The following officers were elected at the 1919 AGM of the Third Tipperary Brigade Old IRA Commemoration Committee.
Cathaoirleach: Eamon O Donnell, Cashel.
Leaschathaoirligh: Pat English, Clonmel.
Paddy Flanagan, Dualla.
Rúnaí: Neil Ryan, Ballycahill.
Cisteoirí: Joe O Connell, Hollyford.
Sally Ryan, Donohill.
ICT Officer: Joanne O Callaghan, Soloheadbeg.
PRO: Kevin O Reilly, Hollyford.
The following hold honorary positions, without executive functions, in the Commemoration Committee,
Life President: Carrie Acheson, Clonmel. Committee Secretary 1960 – 2004.
Presidents: John J. Hassett, Thurles, (2000), Jim Tierney, Golden, (2006), Pat Hogan, Ardfinnan, (2009), Sally Ryan, Donohill, (2012), Mick Maguire, Lattin, (2015), Frank Begley, Tipperary. (2018).
This current year, 2019, is a busy one for the Commemoration Committee, especially its officers, containing as it does the centenaries of several important events of great interest and importance to the Third Brigade. First up in January was the forty ninth anniversary Mass of Dan Breen, the Brigade’s Quartermaster. On January 20th, the day immediately prior to the actual centenary of the Soloheadbeg Ambush, the Committee celebrated the historic event with pomp and ceremony at the actual ambush site. The orator on the occasion was Labhrás Ó Murchú. While the Committee didn’t play a significant part in the “official” commemoration at Sologhead, it was active behind the scenes providing contacts with the families of the participants, PR efforts, help with translation, and, most importantly, financial support. Some individual members participated in the Sologhead Committee and also participated in the ceremony.
On the Saturday evening beforehand Committee member Kathleen Allis Cleary organised a concert in Brú Ború, Cashel. It was an evening of patriotic music, song and history. It featured Derek Warfield and the Young Wolfe Tones. One of the highlights was the playing of Seán Treacy’s fiddle by Finbarr English.
On January 22nd the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr. Nial Ring, honoured the Commemoration Committee with a Civic Reception in the Mansion House. This mark of recognition for the work of the Committee over the previous one hundred years was greatly appreciated.
The usual 1916 Rising commemoration was held at the Republican plot in St. Michael’s cemetery on Easter Sunday afternoon. The oration there was delivered by John Connors, the distinguished local historian from Borrisoleigh. Later that evening the centenary of the death of Pierse McCan, MP/TD, was commemorated at his graveside in Dualla. The oration was given by Dr. Cathal McSwiney Brugha, whose namesake and grandfather had done the honours at the funeral a century earlier. Chronologically Pierse’s is the first name on the Brigade’s Roll of Honour.
Around the same time a number of Committee members co-operated with their fellow member, Una Crowe, in a unique and dignified commemoration of the Volunteers of all three Tipperary Brigades. The first event was held in The Source, Thurles, on February 26th. Such was its success and popularity that it had to be repeated in Holycross community hall on Easter Monday. The event was described as a, “Commemorative Tribute to the War of Independence in Co. Tipperary in Music, Song, Dance & Word”. The event in The Source was facilitated by Tipperary County Council Library Service & Heritage Office.
In July the Committee’s chief Treasurer, Joe O Connell, managed the launch of the Committee’s official website. It’s still a work in progress. But in time it’s hoped that it will become an authorative source of data on the Third Tipp Brigade, its members and the events in which they participated. Joe obtained generous funding from the South Tipperary Leader Group.