The shooting of a British Officer, Captain Baggallay, during the War of Independence, in a small hotel, at 119 Baggot Street, Dublin on the 20th November 1920 was carried out by Sean Lemass and others.

Young Thomas Whelan, of Clifden, Co Galway, who was living in Barrow Street, Ringsend was hung by the British for this shooting.

Whelan was not even in the vicinity at this time and despite numerous witnesses testifying that he was at 9am Mass in St Patrick’s Church, Ringsend he was found guilty by a shameful British Court Marshal and hanged on 14th March 1921.
 
I have spent the past three years researching the events that led up to the hanging of Thomas Whelan, for my forthcoming screenplay, oneonenine, and I have not yet found any document in which Lemass tries to intervene in the 1921 Court Marshal.

It seems equally shameful to me that Lemass lacked the moral fibre to own up to the killing, preferring to hide his involvement, thereby allowing an innocent young lad to go to his death. 

On 23 June 1959, Seán Lemass was appointed Taoiseach (Prime Minister of Ireland) on the nomination of his party, Fianna Fail.

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