Seán Hogan's 'Flying Column' annual commemoration march

By Tom Hennessy.

Tik Toc@tipperaryfenian

Twitter @tomhennessy20

On a January day in 1921 a group of men in trench coats and caps, all armed, made their way through the South Tipperary countryside. They had started out on their March at the farm of Helen Prendergast which was located just outside the rural village of Ballylooby.The Prendergast farm house was part of a secret network of IRA ‘Safe Houses’ which were located throughout this part of South Tipperary, the area known as the Galtee Vee valley, stretching from the Galtee Mountains to the Knockmealdowns.

For generations the flame of rebellion burned bright in these parts and many an Irish rebel had sought refuge in this part of South Tipperary .Less than 2 miles from Prendergasts is Drumlemmon where the ‘White boys’ agrarian movement first formed. It was just fields from there that a new generation of fenians,the men of the Tipperary ‘Flying Columns’ of Dinny Lacey and Sean Hogan would carry out a successful ambush of crown forces at Hylands Cross on 23rd Aprill 1921.

Just a mile from Prendergasts the famous’ seithrun keating’ was born at Burgess. He would be forced like many an Irish man to go on’ the run’, his’ crime’ against the crown was collecting the ancient history of Ireland at a time when they were attempting to destroy our culture. For hundreds of years the British had attempted to subdue this part of Tipperary and in each generation brave men and women stepped forward to stand against Tyranny. Now in 1921 the latest in a long line of patriotic Irish men to defy the crown and attempt to rid their land of the Tyranny of English misrule and occupation, were mobilising, and had organised themselves into highly mobile units of fighting men. In Limerick the first ‘Flying Column ‘had been formed led by Donnacha O Hannigan in 1920, and here in Tipperary the first Column had being in operation since September 1920 under the leadership of the great Dinny Lacey.

This group of men now marching between Ballylooby and Clogheen in the shadow of the Knockmealdown mountains was the newly formed no.2 ‘Flying Column of the 3rd Tipperary Brigade IRA.’

Their leader was Sean Hogan and Dan Breen accompanied them having been sent to help get this new Column organised. Hidden Boithrins, mass paths, lanes surrounded by double ditches, and fields were their preferred route but they also marched along the public roads. Led by Dan Breen and Sean Hogan two of the most wanted men in the then ‘British Empire’ this group of Irish men were ready to face the British and their hirelings of the RIC.That day in January history was being made as this was the very first time this newly formed ‘Flying Column’ had marched under arms. Their destination that day was Fitzgeralds of ‘Kilinure’ where they were looking forward to supper. Catherine Fitzgerald had two sons in the Local Active Service Unit of the IRA Paddy and Bill. Their home like most of the ‘Safe Houses’ was hidden at the end of a long boithrin and the rolling hills in this part of the county gave good natural protection and cover to the IRA to come and go and like a lot of the ‘Safe Houses’ it was in an area that was friendly and supportive of the Republican cause. In close proximity to Fitzgeralds were other Safe Houses and homes of members of the local active service unit. As this was the first time this ‘Flying Column ‘had marched under arms, Dan Breen and Sean Hogan were taking no chances and the local Unit or company of the IRA were all on guard duty to enable the men to relax and enjoy the Fitzgeralds hospitality. Maurice MacGrath had been chosen by Dan to organise the lookouts and Maurice himself stood guard with the men in the fields around Fitzgeralds.The safety of the wanted leaders and the entire Column was now the local Active Service Units responsibility. All approach roads were watched. The Column had just sat to eat when Maurice MacGrath rushed in to warn the men that the ‘Tans’ were coming across the fields from the Cahir direction. Dan Breen ordered the candles in Fitzgeralds to be quenched and directed local man Tommy Ryan and Maurice to lead the escape. Using a mass path and the cover of the high ditches surrounding an old 12 century church site, the ‘Flying Column’ made good their escape passing the field they trained in the ‘Ban Doite’on the way.

On Saturday next the 10th of August we will have our 3rd Commemoration to honour Sean Hogan’s ‘Flying Column’, the local Active Service Unit of the IRA,and the women of the ‘Safe houses’, who when terror stalked our land, they stood against tyranny and fought the British out of Tipperary. We are honoured to have one of Irelands top Historians,Dr.Tomas Mac Conmara to give the oration this year.Dr Mac Conmara has written extensively on this period and two of his six books include ‘The time of the Tans’ and ‘The Scarriff Martyrs’. He is a regular on the ‘Today Show’ and is an award winning oral Historian. The Commemoration will begin at 2.30 with a march following part of the route Sean Hogan, Dan Breen and the ‘Flying Column’ took all those years ago. It is fascinating that today over 100 years later the same boithrins and much of the landscape has not changed and you are ‘walking in the footsteps’ of the ‘Flying Column’ it is a ‘Landscape of Revolution’ and it is a unique experience to stand where those men passed all those years ago. This event is non political and all are welcome. Beir bua.