BONNICONLON CLAIMS
FOR COMPENSATION
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(Ballina Herald,
February 9, 1922)
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Ballina Quarter Sessions last week, Edward Durcan, from the Bonniconlon
district, applied for compensation for personal injuries received in January
1921.
Applicant gave evidence that on the 23rd
January, auxiliary police came to his mother’s house at about 1.30 a.m. and
smashed the windows and fired revolver shots. His brother opened the door and
they rushed in and pulled him out of the bed and beat him with rifles and
knuckle dusters. They afterwards threw a bucket of water on him and a pail of
milk. They knocked him down and jumped on him. They then took him up and fired
several shots around him. At this time he was undressed. They brought him back
to the house, when he dressed. They brought him out again and spanked him with
knuckle dusters and revolvers, and knocked him down and jumped on him and fired
shots around him. They afterwards offered him bribes but he would not give
information. The threatened him with death several times, and finally brought
him to Ballina in a motor and kept punching him all the time on the journey. In
Ballina barracks they subjected him to similar treatment. He was afterwards
interned in Galway and the Curragh.
Dr. F. Keane, Ballina, gave
evidence as to the condition of the applicant. The effect of the beating might
be permanent.
His Honor awarded £100 and costs.
Mrs.
Durcan, mother of the last applicant, who was also a claimant for damages
to her house, gave similar evidence to that of her son in regard to the
smashing of the windows of the house. The auxiliaries stole a coat and a lot of
knives and forks and teaspoons and two geese. Her health was affected by the
shock she received on that night. She was laid up for three months and was
attended by Dr. Macaulay.
Martin Durcan, son of the
applicant, gave corroborative evidence. His mother was health before this
occurrence, but since it she was laid up every other day.
His Honor awarded £20 and costs.
Patrick
Lawrence, Bonniconlon, applied for compensation for personal injuries.
Mr. Carson, B.L. (instructed by Mr. Bourke),
for applicant.
Applicant deposed that on the 4th
April Crown forces came to him on the street in Bonniconlon and asked him about
the ambush that occurred the night before. The subsequently, with others,
brought him towards the river, and on the way he was hit by rifles. When they
got as far as the river he refused to go into the river and they shoved him in
and fired several shots over his head and jumped on him while he was in the
water. They dipped him several times in the river, and the officer in charge
hit him several thumps when he would not answer certain questions. He was not
able to work at his father’s business for some three months.
His Honor awarded him £200 and costs and £7
expenses.
John
Cawley, Bonniconlon, who also had a claim for ill-treatment on the same
occasion, deposed that he was subjected to the same treatment as young Mr.
Lawrence. They kept him in the river for about half an hour and fired shots over
him and beat him with the butt end of rifles.
Dr. Walsh was examined in this and the
previous case, and gave evidence as to the injuries sustained by the
applicants. Lawrence suffered from pleurisy as a result of the wetting or the
rifle blows he got on the sides. The pleurisy is now chronic. John Cawley
suffered from pneumonia. He recovered, but was now not able to work.
His Honor awarded £450
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