McGinleys in 'Donegal & The War of Independence'

All references to McGinleys in the book

"What did you think of Dungloe, Donegal is awake in earnest now ... " Quote from letter written by Dr J. P. McGinley in Derry jail, Friday 19 December 1919, to Seán MacLoingsigh, Convoy, referring to first IRA attack on the RIC at Dungloe, 12 December 1919.

HOWTH GUN-RUNNING AND THE DONEGAL CONNECTION IN THE SUMMER of 1914 while salmon fishing off Downings in north-west Donegal, Patrick McGinley from Gola Island received a telegram from Francis Joseph Bigger, a Belfast solicitor who he had met the previous year while fishing at Ardglass, County Down. The telegram summoned McGinley to Belfast immediately; on arrival he was given a letter and directed to Bangor in Wales, where he would make contact with Erskine Childers.

On his arrival in Wales Childers took McGinley to the docks and showed him a large sailing boat moored there, the Asgard. The two began loading provisions onto the boat and after a week moved out, anchoring in the bay. Childers then requested that McGinley find another good seafaring man and he sent a wire to another Gola Island fisherman, Charlie Duggan, to come and join the crew, which included Mrs Childers, Mary Montague, daughter of Lord Montague. Charlie Duggan arrived a week later, just in time to join the others, and it was at this point that McGinley and Duggan were informed that they would be involved in gun-running to Ireland when Childers told them of the plan to transport a cargo of German rifles to aid the Irish cause.

At the beginning of July the crew of the Asgard set off for the Belgian coast, closely followed by another yacht, the Kelpie, owned by Conor O'Brien. The weather was fair, the sea smooth and as they worked their way up the English coast, skirting the rocks of Cornwall and the cliffs of Hampshire, Sussex and Kent, they seemed to onlookers to be part of the fleet of pleasure boats. But on passing the straits of Dover they began to dismantle the cabins and the decks were cleared. This was on Sunday, 12 July 1914; while the Orange drums were beating in Ulster and the toast of the 'glorious, pious and immortal memory' was being honoured and acclaimed and the Ulster Volunteer Force parading, these two yachts were approaching the Belgian coast.

They soon met with a tug and it was not long before weapons wrapped in long canvas bales were being passed over to the Asgard. As she moved away the second yacht, the Kelpie, came into sight and joined the tug. The Kelpie was met later by another yacht, the Chotah, off the Welsh coast and weapons were transferred to that boat. On 26 July 1914 over 800 Volunteers marched and cycled to Howth from Dublin and the surrounding areas to meet the gun-runners and help transport the 900 German rifles and 29,000 rounds of ammunition. Six days later the Chotah landed at Kilcoole on the Wicklow coast with another 600 rifles. (p. 25)

There were said to be a number of Donegal men who fought in Dublin during the Rising including Eunan McGinley, Conor McGinley and Joseph Sweeney who were all students at UCD at the time. Joseph Sweeney was a former student at Pearse's school, St Enda's, fought in Dublin during Easter Week and later spent several months as an internee at Stafford jail and later at Frongoch prison camp in north Wales. (p. 40)

When Daniel Kelly returned to Ireland from Frongoch camp he was sent to Donegal with instructions to organise Volunteer companies and enrol people in the IRB. He started a Sinn Féin cumann in Ballybofey and organised a company of Volunteers shortly afterwards.

In early 1917 a number of young Letterkenny men left the National Volunteers and set up an Irish Volunteer company in the area. J. P. McGinley, James Dawson and others established the company of Óglaigh na hÉireann, and a Sinn Féin cumann was later established in the town. In the early stages the Volunteer organisation was established on a parish basis, but this was later changed to battallions and companies, bringing the organisation on to a military footing.

James McNulty from Creeslough was asked to return from America to help organise and establish units of Irish Volunteers in his area and also Sinn Féin cumainn. McNulty, who had been associated with Clan na Gael in America, approached Bernard McGinley to join the Irish Volunteers. McGinley discussed the matter with a number of his friends who also decided to join and before long a Volunteer company was established in Creeslough and soon after a Sinn Féin cumann. Early 1917 saw the first Sinn Féin electoral success when on 5 February Count Plunkett won a seat in the North Roscommon by-election. (pp. 46-47)

In late September the Ballybofey Company deployed Volunteers to survey the residence of a land steward called Bustard, as they had received information from a man who worked for Bustard that he had about forty rifles stacked in the attic. A meeting was called in Letterkenny at which Dr J. P. McGinley, Daniel Kelly and Jim Dawson discussed plans to capture the rifles; they knew that Bustard was a hard man, big and burly, who would not hesitate to shoot. It was therefore decided to have twenty men in the bushes opposite the hall door; Daniel Kelly would knock at the door, ask for Bustard, and produce a revolver and hold him at gunpoint. If he put up any resistance the men in the bushes were to rush to Kelly's rescue.

