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  • #16
    Originally posted by johnconnors View Post
    I am doing some research into the life of Sean Hogan from Tipperary and of Soloheadbeg and Knocklong rescue fame. He lived out the later years of his life in Dublin and died in no 18 Nr Gt Georges St on Christmas eve 1968. Is there anyone who might have any information about him from that period. Or a photo of no 18 when it was still a tenement building. Any help greatly appreciated.
    145 North Great Georges Street the best I can do. Pix of that street are hens teeth.
    Attached Files
    We'll sail be the tide....aarghhhh !!

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    • #17
      From the Subject Information Summary of Hogan's claim for disability pension, we dont really have to scour through all the documents when it has been done for us on page one of Hogan's Military Service Pension file.

      The extract below shows what operations he claims he was engaged in and interestingly enough his time in Dublin is quite short (Sep / Oct 1919 - July 1920) unless I've missed something.....that's less than one year.

      Hogan states he was attached to the GHQ squad, Dublin from September or October 1919 when he came to Dublin.
      But no details. Not even Ashtown.

      The Military Service Registration Board notes Hogan took part in "squad" operations in Dublin and Tipperary.
      Again no details...not even Ashtown.

      Claims that he was appointed Officer Commanding , 6 Battalion in July 1920. Says that he took part in engagements in Ballyporeen, Clogheen, Kiltangin (February 1921), Ardfinane (March 1921), Tubrid and Hollyford. Hogan claims that he was full-time through the Truce (12 July 1921 - 30 June 1922).
      Plenty of detail here though.

      Mentions that he went to Northern Ireland (Tyrone and Belfast) in September and October [1921].
      Detail here.

      Hogan states that in early 1922 he and Breen went to United States of America and London in order to collect arms. Dan Breen, in his sworn statement says Hogan was with him in Northern Ireland but that he was in London with Bill Doherty and Jerry Keily.
      Detail here too.

      Claims that in May 1922 he was among those who surrounded the RIC barracks at Annacarty which was held by Colonel Carew of the National Forces.
      Some detail here too.

      Dan Breen states that Hogan was injured while running dispatches to County Waterford in August 1922 and that he was involved in intelligence work for headquarters, Dublin.
      Detail here too.

      Says that he was imprisoned in Mountjoy in February 1923 and released in September or October 1923.
      Then Mountjoy detail.....but absolutely no details of Dublin ops.
      We'll sail be the tide....aarghhhh !!

      Comment


      • #18
        FROM HERE; http://www.dublinforum.net/forum/sho...&postcount=574

        Ryan gave his assessment at a remove of 30 years, by which time it was given from the view point of a professional soldier-- which in 1921, none of these fellas were.
        Thirty seven years to be fair.....but Im not quite sure what difference that makes. In 1953 Ryan relates to his opinion in 1920 when he highly recommended Hogan for the o/c 2nd Tipp Flying Column job, and had no doubt he was the bee's knees ...... and acknowledges Robinson's warning, that he would regret the day he helped Hogan get promoted. Things pootled along until at one point BREEN
        went to Tipp and started to chivvy things up a bit.

        But the main point here is that Ryan was starting to believe what Robinson had said before Hogan took over the column.....
        By early 1921, Hogan's subordinates were starting to share Robinson's doubts......He said:
        Robinson, however, knew Hogan rather better than I did, and his remarks to me on this occasion showed his wisdom, He said, "If you insist in handing over the Battalion to Hogan, you will regret it". I could not see any reason why I should ever regret such a thing at the time, and so Hogan was
        appointed to the command of the 6th Battalion.Fighting as an individual for Ireland meant everything to me, rank and command meant nothing.
        A number of us were dissatisfied with Hogan's leadership, Thomas Ryan admitted.
        There were about twelve or fourteen of the column who wanted me to take over the leadership because they felt that Hogan was lacking common sense and we were tired of being continuously hunted.
        Nevertheless Hogan remained in charge of his column and, by the time the truce came about in July 1921, they had failed to pull off even ONE successful ambush.
        Two things that I take into account as well-- the generation gap and where loyalties fell in the civil war.
        Can you expand on that for me please ?.

