Michael Joe Costello
Encyclopedia
Michael Joseph Costello (4 July 1904 – 20 October 1986) was an Irish
military leader.
, County Tipperary
. His godfather was Thomas MacDonagh
, who signed the Proclamation of the Irish Republic in 1916. Costello became involved in the Irish War of Independence
of 1919-1921, after seeing his father, a school teacher, arrested by the Black and Tans
.
Costello joined the Irish National Army
in 1922 and fought in the Irish Civil War
of 1922-1923. Michael Collins
promoted him to Colonel-Commandant when Costello was 18 years old. He served as National Army Director of Intelligence from 1924 to 1926. He attended the US Army's Command and Staff College at Fort Leavenworth
from 1926 to 1927. Based on his performance there, he was recommended for the US Army War College. In a series of articles in the Irish military journal An t-Oglach, Costello predicted the advent of blitzkrieg
warfare. He was appointed Director of Training in 1931 and Commandant of Irish Military College in 1933.
During The Emergency, he commanded the Irish Army's First Division, which was primarily responsible for the defence of the south coast of Ireland. The division, a volunteer force, had able personnel, but was poorly equipped. In Costello's words, "Given the inadequate armament and signal equipment of the Forces, training concentrated on attaining superiority over a potential invader in night operations with small forces expected to yield capture of enemy arms and ammunition, in cross country mobility and in marksmanship and the use of mines and explosives generally. The platoons made silent advances during dark nights over difficult and unknown country." In 1944, one of Costello's units carried out a 44-mile (71-km) march carrying 40-pound (18-kg) packs in 11 hours. This feat was later deemed a "world record" for such a march in peacetime.
Costello was promoted to Major General in 1941 and to Lieutenant General in 1945. He retired from the Army in 1946, after which he became the Managing Director of the Irish Sugar Company. He died on 20 October 1986.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
military leader.
Biography
Costello was born on 4 July 1904 in CloughjordanCloughjordan
Cloughjordan, officially Cloghjordan , is a town in North Tipperary in Ireland. It is in the barony of Ormond Lower, and it is also a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe....
, County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
. His godfather was Thomas MacDonagh
Thomas MacDonagh
Thomas MacDonagh was an Irish nationalist, poet, playwright, and a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising.-Early life:MacDonagh was born in Cloughjordan, County Tipperary...
, who signed the Proclamation of the Irish Republic in 1916. Costello became involved in the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
of 1919-1921, after seeing his father, a school teacher, arrested by the Black and Tans
Black and Tans
The Black and Tans was one of two newly recruited bodies, composed largely of British World War I veterans, employed by the Royal Irish Constabulary as Temporary Constables from 1920 to 1921 to suppress revolution in Ireland...
.
Costello joined the Irish National Army
Irish National Army
The Irish National Army or National Army was the army of the Irish Free State from January 1922-1 October 1924. Michael Collins, its Chief of Staff from June 1921 until his death in August 1922, was the last Chief of Staff of the IRA that had fought the Irish War of Independence...
in 1922 and fought in the Irish 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....
of 1922-1923. Michael Collins
Michael Collins (Irish leader)
Michael "Mick" Collins was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for Finance and Teachta Dála for Cork South in the First Dáil of 1919, Director of Intelligence for the IRA, and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations. Subsequently, he was both Chairman of the...
promoted him to Colonel-Commandant when Costello was 18 years old. He served as National Army Director of Intelligence from 1924 to 1926. He attended the US Army's Command and Staff College at Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
from 1926 to 1927. Based on his performance there, he was recommended for the US Army War College. In a series of articles in the Irish military journal An t-Oglach, Costello predicted the advent of blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg
For other uses of the word, see: Blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg is an anglicized word describing all-motorised force concentration of tanks, infantry, artillery, combat engineers and air power, concentrating overwhelming force at high speed to break through enemy lines, and, once the lines are broken,...
warfare. He was appointed Director of Training in 1931 and Commandant of Irish Military College in 1933.
During The Emergency, he commanded the Irish Army's First Division, which was primarily responsible for the defence of the south coast of Ireland. The division, a volunteer force, had able personnel, but was poorly equipped. In Costello's words, "Given the inadequate armament and signal equipment of the Forces, training concentrated on attaining superiority over a potential invader in night operations with small forces expected to yield capture of enemy arms and ammunition, in cross country mobility and in marksmanship and the use of mines and explosives generally. The platoons made silent advances during dark nights over difficult and unknown country." In 1944, one of Costello's units carried out a 44-mile (71-km) march carrying 40-pound (18-kg) packs in 11 hours. This feat was later deemed a "world record" for such a march in peacetime.
Costello was promoted to Major General in 1941 and to Lieutenant General in 1945. He retired from the Army in 1946, after which he became the Managing Director of the Irish Sugar Company. He died on 20 October 1986.
Sources
- An Cosantoir, Irish Defence Journal www.dfmagazine.ie
- John P Duggan, A History of the Irish Army, 1991
- Eunan O'HalpinEunan O'HalpinEunan O'Halpin is an Irish historian. He is Bank of Ireland Professor of Contemporary Irish History at Trinity College Dublin. He received his BA and MA from University College Dublin and received a PhD from the University of Cambridge....
, Defending Ireland, Oxford University Press, 1999 - Guinness Book of Records
- An t-Oglach, 1928-1930