Who Do You Think You Are - Brendan O'Carroll 28th Aug

[kiterunner]

Here is Jocelyn Lee Hardy's marriage certificate from 1919:
LMA records on ancestry

He died in 1958 leaving an estate of over £58,000.

[Lynn the Forest Fan]

I found it interesting but as I said previously not really much genealogy. I was particularly interested in the involvement of the Black & Tans as my mil's grandfather was one and the programme seemed to suggest that as an officer he would have been in the auxiliaries. It was a relief when his name didn't come up as one of those involved!!

[kiterunner]

I'm trying to find the O'Carroll family in the 1911 census but no luck yet. Has anyone else found them?

[kiterunner]

Ah, here they are in 1911; looks as though Martha's age was wrong in the newspaper report, or I noted it down wrong:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.i..._Street/46890/
I had to look it up by address but there doesn't seem to be a way to put in the house number, or did I just not see where to put it?

[Ann from Sussex]

Originally Posted by Olde Crone

I surprised myself by actually enjoying that although I do agree it was one man's story, rather than genealogy. I have little interest in Irish history, so thought I would be bored, but his measured (and intelligent!) approach to a mystery was rather refreshing and his quick grasp of facts was a nice change from some of the previous participants.

OC

This was my reaction to Brendan O'Carroll too. He displayed one of the most intelligent responses and attitude to the research that I can remember seeing on WDYTYA. Once I had decided, very early on, not to view this as a genealogy programme but as one on Irish history (a subject that interests me) I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Merry]

Originally Posted by Olde Crone

I surprised myself by actually enjoying that although I do agree it was one man's story, rather than genealogy. I have little interest in Irish history, so thought I would be bored, but his measured (and intelligent!) approach to a mystery was rather refreshing and his quick grasp of facts was a nice change from some of the previous participants.

OC

Well, this post saves me typing my opinion! Those were my thoughts too, OC.

I would have liked to know in what way Peter was an invalid, or did the journalist just write that to add weight to the point that this older man was defenceless.

[Shona]

There is a huge body of research on the Cairo Gang - much of it available online.

Jocelyn Lee Hardy was a member of the gang and has been (for some time) identified as the person, or a member of the hit squad, who shot Peter O'Carroll.

According to a witness statement from Peter's son, Liam, his father bought guns from British soldiers. Liam O'Carroll was Adjutant of the 1st Battalion of the IRA's Dublin Brigade. His brother, Peter, was in the same battalion.

Liam O'Carroll: 'My father and his father were members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Through my father, I became associated with the Nationalist Movement. We had a fair number of Lee Enfields. We were buying them at that time from British Army men. As a matter of fact, my father bought quite a quantity. He had a shop in Manor Street.'

The Cairo Gang website has masses of detail. Here's the info on Hardy and his involvement in the O'Carroll shooting.
http://www.cairogang.com/escaped/hardy/hardy.html

Hardy's father was an Irish-born merchant, which may explain why JLH served with the Connaught Rangers in WW1...and was selected to become an intelligence officer attached to the Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary.

In the 1930s, JLH became a fascist.

[Olde Crone]

Shona

thankyou, that is interesting.

I did think there would be more to it than we were given and thought Peter O'Carroll was probably more actively involved than we were led to believe but even so it was a nice piece of detective work.

OC

[kiterunner]

Wow, that's interesting, Shona, thanks. I wonder whether they gave Brendan that information?

[Shona]

It gets better...

The O'Carroll family were involved in the Easter Rising in 1916.

Again the info comes from Liam. He was involved in the fighting at the Four Courts.

'Peadar was close by in the North King Street area. Annie O'Keeffe was a member of the woman's organisation, the Cumann nam Ban. She was in the Father Mathew Hall. Peader and Annie married in 1921. James Joseph, the one who went to the States was in Jacobs Biscuit Factory. Mary Patricia was also in the Cumann nam Ban. She was in a club called Dwyer's Club just behind The Four Courts. Her future husband Lawrence (Larry) Lawlor was also around the Four Courts area. They also married around 1921.'

Michael, who was only about 15, was in the Na Fianna (Scouts) and was in the same area as his brothers Liam and Peadar.

EDIT: Following independence, people involved in the 'struggle' were encouraged to give statements about their involvement and activities.