On 6 September 1940 IRA Capt. Tom Harte of Lurgan, County Armagh was executed. Three weeks earlier, Capt. Harte was seriously wounded and arrested during a raid of a meeting of senior IRA men in Dublin. IRA Volunteer Patrick McGrath of Dublin (who had recently escaped from police custody) was also arrested at that time. Volunteer Tom Hunt escaped from the raid but was arrested soon after - 22 August 1940. McGrath was executed with Harte (Tom Hunt had his death sentence commuted on the morning of execution and was interned in the Curragh prison camp). They had been arrested after a gun battle with Garda (police) Special Branch in which Sergeant McKeown and Detective Hyland were shot dead. Detective Brady was also wounded (16 August 1940).[1] The topic of the meeting was reportedly planning to support "Plan Kathleen" which was a notional plan by the Nazis to invade Northern Ireland.[2] At the time of these arrests Stephen Hayes (Irish republican) was the IRA Chief of Staff. On 30 June 1941, Northern-based IRA men kidnapped Hayes, accusing him of being a spy for the Irish Free State government.[3] In his written confession Hayes admits to providing the address of the meeting to government officials which resulted in the capture Harte, McGrath and Hunt.[4]
Although information is scarce on IRA planning, during this time it was conducting a bombing/sabotage campaign in England (S-Plan). Harte had been associated with the IRA's operational planning for both plans and is said to have participated in the attacks in England.[5] In response to the IRA's bombing campaign in England, two bills giving the Government of Eire (the territory formerly known as the Irish Free State) extraordinary powers were introduced in the Dáil (in February 1939). The first of these, called the Treason Act, imposed the death penalty for persons found guilty of treason as defined in Article XXXIX of the Irish Constitution. These Acts provided the legal basis for the execution of both Harte and McGrath.
Trial by Military Tribunal & Executionedit
Harte was just 25 years old at the time of his arrest and execution. In 1938 Patrick McGrath was the IRA’s Adjutant General, he was also a veteran of the 1916 Easter Rising and a bullet remained lodged in his chest from that time. Harte, McGrath and Hunt were tried by Military Tribunal, established under the Emergency Powers Act 1939.[6] All three men were represented in court by Seán MacBride. They challenged the legislation in the High Court, seeking a writ of habeas corpus, and ultimately appealed to the Irish Supreme Court.[7] The appeal was unsuccessful (at that time there was no right to appeal the findings of a Military Tribunal). Harte and McGrath were executed by firing squad at Dublin's Mountjoy Prison on 6 September 1940 (22 days after the shooting).[8][9] Harte's body was buried in an unmarked grave in the prison yard. In 1948 his remains were released to his family,[10]
^Bell, J. Bower, The Secret Army. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers. 1997. p. 187&227. ISBN1560009012.
^Mark M. Hull, (2003) Irish Secrets. German Espionage in Wartime Ireland 1939-1945, ISBN0-7165-2756-1
^MacEoin, Uinseann (1997), The IRA in the twilight years 1923-1948, Argenta Publications, Dublin, pg 518, ISBN 0951117246
^Irish Republican Army (10 September 1941). "Special Communiqué issued by the army council regarding Stephen Hayes conspiring with the Irish Free State Government". pg 3 (Interview). Eoin O'Duffy Papers: National Library of Ireland. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
^McKenna, Joseph (2016), The IRA Bombing Campaign Against Britain, 1939-40. Jefferson, NC US: McFarland & Company Publishers. pg 150
^Doyle, David M.; O'Donnell, Ian (2012). "The Death Penalty in Post-Independence Ireland". The Journal of Legal History. 33 (1): 65–91. doi:10.1080/01440365.2012.661141. ISSN 0144-0365
^High Court and Supreme Court Re: McGrath and Harte [1941] Irish Reports 68
^English, Richard (2003), Armed Struggle The History of the IRA, Oxford University Press, New York, pg 55, ISBN 0 19 516605 1
^"Remembering the Past: Executed IRA men reinterred | An Phoblacht". www.anphoblacht.com. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
January 01, 1970
