Mícheál Walsh, The Old Malt

by Tom Kenny

On September 22nd, 1920, twelve Black and Tans burst into the Old Malt Pub on High Street, breaking down the door and rushing upstairs to where Mícheál’s wife and children were sleeping. They demanded to know Mícheál’s whereabouts and then they searched the building, firing shots, exploding grenades, terrifying the kids and causing extensive damage to the property.

They also broke open the safe, stole its contents as well as taking money from the till in the bar. Clothing, alcohol, beer and tobacco were also stolen during the raid. The taps were opened on the barrels and then doors, cabinets and furniture was smashed. The damage was estimated at £1,000.

Mícheál Walsh was native of Headford who bought the pub c.1906. He was a Republican and a member of the Urban District Council. A 39-year old well-loved figure and a successful businessman, he was not averse to spending his own hard earned money on the Irish question nor on other causes which were to the benefit of the poor. He had no connection with the Volunteers but was a supporter of Sinn Féin.

On Tuesday, October 19th, at about ten o’clock, the Tans came back. Five men in civilian clothes with English accents and revolvers came in to the pub. They ordered all the customers out, took the money from the till, also from the cashbox; they went to the safe which was broken the last time the house was raided and took whatever was there. They told Mícheál that he would be dead within an hour and then took him out the door. A small group of men standing in Cross St at twenty past ten saw two men walking in front as if they were leading the way down Quay St., the other two walked beside Mr. Walsh with drawn revolvers. They brought him to Long Walk, shot him in the head and dumped his body in the river.

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Hynes from Spanish Parade were the people who picked up his corpse. The tide was out and he was lying on dry land beside the river. They put the body on a cart and brought it to Fr. Mansfield in the Augustinian Church.

All through the next few days, streams of mourners visited the house as we can see from our old newspaper photograph. Mícheál’s remains were removed at 6 o’clock on the Thursday evening to the Pro-Cathedral, followed by a considerable concourse of people. An armoured car, a squadron of Dragoon-Guards and a party of armed constabulary lined the route. After 11 o’clock mass the following morning, the funeral took place. It was limited to the clergy and fifty persons, including relatives. Military and police were stationed at the church and along the streets at several points, the dragoon Guards with drawn sabres. When the remains were being taken out of the church to the hearse, the military saluted, as did those guarding the route as the cortege passed. All business in the city had been suspended and large crowds gathered on the footpaths to view the funeral.

Mr Walsh’s seven little sons walked behind the hearse, then came the relatives and immediate friends followed by the mourning cars. The military and police followed these and a large crowd of the general public walked after them. When the crowd got as far as Eyre Square a cordon of military and police was drawn across and the people were ordered home as the cortege made its way to the New Cemetery. A detachment of cavalry afterwards paraded the town to make sure it was clear.