LISTOWEL POLICE MUTINY 1920

On June 19th 1920, fourteen rank and file members of the Royal Irish Constabulary in Listowel defied the order of their superior officers and refused to hand over the control of the barracks to the British Military, and to adopt a shoot to kill policy against the local community.  This incident – forever more known as the Listowel Police Mutiny – was a seminal event in the Irish War of Independence.

But what led to the incident and what were its long term repercussions?

To mark the centenary of this significant historic event, Kerry Writers’ Museum presents this commemorative exhibition.  It features recounts of events by leading historians, first-hand accounts from those involved, photographs, and video recordings of family members of the Listowel ‘mutineers’.

To view film recording of Rev. Fr. J. Anthony Gaughan on the Listowel Mutiny watch below

The Listowel RIC Mutiny had all the ingredients of high drama.  It was triggered off by the visit of ex-war hero, Colonel Gerald Bryce Ferguson Smyth, Divisional Police Commissioner for Munster. However, the situation had been building up for some days.

On the night of 16th June 1920, RIC constables in Listowel received orders to hand over their barracks to the British military effective at noon the next day. They also received orders that they were nearly all re-assigned to other stations in Kerry to act as scouts for the military. Three sergeants and one constable were to stay in Listowel as scouts.  None of the men were from the area, because the RIC always stationed men away from whence they came; but these men had acquired valuable local knowledge from their duties and experience in the area.

The constables held a meeting and decided unanimously not to obey these orders. They saw that they were going to be used in a war against their own people. They reasoned that whatever the outcome, the British soldiers could go home; but the constables would have to live in Ireland with the consequences of their actions. They even considered the possibility that they may have to resist by force. They figured there were enough bombs, rifles, and revolvers there to hold out at least a few days.

They telephoned the County Inspector in Tralee at 9pm and told him they were refusing to leave their barracks. There was no immediate response, but District Inspector Thomas Flanagan later got orders by phone from County Inspector Poer O’Shea to have the constables assemble at 10am the next day.

County Inspector O’Shea arrived at 10am on the 17th to address the men.  He chastised them and advised them about the seriousness of their refusal to obey these orders. He told them the military were required to be installed in the barracks at noon and that this applied to all headquarters in the Province of Munster. O’Shea demanded: “Do you refuse to obey the order of the Divisional Commissioner, an order that applies to all Munster, and bring discredit on the Police force?”

Thirty-one year old Constable Jeremiah Mee from Glenamaddy, Co. Galway; whom the constables had chosen as their spokesman, affirmed his refusal.  O’Shea advised him that he should resign. Mee offered his resignation immediately. O’Shea asked if anyone else was prepared to resign. Thirteen other constables each stated “I resign” in turn.

Next morning, June 19th, Colonel Smyth arrived at Listowel barracks.  He was accompanied by the British Government appointed Police Advisor to the Dublin Castle administration Major General Henry Hugh Tudor, Major Letham, the O.C. of the military stationed at Ballinruddery, Captain Chadwick, and Assistant County Inspector Dobbyn.  Smyth addressed the constables in the course of relaying the new Order No. 5, issued on 17th June.  It empowered the police to shoot IRA suspects (which was left broad enough to include anyone) who failed to surrender when ordered to do so.  When Smyth began to speak, Mee stepped out, saluted him, and told him that the constables understood that this was to be a meeting with police authorities, and that they objected to the presence of military officers.

According to Mee, Smyth simply ignored him and proceeded to make the following speech:

Hear an audio re-enactment of Col. Smyth’s speech by actor Muiris Crowley here

After a few tense moments, Smyth approached the constable at the top of the line; an Englishman named Chuter and demanded: “Are you prepared to co-operate with me?“ Chuter, along with each man Smyth approached referred him to Mee, their spokesman who responded indignantly:

“By your accent I take it you are an Englishman and in your ignorance forget that you are addressing Irishmen.” At this point, Smyth then corrected Mee; informing him that he came from Banbridge, Co. Down. Mee nevertheless responded: “I am an Irishman and very proud of it.” Having lost his temper, Mee removed his cap, saying “This too is English; you may have it as a present from me.” Removing his belt and bayonet, he added: “These too are English and you may have them. To Hell with you. You are a murderer!”

