Jack McNeela

McNeela was arrested and jailed several times for his Irish republican activities, first in 1937 when he was involved in a riot at a banned republican demonstration. McNeela refused to recognize the authority of the military tribunal which tried him and he was convicted of riot and assault and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.[2] In 1938 McNeela became a major leader within the IRA when he was appointed Officer Commanding (O/C) of all IRA forces in England and was intimately involved in the planning and implementation of the IRA's 1939-40 bombing and sabotage campaign - the S-Plan. This bombing campaign took place from January 1939 to March 1940 involved approximately 300 explosions resulting in 10 deaths, 96 wounded and substantial damage to English infrastructure.[3] While in England, McNeela was arrested in a vehicle that contained bomb-making material. McNeela was given nine months imprisonment in England for membership in the IRA and associated misdemeanors.[4] Upon release he returned to Ireland and in 1939 was appointed Director of Publicity for the IRA.[5] While at the IRAs General Headquarters (GHQ) McNeela put forth a proposal to launch guerrilla raids from the Irish Free State across the border into Northern Ireland. This plan later became the Border campaign (Irish Republican Army) of 1957-62.[6] On 29 December 1939 McNeela and several others were arrested in south Dublin at a location where an illegal radio transmitter was operating. McNeela and three other IRA men were imprisoned in Mountjoy Jail, tried (and found guilty) by a military tribunal for "conspiracy to usurp a function of Government" by operating a pro-Irish Republican pirate radio station, with McNeela being sentenced to two years imprisonment.[7]

In February 1940, McNeela was elected O/C of the IRA prisoners in Mountjoy Jail. As O/C, McNeela requested that two IRA prisoners (Nicky Doherty of County Meath and John Dwyer) be transferred out of the criminal section of Mountjoy Jail to the republican area within the prison.[8] McNeela's request was ignored and he and five other republican prisoners began a hunger strike - Tony D'Arcy, Tomás Mac Curtáin, (son of the late Lord Mayor of Cork Tomas Mac Curtain), Jack Plunkett of Dublin, (son of Count Plunkett and brother of Joseph Mary Plunkett), Tommy Grogan of Drogheda and Michael Traynor of Belfast, (later Secretary-General (Ard-Rúnaí) of Sinn Féin). Close to the annual commemoration of the Easter Rising of 1916, a letter of protest criticizing the government's policy towards the hunger strikers was published from relatives of participants in the Easter Rising and the Lord Mayor of Dublin Kathleen Clarke, the wife of Tom Clarke and sister of Edward Daly (both executed in the Easter Rising of 1916).[9]

After seven days of hunger strike the six strikers were told they would have to stand trial. The hunger strikers refused to go to trial and fought off attempts to bring them to court. McNeela, D'Arcy and Tom Grogan were very badly beaten.[10] With no concessions from the Irish Free State government, McNeela died on 19 April 1940 after 55 days on hunger strike in the Military Wing of St Bricin's Military Hospital, Dublin.[11] His friend, cell mate and fellow Irish republican Tony D'Arcy had died three days earlier (16 April 1940) after 52 days on hunger strike, aged 32.[12] D’Arcy was serving a three-month sentence for refusing to account for his movements or give his name and address when he was arrested.

The IRA responded to the death of two of its officers with a attack on the seat of the Irish Government - Dublin Castle. In the early morning hours of 25 April 1940, a large land mine was detonated in the Lower Castle Yard which was housed the Detective Division (or Special Branch). Five Detectives reported injury and windows were blown out in the Chapel Royal and State Apartments.[13]

Jack "Sean" McNeela is commemorated on the republican plot, Leigue Cemetery, Ballina, County Mayo.[14]

He was buried in his family plot in Claggan (St Fintany's) Graveyard, Ballycroy, Co Mayo. [15]

Memorial to 22 Hunger Strikers

• Phoenix, Eamon (1994) Northern Nationalism, Ulster Historical Foundation, Belfast
• O'Malley, Padraig (1990) Biting at the Grave, Beacon Press, Boston ISBN 0-8070-0208-9
• McKenna, Joseph (2016) The IRA Bombing Campaign Against Britain, 1939-40, McFarland & Company Publishers, Jefferson, NC US, ISBN 9781476623726
• Flynn, Barry (2011) Pawns in the Game, Collins Press, Cork, Ireland ISBN 9781848891166
• McConville, Sean, (2020) Irish Political Prisoners 1920–1962, Pilgrimage to Desolation, Taylor & Francis Publishers, ISBN 1000082741
• Parkinson, Alan (2010) Conflicts in the North of Ireland, 1900-2000, Four Courts Press Ltd, Dublin, Ireland, ISBN 978-1-84682-189-9