A memorial plaque commemorating three IRA volunteers executed in the civil war will be unveiled in its new location at 1pm on April the 29th, to mark the centenary of their executions.
The plaque honours volunteers Patrick Mahony, Christopher Quinn and William O’Shaughnessy. The three were arrested following the killing of Free State private Canty in Ennis on the 21st of April 1923.
Despite all three protesting their innocence, Patrick Mahony was executed by firing squad in the Home Barracks, Ennis on April the 26th. The previous day the incoming chief of staff of the IRA Frank Aiken, had ordered the IRA to ceasefire from the 30th of April. Despite this, Christopher Quinn and William O’Shaughnessy were executed on the 2nd of May. Both were just 18 years of age.
The plaque in their memory was originally erected on a wall in the Braid’s centre, the site of the former barracks, on Station Road in 2003, to mark the men’s 80th anniversary. When the wall was knocked during the building of the inner relief road, the plaque was removed causing people to be concerned as to it’s fate. However, the plaque was reinstalled on the wall of the newly renamed Old Gaol Road in May of 2013, marking the 90th anniversary of the executions. This wall too was demolished during building work and the plaque was again rescued by Sinn Féin.
The new unveiling ceremony will be chaired by Ennis Sinn Féin chairperson Tommy Guilfoyle who described it as an honour. “The memories of Patrick, Christopher and William are held dear by Sinn Féin. We remember their sacrifice every year when we hold our Easter Rising commemoration at their graveside in Drumcliffe cemetery”.
“It’s been disappointing that the plaque has had to be removed twice now, so we were determined to put it back up on their centenary. I’d like to thank the council as well who have accommodated us in retrieving the plaque and reinstalling it both times,” Mr Guilfoyle said.
The guest speaker at the event will be Sinn Féin historian Mícheál Mac Donncha who has written about the three men. Mícheál says of the executions, “the Irish Civil War was effectively over. The chief of staff Liam lynch was killed in a gun battle in the Knockmealdown mountains in Tipperary on April the 10th and a ceasefire had then been declared. So, these executions could and should have been cancelled. They were carried out as acts of reprisal by the Free State government.
In the case of Christopher Quinn and William O’Shaughnessy, the ceasefire had already come into effect when they were put to death. They were the last 3 of 77 IRA volunteers who were executed during this horrible period in Irish history. I’m glad Sinn Féin in Clare keep their memories alive and that I could play a part in the marking of their centenary”.
The unveiling will take place on the Old Gaol road near the Station road junction, and is open to the public.