To view Jeremiah Mee’s response to Colonel Smyth recorded by his daughter Teresa Mee – watch below

Following the publication of Smyth’s speech in the Freeman’s Journal, Mee and Donovan met with members of the Dáil Cabinet: Michael Collins, Erskine Childers, and the Countess Markievicz to discuss the Mutiny.  Childers had Smyth’s speech published in the Irish Bulletin, the official gazette of the provisional government of the Irish Republic.

On 14th July, the issue of Smyth’s speech was raised in The House Of Commons in Westminster by MP (Member of Parliament) for Liverpool, T.P. O’Connor; a native of Athone, Co. Westmeath. He said that Smyth’s remarks were calculated to cause serious bloodshed in Ireland. Sir Hamar Greenwood responded that Smyth had informed him that what he said was what had been debated in that House on 22nd May by the Attorney General for Ireland, Sir Denis Henry; and he did not exceed those instructions. Smyth was subsequently called to London to see Prime Minister Lloyd George.  After two days in London, Smyth returned to Cork.

To read the full text of the House of Commons debate click here

Comparison was drawn at the time to the Amritsar Massacre in India on 13th April 1919 when British troops opened fire on civilians killing at least 379 people.

On 17th July 1920, in Cork, Smyth was assassinated by a six-man team from the Cork No. 1 Brigade of the IRA; led by Dan “Sandow” O’Donovan.  The information was supplied by Seán Culhane, from Glin Co. Limerick, a Brigade member who was also one of the gunmen.  One Account states that Smyth was told: “Colonel, were not your orders to shoot on sight? Well you are in sight now, so prepare!” before he was shot, but Culhane’s witness statement said there were no “preliminaries”.

To read Sean Culhane’s witness statement to the Bureau of Military History click here

Smyth’s funeral was held in Banbridge, Co. Down and was followed by sectarian riots for three days. Loyalist anger was exacerbated by the refusal of some railway workers to handle his body en-route to Ulster.  Catholic homes were burnt in Banbridge, and nearby Dromore, Co. Tyrone.

Constable Jeremiah Mee

My father, Jeremiah (‘Jerry’) Mee, was born in the townland of Knockanes, just outside Glenamaddy, Co. Galway on 29th March 1889. He was the 4th child of my grandparents, John and Ellen, who together had 9 children – 4 girls and 5 boys.

The Mee children grew up together on the 20 acre subsistence family holding – often living in and out of adjacent relatives’ and neighbours’ homes at harvest times. They attended the nearby Stonetown National School until the age of 12 after which they were required to pick up whatever work was available locally or on the farm. Like so many Irish families of the period, emigration devastated the Mees. Three sons – John, Dan and Michael – found themselves forced to abandon Ireland during the early 1900s in order to seek out better opportunities in America. It was an enduring and traumatic break up which Dad, his four sisters (Kate, Margaret, Norah and Ellen) and younger brother (Luke) never forgot.

In later years Dad and, subsequently, Uncle Luke, were lucky enough to find jobs in the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC). Dad joined in 1910 and, although he never came back to live in Glenamaddy thereafter, the village and locality always remained, for him, a personal haven. He regularly brought Mum and us, as children, down to stay. This allowed us to spend many happy days with Grandpa, Granny and other family and friends.

At heart, Dad was a private man who was always reluctant to speak or write publicly either about immediate family or his relationships with close friends of whom there were many. Above all, he hated ostentation. His reticence both disguised and signified a deep love for ‘ordinary’ people, especially those from farm communities and disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Ireland. This love also explains why, during his years in the RIC, he became active – alongside other young officers like his friend Thomas McElligott – in an ultimately unsuccessful campaign to both gain recognition for a police union and transform the Constabulary into a more publicly acceptable civic police service.

After these efforts failed, Dad left the RIC in 1920 eventually taking up a position in the Ministry of Labour in the First Dáil under the leadership of Countess Markievicz. In addition, he became part of Michael Collins’ network of underground agents. He was amongst those who helped ‘the Big Fella’ expand his extensive communication channels with secret contacts inside the police as well as amongst supporter organisations in Belfast, Derry and England. At the Ministry of Labour under Countess Markievicz, Dad’s main function was to encourage and facilitate members of the RIC and the Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP) into either leaving the force or else agreeing to act as informants and saboteurs against the British government administration in Ireland.

