Military History: the killing of D.I O'Sullivan

 One of the worst atrocities of The Troubles in Lisrtowel was the killing of D.I. O'Sullivan.

The following are the statements of two of the men who shot him. The statements are very similar and were probably written jointly.

http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/reels/bmh/BMH.WS1123.pdf 

http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/reels/bmh/BMH.WS0970.pdf

The order to kill O'Sullivan came from GHQ in Dublin. There was reluctance to carry it out and it seemed difficult to find someone with the stomach for the task and the reprisals which would follow. The Listowel unit seemed demoralised at the time and the Newtowsandes unit appears to have been the most hardline in the area. They were also involved in the death of Sir Aurthur Vickers and the burning of his house.

The killing of the D.I.  took place on a Fair day in Listowel. O'Sullivan was known to wear a steel vest as he knew he was a marked man. The statements refer to 14 shots being fired, many of which must have been to the head. Many people have refered to the presence of his child, a young girl at the scene. Different reports had her walking down to meet him as he walked home, or actually holding his hand when he was shot. Other reports say that the child was a boy. The presence of the child at the scene of the atrocity added to the outrage felt in certain quarters at the time.

Below is the statement of John Lenehan from Charles Street. He was convicted of the murder of Inspector O'Sullivan, along with three other men. They were all sentenced to death. They survived only becuse the Truce arrived before the sentences were carried out. As we know from the statements of the men who killed Inspector O'Sullivan, the four men convicted were innocent.

http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/reels/bmh/BMH.WS0968.pdf

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This photo was taken inside the Royal Arch Room, The Grand Lodge and the chapel of Freemason’s Hall in Molesworth Street, Dublin. The Freemasons building was open to the public for Heritage Week. 

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One giant swing....

Neil Armstrong, who passed away at the weekend, playing golf in Ballybunion in 1997. He visited Kerry in 1997 to open a NASA exhibition in the County Museum - and he played golf in Ballybunion which he described as one of his favourite courses. Dan O'Sullivan was captain of Ballybunion Golf Course that year and played a four-ball with him. He describes Neil Armstrong was a real gentleman.

On July 21 1969 this was the front page of The New York Times

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In Listowel for Heritage Week there was a talk in The Seanchaí on Kerry's political dynasties.

Jer. was there with his  camera and he took these 2 photos.