Jack McNeela

Last updated

Jack McNeela.jpg

Jack "Sean" McNeela (died 19 April 1940) was a senior member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) from Ballycroy, County Mayo, Ireland. McNeela was one of 22 Irish republicans (in the 20th century) who died on hunger-strike. [1] As a young man, McNeela was an athlete in County Mayo and participated in Gaelic games. He came from a family of four brothers and two sisters.

Contents

Arrests, leadership roles in the IRA

McNeela was arrested and jailed several times for his Irish republican activities, first in 1937 when he was involved in a riot at a banned republican demonstration. McNeela refused to recognize the authority of the military tribunal which tried him and he was convicted of riot and assault and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment. [2] In 1938 McNeela became a major leader within the IRA when he was appointed Officer Commanding (O/C) of all IRA forces in England and was intimately involved in the planning and implementation of the IRA's 1939-40 bombing and sabotage campaign in England - the S-Plan. This bombing campaign took place from January 1939 to March 1940 involved approximately 300 explosions resulting in 10 deaths, 96 wounded and substantial damage to English infrastructure. [3] While in England, McNeela was arrested in a vehicle that contained bomb-making material. McNeela was given nine months imprisonment in England for membership in the IRA and associated misdemeanors. [4] Upon release he returned to Ireland and in 1939 was appointed Director of Publicity for the IRA. [5] While at the IRAs General Headquarters (GHQ) McNeela put forth a proposal to launch guerrilla raids from the Irish Free State across the border into Northern Ireland. This plan later became the Border campaign (Irish Republican Army) of 1957-62. [6] On 29 December 1939 McNeela and several others were arrested in south Dublin at a location where an illegal radio transmitter was operating. McNeela and three other IRA men were imprisoned in Mountjoy Jail, tried (and found guilty) by a military tribunal for "conspiracy to usurp a function of Government" by operating a pro-Irish Republican pirate radio station, with McNeela being sentenced to two years imprisonment. [7]

Leader of IRA prisoners in Mountjoy Jail, hunger strike

In February 1940, McNeela was elected O/C of the IRA prisoners in Mountjoy Jail. As O/C, McNeela requested that two IRA prisoners (Nicky Doherty of County Meath and John Dwyer) be transferred out of the criminal section of Mountjoy Jail to the republican area within the prison. [8] McNeela's request was ignored and he and five other republican prisoners began a hunger strike - Tony D'Arcy, Tomás Mac Curtáin, (son of the late Lord Mayor of Cork Tomas Mac Curtain), Jack Plunkett of Dublin, (son of Count Plunkett and brother of Joseph Mary Plunkett), Tommy Grogan of Drogheda and Michael Traynor of Belfast, (later Secretary-General (Ard-Rúnaí) of Sinn Féin). Close to the annual commemoration of the Easter Rising of 1916, a letter of protest criticizing the government's policy towards the hunger strikers was published from relatives of participants in the Easter Rising and the Lord Mayor of Dublin Kathleen Clarke, the wife of Tom Clarke and sister of Edward Daly (both executed in the Easter Rising of 1916). [9]

Death

After seven days of hunger strike the six strikers were told they would have to stand trial. The hunger strikers refused to go to trial and fought off attempts to bring them to court. McNeela, D'Arcy and Tom Grogan were very badly beaten. [10] With no concessions from the Irish Free State government, McNeela died on 19 April 1940 after 55 days on hunger strike in the Military Wing of St Bricin's Military Hospital, Dublin. [11] His friend, cell mate and fellow Irish republican Tony D'Arcy had died three days earlier (16 April 1940) after 52 days on hunger strike, aged 32. [12] D’Arcy was serving a three-month sentence for refusing to account for his movements or give his name and address when he was arrested.

The IRA responded to the death of two of its officers with a attack on the seat of the Irish Government - Dublin Castle. In the early morning hours of 25 April 1940, a large land mine was detonated in the Lower Castle Yard which was housed the Detective Division (or Special Branch). Five Detectives reported injury and windows were blown out in the Chapel Royal and State Apartments. [13]

Jack "Sean" McNeela is commemorated on the republican plot, Leigue Cemetery, Ballina, County Mayo. [14]

He was buried in his family plot in Claggan (St Fintany's) Graveyard, Ballycroy, Co Mayo. [15]

Memorial to 22 Hunger Strikers Remember the Hunger Strikers Glasnevin Cemetery Dublin.JPG
Memorial to 22 Hunger Strikers

Further reading

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Emergency (Ireland)</span> State of emergency in the Republic of Ireland during World War II

The Emergency was a state of emergency in the independent state of Ireland in the Second World War, throughout which the state remained neutral. It was proclaimed by Dáil Éireann on 2 September 1939, allowing the passage of the Emergency Powers Act 1939 by the Oireachtas the following day. This gave sweeping powers to the government, including internment, censorship of the press and correspondence, and control of the economy. The Emergency Powers Act lapsed on 2 September 1946, although the Emergency was not formally ended until 1976.

Stephen Hayes was a member and leader of the Irish Republican Army from April 1939 to June 1941.

Anthony Magan was an Irish republican and chief of staff of the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountjoy Prison</span> Prison in Dublin, Ireland

Mountjoy Prison, founded as Mountjoy Gaol and nicknamed The Joy, is a medium security men's prison located in Phibsborough in the centre of Dublin, Ireland. The current prison Governor is Ray Murtagh.

