Category: People

Thomas Barrett was and RIC Constable that worked here in Millstreet in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, finished his career in Millstreet, but passing a few years later at the family home on the Killarney Road.

Below are our notes on him and his family.

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…To Mr Cronin — He saw about a hundred fish passing about in the river in dying condition that morning. Constable Barrett deposed to seeing Thomas Linehan take a out of river and Daniel Connell committed a similar offence about eleven o’clock in the day.
Constable Ryan saw Wm Murray about seven o’clock in tbe morning take a fish out the river, and about hour afterwaids he saw Patrick Lynch do same…. [Cork Constitution – Wednesday 15 June 1892]

[read more …] “Thomas Barrett, R.I.C Constable Millstreet 1890s-1900s”

John Bransfield was born in Waterford in 1872. He had originally become an RIC officer in 1894, and was in Ballinacurra (Kinsale) when he got married in 1901. He was stationed in Millstreet in from at least 1905 to 1911 (that we know of), and later was Sergeant in Kealkil (1915, 1916), Kilbrittan (1915)and later again in Drimoleague (1918, 1921) where he was injured, and retired to become a grocer/publican/merchant in Dungarvan, where he lived until he died in 1957.

Here are some references to him:

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His parents:

Marriage of James Bransfield and Bridget Hayes on March 1st 1870 at Clashmore Chapel (Youghal, Waterford), He a farmer from Lackinsilla (?) the son of Edmond (?) Bransfield a farmer, she from Ballinsclash, the daughter of John Hayes a farmer, in the presence of David McGrath and Mary Brien

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He was the oldest of at least 11 children
Birth of John Bransfield on May 5th 1871 at Lacansillagh (Lackensillagh, near Aglish, Co.Waterford), to Bridget Bransfield (Hayes) and James Bransfield a farmer.

His Siblings:
Redmond Bransfield (1872)
Margaret Bransfield (1873)
James Bransfield (1875)
Johanna Bransfield (1877)
Catherine Bransfield (1879)
Bridget Bransfield (1881)
William Bransfield (1882)
Maurice Bransfield (1884)
Declan Bransfield (1885)
Michael Bransfield (1888)

[ancestry]

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TODO: where is John stationed for the 1901 census (Ballincurra for his wedding later in the year?)

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His family in the 1901 census: Residents of a house 3 in Lackensillagh (Dromore, Waterford)

Surname	Forename	Age	Sex	Relation to head	Religion
Bransfield	James	60	Male	Head of Family farmer	Roman Catholic
Bransfield	Bridget	50	Female	Wife	Roman Catholic
Bransfield	Redmond	27	Male	Son farmer’s son	Roman Catholic
Bransfield	Joc Hannah	23	Female	Daughter	Roman Catholic
Bransfield	William	17	Male	Son farmer’s son	Roman Catholic
Bransfield	Maurice	14	Male	Son farmer’s son	Roman Catholic
Bransfield	Declan	13	Male	Son Scholar	Roman Catholic
Bransfield	Michael	11	Male	Son Scholar	Roman Catholic

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Marriage of John Bransfield and Maggie Nash at the catholic church of Newcastlewest on November 5th 1901 by William O’Shea CC. He a police constable in Ballinacurra, the son of James Bransfield a farmer, she from NewcastleWest, the daughter of John Nash a farmer. In the presence of James prenderville and Norah Nash.

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In 1903 he was godfather to the daughter of another RIC constable Thomas Barrett:
Baptism of ELIZABETH BARRETT of MILLSTREET on 6 April 1903 by Fr. C. O’Sullivan, daughter of Thomas Barrett and Elizabeth Browne, sponsored by John Bransfield and Catherine Moynihan.

