McNamee (MacNamee) is described as having grown up "in the Sperrin Mountains" of County Tyrone and County Londonderry in Ireland, and received little in the way of formal education. “A scholarly, astute, and sane man, with clear perception he saw that a successful revolutionary effort had to be fought on all levels, including political and agitation, but he remained totally committed to the view that armed struggle was the cutting edge or the spear of efforts, the key to victory.” McNamee was described as being little shy and often quiet, shunning publicity, always working behind the scenes. Pearse Kelly remembered him as being “a solid indestructible man who seemed to have a rock-like tenacity.” [1]
Irish Republican Armyedit
He joined the Irish Republican Army in 1932 Greencastle, County Tyrone before emigrating to London. McNamee took long journeys by bicycle on the narrow mountainous roads of Tyrone and Donegal, resulting in a mass of recruits for the IRA. He was involved in the Republican Congress, an attempt by the far-left in Ireland to form a political party that would be on good terms with the IRA. However, the Republican Congress split between having moderate Republican goals or an explicitly Communist outlook.[1]
Between 1937 and 1939 he lived in England, still operating for the IRA, working as an "intelligence officer". In March and April 1938 he attended IRA conventions in Ireland and was the spokesman for Seán Russell's faction in the voting for a new chief of staff. During this time period he, along with other IRA members who were operating in England, were given a brief introduction into how to create explosives by Seamus O'Donovan and Patrick McGrath (Irish Republican) in support of the 1939-40 IRA bombing campaign against Britain - the S-Plan. The S-Plan was a bombing campaign carried out by the IRA against targets in Great Britain during wartime.[1] During the campaign there were 300 explosions, 10 deaths and 96 injuries.[2] The explosion at Milverton railway station (3 July 1939) may have been the work of McNamee, as he was based in the west midlands of the UK.[3]
McNamee was recalled to Ireland in April 1939 and by 11 June 1939 he was charged with being a member of the I.R.A. and sentenced to six months in Crumlin Road Jail, Belfast.[4] He was released in May 1940 and he returned to Tyrone where he became a leadership figure. In 1941, McNamee was the Commanding Officer of the IRA's Northern Command.[5] In March 1942 IRA Chief of Staff Seán McCool was arrested and imprisoned, and that point the job came to McNamee.[1]
He didn't hold the position long however, as he was later arrested again, this time in Dublin on 23 May 1942. He was given a three-year sentence to be served in the Curragh, where he was placed with hundreds of other men from across Ireland who had been arrested for IRA activity by a Fianna Fáil government determined not to allow the IRA to threaten Ireland's neutrality during World War II. During his time in the Curragh he learned Irish and Spanish, while he raised the eyebrows of some detainees when he described Jesus Christ as "a revolutionary and a socialist".[1] It was also during this period that he is believed to have become a Trotskyist upon conversations with fellow left-wing IRA members in the camp.[6][7]
Later lifeedit
Following the years spent in the Curragh, McNamee emigrated to the United States. He moved first to Philadelphia before settling in the Chicago area, where he is supposed to have acted as the go-between for the IRA leadership and its weapons suppliers in the U.S. McNamee was another Irish man who took no time away from Army duties to marry. Even after he had established himself in the United States, first in Philadelphia and finally in Chicago. In 1969 when the IRA split between Official IRA and the Provisional IRA, he choose to side with the Provisionals.[8] He was said to be a close friend of fellow IRA man (and acquitted gun-runner) George Harrison.[9][1] A Sinn Féin cumann is named in his honor: Eoin McNamee Cumann, Kildress, County Tyrone. A monument to his memory stands at a quiet crossroads in the Sperrin Mountains of his native County Tyrone.
