An Dáréag Aspal

Réamhrá

‘An Dáréag Aspal’ a thugtar ar dhá fhear déag as ceantar Bhaile Átha an Rí a ndearna cailín óg ocht mbliana déag iad a phiocadh amach as dream d’Óglaigh na hÉireann á rá go raibh siad páirteach san Éirí Amach. Cúisíodh agus ciontaíodh na fir agus rinne siad príosún le chéile. Seo a leanas na fir a raibh ‘An Dáréag Aspal’ de leasainm orthu sa cheantar: Thomas Barrett {Cathair Ruaín}, Michael Donoghue {Ráth Ghoirrgín}, Murty Fahy {Sliabh Rua}, John O’Grady {Sráid na Seaneaglaise}, Michael O’Grady {Sráid na Seaneaglaise}, Jack Hanniffy {Tallyho}, Martin Hansberry {An Ráth Ard}, Michael Higgins {Páirc an Chlampair}, Patch Kennedy {Sliabh Rua}, Tom Kennedy {Sliabh Rua}, James Murray {Doire Uí Dhónaill}, Charlie Whyte {Cathair Ruaín}.

 

Is iomaí ceangal a bhí ag na fir seo lena chéile. Bhí siad ar fad gníomhach in Óglaigh na hÉireann, bhí siad ar an láthair ag an gColáiste Talmhaíochta, i Maigh Fhód agus i mBaile na Creige i rith Sheachtain na Cásca. Bhí deartháireacha ina measc, ba chol ceathracha lena chéile roinnt acu agus cairde a bhí iontu uilig ach ba é an ceangal is mó a bhí eatarthu gur sceith Maisie Shackelton orthu. B’iníon Maisie Shackelton leis an bPreispitéireach a bhí fágtha i bhfeighil Chaisleán Mhaigh Fhód an tráth sin nuair nach raibh cónaí ar mhuintir an tí ann. Bhí sise i láthair i Maigh Fhód i rith Éirí Amach na Cásca nuair a bhí suas le sé chéad óglach ar campa ann. Bhí cuid mhór de na hÓglaigh a mbeadh patról déanta acu ar fud an cheantair, lón bia agus trealaimh á lorg acu. Bhí neart deise ag Maisie na fir sin a thabhairt faoi deara agus chun suntais. Nuair a ligeadh na hÓglaigh saor ón dualgas i mBaile na Creige, chuaigh na fir abhaile agus gabhadh iad taobh istigh de laethanta beaga ina dhiaidh sin gur tugadh go Beairic Bhaile Átha an Rí iad.

D’áitigh Maisie Shackelton nuair a phioc sí amach iad go raibh baint ag na fir leis an Éirí Amach. Coinníodh i bPríosún na Gaillimhe ar dtús iad sular aistríodh go Príosún Chnoc an Arbhair i mBaile Átha Cliath iad, áit a raibh siad á gcoinneáil le linn a dtriail os comhair Cúirt Airm a bhí ar siúl ar feadh trí lá i bPríosún Chill Mhaighneann. Gearradh bliain príosúnachta orthu agus saothar crua lena linn. Aistríodh go Príosún Mhuinseo i mBaile Átha Cliath iad, áit ar chaith siad coicís, agus tugadh as sin go Wormwood Scrubs i Londain iad, mar a raibh siad go ceann seacht mí. Aistríodh as sin arís iad go Lewis Prison i Brighton leis an gcuid eile den phríosúnacht a chur isteach. Is beag acu a labhair ar shaol an phríosúin ach an beagán a labhair, d’inis siad scéalta faoin gcruatan dian agus an crá céasta a fulaingíodh i Wormwood Scrubs agus faoi chúrsaí a bheith níos fearr i Lewis. Is léir ó thuairiscí as Príosún Mhuinseo go raibh gortú os cionn na leathshúile clé ar aon duine dhéag den dáréag agus is é is dócha gurb iad an dream a ghabh iad a rinne sin leo. Is cosúil go raibh an tréimhse a caitheadh i Lewis Prison i bhfad níos fearr. Cothaíodh caidreamh cairdiúil leis an séiplíneach agus le gardaí. Thug an séiplíneach dhá chárta poist de bhronntanas do Jack Hanniffy ar a ligean saor agus é scríofa orthu ‘Get a little frame for this and hang it in your bedroom, God Bless’.

Tá cuntas i litreacha a scríobh Anraoi Ó Beoláin chuig a mhuintir ar an bhfoireann iománaíochta a raibh fir Bhaile Átha an Rí uirthi agus eisean breá sásta a bheith ina chaptaein orthu. Scríobh Kate, máthair Anraoi Uí Bheoláin, cuntas freisin ar an gcaidreamh a bhí aicise leis na fir tar éis iad a ligean saor, mar gheall ar shláinte Anraoi. D’inis fir Bhaile Átha an Rí di go raibh caoi mhaith ar Anraoi agus é chomh mór le teach.

