Dunsany Heritage Week talks resume with focus on Civil War and War of Independence period

Historian Jim O'Leary to address events of a century ago

The Dunsany Heritage Week talk is resuming this year following its pandemic-enforced absence, with local historian Jim O'Leary looking at the era of the Civil War and War of Independence in the area as we approach the end of the Decade of Commemorations.

O’Leary, author of 'The Robinstown Affair - A War of Independence Story' will address events in Meath 100 years ago with special reference to the villages of Dunsany and Kilmessan and the neighbouring areas. In particular, his talk will explore how the War of Independence and the subsequent Civil War affected life in the district. Other themes will include electoral politics – there were no fewer than three general elections in the 1921-23 period – land agitation, and what the 1922 Census reveals about the make-up of the local population.

Kilmessan resident Jim O’Leary is an economist, writer and researcher who has had a life-long interest in history.

In his book, 'The Robinstown Affair, A War of Independence Story' published in 2021, O'Leary looked at the story of the Robinstown raids and their aftermath, against the background of Ireland’s War of Independence, and the story of the Chandlers, the family at the centre of the original outrage.

At lunch time on Ash Wednesday, February 9th 1921, eleven lorries containing a mixed force of Auxiliaries, regular RIC and soldiers, descended on the quiet Meath village of Robinstown. Their target was a property owned by the Chandler family. In the course of the search that followed, they terrorised the occupants, damaged the building, destroyed belongings and stole a large amount of food, drink and other articles. A smaller group, consisting of Auxiliaries only, returned that night and embarked on a renewed orgy of drunken looting.

The then Commandant of the Auxiliaries in Ireland, General Crozier, investigated the matter and punished the miscreants. His disciplinary actions set in train a sequence of events that led to his resignation, and propelled the affair to the top of the political agenda. The circumstances and significance of Crozier’s resignation were at the centre of a number of exchanges in the House of Commons, and featured prominently in newspaper coverage over the weeks that followed. There was even talk that the affair might bring down the government of the day.

The Dunsany Heritage and Amenity Association is hosting the Dunsany talk on Thursday 17th August at 8pm, in association with Horace Plunkett ICA Guild, in Horace Plunkett Hall at Dunsany Crossroads - C15WK24.