        I began to get a bit sceptical of Ryan's take on things when I read in his statement that the leadership of the column was his gift to accept but because he was doing ok with his farming a cattle jobbing he could not devote to it full time
        Mind you he wasn't slow in coming forward when he volunteered to be Vice Commandant of the battalion that was formed by Treacy.
        He said:
        I was Officer Commanding the 6th Battalion from about May, 1920, until November,, 1920. I also acted as Battalion 0/C for a period in 1919. This was in the absence of Ned McGrath, who was Battalion Commander and who was imprisoned during these periods.
        He said, as ladrigan had little to do and he himself had a large farm to run, it was better that Ladrigan took over from him. And yet again he took over from ladrigan when he was arrested. So I wouldn't say he was making excuses or shirking any responsibility in any way.

        and also-- he didn't want to be in a position where he would have to make decisions that would result in anyone getting killed.
        I dont think that's quite what he said.... It was more a case of having no experience in the field...He HAD NOT seen any action whatever....and felt he was not sufficiently qualified to lead a band of men against a well trained enemy....In fact he is at pains to explain all this in his witness statement, allotting 3/5 pages to that one subject....the subject of his own inadequacy.....and imo, you can;t get any more honest than that.

        The WoI was full of people who would have made great officers if a war could be fought without anyone getting killed.
        Of course....but did that make them bad soldiers ?.

        Mossy McGrath's statement give a balance to Ryan's view
        There's no doubt he liked his boss.

        while that of Dick Dalton is probably the fairest and most balanced while still being critical of Hogan.
        Couldn't find any criticism leveled at Hogan.

        The survival of the column alone, right in the centre of one of the most militarized areas, suffering the loss of only one member to arrest, was an achievement in itself...
        I guess it was ....when they weren't doing much in the way of challenging the enemy.

        Cumbersome command structures, poor intellegence, fear of reprisals by local company officers, all contributed to the ineffectiveness of no 2 column. Not forgetting of course that they were actually in existance for a very short period of the WOI.
        And ineffective they were....that's not to say they weren't brave boys right enough....perhaps it was the leadership after all.
        Last edited by DAMNTHEWEATHER; 16-11-2017, 11:16 PM.
        We'll sail be the tide....aarghhhh !!

        Comment


        • #19
          Originally posted by DAMNTHEWEATHER View Post
          FROM HERE; http://www.dublinforum.net/forum/sho...&postcount=574

          Thirty seven years to be fair.....but Im not quite sure what difference that makes. In 1953 Ryan relates to his opinion in 1920 when he highly recommended Hogan for the o/c 2nd Tipp Flying Column job, and had no doubt he was the bee's knees ...... and acknowledges Robinson's warning, that he would regret the day he helped Hogan get promoted. Things pootled along until at one point BREEN
          went to Tipp and started to chivvy things up a bit.

          But the main point here is that Ryan was starting to believe what Robinson had said before Hogan took over the column.....
          By early 1921, Hogan's subordinates were starting to share Robinson's doubts......He said:








          Can you expand on that for me please ?.

          Mind you he wasn't slow in coming forward when he volunteered to be Vice Commandant of the battalion that was formed by Treacy.
          He said:
          He said, as ladrigan had little to do and he himself had a large farm to run, it was better that Ladrigan took over from him. And yet again he took over from ladrigan when he was arrested. So I wouldn't say he was making excuses or shirking any responsibility in any way.

          I dont think that's quite what he said.... It was more a case of having no experience in the field...He HAD NOT seen any action whatever....and felt he was not sufficiently qualified to lead a band of men against a well trained enemy....In fact he is at pains to explain all this in his witness statement, allotting 3/5 pages to that one subject....the subject of his own inadequacy.....and imo, you can;t get any more honest than that.

          Of course....but did that make them bad soldiers ?.

          There's no doubt he liked his boss.

          Couldn't find any criticism leveled at Hogan.

          I guess it was ....when they weren't doing much in the way of challenging the enemy.

          And ineffective they were....that's not to say they weren't brave boys right enough....perhaps it was the leadership after all.
          Sean Hogan with Dev and old pals.

          Knocklong Rescue Team....
          Left; Dan Breen, Dev, Seamus Robinson, JJ O'Brien, Sean Hogan an Ned O'Brien
          Attached Files
          We'll sail be the tide....aarghhhh !!

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