Ligeadh an dáréag fear saor i mí Márta 1917. D’éirigh le Patch agus Tom Kennedy, James Murray agus Charlie Whyte airm as an mBreatain a smugláil isteach go hÉirinn ag teacht ar ais dóibh. Chuaigh siad uilig ar ais lena gcuid complachtaí agus lean den tseirbhís i rith Chogadh na Saoirse. Rinne an dáréag seo íobairt mhór ag féachaint le saoirse a bhaint amach d’Éirinn. Saol simplí a chaith siad, ina bhfir oibre nó ag feirmeoireacht. Chuaigh Michael Higgins agus James Murray ar imirce go Meiriceá agus maraíodh Martin Hansberry go tragóideach sé mhí tar éis a ligean amach as an bpríosún nuair a scaoileadh de thimpiste é agus é amuigh ag foghlaeireacht.

Is maith a oireann an méid a scríobh Liam Ó Maoilíosa faoi na fir a bhí leis i nGaillimh don dáréag fear as Baile Átha an Rí ar a dtugtar an Dáreag Aspal: ‘There are men and women in Ireland today, compared with whom, I am nothing. Many of them are poor, almost all are, most of them are unheard of and yet their work for Ireland deserves to be known. It will never be in our day anyway in all probability but it is to them, the thanks of future generations of the Irish people will be due. They gave their all in silence, seeking no reward and getting none. Dreamers, fanatics, intransigents, fools, yes but unconquerable and sublime

These men were connected on many levels. all were active members of The irish Volunteers, were present at the Agricultural College, Moyode and Limepark during Easter Week. Some were brothers, others cousins, all were friends but ultimately their main connection was the betrayal of them by Maisie Shackelton. Maisie Shackelton was the daughter of the presbyterian caretaker who remained in charge of the then unoccupied Moyode Castle. She was present at Moyode during the Easter Rising when up to six hundred volunteers were camped there. Many of the Volunteers would have patrolled the area, foraging for supplies and food. Maisie had ample opportunity to take note of the men’s identity. Following discharge from duties at Limepark the Volunteers returned home and were subsequently arrested within days and taken to Athenry Barracks.

The men were identified as being involved in The Rising by Miss Shackleton and then held in Galway Gaol, before being transported to Arbor Hill Prison, Dublin, where all twelve men were tried by Military Court Martial, held in Kilmainham Gaol for three days and sentenced to one year in prison with hard labour. They were moved to Mountjoy Prison in Dublin and held for two weeks before being sent to Wormwood Scrubs, in London, where they spent seven months. They were then moved to Lewis Prison in Brighton to serve the remainder of their sentence. Few of the men spoke of the conditions of their imprisonment. However those that did relayed stories of the immense hardship and cruelty endured in Wormwood Scrubs and the then more lenient regime in Lewis. Records from Mountjoy show that eleven of the twelve men had injuries over the left eye which were most probably inflicted by their captors. Their time at Lewis Prison seemed to have been much more bearable. Friendly relationships were formed between the chaplain and guards. The chaplain gifted two postcards to Jack Hanniffy on his release with the inscription ‘Get a little frame for this and hang it in your bedroom, God Bless’.

Letters from Harry Boland to his family, recount stories of the hurling team made up of the Athenry men, in which Harry proudly captained. Harry Boland’s mother kate also wrote of her contact with the men after their release, regarding her son’s state of health. The men from Athenry informed her that Harry was in good form and as big as a house.

The twelve men were released in March 1917. Patch and Tom Kennedy, James Murray and Charlie Whyte managed to smuggle British arms into Ireland on their return. All rejoined their companies and continued their active service during the War of Independence. These twelve men sacrificed much in the pursuit of Irish freedom. They lived simple lives as labourers and farmers. Michael Higgins and James Murray emigrated to America and tragically Martin Hansberry was accidentally shot and killed in a hunting accident, six months after his release from prison.

Words written by Liam mellows about the men who served with him in Galway, aptly describe the twelve men from Athenry who were known as the Twelve Apostles. Mellows wrote ‘ There are men and women in Ireland today, compared with whom, I am nothing. Many of them are poor, almost all are, most of them are unheard of and yet their work for Ireland deserves to be known. It will never be in our day anyway in all probability but it is to them, the thanks of future generations of the Irish people will be due. They gave their all in silence, seeking no reward and getting none. Dreamers, fanatics, intransigents, fools, yes but unconquerable and sublime’

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