Two Sligo-Meath RIC Deaths

Two RIC deaths I've written about often in my history are these two who have Sligo-Meath connections. It's also nice to have photographs of both.

A poem in the voice of each will be included in my third collection to be published in March this year by Revival Press, Limerick. One of the poems, that on James Gormley, has already been published in The Corran Herald, Issue 49.

Sergeant Patrick Perry was stationed in Cliffony, County Sligo when he was killed with three other RIC men in the Cliffony/Moneygold ambush in north Sligo on 25 September 1920. He was a native of  Coolronan, Ballivor, County Meath.

He had served in Sligo for a number of years, was appointed sergeant in 1909 and was transferred from Bunninadden to Cliffony in May 1913. He was married to Margaret Sharkey from the Boyle area of Roscommon and they had 10 children. Margaret was pregnant at the time of his death. He was buried in his in-laws plot in Killaraght Cemetery in south Sligo.

One of his grandchildren is Colette Mulcahy, formerly Late Late Show production assistant, of "Roll it there, Colette" fame.

James Gormley was one of nine children of Thomas and Ellen from Ballintogher, County Sligo. His father was dead by 1911. James joined the RIC in 1912, aged 21, and served in County Meath at Slane, Enfield and Longwood.

On Friday 28 April 1916 he was among the convoy of RIC sent in motors to Ashbourne where the barracks had been attacked. The convoy was ambushed at Rath Cross, just outside Ashbourne, and James was shot dead.

He was buried in the RIC plot in Navan. His younger brother, also a member of the RIC, attended the requiem Mass. In Ballintogher nearly all the people, including the local Volunteers, turned out to attend a Requiem Mass for the dead constable.