James Spain was a 22-year-old Dubliner and member of the anti-Treaty IRA when he was shot dead by the Free State Army in November 1922. The killing took place in the area then known as Tenters Field off Donore Avenue, only minutes away from where Spain grew up. There is no plaque or monument to mark the spot of this incident. We have previously covered Noel Lemass and William Graham.
James was born on 18 November 1900 to Francis and Christina Spain, both originally from Dublin.
James ‘Jim’ Spain. Image credit – John Spain (grandnephew)
The 1901 census shows that the family were living at 63 Harty Place off Clanbrassil Street Lower. Francis (30) was a boot maker while his wife Christinia (24) looked after their three sons – Joseph (4) Francis Jr. (2) and James (4 months). All were Roman Catholic.
1901 census return for the Spain family
Ten years later the family had moved to 9 Geraldine Square off Donore Avenue. The 1911 census tells us that Francis (41), still a boot maker, and his wife Christina (35) were now living with their six sons and one daughter. These being Joseph (14), Francis Jr. (12), James (10), Annie (7) who were all at school along with Michael (5), John (3) and Patrick (1). Francis had Christina had been married for fifteen years.
1911 census return for the Spain family
At the time of his death in 1922, James Spain was listed as a upholster living at 9 Geraldine Square which corresponds with the census records. Relatives told the subsequent inquest that he had escaped from a military prison three weeks previously. His grave states that he was 1st lieutenant of A Company, 1st Batt. of the Dublin Brigade IRA.
Spain was a part of a 20-30 strong IRA team who launched a major military attack on Wellington Barracks (now Griffith Barracks) on the night of 8 November 1922. The principal attack was delivered at the rear of the barracks while shots were also fired from house-tops in the South Circular Road area.
The Irish Times, the following day, reported that the neighborhood was the:
” scene of a miniature battle. Thompson and Lewis guns answered each other with equal vigour, the sounds of the firing being heard all over the city … For nearly an hour ambulances were busy taking the wounded to hospital.
A total of 18 soldiers were hit. One was killed instantly and 17 were badly injured.
Wellington Barracks on the South Circular Road c. 1900. Credit – National Archives of Ireland
Republicans like Spain tried their best to flea the area and escape arrest. John Dorney writing in The Irish Story summarised that:
The Republicans made their escape across country, through the villages of Kimmage and Crumlin, pursued by Free State troops. They were seen carrying two badly wounded men of their own.
Spain ran north, possibly out of instinct, towards the Donore Avenue area and his home. Witnesses claim that he was dragged out of a house by soldiers and shot in Tenter Fields while the Army’s official version of events claim that he was shot in the Fields after he refused an order to stop running.
The Irish Times of 10 November 1922 reported on the events leading up to his death. Two hours after the attack on the barracks, Spain ran up to 22 Donore Road. Here a woman, Mrs. Doleman, was feeding her birds in the yard. He shouted “for god’s sake, let me in” and fell just as he got inside the gate but managed to make it the kitchen where he collapsed onto a sofa. According to Dolenan, he was only there for a few minutes before a group of Free State soldiers ran into the house and grabbed Spain. Mrs. Doleman heard shots a few minutes after.
Map showing Geraldine Sq. in the top left hand corner (where Spain was grew up), Tenters Field (where Spain was shot) and Susan Terrace beside it (where his body was found)
As often in these cases, this is where the story diverges slightly.
At the inquest, an unnamed member of the Free State Army reported that himself and five riflemen in a Lancia car came across one of the attackers (Spain) in Tenter Fields and “called on him to halt four or five times”. After this request was denied, they shot him and the man fell.
Either way, the body of this young 22 year old local was found at No. 7 Susan Terrace at the edge of Tenter Fields. He had been shot five times.
Susan Terrace today. (Google Street View)
The Irish Independent on 11 November 1922 wrote:
The remains of Mr. James Spain … were last night removed from the Meath Hospital to the Carmelite Church, Whitefriar St. A man who was introduced at a previous protest meeting as Mr. O’Shea of Tipperary mounted the ruins in O’Connell St. last night and addressing those about him, asked that the meeting of protest against the treatment of prisoners be adjourned as a mark respect to the late Mr. Spain.
