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RIC Recruitment Background A candidate had to be personally known to, and recommended by, a local magistrate, justice of the peace, Protestant or Catholic clergyman or RIC Sub Inspector (retitled District Inspector after 1883). In the cases of three of the four RIC members in the family, recommendations are recorded as having come from Sub Inspectors. In the case of the fourth member (Luke Reilly) the record does not give any information as to who recommended him. Family Members Recommendations relating to family members are considered below. Fuller information on the recommending officers, and possible other candidates for this role is given in the following section. Luke Reilly Life: 1822[1829]-1910 RIC: 1853-1884 Rank: Constable Service No.:22161 There is no indication in Luke's RIC record who recommended him. In fact, there is no record of recommendations for any of the other recruits in his batch either. Those on Luke.s page in the ledger are shown as having been recruited at different dates between 1849 and 1854 and all appear to have been reappointed on 1 October 1857. Luke seems to have been credited with only part of his service between 1853 and 1857 when it came to his pension. Michael Dwyer Life: 1860-1941 RIC: 1881-1911 Rank: Constable Service No.: 46669 Michael was recommended by SI Turner. There was only one officer at that level with that name and you can read his record below. William Dwyer Life: 1858- ?? RIC: 1882-1887 Rank: Constable Service No.: 49205 William was recommended by SI Carter. There are two Carters who seem equally likely candidates and you can see their service records below. John Medlar Life: 1828-?? RIC: 1847-1849 Rank: Subconstable Service No.: 8556 John was recommended by Inspector M Brennan. There is only one Inspector Brennan listed in Herlihy's book and he is a Patrick. However, his being born in Co. Kilkenny would make him a likely candidate. Having said that he resigned from the RIC in 1844 to become Superindent of Police in St. Lucia, where he died in 1845. How he could be involved in recommending a candidate recruited in 1847 is a bit of a mystery. In any event, his service record is given below. Edward Crosby Life: 1857-?? RIC: 1879-1905 Rank: Sergeant Service No.: 45114 Edward was recommended by SI McDermott. There were three officers with this name, though only one (Edmond J) spelled it with two "t"s. (i) Edward J, the only areas mentioned in relation to him are Co. Galway, where he was born, and Creeslough, Co. Donegal, where he served. He was a District Inspector 1857 and resigned 1858. There appears to be some confusion about the DI designation which Herlihy says was only introduced in 1883 to replace that of SI. Also, it is not clear if the recommendation had to come from serving officers. If so Edward J's resignation would have ruled him out. (ii) Edmond J would be the most likely candidate on the basis of the spelling of his name but his resignation in 1878 could have ruled him out . (iii) Hugh John is the only one of the three actually serving as an SI at the time of Edward Crosby's recruitment, so he has to be the frontrunner for now. Thomas O'Brien Life: 1844-?? RIC: 1868-1900 Rank: Constable [Sergeant?] Service No.: 34353 Thomas was recommended by SI Graves. There were four officers with that name and their records are shown below. I have eliminated (i) Arthur James, on the basis that he was recruited after Thomas. I am still left with three possibles. (ii) George Sands, Arthur's father, and I have no reason to eliminate him. (iii) JR, is a possibility, as I can't eliminate him because the only thing we know about him was he was appointed SI in 1837. (iv) Edwin Edward, who looks a likely candidate having served in Mayo where Thomas was