Assassination 1922 Walking Tour

21/10/2024

The O’Sullivan family home at 21 Little James Street (now known as Northington Street) in Holborn played host to many a Republican on the run in London during the Irish War of Independence. As Pat O’Sullivan stated in his pension application “Our house in London was always a place of call for men on the run. Sam Maguire, Danny Healy, many others…..”.

Sam Maguire needs no introduction and is most famous for the trophy named in his honour.

Danny Healy was a Cork IRA man who was sent to London and then to New York to try and assassinate Patrick “Cruxy” O’Connor. O’Connor was famously gunned down in Central Park but miraculously survived. Joe O’Sullivan was at the quayside to see him off from Southampton.

Others to stay at the O’Sullivan’s included Ralph Keyes (far right in photo) and Sean Cotter of the Bantry IRA who survived 23 days on hunger strike in Wormwood Scrubs prison. Keyes and Cotter escaped from hospital and stayed with the O’Sullivan brother’s parents John (seated in middle of photo) and Mary at Little James Street.

14/10/2024

In the 102 years since the Assassination of Sir Henry Wilson only two books have been published devoted solely to the issue. The fist detailed account by Rex Taylor was published in 1961 at a time when many of the old IRA were still alive and Taylor’s book relies heavily on their conflicting accounts of events that were published in letters to the Sunday Press in the 1950’s. Ronan McGreevy’s book was first published in hardback in 2022 with an updated paperback edition following swiftly in 2023. McGreevy’s account is far more detailed as more historical documents have entered the public domain. In fact the 2023 paperback edition contain a whole new chapter with significant new information based on London IRA veteran Martin Wallace’s account of events that had been recorded in the 1960’s but never made public.

25/07/2024

A well researched article by Martin Harkin about Joseph O’Sullivan’s Father’s struggle to claim a pension when he was suffering ill health in later life

Fight for a Pension; John O’Sullivan’s fight for recognition Publisher 7 February, 2022 Irish History, The Irish Civil War, The Irish War of Independence A memorial card for Joseph O’Sullivan and Reginald Dunne, both hanged in August 1922. By Martin Harkin Martyrdom is held most dearly in Iris...

17/05/2024

RTE archive footage of the funeral of Reginald Dunne and Joseph O’Sullivan in July 1967 following many years of campaigning to have their bodies released from Wandsworth prison by the two men’s families and the Irish National Graves Association.

The funerals and re-interment of Joseph O'Sullivan and Reginald Dunne who were executed for shooting Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson in 1922.

05/01/2024

This should be a very informative event. No doubt Sir Henry Wilson’s assassination will be covered.

To coincide with the ‘Look Back to Look Forward’ exhibition we have curated a programme of events that celebrate our community’s culture, history…

02/09/2023

Thanks to those people who came along for the tour today, hopefully they found it informative and will arrange a date for another tour soon.

22/08/2023

https://www.theirishstory.com/2023/08/22/did-michael-collins-order-the-killing-of-henry-wilson/

Did Michael Collins order the killing of Henry Wilson? Publisher 22 August, 2023 Irish History, The Irish Civil War, The Irish War of Independence Si Henry Wilson By Ronan McGreevy The assassination of Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson MP was an event that I have called Ireland’s Sarajevo. Just as th...

25/07/2023