Two days later, the same newspaper reported on the funeral:
A number of the Cumann na mBan marched behind the hearse and there was a large cortege. The remains were received in the mortuary chapel by Rev. J. Fitzgibbon. A large numbers of wreaths were placed on the grave and three volleys from firearms were fired over the grave. The chief mourners were – Mr. F. Spain (father), Mrs. Spain (mother), Joe, Frank, Mickie, Jack, Paddy and Peadar (brothers), Annie, Molly and Crissie (sisters), Maggie and Mickie Spain (cousins), Annie and Mary Spain (aunts) and Jack Spain (uncle)
Spain was buried in the family plot in Glasnevin. Thanks to Shane Mac Thomais (of the Glasnevin Museum) for getting in touch and sending me the image of the grave.
James ‘Jim’ Spain grave, Glasnevin Cemetery. Credit – Shane Mac Thomais
James Spain was just one of dozens of young anti-Treaty IRA men who were killed by the Free State in Dublin from August 1922 to August 1923. Of the 26 murders as far as I can work out, 16 are marked by small monuments where the bodies were found.
If you have anymore information about James Spain, please get in touch by leaving a comment or emailing me at matchgrams(at)gmail.com
Click on the book for more.
Click on the book for more.
Donal
Ciarán
Sam
Come Here To Me! 
I wonder if it had gone the other way would you even have reported this? You live by the sword, you die by the sword. Pity they didn’t heed Mick Collins
Valid point.
Personally, I think the stories of every individual killed in the 1913-1923 revolutionary/war period should be recorded and shared – I just don’t think it’s the job of this blog to do it.
I’m enjoying this series on anti-Treaty casualties lads. One thing though, to my count (not yet complete) there were out of 71 anti-Treaty fatalities in Dublin in the civil war, 29 that could be described as assassinations of killings of prisoners (and another 20 executed).
My research so far here;
http://www.theirishstory.com/2012/06/19/casualties-of-the-irish-civil-war-in-dublin/#.UQ_RdB2EzTo
Re the previous comment, there’s no point being partisan at this stage, but it was forgotten for a long time how badly some of the State forces behaved in 1922-23 and should be remembered just for the sake of honesty. That said, maybe the next bio should be of pro-Treaty politician Seamus Dwyer? (Killed in December 1922).
Thanks for the comment John. You’re probably right on the 29 figure. I was only going by the 26 figure in this list on Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_State_Intelligence_Department_%E2%80%93_Oriel_House#Republican
I wonder could we cross reference and find out what 3 extra names you have?
Ok Sam, I’ll email you before the end of the week hopefully.
Hi John,
Think the 3 missing in the Wiki link are “Paddy Egan, Thomas Whelan and Thomas Maguire” who were killed near Blackhorse Bridge, Inchicore.
That would make 29 then.
[…] James Spain was a local republican. An hour after the attack on the barracks, he was spotted in the neighbouring streets, wounded in the leg, trying to find a friendly house. […]
@ John: fair comment. The Free State army certainly did exceed its brief but neither does an implied semi-heroic, holier-than-thou status deserve to be conferred on the anti-treaty side. Remember they were quite prepared to murder and maim and did as much, often in a more cowardly way than the Army. As one who grew up in DeValera’s Ireland where the anti-treaty side was venerated almost to the point of sainthood, I feel duty bound not just to call for balance but think it’s time to let a pretty sick moment in our collective history pass. And if that period should be discussed, it should be done with historical rigour and objectivity, not dewy-eyed Republican nostalgia.
Yes, well whoever was more cowardly, I suppose those of us who grew up in John Bruton’s Ireland view it differently. The civil War was basically just not discussed and where it was it was the pro-Treatyites who were the good guys. The present takes what it wants out of all history I suppose. But I think it’s at least as important to remember the civil war as any other aspect of the 1916-23 period. Not to say who was good and who was bad but to see what we can learn from it.
