Irish Civil War: 'Mollie got mental and is definitely mental since' — Kerry pensions data reveals the deep trauma of the conflict

Petitions for pensions or compensation tell hidden stories of the long-term suffering of people caught up in the Civil War in Kerry

The Ballyseedy memorial to eight Republican prisoners massacred by Free State troops. The sole survivor petitioned for a pension for Mollie O'Shea, the grieving sister of one of the victims. Picture: Domnick Walsh

While the story of the combatants involved in the most violent episodes in Kerry has been well documented, the impact of their deaths and injuries on their families and survivors remained the untold story of the conflict for generations.

Thanks to the availability of the pension and allowance applications held in the Military Service Pension Collection — many of which have been digitised and made so accessible in recent years — we can begin to develop an appreciation of the previously understated but very significant suffering and trauma which the Civil War caused for families and ordinary civilians who were connected to the conflict.