Tuesday 12 May 2015

NAI catalogues Post-Truce files for Carlow & Donegal

The National Archives of Ireland has added more Post-Truce (Damage to Property (Compensation) Act 1923) files to its online catalogue. This time, it's the turn of Counties Carlow and Donegal.

The files deal with claims for compensation for loss of or damage to property that occurred as a result of military action between July 1921 and March 1923, under the Damage to Property (Compensation) Act, 1923. They record the claimant's name and address and include a brief explanation of the incident that led to the loss of their property, which is also briefly described.

While unlikely to help your research in a genealogical sense, these files can add to your understanding of your family's experiences, and those of their neighbours, in the early 1920s.

County Carlow
To explore the Carlow files, visit the NAI site and enter FIN/COMP/2/1/ in the Simple Search box There are 197 entries.

A couple of examples:
  • Margaret Maher, Bridge Hotel, Tullow: Claimant was compelled to provide board and lodging for Irregular forces at Tullow from 12 to 15 July 1923.
  • Lizzie Wright, Newtown, Bagenalstown: Claimant was a domestic servant at The Cottage, Newtown, Bagenalstown when it was destroyed by fire on 22 March 1923. She claimed for her personal property.
County Donegal
To explore the Donegal files, visit the NAI site and enter FIN/COMP/2/5/ in the Simple Search box. There are 840 entries.

What struck me with the Donegal files was the high proportion of claims for 'commandering', 'seizure' or 'damage' to motor vehicles. It rather amused me because the Cork files, especially around and about the rural area where my father was brought up, showed a similar high proportion of claims for hi-jacked bicycles. Just an observation!

A couple of examples:
  • Tomas McLaughlin of Strabane, Co Tyrone: Seizure of motor car at Drumbuoy by Irregular forces on 15 June 1922. By time of claim, Mr McLaughlin had moved to Shanagolden, Co Limerick.
  • Thomas McDowell, Baylett, Inch: Seizure and destruction of horse trap and harness at same address by armed and masked men on 18 July 1922.

Ongoing listing work
With these latest additions, there are now ten counties, plus Cork City, included in the Finance Compensation files catalogue, so not quite at the half-way point, yet. The good news is that the NAI has received specific funding for the listing work from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, so all the estimated 20,000 files in the collection will eventually be added to the online catalogue.

To search the listings of other catalogued counties, use the NAI catalogue references below:

Cork City (FIN/COMP/2/27)
County Cork (FIN/COMP/2/4)
County Kerry (FIN/COMP/2/8)
County Limerick (FIN/COMP/2/13)
County Longford (FIN/COMP/2/14)
County Louth (FIN/COMP/2/15)
County Leitrim (FIN/COMP/2/11)
County Mayo (FIN/COMP/2/16)
County Sligo (FIN/COMP/2/21)