recruited, and he would have been an SI in 1868. I would be inclined to go for (iv) but but (ii) and (iii) remain in the running at this stage. All relevant SIs The biographical material below on the SIs is taken from Jim Herlihy's book Royal Irish Constabulary Officers, A Biographical Dictionary and Genealogical Guide 1816-1922, published by Four Courts Press in 2005, and page numbers refer to this. Graves, Arthur James; RIC 46286; LDS 2097/310; born 20/7/1858, Cahir, Co. Tipperary (Cork Examiner 24/7/1858); son of George Sandes Graves, SI, RIC; married on 24/4/1913, W.L. Alcock from England; 3rd SI 23/2/1881; King George V Coronation Medal, 1911; pensioned 1/11/1914. Graves, Edwin Edward; LDS 2097/213; born 1828, Co. Limerick; joined the Irish Revenue Police as a lieutenant on 21/11/1849 an^ served in Plumb Bridge, Co. Tyrone and Swinford, Co. Mayo and residing at Chapel Street, Swinford, Co. Mayo in 1850; 3rd SI 1/12/1857; dismissed 5/10/1875. Graves, George Sandes; LDS 2097/126; born 1815, Co. Cork; father of Arthur James Graves; married on 14/3/1854 (Dublin North Registrar's District, vol. 5, p. 66); daughter born on 7/3/1856 at Cahir, Co. Tipperary (Cork Examiner 12/3/1856); 3rd SI 1/5/1839; CI10/7/1869; pensioned 16/3/1876; died 10/2/1895 at 63, Morehampton Road, Dublin; administration granted on 26/3/1895 at the Principal Registry to Arthur James Graves, of Kells, Co. Meath, DI RIC, the son - effects £99.65.1 id. Graves, J.R.; LDS 2097/112; 3rd SI 1/4/1837. p147 McDermot, Edward J.; RIG 33676; LDS 2097/218; born 1837, Co. Galway; joined the Irish Revenue Police as a lieutenant on 10/6/1857 and served in Creeslough, Co. Donegal; 3rd DI 1/12/1857; resigned 26/11/1858. McDermot, Hugh John; RIC 29459; LDS 2097/248; born 1845, Kenmare, Co. Kerry; 3rd SI 1/6/1864; received a favourable record on 30/6/1871 for the arrest of an offender of a serious assault and who was about to abscond; pensioned 16/8/1881; died 20/10/1913 at a private nursing home in Dublin. McDermott, Edmond J.; LDS 2097/221; born 1834, Co. Derry; joined the Irish Revenue Police as a lieutenant on 1/12/1853; 3rd SI 25/3/1858; received a favourable record on 31/12/1870 for promptitude in proceeding to the scene of an agrarian outrage, whereby evidence was obtained which would otherwise have been lost and the guilty punished; pensioned 1/9/1878; died 27/10/1885 Dublin; (Dublin South Registrar's District, 1885, December Quarter, vol. 2, p. 425); (photo in the Constabulary Gazette, vol. VI, no. 13, 23/12/1899, p. 390). p212 Turner, Henry; RIC 36838; LDS 2097/280; born 3/8/1848, Co. Kilkenny; wife from Co. Dublin; 3rd SI 26/8/1870; received a favourable record on 30/6/1871, whereby a threatening letter was handed to him by the person to whom it was sent. The signature was 'Rory' but the writer had inadvertently commenced a signature with the letter CG,' and apparently endeavoured to obliterate it with his finger. SI Turner concluded that the writer's real name commenced with G and by this and other grounds of suspicion, traced the writer who was arrested; temporary resident magistrate 31/8/1881; permanent resident magistrate 3rd class 25/io/ 1882, 2nd class 19/3/1887, ist class 22/5/1897; pensioned 1/1/1911. p303 &305 Carter, John Colles; RIC 38846; LDS 2097/290; born 1850, Queen's County; 3rd SI 1/7/1872; CI 16/1/1897; King Edward VII Visit to Ireland Medal, 1903; pensioned 15/8/1912; (photo in the Constabulary Gazette vol. XIII, no. 15, 4/7/1903). Carter, Samuel R.; RIC 33105; LDS 2097/263; born 1846, Co. Dublin; 3rd SI 22/7/1867; King Edward VII Visit to Ireland Medal, 1903; pensioned 1/9/1907. Brennan, Patrick; RIC ; LDS 2097/110; born 1805, County Kilkenny; 3rd SI 30/1/1837; resigned 23/10/1844 on his appointment as Superintendent of Police, St. Lucia; died 6/12/1845, St. Lucia. |