Joe McKelvey | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army (Four Courts) | |
| In office 18 June 1922 – 27 June 1922[1] | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joseph McKelvey 17 June 1898 Stewartstown, Tyrone, Ireland |
| Died | 8 December 1922 (aged 24) Mountjoy Prison, Dublin |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Irish Republic |
| Branch/service | Irish Republican Army |
| Years of service | c. 1918–1922 |
| Rank | Commandant general[2] |
| Unit | Belfast Brigade |
| Commands | Belfast Brigade Anti-Treaty IRA - Four Courts Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army |
| Battles/wars | Anglo-Irish War Irish Civil War |
Joseph McKelvey (17 June 1898 – 8 December 1922) was an Irish Republican Army officer who was executed during the Irish Civil War without trial or court martial.[3] He participated in the Anti-Treaty IRA's repudiation of the authority of the Dáil Éireann, the civil government of the Irish Republic declared in 1919 in March 1922, and was elected to the IRA Army Council as Deputy Chief of Staff.[4] In April 1922, he helped command the occupation of the Four Courts in defiance of the new Irish Free State. This action helped to spark the civil war, between pro- and anti-treaty factions. McKelvey was among the most hardline of the republican side and, briefly in June 1922, became IRA Chief of Staff (Four Courts).[5]
- ^ On 27 June, Liam Lynch and Liam Deasy met with McKelvey and Liam Mellows in the Four Courts. The result was a reunification of the two IRA groupings with Lynch as chief of staff (Liam Deasy (1998). Brother against Brother (Cork, Mercier Press), pp. 45‐46). This date is slightly at variance with the 29 June recorded by O'Malley (Ernie O'Malley et al. (2007), "No Surrender Here!" The Civil War Papers of Ernie O'Malley 1922–1924 (Dublin, Lilliput Press), p. 32, 45 and 585). However, as Deasy's account refers to the Four Courts bombardment starting the next morning (28 June), it may be more reliable
- ^ There is no evidence that McKelvey was elevated to full general on becoming chief of staff of the Four Courts faction. He became assistant chief of staff when Liam Lynch resumed the chief of staff role on 27 June and is listed thereafter as a commandant general (O'Malley et al., "No Surrender Here!", p. 336)
- ^ Enright, Sean (26 September 1922). "Sentenced to death: the Civil War executions". RTE. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ Coogan, Tim (2002). The IRA. New York: St. Martins Press. p. 31. ISBN 0-312-29416-6.
- ^ Coleman, Marie (October 2009). "McKelvey, Joseph". DICTIONARY OF IRISH BIOGRAPHY. Royal Irish Academy. Retrieved 29 November 2023.