The following day Jim Dawson's father arrived at Daniel Kelly's house and asked if he was 'mad or what? You are a married man with a family and I heard of what you plan to do, and you can rest assured that neither Dr McGinley nor my son will be there.' That ended the matter. Two days later District Inspector Moore sent word to the Letterkenny RIC stating that the rifles that Bustard had been moved to the safety of the Royal School in Raphoe.21 Some time later Daniel Kelly travelled to Dublin to register a number of Volunteer companies established in the county and while there he acquired a number of rifles, which were used for practice every Sunday at various centres. (pp. 56-57)

On St Stephen's night 1917, Mrs Pearse, mother of Pádraig and William Pearse attended a ceílí as a guest of the Letterkenny Sinn Féin cumann at a céilí held in the club hall, which was situated at the rear of a building on Lower Main street. She was accompanied by her daughter Miss Pearse and her granddaughter Mrs McGarvey. Club president, Dr J. P. McGinley introduced the three ladies who were accorded an enthusiastic welcome. Mrs Pearse, mother of the two republican leaders executed for their part in the 1916 Rising, gave a moving speech about her two sons and their childhood and manhood adventures.

The night's programme consisted of an exhibition of film operated by James Kearns, patriotic songs sung by Mrs McGarvey, Miss C. Gillen, John and Conal Bradley, C. A. Flattery, W. McMenamin, James Langan, Michael Dawson, Éamon Coyle and James O'Donnell and a mandolin solo by Mr J. O'Donnell. The night was stewarded by Jim Dawson and Jim Murphy. A dance commenced after the singing and lasted until 5.30 the next morning; a good time was had by all. (pp. 57-58)

The Sinn Féin president, Éamon de Valera, arrived in Donegal on Thursday 7 February accompanied by Seán MacEntee as part of a tour of the north-west. The two men were met on the outskirts of Letterkenny by a torchlight procession comprising some 400 Sinn Féin supporters and were escorted to McCarry's hotel.

The following day de Valera and MacEntee addressed a meeting at the Market Square attended by over 800. Dr J. P. McGinley, chairing the event, made the opening address: I am truly delighted to see such a vast gathering assembled in support of the policy, which has swept the country like a wave, bearing on its crest - 'Ireland Over All' - a policy which declared that Ireland shall not be a slave state within the British Empire, but shall be maintained as a free and independent republic, a policy which had lifted the Irish Question from a mere domestic squabble with England to one of international importance, which has made the Irish Question as well known in Petrograd and New York today as in Dublin and Cork, a policy which has been vindicated in the recent elections in Longford, Clare and Kilkenny …

Dr J. P. McGinley drove the guests to Cloghaneely that evening and they then took a train from Cashelnagore to Dungloe. As the train passed through Gweedore and Kincasslagh stations large crowds were gathered to welcome them, and on arriving at Dungloe they travelled by road to Burtonport where they were met by a torchlight procession and a band. The following morning they returned to Dungloe to be met by over 200 Volunteers and two bands. (p. 64)

The anti-conscription pledge was administered to a great gathering of the people of Letterkenny on Sunday evening 21 April. The meeting was held on Sentry Hill, adjacent to St Eunan's cathedral where over 500 Sinn Féin members and 80 students of St Eunan's college marched in military formation to Sentry Hill. It was reported that about 2,500 people had gathered for the meeting. An anti-conscription committee was formed comprising local representatives of the United Irish League, AOH, Sinn Féin and Labour Association.

The speeches were heard with little evidence of enthusiasm until Dr McGinley was invited to speak. He began by telling the people that passive resistance would not deter the British government from enforcing conscription: 'There is only one way - that is, the unionists and Ulster Volunteers are all well armed - go out and collect those arms and we will resist this threat at the point of the rifle.' This was met with cheers and applause, to the embarrassment of the parish priest, who presided over the meeting. Similar gatherings took place in Fahan, Burt and Inch on the same day with everyone from sixteen years of age signing up to the pledge against compulsory conscription. Another branch of Cumann na mBan was established in Burtonport on the same day and over thirty members were enrolled.

A number of anti-conscription meetings were also held on the same day in Carrigart, Buncrana, parish of Doe, Killybegs, Arranmore Island, Donegal town, Castlefinn, Rathmullan, Killygordon, Culdaff, Cloghaneely, Glenfinn, Termon, Murlogh and Ardara.20 In the face of such strong opposition all over the country, the British decided that it would be wise to abandon the conscription idea. After the conscription scare had passed, the large numbers who had rushed to join the Volunteers fell away again. An organising convention was held in Fanad in late April attracting up to 600 people. This was followed in early May with the founding of a Sinn Féin branch in Glenswilly, located several miles from Letterkenny. Dr J. P. McGinley inaugurated the Glenswilly Sinn Féin cumann and the followingofficers were appointed: Dan Gallagher, president; Hugh McMonagle, vice-president; Neil Kelly, treasurer; Tom Crossan, secretary and J. P. McMonagle as secretary. (p. 73)

