Roscrea executions commemoration - OPW's 'refusal to engage is shameful'

A local Sinn Féin activist has strongly criticised the lack of engagement by the Office of Public Works (OPW) with a committee who wish to mark the anniversary annually of four men who were executed in Roscrea Castle during the War of Independence.

In January 1923 four men were executed in the grounds of Roscrea Castle by the Free State Army - an act of violence which still reverberates in the town almost 100 years later and that has caused some controversy in recent times regarding its commemoration.

Described as a “refusal to facilitate the Tipperary Republican Commemoration Committee’s annual commemoration in Roscrea” - it has been condemned by Committee members who have called on the OPW to facilitate the annual event.

Breandan Ó'Conchúir, a Sinn Féin activist in the Roscrea and Templemore area described the OPWs actions as “shameful”.
“Roscrea Castle is the only site in Tipperary where official executions took place during the civil war, as such it has a unique historical significance” he said this week.

“We have made every effort to work with the OPW to have the Commemoration inside the castle yard where the four volunteers - Burke, O'Shea, Russell and McNamara, were executed and buried, as we feel it is important to that such a significant event deserves to be commemorated where it happened”, he said.

“The Tipperary Republican Commemoration Committee do a great job organising a commemoration each year to mark this important historic event.

“Instead of working with us to facilitate this event the OPW has thrown up obstacle after obstacle. Last year after drawn out negotiations we were led to believe everything was in order, only for the OPW to change their mind and lock us out two days before the commemoration”, Ó'Conchúir said.

Pictured above are Mary Lou McDonald and Sinn Féin Tipperary TD Martin Browne participating in a march through Roscrea during last year's commemoration event - photo: D. Keegan

“As next January is the centenary, we contacted the OPW in April to again begin discussions on getting access to the castle yard. The OPW directed us to the Taoiseach’s office, who directed us to the heritage officer in the County Council, while the council have been supportive and are willing to offer us the same support, they would to other local commemoration groups this is still not enough for the OPW.

“We are calling on the OPW to work with us to facilitate the centenary commemoration. This will not deter us as we prepare for the centenary commemoration next January”, Mr. Ó'Conchúir said in a statement on Monday.