I still find it amazing how the 90th anniversary of the Civil War was so easily glossed over last year, almost as though because it wasn’t a centenary it’s not worth remembering. Although there was a run of TV programmes before Xmas that did try to drag it into the light to an extent – the “Bású” series, “My Civil War”, “A Lost Son” featuring Michael McDowell.
One area I don’t think has been explored enough is just how much casual indiscipline there was among FS troops during the Civil War. While researching my granda, I was gobsmacked to read a 1922 Donegal Command Operations Report in Military Archives that stated, completely without shame: “Pvt. Boyle fired two shots at a man named Daly from the Ross. Mistook him for another man.” Six weeks after that, my granda put a notice into the Donegal papers saying any pub found selling drink to FS troops in uniform would be fined €50. Apart from him having no legal authority to levy such fines, I presume he intended to collect the fines at gunpoint if need be. My guess is Donegal wasn’t unique in that regard.
The killing of Lieutenant James Spain is covered in Martin O`Dwyer`s book ‘Death before Dishonour’ (privately published ,2010) which details the deaths of 124 people killed in ‘unauthorised’ killings by Free State forces during the Civil War. I am not sure how accurate it is to describe them all as unauthorised as several were the work of the Visiting Committee and other semi official murder gangs. In relation to James Spain,a witness, Mrs. Doleman of 22 Donore Road, also stated that when in the house Spain said ‘Jesus, Mary and Joseph help me. If they get me they`ll shoot me’ When the soldiers took James from her kitchen she heard him say to them ‘Don`t shoot me’ This was followed by gunfire.Constable Anthony O`Reilly of the DMP saw him lying on the footpath at Susan Terrace with a number of soldiers standing about. He was shot five times with bullet wounds to the abdomen and knee and a bullet in the head which caused death.
The dirty war which was fought by elements within the officer corps of the Free State army and indeed the casual indiscipline which Dr. Nightdub mentions and to which a blind eye was turned at the highest levels are subjects which would well repay a visit by a historian. Most of the papers relating to the executions both official and unofficial were destroyed prior to the change of government in 1932.Not all were destroyed though and there were decent, honourable officers within the Free State army who documented the excesses of that army. See Niall Harringtons ‘Kerry Landing’ (Dublin, 1995) for the story of the Ballyseedy massacre for instance.
I am fully in agreement with John Dorney. I think it is time the Civil War was examined in all it`s elements and a few rocks turned over to see what crawls out.
Thanks for excellent article, would like to get my hands on that book , death before dishonour, if anyone knows where to get it. keep up work, great site.
@ oulfella: “I am fully in agreement with John Dorney. I think it is time the Civil War was examined in all it`s elements and a few rocks turned over to see what crawls out.”
I do believe I’ve been trying to make the very same point, if you read my posts.
@theholyfatherreilly. I apologise your Holiness for overlooking your point. The bit about the Free State Army ‘exceeding it`s brief’ in murdering prisoners may have led me to overlook you as the obvious candidate to write a history of the period. In all fairness it is probably one of the real thorny issues which needs to be dealt with. The hijacking of figures from the period by political parties which were formed much later led to one set of problems as does the approaching ‘decade of centenaries’. Some families are very happy to wrap the green flag around them in terms of what their relations did in the Tan War but are very anxious to prevent examination of their records in the Civil War.
Hello All, My Great Uncle Joseph Spooner of Spooners Cottages, Tenter Lane. Was 21 years of age when Executed in Beggars Bush, 30th November 1922.. He would have no doubt been a friend of James Spain, as they both lived very close to each other and were on the same side. I know a family from the Liberties and Im wondering are the related, I will make further enquiry’s. Whilst doing some research on Joseph, I discovered that his death was never registered , I wrote to the Military Archives looking for more info on Joes Excution, They replied telling me that on orders from The Free State Government all records were destroyed. Shame, shame on them. Joseph Spooner,Patrick Farrelly and John Murphy were arrested in the Erne Street vicinity after an attempt was made to blow up Oriel House.They were captured and sentenced to death in a secret military court. This was the HQ of the CID. It was here that republicans were held and tortured. Also it was from this building that the orders for the murders of many of our Republican patriots were issued. Fianna Boys were also not exempt from these atrocities. I agree with oulfella it now time for all this to come out into the open.
