James McCormick (Irish republican)

Last updated

James McCormick (1910 - 7 February 1940) was born in Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland and joined the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in Tullamore, County Offaly. [1] He was executed for his role in the 1939 Coventry bombing, which killed five civilians and injured seventy others.

Contents

Sabotage campaign in England (S-Plan)

In early 1939, McCormick volunteered for active service with the IRA in England under the alias of James Richards. [2] The Richards alias was effective - many records, news articles, government archives and books still refer to McCormick as Richards or McCormack. [3] McCormick served for some time as an IRA Operations Officer in London and Birmingham before being posted to Coventry in May 1939. By August 1939, he was assigned as Officer Commanding the IRA unit in Coventry. [4] Between February and August 1939 there were over a dozen arson and bombing attacks in Coventry. [5]

James McCormick along with Peter Barnes participated in the 1939 Coventry bombing which was part of the IRA's sabotage campaign in England (the S-Plan). During the campaign there were 300 explosions/acts of sabotage, 10 deaths and 96 injuries. [6] On 25 August 1939 the IRA was responsible for the bombing of the busy Broadgate area of Coventry which killed five and injured 70 people. The large number of civilian deaths and wounded effectively ended the IRA's eight month sabotage campaign. [7] [8]

Although McCormick and Barnes admitted constructing the Coventry bomb, another IRA man (Jobie Sullivan) stated that he planted the bomb and that McCormick and Barnes were innocent. [9]

Trial and execution

On 11 December 1939 the trial opened in Birmingham before Mr Justice Singleton and a jury. Three days later, the verdict of guilty was returned. James McCormick (Richards) and Peter Barnes were sentenced to death. Just before being sentenced McCormick made a statement: "As a soldier of the Irish Republican Army, I am not afraid to die, as I am doing it for a just cause. I say in conclusion, God bless Ireland and God bless the men who have fought and died for her. Thank you my lord." [10] The sentencing triggered a series of IRA attacks on British post offices, postboxes and mail trains in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Crewe, and London. [11] McCormick also wrote a letter to his sister, Margaret Rita McCormack in Mullingar (his parents had passed away) Margaret's son recalled the moment Margaret received the letter,running into the street and screaming with grief and horror, the letter was as follows:

This is my farewell letter, as I have been just told that I have to die in the morning. I knew that I would have to die, so the news did not come as a great shock to me, but thank God that I am prepared, as I know I am dying for a just cause. I shall walk out tomorrow morning smiling, as I shall be thinking of God and of the good men who went before me for the same cause.

[12]

On 7 February 1940 Barnes and McCormick were hanged simultaneously at Winson Green Prison in Birmingham. [13] Both Barnes and McCormick were buried in the prison grounds.

Reaction in Ireland and burial

Many apolitical Irish people felt that since McCormick or Barnes were not directly responsible for the Coventry bombing they should not be executed for that crime. [14] As their appeals failed there was growing anger in Ireland. On 5 February 1940 five thousand people protested the sentences in Dublin. In Cork city a crowd of thousands gathered to hear an address on the fate of McCormick and Barnes from the well known IRA leader Tom Barry. [15] The day after their execution, Ireland went into a day of mourning, flags flew at half staff, theatres and cinemas closed, sporting events were cancelled and Masses were offered for the repose of souls of McCormick and Barnes. [16]

In 1969 their bodies were disinterred, repatriated to Ireland and both were re-interred in Ballyglass Cemetery, Mullingar. The re-interment of McCormick and Barnes on 6 July 1969 was attended by an estimated 15,000 people. [17]

Related Research Articles

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seán Russell</span> Irish republican

Seán Russell was an Irish republican who participated in the Easter Rising of 1916, held senior positions in the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence and Irish Civil War, and was Chief of Staff of the IRA from c. 1938 to April 1939 upon the onset of World War II. It was under Russell's leadership that the IRA began the Sabotage Campaign, in which the group began bombing civil, economic and military infrastructure in the United Kingdom, primarily England, between 1939 and 1940. In the same period, Russell actively collaborated with Nazi Germany; in early 1940 he travelled to Germany, where he personally met with German foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop and spent three months training in the use of explosives. In August 1940 Russell was to return to Ireland as part of a joint IRA/German plan entitled Operation Dove, however, Russell died aboard a Kriegsmarine U-boat transporting him home following a sudden stomach illness and he was subsequently buried at sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)</span> Anti-Treaty sub-group of the original IRA

The Irish Republican Army (IRA) of 1922–1969 was a sub-group of the original pre-1922 Irish Republican Army, characterised by its opposition to the Anglo-Irish Treaty. It existed in various forms until 1969, when the IRA split again into the Provisional IRA and Official IRA.

