Overview
Spies, Informers and Rebels No 1 is the first in a series of events focusing on the ‘intelligence war’ 1918-1921, which. according to Todd Andrews. was ‘the first time in the history of separatism we Irish had a better intelligence service than the British’. On Saturday November 20th, John Dorney will set the scene in a presentation entitled ‘Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence in Ireland 1919-1921, an Overview‘, James Durney will present his research on the ‘intelligence war’ in Kildare in ‘I Spy – Kildare and the intelligence War 1918-21‘, and Dr Ciaran Reilly will present ‘The Killing of Detective Daniel Hoey of Rhode’.
Each presentation will be followed by a short question and answer session, and the morning will conclude with a panel discussion. Booking: https://www.eventbrite.ie/
‘Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence in Ireland 1919-1921, an Overview’.
Guerrilla and revolutionary warfare demands an intimate knowledge of the enemy as much as the application of military force. In this talk, John Dorney outlines the structures of the rival intelligence systems on both sides of the Irish War of Independence. On the Irish republican side, the IRA GHQ Intelligence Department headed by Michael Collins, which stood at the top of a nationwide structure of local IRA intelligence officers. On the British side the efforts to infiltrate the IRA and to establish a body of information about it to dismantle that organisation.
John Dorney is an independent historian, chief editor of The Irish Story website and author of two books; Peace After the Final Battle, The Story of the Irish Revolution 1912-1924 and The Civil War in Dublin, the Fight for the Irish capital 1922-23.
I Spy – Kildare and the intelligence War 1918-21.
An illustrated talk on Co. Kildare involvement with Michael Collin’s intelligence network in the struggle for independence. The most important battle of the War of Independence was the struggle for superiority in the area of ‘Intelligence’ and the key contribution made by Kildare Volunteers was in this field.
James Durney is a graduate of NUI Maynooth James Durney works in Kildare Local Studies, Genealogy & Archives Department, and was Historian in Residence for Co. Kildare’s Decade of Commemorations Committee 1916/2016. He is an award-winning writer and author of 22 books on Irish and local history.
The killing of Detective Daniel Hoey of Rhode
In September 1919 Detective Daniel Hoey was shot dead in Dublin on orders from Michael Collins. Hoey, a native of Rhode, county Offaly was noted for his role in identifying the leaders or the 1916 rising. This talk will examine Hoey’s background and role in the Dublin Metropolitan Police.
Dr Ciaran Reilly is a historian of 19th & 20th century Irish history based at Maynooth University. He is the author of a number of books including The Irish Land Agent; Strokestown and the Great Famine and John Joly and the Great Famine in King’s County
Booking: https://www.eventbrite.ie/