Thomas Greehy
Greehy of Church Street, Lismore, County Waterford was a Private in 3 Battalion, 2 Cork Brigade, IRA. It is stated that Greehy was opening an IRA arms dump when a trap mine planted there by the National Army exploded at Kilwatermoy, County Waterford on 10 March 1923.
The application by his mother Bridget Greehy was unsuccessful
Family Circumstances
Bridget (born c 1873) had no private income; she was in receipt of 8 shillings outdoor relief from which she had to pay 2 shillings per week for a small cottage. Added to this Thomas was her only son and she was described as invalided. It appears that she had no other family on which to depend. The postscript from the Garda completing the report (July 1928) into Bridget’s circumstances and dependency could be interpreted as unwarranted (image 3). A further report (November 1928) from Garda Superintendent CJ O’Connor found that Greehy had begun looting shops in Lismore of his own accord. Greehy, he states, was not a trusted member of the IRA and had only joined in August 1922. Bridget’s first application was rejected as Thomas was found not to be a member of the IRA. Despite this rejection Bridget again applied under the Army Pensions Act, 1932. This application too was rejected. We know from the application form that Bridget was unable to sign her name, therefore the application had to be completed on her behalf. Whoever did complete the form on her behalf noted that Thomas was illegitimate (image 5). An internal memorandum reveals that Bridget’s claim was rejected because Thomas was illegitimate, however Bridget herself was never officially given the reason for this rejection.
Thomas Greehy was reinterred in August 1924.
