Na Fianna and Volunteers Composite Council 1920

As the War of Independence escalated it was recognised that a common military policy would be of benefit to both the Volunteers (now the official army of the Republic) and Na Fianna. Negotiations between the Department of Defence and Fianna Headquarters Staff  resulted in an agreement between the two groups in December 1920.

As a result of this agreement a Composite Council was set up comprising three G.H.Q. Officers of the Fianna - Barney Mellows, Adjutant-General, Garry Holohan, Q.M.G.  0/C. Brigade and Liam Langley, Director of Organisation; and three G.H.Q. Officers of the Irish Volunteers -  Dermot O’Hegarty, Gearóid O’Sullivan, and Bob Price. The function of the Composite Council was to ensure smooth co-operation between the Volunteers and Na Fianna. The meetings of the composite council were presided over by the Minister for Defence, Cathal Brugha, or someone nominated by him. The council at once addressed itself to the situation in the capital and instructed that Na Fianna’s Dublin Brigade be re-organised into five Battalions corresponding to the structure of the Volunteers in the city.

It also discussed in detail the practical implications of the partnership, agreeing procedures which were circulated to all companies by Fianna’s Adjutant General, Barney Mellows.   Within a month of the companies receiving Mellows’ memorandum the British had captured documents of Collins that referred to the Council decisions and were aware of the imminent ‘linking up’ of the two organisations.

Account of Composite Council typed and signed by Liam Langley

Witness statements Joseph Reynolds WS 0191 and Gearoid Ua h-Uallachain WS0336, 

John Watts, A Case Study of a Political Youth Organisation Na Fianna Éireann, University of Glasgow.

REMOVAL OF BANNER FROM GPO APPEALING FOR RECRUITS FOR THE BRITISH NAVY

Extract from Statement Gearoid Ua h-Uallachain (Gary Holohan) Fianna Éireann Dublin Brigade.

Liam Langley, along with a group of Na Fianna members, was involved in the removal of  a British Navy recruiting banner from the columns of the GPO around 1918 (date uncertain). This story was often recounted at home by Liam to his family.  He added that the following day a large crowd gathered to look a the burnt banner.  Liam and the group cycled back into O'Connell Street to survey the outcome of their actions.

The following is Holohan's account of the incident:  "There is just one incident that comes to mind which took place after 1916. As if to add insult to injury, the British authorities erected a large scroll or banner of bunting across the top of the columns or the G.P.O. on which was painted 'An appeal for recruits for His Brittanic Majesty's Navy'. This was too much for us, so we organised a party of the Fianna. There were about twenty of us, including Liam Langley, Hugo MacNeill and Thee Fitzgerald. We met with bicycles at George's Pocket. We had a supply of twine with lead weights attached, and several sods of turf soaked in paraffin oil. We cycled into O'Connell Street at about half-past eleven, held up the policeman on duty at the point of a revolver, threw the lead weights over the banner, hauled up the burning sods of turf and the whole thing was in ashes in a few minutes. It was never replaced."

Na Fianna Eireann Last Meetings Countess Martkievicz June 1927

Countess Markievicz continued to attend meetings of the Executive Council of Na Fianna Eireann until two weeks before she passed away.  The following are extracts from the minute book of Na Fianna Eireann Executive Council meetings that Madame attended at the time. Liam Langley Collection

Minutes of last meeting signed by
 Countess de Markievicz 14.6.27

Last meeting presided on by Madame
28.6.27

Minutes of Na Fianna Eireann Executive Council following the death of Countess Markievicz

18/7/1927

Liam Langley Presiding

         The minutes of the previous meeting haveing been read and signed the meeting adjourned after passing a vote of sympathy with Count Markievicz and family on the death of Madame Markievicz the Chief and Founder of the Organisation.

         As an additional mark of respect it was decided to postpone the Annual Ard-Fheis originally fixed for Sunday,31st July, 1927 until further notice.

                                         Liam T. O'Laonlach

Minutes of meeting passing a vote of sympathy with
Countess de Markievicz's husband 18.7.27

Na Fianna Éireann Usher's Quay Battalion 1917

The time in Reading Jail was not wasted as plans were made for the next stage of the battle. The seeds of the Army of the Irish Republic were sown and nurtured by the internees who were considered leaders in the rising.  As a member of the Irish Volunteers Liam held the rank of Captain  Irish Republican Army (IRA), he also held the position of  Vice President Fianna Éireann (1915/16).  

