Galway In Days Gone By

1922

Deplorable affair

Captain Seán Hurley, formerly quarter-master Mid-Limerick Brigade, I.R.A., attached to the official I.R.A. at the Railway Hotel, Galway, was wounded in the thigh and right wrist on his way from the hotel to the railway station at midnight on Monday last, and was attended by Drs. Sandys and Hanley at the hotel, and removed to a Dublin hospital on Tuesday.

About midnight the citizens were startled by a sudden burst of revolver firing, which recalled the months of terror when the Black and Tans were in charge of the streets at night.

On Tuesday morning it was learned that a deplorable affair had taken place, apparently in an effort on the part of Renmore garrison to recover the key of the magazine at the depot, which the section which supports the Dáil G.H.Q. are said to have taken away with them when they were evicted from the barracks on Wednesday of last week.

Captain Dundon of the West Clare Brigade, I.R.A., had been placed under arrest and detained at Renmore, but it appears that he had not possession of the key at the time.

The following statement was issued from the Railway Hotel on Tuesday afternoon by Col.-Commandant Austin Brennan: “At about twenty to twelve last night I sent Captain Seán Hurley, my quartermaster, to meet an officer coming in off the Dublin mail. When proceeding from the hotel to the platform, a distance of only a few yards, Captain Hurley was arrested by Commandant Duggan, at present in charge of Renmore.

Captain Hurley was asked for some keys of the stores, which he used while in charge of the barracks there. He said that he had no keys and endeavoured to get away. Commandant Duggan told him that he would have to come to the barracks then. Hurley replied that he would not.

Duggan, with eight others, closed in on Hurley, who drew his revolved and fired at the ground to arouse the guard at the hotel. He was fired on by the other party at close range, and received a bullet wound in the thigh, and fell to the ground. Having failed to dispossess him of his revolver, one of the party placed a revolver on his right wrist, and put a bullet through his hand, after which the party deprived him of his weapon.”

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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