Civilian Daniel Moloney

Civilian Daniel Moloney (aged about 69) of Lislevane near Courtmacsherry (Barryroe near Timoleague)

Date of incident: 5 Feb. 1921

Sources: CE, 8 Feb. 1921; CCE, 12 Feb. 1921; Register of Compensation Commission (Ireland) Cases of Private Persons (CO 905/15); Denis Collins’s WS 827, 14 (BMH); Michael J. Crowley’s WS 1603, 15 (BMH); White Cross Statements (O’Rahilly Papers, U. 118, Box 53, Statements [63/21], Boole Library, UCC).

Note: A ‘prosperous’ farmer aged about 69, Moloney was shot and died of his wounds during a police roundup. His sons had recently been arrested. See CE, 8 Feb. 1921. In fact, the Cork County Eagle of 12 February 1921 reported his death as part of ‘the painful history of Barryroe during recent months’: ‘The deceased, Mr Dan Moloney, Lislevane, has three sons in prison, and his bereaved widow is an aunt of the unfortunate young man Crowley shot at Kilbrittain a week ago. Since the lamentable ambush at Aghavada [sic], when three policemen lost their lives, other violent deaths which have occurred are: Donovan, Lislee; Hegarty, Barryshall; Regan at Clashflucle [sic]; and now poor Mr. Moloney.’

The Volunteer Denis Collins of Ballinspittle, while returning to his home district from service with the Flying Column of the West Cork Brigade, got a rude shock at Drinagh: ‘I went into the post office to get some cigarettes and picked up an ‘Independent’, and here among the list of shootings which used to be published there was the name of an uncle of mine—Dan Moloney of Lislevane. At the time, too, his three sons were in jail.’ See Denis Collins’s WS 827, 14 (BMH). Moloney was the uncle-in-law of the Volunteer brothers Patrick, Cornelius, Denis, and Michael Crowley of Kilbrittain. Of these four brothers, Patrick had just been killed by British forces, Cornelius and Denis had been arrested and taken prisoner, and Michael—still in the field—was soon to learn of Moloney’s death on the day after his brother Patrick’s killing. See Michael J. Crowley’s WS 1603, 15 (BMH).

The farmer Daniel Moloney of Lislevane and his wife Mary were the parents of four sons who in 1921 ranged in age from about 22 to about 28.