A new book provides some fascinating details on life in Charlestown during the War of Independence and Civil War.
Rebels in the Courthouse was commissioned by Mayo County Council to mark the Decade of Centenaries, 2012-’23. Written by Western People editor James Laffey, the 434-page hard-cover volume draws on many previously unpublished sources and contains a wealth of information about life in Charlestown during this troubled period. In particular, the book tells the story of local men John McIntyre, who was a member of the first Republican Council and a leading figure in the IRA. It also provides new information on a raid on the then RIC station in Charlestown in January 1922, which was a breach of the terms of the newly-agreed Anglo-Irish Treaty and effectively marked the beginning of the breakdown in the relationship between the IRA in Mayo and the new Free State government.
The book, which also deals extensively with the independence struggle throughout East Mayo, is available in all local bookshops.