Great interview Barry. Fascinating. My own great grandfather was from Castleisland, Co. Kerry, who had been imprisoned in 1918 for organising volunteer drills and sent to Crumlin Rd, Belfast. He met his future wife while in prison, a CnamB member from falls/Shankill area who used to provide outside support to the prisoners. After being released in 1919, he rejoined the fight in Kerry. He was anti treaty during civil war, and surrendered with his men after Ballyseede, as he wanted to save them from the same fate. He was shunned by his comrades for this Kerry and so went back to Belfast afterwards where he spent the rest of his life. One of the few that ended up going in the opposite direction than most accross the border at tbe time.
Great interview Barry. Fascinating. My own great grandfather was from Castleisland, Co. Kerry, who had been imprisoned in 1918 for organising volunteer drills and sent to Crumlin Rd, Belfast. He met his future wife while in prison, a CnamB member from falls/Shankill area who used to provide outside support to the prisoners. After being released in 1919, he rejoined the fight in Kerry. He was anti treaty during civil war, and surrendered with his men after Ballyseede, as he wanted to save them from the same fate. He was shunned by his comrades for this Kerry and so went back to Belfast afterwards where he spent the rest of his life. One of the few that ended up going in the opposite direction than most accross the border at tbe time.