In Reply to: JP McCormack - Noted Fenian (Part 1) posted by Royal on May 19, 2010 at 13:37:22:

Interesting story from Castlebar and shows the importance of collecting these stories . . . This Easter, we in Sinn Féin held our Easter Commemoration at the monument in Cloonkeen, Islandeady and we recounted the fascinating account of the ambush that took place there in 1921 where Lally and O Malley (two first cousins) lost their lives ... and the circumstances and the events that followed. Your account of JP Mc Cormack's role in claiming the bodies of the two volunteers is a very important and interesting element of this story, which I wasn't aware of. Two other members of the unarmed group, Frank O Boyle, Leitir and Pat Mc Nulty, from Pheasant Hill/Derrylea were captured. The rest of the company escaped and consisted of Patrick Cannon, Cornagushlaun, Brian Mc Hugh, Leitir, Peter Tunney, Kilbree, Tommy Kilcoyne, Ballinamorrogue, Tommy Hestings, Fairhill, Patrick Mugan, Mike O Hora and John Heraghty all from Cloonkeen.
The prisoners and the bodies were taken to Castlebar where a military inquiry took the place of an inquest. Once the bodies were released, a large crowd accompanied the bodies home to Islandeady. Fr. Mc Loughlin was ordered to have the funeral at 1 pm on Sunday with only relatives attending. Defiantly, it was held after 12 o clock mass with ‘a large attendance, people coming from all parts of West Mayo’. According to the Connaught Telegraph, “the coffins draped in republican colours were borne from the church to the cemetery on the shoulders of the deceased companions. The people in the sad cortege walked in military formation, there being no interference by crown forces”
The two prisoners, Frank O Boyle and Pat Mc Nulty, were released 6 months later and got a rousing reception at Islandeady train station. The truce was called soon after.
We must collect these stories, record them and remember the brave Republican men and women who made sacrifices for the cause. This is part of our local history. If anyone has any more details on the story, certainly welcome that information.