The North Donegal election campaign opened on Thursday 21 November in Carndonagh where a large and enthusiastic crowd gathered to support Joseph O'Doherty, Sinn Féin candidate for the constituency. The next day a meeting was held at the Market Square in Letterkenny in support of the Sinn Féin candidates for East and West Donegal. Dr J. P. McGinley presided over the meeting, which attracted a large crowd and also the attention of the military and police. A company of soldiers was stationed at the courthouse during the day and, in addition to the local force, over a hundred RIC men were drafted into the town. Despite the presence of the military and police there was no trouble and the meeting was addressed by several speakers. (p. 82)

The political candidates took advantage of any large gatherings to deliver their message and canvas the constituents. This was the case on a fair day in Kilmacrenan, Tuesday 3 December, where representatives of both Sinn Féin and the Irish Party took advantage of the large gathering. During the Irish Party's meeting there were many questions, interruptions, cheers and counter-cheers. Before it had concluded the Sinn Féin supporters moved off and held a meeting a few yards away, at which speeches were delivered by Dr J. P. McGinley, Joseph McDevitt and Seaghan MacMenamin.

On the same day at Fintown similar meetings were held, at which a large number of Sinn Féin supporters from the area carried republican flags. A platform was erected in the centre of the road and a number of speeches were made, arousing great enthusiasm. At the close of the Sinn Féin meeting, the Irish Party representatives addressed the gathering and nearly every word of the speaker was met with shouts of 'Four hundred a year' (the annual salary for MPs), 'Oath of allegiance' and 'Why haven't you khaki on you?' For some time chaos reigned and the police, fearing that the car that the Irish Party supporters used as a platform would be overturned, formed a cordon across the road.

Again and again the crowd surged towards the platform and Sinn Féin flags were waved in the speaker's face. Throughout the week Sinn` Féin held meetings in Kilcar, Donegal town, Glencolmcille, Carrick, Ardara, Killybegs, Bruckless, Ballintra, Cashelard, Killymard, Clar and Croagh. A very enthusiastic meeting was held in Ballyshannon and a torchlight procession lent colour to the proceedings. (pp. 84-85)

On the same day the two parties availed of another fair day, this time in Glenties, for a final debate. The Irish Party meeting, which attracted a large gathering, was presided over by Fr Cunningham, PP, Glenties, who made a strong appeal on behalf of the party candidate, Dan McMenamin, who also addressed the gathering. Dr J. P. McGinley subjected McMenamin to a severe cross-examination regarding the oath of allegiance. McMenamin replied that Parnell had taken the oath and as they left the platform there was uproarious laughter from the crowd. As the Sinn Féin delegation made their way to Dungloe a number of speakers addressed an impromptu gathering at Doochary. They then proceeded to Meenbanad where another meeting was addressed by representatives from Sinn Féin. (p. 88)

On the same night that McNulty was wounded, a party of Volunteers from Gweedore arrived at Creeslough railway station in a commandeered car. The plan was to seize the mailbag, censor the mail and then return the normal mail for delivery. Bernard McGinley of the Creeslough Company met the Gweedore Volunteers at the station and informed them of the presence of an RIC patrol who were there to protect the mail. They received further information that similar patrols were posted at the stations in Falcarragh and Dunfanaghy. The Volunteers boarded the train at Creeslough and forced the driver, at gunpoint, to drive past Falcarragh and Dunfanaghy stations. They continued for a distance to a quiet part of the line where they removed all the mail destined for the RIC and military. The ordinary mail was then taken back to the nearest station by horse and cart. (pp. 104-105)

Dr McGinley also addressed the gathering and referred to the 'boys in blue' as the meanest creatures on God's earth. 'America, Australia and all liberty-loving lands demand Ireland's independence and God willing we will have it,' he said. (p. 107)

ON THURSDAY 11 December Anthony McGinley and Charles Mc-Bride were arrested at Dungloe. The charge against McBride was for distributing handbills at Dungloe chapel in favour of the Dáil Éireann loan. Both men protested against being treated as ordinary prisoners and as a result spent the night in the kitchen of the police barracks. The local Volunteers decided not to affect an escape due to the lack of arms; instead they would target the escort on its return from the crimes court in Letterkenny.

This was to be the first official engagement of the Dungloe Company and it was decided that all available members would play a part - to blood them if nothing else. An unsuccessful attempt was made the following morning to arrest Joseph O'Doherty, TD for North Donegal. Shortly after 9 a.m. five policemen entered his home in Clarendon Street, Derry. O'Doherty was having breakfast in his bedroom at the time, and when he appeared at the top of the stairs one of the policemen read the warrant for his arrest. O'Doherty then had a conversation with a servant in Irish and she went to get his heavier clothes. The police waited downstairs in the belief that O'Doherty was finishing his breakfast and getting dressed. They then asked Mrs O'Doherty would her husband be long and she replied that he had gone out the back window; he had made his way across a number of roofs to safety. The police immediately made their way to the rear of the house only to see O'Doherty disappearing over a wall. It was stated he was wanted in connection with a speech he gave at Carndonagh in October.

