Lead up to 1916

Joined Gaelic League -  c.1909

Member IRB (Centre IRB Circle N. Galway) - c.1910

Founding member and first O/C of  Na Fianna Tuam Sluagh John McHale - 1911

Vice President Fianna Eireann, 1915-16 

Founding Member Irish Volunteers Tuam Battalion - Feb 1914

Liam Langley was involved in the Irish Ireland Movement in Tuam from the early 1900s; this movement consisted of a diverse group of organisations who sought cultural and economic independence.  Included in the Irish Ireland Movement were organisations such as the Gaelic League, Cumann na nGaedheal, the Gaelic Athletic Association and others (UCC Movements for Political and Social Reform 1870-1914).  Liam Langley was a very active member of the Gaelic League and came to know Sean MacDiarmada through this involvement.  He had little time for the Irish Party at the time (Costello WS1330).   Over the of years Liam was involved in establishing troops of Fianna Eireann, Circles of IRB and a Corps of Irish Volunteers in North Galway (Langley WS816). 

NA FIANNA ÉIREANN TUAM

Liam set up the Fianna Eireann Slua in Tuam in 1911 two years after the organisation was started in Dublin by Bulmar Hobson and Countess Markievicz  (thesis).  The John McHale Sluagh was called after Archbishop McHale of Tuam 1791-81). Many boys from the town, including the apprentices from McTigue’s hardware store where Liam worked at the time, joined the new Slua of Fianna Eireann.  Liam Langley organised various activities to raise funds for the purchase of uniforms, rifles and other equipment for the Sluagh.  The members learned first aid, signalling, basic fire arms handling and drilling, they were also involved in cultural events such as drama and debating.  In the early days their sources of instruction came from British Army Manuals until the Fianna organisation were in a position to issue their own manuals.   As well as military type training the members were also involved in sports and cultural activities.  Liam organised drama events, debating,  Irish language classes and sporting activities for the Sluagh.  Liam became an officer with Na Fianna in January 1912.  

The Sunburst of Na Fianna Éireann

From 1913 Na Fianna was expanding following Liam Mellows appointment to national organiser in the spring of that year. He travelled the country recruiting, training and generally coordinating the organisation nationally. Liam Mellows and Archie Heron were constant weekend visitors to the Langley home on the Cloontroa where they stayed on their many visits. Mellows spent a good part of September 1913 staying with Liam in Tuam helping with the organisation of the Fianna sports (Greaves, Liam Mellows & the Irish Revolution). During his many visits to Tuam Mellows also helped Liam Langley with the organisation and training of Fianna Éireann in the town, they often trained at Malachy's farm, this site was owned by Patrick Concannon who allowed the use of his property for training.  Later they trained at Parkmore where the Irish Volunteers also trained after they were set up in early 1914.  The Tuam Sluagh of Fianna Eireann attended the Fianna Convention 1913 which was held in the Mansion House, Dublin.  Under the leadership of Liam Langley about twenty members went to Dublin. Whilst there, Liam brought the group out to Countess Markievicz’s house in Rathmines where they were entertained and put up for the night.  James Connolly was also present at the house that evening (O’Neill WS1219).  Over the years Liam Langley was a frequent visitor to Dublin often staying in the home of Countess Markievicz whilst there.  One person who often gave Liam lifts to Dublin was local doctor Dr. Thomas Bodkin Costello.  On one occasion Dr Costello brought Liam to Dublin in order for Liam to purchase a rifle.

By 1914 Fianna Eireann had about thirty five members in Tuam.  These were, as mentioned,  mainly apprentices serving their time as shop assistants in the different business in the town.   Like all troops of Na Fianna Eireann they practiced foot drill and some arms drill.  They were also involved in football matches, sports meetings and other cultural activities such as staging dramas.  The RIC were always present at the sporting events in which the members participated, two member usually followed  members to events in other towns and villages (Nohilly WS1437). 

