Famous Curragh: Evacuation by British Military

New Zealand Tablet, 3 August 1922, Page 13

Famous Curragh: Evacuation by British Military

IRISH FLAG HOISTED.

The British Army's occupation of the Curragh Gamp came to an end on Tuesday morning, and Irish forces under Lieut.-General O'Connell, Assistant Chief of Staff, 1.R.A., Beggar's Bush, marched in and took possession (says the Weekly Freeman for May 20). *

The only picturesque incident of the day occurred at noon, when Commandant O’Connell hoisted the Irish tricolor over the lofty water tower at the Stewart Barrack the greatest observation post in Ireland--while a party of officers stood at the salute and. the men presented arms. British soldiers, it is worthy of note, before marching out, broke the flagstaff, and when two laborers from the Board of Works proceeded to repair it, they were arrested by order of a British officer. Not until the Irish forces were in control was it possible to erect a new flagstaff. This petty conduct of the evacuating forces delayed the running-up of the Irish colors. THE FIRST STEPS. On Monday night the first stage of the I.R.A. occupation began when a large advance party of troops arrived from Dublin and Celbridge and took possession of Hare Park Camp. Over 800 strong, they were standing to arms son Tuesday morning when orders were given to march and mount guard. Under Commandants Dineen and Cusack they proceeded to the centre of the camp. At the Staff Office Lieut.-Colonel Dalrymple and Lieut.-Col. Stockwell, O 8., C.M.G., were already in waiting, and as Lieut.-Gen-eral O’Connell approached at the head of his men greetings were exchanged between the Irish and British Commands, and the taking over of the camp and adjuncts proceeded with. •I • . Guards were immediately mounted over the electric light station, the mechanical transport yard, the new huts, pumping station and Curragh magazine. In charge of the guards were Capt. McNally and Lieut. Pendergast, of the Carlow unit, both of them ex-prisoners of the Gough and Keane barracks, from which they made good their escape. CAMP IN IRISH HANDS. The Camp is now under the command of Lieut.-General VConnell, G.0.C., Commandant Bissette, Adjutant-Com-laridant Cronin (“from a land beyond' the wave” —he served in the American Army), Officer Commanding, and Commandant Young, Quartermaster. With its transfer there passed into the hands of the I-B A. seven great military barracks and huts, several square miles of training ground, and schools of instruction for Cadets, Jv.C.O’s, and other branches of the service, their programme including signalling, musketry, machine* gunnery, engineering, cavalry, infantry, and artillery training. Heavy rain fell incessantly throughout, the morning, and the occupation of the Camp was devoid of all spectacular display. W r ith the exception of Mr. Desmond Fitzgerald, T.D., who motored horn Dublin, a party of Irish and foreign newspaper men and a number of press photographers, there were no civilians to witness the passing of British militarism from this historic centre of Ireland. ■ The Irish soldiers mounted guard without the accompaniment of bands or colors, taking on their new duties with simple military despatch. Their numbers were composed of men from practically all over Ireland, but Carlow - bad the strongest representation.

The story of God's heroes is a story of good habits. They whose names we read in our Litanies did not become secure in holiness all at once. Only through the formation of good habits, especially by one good habit, did they advance little by little to the conquest of self. .'. .