Fingal Old IRA Commemorative Society Parade and talk

February 18, 2018 0

The Fingal Old IRA Commemorative Society visited Balrothery village on Sunday the 18th February. The Society’s Irish Volunteer re-enactors paraded behind the National Colour Party at midday and marched to the Community Centre supported by a piper.  Once at the centre , Pat Nugent’s excellent photographic exhibition with a collection of photographs drawn from across the decades was well worth a visit. The exhibition features many historic shots including dramatics pictures of the aftermath of the Sack of Balbriggan.

fingal_old_ira_eventSkerries historian, Frank Wherity gave an illustrated talk on his granduncle Thomas Hand. Tom was an active Trade Unionist and was the local branch secretary. He was also an active member of the Gaelic League. After the Rising, he was sent to Frongogh Internment Camp in Wales. On his release from Frongogh, he resumed his involvement with the Fingal Volunteers. He also served as a judge of the Dáil Courts.

In December 1920 his home was raided by the Tans and he was killed. There was a military Court of Enquiry into his death rather than an inquest. The finding was that he died of gunshot wounds inflicted by persons unknown.
This talk by Frank deatl with the life and times of Thomas Hand and those he worked with and the community he lived in.

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