By June 1920 Republican Police were in control of many towns and villages across the country and began to hand out their own justice.

  One of the areas they were most concerned with preventing was petty crime and larceny. A celebrated case in Millstreet, county Cork displayed how the local Republican police reacted to the robbery of the bank at Ballydaly Cross carried out by individuals who were not connected to the IRA. Some of the men involved in the robbery were arrested but two remained at large- Hugh and Daniel O’Brien of Banteer. Issuing public descriptions of the men- ‘Wanted Posters- the IRA in Millstreet ordered that the men should be arrested on sight and brought before the Republican Courts for justice. The Irish Bulletin provides a fascinating insight into the affair including the descriptions of the two men including Hugh O’Brien who was described as ‘athletic and well built, has all the appearance of a well-drilled man. Eyes sparkling and of a restless disposition’. All caution was warned when trying to apprehend the men. Perhaps readers of the blog might be able to suggest what became of the O’Brien’s or were they apprehended by the Republican police?   Download Source: Irish Bulletin, 14 June 1920, page 4.   Irish_Bulletin_12June_1920_page4