Larry Lardner
Encyclopedia
Larry Lardner, a native of Athenry
, County Galway
, was a Brigade Commandant for the Irish Republican Army
in his locality. He was by trade a publican
and a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood
(IRB) Supreme Council for Connacht
in 1917. He, along with Liam Mellows
and Pádraig Ó Fathaigh
, travelled to Limerick
where they were informed by Patrick Pearse
at an IRB meeting that a rebellion would take place at Easter 1916.
Following Ó Fathaigh's arrest, Lardner and Mellows led some hundreds of local men in occupying Moyode Castle on 26 April. Within days they were informed by a local priest that the rising had failed. He is believed to have accompanied Mellows into hiding in the Slieve Aughty for some months afterwards.
In 1919 he was captured and imprisoned in Wormwood Scrubs
, and was one of a group of I.R.A.
men who went on hunger strike. Early in January 1920, he was part of a group of local men (including Bill Freaney) approached Frank Shawe-Taylor
on behalf of some local people who were requesting a road to travel to Mass. Shawe-Taylor himself was amenable to their demands but the landlord refused via Shawe-Taylor, who was later murdered. Lardner survived the war and died in Athenry sometime in the 1960s.
Athenry
Athenry is a town in County Galway, Ireland. It lies east of Galway city, and one of the attractions of the town is its medieval castle. The town is also well-known by virtue of the song "The Fields of Athenry".-History:...
, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, was a Brigade Commandant for the Irish Republican Army
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...
in his locality. He was by trade a publican
Publican
In antiquity, publicans were public contractors, in which role they often supplied the Roman legions and military, managed the collection of port duties, and oversaw public building projects...
and a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood
Irish Republican Brotherhood
The Irish Republican Brotherhood was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland during the second half of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century...
(IRB) Supreme Council for Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
in 1917. He, along with Liam Mellows
Liam Mellows
Liam Mellows was an Irish Republican and Sinn Féin politician. Born in England, Mellows grew up in County Wexford in Ireland. He was active with the Irish Republican Brotherhood and Irish Volunteers, and participated in the Easter Rising in County Galway, and the War of Independence...
and Pádraig Ó Fathaigh
Pádraig Ó Fathaigh
Pádraig Ó Fathaigh was a member of the Gaelic League and an Intelligence Officer of the Irish Republican Army.-Background and early life:...
, travelled to Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
where they were informed by Patrick Pearse
Patrick Pearse
Patrick Henry Pearse was an Irish teacher, barrister, poet, writer, nationalist and political activist who was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916...
at an IRB meeting that a rebellion would take place at Easter 1916.
Following Ó Fathaigh's arrest, Lardner and Mellows led some hundreds of local men in occupying Moyode Castle on 26 April. Within days they were informed by a local priest that the rising had failed. He is believed to have accompanied Mellows into hiding in the Slieve Aughty for some months afterwards.
In 1919 he was captured and imprisoned in Wormwood Scrubs
Wormwood Scrubs
Wormwood Scrubs, known locally as The Scrubs, is an open space located in the north-eastern corner of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London. It is the largest open space in the Borough, at 80 ha , and one of the largest areas of common land in London...
, and was one of a group of I.R.A.
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...
men who went on hunger strike. Early in January 1920, he was part of a group of local men (including Bill Freaney) approached Frank Shawe-Taylor
Frank Shawe-Taylor
Frank Shawe-Taylor was an Irish land agent and murder victim. Arising from a land dispute, a shocking event in County Galway during the Irish War of Independence led to a series of further deaths and tragedies.-Background to the dispute:...
on behalf of some local people who were requesting a road to travel to Mass. Shawe-Taylor himself was amenable to their demands but the landlord refused via Shawe-Taylor, who was later murdered. Lardner survived the war and died in Athenry sometime in the 1960s.