Fr Michael Griffin A Zealous Priest: The Murder of Fr Michael Griffin 1920
by Pat O’Looney (Islemeen, Loughrea, Co Galway; €15.00 from Charlie Byrne’s Books in Galway and other outlets)
This biography of Fr Michael Griffin includes a microscopic account of the circumstances surrounding his tragic death. It is written by Pat O’Looney a local historian, well known for his activities with local heritage societies in the Loughrea area.
Michael Griffin was born at Gurteen, near Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, on September 18, 1892. He was educated at St Joseph’s College, Ballinasloe, St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, and was ordained on April 29, 1917. He served as a curate in Ennistymon, Co. Clare, from 1917 to 1918. Then he was transferred to a similar appointment in the parish of Rahoon on the outskirts of Galway city.
Like many of his contemporaries in Maynooth he had strong nationalist views, was a supporter of Home Rule and Sinn Féin and was profoundly influenced by the Easter Rising and its aftermath. His nationalism was evident in his avid support for the Gaelic League, his determination to speak Irish fluently and as frequently as possible and numerous feiseanna he helped to organise.
Autumn
In the autumn and winter of 1920 the War of Independence was at its most intense with the IRA and the crown forces matching atrocities. In October the IRA in Galway succeeded in identifying Patrick Joyce as the person providing the authorities with frequent and detailed information about them and their movements. By a curious coincidence he was the principal of Barna national school for which Fr Griffin had pastoral responsibility.
With the permission of IRA HQ, the local IRA court-martialled Mr Joyce and ‘executed’ him. As was their practice they made a priest – not Fr Griffin – available to him before his death. Mr Joyce’s body was buried secretly and was not recovered by his family until 1998.
Mr Joyce
It became generally known that Mr Joyce had the assistance of a priest before his death. When this reached the ears of the auxiliaries and black and tans in the area they were infuriated that priests were co-operating with the IRA in this manner.
It is probable that Fr John O’Meehan, an active supporter of the IRA and known as such, was to be the target for vengeance on the fateful night of November 14, 1920. He shared the same residence as Fr Michael but was not there on that night.
Thus after a busy Sunday, Fr Michael was awakened at midnight to “attend to a sick-call”. He was taken to Lenaboy Castle, the billet occupied by the auxiliaries, and shot. On the following night his body was taken to a bog near Barna and was buried in a shallow grave. It would seem that this location was chosen by the auxiliaries to make a public statement that Fr Griffin’s murder was a reprisal for that of Patrick Joyce who they believed had been buried in that locality. After almost a week spent searching for the priest, his body was discovered.
The outpouring of grief at the fate of Fr Michael was remarkable even for those awful times. Like the other crimes committed by undisciplined members of the crown forces it hastened the end of British rule.