Oglaigh na hEireann (Irish Republican Army). Special Communi...

Hammer

€340

Oglaigh na hEireann (Irish Republican Army). Special Communique issued by the Army Council, dated 10 September 1941. Tall narrow folio, 4 pp (single folded sheet), one corner frayed without loss. A remarkable document, stating that Stephen Hayes, Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army, has been arrested [by the IRA itself], charged with treachery and conspiracy to betray the Republic, imprisoned and sentenced to death, and that he has 'expressed a desire to make a complete confession'. The remainder of the document is taken up with his alleged confession, which states that he had discussions with Dr. James Ryan, Minister for Agriculture, [Garda] Chief Superintendent Martin Lynch and others about IRA plans and activities. It claims that Dr. Ryan incited the IRA to carry out the arms raid on the Magazine Fort, so that the Government could move against certain Irish Army officers whom it wished to remove, that he encouraged the IRA to raid banks for funds, and much else.

* Hayes escaped from IRA custody and issued his own account of these events (published in full in 'The Bell'), alleging that his 'confession' was secured by torture. The truth of the whole affair was never fully cleared up, but it seems likely that there was some contact between Hayes and Dr. Ryan and others, in the general context of divisions within the IRA about Sean Russell's bombing campaign in England. This IRA statement was suppressed and is rare. (1)