Bill Stapleton (Irish Revolutionary)
Comment: There are a number of issues with sourcing here. In terms of WP:VER, at least one source (blogpost by Neil Farrel on bordnamonalivinghistory.ie?) doesn't appear to be valid. In terms of WP:BASIC, notability is generally established by "significant coverage in multiple published secondary sources that are reliable, intellectually independent of each other, and independent of the subject". Most of the sources (Ferriter in the Irish Times, Dolan in The Historical Journal, etc) are all relatively trivial passing mentions based on Stapleton's own BMH witness statement. And therefore neither intellectually independent or especially in-depth. Even others which afford a little more text to the subject (like Duncan in Century Ireland, etc) are all based on the subject's own BMH statement. (The BMH holds nearly 2,000 witness statements from people who were involved in the events of the period - not all are independently notable; Same is true for the tens of thousands who applied for pensions or the 1914-1921 service medal). The Oireachtas "Written Answers" reference and Capuchin Annual submission don't contribute to notability. Is there any material coverage of the subject, as a biographical topic in own right, in independent sources? To help establish notability beyond what we might expect for the ~15,000 people involved in the War of Independence? (Beyond the BMH statement and the sources seemingly only based on that statement?) Guliolopez (talk) 13:51, 13 October 2026 (UTC)
- Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest guideline, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. SydneyIrish (talk) 14:45, 12 October 2026 (UTC)
William James "Bill" Stapleton (9 July 1897 - 11 March 1980) was an Irish revolutionary and soldier. A veteran of the Easter Rising, he served with the Dublin Brigade of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the Irish War of Independence. Stapleton participated in the IRA operations on Bloody Sunday, 21 November 1920, and shortly afterwards became a full-time member of the Squad, the special unit associated with Michael Collins's intelligence organisation. He also took part in the IRA attack on the Custom House in May 1921.[1][2]
Following the establishment of the Irish Free State, Stapleton joined the National Army and served during the Irish Civil War. He later held the rank of colonel.[1] In civilian life he worked for the Turf Development Board and Bord na Móna, where he became chief camp superintendent. He also served on the board of Óstlanna Iompair Éireann.[3][4]
Early life and Easter Rising
Stapleton was born in Dublin on 9 July 1897, the son of James Stapleton and Rose O'Donohue. He was educated at St Columba's School in Great Strand Street and O'Connell School in North Richmond Street before working in his father's building business.[5]
He became a member of the Irish Volunteers and served with B Company, 2nd Battalion in Dublin. During the Easter Rising of 1916 he served with the garrison at Jacob's Factory. Following the surrender he was detained at Richmond Barracks and subsequently interned in Britain, including at Knutsford Prison and Frongoch.[5] The Military Service Pensions Archive records Stapleton as a 1916 veteran.[1]
Stapleton later provided a detailed account of his revolutionary activities to the Bureau of Military History, recorded as Witness Statement 822 in 1953.[6]
Irish War of Independence
During the Irish War of Independence Stapleton served in B Company, 2nd Battalion of the IRA's Dublin Brigade.[2]
On the morning of 21 November 1920, Stapleton took part in the coordinated IRA attacks that became the first phase of Bloody Sunday. He was a member of the party sent to 92 Lower Baggot Street, where the target was British Army officer Captain William Frederick Newberry. Newberry attempted to prevent the IRA party from entering his rooms and subsequently tried to escape through a window. He was shot and killed.[2][7]
Stapleton later recalled the operation in his Bureau of Military History statement. Historian Anne Dolan used Stapleton's account in her study of the Bloody Sunday killings, while historian Diarmaid Ferriter also cited his testimony in an account of the event published by The Irish Times in 2020.[7][8]
According to Century Ireland, Stapleton was invited to become a full-time member of Michael Collins's Squad shortly after Bloody Sunday.[2] The Bureau of Military History's index of contributors also identifies him as a member of the Squad in 1921.[6]
Stapleton subsequently took part in the IRA attack on the Custom House in Dublin on 25 May 1921. His participation in both Bloody Sunday and the Custom House operation is recorded in his Military Service Pensions Collection file.[1]
National Army and Civil War
Stapleton joined the National Army at its formation in early 1922. During the Civil War he served in a number of branches, including the Adjutant General's Department, the Chief of Staff's Department, the Army Air Service, the Railway Protection and Maintenance Corps and the Army Corps of Engineers.[1]
Military Service Pensions Archive records identify Stapleton as a member of the Irish Republican Army Organisation (IRAO), an organisation of former IRA officers within the National Army. On 3 January 1925 he and Major Patrick Leo Ahern were dismissed from the Defence Forces on a charge of attempting to suborn the allegiance of other members of the Army. Stapleton was serving at the rank of colonel at the time.[1]
In 1927 the dismissal was rescinded and his resignation was instead accepted with effect from 3 January 1925. Stapleton was subsequently awarded a military service pension.[1]
Later career
Stapleton later worked for the Turf Development Board and Bord na Móna. Bord na Móna's historical archive describes him as chief camp superintendent and records that he organised the Turf Board GAA Committee. In addition to his employment responsibilities, he was involved in the organisation of Gaelic games, boxing and athletics among workers at the company's camps.[3]
He later served as a member of the board of Óstlanna Iompair Éireann. A 1974 Dáil Éireann return listing the members of state and semi-state boards records "W. J. Stapleton, Rathgar, Dublin 6" as a member of its board.[4]
In 1969 Stapleton published an account of his wartime unit entitled "Michael Collins's Squad" in The Capuchin Annual, on pages 368-377.[9]
Personal life
Stapleton was the son of James Stapleton and Rose (O'Donohue) Stapleton. His father worked as a glazier and later operated a building business in Dublin.[5]
On 1 March 1924, Stapleton married Elizabeth Revell at Rathfarnham Church. Revell was English and originally from Leicester, and was living in Tallaght at the time of their marriage. The couple had no children. Elizabeth Stapleton died on 16 June 1968, leaving Stapleton a widower.[5]
Stapleton had a number of interests outside his military and professional life. He was an amateur magician and was also a keen golfer. He served as a trustee of Clontarf Golf Club and at one stage was captain of the club.[5]
Death
Stapleton died on 11 March 1980. He was buried in Deansgrange Cemetery in Dublin.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Military Service Pensions Archive, "The Army Mutiny in the MSPC", 15 March 2024, entry for William James Stapleton, file 24SP6854.{{subst:nonspecific}}
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Duncan, Mark. "Bloody Sunday, 1920 - killing & dying in the Irish revolution". Century Ireland. RTÉ and Boston College-Ireland.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Farrel, Neil (23 November 2017). "Bord na Móna GAA Connection". Bord na Móna Living History. Missing or empty
|url=(help)[better source needed] - ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Dáil Éireann, Written Answers, "Semi-State Bodies"". 10 December 1974.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Deering, Gary (18 August 2017). "Bill Stapleton - the Ups and Downs". The Clock Is Still Going.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 William James Stapleton, Witness Statement 822, Bureau of Military History, 28 March 1953 (PDF), Military Archives of Ireland
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Dolan, Anne (2006). "Killing and Bloody Sunday, November 1920". The Historical Journal. 49 (3): 789–810. doi:10.1017/S0018246X06005516.
- ↑ Ferriter, Diarmaid (21 November 2020). "Bloody Sunday 1920 changed British attitudes to Ireland". The Irish Times.
- ↑ Stapleton, William J. (1969). "Michael Collins's Squad". The Capuchin Annual: 368–377.
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