Joe Howley

Joseph Howley was captain of the local Sinn Féin at Oranmore, County Galway. Howley mobilized and led a combined contingent of 106 Volunteers from Oranmore and neighboring Maree on Easter Tuesday morning of the 1916 Easter Rising. Their plan was to attack the Oranmore barracks [Land and Revolution: Nationalist Politics in the West of Ireland 1891-1921, Fergus Campbell, Oxford University Press, 2005; ISBN 0-19-927324-3 page 210.] . The company failed to capture the barracks, and his men to join those of Liam Mellows. [ [http://www.galwaycity.ie/AllServices/Heritage/Magazines/2006Magazines/FileEnglish,3309,en.pdf Galway City Council - Heritage Magazine - Summer 2006 - Page 27] [http://www.galwaycity.ie/AllServices/Heritage/Magazines/2006Magazines/] ]

He was shot dead by British Forces at the Broadstone Railway Station in Dublin, Ireland, in December 4, 1920 [The History of Galway, by Sean Spellissy, ISBN 095346833X, Celtic Bookshop, (1999), page 131.] A special unit of the RIC known as the "Igoe Gang" was responsible. [ Pádraig Ó Fathaigh's War of Independence: Recollections of a Galway Gaelic Leaguer, Timothy G. McMahon, Cork University Press, 2000; ISBN 1859181457] A memorial statue to Howley was erected in 1947 in Howley Court in Oranmore. [ [http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1193406912032916938AKKqNP Howley Statue Picture] ] The inscription reads::"Commdt. Joseph Howley. He led his volunteers in Easter week 1916 and was murdered by English agents at the Broadstone Dublin 1920.":"Erected in 1947 by his old comrades of 1916 - 1920." [ [http://www.irishwarmemorials.ie/html/getPDF.php?memorialID=236 IrishWarMemorials.ie - Howley Memorial - Oranmore] ]

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