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Birth of John Bransfield at Minor Row on June 26th 1905 to Margaret Bransfield (Nash) and John Bransfield, a Constable Royal Irish Constabulary

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Daniel Foley, Millstreet was sentenced to a month in a default of bail for alleged attempting to stab John Garvan during an altercation in a lodging house. Constable Bransfield had been passing the house when he heard a voice say: “Put up the knife”.
[Irish Independent – Monday 28 May 1906]

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£28 STOLEN. Recently the premises of Mr. Robert Justice, baker. West End, Millstreet, were broken into, and a sum of £28 stolen … Being barefooted, and under cover of the darkness, the robber had difficulty in making good his escape. The police were immediately informed of the occurrence, and Sergeant Mulcahy and Constables Bransfield and Cahill were, promptly the scene. investigation, they found that entrance had been effected through the back window of the kitchen ; the catch of the window had been forced, and the shutters and window had been opened. The window had been left down from the top. There was a distract footprint on the window sill, arid the police attach much importance to this clue, and is stated that this footmark will form the subject expert inquiry. On making a search of the premises the police discovered the bag which contained the money on top of sewing machine inside the shop-counter. The bag was opened by Constable Bransfield, and it was found to contain about £l, made up of sixpenny and threepenny pieces. The balance of the £29 was gone, and it is surmised that the thief, having been disturbed in his nocturnal perambnlations. had not time to completely empty the handbag, but threw it away from him as left the shop. … [Cork Examiner – Tuesday 01 December 1908]

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Birth of Bridget Mary Bransfield at the Barracks Millstreet on Fifteenth January 1909, to Margaret Bransfield (Nash) and John Bransfield, a Constable Royal Irish Constabulary

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Millstreet Petty Sessions – Constable Bransfield summoned John Buckley for Having his horse on the public street without a bridle, and also for not having his name on the cart. Constable Bransfield deposed that he found the horse wandering on the street without any bridle, and had considerable difficulty in finding the owner. There was no name the cart. A fine of Is was imposed for each offence. [Cork Examiner – Tuesday 02 March 1909]

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8th Jan 1910 (start of year RIC nominal return for Millstreet)

Service #	Rank	Name	Religion	Appointment Date
52443	Sgt	Mulcahy Patrick	RC	25-4-87 / 1-11-04
56316		Bransfield John	RC	01/02/94	M
43535	Con	Cahill Martin	RC	08/02/78	M
56899		Flynn John	RC	01/05/95	M
58402		Sullivan Thomas	RC	15/08/98	M
56257		Patrick Sheehan	RC	02/01/94	M

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1911 (start of year RIC nominal return for Millstreet)

52443	Sgt	Mulcahy Patrick	RC	25-4-87 / 1-11-04	M
56316		Bransfield John	RC	01/02/94	M
43535	Con	Cahill Martin	RC	08/02/78	M
56899		Flynn John	RC	01/05/95	M
60683	Con	Sullivan Patrick	RC	15/04/02	M

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1911 census: Residents of a house 22.3 in Main Street (Drishane, Cork) (The family were living in the RIC Barrack.

Surname	Forename	Age	Sex	Relation to head	Religion
Bransfield	John	–	Male	Head of Family	–
Bransfield	Margaret	35	Female	Wife	Roman Catholic
Bransfield	John	5	Male	Son	Roman Catholic
Bransfield	Bridget Mary	2	Female	Daughter	Roman Catholic

His family back home in the 1911 census: Residents of a house 4 in Lackensillagh (Dromore, Waterford)

Surname	Forename	Age	Sex	Relation to head	Religion
Brausfield	James	78	Male	Head of Family	Roman Catholic
Brausfield	Bridget	66	Female	Wife	Roman Catholic
Brausfield	Redmond	31	Male	Son	Roman Catholic
Brausfield	Michael	25	Male	Son	Roman Catholic
Brausfield	Joahnnah	30	Female	Daughter	Roman Catholic

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Transfers and appointments: “Sergeant Bransfield is taking charge of Kilbrittain from Kealkil” [Northern Whig – Monday 20 December 1915]

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The following transfers have taken place in West Cork;—Sergeants Eoynane (on his own application), Kilbrittain, to Carrigadrohid; Bransfield, Kilbrittain, to Kealkil; Acting- Sergeant J. Flynn. Ballygurteen, limoleague; Constable …
[Larne Times – Saturday 01 January 1916]

