A FATAL WOUND
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Ballina Herald,
August 28, 1921)
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At
the Mater Hospital, Dr. Louis Byrne, City Coroner, investigated the
circumstances connected with the death of Lieut. Patrick Mullen (23),
Carralabin, Bonniconlon, Ballina, Co. Mayo.
Mary
Mullen, sister of the deceased gave evidence of identification. She said he
was a labourer and was unmarried, but could not sway how he came by his
injuries.
Mr. W.
B. Black, who was instructed by Mr.
Sean O h-Uadhaigh on behalf of the next of kin, in the court of
examination, elicited the fact that the deceased left home about five weeks ago
on some military business. The witness said she believed her brother was a
soldier in the I.R.A.
“How long had he been a soldier in the
I.R.A.?” asked Mr. Black.
“Since 1916,” replied the witness.
Dr.
Lysaght, house surgeon at the Mater Hospital, said there was an oval-shaped
wound in the left buttock which did not seem to be of recent origin and was
septic. Mullen mentioned that he had been wounded four weeks before. Death was
due to septicaemia following the bullet wound and subsequent exhaustion.
In reply to Mr. Black, the house surgeon
mentioned that in his opinion the delay in bringing the man to hospital
contributed to his death.
Mr. Black said it was quite plain that the
deceased had been engaged in military action, and that he was wounded in the
course of that, and his death, therefore, was unavoidable.
The jury found in accordance with medical
evidence. They added they had no evidence to show how deceased came by his
injuries, and made a recommendation to the military authorities to remove the
body to Ballina.
This Patrick Mullen was Lieut. Pat Mullen, of
the Free State Army. He is interred in the old cemetery in Kilgarvan. Fr. Eddie
O’Hara was the chief celebrant of the Mass and burial.
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Inscriptions to
Lieut. Patrick Mullen on the Monument, erected by his comrades and
sympathisers.
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Anniversary Celebrations at Bonniconlon
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(Western People,
28th August, 1924)
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“On
Sunday week, at Bonniconlon, after 12 o’clock Mass, a very imposing procession,
comprised of the local Co. I.R.A., Cumann na mBan, Sinn Fein Clubs, with
representatives from the 4th Western Division I.R.A., North Mayo
Brigade and the various battalions and companies therein, marched in military
order to the graveyard in Kilgarvan to celebrate the second anniversary of the
death of Lieut. P. Mullen, late of Bonniconlon Co. I.R.A., who died in the
Mater Hospital, Dublin, from wounds received in Collooney, Co. Sligo, in July,
1922.
“The procession, which included many dear
friends of the deceased officer, and in which upwards of one thousand people
took part, was proof of how highly he was esteemed by young and old of his own
and the surrounding parishes, as immediately after the I.R.A. and Cumann na mBan
contingents marched the entire congregation, etc., irrespective of political
differences, determined to pay tribute to a man whom they recognised paid the
supreme sacrifice that Ireland might be free. When the procession reached the
graveside the Rosary was recited in Irish by Tomas Loftus and was fervently
answered by the vast crowd.
“Dr. J.
A. Madden delivered the following oration: ‘Men of the Rearguard and fellow
Republicans, we are assembled here to-day to do honour to the memory of one of
Ireland’s soldier heroes, Lieut. Patrick Mullen. Though the duty is a sad one
it is also a proud one, and I, in particular, feel honoured in being selected
to speak at his graveside to-day, because Lieut. Mullen was for some time under
my command in the North Mayo Brigade, and I had the opportunity not accorded to
all of appreciating both his sterling qualities as a man and his devotion to
duty as a soldier. Padraig Mullen, imbued from childhood with a deep spirit of
Irish nationality—the spirit of Wolfe Tone and Pearse—early joined the Irish
Volunteers and was attached to “B” Company 1st Battalion—his own
home Company—of which he was second in command from its formation.
‘Throughout the Black and Tan war he rendered
inestimable service to his Battalion, to the Army and to the Republic. Never
deterred by danger, never losing heart, he displayed in those days of terror
such courage and devotion to duty, such marked initiative and daring enterprise
as would have merited for him a much higher rank in some armies with which the
Irish people have been acquainted. In the possession of these qualities he
typified the volunteers of his own company, and his national spirit was typical
of the spirit of the people of Bonniconlon during the past five or six
years—years of trials, difficulties and hardships which might well daunt the
stoutest hearts. When England, with all her might, failed to destroy the Irish Republic
she had recourse to the assistance of traitorous Irishmen. Those dupes and
tools of Britain offered every possible inducement in money and kind to the
officers and soldiers of the Republic to get them to following their own
traitorous example, to break their solemn oath, and to seduce them from their
allegiance to the living Republic. Some failed, but, thank God, and for the
honour of Ireland, they were few. But no inducement, no offer of inflated rank
in their mercenary army or of a good position in civil life affected Lieut.
