IRA wipe out 'G' Division
BY SEÁN MacAODH
Throughout the summer of 1919, amid cries of outrage and
denunciation from the clergy, the IRA began executing detectives
of the `G' division of the Dublin Metropolitian police (DMP).
The greatest threat to the safety of IRA Volunteers, during the
early days of the Tan War, came from the political detective
branch, the `G' Division of the DMP. The `G' men, as they became
known, had been engaged in political work for years, spying on
IRA Volunteers and identifying leaders of the Army. Their chief
function, however, was to guide military raiding-parties to the
homes of members of the Republican Movement, in particular
members of Sinn Féin.
Warnings from the Irish Republican Army to cease their activities
were ignored and in July 1919, Michael Collins, the then Director
of Intelligence, formed an active service unit, comprising of
twelve of the most skilled Volunteers from the Dublin Brigade of
the IRA. These men became known as the `Twelve Apostles'. Towards
the end of July, and after a period of intense intelligence
gathering by the IRA, the systematic execution of the detectives
of the `G; division began.
One `G' man, Det. Constable Dan Hoey, was particularly active in
apprehending IRA leaders. Hoey, a tall, elderly grim faced man
had identified Seán McDermott in 1916. As the rebel prisoners
were lined up and marched towards the North Wall to be interned
in England, McDermott was recognised by Hoey as being one of the
leaders of the rising. Hoey had him dragged from the lines. He
was taken away to face a British Courts Martial and was
subsequently executed. Had it not been for Hoey, McDermott would
have been interned with the other prisoners.
Undeterred by the execution of his colleagues, Hoey persisted
with his activities against the IRA. In August 1919, he led a
raiding party of British military on the Mansion House, during
which Collins narrowly avoided capture by scaling a rope ladder
and escaping through a skylight.
A month later, Collins and Harry Boland had another narrow escape
when a British Army raiding party assisted by the police, led by
Hoey, raided the Sinn Féin headquarters in Harcourt Street.
The following day, on 13 September 1919, on the order of Collins,
Detective Dan Hoey was shot dead outside the Dublin Metropolitian
Police Headquarters on Brunswick Street, known today as Pearse
Street.
Following the execution of Hoey and his colleagues in the `G'
Division, other `G' men, finding it impossible to stay at their
homes, moved into the relative safety of Dublin Castle. Many of
them resigned, while others transferred to `other duties'.
The detectives of the `G' Division no longer posed a threat to
the IRA.
It was 82 years ago this month that the `G' Division of the
Dublin Metropolitian Police, the predecessors of the present day
Garda Special Branch, felt the wrath of the Irish Republican
Army.