A HAND-carved sculpture of the bust of Dick Barrett, who was executed on December 8th 1922, is to be unveiled by his surviving nephews and nieces in his native Ballineen on Sunday October 20th, at a memorial event to be attended by An Tánaiste Micheál Martin.
This year marks the centenary since Dick’s body was brought from Mountjoy Prison to be interred in Ahiohill cemetery and the Dick Barrett Commemoration Committee sought fit to provide a suitable memorial in his home village of Ballineen.
Dick was one of four Republican leaders who were executed on December 8th, 1922 as a reprisal for the killing of TD Sean Hales the previous day.
A native of Hollyhill in Ballineen, Dick was the principal of Gurrane National School near Upton from 1915. Following his appointment, he immersed himself in GAA as a player, administrator, and referee.
‘He was one of the first in the district to join the ranks of the Volunteers and was appointed quartermaster of the Third Cork Brigade IRA in July 1920,’ said Lisa Collins of the Dick Barrett Commemoration Committee.
‘As a brigade officer, he was captured in the aftermath of the Crossbarry Ambush. Following the signing of the Treaty in December 1921, Dick took the anti-Treaty side,’ added Lisa.
‘After the fall of the Four Courts in June 1922, he was taken prisoner and spend the remaining six months of his life in Mountjoy jail.’
Following his execution in December, Dick was buried in the grounds of Mountjoy but it wasn’t until October 1924 that a decision was made to hand his body back to his family for re-internment to Ahiohill Cemetery.
‘To mark the centenary of his re-internment we put together ambitious plans to mark that historic occasion. A central component of these plans is the provision of a suitable memorial in his home village.’
In partnership with Cork County Council and Ballineen and Enniskeane Tidy Towns Association an ideal site was agreed at the heritage site at the Courthouse Plaza, on the eastern side of the village.
Sculpted locally by Christian Helling and Julia Gebel, the hand-carved sculpture, which is one-and-a-half times life size, will be mounted onto a limestone plinth at the plaza.
Members of the public are asked to assemble at the Courthouse Plaza at 1.45pm for the unveiling ceremony at 2pm.
Cllr Gillian Coughlan, deputising for county mayor Cllr Joe Carroll, will give the address. The unveiling will be performed by surviving nephews and nieces and Kevin Barrett will speak on behalf of the family.
Lisa added that the project could not have been completed without the assistance and co-operation of Ballineen & Enniskeane Tidy Towns and special guest for the day will be Tánaiste Martin. Following the unveiling ceremony there will be a re-enactment of the funeral cortege route that took place in 1924 from Ballineen to Ahiohill Cemetery.
A number of Model T Fords, which have been lent by Bob Clarke in Bandon, will lead the cortege on its journey to Ahiohill.
Dr Gabriel Doherty from the School of History at UCC will deliver the oration at the graveside commemoration ceremony.