The following reports in relation to Na Fianna Éireann, Tuam,  were written by Liam Langley and published in the Irish Volunteer paper. These give a very good insight into the activities of Na Fianna in Tuam at the time: 

Report on Na Fianna Sluagh John McHale, Tuam Irish Volunteer Vol 1 14th March 1914

‘The above held an interesting debate in ‘Freedom’ Hall, Tuam on Sunday 22 February 1914 at 8pm.  The subject was ‘The Fianna promise and to keep it’, the first of a series to be continued until the summer season calls the members once again to their natural element, the open air.  The proceedings were opened by the president.  A short concert then followed in which many of those present took part.  Before dismissal the members were reminded that drill took place on Wednesday and Friday evenings; football practice on Sunday mornings; route marching in uniform on Sunday afternoons and debate and concert on Sunday night, a record of the attendance of each member being accurately kept.  ‘Our Duty to Motherland’ was fixed as the subject of the next debate’

A further report is noted in a later edition of the paper:

'The members of Tuam Fianna have started the season’s work in earnest.  On Sunday week over thirty assembled for football on the Drill grounds at 10.30am where after match after match was played until 2pm.  At 3.30pm the Fianna left Tuam for Cloonasgra in two companies, one under the leadership of the President and the other under the command of Captain P. O’Daly; No. 1 Company arriving on the battleground half an hour before No.2, the enemy garrisoned on the hill, run up their colours, placed look-outs, and after taking cover cautiously approached the hill from different directions.  After half an hour’s fighting, several men having been lot on either side and many prisoners taken, the garrison was over-powered, the colours taken and the No.2 company declared victors.

An interesting debate took place in the Fianna Hall after Vespers, the subject being ‘Ireland’s and England’s Heroes: a Comparison’, P. O’Daly dealing with the first part and A. Leneghan with the second.  Such things as the recent Wexford Lifeboat tragedy, the Sidney Street battle and the baton charge in Dublin on Black Sunday came up for discussion.  The ranks are swelling and it is up to the boys of Tuam to stick to such a worthy organisation as the Fianna.'

HOWTH GUN RUNNING 

On 26 July 1914, Liam Langley, with other members of Fianna Eireann and the Irish Volunteers took part in the Howth Gunrunning. After making their way at a quick march from the city Liam marched down Howth Pier with approximately 800 men and boys to help unload 900 Mauser Rifles and 29,000 rounds of ammunition.  The group marched back to the city and met resistance from The King's Own Scottish Borderers at the bottom of the Malahide Road. Their march ended in the Bachelor's Walk Massacre which resulted in three civilians being killed by British troops.

THE VOLUNTEERS IN TUAM

Liam Langley
Irish Volunteers Tuam

The Irish Volunteers were formed in November 1913 by Eoin Mac Neill and The O’Rahilly a governing member of the Gaelic League. The movement in Galway was inaugurated on 12 December 1913 with a meeting addressed by Roger Casement and Eoin MacNeill.  Liam Langley was involved in setting up a company of Volunteers in Tuam in February 1914.  A meeting was held in Gaelic League Hall, (Sloyan's), Bishop Street on 8 Feb 1914 to set up the Volunteers.  The group eventually comprised about one hundred volunteers.  They grouped in the square in Tuam and marched to Parkmore race grounds where drill instructions were given (Wilson, WS1183; Costello 1330). However by following the outbreak of WWI a serious split developed in the Volunteer movement as John Redmond (Irish Parliamentary Party) called on members of The Irish Volunteers to join the British Army (Sept 1914)

On Nov 14 1914  a meeting of the Tuam Volunteers was held in the Town Hall, Tuam. The company was paraded and addressed by pro-Redmondite Martin Joseph Walsh; Liam Langley and William Cannon addressed the company and put the anti-Redmondite point of view before them. A vote was taken and the vast majority favoured MacNeill's position . Following this meeting the Irish Volunteers in Tuam remained intact but very depleted.  The drive for recruitment to the British army was very strong with many people favouring Redmond’s position. Things took a turn for the worst for the Irish Volunteers in Tuam when John Redmond addressed a parade of Volunteers in the town in Dec 1914. The Tuam Volunteers did not partake in this parade as they were against Redmond and his drive to encourage Irish men to enlist in the British Army.  Whilst not billed as a recruitment drive for the British Army this is what the parade turned into (Wilson, WS1183). Following these meetings the Tuam Company drilled in secret with Liam Langley and Seamus Moloney in charge.  Parades were subsequently held a few miles outside the town at Gardenfield and Weir Road (Ryan,M.J. WS1320).

1915

By 1915 things in Tuam were very precarious, in his statement Liam Langley says that 'enemies emerged from everywhere after the recruitment campaign launched by the Irish Parliamentary Party on behalf of the British Army.  This campaign encouraged everyone to withdraw support from the national organisation and successfully broke up the local branch of the Gaelic League.  There was open hostility to anyone with Irish Ireland sympathies' (Langley WS816).  Langley was openly active in his position as a supporter of the Irish Ireland movement. He remained with the Irish Volunteers after the split in the Volunteer movement. 

