Fourth Northern Division of the Irish Republican Army
Encyclopedia
The Fourth Northern Division of the Irish Republican Army
operated in an area covering parts of counties Louth
, Armagh
, Monaghan
, and Down
. Frank Aiken
was commander and Padraig Quinn
was the quartermaster general. John McCoy was Adjutant General for the division; after he was shot and captured by British Crown forces
in 1921 Sean F. Quinn
, Padraig's brother, took over the position.
At the outbreak of the Civil War
, the Fourth Northern Division was neutral and in control of the Dundalk
military barracks after the British army
vacated it on April 13, 1922. Aiken was in Dublin with Richard Mulcahy
(Chief of Staff of the IRA until the split), arguing against the Free State
taking military action against a large anti-treaty
IRA force which had taken over the Four Courts
. Mulcahy ordered Aiken back to Dundalk.
On July 4 Aiken wrote to Mulcahy stating the Fourth Northern Division would stay neutral, called for an end to the fighting and for the removal of the Oath of Allegiance
from the Treaty because “you have the simple national abhorrence of swearing allegiance to a foreign king
and allowing part of the Nation to be ruled by people who have a sworn loyalty to that king.”
On July 15 Aiken again met in Dublin with Mulcahy, arguing for peace. The following day Mulcahy's men came as friends to Dundalk and captured Aiken's barracks through a breach of faith, and Aiken and his officers and men were imprisoned in Dundalk jail. On July 27, Padraig Quinn (who during the Anglo-Irish War also commanded a unit that operated against the British in Dublin city centre) led a small unit that attacked Dundalk, breached the prison wall with dynamite, and in fifteen minutes captured the garrison of 300 men and arms for 400. There no casualties during the jail break. A number of escaping divisional members were recaptured by Free State soldiers
, including John McCoy
of Mullabawn, who was a brigadier in the barracks before the Free State troops took command.
On April 23, 1923, Aiken was elected chief-of-Staff of the IRA and an Army Council
composed of him, Pilkington and Tom Barry
was appointed. Sean F. Quinn succeeded him as officer commanding of the Fourth Northern Division. On April 27, Aiken issued a ‘Suspension of Offensives’, a command that all offensive operations should be suspended from noon on 30 April. This marked the end of the civil war.
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
operated in an area covering parts of counties Louth
County Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
, Monaghan
County Monaghan
County Monaghan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Monaghan. Monaghan County Council is the local authority for the county...
, and Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
. Frank Aiken
Frank Aiken
Frank Aiken was a commander of the Irish Republican Army and later an Irish politician. A founding-member of Fianna Fáil, Aiken was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1923 and at each subsequent election until 1973...
was commander and Padraig Quinn
Padraig Quinn
Pádraig Ó Cuinn was an Irish Republican Army Quartermaster General in the Fourth Northern Division in the Irish War of Independence....
was the quartermaster general. John McCoy was Adjutant General for the division; after he was shot and captured by British Crown forces
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in 1921 Sean F. Quinn
Sean F. Quinn
Seán Francis Quinn was an Anti-Treaty IRA officer in the Fourth Northern Division of the Irish Republican Army .He was educated by the Christian Brothers in Newry....
, Padraig's brother, took over the position.
At the outbreak of the Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
, the Fourth Northern Division was neutral and in control of the Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
military barracks after the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
vacated it on April 13, 1922. Aiken was in Dublin with Richard Mulcahy
Richard Mulcahy
Richard James Mulcahy was an Irish politician, army general and commander in chief, leader of Fine Gael and Cabinet Minister...
(Chief of Staff of the IRA until the split), arguing against the Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
taking military action against a large anti-treaty
Anglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty , officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and representatives of the secessionist Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of...
IRA force which had taken over the Four Courts
Four Courts
The Four Courts in Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's main courts building. The Four Courts are the location of the Supreme Court, the High Court and the Dublin Circuit Court. The building until 2010 also formerly was the location for the Central Criminal Court.-Gandon's Building:Work based on...
. Mulcahy ordered Aiken back to Dundalk.
On July 4 Aiken wrote to Mulcahy stating the Fourth Northern Division would stay neutral, called for an end to the fighting and for the removal of the Oath of Allegiance
Oath of Allegiance (Ireland)
The Irish Oath of Allegiance was a controversial provision in the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, which Irish TDs and Senators were required to take, in order to take their seats in Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann .-Text of the Oath:The Oath was included in Article 17 of the Irish Free State's 1922...
from the Treaty because “you have the simple national abhorrence of swearing allegiance to a foreign king
British monarchy
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
and allowing part of the Nation to be ruled by people who have a sworn loyalty to that king.”
On July 15 Aiken again met in Dublin with Mulcahy, arguing for peace. The following day Mulcahy's men came as friends to Dundalk and captured Aiken's barracks through a breach of faith, and Aiken and his officers and men were imprisoned in Dundalk jail. On July 27, Padraig Quinn (who during the Anglo-Irish War also commanded a unit that operated against the British in Dublin city centre) led a small unit that attacked Dundalk, breached the prison wall with dynamite, and in fifteen minutes captured the garrison of 300 men and arms for 400. There no casualties during the jail break. A number of escaping divisional members were recaptured by Free State soldiers
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
, including John McCoy
John McCoy
John McCoy may refer to:*John McCoy , British bass guitarist*John McCoy , Irish Progressive Democrats politician 1987-1989*John B. McCoy, CEO Banc One Corporation*John Calvin McCoy, founder of Kansas City, Missouri...
of Mullabawn, who was a brigadier in the barracks before the Free State troops took command.
On April 23, 1923, Aiken was elected chief-of-Staff of the IRA and an Army Council
IRA Army Council
The IRA Army Council was the decision-making body of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, more commonly known as the IRA, a paramilitary group dedicated to bringing about the end of the Union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The council had seven members, said by the...
composed of him, Pilkington and Tom Barry
Tom Barry
Thomas Barry was one of the most prominent guerrilla leaders in the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence.-Early life:...
was appointed. Sean F. Quinn succeeded him as officer commanding of the Fourth Northern Division. On April 27, Aiken issued a ‘Suspension of Offensives’, a command that all offensive operations should be suspended from noon on 30 April. This marked the end of the civil war.