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Photograph

Photograph, scanned, greenish tone, featuring Major General Michael Brennan on his retirement with officers from Clare, undated.

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Photograph, scanned, greenish hue, featuring a group of army officers following the Presentation to Major General Michael Brennan (Chief of Staff) on his retirement by officers all from Clare, the sword with the ivory handle was copied from one of Col McGraths (his was silver and Ivory). Featured in the photo – front row, left to right: Gerry McNamara, Paddy Dineen, Micheal Brennan, Tom McGrath, Paddy Kierse, Paddy (?); Back row: Joe McNamara, Gerry Lane, Sean Clancy, Sean Moroney, Tom Ringrose, Mick Minogue, Tom Meenaghan (Meenihan?), Paddy Donlon.

Tom McGrath was a member of the Clare All-Ireland Hurling championship winning team, 1914. He served through the Irish War of Independence as a member of the IRA. During the Civil War he served in the National Army and later in the Irish Defence Forces where he rose to the rank of Colonel. He was the founder of the Army Ordnance Service, later the Ordnance Corp, of the Irish Defence Forces.

This image was taken in 1940 when General Michael Brennan stepped down as Chief-of-Staff of the Irish Defence Forces. He was from Meelick in County Clare, and during the Irish War of Independence led one of the most aggressive IRA units of the whole war, the East Clare Brigade.

The two men in the middle of the front row are Michael Brennan and Tom McGrath.

Collection: Tom McGrath

Category: Visual Representation

2015.0048 (5097)