Tadhg is a retired farmer in his nineties, who has lived all his life in Gortafludig near Gougane Barra. He is married to Joan who comes from Doire na Buairce. Tadgh’s father James and uncles Dan and Tim were involved in the War of Independence and his aunt Madge was an active member of Cumann na mBan. Their home in Gortafludig was a safe house for many ‘on the run’ including Tomás Mac Curtain, Terence Mac Swiney, Sean O’Hegarty and Eamonn de Valera.
1927 & 1930
Tadhg & Joan were interviewed on the 22nd of February 2016 by Marian O’Leary
Interview: WCOH0007
The following topics are covered in Tadhg & Joan’s interview.
Tadhg talks of the involvement of his family (father, uncles and aunt) in the War of Independence and of the numerous people who stayed in their house while ‘on the run’ during the 1916-23 period, of Seán O’Hegarty getting cranky with his grandmother when the cow wouldn’t calf and of Tomás Mac Curtain helping to stick the sciolláns while remarking that it was ‘the best way to train a fella to throw a hand grenade’. He also speaks of the shooting dead of Christy Lucey near Túirín Dubh and of the two military lorries that went ‘bogging’ on the soft ground near Keimaneigh, how the ‘Tans’ were treated after their capture and what happened to all the goods on board.
Keimaneigh Ambush WCOHAS_0036
Tadgh and Joan speak about the Keimaneigh Ambush and outlines the connections to the landscape around the area.
NO TRANSCRIPT
Safe House WCOHAS_0037
Tadgh speaks about his family home being used as an IRA safe house during the War of Independence. IRA men like Seán Hegarty and Tomás Mac Curtain.
NO TRANSCRIPT