Is Mise
J.Spooner
Thanks for the comment James.
@JamesSpooner
Hi James, I am doing research on a relative of mine (Robert Bonfield) who was also killed at the time. I am trying to research the activities of the CID and Military Intelligence at the time, I would be interested in exchanging notes.
mckennam@gmail.com
James, thanks for that info on Joseph Spooner. It is the only sort of detail I have had so far on my distant uncle, so we are related. Joseph was a cousin of my father’s, Charles McCormack of Prussia st, later Cabra. He never spoke of the incident but my mother mentioned it by the by and I started research. Best wishes, Paul
[…] Thomas O’Leary was a 22-year-old Dubliner and member of the anti-Treaty IRA when he was shot dead by the Free State Army in March 1923. There is a worn out monument, erected in 1933, to mark the spot where his body was found. We have previously covered the following Republicans who were killed during the final year of the Civil War – Noel Lemass, William Graham and James Spain. […]
[…] James Spain of Geraldine Square […]
I have just discovered this page after looking for details about my grand uncle’s murder. This was brought about after a chat with my father this morning when he related the story to me accompanied by the original photo of Jim Spain (which to my surprise is reproduced here!). My father lived in Geraldine square and his mother was Annie Spain sister of Jim Spain.
Nicko
Thanks for excellent article, would like to get my hands on that book , death before dishonour, if anyone knows where to get it. keep up work, great site.
You can obtain the book from Martin O’Dwyer ( Bob) by contacting him at the following address.
Cashel Folk Village,
Cashel,
Tipperary.
Tel. +353 62 62525.
Hi James,
by coincidence I stumbled upon your comment here and felt compelled to point out that Joseph Spooner was also my great uncle. Nice to meet you cuz 😛
Hi, James Spooner and Tony Barrett
Joseph Spooner was my mother’s first cousin. My mother also lived in McCaffrey’s Estate (now Ceannt Fort) and my cousin still resides in the same house.
Is mise
Brian
Hello Brian, can you contact me. Jpspooner@hotmail.co.uk. Look forward to hearing from you. My thanks to CHTM. For assisting me, in getting in touch with other interested parties. Is Mise. Jem
I managed to lay my hands on the memorial card for Joseph Spooner and would be happy to forward a picture on to anyone interested. It is not particularly remarkable in itself though it does note that he was executed and does not just say died.
anthonybarrett555@gmail.com is my email of anyone wants to get in touch.
This looks like a family get together, I’m named after Joseph Spooner as he’s my grandmothers (Bridie) brother. I have spent years trying to find out more info, this is fascinating.
I knew there was a lot of brothers and sisters in that family but we might be quicker listing people not related to him.
Are all the relatives here based in the UK or are any still in Dublin? By chance I still live about a ten minute walk from Oriel House and the same from Beggars Bush Barracks.
I have another example of the photo of Jim. Clearer than the one above. I’ll get it scanned, tidy it up and forward it to you.
He was also my grand uncle. My grandmother was his sister Annie(I’ve a contemporary photo of her too). She talked of him when I was growing up. I grew up with Molly and Chrissie and Peadar as presences in my life(Molly especially) and was at the funerals of Molly and Peadar.
I’ll do up those scans for you in the next few days. Annie’s is very clear. Jim’s, an original from the negative has sadly suffered from the sun over the years. I do recall the negative or a copy of such was about the place, though for all sorts of reasons it may be hard to track down or gone at this stage.
Excellent, cheers Kyron.
