MSP Archive

MSP Archive

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Military Service Pensions Archive. The largest collection in the Military Archives in Ireland. www.militaryarchives.ie www.militarypensions.wordpress.com

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MSP Archive
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NEW BLOG Examines the Sep. 1920 capture of Kevin Barry feat. newly released files for eight participants. Article establishes an accurate list of IRA members involved, subsequent Civil War positions, emigration stories, and how many received pensions. militarypensions.wordpress.com/2026/08/21/r...

militarypensions.wordpress.comR20 – Kevin Barry’s capture: who was with him? (20 Sep. 1920)Eighteen-year-old IRA Volunteer and medical student Kevin Barry was captured on 20 Sep. 1920 during an ambush of a British army supply lorry at Monks’ Bakery at the corner of Church Street an…
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New blog looking at the controversy surrounding a shooting in Ballina, Co. Mayo in Dec. 1922. National Army Lieut. Michael T Foynes was shot in both legs by another soldier in Cosgrave’s pub It led to years of claims and appeals for compensation. militarypensions.wordpress.com/2026/08/13/r...

militarypensions.wordpress.comR20 – “He knew as much about a rifle as a pig does” – The disputed Mayo Civil War shooting of Michael FoynesAlmost 28 years after his shooting, and after many appeals, the final rejection by the Department of Defence of Michael Foynes’ application. Introduction On the night of 10 December 1922 Nati…
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NEW BLOG! Examining a B Specials raid on the McKeown family near Magherafelt in rural south Derry in May 1922. Three brothers were shot, one was killed. R20 contains files of the two wounded and a file for a fourth brother who was away on the night. militarypensions.wordpress.com/2026/08/11/r...

militarypensions.wordpress.comR20 – Shooting of three McKeown brothers in Co Derry (May 1922)The 20th release of MSPC files contains the pension applications of brothers Thomas McKeown (DP3269) and Francis McKeown (MSP34REF62797), who were shot and wounded by B-Specials during a raid on th…
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Archivist Sam McGrath examines an attempted massacre of five IRA prisoners in County Kerry on 7 March 1923. Same day as Ballyseedy and Countess Bridge. New MSPC release contains files relating to 3 survivors while the file of another is already out. militarypensions.wordpress.com/2026/08/07/r...

militarypensions.wordpress.comR20 – Attempted fourth Kerry massacre on the same day as Ballyseedy (March 1923)The 20th release of MSPC material contains new first-hand evidence relating to an attempted massacre of five IRA prisoners in County Kerry on 7 March 1923. It occurred on the same day that the Nati…
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Archivist Michael Keane's new blog about the controversy surrounding the awarding of a IRA medal to John Clarke of Ballina, Co Mayo. Clarke was forced to give it up after re-investigation. Father of Jackie Clarke, collector of Irish history material. militarypensions.wordpress.com/2026/08/04/i...

militarypensions.wordpress.com“It … has made a laughing stock of the whole movement” – John Clarke’s disputed Service (1917-1921) Medal award.Letter from Thomas Ruane, former OC North Mayo Brigade, IRA, and Chairman, North Mayo IRA Brigade Committee, to Michael Cremen, Secretary to the Referee, Military Service Pensions Act, 1934, queryi…
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MSPC Release 20 is now live! Access all new 1,035 entries and all new 2,500 files at www.militaryarchives.ie (MSPC). Access the release breakdown and the full list of individuals whose files are being released. 👇🏽 lnkd.in/dhUHgqYB Search the whole database: lnkd.in/dkc85wKg

militaryarchives.ieMilitary Archives | HomeSince 1990, the Military Archives has been the official place of deposit for records of the Irish Defence Forces, the Department of Defence and Ireland's…
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Important point: Archivists have no authority to 'reopen cases' of pension applications lodged a hundred years ago, nor do we conflate recognition and award of pension. An unsuccessful pension does not mean applicants were not there or are lying about their activities.

