Castleisland and District Heritage will host a talk, The Death of William Storey by William K Storey, author and historian tomorrow night Tuesday, March11th at 8pm. at the River Island Hotel, Castleisland and admission is free of charge.
Dr. Storey, a Professor of History at Millsaps College, Mississippi will describe what it was like to learn about the killing of his great grandfather during the War of Independence on Church Street, Castleisland on Sunday, May 8th. 1921 during the terrible times of the War of Independence.
His talk will be followed by questions and discussion and the launch of the group’s new website.
Castleisland Tragedy
Under the heading ‘Castleisland Tragedy’ the same report appeared in whatever Kerry newspapers were allowed to print and circulate at that time – The Cork Examiner also carried the same body of text on the incident – as follows:
“Sergeant Butler, who was shot through the spine leaving Mass at Castleisland yesterday morning, is progessing favorably.
Head – Constable Storey was shot dead while walking with the sergeant. Both fell.
Mrs Butler threw herself on the prostrate body of her husband saving him from further bullets.
Only two men are reported to have been engaged in the shooting, and they walked off after the tragedy.
During the afternoon lorries containing crown forces visited the town, burning five houses in the town and one farmhouse a short distance away. Panic prevailed.
The shops destroyed in the town were – Wm. O’Connor’s, J Reidy’s, Mce. Fleming’s, Ellen McGillicuddy’s The Market Bar.
The farmhouse of John Griffin, Cahirward, whose public house was commandeered months ago, was also destroyed. The damage runs into several thousands.”
Scene Visit in August 2021
During a visit to Castleisland in August 2021 and to the Church Street site of his great grandfather’s killing, Professor Storey wondered why the man, whose name he carries, had his burial certificate say that he died of natural causes.
“Was the undertaker who recorded this indicating that it was natural for the IRA to kill a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary? – he asked.
“Or was he just scared, mindful of the boycott that the IRA placed on people who associated with traitors?
Make Ireland Ungovernable
“Hundreds of police officers were targeted by the IRA to make Ireland ungovernable. The British response was to send soldiers and armed bands of veterans and misfits called the Black and Tans. They carried out their own attacks, including reprisals for my great-grandfather’s killing.
The history is familiar, but there remain silences about the people whose loyalties were somewhere between the tricolour and the union flag.”
For more, Castleisland District Heritage invites you to attend the talk by Professor Storey in the hotel beside WH O’Connor’s Kingdom House which was destroyed by fire as part of the campaign of reprisal on the Sunday afternoon of the killing of his great grand father and the wounding of officer James Butler – who died a couple of months after the attack.
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