12 replies to this topic

[BLee]

Looking for information on Kyran Dunphy, R.I.C. Sergeant, shot dead in Limerick on the 19^thof May 1920. He had served during WW1 with the Leinster Regiment. The link below is to the GWGC for K Y Dunphy, died 19^th May 1920. I am trying to find out if this is the same men and if so was he a policeman or a soldier when he died.

http://www.cwgc.org/...DUNPHY,%20K%20P

[Messines17]

BLee, on 07 February 2012 - 02:02 PM, said:

Looking for information on Kyran Dunphy, R.I.C. Sergeant, shot dead in Limerick on the 19^thof May 1920. He had served during WW1 with the Leinster Regiment. The link below is to the GWGC for K Y Dunphy, died 19^th May 1920. I am trying to find out if this is the same men and if so was he a policeman or a soldier when he died.

http://www.cwgc.org/...DUNPHY,%20K%20P

Its looking like they are one and the same man.

Newspapers have the R.I.C. man's name as "Kearan", they  also mentioned he served with "commissioned  rank" during the War. This would make sence seeing that the Leinster Regiment man was an Officer.

Hope this is off some help.

Stephen

[corisande]

The Freeman's report on 20 May 1920 says he was single, aged 32 and had been commissioned during the war.

Have you checked LG to see if and when he relinquished his commission.

The fact he has a CWGC recognition does not necessarily mean he was a serving soldier - I have come across a couple of examples where the man was a policeman, but somehow "managed" to get CWGC recognition

[corisande]

He was buried at Cullohill Church, Queens County

Which means this is probably him in 1911 census -click

And in 1901 census click

[corisande]

You can see from CWGC that that man had MC

London Gazette promotion Leins. E. — Temp. 2nd Lt. K. Dunphy, M.C.,to be temp. Lt. 1st Sept. 1918.

London Gazette 18 Jan 1918
T./2nd Lt. Kyran Dunphy, Leins. R., Spec.
Res.
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Whilst in charge of his platoon he attempted
to rush a strong point and suffered heavy losses, whereupon he placed the remaining men under cover, went forward - alone and tried to knock out the machine gun which was causing the damage. Whilst doing this he was badly wounded. He set a splendid example of grit and devotion to,duty.

[corisande]

There is a discussion about him on this link and include this from local press. It confused them too that he had CWGC recognition

Sgt. Kyran Dunphy, a native of Cullohill, was shot and killed at 5pm on 19 May 1920, in Mallow Street, Limerick. Led by Captain Michael Hartney, three members of B Company Limerick City Battalion of the I.R.A., ambushed two policemen. Sgt. Dunphy was killed outright, having been shot in the head. He had joined the Leinster regiment in May 1916 and served in the First World War. At his death Sgt. Dunphy was 32 years of age and had served eight years in the police having rejoined the R.I.C. on 18 October 1919. Sgt. Patrick Hearty, the other policeman injured in the attack, died of his wounds on 22 June.

[corisande]

His service is a bit obscure - I could not find a MIC, always a "bad" sign when someone is shot in Ireland. Either it has been pulled or mislabeled (OK to save the pedants adding it, it might have been lost, but unlikely)

I realise it is not much good to you, but his file is at TNA at  WO 339/76820

{ADDED}
I found his commission 1 Mar 1917 Cadet to to temp 2nd Lt

and the curious one this LG of 16 Nov 1921 shows him resigning his commission click for LG

[BLee]

Thank you corisande, I had a lot of information on him, the MC citation is an interesting addition. The thing I am really stuck on is why he is listed on CWGC, I guess he could have just slipped on as he was shot only seven months after he left the Army.

[corisande]

See the addition I made to my previous post giving him resigning his commission after he died.

You probably know why I am interested in him now. It is looking more probably to me that he was actually still in the army and was probably working in Intelligence. These things are so opaque that his file when read may not help. His missing MIC is also pointing to that

[ADDED]
You could also look at the witness statements of Limerick IRA who seem to have made them

[corisande]

He did actually join the RIC in 1911, but I have no idea whether he re-joined after WW1 or was still in the army.

He appears to have been commissioned in 1917 as a Cadet rather than from the ranks

The signing him off in 1921 is a lot more, I think, than just tidying up the books

[museumtom]

From 'The Laois War Dead'

DUNPHY, K P. Rank: Lieutenant. Regiment or Service: Leinster Regiment.
Unit;2nd Battalion. Date of Death:19-May-1920. He won the Military Cross and is listed in the London Gazette.
Nationalist and Leinster Times.
The Late Sergeant Dunphy.
The remains of the late Sergeant Kieran Dunphy, Cullohill, Rathdowney, who was shot dead in Limerick on Wednesday evening last were brought by motor to his native place on Friday afternoon, and placed in the church, where they lay overnight. On the following (Saturday) morning, Requiem Office and High Mass were celebrated for the repose of his soul, after which the funeral, which was of large dimensions, left for Durrow, where internment took place. The death of Sergeant Dunphy, who was only 32 years of age, is very much regretted, and sympathy is extended to his family who are large farmers residing in Cullohill.
Grave or Memorial Reference:In the South West part. Cemetery: Durrow Catholic Churchyard in County Laois.

[jdoyle]

Toomey has him as shot in an ambush alongside Sgt Patrick Hearty outside a Dr Roberts house. Dunphy appears to have died in Limerick; Hearty was taken to Dublin where he died of wounds.

Igoe appears to have made a statement at Hearty's inquest according to Toomey.


Limerick's Fighting Story 1916-21 lists the other policeman as Sgt Harty


A very brief mention of Hearty and Dunphy in this article re the RIC in Limerick

http://limerickcity....nsolidation.pdf

[P. J. Clarke]

jdoyle, on 07 February 2012 - 09:01 PM, said:

Toomey has him as shot in an ambush alongside Sgt Patrick Hearty outside a Dr Roberts house. Dunphy appears to have died in Limerick; Hearty was taken to Dublin where he died of wounds.

Igoe appears to have made a statement at Hearty's inquest according to Toomey.


Limerick's Fighting Story 1916-21 lists the other policeman as Sgt Harty


A very brief mention of Hearty and Dunphy in this article re the RIC in Limerick

http://limerickcity....nsolidation.pdf


In my book "Mayo Comrades of the Great War, 1914-1919" there is a mention of this man -- Lieut. Kyran Dunphy, Military Medal, Leinster Regiment. He was a Constable in Castlebar, Co. Mayo.