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We're cataloguing a collection, we are not reviewing the validity of claims. In our blog we post what we find interesting along the way, sometimes exposing the limitations of pension legislation which was very narrow. Those posts are about research, they are not official reviews.

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The MSPA team is getting ready for a file release! A belated Christmas present if you will 🎁 Release 19 contains well over 1,000 new names added to our database and over 2,400 new files (described and scanned). Breakdown and nominal list to follow... #Archives #IrishRevolution

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Release 18 Highlights (Pt. 3) – The Civic Guard in the Civil War, the veteran who repaid his pension, and some interesting documents On the left - One of the few personal photographs found so far in the collection. Margaret Kelly, widow of Patrick Kelly MSP34REF19983

militarypensions.wordpress.comRelease 18 Highlights (Pt. 3) – The Civic Guard in the Civil War, the veteran who repaid his pension, and some interesting documentsOn the left - One of the few personal photographs found so far in the collection. Margaret Kelly, widow of Patrick Kelly MSP34REF19983
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Release 18 Highlights – Kilkenny native jailed in Canada John Keane (MSP34REF1992) was born in Kilkenny in 1892 and joined the Irish Volunteers in 1916. He later left his position as a draper’s assistant in Kenny’s, High Street, Kilkenny and became a member of the Active Service Unit (Flying…

militarypensions.wordpress.comRelease 18 Highlights – Kilkenny native jailed in CanadaJohn Keane (MSP34REF1992) was born in Kilkenny in 1892 and joined the Irish Volunteers in 1916. He later left his position as a draper’s assistant in Kenny’s, High Street, Kilkenny and became a member of the Active Service Unit (Flying Column) under the command of George O'Dwyer (24SP12814). Keane took part in the ambush at Coolbawn, County Kilkenny on 18 June 1921 in which two IRA members…
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Release 18 is live and this is the first installment of a series of blog posts highlighting the best, the strangest, the go-against-grain stories of this new release. Enjoy! militarypensions.wordpress.com/2025/06/17/r...

militarypensions.wordpress.comRelease 18 Highlights (Pt. 1)Highlights from Release 18 of the MSPC (June 2025)1. Key Highlights2. Parliamentary politics and civic life3. Interesting incidents4. Arms work and intelligence5. Interesting post conflict stories6…
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#R18 Here is a teaser about our release, along with a full nominal list. Over 2,100 files will enter the public domain tomorrow. This month, we're clocking at 20,940 individual entries for Pensions only, all files digitised and FREE to access. www.militaryarchives.ie/en/online-co...

militaryarchives.ieMilitary Archives | June 2025Since 1990, the Military Archives has been the official place of deposit for records of the Irish Defence Forces, the Department of Defence and Ireland's…
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Happy to announce that the MSPA Project Team will proceed to its 18th Release on Tuesday 17 June. More than 2000 files are in the starting blocks. More details soon. #Archives #PublicRelease

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The cataloguing + digitising of the Military Service Pensions Archive participates in making the archives of Ireland’s revolution one of the most documented and most freely accessible revolutionary archives in the world. The Internal Archives Week 2025 is almost there!! Accessibility for everyone

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John MacBride, executed in May 1916 for his participation in the Rising is present in the collection through Maud Gonne’s claim for an allowance on behalf of her husband. The file contains a copy of a marriage certificate in the parish de St Honoré d’Eylau, Paris, where Seán MacBride was born. #MSPC

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Following his talk Sam McGrath has turned his lecture into a blog post (slides downloadable). We're exploring possibilities to cover more local ground. This presentation roughly covered #Dublin3 Marino, Drumcondra, Fairview, Ballybough, North Strand... militarypensions.wordpress.com/2025/01/11/s...

militarypensions.wordpress.comSlides and maps from local history talk in Marino (Jan 2025)Project archivist Sam McGrath spoke to a full house in Carleton Hall, Marino, Dublin 3 on 10th January 2025 in a public talk titled ‘Marino’s Revolutionary Residents’. The event w…