Tony D'Arcy facts for kids
Tony D'Arcy was an important leader in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The IRA was a group that wanted Ireland to be fully independent. Tony D'Arcy died at 32 years old after going on a hunger strike for 52 days in 1940. A hunger strike is when someone refuses to eat to protest something.
Contents
Tony D'Arcy's Early Life and Role in the IRA
Growing Up in Galway
Tony D'Arcy came from north County Galway in Ireland. He was a member of the IRA during the 1930s. His cousin, Louis Darcy, was also a leader in the IRA. Louis was killed by British forces in 1921 during the Irish War of Independence. This war was fought to make Ireland independent from British rule.
Important Roles in the IRA
In 1938, another IRA leader named Seán Russell chose Tony D'Arcy for two big jobs. Tony joined the IRA's Army Council, which was like the main leadership group. He also became the Officer Commanding (O/C) for the IRA's Western Command. This meant he was in charge of IRA activities in the western part of Ireland.
By 1938, the Irish police's Special Branch started watching Tony D'Arcy closely. The Special Branch was a police unit that dealt with national security. In 1939, Tony joined the IRA's main Headquarters staff.
Planning Future Actions
Tony D'Arcy and some younger members of the Headquarters staff had an idea. They suggested launching attacks from the Irish Free State (which is now the Republic of Ireland) into Northern Ireland. This idea later led to a plan called the Border campaign in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Arrest and Hunger Strike
Meeting and Arrest
On February 17, 1940, Tony D'Arcy was arrested in Dublin. He was at a meeting with 15 other important IRA members. They were planning for a future operation called the Northern Campaign. These arrests were a big setback for the IRA.
The men arrested were sent to Mountjoy Prison. This happened during a time in Ireland called The Emergency. This was a period when Ireland was officially neutral during World War II, but the government took special powers.
Prison and Protest
Tony D'Arcy was sentenced to three months in prison. This was because he refused to explain where he had been or give his name and address when he was arrested.
On February 25, 1940, six republican prisoners, including Tony D'Arcy, started a hunger strike. They had two main demands. First, they wanted to be able to mix freely with other prisoners. Second, they wanted two specific IRA prisoners, Nicky Doherty and John Dwyer, moved from the regular prison area to the republican area.
Tony D'Arcy continued his hunger strike for 52 days. He died on April 16, 1940, at the age of 32, as a result of the strike.
See also
- Louis Darcy (Tony D'Arcy's cousin)
Sources
- http://hungerstrikes.org/forgotten_strikes.html
- Northern Nationalism, Eamon Phoenix, Ulster Historical Foundation, Belfast 1994 ISBN: 0-901905-64-X
- The History and Folklore of the Barony of Clare, Michael J. Hughes, c. 1993.
- Biting at the Grave, O'Malley, Padraig, Beacon Press, Boston 1990 ISBN: 0-8070-0208-9
- Pawns in the Game, Flynn, Barry, 2011, Collins Press, Cork, Ireland ISBN: 9781848891166