The meeting was also addressed by Patrick Porter, who was arrested by the RIC at his home in Buncrana earlier that morning. At a special court in Derry the following Friday afternoon, 12 December, Patrick Porter was charged with having, at Carndonagh on 19 October, 'solicited contributions for the purpose of the illegal association known as Dáil Éireann' and for taking part in an unlawful assembly at the same time and place. He was remanded in custody to attend again.

In a further raid Dr J. P. McGinley was arrested at his home in Letterkenny on Friday morning andbrought to the barracks at Lower Main Street. The 9 a.m. train from Derry arrived in Letterkenny with twenty-five soldiers of the Dorset Regiment on board; more military arrived by lorry and there was a large force of extra police drafted into the town for the day. The 11.30 a.m. train arrived with Anthony McGinley and Charles McBride, both from Dungloe, and they were taken to the same barracks. While the prisoners were in custody there was considerable excitement in the town owing to the extreme popularity of Dr McGinley.

He was subsequently charged with advocating the Sinn Féin loan during a speech at a meeting at Rosnakill, Fanad on 26 October. Anthony McGinley and Charles McBride, both from Dungloe were charged with distributing leaflets in connection with the loan outside Dungloe chapel on 2 November. All men refused to recognise the court. The resident magistrate granted an application that Dr McGinley be remanded to Burnfoot and that he would allow bail. McGinley said the suggestion that he should give bail was an insult and he wished to make it clear that he denied the right of that, or any other foreign court, to try him. Whatever excuse there might have been for agreeing their authority to try him before December had been nullified by the action of 75 per cent of the Irish people in the election of December 1918. If it was a crime to advocate a fund for the development of Ireland's resources, Archbishop Walsh was also a criminal if the courts followed matters to their logical conclusions. In such circumstances he was proud to be a criminal.

At the conclusion of Dr McGinley's case the charges against the other prisoners were heard. They declined to take off their hats and these were removed by a policeman. The resident magistrate (RM) said he would accept bail and encouraged Charles McBride, an elderly man, to accept. The men were remanded in custody to Burnfoot on 19 December; they were removed to Derry via military lorry under heavy escort. (pp. 114-115)

The plan was to allow the RIC party to walk into the ambush position before opening fire. Before long they heard the scout whistling his tune and could make out the silhouette of District Inspector Wallace, Sergeant Farrell and the two constables. In total the Volunteers only had a revolver, shotgun, the rifle rescued from the RIC in January 1918 and a grenade. Each section had a weapon and as the RIC reached the ambush James McCole fired his revolver, quickly followed by two shots from the shotgun held by Patrick McCole. McCole had never handled a self-ejecting shotgun before and when he opened the breach after firing, the two empty shells struck him in the face. Patrick Breslin was also firing the rifle, but the grenade was not used as John Molloy had let his cigarette die out and this was to be used to ignite the grenade.

The RIC ran from No. 1 section into No. 2 and No. 3 sections, with the Volunteers firing as they ran. The sergeant was hit in the leg, but managed to drag himself behind a rock for cover as the others returned fire. The Volunteers kept up the attack until they were forced to retreat due to lack of ammunition. As they retreated over the nearby fields they could hear the remaining RIC running over the bridge towards Dungloe. In the ambush one RIC man was seriously wounded while the others were peppered with shotgun pellets. As a precautionary measure the telegraph wires between Dungloe station and the town were cut.

The ambush had an amusing sequel and resulted in some of the ambush party being reprimanded by the local Sinn Féin officer board a few days later. The local Sinn Féin cumann had passed a resolution the previous week which stated that no member should attend or support any function sponsored by the local AOH branch. However, immediately after the ambush some of the Volunteers considered it necessary to establish alibis and decided to attend a dance organised by the AOH at a local hall. While there they heard that the RIC were looking for the local doctor and it was then the Volunteers realised that some of their shots had hit their targets. The following week the Volunteers who attended the dance were reprimanded, but were obliged to sit and listen as they could not give an explanation for their presence there.

Later that month Sergeant Farrell and the two constables, Cunnane and McGinley, lodged claims amounting to £4,000 in respect of personal injuries received during the ambush.2 Dr J. P. McGinley, now a prisoner at Derry jail, wrote to Seán Mac Loingsigh, Convoy and, referring to the Dungloe incident, stated: 'Donegal is awake in earnest now …'3 On Sunday 14 December detachments of the Dorset Regiment arrived in Dungloe on the 8.30 a.m. train. Owing to the now hostile feeling towards the police in Dungloe they were unable to procure a car locally and one had to be hired in Letterkenny to convey the injured police to the county hospital in Lifford. In response to the ambush the RIC, supported by the Dorset Regiment, carried out a series of raids and searched a number of houses in the town and surrounding area, but no arrests were made and nothing incriminating discovered.

