Honouring Volunteer Patrick McNamara

Memorial Mass in his native Ballina this Sunday

Patrick McNamara was born and reared in Killary, Derrycastle, Ballina, County Tipperary, not far from the ‘Graves of the Leinster Men’.

His father's name was also Patrick, and his mother's name was Mary McNamara from Ogonnelloe. There were seven children in the family; four girls: Sarah, Mary Ann, Margaret and Winnifred, and three boys: John, Martin and Patrick.

Volunteer McNamara fought bravely throughout the War of Independence and until his capture in the Civil War. He took part in all the engagements in his area, including the Bushfield ambush, as well as many other engagements in the Bushfield/Ballywilliam locality during this period. His Battalion Commander was Jim Larkin.

Patrick had a dugout in a bank on the commonage, covered with scraws about 300 yards from his house. During his years on the run, whenever things got hot, Pat would go there and lie low for a while.

POPULAR YOUNG MAN

Patrick was a popular young man in the locality. A local told this story about him: “A particular landlord owned a lot of land in this district and the land commission came up one day to divide it up. The landlord stipulated that it was to go to ex-soldiers of the British Army living in Killaloe.

“Pat McNamara stopped them, single-handedly firing shots from a hill above their heads. He later showed a white flag and came down off the hill to talk. He demanded that the land be given to the tenant farmers who had been working it for generations, which eventually happened. As a result, local people were very grateful for his actions that day.”

In 1922, Patrick McNamara along with another man, Patrick Ryan, went into Nenagh to join the Civic Guards, a force that had just come into existence then. Patrick McNamara, on arriving in Nenagh, changed his mind, as he would not give allegiance to a foreign king, and went on the run with the Republican forces.

In December 1922, Volunteer McNamara and Mick Kennedy (Rajah), an officer of the IRA, both locals and on the run, went up to O Brien’s (the Whalers) of the Quarries to meet with some friends. On their way back, they fired a few shots at a derelict building away on the hillside. They made their way to Lansdowne House, which was unoccupied at the time.

They would have felt safe there, hence locals believe they must have been spied on. However, both Volunteers had been warned that their side of the road could be raided by State forces but, either because of battle fatigue, or too many false alarms, they chose to ignore the warnings.

Later, the house was surrounded by State troops, who on entering, went up the stairs into the bedrooms and fired above the heads of the men who were sleeping soundly, to awaken them.

Locals claim only for Volunteer McNamara was sleeping at the time, he wouldn’t have been taken so easily.

DEATH SENTENCE

After their capture and subsequent journey to Nenagh and Roscrea, both prisoners were savagely beaten by State forces. It is said that both of McNamara's arms were injured, his face was beaten to a pulp, and his eyes were damaged beyond repair.

They were later brought before a military tribunal and charged with being in possession of arms and ammunition, a capital offence in those days, and were sentenced to death.

Roscrea Castle during the Civil War period was commandeered by the Free State forces and used by them as a barracks and a place of detention.

Mick Kennedy was eventually reprieved, because it was said that after one particular engagement during the Civil War, as he came out over a ditch, he found a Free State soldier severely wounded, whom he carried to a nearby house. It was him they say who interceded on Mick’s behalf. Those engaged in the campaign for his reprieve are said to have included a brother of Richard Mulcahy, who was in Roscrea barracks at that time.

Volunteers Russell, Burke and O’Shea, Mid-Tipperary Brigade, had been captured in an isolated uninhabited house called Ross Cottage, at Ross near Borris-Ileigh.

Frederick Burke was of Ileigh, Borris-Ileigh, Patrick Russell of Summerhill, Borris-Ileigh and Martin O'Shea of Garrangreena, Borris-Ileigh. They had held up a mail car on the turn of the road at Ross and brought it to the yard. The driver of the mail car informed them that the military were very close behind and the lads, thinking that this was a ruse, ignored the advice. The military arrived at the scene and a shoot-out lasted several hours, at the end of which, the volunteers were taken prisoner.

The captives were put on board a military lorry and driven to Thurles and Templemore. The three Republicans (Russell, Burke and O’Shea) were then detained at Templemore and were court-martialled and condemned to be executed by firing squad; they were later transferred to Roscrea.

On the morning of January 15, despite many rumours that the men would be reprieved, Volunteers McNamara, Russell, Burke and O’Shea were shot against a wall in the small garden of the Castle Yard, as the last bell rang out for eight o’clock mass at St Cronan's Chapel.

Bullet marks are still visible on the wall.

Their remains were only handed over by the State in October 1924. Public funerals were held throughout the country, including Tipperary.

BROUGHT HOME TO BALLINA

The people of Ballina went in great numbers to Roscrea to bring home his remains (over 80 motor vehicles), which were led out through the town by the Roscrea Pipe Band.

On arrival at Lisbunny outside Nenagh, a great crowd had gathered and they marched through the town out by the Whitewalls to the Four Roads. Again, as the cortege approached Ballina, a massive assembly of local people alongside many from Co Clare awaited; an intense feeling of sorrow was felt by all mourners present.

Paddy McNamara’s remains were carried by his comrades to the church where Rev Fr Russell, CC, was present to receive and the rosary with prayers for the dead recited.

Mass was celebrated the following morning by Rev James Noonan, PP, accompanied by Rev James Russell, CC, and they attended at the graveside.

As the last sod was placed over his grave, Sean Hynes, Castleconnell, recited the rosary in Irish and gave the oration. A white marble plaque on the outer wall of a church ruin marks his final resting place. It was erected to his memory by his comrades in the IRA.

MEMORIAL MASS

A memorial Mass will be celebrated to remember Patrick McNamara and his comrades on Sunday, February 5, in Ballina Church at 11.30am. After Mass, we will proceed to his final resting place in Templekelly to remember a true Tipperary Patriot.

Tomás Mac Conmara, a renowned historian and author, will deliver the oration here.

This event is organised by the family and the people of Killary and Ballina. All are welcome to attend.