Hi Kyron, your cousin Colm here! would love if you sent those photos onto me colmjobrien@gmail.com and any others you may have routed out in the old homestead! I’ve my dads family tree that he did which is quite comprehensive if you’ve like a copy. get in touch!
colm
Hi Colm, Colm Dalton here first cousin of your Dad and son of Molly Dalton (nee Spain).Have just come across the article above and would love a copy of your Dad’s family tree to fill in the dots.
My mother was your grand mothers sister Crissie McDonagh (nee Spain)
James Spain was my grandfathers uncle his name was James Spain too
Hi Kyron – any chance of a copy too? I am researching the deaths (both Free State and Anti-Treaty) which happened at this time and would love a better photo of Jim.
Mike McKenna
mckennam@gmail.com
James Spooner will you email me I would love to know more of our family history and to catch up xx erikaspooner@hotmail.com
In answer to Sam on 5 Feb 2013.
The men he mentioned – Egan, Whelan and Maguire were killed accidentally by their own landmine at the Naas Road. Also with them was a Volunteer Curtis, after whom a local block of flats was named – Curtis House.
In answer to James Spooner on 12 Feb 2013.
Joe Spooner, Pat Farrelly, John Murphy and Seamus Mallin were captured after the attempted destruction of Oriel House. Cosgrave demanded their immediate courtmartial the following day. Spooner, Farrelly and Murphy were duly executed. Because of his age and the fact that his father (Michael Mallin) had been executed in 1916, young Mallin, aged 17 years was spared, after his mother had got an audience with Cosgrave. He was then sentenced to penal servitude. He was released in 1924 and went on to serve on the IRA GHQ staff up to 1936.
Your comment regarding Volunteers Spooner, Murphy, Farrelly and Malin would seem to fit in with my research surrounding the incident in which the above Volunteers were involved in. However after reading a witness statement supplied by Judge Cahir Davitt and which is available in the military archives, He gives another version of event. I belive he is talking about the incident in which Volunteer James Spain was involved with prior to his killing. I am posting the relevant pieces of Cahir Davitts
statement. ” The trial by military court which took place in Dublin, were, if my memory serves me accurately, three men Joseph Spooner, John Murphy and Patrick Farrelly together with a youth called Mallin were tried. The circumstances, as I remember them,were as follows. A lorry of Government troops was being driven along the South Circular Road when it was attacked with bombs and revolver fire. I cannot remember if there were any casualties, but in the course of a round up which followed immediately these four men were arrested in the vicinity, each was found to be in possession of a loaded revolver, they were in due course charged accordingly and tried in Griffith Barracks, they were convicted and sentenced to death”.
Other evidence that I have collected would lead me to belive that Cahir Davitts statement contains many errors and I question it’s reliability. Maybe some of the contributors here ( more learned than I) could comment. Thanking you in advance.
Is Mise
Jem Spooner.
Jem
You might be interested in these two comments which I think relate to the attack on Oriel House which Spooner, Murphy, Farrelly & Mallin took part in.
I am not sure who ‘OC Batt V Dublin 1’ was at the time, perhaps one of the other readers could confirm it? Captain Patrick Moynihan was the O/C of the CID in Oriel House.
Mike
mckennam@gmail.com
—————————————————————————————————
No. 287 UCDA P17A/65
UCD Archives
Memorandum from O/C Battn 5 Dublin Bde to Ernie O’Malley (A.A. C/S).
1 NOVEMBER 1922
ATTACK ON ORIEL HOUSE
A report in writing of the attack on Oriel House on Monday night last has not yet been furnished by the officer in charge of the operation, but from a conversation with him I am enabled to give the following information.
As a prelude thereto, it should be mentioned that no variation from the original plan of operations was necessary, though the operations themselves did not yield by any means the looked for result: due to the fact that so much destruction was worked by the first mine explosion, that it was impossible to get the other 3 mines into the intended position.
The plan of operations included protection of the operating Engineer units by Infantry and this was adequately attended to, though the infantry PERSONALLY protecting the former were momentarily incapacitated by the explosion of the mine, and failed to accompany the engineers during the second part of the operations.