thomas, harte, irish, republican, thomas, harte, first, seven, irish, republican, army, members, executed, irish, forces, mountjoy, prison, portlaoise, prison, prisons, between, 1940, 1944, arrest, plan, kathleen, plan, editon, september, 1940, capt, harte, lu. Thomas Harte was the first of seven Irish Republican Army IRA members executed by Irish forces in Mountjoy Prison and Portlaoise Prison prisons between 1940 and 1944 Arrest Plan Kathleen and S Plan editOn 6 September 1940 IRA Capt Tom Harte of Lurgan County Armagh was executed Three weeks earlier Capt Harte was seriously wounded and arrested during a raid of a meeting of senior IRA men in Dublin IRA Volunteer Patrick McGrath of Dublin who had recently escaped from police custody was also arrested at that time Volunteer Tom Hunt escaped from the raid but was arrested soon after 22 August 1940 McGrath was executed with Harte Tom Hunt had his death sentence commuted on the morning of execution and was interned in the Curragh prison camp They had been arrested after a gun battle with Garda police Special Branch in which Sergeant McKeown and Detective Hyland were shot dead Detective Brady was also wounded 16 August 1940 1 The topic of the meeting was reportedly planning to support Plan Kathleen which was a notional plan by the Nazis to invade Northern Ireland 2 At the time of these arrests Stephen Hayes Irish republican was the IRA Chief of Staff On 30 June 1941 Northern based IRA men kidnapped Hayes accusing him of being a spy for the Irish Free State government 3 In his written confession Hayes admits to providing the address of the meeting to government officials which resulted in the capture Harte McGrath and Hunt 4 Although information is scarce on IRA planning during this time it was conducting a bombing sabotage campaign in England S Plan Harte had been associated with the IRA s operational planning for both plans and is said to have participated in the attacks in England 5 In response to the IRA s bombing campaign in England two bills giving the Government of Eire the territory formerly known as the Irish Free State extraordinary powers were introduced in the Dail in February 1939 The first of these called the Treason Act imposed the death penalty for persons found guilty of treason as defined in Article XXXIX of the Irish Constitution These Acts provided the legal basis for the execution of both Harte and McGrath Trial by Military Tribunal amp Execution editHarte was just 25 years old at the time of his arrest and execution In 1938 Patrick McGrath was the IRA s Adjutant General he was also a veteran of the 1916 Easter Rising and a bullet remained lodged in his chest from that time Harte McGrath and Hunt were tried by Military Tribunal established under the Emergency Powers Act 1939 6 All three men were represented in court by Sean MacBride They challenged the legislation in the High Court seeking a writ of habeas corpus and ultimately appealed to the Irish Supreme Court 7 The appeal was unsuccessful at that time there was no right to appeal the findings of a Military Tribunal Harte and McGrath were executed by firing squad at Dublin s Mountjoy Prison on 6 September 1940 22 days after the shooting 8 9 Harte s body was buried in an unmarked grave in the prison yard In 1948 his remains were released to his family 10 The North Armagh Republican Sinn Fein Cumman is named in honour of Thomas Harte See http rsfnortharmagh com naisc links References edit Bell J Bower The Secret Army New Brunswick NJ Transaction Publishers 1997 p 187 amp 227 ISBN 1560009012 Mark M Hull 2003 Irish Secrets German Espionage in Wartime Ireland 1939 1945 ISBN 0 7165 2756 1 MacEoin Uinseann 1997 The IRA in the twilight years 1923 1948 Argenta Publications Dublin pg 518 ISBN 0951117246 Irish Republican Army 10 September 1941 Special Communique issued by the army council regarding Stephen Hayes conspiring with the Irish Free State Government pg 3 Interview Eoin O Duffy Papers National Library of Ireland Retrieved 1 April 2022 McKenna Joseph 2016 The IRA Bombing Campaign Against Britain 1939 40 Jefferson NC US McFarland amp Company Publishers pg 150 Doyle David M O Donnell Ian 2012 The Death Penalty in Post Independence Ireland The Journal of Legal History 33 1 65 91 doi 10 1080 01440365 2012 661141 ISSN 0144 0365 High Court and Supreme Court Re McGrath and Harte 1941 Irish Reports 68 McKenna pg 150 English Richard 2003 Armed Struggle The History of the IRA Oxford University Press New York pg 55 ISBN 0 19 516605 1 Remembering the Past Executed IRA men reinterred An Phoblacht www anphoblacht com Retrieved 24 December 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Harte Irish republican amp oldid 1181841494, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