Liam Langley was committed irrevocably to the new Ireland and in 1915 he attended a training course for Fianna officers at An Coosan near Athlone, there he met like minded people such as Cathal Brugha, Thomas Ashe, Terence McSwiney and others. Shortly afterwards, Langley organised a recruiting campaign for the Volunteers in Tuam, the highlight of which was a meeting addressed by Cathal Brugha. 

Because of his activities Liam Langley was under the eye of the RIC for a long period of time, his house was often raided, both Volunteer and  Fianna Éireann documents and uniforms were confiscated during these raids.  Arms held by Fianna Éireann were hidden carefully in Liam’s place of work, McTigue’s, they were stored in coffins well out of the way of any constabulary members who came raiding the Langley home.  His movements were watched by both the RIC and Dublin Metropolitan Police as evidenced in the reports below.

DUBLIN METROPOLITAN POLICE REPORTS ON MOVEMENT OF EXTREMISTS
Langley was considered an extremist (DMP reports Irish National Archives).  Secret reports from the DMP giving the movement of extremists have recently been released on the National Archives website. .  In the report of July 12th 1915 Liam Langley is mentioned as arriving on the train in Broadstone.  He went to 12 D'Olier Street, Sean McDermott's office and HQ of Fianna Eireann.  From there he went to Countess Markievicz's house where he spent the night.  The previous day, July 11th,  he was in attendance at the Ard Fheis of Fianna Éireann in the Mansion House. 

DMP report 12 July 1915

DMP report 12 July 1915

The reports are Copyright of the National Archives and can be viewed here

Liam Langley's departure from Dublin is noted, RIC have been notified
The above reports are Copyright of the National Archives and can be viewed here

TUAM UNDER PRESSURE

The Fianna organisation and Volunteers continued under pressure in the Tuam area.  In May 1915 Liam Mellows  with Sean MacDiarmada (known to Liam Langley from their early involvement in the Gaelic League) were in Athenry for an IRB meeting.  Whilst in the area they called to Liam Langley to see if they could do anything to help out.  It was decided to hold a public meeting in Tuam after the last mass on that Sunday.  At this meeting MacDiarmada made an appeal for young men to join the Irish Volunteers, Fianna Eireann and to reject the recruitment drive for the British Forces, following this MacDiarmada was arrested.  An account of the meeting and arrest are contained in Liam Langley’s witness statement below (WS816). 

At the planned IRB meeting in Athenry that evening Liam Langley was given charge of five districts centred in Tuam and he worked on this basis until after Easter 1916.  Langley continued to drill and prepare the members of Fianna Eireann and the Volunteers for the impending manoeuvres.  Older members of Na Fianna transferred seamlessly to the Irish Volunteers.   The most trusted members were sworn into the ranks of the IRB.

IRB 
Liam Langley was centre of the North Galway Circle of the IRB.  He recruited and wore in trusted men.    Meetings of the IRB were held in Connolly’s forge in High Street Tuam, Liam Langley presided at the meetings, he was head centre for the area.  

FOR EASTER WEEK ACTIVITIES CLICK HERE OR ON 1916 TAB ABOVE 

Liam Langley was arrested at 4am Monday 8th May 1916 in his home.  Hes was brought to The RIC barracks in Tuam and then Galway Prison.  On May 12th he was transferred to Richmond Barracks.  On June 2nd he was transported to Britan which he was sent to Wakefield Prison, then Frongoch before being interned in Reading Jail.  During his time in Reading Jail he wrote to John Costello asking him to take over the running of the organisation in North Galway.  This letter was smuggled out of the prison by Daryl Figgis’s wife, Figgis was a fellow prisoner in Reading.  Costello was thus involved in the reorganisation of Fianna Éireann in 1917 in North Galway (Costello WS1330).

Following his release from prison Liam Langley moved to Dublin where he continued his involvement in Fianna Eireann, and the IRB. He became a member of the GHQ Staff, he acted as Director of Organisation and Education along with many other positions in the organisation. His was also O/C 2nd Batt'n, Dublin Brigade, Fianna Eireann which he held from 1917-1921,  

LIAM LANGLEY STATEMENT ARREST SEAN MACDIARMID MAY 1915

Fianna Eireann Ard Fheiseanna - Mansion House, Dublin

                                                                                                                   July 1913

Liam Langley behind Countess Markievicz third to right

Liam Langley 5th to right of Countess Markievicz

Liam T Langley seated 1st row 3rd from right

July 1915

                     1919

Liam Langley centre row 2nd from left

                                                                                                                                                 










  Officer Volunteers in training at Coosan Camp, Athlone, Sept 1915