The undercover war: spies in Cork were not shot on mere suspicion

I WATCHED with interest the recent edition of Hidden History (RTÉ, October 23), entitled ‘The Killings at Coolacrease’.

By allowing both sides of the debate to air their views, the producers ensured that the viewing public would be in a position to make an informed decision on the controversial events at Coolacrease in 1921.

However, I must take issue with one aspect of the programme. While discussing the execution of spies in the region, the presenter made the allegation that “in other parts of the country, notably Cork, alleged informers were shot without much hard evidence”.

As far as Cork was concerned, this is untrue.

In fact, while this unfounded allegation against the IRA in Cork has surfaced before, there is evidence to suggest that the opposite was the case.

Responding to the same accusation in May 1921, the intelligence officer of the First Southern Division reassured GHQ on the matter when he wrote: “I think GHQ has somehow got the idea that in the Cork brigades, and especially in Cork No 1, men are being shot as spies more or less on suspicion. Instead of this, as I am aware myself, the greatest care is taken in every instance to have the case fully proved and beyond doubt.”

Séan Culhane, a leading activist in Cork during the War of Independence, in an interview with Ernie O’Malley, stated that “we were careful that before a spy was shot it had to be a definite case of spying”.

Many years later, the respected military historian, Florence O’Donoghue, recalled that considerable care was taken to ensure the proof was conclusive in the case of spies, and a few escaped justice because of this policy.

While the execution of alleged spies and informers was a contentious issue throughout the War of Independence, it was necessary in order to protect the lives of volunteers, many of whom suffered at the hands of Crown forces while in custody as a result of information supplied by informers.

However, the Cork No 1 Brigade, under the command of Sean O’Hegarty, took every possible step to ensure that the guilt of those suspected of spying was established beyond doubt.

These issues are dealt with in more detail in my recently-published biography of Seán O’Hegarty and in John Borgonova’s publication ‘Spies, Informers and the Anti-Sinn Féin League’.

Kevin Girvin

Ballinora

Waterfall

Co Cork