Ceremony to mark anniversary of death of Tipperary man who died during the Civil War

A two-day commemoration was held recently to mark the 100th anniversary of the death of IRA Captain Jim Egan of the 7th Battalion Kilkenny Brigade IRA and the 3rd Battalion Tipperary Brigade IRA.

The commemoration took place at his home in Poulacapple and in Mullinahone the following day.

On the first day at his home in Poulacapple, an oration was given by author and historian Niamh Hassett.

A plaque was unveiled on the wall of the house in memory of Jim and his brothers Pat, Ned, Peter, Tommy and Charlie Egan, who all played major roles in the War of Independence and Civil War, and from whose home the Irish Republican Army met to end the Civil War.

A walk was undertaken through woodland to the spot not far from his home where Jim was seriously wounded in a gun battle with Free State forces.

He was eventually brought to the Callan County Home, where he succumbed to his injuries and died the following morning on April 19 1923.

Wreaths were laid at the spot where Jim was wounded.

The song, ‘The Ballad of Jim Egan’ was played and sung by composer Joe O’ Gorman, a longtime friend of the Egan family, and this was a very moving tribute.

On the second day Mass was celebrated in St Michael’s Church, Mullinahone, followed by a wreath-laying cermony and oration given by Niamh Hassett at the grave of Jim Egan.

From the graveside there was a procession to the Egan, Brett and Quinn monument, where another wreath-laying ceremony took place.

The colour party re-enactment was of the 7th Battalion 3rd brigade Drangan.

Tadhg Ryan played the bagpipes to Amhrán na bhFiann.

Later there was light lunch and music in Brett’s Stack of Barley pub in Mullinahone, where neighbours, friends and relations spent the evening chatting and telling stories they heard down through the years of the famous Egan family and their fight for Irish freedom.

There was a huge turnout on both days, which showed the high esteem in which Jim Egan and his family are held for the part they played and the struggles they endured during the early part of the last century.

Jim Egan was born in 1896, the ninth of 15 children born to John and Bridget (nee Gardiner) Egan.

As well as being active volunteers in the struggle for Irish independence, Jim Egan and his brothers were outstanding footballers and were the backbone of the Mullinahone football team, winning several county titles between them.

Jim played centre back for Tipperary in Croke Park on Bloody Sunday in 1920. He braved Black and Tan bullets to get a priest, Fr Crotty of Mullinahone, to attend to his team mate Michael Hogan from Grangemockler who had been shot by British forces when they stormed Croke Park during the challenge match against Dublin. Michael Hogan died on the field of play a few minutes later.

Special thanks are extended to the Costello/ Egan family for opening and welcoming large crowds of relations and friends into their home over the weekend of the commemorations, and to the many organisers who put a lot of time and effort into the commemoration to ensure that the weekend was so successful.

Jim’s granddaughter Josie Gill, her husband Sean and his great-grandson James travelled from Manchester for the commemorations.

We can be sure that Jim Egan, his parents John and Bridget, brothers and sisters would have been proud of everybody who took part in the 100th anniversary commemorations.

- Written by Jim Hayes, grand nephew of Jim Egan