Dad married my mother, Annie O’Rourke, on 16th August 1920. He and Mum had met, a few years earlier, whilst he was still in the RIC and stationed at Ballintogher in County Sligo. Mum was from nearby Dromahair in County Leitrim. Like Dad, she was from a farming family. She was also a great lover of songs, humour, the outdoors and her garden. Her instinctive free spiritedness seemed to help Dad balance out his natural penchant for orderliness, discipline and hard work.

Perhaps because of the trauma of family separation caused by emigration and having had to leave school so young, Dad remained a tireless self-improver all his life through physical fitness, reading, writing and as a husband and father. Following the pain of the Civil War, and a period of unsatisfying work as an oil depot supervisor in Sligo, Dad – with Mum’s support – obtained an appointment in 1932 as an employment insurance inspector for Counties Westmeath and Longford at the Department of Local Government and Public Health. As well as his own abilities, he was aided in his application by his past record of work both for the First Dáil and his much loved Irish White Cross.

By 1935, Mum and Dad had 6 children – Eileen, Kathleen, John, Peggy, myself and Joe. Both Mum and Dad were determined that we all should have a chance at gaining a solid academic education if possible. They saw education as the best way to help their children – especially the girls – broaden their choices and opportunities in life. In this they succeeded. Each of us attained 3rd level or training qualifications and all were, thanks to our parents, able to pursue professional careers and vocations of our choosing.

Sadly, Mum died suddenly and unexpectedly in 1948 at the age of just 52 and shortly after the family had moved to Dublin. Dad was devastated by her loss and never fully recovered from it, coming as it did in the same decade as the death of his father, mother and beloved sister, Norah, who was only 34. He continued, though, to work as an employment insurance inspector. It was around this time that he began writing his memoirs and started lobbying various Irish governments to provide many former RIC colleagues with proper pensions.

Dad lived long enough to see his eldest child, Eileen, married in 1952. He was also, in equal measure, delighted and saddened as his children gradually moved away to pursue jobs and training. But Mum’s loss always weighed heavily on him. Following a short illness, Dad died in Sir Patrick Dun’s Hospital on Grand Canal Street in Dublin on 8th May 1953. He and Mum are buried together in Glasnevin Cemetery alongside my wonderful sister, Kathleen, who passed away in 2010. I always remember Dad as both a strong individual and a very loving, tender father.

Dad, in his will, gifted all his original papers and memoirs to my dear, late sister Mrs Peggy Cook (nee Mee). These were donated by the family, in their entirety, to the Garda Museum in Dublin Castle in 2013.

SISTER TERESA MEE

Holy Child Convent, Harrogate, England.

Constable Thomas Hughes

Thomas Hughes was born in Hollymount, Co Mayo on 1st February 1891 to Peter, a shopkeeper, and Mary nee Canny.  He studied at Ballinrobe C.B.S. between 1906 and 1910, after which he became a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary. He left the force in circumstances which are well known and have been the subject of a book and several articles.  He was one of the constables who took part in the famous ‘Listowel mutiny’ of 1920, when a group of policemen, led by Constable Mee, refused to obey the order to shoot on sight during the war of independence. When the order was given Thomas was one of those who went into the day room, removed their belts and threw them on the table.

Thomas was a ‘late vocation’ to the Society of African Missions (SMA) at 31 years of age. On joining the Society he studied at the Sacred Heart College, Ballinafad, Co Mayo (1920-192l) before joining the novitiate and house of philosophy at Kilcolgan, Co Galway (1921-23). Thomas was admitted to permanent membership of the Society on 15th July 1923. He spent three years at St. Joseph’s theological seminary, Blackrock Road, Cork (1923 1926), and completed his theological formation at Dromantine, Co Down, to where the seminary was transferred in September 1926. He was ordained a priest by Bishop Edward Mulhern of Dromore diocese, at St. Colman’s cathedral, Newry, on 16 June 1927. He was one of a group of eleven ordained on that day.