At a sitting of Donegal County Council the following day a resolution was adopted from Tipperary County Council condemning the actions of the Volunteers in their attacks on the police.4 On Friday morning, 19 December, Dr J. P. McGinley, Letterkenny, Éamon McDermott, Derry, and Charles McBride and Anthony McGinley, Dungloe, were conveyed in military lorries from Derry jail to Burnfoot county court. Patrick Porter, Buncrana, was also present at the court for the hearing. He had previously been released on bail owing to ill health.

All along the route there were armed police patrols and at Burnfoot there was a great demonstration of force, a large number of armed police supported by a detachment of soldiers. Seán Milroy, who had been arrested two weeks previously in connection with the Sinn Féin meeting at Bundoran in August and imprisoned in Galway, was brought before the same court. Milroy had been suffering from ill health and had been held in the prison hospital in Galway. All the prisoners were handcuffed and remained so for some time in the court. The court was presided over by Mr Hardy, RM, and Major Brett, RM. The first case was against Patrick Porter, who was charged in connection with a speech at a meeting in Carndonagh presided over by Fr Philip O'Doherty. (p. 118)

There was loud cheering and applause in the court. Éamon McDermott, similarly charged in connection with a meeting near Culdaff on 5 October, refused to recognise the court. Dr McGinley then addressed the court: 'We know old Hardy well. His clique will not rule Ireland much longer', to which McDermott added: 'Up the Republic - we will not flinch, we are pledged to this old country and we will die in the cause if necessary.' The members of the public present in the court then started singing the 'Soldier's Song', which was taken up by the crowd outside.

Seán Milroy was next to be charged and on refusing to recognise the court quoted from Edward Carson: 'There are some crimes which are not illegalities, and some illegalities which are not crimes.' Milroy then asked the police sergeant if he agreed, to which he replied: 'I never heard that before.' Milroy advised the police to be careful what they said about Edward Carson, their boss. He added that the police witnesses were perjuring themselves, that he had refrained from any reference to the Dáil loan at any meetings and protested that he had been brought directly from Galway without being informed of the charge against him.

The resident magistrate, Mr Hardy, said the three defendants had openly defied the law and apparently glorified in it. He sentenced the defendants to two months imprisonment and ordered that they enter into sureties to keep the peace for two years. If they failed to do so, they would be imprisoned for a further three months. Éamon McDermott then addressed the court: 'You have gone further than any other magistrates in similar cases. Three months has been the limit set down. That's British justice.' In the case of Anthony McGinley and Charles McBride proceedings were adjourned and they were further held on remand, as the two police witnesses were in Lifford hospital suffering from gunshot wounds following the attack the previous week.5 They were again brought before a special court on Friday 2 January, 1920, but the police witnesses were again unable to attend. The two men were remanded further and the magistrate said he would accept bail. Anthony McGinley replied that he did not ask for bail as he denied the right of the court to try him. Charles McBride was released on bail. (p. 119)

The municipal elections of January 1920 represented the first real effort on the part of Sinn Féin and the Irish people to turn each of the municipal councils into a bulwark of the national and economic welfare of Ireland. The Proportional Representation Bureau compiled an estimate of the number of seats in local authorities nationally: approximately 1,500.

For these seats Sinn Féin put forward 717 candidates and the Labour Party, with which a working alliance had been established in most parts of the country, put forward 595 candidates. Unionist candidates totalled 436, with 588 other candidates.

The numbers in Ulster, fighting for 421 seats, were as follows: Sinn Féin (SF) and Labour, 250; unionist, 329; constitutional nationalists and independents, 192. Polling for the elections took place on Thursday 13 January; the results were known the next day.

Those elected were: North Area: John Doherty (SF); Michael McGinley (SF); Patrick Porter (SF); Daniel Friel; John McLaughlin (SF); John Murphy (Nationalist). South Area: Michael McGrath (SF); Trew Colquhoun (Unionist); John O'Donnell (SF); John Porter (SF); William Doherty (SF); R. S. Parke (Unionist). Letterkenny Urban Council: Dr J. P. McGinley (SF); Charles Kelly (Rate Payers Association - RPA); Edmund McDaid (RPA); John Curran (SF); W. G. McKinney (RPA); William Boyle (SF); J. P. Speer (RPA); John Doherty (Labour); William Gallagher (RPA).