The S-Plan or Sabotage Campaign or England Campaign was a campaign of bombing and sabotage against the civil, economic and military infrastructure of the United Kingdom from 1939 to 1940, conducted by members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). It was conceived by Seamus O'Donovan in 1938 at the request of then IRA Chief of Staff Seán Russell. Russell and Joseph McGarrity are thought to have formulated the strategy in 1936. During the campaign there were 300 explosions/acts of sabotage, 10 deaths and 96 injuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seamus O'Donovan</span>

James O'Donovan, also known as Seamus or Jim O'Donovan, was a leading volunteer in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and agent in Ireland for the Abwehr. He fought in the Irish War of Independence and then on the Anti-Treaty side during the Irish Civil War serving as the IRA Director of Munitions and chemicals. O'Donovan is best known for his contacts with the Abwehr intelligence of Nazi Germany.

Jimmy Steele was an Irish republican militant. He was one of the most prominent Irish Republican Army (IRA) men in Belfast after the Irish Civil War who held practically every senior position in the Northern Command of the IRA. Later in life Steele publicly denounced the leadership of the IRA which was a prelude to the split in the IRA. Steele founded and edited several Irish Republican publications. Steele spent a large portion of his life in jails 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. Gaughan was one of 22 Irish republicans to die while on hunger strike in the 20th century.

<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.

Peter Barnes was born in Banagher, King's County (Offaly). As a young man Barnes joined Fianna Éireann and in 1924 became a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mick Murray (Irish republican)</span>

Michael Joseph Murray, also known as Squire Murray, was a Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteer, later named as an organiser of the Birmingham pub bombings, which killed 21 people on 21 November 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Doherty (Irish republican)</span> Provisional IRA volunteer (1958–1994)

Martin "Doco" Doherty was a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), who was shot dead while attempting to prevent a bombing by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) at a pub in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. Doherty was the first person to be killed in the Republic of Ireland by the UVF since 1975.

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.

George Plant was a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) who was executed by the Irish Government in 1942.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eoin McNamee (Irish republican)</span> Irish republican

Eoin McNamee was an Irish Republican and Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1939 Coventry bombing</span> Part of the IRA 1939–40 S-Plan campaign

The 1939 Coventry bombing was an act of terrorism committed by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 25 August 1939 in which a 5.1 lb bomb upon a bicycle was placed in Coventry city centre in the West Midlands of England as part of the organisation's 1939–40 S-Plan campaign. The explosion resulted in the deaths of five civilians, with over seventy others injured.

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.

Maurice O'Neill was an Irish Republican Army (IRA) Captain, captured in 1942 after a shoot out with Irish police, and promptly tried and executed, one of only two people executed in independent Ireland for a non-murder offence.

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).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack McNeela</span>

Jack "Sean" McNeela was a senior member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) from Ballycroy, County Mayo, Ireland. McNeela was one of 22 Irish republicans who died on hunger-strike. 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. His brother Paddy was also active in the IRA and held the position of Quartermaster general in Dublin.

References

  1. ↑ "Remembering the Past: Re-interment of Barnes and McCormack". An Phoblacht . 2009-07-02. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  2. ↑ Kirby, Dick (2021). IRA Terror on Britain's Streets. South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword Publishers. p. 114. ISBN   978-1-52678-642-5.
  3. ↑ "Peter Barnes and James Richards, the Coventry bombers: discussion of political..." nationalarchives.gov.uk. January 1962. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  4. ↑ Mac Donncha, Micheal (2 July 2009). "Remembering the Past: Re-interment of Barnes and McCormack". An Phoblacht. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  5. ↑ McKenna, Joseph (2016), The IRA Bombing Campaign Against Britain, 1939-40, Jefferson, NC US: McFarland & Company Publishers,pg 40.
  6. ↑ McKenna, pg 138.
  7. ↑ Dolan, Anne (n.d.). "Barnes, Peter". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  8. ↑ Lockley, Mike (25 January 2016). "How history forgot IRA bombing of Coventry on the eve of World War II". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  9. ↑ MacEoin, Uinseann (1997), The IRA in the twilight years 1923-1948, Argenta Publications, Dublin, pg 643, ISBN 0951117246
  10. ↑ Kirby, pg 169
  11. ↑ McKenna, pg 141
  12. ↑ O'Meara, Jonathan (10 February 2005). "Remembering Barnes and McCormick - IRA Volunteers unjustly executed 65 years ago". An Phoblacht. Dublin. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  13. ↑ Tarpey, Marie Veronica (1969) The Role of Joseph McGarrity in the Struggle for Irish Independence New York: St. John's University p. 331
  14. ↑ Bell, J, Bower (2004), The Secret Army: The IRA, Transaction Publishers, London pg. 171, ISBN 1-56000-901-2
  15. ↑ MacEoin, Pg. 588
  16. ↑ Bell, pg. 175
  17. ↑ "Remembering the Past: Re-interment of Barnes and McCormack". An Phoblacht . 28 December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.