McNamee photo
Sourcesedit
English, Richard (4 September 2008). Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA. Pan Macmillan. pp. 62–. ISBN9780330475785. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
Bell, J. Bowyer (1 January 1987). The Gun in Politics: An Analysis of Irish Political Conflict, 1916-1986. Transaction Publishers. pp. 102–. ISBN9781412837132. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
Treacy, Matt (2012). The Communist Party of Ireland 1921 - 2011. Lulu.com. pp. 161–. ISBN9781291093186. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
Hull, Mark M. (January 2003). Irish Secrets: German Espionage in Ireland, 1939-45. Irish Academic Press. ISBN9780716527565. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
Referencesedit
^ abcdefHegarty-Thorne, Kathleen (25 July 2019). "The IRA Chief of Staff who was "unbought, unconquered, and unpurchasable to the last"". IrishCentral.com. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
^McKenna, J. (2016), The IRA Bombing Campaign Against Britain, 1939–1940. McFarland, Incorporated Publishers, pg 138, ISBN9781476623726
^Coogan, Tim: The IRA A History. Rinehart Publishers (1993), pg131.
^Bell, J. Bower, The Secret Army. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers. 1997. p. 187&227. ISBN1560009012
^Bell, J. Bowyer (1987). The Gun in Politics: Analysis of Irish Political Conflict, 1916-86. Routledge. ISBN9781351481687. Inside the Curragh, Gould not only offered Russian Language classes to the bored but also the ideological temptations of communism. And he began to have some takers and, given the Curragh, some dissenters as ultimately the Trotskyists, including Eoin McNamee (...) outnumbered the Stalinists. Somehow to them Trotsky seemed more anti-imperialist than Stalin.
^Treacy, Matt (2013). The Communist Party of Ireland 1921 - 2011. Lulu.com. p. 161. ISBN9781291093186. Boywer Bell claims that Eoin McNamee became a Trotskyist in the Curragh
^Holland, John (16 February 2011). "IRA Puts On A Hard Face". irishecho.com. irish echo newspaper, Feb 16, 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
April 11, 2024
eoin, mcnamee, irish, republican, this, article, about, irish, republican, writer, eoin, mcnamee, eoin, mcnamee, 1914, august, 1986, irish, republican, former, chief, staff, irish, republican, army, eoin, mcnameechief, staff, irain, office, march, 1942, 1942pr. This article is about the Irish Republican For the writer see Eoin McNamee Eoin McNamee 1914 9 August 1986 was an Irish Republican and former Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army Eoin McNameeChief of Staff of the IRAIn office c March 1942 c May 1942Preceded bySean McCoolSucceeded byHugh McAteerPersonal detailsDied9 August 1986Military serviceBranch serviceIrish Republican Army 1922 1969 Battles warsS Plan Contents 1 Background 2 Irish Republican Army 3 Later life 4 Sources 5 ReferencesBackground editMcNamee MacNamee is described as having grown up in the Sperrin Mountains of County Tyrone and County Londonderry in Ireland and received little in the way of formal education A scholarly astute and sane man with clear perception he saw that a successful revolutionary effort had to be fought on all levels including political and agitation but he remained totally committed to the view that armed struggle was the cutting edge or the spear of efforts the key to victory McNamee was described as being little shy and often quiet shunning publicity always working behind the scenes Pearse Kelly remembered him as being a solid indestructible man who seemed to have a rock like tenacity 1 Irish Republican Army editHe joined the Irish Republican Army in 1932 Greencastle County Tyrone before emigrating to London McNamee took long journeys by bicycle on the narrow mountainous roads of Tyrone and Donegal resulting in a mass of recruits for the IRA He was involved in the Republican Congress an attempt by the far left in Ireland to form a political party that would be on good terms with the IRA However the Republican Congress split between having moderate Republican goals or an explicitly Communist outlook 1 Between 1937 and 1939 he lived in England still operating for the IRA working as an intelligence officer In March and April 1938 he attended IRA conventions in Ireland and was the spokesman for Sean Russell s faction in the voting for a new chief of staff During this time period he along with other IRA members who were operating in England were given a brief introduction into