The AGM of the Letterkenny Urban Council was held on Friday 30 January and a letter from Dr J. P. McGinley, who was serving a four month sentence in Derry jail was read to the council. John G. Larkin, town clerk, read the letter to the members present: HM Prison Derry 19 January 1920 Dr Mr Larkin, It is only the other day that I heard of my election to the Urban Council of Letterkenny, which I appreciate very deeply indeed. As, of course, you are aware, my position as MOH [Medical Officer of Health] to the council precludes my accepting the honour conferred on me by the electors. I know it was meant as a protest against my arrest and imprisonment and shows to all whom it may concern the views by the majority of the town's people, and on this account I especially appreciate it. As I do not, of course, intend to sit on the council I am certain they will co-opt in my stead a man who holds the same ideas as myself. In this way only could the electorate by fairly represented and the spirit of proportional representation complied with, a fact which all will no doubt be broadminded enough to recognise. I am especially pleased that at the present time a certain party which I may not mention polled more votes than any other in Letterkenny. As I cannot write to thank the electors I hope you will be good enough to convey to them my deep appreciation of their action. I also earnestly hope that the administration of the new council may be crowned with success and may open up a brighter outlook for Letterkenny and that their views on matters of national importance will conform to the will of the majority. I am faithfully yours (pp. 121-122)

At a special court in Derry on Monday 8 March, Anthony McGinley, who had been remanded thirteen times, was finally released from custody. The only witness in his case was a police sergeant who had spent over three months in hospital suffering from a leg wound received during the ambush near Dungloe on 12 December 1919. The sergeant subsequently had his leg amputated and was unable toattend court to give evidence. On McGinley's return to Dungloe he was accorded an enthusiastic welcome by the large crowd at Dungloe Road railway station. (p. 125)

Over the same weekend Dr J. P. McGinley, Seán Milroy and Éamon McDermott were released from Mountjoy jail. Dr McGinley arrived back in Letterkenny on Tuesday 27 April to be greeted by over a thousand people at the Port Bridge; these included members of the Fianna boy scouts, Volunteers, Cumann na mBan and the Jim Connolly Sinn Féin cumann. With lighted torches the crowd marched towards the town and through the streets to Dr McGinley's residence at Asylum Road (High Road). Addressing the gathering, McGinley dealt with the national question and referred in a touching manner to the treatment meted out to republican prisoners in Mountjoy and Wormwood Scrubs. (p. 133)

With the establishment of the Sinn Féin courts in early June each area had to prepare facilities to hold prisoners and in Donegal the provision of a prison came about sooner than expected. Shortly after the courts were established Dr J. P. McGinley arrived in west Donegal looking for accommodation for a prisoner. Phil Boyle, captain of C company, Meenacross, was asked to provide a temporary prison and the local herring curing station was selected. Known locally as Magherameena prison, the prisoners were held there under armed guard, including some British military captured by the Volunteers. It was never discovered by the British and was used up until 1922. (p. 135)

On Wednesday 12 May, Volunteers from the Dungloe Company carried out a raid on the Dungloe excise office, located about 150 yards from the RIC barracks, which was then occupied by about fifteen members. A number of Volunteers were posted to cover the barracks to prevent interference by the RIC, and Denis Houston, Anthony McGinley and Frank O'Donnell entered the office to remove all documents. During the raid Frank O'Donnell found a book written by James Connolly and, despite the urgency of the situation, proceeded to read aloud extracts from the book to his comrades. (p. 136)

This plan was never put to the test, however. The commotion caused by the Volunteers with a large herd of cattle pretending to make a bargain was apparently responsible for bringing an armed constable to the front door to investigate. On seeing this, brigade O/C Sam O'Flaherty give the signal, which was lowering his newspaper and placing it in his pocket; James McMonagle immediately drew his revolver and called on the constable to put up his hands. He first complied with the order, but in an instant dropped his hands and reached for his revolver. He was in the act of drawing his revolver when McMonagle fired a shot, hitting him in the forehead; he slumped down across the doorway and died almost instantly. The Volunteers leaped over him and dashed into the day-room as Dr McGinley knelt over the RIC man at the door to administer first aid.

At the same time James McMonagle saw an RIC sergeant at the top of the stairs aiming his rifle at Dr McGinley's back and he fired two shots at the sergeant, who tumbled down the stairs. The Volunteers rushed the stairs and found three constables in a room. One of them apparently made an effort to escape through a skylight, but got stuck and the Volunteers left him there. They then collected all the arms and ammunition, which comprised twelve revolvers, twelve Lee Enfield rifles and a quantity of ammunition. They had no time to burn the building because of all the commotion and fearing that reinforcements would soon arrive from Omagh. As the convoy of cars made their way through Drumquinn a police constable threw a bomb from an upstairs window and the Volunteers immediately open fire on him to prevent him throwing any more until they were a safe distance from the barrack. (pp. 163-164)

In late August, Neil Blaney, O/C Fanad Company, informed Dr J. P. McGinley that soldiers stationed at the Fanad coastguard station were being deployed elsewhere due to the lack of Volunteer activity in the area. McGinley enquired when they were leaving, but Blaney didn't have that information. Dr McGinley then instructed Blaney to go to the station on the premise of selling insurance, as he was then an insurance agent.

