Comments on: Jim Harpur’s Active Service Unit Certificate

By: vincent keane

vincent keane — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 15:06:58 +0000

Hi all, Just an observation on the ASU list on Jim Harpurs certificate. There are two names on that list, Rodney Murphy and Leo Murray, that were shot in bed at Stillorgan in 1922, by a squad of Free State Army officers from Portobello barracks, led by Col. Niall MacNeill, son of Eoin McNeill. MacNeill had also been these men’s brigade adjutant in the S. Dublin Brigade up to the Treaty of 1921. This is evidence from the coroners court from that time. Regards, Vincent

By: Ronan Caffrey

Ronan Caffrey — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 17:21:34 +0000

Hi, My granddad is on this list as well. Sean Caffrey, we to have this as well. Granddad died in 1987 so I had time to talk to him. I thought the crosses indicated people who were killed on active service but that’s not the case. This was produced in 1966 to celebrate 50th anniversary of 1916 and the crosses indicate people who were deceased by 1966.

Regards

Ronan

By: pete

pete — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:35:49 +0000

Hi Donncha, sadly I never met the man – he died when I was a few months old. He was a very interesting guy. There’s a very old newspaper article showing him taking control of Beggers Bush Barracks from the British Army, wearing the very first uniform made for the newly-formed Irish Army. The uniform itself was found in my Granny’s attic years later, but taken to the tip by my silly aunt, along with numerous others he had over the years. A great loss to the National Museum!

By: Donncha

Donncha — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:42:34 +0000

Wow, that’s a piece of history there, and a reminder of different times.

Did you ever meet your grandfather? Did he talk about that time?