After ordination Thomas was appointed to the vicariate of the Bight of Benin, a vast jurisdiction in south western Nigeria. On his arrival, in October 1927, Ferdinand Terrien, the vicar apostolic, appointed him to the founding staff of St. Gregory’s college, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria’s first Catholic secondary school, which opened its doors in January 1928. Fittingly, Leo Hale Taylor, founding principal of St. Gregory’s, placed Thomas in charge of discipline. Thomas also looked after the school’s finances. During the two years he spent at St. Gregory’s he won a reputation for fair mindedness and firmness. In September 1929 Thomas became superior of Holy Cross mission, Lagos, serving there for a year. Between 1930 1933 he was superior of Ijebu Ode mission. Thomas impressed himself on his superiors and colleagues as a natural leader. This was formally recognised in 1932 when his Irish superiors appointed him ‘visitor’, or superior of his Irish confrères, responsible for their spiritual and temporal welfare.

Constable Loughlin Dolan

Loughlin Dolan was one of a large family of nine brothers and two sisters. He was born in the 7th July 1889 in Lusmagh Co. Offaly to a farming family. His father was also Loughlin and mother Margaret nee Melody.  His parents had died by the time he was 18. They struggled to make ends meet and on 15th Oct 1913 aged 24, he enlisted in the RIC, and was stationed in Listowel barracks.

His RIC record states he was moved to Cavan after the Listowel mutiny but his family said he never went there.  He was officially dismissed on the 20th of Nov 1920.   He moved to Liverpool after the mutiny and in January 1922 he arrived in Australia.  Fearing for his life and convinced that he was still being pursued by the authorities, he went into hiding in the Australian bush near Adelaide.

For 3 years he lived in isolation, trapping rabbits for food. By 1925, he was suffering from starvation and emerged from the bush at Strathalbyn.  His physical appearance caused quite a stir and he appeared on the front page of the Adelaide Mail in 1925.

He became known as ‘ the hermit of the hills ‘ where they described him as handsome, genial and cultured, but they also say ‘ from a distance his tall , gaunt , limping, bewhiskered face, tight ill-fitting garments and long hair give the appearance of extreme age. He had a look of startled fear’.

He was hospitalized for 6 months in a hostel for homeless men to recuperate. During this time he wrote to his sister my grandmother. In his letter he says:

‘I don’t like this country…I don’t like to be alone in this world… this is a very wild country. Ye might see me in Cork city, like when I get tired roving through this world, I may return when old age catches me’

This was his only letter home.

His brother Ned who was also in Australia and tried many times to find him wrote home in 1952 and stated that a secret service agent acting on behalf of Canada House London came looking for Loughlin.  He said he would return when he had news but never did.

On line records have two entries for Loughlin. In 1933 he was arrested for Vagrancy in South Grafton 600kms north of Sydney.

 The last record of him is on a register of electors in 1943, in Nymboida, a small rural town near Grafton, he would have been aged 54.

There is no record of his death.

Constable John P. McNamara

John McNamara was born in Crusheen, County Clare on 8th of May 1899.  He joined the RIC on 1st November 1918, one month before the general election and two months before the first shots were fired in the War of Independence.  He was appointed to Listowel on 1st June 1919.

During his entire time at Listowel he refused to carry a gun outside of the barracks, even a revolver for his own protection, and, for weeks before the mutiny, he refused to do any military work or to co-operate with the military in any way. Three other RIC men joined him in his refusal to work with the military and one also refused to carry a gun outside of the barracks.

He took part in the Listowel Mutiny on 19th June 1920, refusing to follow orders that would be considered war crimes by today’s standards.  Immediately after the mutiny he and many others resigned but the RIC refused to accept their resignations.  Four of the mutineers walked out of the force.  Most of the remaining mutineers were transferred to other stations.  John McNamara was one of just four of the mutineers who remained in Listowel.

At this point, the leader of the mutiny, Jerimiah Mee, was now working for the senior leadership of Sinn Fein in Dublin.  He asked Michael Collins what the four mutineers who remained in Listowel should do. Collins advised that they should remain in the force, try to form an ‘underground’ and make available as much information as possible about the security forces.  They were also assured that after the hostilities ceased, they would not suffer financially or otherwise for remaining in the RIC.

McNamara and his colleagues agreed and a permanent line of communication was established.  The local IRA was under instructions from Michael Collins to leave them alone and to provide them with any assistance they required. Week after week, they sent valuable information regarding the movement of troops and confidential instructions to the force, all of which were first passed to the local IRA in Kerry, before being transported to Dublin and ultimately into the hands of Michael Collins.

The RIC knew they had a leak. A local officer in the IRA had been arrested and the police found confidential police documents in his possession that had been supplied to him by John McNamara.  If McNamara had been caught, it would have meant immediate death for him.

