Liam Lynch: The story of a ‘gifted guerilla commander’ (2024)

Historian and academic Gerard Shannon has just launched what's only the third book written on Lynch.

“I have often felt it’s rather incredible that my book is only the third lengthy biography on his life in the last century. The first biography by Lynch's comrade, Florence O'Donoghue, published in 1954 and the second by Meda Ryan in 1986,” Mr Shannon said.

While both publications have done much in helping us understand Lynch, since Ryan's book there’s been a huge abundance of archival material that's become newly available, such as personal papers of contemporaries of Lynch's like Ernie O'Malley and Moss Twomey, and the release of the Bureau of Military History witness statements.

Mr Shannon said: “All these sources helped me create a more nuanced, detailed perspective of who he was and what motivated him in certain decisions he made and actions he took during the War of Independence and Civil War. My goal with the book is to explore the very human individual behind the icon. This is particularly important in light of the centenary of his death."

Lynch’s background, growing up in rural Anglesborough, Co. Limerick, revealed an early republican influence. His father was a Fenian, his mother was in the Ladies Land League. A forgotten figure from Lynch's early life is his godmother, Hanna Cleary, a distant cousin, and Lynch often borrowed books on revolutionary Irish history from her.

“One of the most interesting revelations to me was he was supporter of John Redmond before the Easter Rising, an aspect of his past Lynch himself later derided to others,” the author said.

Mr Shannon said ‘many accounts’ of Lynch’s life suggest he was a self-serious man with a 'priestly' demeanour to everyone, but mostly a private individual.

“The recollections and memoirs of those closest to him reveal a warm, intelligent, often humorous, and very likeable individual. Some details always remain elusive. His fiancée, Bridie Keyes, seemed to be like Lynch, a private and quiet person,” Mr Shannon said.

Working in Fermoy at the time of the Easter Rising, Lynch witnessed the arrest of Cork Volunteer leader Thomas Kent - later executed by the British. This, Mr Shannon said, radicalised Lynch into the republican cause.

Lynch gained an extraordinary belief in the righteousness of the fight for the Irish Republic, and this gave him a powerful sense of self-belief. Just over a year after the Easter Rising he wrote the words with which he is most famously associated, 'We have declared for an Irish Republic and will not live under any other law.'

Mr Shannon said:

It’s truly remarkable he became such a gifted guerrilla commander despite no formal soldiering experience. He was in many ways the exemplary Irish Volunteer.

"Contemporaries noted frequently how Lynch went up and down his battalion and later, brigade area, and got to know each Volunteer and held meetings where he listened to their suggestions.”

As he moved up the ranks, eventually becoming O/C of the IRA's Cork No. 2 Brigade and later, the O/C of the IRA'S First Southern Division, Liam Lynch later cultivated a huge reputation amongst his comrades, especially after masterminding major actions against the British during the War of Independence, including the arms raid on the British barracks in Fermoy, Co. Cork, the kidnap of General Lucas in the same town and the flying column attack on Mallow barracks.

Mr Shannon said while opposed to the Treaty, seeing it as a betrayal of the Irish Republic, Lynch was desperate to prevent a permanent split with his comrades in the War of Independence IRA.

“Lynch was little prepared for the outbreak of the Civil War, having being occupied with conferences with some on the Anti-Treaty side who had come to regard him and his allies as moderates. Lynch wanted to find means for the IRA to continue the fight and regain the initiative. His most effective tactic was for the IRA return to guerrilla tactics, which even the Free State admitted had been effective by the end of 1922,” he said.

He pointed out that Lynch spent much of the Civil War trying to get heavy artillery from contacts in Europe and America.

“Then of course, his response to the executions of republican prisoners, in the form of orders for reprisals, was most effectively seen in targeting the homes of high-profile Free State supporters. Until Lynch was killed, it's important to note he still commanded the respect of his officers and was seen as a source of strength for them,” the author added.

However, Mr Shannon said by then “Lynch's heart was definitely not in the fight”. “He knew it was a very different conflict to the previous conflict. He wrote to his brother, Tom, in September 1922, that he wished 'English hounds tracked me down than old comrades false to their allegiance... who could have dreamt all our hopes could have been so blighted?'

As one contemporary summed up, "with Liam's death I knew the end of the civil war had come. Only his iron will had kept it going these last few months".

“I am always struck when people say Liam Lynch is forgotten. He is one of the most commemorated figures of the period. At different times of year, whether at his grave on the outskirts of Fermoy, or Newcastle village, outside his birthplace in Co. Limerick, or at the memorial tower in the Knockmealdown Mountains, he's remembered.

"For a figure of such stature, commemoration of him will endure far beyond the centenary of his death. His importance as a symbol of Irish republicanism, along with his contribution to the fight for Irish independence, is the most important aspect of his legacy today,” Mr Shannon said.

His book is printed by Merrion Press and retails at €19.99.

Art exhibition

A grandniece of Liam Lynch is putting together unique art exhibitions to his memory, one of which will be held in a former railway ‘coal shed’ in Fermoy, Co. Cork from April 2 -12.

Award-winning artist Dolores Lyne’s exhibition is inspired by "a treasure trove" of letters written to Lynch by his brother, Tom, from 1917 – 1923. Tom was "a safe confidant" of Lynch, with them writing to each other about the most dramatic and tragic events of the revolutionary’s life.

They were found in a trunk delivered back to relatives following Tom’s death in Australia in the 1950s. Ms Lyne traced them back to the locations where they were written, visiting the remote hill farms and many safe houses that provided sanctuary where Lynch was protected.

