Borrisoleigh Historical Society Lecture On Sean Hogan

Sean Hogan

Borrisoleigh Historical Society: Delia Ryan reports.

Local man, John Connors of Rathmoy will be the guest speaker at the next series of history lectures presented by the Borrisoleigh Historical Society on Tuesday, December 2nd 2014, beginning at 8.00 pm in the Community Centre, Borrisoleigh, Co Tipperary.

John has researched extensively on the life of Tipperary man, Sean Hogan, (13 May 1901 – 24 December 1968) who was rescued on May 12th 1919 from a train at Knocklong, by his more famous IRA comrades, Sean Treacy, Séamus Robinson, Séan Lynch, Dan Breen and four other men from the IRA East Limerick Brigade.

Some of these rescuers later relocated to Dublin and undertook a range of missions under the direction of the Dublin leadership. Some of these missions were in association with a unit known as ‘The Squad,’ originally nicknamed the “Twelve Apostles,” founded by Michael Collins to counter the British intelligence efforts during the Irish War of Independence, mainly by means of assassination.

Although not yet fully eighteen years of age, Sean Hogan was one of the most wanted men in the British Empire, following the Soloheadbeg attack on January 21st 1919, in which two RIC men were killed.

This daring and deadly rescue (two RIC escorts were shot dead there also) had its origins adjacent to Borrisoleigh parish, as Hogan had been captured at Meagher’s of Annfield, by RIC Sergeant Peter Wallace from Roskeen, in an early Monday morning raid.

While many may be aware of this famous and significant event, few will know about the life of the young man who entered the history books from the Soloheadbeg and Knocklong episodes. As well as bringing us a reprise of these more famous events, John Connors will fill the gap about the further periods of Hogan’s early life and his active IRA service in both Dublin and Tipperary, as well as what became of him after the troubled times, with his well-illustrated lecture.

The lecture will be introduced by Puckane historian Sean Hogan, latter author of the much acclaimed “The Black and Tans in North Tipperary – Policing, Revolution and War – 1913 -1922”.