Blaney went into the coastguard station the following day and asked if anyone would be interested in taking out an insurance policy. A soldier informed him that there was no point in buying insurance as they were leaving the area within the next few days. This information was then conveyed to the Letterkenny battalion and the local Volunteers were summoned to a battalion conference where a plan was discussed to carry out the raid and the date was set for Saturday 4 September. The reason for the attacking party being drawn from the Letterkenny battalion was that they had more experience and more weapons. It was decided that the Fanad Company would act as scouts and backup for the raiding party.

On the evening of the raid ten Volunteers travelled in two cars from Letterkenny to within a few miles of the target. They were: Hugh and Frank McKay, Churchill, Dr J. P. McGinley, Hugh McGrath, Jim and Anthony Dawson, William McLaughlin, James, Frank and Packie McMonagle, all from Letterkenny. They made their way to Dan Callaghan's of Kindrum and were met by Jimmy Coll and Johnny Carr of the Fanad Company who were their guides across country to the coastguard station. The O/C of the Fanad Company, Blaney, failed to make an appearance for this operation.

The back of the building faced the Atlantic with Mulroy Bay on one side and Lough Swilly on the other. There was little cover from the front or either side of the building, so the raiding party had little hope of gaining access to the building by a ruse. They took up positions along the exterior wall and began firing at the building for several minutes. Dr McGinley, who was in charge of the Volunteers, then called on the garrison of eleven marines to surrender. 'We are members of the bulldog breed who don't surrender,' came the reply. Rapid fire was again opened on the station and after about half an hour the garrison called out: 'We will surrender if you spare our lives.' The Volunteers told them they had no intention of taking their lives and all they wanted was their weapons. The officer in charge was instructed to approach the wall with his hands up. The Volunteers moved into the building and disarmed the remainder of the garrison. They removed eleven revolvers, ammunition and a quantity of gelignite. Dr McGinley told the garrison that they were a flying column from County Fermanagh and he would appreciate some food for his hungry men. The garrison presented them with bully beef and, having eaten, the Volunteers left the area without further incident. (p. 172)

The military also raided a number of business premises in the village, including one owned by two Volunteers, Patrick Breslin and Anthony McGinley. Breslin saw the military arriving and escaped out the back of the building; when he came back onto the street he saw Denis Houston being searched and arrested.114 Houston was removed to the military post at Bunbeg and then transferred to Victoria RIC barracks, Derry city, for interrogation the next day before being lodged in Derry jail the following Monday. (p. 192)

Peadar O'Donnell sent a despatch to Philip Boyle, captain of the Meenacross Company, to mobilise as many armed men as possible under his command and to meet at a location near Meenbanad railway station. About thirty-five Volunteers moved off from Dungloe and arrived at the spot approximately one mile from the station shortly after 5 a.m. Philip Boyle received the despatch about 2 a.m. and had to raise his men from their beds, and before long the entire company made off to the meeting point.

Due to the late hour they had to run the entire distance, arriving at the ambush position shortly after the main body. Some men went up to Meenbanad station and asked the telephonist to contact another station farther up the line to ascertain the cargo. However, the system had been earthed and nobody could be contacted which almost confirmed their suspicions. The Volunteers had to make a decision. They were now quite certain the train had troops on board, but were reluctant to lift the tracks for fear of causing injury to the railway employees, many of who were good friends of the Volunteers. Joe Sweeney decided to block the tracks with boulders and position men on both embankments with all men firing down at the target. A Volunteer was sent up the line armed with a grenade and instructions to throw it into the train if he noticed troops on board.

Not long after getting into position they heard a train approaching at speed, followed by a grenade exploding. As the train passed, the Volunteers opened fire on the carriages from both sides of the track. The boulders failed to derail the train, but did bring it to a stop a few yards away. Joe Sweeney had positioned himself where the train came to a screeching halt and narrowly escaped from the bullets of a Lewis gun mounted and manned on the cab of the train. Next came two shots from the rear, followed by shouts in a thick Cork accent: 'Oh fuck - the fucking O/C.' It was Mutt Walsh who, because of a leg wound, was told to remainremain in Dungloe, but limped behind the main party, arriving at the scene just as the attack started.

The firing continued and the British troops began organising, taking up positions and returning fire, but as it was still dark they could not locate the Volunteers positions. After some time the retreat whistle was sounded as the British continued to shoot into the dark. Patrick Breslin, Joe O'Donnell and Patrick (Kit) O'Donnell were still in position and were not sure if they heard the retreat whistle. Suddenly bullets were passing their position and they could see khaki-clad soldiers moving along the line and firing in their direction. Bernard Sweeney then ran passed their position and said the retreat whistle had been sounded. They immediately retreated for a distance, when Breslin remembered a bag containing approximately 100 round of .303 ammunition. Breslin and Bernard Sweeney returned to retrieve the bag and could hear the rattle of machine-gun fire. They hid the bag of ammunition at a moss cliff until the next day.