Details of the plans are as follows: Four mines were used; three containing about 15 pounds of high explosive each, the cases being of iron; the fourth being of wood and containing almost 40 pounds of same. The wooden mine was intended for blowing the entrance door, and was used to avoid the ‘shrapnel’ effect. The three ‘iron’ mines were placed side by side in a wooden case, for convenience sake, and were detonated electrically. The wooden mine was fused with a time fuse.
The mines were carted directly to the scene of operations, and unloaded by the engineers – who numbered five or six. The wooden mine was carried up and laid on the step of Oriel House and two sacks of clay placed against it; then it was fired. The operation was conducted under the ‘supervision’ of several CID men who seemingly were too wise or too innocent to interfere.
The firing of the mine was the signal for concentrated fire by the infantry on all portions of the building above the ground floor, against which the engineers were operating; and under cover of this the engineers carried forward the case containing the three mines, intended to blow up the building. it was found on reaching the spot where the door was last seen that not only was it blown away, but also the floor so that the mines had to be lowered into the basement. This operation resulted in such injury to the electrical connections that the mines could not be fired. The result is that the destruction of Oriel House was not effected. Considerable damage, however, has been done.
[signed] OC Batt V Dublin 1
—————————————————————————————————
MOYNIHAN, Capt. P
Dublin GHQ & CID
Ernie O’Malley Notebooks – P17b/107
A report of his re the attack on Oriel House:
“..The first bomb blew away the surrounding masonry and smashed the frontage windows, then, in the resulting dust and smoke two large cylindrical bombs were rushed in and successfully placed in position on the ground floor at the time I was knocked out under the debris but escaped with minor injuries. I saw from where I lay half stunned the two big bombs being placed, the attackers rushing off into the street to a safe distance with the tails of wire hanging out by which the bombs were to be electrically exploded. But before this was done I had [illegible] [illegible] a foot on each bomb and had cut the wires with a pocket pliers. I saved the building (and myself) by some seconds.”
“The CID men rushed into the streets in pursuit of the [illegible, possibly ‘attackers’], but my first thoughts were now the damned old Oriel [illegible, possibly “mission”] is gone.”
It is amazing to note that today is the 101st Birthday of Fr. Joseph Mallin, the last surviving child of Michael Mallin and the brother of Seamus Mallin who was captured with Spooner, Murphy and Farrelly back in November 1922, almost 92 years ago. He is a priest based in Hong Kong.
http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/The-last-surviving-son-of-the-1916-Easter-Rising-turns-101-today-VIDEO.html
Happy Birthday!
I found another snippet about the attack on Oriel House in the Witness Statement of Stephen Keyes (WS1209) which makes for interesting reading and add a little to the two reports above;
“At the next attempt to blow up Oriel House, my job was to take away the men and cover the retreat of the men who were to occupy the public house on the corner opposite Oriel House. I commandeered’. a car from Leeson St. I was not able to crank the motor and I always had to leave the engines running. The mine went off with such force that you would be blown off your feet. I waited. The lads ran by. I still hung on. The last to come was ‘Kruger’ Graham. The engine stopped. Kruger Graham jumped into the back of the car, and said, “Drive on, Steve. They are all out. I am the last”. I could not re-start the engine so we had to walk.”
Keys Witness Statement is a great read.
Mike, you should have mentioned that ‘Kruger’ Graham was also assassinated by a FSA officer whilst a prisoner at Lesson Street bridge.
Been doing some family history and turns out James is a relative of mine – I have his father Francis up on Wikitree right now, will add James soon. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Spain-587
Thank you for this information. James Spain was my grandfather’s uncle and he told us about him, but not in the great detail you’ve used.
Hi, this man is my grandads brother. I have a lot of Spain family history.
Hey I ve reading this as he was making grandad’s uncle my grandfather was called after him would b lovely to get a plague for him and the other poor souls that were murdered by there own