The blanket protest was part of a five-year protest during the Troubles by Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) prisoners held in the Maze prison in Northern Ireland. The republican prisoners' status as political prisoners, known as Special Category Status, had begun to be phased out in 1976. Among other things, this meant that they would now be required to wear prison uniforms like ordinary convicts. The prisoners refused to accept the administrative designation of ordinary criminals, and refused to wear the prison uniform.

Jimmy Steele was an Irish republican militant and editor. He was one of the most prominent Irish Republican Army (IRA) men in Belfast after the Irish Civil War. Steele spent most of his life in jail as a result of his actions against British security forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Gaughan (Irish republican)</span> Provisional IRA hunger striker (1949-1974)

Michael Gaughan was a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) hunger striker who died in 1974 in Parkhurst Prison on the Isle of Wight, England.

Seán McCaughey was an Irish Republican Army leader in the 1930s and 1940s and hunger striker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Keating</span> Irish republican (1902–2007)

Daniel Keating was a lifelong Irish republican and former president of the Republican Sinn Féin. At the time of his death, he was Ireland's oldest man and the last surviving veteran of the Irish War of Independence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denny Barry</span> Irish patriot

Denis "Denny" Barry was an Irish Republican who died during the 1923 Irish hunger strikes, shortly after the Irish Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arbour Hill Prison</span> Medium-security prison in Ireland

Arbour Hill Prison is a prison located in the Arbour Hill area near Heuston Station in the centre of Dublin, Ireland. The prison is the national centre for male sex offenders.

Tony D'Arcy was a senior leader in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) who died as a result of a 52 day Hunger-strike at the age of 32.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Oliver Plunkett</span> Irish republican (1894–1944)

George Oliver Plunkett, known to his contemporaries as Seoirse Plunkett, was a militant Irish republican. He was sentenced to death with his elder brother Joseph Plunkett and his younger brother John after the 1916 Easter Rising, but while Joseph was executed, George's and John's sentences were commuted. He was released in 1917, fought in the Irish War of Independence and Irish Civil War, and was briefly IRA Chief of Staff during World War II.

Michael Traynor was a leading member of Sinn Féin in the 1950s and 1960s.

Thomas Harte was the first of seven Irish Republican Army (IRA) members executed by Irish forces in Mountjoy Prison and Portlaoise Prison prisons between 1940 and 1944.

Patrick MacGrath was born into an old Dublin republican family and took part in the 1916 Rising, as did two of his brothers. He was sent to Frongoch Internment Camp after the 1916 Rising and served his time there. He was a senior member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), hunger striker, IRA Director of Operations and Training during its major bombing/sabotage in England and was the first of six IRA men executed by the Irish Government between 1940–1944. After participating in the Easter Rebellion, MacGrath remained in the IRA, rising in rank and becoming a major leader within the organisation.

Richard (Richie) Goss (1915–1941) was an executed Irish Republican and one of the few Protestant members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the 1940s. Goss was a leader in a major bombing and sabotage campaign in England (1939–40).

In October 1923 mass hunger strikes were undertaken by Irish republican prisoners protesting the continuation of their internment without trial. The Irish Civil War had ended six months earlier yet the newly formed Provisional Government of the Irish Free State was slow in releasing the thousands of Irish republican prisoners opposed to the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Whitty</span> Irish Republican hunger striker (d. 1923)

Michael Joseph Whitty was the youngest of the 22 Irish republicans who died while under on hunger strike in the 20th century. Decades after his death another Volunteer also died on 2 August during the 1981 Irish hunger strike. Volunteer Whitty fought with the IRA in the Irish War of Independence, on the Anti-Treaty side in the Irish Civil War and died while under internment by the Irish Free State government.

James McCormick was born in Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland and joined the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in Tullamore, County Offaly. He was executed for his roles in the 1939 Coventry bombing, which killed five civilians and injured seventy others.

References

  1. "Roll of Honor/Hunger 6 May 2021". 6 May 2014. at republicansinnfein.org
  2. Flynn, Barry (2011). Pawns in the Game. Cork, Ireland: Collins Press. p. 100. ISBN   9781848891166.
  3. McKenna, Joseph (2016). The IRA Bombing Campaign Against Britain, 1939-40. Jefferson, NC US: McFarland & Company. p. 147. ISBN   9781476623726.
  4. McKenna, pg 21
  5. MacThomais, Shane "April 1940 – Seán McNeela and Tony D'Arcy die on hunger strike in Dublin" | An Phoblacht". anphoblacht.com. 20 April 2016
  6. McKenna, pg 162
  7. Flynn, pg 95
  8. Mac THOMÁIS, Shane (21 April 2006). "remembering-the-past-mcneela-and-darcy/". Saoirse32. An Phoblacht. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  9. Flynn, pg 97
  10. MacEoin, Uinseann (1997), The IRA in the twilight years 1923-1948, Argenta Publications, Dublin, pg 614, ISBN 0951117246
  11. "The Forgotten Hunger Strikes". hungerstrikes.org. accessed 20 March 2021
  12. O'Malley, Padraig (1990). Biting at the Grave. Boston: Beacon Press. p. 97. ISBN   0-8070-0208-9.
  13. MacEoin, pg 888
  14. "Jack McNeela (unknown-1940) - Find A Grave..." Family History in North County Mayo (see grave no 99). Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  15. "Jack McNeela (unknown-1940)". Family History in North County Mayo. Retrieved 29 January 2022.