how to create explosives by Seamus O Donovan and Patrick McGrath Irish Republican in support of the 1939 40 IRA bombing campaign against Britain the S Plan The S Plan was a bombing campaign carried out by the IRA against targets in Great Britain during wartime 1 During the campaign there were 300 explosions 10 deaths and 96 injuries 2 The explosion at Milverton railway station 3 July 1939 may have been the work of McNamee as he was based in the west midlands of the UK 3 McNamee was recalled to Ireland in April 1939 and by 11 June 1939 he was charged with being a member of the I R A and sentenced to six months in Crumlin Road Jail Belfast 4 He was released in May 1940 and he returned to Tyrone where he became a leadership figure In 1941 McNamee was the Commanding Officer of the IRA s Northern Command 5 In March 1942 IRA Chief of Staff Sean McCool was arrested and imprisoned and that point the job came to McNamee 1 He didn t hold the position long however as he was later arrested again this time in Dublin on 23 May 1942 He was given a three year sentence to be served in the Curragh where he was placed with hundreds of other men from across Ireland who had been arrested for IRA activity by a Fianna Fail government determined not to allow the IRA to threaten Ireland s neutrality during World War II During his time in the Curragh he learned Irish and Spanish while he raised the eyebrows of some detainees when he described Jesus Christ as a revolutionary and a socialist 1 It was also during this period that he is believed to have become a Trotskyist upon conversations with fellow left wing IRA members in the camp 6 7 Later life editFollowing the years spent in the Curragh McNamee emigrated to the United States He moved first to Philadelphia before settling in the Chicago area where he is supposed to have acted as the go between for the IRA leadership and its weapons suppliers in the U S McNamee was another Irish man who took no time away from Army duties to marry Even after he had established himself in the United States first in Philadelphia and finally in Chicago In 1969 when the IRA split between Official IRA and the Provisional IRA he choose to side with the Provisionals 8 He was said to be a close friend of fellow IRA man and acquitted gun runner George Harrison 9 1 A Sinn Fein cumann is named in his honor Eoin McNamee Cumann Kildress County Tyrone A monument to his memory stands at a quiet crossroads in the Sperrin Mountains of his native County Tyrone nbsp McNamee photo nbsp Sources editEnglish Richard 4 September 2008 Armed Struggle The History of the IRA Pan Macmillan pp 62 ISBN 9780330475785 Retrieved 29 December 2014 Bell J Bowyer 1 January 1987 The Gun in Politics An Analysis of Irish Political Conflict 1916 1986 Transaction Publishers pp 102 ISBN 9781412837132 Retrieved 29 December 2014 Treacy Matt 2012 The Communist Party of Ireland 1921 2011 Lulu com pp 161 ISBN 9781291093186 Retrieved 29 December 2014 Hull Mark M January 2003 Irish Secrets German Espionage in Ireland 1939 45 Irish Academic Press ISBN 9780716527565 Retrieved 29 December 2014 References edit a b c d e f Hegarty Thorne Kathleen 25 July 2019 The IRA Chief of Staff who was unbought unconquered and unpurchasable to the last IrishCentral com Retrieved 27 November 2019 McKenna J 2016 The IRA Bombing Campaign Against Britain 1939 1940 McFarland Incorporated Publishers pg 138 ISBN 9781476623726 McKenna pg 196 Coogan Tim The IRA A History Rinehart Publishers 1993 pg131 Bell J Bower The Secret Army New Brunswick NJ Transaction Publishers 1997 p 187 amp 227 ISBN 1560009012 Bell J Bowyer 1987 The Gun in Politics Analysis of Irish Political Conflict 1916 86 Routledge ISBN 9781351481687 Inside the Curragh Gould not only offered Russian Language classes to the bored but also the ideological temptations of communism And he began to have some takers and given the Curragh some dissenters as ultimately the Trotskyists including Eoin McNamee outnumbered the Stalinists Somehow to them Trotsky seemed more anti imperialist than Stalin Treacy Matt 2013 The Communist Party of Ireland 1921 2011 Lulu com p 161 ISBN 9781291093186 Boywer Bell claims that Eoin McNamee became a Trotskyist in the Curragh McKenna pg167 Holland John 16 February 2011 IRA Puts On A Hard Face irishecho com irish echo newspaper Feb 16 2014 Retrieved 19 November 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eoin McNamee Irish republican amp oldid 1205301248, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
