Connolly
07-23-2008, 11:23 PM
Here is some excerpts from the book 'Brigadista, An Irish Mans Fight Against Fascism: Bob Doyle' on a Balbriggan Spanish Civil War volunteer John O' Beirne:
Notes page 224
"John O’ Beirne, known as ‘the guy who jumped through the drum’ among Sinn Fein supporters, disrupted a British Army recruitment parade through his home town of Balbriggan during the first world war. An IRA volunteer during the Irish War of Independence, he climbed the towns mill chimney one night and hung the illegal Irish flag from the top. The British Army couldn’t believe anyone could have climbed it. They had to shoot it down.
After the Truce he emigrated to the USA where he helped train Palestinians in guerrilla warfare (they were then rebelling against the British administering Palestine) before joining the American volunteers coming to Spain. He never took out an American passport, so he wasn’t eligible for repatriation to the US and went back to Ireland, bringing his strong sense of equality, and love of Jazz and Negro spirituals, especially the songs of Paul Robinson.
He rarely spoke of the war even to his family but had recurring nightmares of the time before being captured when he was hiding in a cupboard and searching Moors killed a comrade hiding in the same room. His favourite Spanish phrase became a family saying: ‘Muchas mananas, si si camaradas.’""
Page 87, Chapter 10 "The Exchange of Prisoners"
"(When fourteen Americans were exchanged before the British and Irish, one of the Irish who had fought with the Americans went as one of them. He was John O' Beirne, originally from Balbriggan. He was put down as 'John Berkley', a name similar to John's Mother's name, Berkery. A good friend, Leo Berman, was on the list of fourteen getting out but felt bad about leaving his pal John O' Beirne, who was in his forties and suffering from a leg wound and arthritis which slowed him down. This had made him a frequent target for the sergeants.)
Leo let John take his place on the list. Both were lucky however. The prisoners left Ondarreta prison in San Sebastián on 8 October for the bridge at the border. There each had to wait until his name was called, then walk across. Fourteen names were called, including 'John Berkley', which left Leo standing there. The Red Cross staff man asked Leo his name. 'Berman, but my name was skipped.'
'Son, you are the fourteenth, hurry up and cross.'
John was held up for some time, along with nine British prisoners and some Canadians in Ondarreta where Colonel Martin left soap and money from the British Dependants Aid Committee. He arrived at Balbriggan station near Dublin, still wearing light Spanish prison clothes and alpargatas, but couldn't manage the four-minute walk downhill to his family home. When his brother-in-law collected him with a motorbike and sidecar, he had to lift John in. The leg wound which aggravated his arthritis healed slowly."
If anyone has anymore information on John O'Beirne, I would be very greatful.
You can also see photo's of the presumed chimney he climbed here: http://theplough.proboards57.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1994&page=1
Notes page 224
"John O’ Beirne, known as ‘the guy who jumped through the drum’ among Sinn Fein supporters, disrupted a British Army recruitment parade through his home town of Balbriggan during the first world war. An IRA volunteer during the Irish War of Independence, he climbed the towns mill chimney one night and hung the illegal Irish flag from the top. The British Army couldn’t believe anyone could have climbed it. They had to shoot it down.
After the Truce he emigrated to the USA where he helped train Palestinians in guerrilla warfare (they were then rebelling against the British administering Palestine) before joining the American volunteers coming to Spain. He never took out an American passport, so he wasn’t eligible for repatriation to the US and went back to Ireland, bringing his strong sense of equality, and love of Jazz and Negro spirituals, especially the songs of Paul Robinson.
He rarely spoke of the war even to his family but had recurring nightmares of the time before being captured when he was hiding in a cupboard and searching Moors killed a comrade hiding in the same room. His favourite Spanish phrase became a family saying: ‘Muchas mananas, si si camaradas.’""
Page 87, Chapter 10 "The Exchange of Prisoners"
"(When fourteen Americans were exchanged before the British and Irish, one of the Irish who had fought with the Americans went as one of them. He was John O' Beirne, originally from Balbriggan. He was put down as 'John Berkley', a name similar to John's Mother's name, Berkery. A good friend, Leo Berman, was on the list of fourteen getting out but felt bad about leaving his pal John O' Beirne, who was in his forties and suffering from a leg wound and arthritis which slowed him down. This had made him a frequent target for the sergeants.)
Leo let John take his place on the list. Both were lucky however. The prisoners left Ondarreta prison in San Sebastián on 8 October for the bridge at the border. There each had to wait until his name was called, then walk across. Fourteen names were called, including 'John Berkley', which left Leo standing there. The Red Cross staff man asked Leo his name. 'Berman, but my name was skipped.'
'Son, you are the fourteenth, hurry up and cross.'
John was held up for some time, along with nine British prisoners and some Canadians in Ondarreta where Colonel Martin left soap and money from the British Dependants Aid Committee. He arrived at Balbriggan station near Dublin, still wearing light Spanish prison clothes and alpargatas, but couldn't manage the four-minute walk downhill to his family home. When his brother-in-law collected him with a motorbike and sidecar, he had to lift John in. The leg wound which aggravated his arthritis healed slowly."
If anyone has anymore information on John O'Beirne, I would be very greatful.
You can also see photo's of the presumed chimney he climbed here: http://theplough.proboards57.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1994&page=1