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To the memory of Constance Cowley and Bob Fuquea.
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THE SHADOW WAR
The Shadow War: Michael Collins and the Politics of
Violence
Joseph E. A. Connell Jnr
East wood
To the memory of Constance Cowley and Bob Fuquea.
Each inspired me.
May they rest in peace.
First published in 2019 Eastwood Books,
an imprint of the Wordwell Group.
Unit 9, 78 Furze Road, Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin 18 www. eastwoodbooks. com
www. wordwellbooks. com
© Copyright text: the author, 2019
© Copyright design and layout: Wordwell Ltd
Cover image— Back cover—
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or otherwise without either the prior written consent of the publishers or a licence permitting restricted copying in Ireland issued by the Irish Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, The Writers’ Centre, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.
ISBN 978-1-9161375-0-9
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Typeset in Ireland by Wordwell Ltd Copy-editor: Emer Condit
Cover design and artwork: Wordwell Ltd Printed by Grá ficas Castuera, Pamplona
Contents
Acknowledgements vi
Overview: From Frongoch to the Truce 1
1. Moving towards war: 1916–18 29
2. Guerrilla war—war in the shadows 49
3. Politics is the goal—war is the means 103
4. Propaganda—a war of words 167
5. Intelligence—a war of secrets 205
6. Terror—propaganda by the deed 253
7. From Truce to Treaty 301
8. Conclusion: Aftermath and influence of the 331
Irish War of Independence
Bibliography 361
Index 403
Acknowledgements
I must thank my parents for everything; without them I would have had no such love for Ireland. My brothers and sister and their families supported me at all times.
I am most grateful to Wordwell Ltd, and it has been a pleasure to work with Nick Maxwell, Dr Una MacConville, Ronan Colgan, Helen Dunne and everyone at the publishing house. Emer Condit is a wonderful editor and I cannot thank her enough. Everyone at Wordwell has given polish to my efforts and all their assistance is most appreciated.
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Clare Cowley started helping with research, and helped on everything thereafter.
I thank Michael Kennedy of the Royal Irish Academy. This book would not have been contemplated without his encouragement.
I am always grateful to Anthony Tierney for his continuing advice and suggestions.
Dr Patrick Geoghehan and Susan Cahill have given me the privilege of a recurring spot on their NewsTalk radio show, Talking History. I have been a guest several times on Myles Dungan’s RTÉ Radio show, The History Show. Dó nal Ó hUallachain always finds time to have me on his show, Looking Back, on Radio Dublin. Carol Dooley has given me many opportunities to talk on her show, Saturday Live, on Sunshine Radio. It has been a joy to work with them all over the years and I am most grateful.
Mí cheá l Ó Doibhilí n, the editor of www. kilmainhamtales. ie, has let me submit articles for his site and has published my books under his imprint. I am always pleased with his editing and guidance.
Tommy Graham of History Ireland has been most encouraging and helpful. I am indebted to him for allowing me to write a column, 100Years Ago, in History Ireland.
All of them have a respect for those men and women of the revolutionary years, and have given me great assistance and support.
Everyone knows that I am technologically illiterate. I simply could not have prepared a manuscript without the gracious help of Lou Yovin.
I have always been welcomed throughout Ireland with the greatest kindness and hospitality, and I thank everyone with whom I’ve spoken. I
assure you that those feelings are returned with the deepest and most lasting affection.
Those who have helped and encouraged me are too numerous to mention and I thank them all. Everyone I asked always gave me assistance, reassurance and direction; all heartened me when I needed that most, and from time to time most fed me when I needed that most, too. At the risk of offending someone I omit, I must especially mention Ray Bateson, Á ine Broy, Bob Clarke, Marie Coleman, Lorcan Collins, C. B. Connell, Briny M. Connell, Molly Connell, Revd Paul Connell, Carla Cowley-Ralph, John Dorney, Tom and Mary Duffy, Sgt Wayne Fitzgerald, Col. David Fuquea, Liz Gillis, Marcus Howard, Lar Joye, Peggy Keating, Dermot McEvoy, Frank MacGabhann, Jim McIlmurray, Mary Mackey, Brenda Malone, Barbara and Dominic Montaldi, Gregory O’Connor, Pó l Ó Murchú, Lord Mayor Nial Ring, Detta and Seá n Spellissy, and Padraic Yeates.
And Pam Brewster for all things.
While I have been given a great deal of assistance, all mistakes are mine alone.
Overview: From Frongoch to the Truce
Ireland’s story from 1918 to 1921 may be summed up as the story of a struggle between our determination to govern ourselves and to get rid of British government and the British determination to prevent us from doing either. It was a struggle between two rival Governments, the one an Irish Government resting on the will of the people and the other an alien Government depending for its existence upon military force—the one gathering more and more authority, the other steadily losing ground.
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