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Auction: 323 - The Numismatic Collector's Series Sale
Lot: 769

The General Service Medal to Humphrey 'Free' Murphy, Kerry Brigade, Irish Republican Army, Who, as A Prominent Anti-Treaty Commandant, Unleashed a Reign of Terror During the Civil War
General Service Medal 1917-21, combatant's version with Comrac Bar, reverse officially named '878 Humphrey Murphy.', with integral top riband bar, very fine, in original box of issue, with compliments slip

Humphrey 'Free' Murphy, was a prominent anti-Treaty member of Kerry No.2 Brigade, Irish Republican Army, and served as Quartermaster. He made his name in the Civil War when, early in 1923, he ordered the Irish Republican Army to kill National Army Lieutenant Paddy 'Pats' O'Connor. On the morning of the 6th March 1923 O'Connor was lured with others to the vicinity of a mine trap planted at Ballinorig Wood, near Knocknagoshal. The mine detonated, killing O'Connor, Captain Michael Dunne of the Dublin Brigade, Captain Joseph Stapleton of the Dublin Brigade, Private Michael Galvin of Killarney and Private Laurence O'Connor of Causeway. Private Joseph O'Brien of the 19th Infantry Battalion, Curragh Reserves, lost both legs and suffered severe injuries to both eyes. In direct retaliation for this atrocity, National Army forces during the early hours of the following morning took nine I.R.A. prisoners from Ballymullen Barracks, Tralee in an army lorry to Ballyseedy Crossroads, where the road had been blocked by an I.R.A. mined barricade made from rocks and a log. Instead of being told to clear the road, as was usual, the prisoners were stood by the barricade, their ankles and knees tied, and the mine then detonated. Eight of the nine prisoners were killed; the ninth, Stephen Fuller of Fahavane, Kilflynn, was blown clear by the force of the blast, and despite being severely burnt was able to make his escape. The bodies of the eight dead men were subsequently machine-gunned in order to send an appropriate message.

In July 1923 Murphy was involved in an attack on the garrison at Scartaglin, Co. Kerry, and after a forty minute fight retired after inflicting one casualty. The official Kerry Command report states: 'The attack was initiated by Humphrey Murphy, and it is quite in order to attribute to a man of his mentality. Murphy is out to revenge the deaths of several of his "Officers", and it would be suicidal on our part to allow any laxity to exist in the guarding of our posts; and for either Officers or men of the Army to depend on a man of Murphy's type to obey the order for "Dumping of Arms and the Cessation of Hostilities" to the very letter. Officers in particular should be on the qui vive and never travel about unarmed while traversing this area particularly.'

Advanced Commandant, and subsequently appointed Brigadier-General in charge of Kerry No.1 Brigade, I.R.A., Murphy died in the mid-1930's. He was on the Munster final winning GAA football team in 1914, 1915, and 1919.

Estimate
$2,500 to $3,500