Mullen. He stood staunch and true to his oath and to his allegiance to the
country he loved so well. His name will be bright in the memory of his fellow
countrymen when those who succumbed to sordid, material interests will have
been centuries forgotten.
‘When those renegade Irishmen attacked at the
bidding of the English Government, the army of the Republic, the latter was
forced to fight a war of defence, much as the Republican soldiers loathed
fighting with fellow Irishmen, some of whom were merely dupes. And when Lieut.
Mullen was called on in this war of defence, he stood in the “Bearna Baoghaill”
and did his duty until he received the wound which eventually put an end to his
promising young life. It is sad to think that the English bullet which was
responsible for Padraig Mullen’s death was fired out of an English rifle by a
man presumably aspiring to be a patriotic Irishman. Well, his name is now on
the roll of Ireland’s glorious heroes and he is in goodly company—with Emmet,
Tone, Pearse, Cathal Brugha, and the long line of martyrs and heroes of the
last seven hundred years. We are not sad, but proud. The memory of our dead is
sacred to us and is an incentive to us, steeling us in our efforts in the cause
for which they died until the final victory is attained. Then I hope to see—and
I believe I will not have long to wait—a grateful country erect a great
national monument to the memory of Lieut. Padraig Mullen over this grave. But
transcending any of stone or marble will be that one in the hearts of the
generations of Irishmen yet unborn, by whom his memory will be forever
cherished. Suaimhneas siorraidhe na flaitheas ag a anam.’
“Just as the last Post was being sounded Free
State troops dashed up in lorries and took up positions round the graveyard.
They searched the male portion of the gathering, questioned several, and having
arrested Mr. Thomas Ruane, amidst
scenes of great excitement, returned to Ballina.
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Inscriptions on the
monument in Kilgarvin cemetery. The one on the right at the opposite end of
the grave is dedicated to William Loftus, by his comrades and sympathisers.
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I.R.A. OFFICER’S DEATH
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MONUMENT UNVEILED IN KILGARVIN
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Funeral Oration by Mr. P. J. Ruttledge,
T.D.
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(Western People,
Could be 1927)
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R.
P. J. Ruttledge, T.D., attended at Kilgarvin Cemetery on Sunday last for the
purpose of unveiling of a monument to the memory of Lieut. Patrick Mullen, who
died subsequent to wounds received on the occasion of the storming of Collooney
by the Free State forces. Lieut. Mullen received a shrapnel wound in the hip
just as he was leaving the town. He fell on the street, and was captured by the
forming forces. The wound subsequently became septic and death afterwards
intervened.
Close on 500 people assembled in the cemetery
on Sunday. The unveiling ceremony was very impressive. The Rosary for the Dead
was recited in Irish by Mr. Eamon Gannon
of the Mac Firbis College, Enniscrone, and the responses were fervently made in
the vernacular.
Mr. Ruttledge then unveiled the monument
which takes the form of a handsome Cross, subscribed for and erected by the
relatives and friends of the deceased in America. Mr. Ruttledge then delivered
an oration at the graveside.
He said the monument had been erected by the
exiled brethren of the deceased officer—men who were unable to join with him in
the fight he carried on by reason of being absent from the country. Patrick
Mullen had risen up in a district where young men had always been banded
together in the service of freedom and to release their native land from the
tyranny that had been inflicted on them for centuries. He saw in his day that
he had to choose the straight path with the very great certainty of it ending
in death. He was out against the forces that had always kept the country in
subjection. In places not known to him he had faced his opponents, fighting for
the cause of Irish freedom. In every country, and in every age, people had
raised monuments to their patriotic dead, sometimes in honour by the object for
which those patriots died, and sometimes that those monuments would be a
lasting and shining example for succeeding generations. While they had the
encouragement of their exiled brethren in erecting monuments of those kind,
they could always look back to them for assistance in times of trial and know
that there was no fear they would ever waver from trying to reach the objective
for which Patrick Mullen died. It was only when Irishmen were driven out of
their native land that the fire of patriotism was kindled in the hearts of the
people. If any of them now present had to follow the course of Patrick Mullen,
please God, they would not be lacking in the courage of Patrick Mullen, whose
sacrifice would be an inspiration to those who had to face difficulties again.
Please God they would never falter until they reached the objective of Patrick
Mullen.
Mr. John Kelly, a member of the
working committee, then thanked the subscribers and people who attended the
Commemoration Service.
Mr. Michael Mullen also
returned thanks on behalf of the working committee.
Prayers were again recited and the crowd
dispersed.
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