Joe Ring
Joe Ring (1891–1922) was a commandant of the 3rd (Westport) Battalion in the Irish War of Independence[1]; during the Truce Period he served as IRA Liaison Officer for Galway-Mayo. He briefly served in a senior role in the newly-formed Civic Guard, before joining the National (Free State) Army, attaining the rank of brigadier-general.
1916–1918
During the 1916 rising, Ring was the O/C of the Westport Irish Volunteer Company.[1] He realised that the organisation would crumble if remedial action was not taken to boost morale. He organised a march to Fraught hill, 1.5 miles south of the town. He addressed the men and said "Mind your weapons, and soon your day will come again." The RIC authorities followed from a distance and arrested 22 men from the Westport district at the RC barracks at Shop Street (where Allied Irish Bank was later located). Those arrested included Joe Ring. Ring was among the last group to be released in time for Christmas.[1]
All roads into the town had been sealed off by 120 British soldiers from Castlebar cavalry barracks.[1]. On 28 May 1916, Ring and the other men were marched to the railway station and put on the Dublin train. They were taken off in Castlebar and lodged in the military barracks for the night. The next morning they were brought by train to Broadstone Station in Dublin City. They were placed in the Quadrangle of Trinity College, then to the main holding area at Inchicore, and the following day to North Wall Docks and from there on a cattle ship for England, and distributed to various prisons in Britain.[1]
In 1917 on 3 October the Westport company led a route march. The Volunteers marched to the Quay and only Joe Ring and Ned Moane, the leaders, were arrested. They were held for a short time and released.[1]
Large scale riots in Westport in March 1918 saw the removal of several people including Joe Ring. [1] The activities of the 3rd Battalion were curtailed while they were in prison. By September 1918 Ring was released. The Great War ended on 11 November.
By early 1921 a small Active Service Unit was operating out of the 3rd Battalion under Joe Ring. The same happened in Newport and Castlebar, however to counter the greatly expanded RIC, a well armed IRA ASU was required to represent the whole brigade, led by Michael Kilroy.
Death
He was killed on 14 September 1922 during a conflict with anti-Treaty forces at Drumsheen in the Ox Mountains, near Bonniconlon. He is buried at Aughavale Cemetery.
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