Following archival and conservation work, the first tranche of a new collection – Compensation (Personal Injuries) Committee Claims, 1919–1955 – is available for consultation at the National Archives of Ireland. The files were transferred to the NAI from the Department of Finance in November last year and a hard copy catalogue is available in the Reading Room in Bishop Street.
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| Sample Personal Injuries claim. Photo courtesy of NAI. Click for enlarged view. |
As its name suggests, the collection of compensation claims contains first-hand accounts by claimants, including medical and personal data, and provides an insight into a turbulent period in the island's history.
While the hardcopy catalogue provides access to all 700 files, the online catalogue currently includes details of only 500; the remaining 200 will be added soon.
The NAI reference is Reference Code is FIN/COMP/4/2022/28/. (In the Advanced Search field, just type 2022/28/1 and so on up to 2022/28/500.)
At the present time there are no plans to digitise the collection.
I've nosed around the online listing, which isn't arranged by either location or surname, but rather in the order in which the files were received by the NAI. Here are a few random samples:
- Personal injuries claim by Mary Jane Gaughran on behalf of Bernard Gaughran, 20 Hill Street, Dundalk, County Louth, deceased. Reference: 2022/28/15 Date: Sep 1922-Jun 1928. Bernard Gaughran was shot by National forces from an armoured train when he was mistaken to be an Irregular on 17 August 1922 while on the Dublin Road Railway Bridge, Dundalk. Award granted.
- Personal injuries claim by Mary Sisk on behalf of John Sisk, Dunkereen Upper Upton, County Cork, deceased.Reference: 2022/28/7 Date: Mar 1921-Feb 1924. John Sisk was shot by rifle fire while working as a signalman for Cork Bandon and South Coast Railway when a train was ambushed at Upton Station, Dunkereen on 15 February 1921. Award granted.
- Personal injuries claim by Ellen Dunlea, Ballycoe House, Dungarvan, County Waterford. Reference: 2022/28/8 Date: Mar 1922-Nov 1924. Ellen Dunlea suffered personal injuries when her home was raided by Crown forces resulting in the destruction of her home on 24 and 25 March 1921. No award granted.
- Personal injuries claim by Isabella Finlay on behalf of Dean Finlay, Bawnboy, County Cavan, deceased. Reference: 2022/28/19 Date: Nov 1922-Aug 1924. Dean Finlay was killed by a blow to the head by Irregular forces when trying to prevent the destruction of his house on 12 June 1921. Award granted.
- Personal injuries claim by Sarah Fergus, Cahir, Louisburgh, County Mayo. Reference: 2022/28/331 Date: Jul 1923-Nov 1924. Sarah Fergus's home was raided and members of her family assaulted by the RIC [Royal Irish Constabulary] on 3 March 1921. No award granted.