Day: February 1, 2018

The first Millstreet Men to Apply to the Garda Síochána

After the War of Independence, the Civic Guard (later renamed the Garda Síochána na hÉireann) was formed by the Provisional Government in February 1922 to take over the responsibility of policing the fledgling Irish Free State. It replaced the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and the Irish Republican Police of 1919–22. It was a dangerous time as  the Civil War  was taking place, made worse for its initial members, as many were former R.I.C, but join they did, and from all over the country

Last weekend the registers of the first applicants to the new Civic Guard (successful and unsuccessful)  were released online by the Garda Museum. We have found 15 who applied from the Millstreet area, out of about 7,500 applications from 1922 to 1924. Here are a quick list of those men, and below is each applicant’s record in more detail:

Timothy Buckley, Ballyvouskil
Cornelius Dennehy, Keale
James O’Connell, Knockacarracoosh
Denis Kelleher, Cloghouldbeg
Patrick Murphy, Ahane
William Cashman, Laught
John Cronin, Meenskehy
Jeremiah O’Riordan, Pound Hill
Michael Thornton, Drishanebeg
Timothy Cremin, Millstreet
Patrick J Horgan, Keale
Cornelius Dennehy, Liscreagh
Cornelius O’Sullivan, Lisnabee
Denis Buckley, Glountane West
Jeremiah Horgan, Keale

The first advertisement for the Civic Guard (February 1923) reads:
The Freestate – An Gárda Síochána
We are recruiting two thousand (2,000) men for An Ghárda Síochana
Conditions: Age — –19-27 Height – 5′ 9″ Chest —-36″ Health—-Good
Examination subjects
(1)write a simple letter
(2) dictation, a small amount to write
(3) numeracy, simple questions to solve
500 places are reserved for fluent Irish speakers
We will only accept applications from individuals who worked on behalf of Ireland against England during the war against England
Send applications to the office of An Gárda Síochána nearest to you or write directly to
Eoin O’Duffey, Commissioner, An Gárda Síochána, Dublin Castle

 

 

 

 

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