In Dec 1916 Liam Langley was released from Reading, the following April he transferred from Tuam to Dublin April.  He held a number of posts in Na Fianna over the next number of years, these included:

June 1917                                Captain  Usher’s Quay Company

Jan 1918 – March 1920          Battalion Commandant 2^nd (North Dublin) Battalion

1918-1921                               Headquarters Staff  National Director of Organisation & Education

Dec 1920 – April 1921.          Brigade Commandant (O/C) replacing Gary Holohan who was arrested 

11 July 1921 – Dec 1921        Battalion Commandant 4^th (South West Dublin) Battalion

Early 1921 – April 1921         Chief of Staff in Eamon Martin’s absence

Headquarters Staff                  Director of Organisation (Ryan p.18)

May 1921 – July  1922           Brigade Commandant (Brigade Staff Sheets p.6)

Fianna Circle IRB (1917-1922)

Centre:  Gary Holohan

Secretary: Liam Langley

Treasurer Tom Donohoe

Liam is pictured below with The Ursher's Quay Battalion Fianna Éireann, he was Captain of the Battlion from June 1917.  The photo was taken at Blessington Basin, Phibsborough where the battalion trained.  Liam Langley is seated second row third from left, he is wearing his Irish Volunteers uniform.

Seamus Nestor Na Fianna Éireann

Seamus Nestor

‘C’ Comp 2^nd Batt Dublin Brigade 1916-21 Fianna Éireann

1^st Batt Dublin Brigade IRA 1921/22

Seamus Nestor C.1930
Photo Liam Langley

'While a pupil in St. Patrick’s School, Drumncondra, Dublin, Seamus Nestor joined Fianna Éireann upon it’s re-organisation after the Easter Rising in 1916.  He was attached to Sean Heuston Sluagh, afterwards ‘C’ Company of the 2^nd Battalion, Dublin Brigade.  For almost three years he was just an ordinary member of the Fianna.  After passing through all his tests and being noted for punctuality and regular attendance on parades at lectures and camps, he was appointed Quartermaster of his Company at the end of 1919; in this capacity he attended classes in Musketry Instruction held by the I.R.A., afterwards imparting these instructions to Fianna on the use of small arms and grenades.  About this time he took part in a raid for cycles on the Central Telegraph Office.  Fifty machines were taken from the stores.

In 1920 he was appointed 1^st Lieutenant.  He was then one of the squad told off for special intelligence work in connection with enemy spy activities.

In May 1921 he was in an armed engagement with Crown Forces:  Accompanied by two others they served as covering party opposing a raid by British Military on a Fianna Camp at Finglas.  Armed with revolvers their fire held off the enemy until all the Fianna in camp, about sixty, had escaped.  Seamus visited the area on the following day and found the British Military still in the vicinity of King James’s Castle.  As he was returning he met a Dispatch Rider, whom he know, attached to the Department of Home Affairs, on his way to shift a dump at the Castle.  Despite the warning and advice given by Seamus the other insisted in taking a chance, having first handed over his dispatches which were addressed to Austin Stack, The Minister of Home Affairs, and were duly delivered.  At the time the capture of these documents would have been a very serious matter indeed.  The Dispatch Rider was arrested by the British Military, court-martialled and sentenced to a long term of imprisonment.  This arrest took place on 24^th May 1921.

Following these incidents the services of Seamus Nestor were immediately requisitioned by Commandant P. Holohan and he was transferred as Assistant Battalion Quartermaster to the 1^st Battalion, Dublin Brigade of the I.R.A.  In this capacity he was responsible for the purchase, custody and distribution of arms and the inspection of arms dumps in the area.  He had also to ensure that Company Quartermasters submitted full returns of arms and ammunition after armed attacks.  He served in this capacity to the end of hostilities.

During the Truce, his works as Q.M’s Assistant, if not so risky, remained just as heavy.  There was Camp Training at Mulhuddart, night manoeuvres and duties in connection with carnivals as a fund raising campaign, as well as continuing to purchase arms whenever possible.  Following on the Belfast purge, as part of his duties, he was responsible for the billeting and feeding of refugees from that city.  He took part in many raids for Belfast goods and did much duty at Fowler Hall.

During the last occupation of the Four Courts he was responsible for the transport of arms to and from there for Battalion use.  During the attach and bombardment of the Four Courts when the street fighting commenced in the area, Seamus, under the supervision of Quarter Master Corliss, undertook the collection of arms and ammunition from dumps and distributed them amongst the different garrisons.

On the 28^th June 1922 he reported to 44 Parnell Square and during the week he served at the Duke of Leinster’s house in Dominick Street and at Jenkins’ of Capel Street where the Garrison surrendered.

He was imprisoned in Wellington Barracks, ‘B’ Wing, Mountjoy Prison and transferred to Newbridge Barracks in January 1923; he took part in the mass hunger strike and was released in December 1923.

He joined the Irish Press staff in 1931, later becoming Limerick Branch Manager until he retired through ill health in 1954.  His death took place in Limerick on 23^rd March 1956.

Liam Langley
Battalion Commandant 2^nd (North Dublin) Battalion
Staff HQ Director Organisation and Education

23.7.57

Extracts from the account of Sean Nestor typed up by 

Liam Langley dated 23 July 1957