Liam Tobin facts for kids
Liam Tobin (born William Joseph Tobin; 15 November 1895 – 30 April 1963) was an important officer in the Irish Army. He was also involved in a disagreement within the army in March 1924, known as the Irish Army Mutiny. During the Irish War of Independence, he worked as an intelligence officer for Michael Collins' special group, The Squad.
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Early Life and the 1916 Rising
Liam Tobin was born in Cork on 15 November 1895. He was the oldest child of Mary Agnes and David Tobin. His family later moved to Kilkenny and then to Dublin. When he was young, Liam went to school in Kilkenny and worked as an apprentice in a hardware shop.
In 1916, when he was 20 years old, Liam took part in the 1916 Rising. This was a major event where Irish rebels fought against British rule. He was part of the group that fought at the Four Courts Garrison in Dublin. After the Rising, he was arrested and faced a military trial. He was first sentenced to death, but this was changed to life in prison. Liam was held in several prisons, including Kilmainham and Mountjoy. He was finally released in June 1917.
Working for Irish Intelligence
After his release, Liam Tobin became a key person in Michael Collins' intelligence team. This team worked to gather important information and plan actions during the Irish War of Independence. In early 1919, Tobin became Collins' main assistant in the Intelligence Directorate. He handled information from many sources, including some people who secretly worked for the Irish side while appearing to work for the British.
One person who helped was Nancy O'Brien. She worked for a British official and would pass secret messages to Tobin or his colleagues. Tobin was involved in planning actions against British soldiers and others who worked for the British government. He created detailed files on people connected to the British government, using public records and newspapers. He was even described by The Times newspaper as a very effective member of Collins' group, sometimes called the "Twelve Apostles."
Collins' intelligence operations were based at 3 Crow Street in Dublin. Tobin worked there with assistants like Tom Cullen and Frank Thornton. In October 1921, Tobin traveled with the Irish team that negotiated the Anglo-Irish Treaty in London. He was part of Michael Collins' personal staff during these important talks.
Political Tensions and Events
Liam Tobin was also involved in the political tensions of the time. For example, he was in London around the time of the death of British Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson in May 1922. Wilson was known for his strong views against Irish independence and had a personal dislike for Michael Collins.
Collins was very concerned about violence happening in Belfast at the time. He reportedly told Tobin that they needed to take strong action. Wilson had been deeply involved with groups in Northern Ireland that opposed Irish independence. After Wilson's death, Tobin was reportedly very pleased when he told Richard Mulcahy, who was the Irish defence minister. Mulcahy, however, was very upset by the news.
The Irish Free State and Army Mutiny
After the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed, the Irish Free State was formed. Liam Tobin was given an important role as deputy director of intelligence in the new state. He worked at Oriel House in Dublin. However, Michael Collins soon replaced him with Joseph McGrath. Tobin then joined the Army Council and became the Director of Intelligence from September 1922. Later, he became a senior assistant to the new Governor General, Tim Healy, in November 1922. This job came with an apartment in Viceregal Lodge.
In October 1922, Liam's younger brother, Nicholas, who was a captain in the Free State army, was accidentally killed by his own troops during a raid in Dublin.
Liam Tobin believed that the Treaty was a step towards full Irish independence. When the Irish Civil War began, he stayed loyal to Michael Collins and supported the Pro-Treaty side. He fought against the Anti-Treaty forces in the south of Ireland. After General Collins died, Tobin became unhappy with the ongoing fighting. He helped form a group called the IRA Organisation (IRAO), or "Old Irish Republican Army," to show they were different from the anti-treaty groups.
The Army Mutiny of 1924
After the Irish Civil War, Richard Mulcahy, the new Irish defence minister, planned to make the army much smaller. It was going to be reduced from 55,000 soldiers to 18,000. Liam Tobin knew his own position would be affected. He also felt that former British officers were treated better than former IRA officers in the new Irish Army.
On 7 March 1924, Tobin, along with Colonel Charles Dalton, sent a strong message to President W. T. Cosgrave. They demanded that the army stop reducing its size. The government quickly ordered the arrest of Tobin and Dalton for mutiny, which means rebelling against authority. The government, which was already cautious about the army's power, ordered an investigation. They appointed Garda Commissioner Eoin O'Duffy to lead the army.
On 18 March, the soldiers involved in the mutiny gathered in a Dublin pub. An order was given to arrest them, and the government demanded that the army's leaders resign. The generals did resign, which showed that the military had to obey the civilian government of the new Irish state. This was a very important moment for Irish democracy.
Later Life and Career
In his later years, Liam Tobin worked to improve relations with those he had fought against during the Civil War. He joined Fianna Fáil, a political party led by Éamon de Valera, who had been on the Anti-Treaty side.
In the 1930s, Tobin teamed up with Joseph McGrath to create the Irish Hospitals' Sweepstake. This was a very popular lottery that helped raise money for hospitals. Many other former army comrades found work in this lottery. Tobin left the Sweepstake in 1938. After World War II, Liam Tobin became the Superintendent of the Oireachtas, which is the Irish Parliament.
Personal Life
On 14 October 1929, Liam Tobin married Monica "Mona" Higgins in Dublin. They had two daughters named Máire and Anne.
After his father, David, passed away in 1956, Liam Tobin's health began to decline. He died on 30 April 1963 in Dublin, at the age of 68.