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John Bransfield was RIC Sergeant in Kealkil (Bantry District, Cork WR) when a small group of Irish Volunteers mobilised to there on Easter Sunday 1916 (what should have been part of Cork’s role in the Easter Rising). The attached – from a 2016 lecture I gave on the topic – refers to his encounter on that occasion with Sean O’Hegarty, who was O/C Cork No 1 (Mid-Cork) Brigade when Bransfield was injured in February 1921 in Drimoleague (Drimoleague was in the Cork No 3 Brigade area, as opposed to O’Hegarty’s No 1 area):
“O’Hegarty had to ask the local sergeant if he was looking for trouble as the RIC harassed some of the Volunteers as they disbanded. Sergeant John Bransfield probably chose wisely by saying he wanted no trouble — and the situation subsided. But the 44 year old from Co. Waterford was not so lucky in February 1921, when he was injured in an attack on the barracks at Drimoleague.”  – Niall Murray

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Patrick CASEY b c1893 – WW1 alias CLANCY
Filed in the WW1 Service Records (WO 363) under John CLANCY – but which was his real name? The “modern” cover-note suggests Clancy – but even his Referee in 1911 (RIC Police Sergeant Jones) refers to him as Casey. So …

Patrick CASEY, home address BRUFF, Co Limerick. Parents John & Eliza. Sister Lizzie.
Joined the Royal Munster Fusiliers in September 1911, declared age 18y. (Regt No. 5719)
Joined the “Regular Army” (still Royal Munsters) in February 1912, declared age 18y 5m. (Regt No. 9762). Served in WW1 until declared a deserter on 1 January 1917.

Apprehended on 4 September 1917, by Sergeant John BRANSFIELD of the Drimoleague Constabulary. His report is headed “Descriptive Return of JOHN CLANCY ALIAS CASEY”, so I assume that Patrick was using the name John.

Unfortunately, the papers showing how he was dealt with are not there. But he evidently survived the rest of the war and served post-1920 as John CLANCY, Regt No 7213161 – but I can’t find the records of that service.

Was he a CASEY or a CLANCY? How confusing! – [Casey Clancy]

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His wife died in 1917
Death of Margaret Bransfield, Drimoleague on October 26th 1917, Married, 43 yrs old, Sergeant’s wife, Diabetes Mellites Inderinite, Informant: John Bransfield husband Drimoleague

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Attack Police Barrack. A few nights ago an attempt was made to blow up the police barracks at midnight in Drimoleague; Co. Cork. A bomb, or other powerful explosive, which was thrown through the window of Sergeant Bransfield’s room exploded, doing considerable damage, but fortunately no personal injuries were sustained one arrest been made – [Weekly Freeman’s Journal – Saturday 23 February 1918]

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“Drimoleague Barracks, Co Cork, 12.2.1921
Edmund Charles Finlay, RN Telegraphist
56316 Sgt John Bransfield, Cork WR – wounded on this occasion, did he get a medal??” – Roger Willoughby

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Marriage of Laurence Walsh and Bridget Mary Bransfield on July 10th 1933 at Dungarvan Church by Thomas O’Brien PP, he a bookkeeper of Abbeyside, the son of James Walsh a farmer, she from Dungarvan the daughter of John Bransfield a Publican, in the presence of Richard Walsh and Catherine Wall.

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He got married secondly in 1933:

Marriage of John Bransfield and Caroline Ranson on November 29th 1933, he a widower, a merchant from Dungarvan, son of James Bransfield a farmer, she from Ballyduff, daughter of Robert Ranson, a pensioner, in the presence of Thomas Morrissey and Margaret Cunningham.

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Death of John Bransfield on August 17th 1957 at Emerald Terrace Dungarvan, married 85 yrs, RIC pensioner, Cerebral trombosis 2 years – senility, Caroline Bransfield widow present at death

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“My Grandfather JOHN BRANSFIELD served in the RIC.
From Jim Herlihy’s book I can get some information:
Brandsfield, John; Sergeant; RIC 56316; LDS 2O89/135B; Born Co. Waterford 1872; injured Drimoleague, Co. Cork 12/02/21.
… Thankfully, having retired he moved to Dungarvan and ran a grocery/licensed premises.
His daughter (my mother) married my father who had been active in the War of Independence, was Secterary to Count Plunkett and was subsequently active in the anti-Treaty forces.” – John Walsh (grandson)

 

Two policemen outside the RIC Barrack in the Square Millstreet c.1909 – Lawrence Collection. One of these may be John Bransfield. [photo 1] [photo 2 (below)]