§ 84. Mr. T. P. O'CONNORasked the Chief Secretary whether a young man named Edward Doherty, of Coreffrin, Ballybofey, County Donegal, was chased from his house on Thursday the 2nd June, 1921, and shot dead by the military; that a solicitor requested to be present at the military inquiry in lieu of the inquest, held at Drumboe Castle on the 4th June, and was refused admission; if he will say whether any of the local constabulary, who knew the deceased and were present at the castle when the inquiry was held, were called as witnesses; what witnesses were called and what was the finding of the military inquiry; whether, in view of the fact of his having been killed wantonly one and a half miles from the scene of an alleged ambush, that he belonged to no society, legal or otherwise, he being chased from his house by the military, any compensation will be given by the Government; whether he is aware that James McCarron, of Ballybofey, who was killed on the same date, had a good War record, entering the Service on 19th April, 1915, was wounded at the Somme battle, 1916, and invalided home, again returned and was wounded at Givenchy, and was finally discharged on pension on 10th January, 1919; if he will say whether any of these facts were brought forth at the military inquiry; and whether the arrears of his pension will be paid to his father, James McCarron, of Ballybofey?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODA party of Crown forces proceeding to Drumboe on 2nd June were stopped by a barrier of stones which had been placed across the road. As they were alighting from their car to investigate they were fired upon at close range and four men were seen running away. These men were fired upon and James McCarron was killed. Sixteen rounds of ammunition were found in his pocket. McCarron is described in the police report as an ex-soldier and captain in the Irish Republican Army. After obtaining reinforcements the Crown forces proceeded to search the neighbourhood and visited, among others, the house of Edward Doherty. As the door was opened Doherty ran out. He was challenged three times and three shots were fired in the air. As he still did not stop, he was fired at and wounded, and died in hospital some hours later. The court of inquiry found that both men were shot by Crown forces in the execution of their duty. I must decline, for obvious reasons, to give the names of witnesses who were examined during the inquiries, but as regards the allegation that a solicitor was refused admission I am having inquiry made. The last part of the question should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions.