Military Terrorism — Random Shots for Three Hours in Tuam — Protestant Deanery Hit — "We Did Not Fire at the B————y House." — Housekeeper's Escape — Republican Flag on Galway Courthouse: More Shots — City Jeweler's Premises Searched

The Connacht Tribune, Saturday, August 21, 1920.

Introduction

Another night of terrorism was experienced by the people of Tuam during Saturday—Sunday night when military shots rang out intermittently for three hours.

The firing commenced at about 1 o'clock a.m., and lasted until about 4am on Sunday morning. Earlier on Saturday night a military patrol paraded the town and discharged several shots which, fortunately, did no harm. As Dr. Hession was returning in a motor—car from Brooklawn he was held up near the town by a military patrol which questioned him afterwards taking him from the motor—car and subjecting him to a thorough personal search. Learning that he was a medical practitioner, they apologized for their conduct and he was allowed to proceed home. A driver who refused to halt when called upon to do so was fired on. The military subsequently went all over the town and shots were fired indiscriminately. A machine—gun was trained on the Deanery, the residence of the Rev. Mr. Orr, Protestant Dean of Tuam, which is directly facing the courthouse, and which was considerabley marked by bullets. One shot went through a bedroom window, penetrating the opposite wall where it struck a wardrobe. The dean and his wife are away at present in Belfast. The deanery was closed up at the time and the blinds were drawn, and there was nobody in the building except the housekeeper, Mrs. Mary Conroy, who had a providential escape, a shot whizzing by the window of the room in which she was dressing herself.

Mrs. Conroy told our representative that when she called to where the military are quartered at the courthouse and complained to the officer in charge, one of the soldiers exclaimed: "We did not fire at the b————y house."

A party of soldiers afterwards paid a visit to the workhouse and kept kicking at the entrance gate for a considerable time. Receiving no answer, they fired several shots over the building, but no damage was done.

Shots in Galway — Republican Flag Over the Courthouse

At midnight on Friday the inhabitants of Galway were startled by shots fired in the vicinity of Earl's Island, where the Dragoon Guards are quartered. Two rifle shots were discharged about a quarter to twelve. These were followed a few minutes later by three other shots, and about 12.30 a single shot was discharged. The shots were evidently fired in the vicinity of the railway embankment, and the following day on the viaduct spanning the Corrib.

A few minutes afterwards a strong mounted detachment of Dragoon Guards turned out, and patrolled the city until morning. The carriers who were engaged in taking the property belonging to the Flintoff—Moore Opera Company from the Town Hall were held up by the patrols and serched, but permitted to proceed to the railway station.

Notwithstanding the vigilance of the military during the night, a Sinn Fein flag was erected on the courthouse, and on Sunday morning the republican tricolor was found floating from the roof of the building, the flag—staff being firmly affixed in the mouth of the huge stone carved lion which, along with the crown and unicorn, ornaments the frontage over the main entrance.

Jeweller's Raided

In the early hours of Saturday morning a force of about forty military and six policemen drew up in motor lorries outside the residence of Mr. Jeremiah Donovan, Dominick St., Galway, and demanded entrance. The premises, with the exception of the rooms of Mrs. Donovan and the maidservants, were searched, and the officer in charge thereupon requested Mr. Donovan to open his jewellery establishment in Williamsgate St. This was done, and a thorough search of the premises made. Nothing was removed in either instance.