Collins assembled a hand picked group of ruthless young men, proudly calling them his ‘Twelve Apostles’, in order to achieve his goals and thwart the English.
The Cairo Gang’s tactics were simple and ruthless. They shot the Lord Mayor of Dublin and other prominent citizens whose sympathies were with the Irish cause. This infuriated Collins and made him more determined to eradicate them completely. England’s tactics were the primary cause that led to what became known as ‘Bloody Sunday’.
Another of Collins’s inside informers was detective Ned Broy. One night he smuggled Collins into police HQ in Brunswick Street (now Pearse Street Garda Station) where he studied the gathered information about the movement at leisure. Even during this stressful and tense moment Collins still found the time to find the files amusing. “Collins is from a brainy family,” he read. What the English information lacked was a good likeness of him.
While the Cairo Gang’s reign of terror escalated, Collins’s plan was to swoop first and execute them all in one go. All selected victims were to be shot at close range and the following words recited. “May the Lord have mercy on your soul.” Members of the squad returning from an execution often visited the nearest parish priest for confession and absolution. Most were told to continue the good work and absolved of their sins.
His squad was put into readiness and all would strike simultaneously. Sunday morning November 21st was the date selected. It was an overcast, misty day as church bells tolled out across the city calling the faithful to 9 o’clock mass. In less than two minutes the entire Cairo Gang, along with six hangers-on, were dead.
Frantic telephone messages shortly after from their minions in Dublin Castle informed disbelieving paymasters in London of this fact. It shook the establishment to its very roots and led the world to witness fully the extent of lies and deception that emitted from them.
The killings took place at-Pembroke Street, Morehampton Road, Lower Baggot Street, Lower Mount Street, Upper Mount Street, Baggot Street and 28 Earlsfort Terrace.
Documents taken from the last address proved beyond doubt that the British Secret Service was planning a similar operation against Collins and his men the very same day. In the raid on 119 Baggot Street one of the three volunteers was Sean Lemass, who years later became Fianna Fail Taoiseach of Ireland.
In London the British Authorities reacted quickly in anger and ordered the Army and Auxiliaries to take quick revenge. At GAA headquarters, Croke Park, Dublin were playing Tipperary in a football match. The Black and Tans invaded the ground and shot dead fourteen people, injuring up to sixty other bystanders. They claimed that they had been fired on from someone in the crowd.
It was a fierce and terrible struggle between a world power and a tiny nation, but with men as charismatic and fearless as Collins and the volunteers, Ireland eventually won its long fight and gained its independence.
Above: IRA flying column painted by Sean Keating.
Noel
McDonagh strikes and scores again. This time he is pictured with Irish Footie
Manager Brian Kerr in Guinness’s famous Revolving Bar at James’s
Gate.