British military strength on the train was 150 men and some reports suggested up to twelve killed and thirty injured. However; other reports put the number killed much higher possibly over fifty and it was said that blood was seen flowing out of the carriages. However, an account of the ambush in an official report from Dublin Castle stated that the train was riddled with bullet holes but reached its destination without casualties to the occupants. At the conclusion of the ambush Anthony McGinley and a number of Volunteers took a wrong turn and ran into a party of British troops. They came under heavy fire while retreating, but eventually escaped, with the exception of one Volunteer. William Cullen noticed a British military patrol and quickly hid his rifle and ammunition before being arrested. The rifle and ammunition were later recovered by the IRA. (pp. 209-210)

After the Meenbanad ambush the flying column left Crovehy and made its way to Lough Keel, to the McGee family home, a known resting place for men on the run. While there the column heard that the British military had brought another train to remove the first one. Plans were made to attack the second train and the column left Lough Keel to make its way to Crolly, taking positions just opposite the station.

The No. 1 flying column, under Peadar O'Donnell, organised the attack and called for immediate assistance from the local Volunteers. C company of 1st battalion received a despatch for assistance at very short notice. Patrick (Kit) O'Donnell, Anthony McGinley, Charlie Cole and Willie Sharkey went out onto the street in Dungloe and held up the first car that came along. They commandeered the car but none of them could drive so they had to get a driver at the local garage to bring them to Crolly.

At the location Peadar O'Donnell had selected for the ambush the railway line ran along the bottom of a hill. The column took up position on the top of the hill and a scout was sent up the line with instructions to give a signal if there were no civilians on board. The train arrived at the station and the signal was given, and as soon as the train came within rifle range the ambush party opened fire. The four Volunteers from C company were approaching the ambush position when the firing started and came under fire from the train. They took cover and returned fire but the train managed to pass through. (pp. 211-212)

The Creeslough Company was also called on to increase activity and the vice-O/C, Bernard McGinley, convened a meeting of the company to discuss the possibilities of attacking police and military in the area. Their directive was similar to that delivered to other areas; they were to create any kind of disturbance to attract the attention of the enemy forces and they decided to launch a sniping attack on the Carrigart RIC barracks. This barracks was fortified in the usual manner and the Creeslough Company knew that the most they could do was to keep the RIC personnel out of their beds. The Volunteers arrived at Carrigart shortly after 1 a.m. on Thursday 5 May and began firing from selected positions. They fired intermittently at the barracks for up to two hours before withdrawing and returning to Creeslough.

At daybreak a large party of military and police reinforcements arrived from Dunfanaghy and searched the hills. After a few hours they madetheir way to Creeslough and launched an attack on the village. This resulted in the arrest of three Volunteers, John and James McNulty and John McCaffery. They were taken to St Conal's hospital in Letterkenny, a wing of which had been taken over and occupied by British forces. During the raids ammunition, documents and IRA publications were found. The three prisoners were later transferred to Derry jail. (p. 255)

Head Constable Duffy led a raiding party of military and RIC to Dungloe on the morning of Sunday 3 July and Collins was there, dressed as an Auxiliary, to identify Volunteers. They stopped at Cloughwilly; some set up a road block while the remainder walked into Dungloe and began searching and questioning every man attending the chapel. Denis (Donncha) McNelis, divisional engineer, had been working through the night with a few others completing a telephone connection between a dugout and safe houses in the area. He was on his way to the chapel at Dungloe when he spotted the RIC and took a sudden detour. Collins was seen pointing him out to Duffy and McNelis was pursued, captured by the police and subjected to a severe beating. McNelis was left on the side of the road and a number of locals and a doctor removed him to a place of safety where he was treated for his wounds. It was obvious Collins was identifying people and locations, as brigade headquarters was also raided, although nothing was found. This was a building attached to a house, which was also raided. Anthony McGinley had been sleeping there, but concealed himself under a bed and evaded capture. However, his revolver was found and Henry Glackin, the house owner, was arrested. (pp. 295-296)

The Volunteers of the 1st northern division were responsible for what was described as the first daylight arms raid ever carried out in the country when they raided an RIC barracks at Drumquinn, County Tyrone. The aftermath of this raid caused some concern for the Volunteers of the Letterkenny Company when local RIC District Inspector Walsh informed Dr J. P. McGinley that some of the Volunteers, including him, were identified, but this took another twist when Walsh also declared that he was one of Michael Collins' spies and he proved to be a valuable asset for the local Volunteers. (p. 309)