SENSATIONAL POLICE RAID
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SEVERAL PRISONERS CAPTURED
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(Ballina Herald,
May 19, 1921)
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A sensational raid by the Crown forces for
prisoners occurred in the Easkey and Enniscrone districts last Sunday (15th
May, 1921) as a result of which many persons were arrested for alleged
complicity in the Sinn Fein movement, including Patrick Coleman, whose dramatic dash for liberty while in the hands
of the police at the time of the discovery of arms and ammunition in the Moy
Saw Mills, the public are already familiar with. It will be remembered that on
that occasion Coleman, though alleged to be rather seriously wounded, made good
his escape. Amongst other persons said to be captured is Mr. Ronayne (Ronan) (until recently employed at Mr. Stephen’s in Garden Street,
Ballina), whose disappearance a short time ago, following, as is alleged, a
beating by unknown men, was the subject of comment. As far as can be gathered,
the raid was carried out by the Sligo police, and the prisoners taken to Sligo
barracks. Coleman, it is stated, was subsequently conveyed to Ballina R.I.C.
barracks and afterwards removed elsewhere, possibly Galway.
The Western People
reporting on the same incident in their publication of May 21, said: A round-up
on a large scale which took place in
Tireragh district in the early hours of Sunday morning last resulted in the arrest
of twelve young men, amongst them being Patrick
Coleman, Ballina, who effected a sensational escape from custody in January
last, and Frank Ronan, a Ballina
shop assistant,, whose mysterious
disappearance about six weeks ago excited much comment. The names of the men
arrested are: Two brothers named Leonard
of Griddle, Easkey; Patrick Coleman, Ballina; Frank Ronan, Ballina; James Tully, D.C., and his brother, Patrick Tully, Owenbege; Martin Scott, Easkey; Martin Regan, Castleconnor; two
brothers named Kilcullen, of the
same place; A. Crean, Culleens, and
–- Warde, do. Pat Tully and Martin
Scott were later released.
“The round-up was carried out by a force of
Auxiliary policemen who arrived in Ballina on the previous evening. Ronan and
Coleman are stated to have been found in bed in Leonard’s house.
“It will be remembered that Coleman was
arrested in January last on the occasion of a seizure of a quantity of arms and
ammunition in a sawmills in Ballina. Some nights later when in the custody of
Crown forces he effected a daring escape. He was fired on and dangerously
wounded, but in the darkness he succeeded in getting away. An official account
of the incident at the time stated that Coleman offered to conduct the police
to a place where some more arms were concealed. He brought them to a disused
school-house some distance outside town, and while a search was proceeding he
made a dash for liberty. He was fired on and believed to have been wounded, but
could not be found. He had since been ‘on the run.’
The circumstances surrounding Ronan’s
disappearance are still fresh in the public memory. He was taken from his
employer’s house on the night of the 31st March last by a number of
armed and masked men, and, it was stated, was subjected to gross maltreatment.
He had not since been heard of until his arrest on Sunday evening.”
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