After the mutiny, whenever policemen were required from the barracks for duty outside the Listowel police district John McNamara and Michael Kelly were always selected.

McNamara and Kelly were assigned to Cork city on 17th July.  On arrival, the head constable told them not to reveal their involvement in the mutiny to anyone, telling him the Black and Tans had to be restrained from travelling to Listowel to burn down the police barracks when they heard of the mutiny.  Later that day, McNamara and Kelly went missing from duty with the RIC.  On the same day, the man who made the speech that caused the mutiny, Divisional Commissioner Smyth, was assassinated in the city.

The Head Constable in Cork, fearing for their safety, placed McNamara and Kelly in his office which he instructed them to lock from the inside and not to open the door to anybody but him. They spent the night there while another RIC constable was searching the city for them.

Constable Michael Kelly

Michael Kelly was born in Ballycastle, Co. Mayo in 1895.  He enlisted as a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary at Ballycastle in October, 1914.  After six months training at the RIC depot at Phoenix Park, Dublin, Kelly was appointed to Glenbeigh police barracks, Co. Kerry, and was stationed there from April, 1915 to July, 1917.  From July, 1917, to May, 1918 he was stationed at Lisselton, Co. Kerry.  From May, 1918 to January, 1919 he was stationed at Ballybunion and from January, 1919 to November, 1919 he was stationed at Ballylongford.  From November, 1919, to April, 1920, he was stationed again at Lisselton and from April, 1920, to September 26, 1920 he was stationed at Listowel during which time he participated in the Listowel RIC Mutiny.

Constable Francis Byrnes

Francis Byrnes was born in Tulla, Co. Clare in 1886.  His father John was born in Co. Limerick and was also an RIC constable.  The 1901 Census of Population lists Francis as a scholar, aged 16 years.  He joined the RIC in 1907 and served in Listowel from1908 to 1920 and Camlough, Co. Armagh from 1920 to 1921.

He died in Tulla on the 23rd January 1965 and his Death Certificate lists his son John as informant and being present at death.  His occupation is recorded as RIC Pensioner.

Constable Patrick Sheeran

Patrick J. (Packy) Sheeran was born at Straide, Co. Mayo on 16th March 1892.  He joined the RIC on 16th March 1912, and having completed his training he served at Glenbeigh (1912-14), Killorglin (1914-17) and Listowel (1917-20).  When stationed in Listowel in early 1920 he married Margaret Morrissey of Brosna.  He was on leave and in Brosna with his wife when the mutiny occurred. When he returned from leave, however, he associated himself with his comrades, and a few weeks later left the barracks.  He died on 16th April 1966.

To view film recording of Dr. Padraig Sheeran, grandson of Patrick Sheeran watch below

Constable Andrew Robinson (Kerry)

To listen to a audio recording of Joe Robinson, a grandson of Constable Andrew Robinson listen below

Constable John Sinnott (Kilkenny)

To view film recording of Ann Waldron, daughter of John Sinnott watch below

Constable Thomas R. Reidy (Clare)

Constable Patrick O’Neill (Wicklow)

The Listowel Police Mutiny 1920

View the full film of all the videos from this exhibition – watch below

Kerry Writers’ Museum wishes to acknowledge the following for their contribution to this exhibition:

• Jimmy Deenihan and Cara Trant, Exhibition organisers
• Fr. J. Anthony Gaughan
• Donal J. O’Sullivan, retired Garda Superintendent
• Kevin Rooney
• Tom Dillon, historian, Listowel
• Teresa & Ciarán Mee, daughter & grandson of Jeremiah Mee, Belfast & UK
• Naoive Coggin, grandniece of Loughlin Dolan, Co. Waterford
• Padraig Sheeran, grandson and the family of Patrick Sheeran, Brosna & Kildare
• Ann Waldren, daughter of John Sinnott
• Luke Mee & Glenamaddy/Boyounagh Heritage Project
• The Garda Museum & Historical Society, Dublin
• Mary Feehan, Mercier Press, Cork
• Martin Curly, Listowel RIC Mutiny 1920 Facebook page administrator
• Muiris Crowley, actor, Killorglin
• Vincent Carmody, Listowel
• Mary Cogan, Listowel Connection
• James Pembroke Film Productions
• Charles Nolan Film Productions