Six Executions in Tuam

Tuam Herald, Saturday, April 14, 1923.

Sequel to Fight Near Headford

The following official report was issued on Wednesday night from G.H.Q. : —

James O'Malley, Oughterard, was charged before a Military Tribunal with having a rifle and ammunition in his possession, without proper authority, at Knocklahard, Co. Galway, on 21st February, 1923.

Francis Cunnane, Kilcoona, Headford, was charged before a Military Tribunal with having possession of a rifle and ammunition at Cluide on 21st February, 1923, without proper authority.

Michael Monaghan, Clooneen, Headford, was charged before a Military Tribunal with having possession of a rifle and ammunition at Cluide on 21st February, 1923, without proper authority.

John McGuire, Cross, Cong, was charged before a Military Tribunal with having possession of a rifle and ammunition at Cluide on 21st February, 1923, without proper authority.

Martin Moylan, Farmerstown, Annaghdown, was charged before a Military Tribunal with having possession of a rifle and ammunition at Cluide on 21st February, 1923, without proper authority.

All six prisoners were found guilty. The findings were confirmed in each case, and the prisoners were sentenced to death.

The executions were duly carried out at Tuam on Wednesday at 8am.

A correspondent says that the men were executed in two parties of three. They met their death bravely and unflinchingly and fully reconciled to the Will of God. They had been attended during the night by two of the town priests, and in the morning heard Mass, at which two of them served. The priests subsequently interred in the barrack grounds.

Capture of Armed Party

On February 21, national troops operating from Galway, Tuam, and Claremorris, carried out an extensive sweep of North Galway, as a result of which 61 prisoners were taken. A party of 23 soldiers who left Galway about 8am were advancing across the fields about Cluide, some distance from Castlehackett, about 6am, when they observed figures about some farmhouse. They surrounded these, and, on being challenged some men opened fire on the troops and dashed into the barn.

After a bomb was thrown in by an officer eight men came out and surrendered.

Further skirmishing took place about the farmhouse, and one man was killed and ten others were rounded up in two's and threes. The eighteen were members of an armed party operation in that district who had been much sought for. They were well armed and equipped, and much ammunition were captured with them.