Richard Barrett (Irish Republican)

Richard Barrett ("Dick Barrett") (died December 8, 1922) was a prominent Irish Republican Army volunteer who was executed during the Irish Civil War in 1922.

War of Independence

Barrett was born in Hollyhill, Cork in 1899. He was educated at a local national school and went on to become a teacher. He was an IRA brigade staff officer and occasionally acted as brigade commandmant of the West Cork Brigade during the War of Independence. Dick also managed to organise fund raising activities for comrades 'on the run'. In 1920 he was appointed quartermaster of the West Cork Brigade: after the Crossbarry Ambush. Dick was arrested March 1921 and imprisoned in Cork jail, later being sent to Spike Island, County Cork. He escaped during the truce of 1921 by row boat alongside Moss (Maurice) Twomey, Tom Crofts and Bill Quirke.

Irish Civil War

Following the Irish War of Independence, Barrett supported the Anti-Treaty IRA's refusal of authority to the Dail (civil government of the Irish Republic declared in 1919). He was opposed to the Anglo-Irish Treaty, calling for the elimination of English influence in Ireland. In April, 1922 under the command of Rory O'Connor, Barrett, along with 200 other hardline anti-treaty men, took over the Four Courts building in the centre of Dublin in defiance of the new Irish government. They wanted to provoke British troops, who were still in the country, into attacking them. They hoped this would re-start the war with Britain and re-unite the IRA against their common enemy. Michael Collins tried desperately to persuade O'Connor and his men to leave the building before fighting broke out. In June 1922, after the Four Courts garrison had kidnapped J.J. O'Connell, a general in the new Free State Army, Collins shelled the Four Courts with borrowed British artillery in what became known as the Battle of Dublin. O'Connor surrendered following two days of fighting, and Barrett with 200 or so anti treaty IRA members, was arrested and held in Mountjoy Gaol Prison. This incident sparked the Irish Civil War - as fighting broke out around the country between pro and anti treaty factions.

Execution

On December 8, 1922, Richard Barrett was executed along with three other Republican leaders, Rory O'Connor, Liam Mellows and Joe McKelvey by the Irish Free State in revenge for the IRA's killing of TD Sean Hales. One significant member from each province was executed, Barrett representing Munster. Ironically, Barrett was a member of the same IRA brigade as Hales during the Anglo-Irish War and both were childhood friends. The executions were ordered by Justice Minister Kevin O'Higgins. In reprisal for O'Higgin's role in the executions, the Anti-Treaty IRA murdered his father and burned his family home in Stradbally, County Laois. Anti-treaty members would later assassinate O'Higgins as well. (See also Executions during the Irish Civil War). Barrett is now buried in his home county Cork following the government's exhumation and re-interment.

A poem about the execution was written by Galway clergyman Pádraig de Brún.

External links

* [http://www.mcguinnessonline.com/irishsailor/armslandings.htm Barrett and IRA Arms Landings]