Richard Goss (Irish republican) facts for kids

Richard (Richie) Goss (1915–1941) was an Irish Republican who was a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the 1940s. He was one of the few Protestant members of the IRA at that time. Richie Goss was involved in a plan by the IRA to cause disruption in England between 1939 and 1940.

Early Life and Joining the IRA

Richard Goss was born in Dundalk, a town in Ireland. When he was 18 years old, he decided to join the North Louth Battalion of the IRA. The IRA was a group that wanted Ireland to be fully independent from British rule.

Richie Goss was arrested several times because of his involvement with the IRA. In 1941, when he was 26 years old, he was arrested again.

The S-Plan and His Role

In 1938, the leader of the IRA, Sean Russell, asked Richie Goss to go to Dublin. He was needed to help get ready for a big plan in England. This plan was called the S-Plan. It was a campaign by the IRA to cause problems for important buildings and services in the United Kingdom from 1939 to 1940.

Richie Goss was then sent to England. There, he helped to organize IRA groups and find safe places for them to stay during the S-Plan. He became the IRA's Operations Officer in Manchester, which meant he helped manage their activities there.

In May 1939, Goss was arrested in Liverpool. He was held for seven days in a prison called Walton Gaol. After he was released, he went back to the IRA in London.

Arrest and Release

About two months later, Richie Goss returned to Ireland. However, he was arrested again by the Irish Defence Forces. This happened during a time when many people thought to be IRA members were being rounded up and held.

A lawyer named Seán MacBride, who supported the Irish Republicans, helped the prisoners. Because of his efforts, Richie Goss and 52 other Republican prisoners were released from Mountjoy Jail on December 1, 1939.

Final Arrest and Trial

After being released, Richie Goss continued his work with the IRA. He was promoted to a higher position, becoming the Divisional Officer Commanding for the North-Leinster/South Ulster IRA.

On July 18, 1941, Richie Goss was staying at a house in Longford. Irish Government troops and police surrounded the house. There was a brief exchange of fire, and Richie Goss, who was 26 years old, was captured. Two soldiers were injured during this event.

Richie Goss was charged with shooting at police and soldiers to avoid arrest. Even though no one was killed and he was not charged with injuring the soldiers, a special court found him guilty in July 1941. He was sentenced to death. At that time, there was no way to appeal the decisions of this special court.

After his sentence, Richie Goss spoke in court. He said that his only reason for his actions was to help free the Six Counties of Ireland from Britain and to achieve Irish Freedom. He hoped that his ideals for Irish Freedom would come true in the future.

Execution and Reburial

Richie Goss was executed by a firing squad at Portlaoise Prison on August 9, 1941. He was buried in the prison yard.

Years later, on September 18, 1948, the bodies of six Irish Republicans who had been executed, including Richard Goss, were dug up from prison yards. Their bodies were given back to their families so they could be reburied in their hometowns.

Richard Goss was reburied in Dowdallshill Cemetery in Dundalk, County Louth. He and Maurice O'Neill were the only people executed by the state for a crime that did not involve murder.

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