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fll2je $our@ Siege of y the authority of the Provis- deserted. They were a challenge to ional Government, Michael curiosity. The first to enter the New Brennan of Meelick, Co. Barracks were children, whose natural Clare, was given the rank of curiosity led them on a voyage of dis- Major-General with auth- the city. The first to leave were the Black covery. They were followed by their ority over all former members of the and Tans. They changed into civilian dress anxious parents, who were concerned lest Republican Army in Limerick and Clare. and left for Dublin. The month of March their children should come to harm. The As the counties of Limerick and Clare saw the last of the Royal Irish Constab- parents concern was turned to righteous formed part of the ancient kingdom of ulary. They handed in their rifles and indignation on seeing the many objects of Thomond, it was considered right and military stores to the military in the New interest which were not nailed down but proper that a Clareman with a known and Barracks. About four hundred of them left left unguarded. They felt that many such honourable record should be given this by train. They were unarmed but still in objects should be taken to their homes appointment. In the apportionment of uniform. and held in protective custody until lawful honours lesser men envy the great. In May, the Castle Barrack was taken authority demanded their return. Acting Envy was a major cause of the civil over from the Royal Welsh Fusiliers by on this laudable impulse, the parents and war. Those people opposed to the Treaty Michael Brennan of Meelick, Co. Clare, others removed blankets, bedding, tables voted against it in the DCl, and would not acting on the authority of the Provisional and other barrack-room furniture, as well abide by its acceptance. Because of this Government of the Irish Free State. as cooking utensils and other implements opposition they could not share in the Brennan had about sixty men with him in various parts of the barrack. Later in the various appointments given to those who and was joined by Lieut. Collopy and sixty day, several companies of men represen- supported the Treaty. In making these men from the city. Brennan and these ting the Republican interest entered all appointments the Provisional Government latter men later went to Renmore Barr- three barracks and put a stop to all could be most selective without giving acks, Galway, where they merged with the spontaneous altruistic labour. offence to their supporters who valued Western Division under Sean McKeown. When, in a most casual manner, the patriotism before pride. Following the acceptance of the Castle by Diehards took over the New, the Ord- Whether the Treaty was accepted by a Brennan, the other three barracks were nance and the Strand Barracks, their total nine or ninety per cent majority, political evacuated by the British. strength amounted to over five hundred adventurers could see in its acceptance On the departure of the British, the men. Within a week their number had their own eclipse and the exposure of latter three barracks lay silent and swollen to over a thousand men, all of their pretensions. Such adventurers, wise before the event, and wise in the frailties of their comrades, could by shrewd flattery play upon the conceit and fears of those men whose sincerity had led them to oppose the Treaty in principle. It could be pointed out to some that they had sworn an oath of allegiance to the Republic and that acceptance of the Treaty imposed an oath of allegiance to a British king. All who opposed the Treaty because of this oath must be given a General Absolu- tion. They did not know that an oath was a mere formula to be taken with mental reservations. That infamous doctrine had yet to be promulgated. Other men who had cast their vote against the Treaty, on returning to their home territory quickly perceived their loss of status. They had fallen from popular grace and the esteem of their fellow men. They gathered to- gether such malcontents and others as would support them in militant opposition to the expressed will of the people. Following the acceptance of the Treaty, Sinn Fein Ard Fheis delegate card, May 1922. the British garrisons started to evacuate (LimerickMuseum, Free State tenders on Athlunkard Bridge, from the Illustrated London News, 29 July 1922. ~LimerickMuseum~ whom were armed with British Lee their pretensions ever to have done They had nothing to fear as the Tans and Enfield rifles. As day followed day their anything to gain a Republic. R.I.C. had left the country. They held up numbers increased and the position of Coincident with these events, all South- the members of the bank staEf and opened General Brennan became more precarious. ern Irish regiments in the British Army the large safe. They removed bundles of From his homestead in the Clare hills, were disbanded. The Colours of the notes and bags of coins, which they Brennan had watched the castle since his various regiments were escorted into the dumped into two potato sacks. One of the childhood and knew its every weakness. Throne Room of Windsor Castle by sacks burst with the weight of coins, and Now in military command of the castle, he Sergeant Merrimer of the Royal Munster notes and coins were scattered around the knew that he could not hold it. Fusiliers and of Mary Street, Limerick. floor. The manager, who had a precise and A report was circulated in the city that The Colours were presented to His Im- orderly mind, protested against the Brennan was evacuating the castle and perial Majesty George V of Great Britain. scattering of what he called 'litter' around leaving for Dublin on the 10 a.m. train on Emperor of India, Canada, Australia and the premises. The leader of the raiders Friday, 12th May, from the railway station Dominions beyond the seas. agreed that there would have been no in Parnell St. On learning of this report This was Britain's hour of glory. She mess if notes only were removed, but he and believing in its accuracy, four hundred could dictate the terms of a Naval Treaty wanted some small change to pay his Diehards were concealed in the railway to the United States of America. She could patriotic men, who were so eager to station and around Parnell St. They lay in dictate terms to any country in the world. defend the Republic now that the British ambush with the intention of disarming She dictated the terms of the Treaty which were gone. He ordered his men to empty Brennan and his men and taking them created the Irish Free State. the two sacks into the back of the car and prisoner. While the Diehards impatiently return for more, saying, "theres more waited in ambush, Brennan and his men where that came from." left the Castle and marched a mile to the The manager had many years of Long Pavement railway station on the On a bright May morning long ago when training in the stern-faced refusal of credit Clare bank of the Shannon. They were the sun shone down on O'Connell Street, extensions and had hardened his heart now on the Ennis railway line and entrain- two Ford cars pulled up at Number Ninety against the most piteous appeals for ed for Athlone, where they joined General Five. Five men left the cars and three of clemency by bankrupt traders and poor Sean McKeon and eventually reached them entered the Bank of Ireland. Two farmers. Day by day he had rejected the Dublin with the First Western Division of men armed with Thompson sub-machine appeals of presentable looking bums, the National Army. guns remained on guard by the cars - the wasters and chancers for a little overdraft. Limerick city was now in the undisput- well-dressed Patriot always wore a The effort would have exhausted any ed possession of the Republicans, who Thompson gun. They were the Guardian ordinary man, but bank directors select even in the early stage of conflict were Angels of the infant republic. The three only extraordinary men for the post of called Diehard Republicans or simply men who entered the bank waggled their manager. The many years of rugged Diehards, as few people would concede revolvers with joyous carefree abandon. financial warfare had given the manager Free State barricade outside Cruise's Hotel, from the Illustrated London News, 29 July 1922. (LimerickMuseum, an extensive vocabulary, a thesaurus of the men out and demanded and received a fond of music as any other citizen. They inventive expression. When the men receipt for the money taken from the were always to be seen attending concerts returned for more money, he called them bank. As the cars moved up the street, and musical recitals in the People's Park into a conference and made a strong and banknotes of all sizes and colours went and elsewhere. Two of them gave lessons practical appeal to their common sense. floating on the breeze and were collected on the pianoforte and harmonium for a fee The manager gave the men a two by the industrious citizens. The manager of five shillings per week. When the Civil minute lecture on the virtue of thrift, returned to the bank, his heart bowed War started the city jewellers played the saying, "the true patriot is a thrifty down with weight of woe, but memory Gold and Silver Waltz (Lehar).

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