Adam's Works on Paper ONILNE Auction Ending August 10th 2020

82 Bidding ends 10am Monday 10 th August 236 COMMANDANT GERALD O’CONNOR, 2ND WESTERN DIVISION, NO.2 BRIGADE, CASTLEREA The personal notebook of Comdt. Gerald O’Connor, including interrogation and interviews with witnesses after the shooting of a woman named Mrs Rogers in a local shop. The accused is listed by one witness to be Fran McDonogh. There is also reference to a dispute between Toby Scally and Sean Ber- gin, in which the latter has publicly accused Mr Scally and his family of ‘giving infor- mation to the enemy of movements of enemy troops’. This is countered by a request by Scally for an enquiry to be launched into the accusation and public investigation; minutes from battalion meetings, etc. Both men were later involved in the Loughglynn Ambush, April 19th 1921 in which Sean Bergin, captain of the Castlerea Battalion was killed by British Troops along with Stephen McDermott. Toby Scally was wounded but managed to escape while a fourth man Joe Satchwell was taken to Athlone where he was brought before the court and sentenced to 15 years penal servitude. He was released on general am- nesty later that year. Loughglynn Ambush On April 19th, 1921 Roger McDermott left his home near Loughlynn wood, to tend to his cattle. Upon leaving he spotted a large convoy of police and military combing the woods and fields nearby. He returned to his house immediately and roused the four IRA men who were in hiding, Sean Bergin, Toby Scally, Joe Satchwell and Ste- phen McDermott. As they made their hasty escape, the men armed themselves with shotguns, Webly revolvers and a Lee Enfield rifle. Progress by the men was slow due to the fact that Bergin had not fully recovered from his bout of pneumonia the year previously and was still in a very weakened state. He pleaded with the others to leave him behind and try and reach safety themselves but they refused. As they headed towards the north side of the woods they were caught by the British soldiers who opened fire. Scally was hit first through the leg and fell into a nearby drain. The others headed for the bank of the river and began to return fire. They hung on until all their ammunition was spent before finally surrendering. Bergin, who was was captain of the Castlerea Battalion of South Roscommon, told the oth- ers he would take responsibility for their actions as head of the party but the British soldiers ignored this and showed little mercy to the men. In the confusion, Scally who was presumed dead managed to get out of the drain and make his way to Glynn house and then beyond to Moyne townland. Bergin, Satchwell and McDermott were taken into custody, beaten and then court-mar- tialled. Bergin and McDermott were sentenced to death. Satchwell was told my Cap- tain McKay ‘You are being taken back to be shot on the square in Castlerea to make an example of you’ (Michael O’Callaghan, For Ireland and Freedom: Roscommon and the fight for Independence 1917-1921, Mercier Press, 2012, p. ) He was brought to an awaiting lorry while McDermott and Bergin were escorted into the nearby woods and shot dead. However, Satchwell was instead brought to Athlone where he was brought before the court and sentenced to 15 years penal servitude. He was released on general amnesty later that year. The wounded Scally who had made his escape, was then met by Gerald O’Connor, battalion commandant in Castlerea. O’Connor had been returning from a meeting of Brigade staff in Rathconnor, Fourmilehouse, the evening before. He took Scally to a nearby house in Cortoon where he was welcomed and received medical atten- tion. Knowing that the area would be searched for Scally’s body, O’Connor had him moved twice more before he was returned to his own home in Cloonaugh where he remained until he fully recovered. € 800 - 1,000