She met descendants of those who'd sheltered him, who shared their stories with her. Retracing Lynch's steps brought her closer to understanding him.

Her works on canvas focus on stories drawn from the brothers’ correspondence, with the letters brought to life when referencing real places and people only hinted at or concealed behind initials. There is a decoding at last of the real addresses of the people who aided Lynch.

"There's an emphasis on the landscape and memories, of hill communities and the story of rural resistance," Ms Lyne said.

Her research was “greatly assisted” by local communities and historians across Cork, Waterford and Tipperary “who generously gave their time to show me the secret places of the struggle”. The exhibition ‘To The Letter’ will also be presented at Fermoy and Mitchelstown libraries from April 1 – 30 and in the repurposed historic ‘The Coal Shed’ which was moved to the Blackwater Shopping Centre in Fermoy.

Unchanged for more than a century the atmospheric ‘Coal Shed’ directly connects the artworks to Lynch era.

“I’m very grateful to John Finucane for making the stunning building available for the exhibition and Liam Lynch Commemoration Committee volunteers who "be there to provide information on him,” Ms Lyne said.

Commemorative parades

“It’s a long way to Tipperary,” as the famous song goes — especially if you’re planning to come from South America and you have to fundraise to get here.

Members of a pipe band recently formed in Argentina, all descendants of Irish people, are planning to perform in parades to mark the centenary of General Liam Lynch’s death.

There are other bands coming from the USA for the occasion, who will be joined by several local pipe bands for the different ceremonies planned, especially over the Easter weekend in Newcastle, Co. Tipperary, Fermoy, Co. Cork and Anglesborough, Co. Limerick.

The Argentinian contingent, known as the Eamonn Bulfin Legacy Pipe Band and who live in Buenos Aires, are named after the man who became the first Irish Ambassador to Argentina. It's estimated there are a million Argentinians of Irish descent.

Bulfin had been a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) and Irish Volunteers, and he was the man who raised the "Irish Republic" flag over the GPO in Dublin during the 1916 Easter Rising.

Inflation is rampant in Argentina at present and the band, consisting of six pipers and three drummers, are trying to defray their travel costs. Band spokesman Mateus Culleton said flights alone will cost in the region of €1,500 each.

“Unfortunately, Argentina’s poor economic situation and high inflation rates makes it hard for us to gather all the money required. But we’ve gigs ahead to raise some of it,” he said. They are also raising money on their gofundme page.

Meanwhile, three Irish American bands are also travelling for the commemoration - The County Cork Pipe Band and the Sword of Light Pipe Band, both from New York and the New Hampshire Police Pipes & Drums Band. The County Cork Pipe Band was set up by emigrant former IRA Volunteers in the 1930s.

While in Ireland, the four bands will play at commemorative events, one of which is in Cork city on Easter Saturday to mark the 1916 Rising and to remember the tragic killing of Tomás MacCurtáin, whose centenary parade was postponed in 2020 due to the covid lockdown.

Liam Lynch's last moments

A couch in the entrance hallway in a pub in a Co. Tipperary village has been revered for years as probably the most dramatic scene played out at the end of the Civil War.

It is "almost" perfectly preserved in the memory of General Liam Lynch who was laid on it after being mortally wounded by Free State forces just a few miles away.

Many people interested in the War of Independence and Civil War, and are descendants of those who fought in it, have visited Nugent’s pub in the village of Newcastle to see it.

Lynch was shot by Free State forces on the nearby Knockmealdown Mountains on the morning of April 10, 1923. Initially some younger Free State soldiers thought they had shot Eamon DeValera, maybe because of the glasses.

However, Free State Lieutenant Larry Clancy, who went to check on the wounded man had previously seen ‘Dev’ and didn’t think it was him. He asked the wounded man who he was and he replied: “You didn’t get Dev, it’s Liam Lynch, get me a priest and a doctor, I am dying.”

A stretcher was made to bring him down the mountainside and Pro-Treaty troops commandeered a horse and cart to bring Lynch to the pub, which was then known as Walsh’s.

Doctor Joseph Power tended to his wounds which were so significant a local priest gave Lynch the Last Rites and he was given a glass of brandy to ease the pain.

There he told Lt Clancy he wanted to be buried beside his best friend Michael Fitzgerald in Old Kilcrumper Cemetery, Fermoy. Fitzgerald had been captured by the British during the War of Independence three years earlier and died after 66 days on hunger strike in prison.

Clancy, despite now being on the opposite side to Lynch, regarded him as “a great soldier of Ireland, even as my opponent in arms in a regrettable Civil War”. Lynch died in Clonmel hospital at 8.45pm that night. His wish to be buried alongside Fitzgerald in Fermoy was respected.

The Newcastle pub is today owned by Rosaleen Condon (nee Nugent) and she gets many international visitors coming to see the couch. It’s become such an attraction, she created a visitors’ book.

“There are lots of people from Britain and America who come here to see it as well as those from all over Ireland,” Ms Condon said. Irish dignitaries who have signed the book include Bertie Ahern and the late Brian Lenihan junior.

Ironically, at the time Lynch was brought there the pub was known as Walsh’s and was owned by an RIC policeman.

“My father, John Nugent, brought the pub in the 1930s and the couch has barely been touched since,” Ms Condon said. A plaque to commemorate the pub’s role in the Lynch story will be unveiled there on April 10.