HISTORY & LITERATUE 13 MARCH 2016

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HISTORY & LITERATURE 13 MARCH 2016
211
1916-1971 group of medals including 1916
Rising, 1917-21 War of Independence, 1939-41
Emergency Service and 1971 Truce Anniversary.
Recipient unknown. 1916 in original first issue
dark green box, 1917-21 with Comhrach bar in
original box of issue, 1939-46 is for Local Defence
Force. Accompanied by Irish Volunteer buttons (8)
by Firman, Fowler and Buttons Ltd. (12)
Estimate €2000-€3000 £1560-£2340
212
1916 Rising medal and 1917-1921 War of Inde-
pendence combatant’s medal to a veteran of the
GPO garrison.
To Henry Christopher Wills, ‘F’ Coy, 1st Batt.,
Dublin Brigade. Served at Annesley Bridge, Fair-
view; North King Street and at the GPO. Wills
took part in the charge by an advance guard in
Moore Street in which The O’Rahilly was killed.
The medals in original boxes. Accompanied by
facsimile documents relating to the recipient’s
pension application.
Provenance: By descent to the current owner.
Henry Wills was arrested following the General
Surrender in the Moore Street area and held in
Richmond Barracks. He was released after a week
because he gave his age as 16, although he was
actually18. He continued in active service in the
Dublin Brigade in the War of Independence.
Estimate €2000-€2500 £1560-£1950
213
1916 Rising medal and 1917-1921 War of Independence combatant’s medal to Thomas Francis Meagher,
Enniscorthy Garrison.
Together with a Young America, .22-calibre, rim-fire revolver; and a silver and enamel 1916 commemorative
pin in the form of an Irish Volunteer in front of the GPO, against a map of Ireland, hallmarked for Dublin,
1938, by The Jewellery and Metalwork Company. (4)
Provenance: Directly fromThomas Francis Meagher To the current owner.
Thomas Francis Meagher was named after “The Sword” Meagher, the famous Young Irelander and revolu-
tionary of the 1840s and later US Army general. In Easter 1916 he was a 17 year-old post office worker who
was using his position to supply intelligence to his local Irish Volunteers commander, Seamus Rafter. At the
outbreak of the Rising he joined his Company in the Athaeneum, Enniscorthy. After the surrender there he
was arrested and jailed in Stafford Jail and Frongoch Camp. On release, having been dismissed from the Post
Office, he rejoined ‘A’ Company and went on the run. He was involved in the shooting dead of R.I.C. Con-
stable Jones in Bunclody in April 1921; attacks on R.I.C. Barracks in Ferns and Clonroche; and the Holyfort
ambush. Bureau of Military History statement number WS 1156.
Estimate €2000-€2500 £1560-£1950