Irish Civil War: State executed twice as many republicans as the British had done in 1916-1921

Even after it passed the 'Public Safety Bill', there was no legal standing for the Provisional Government’s killings of a further 81 republican prisoners

A National Army commander sought, and got, permission from HQ to execute three prisoners after a train line was blown up in Co Kerry. State forces executed 83 men, 81 of them after the 'Public Safety Bill' was passed. Picture: Sean Sexton/Getty

On the morning of November 17, 1922, the mother of John Gaffney, an anti-Treaty IRA member and 21 year old electrician at Dublin Corporation, was preparing a food parcel for her son.

He had been arrested by National Army troops three weeks earlier, carrying a revolver, and was held in Kilmainham Gaol. She had set out to post her parcel when she saw a ‘Stop Press’ newspaper notice in the streets.