Commandant-General Tom Maguire

Commandant-General Tom Maguire was a member of the Western Command of the IRA and longest living faithful survivor of the Second Dáil of the 32 County Irish Republic.

As a fighter for Ireland’s freedom he stands in the first rank of Irish heroes down through the centuries since time began. Ó Néill, Ó Domnall and his own illustrious ancestor of whom the poet wrote

Tom’s day-long battle with only thirty Volunteers armed with shotguns and a few rifles against six hundred trained soldiers armed with rifles, Lewis machine guns and grenades is a tale that will thrill patriotic young Irish people down the generations and inspire them in their efforts to free their land from shore to shore from the blighting grasp of the English invader.

There have been other fine fighters through the years who have succumbed to self interest or the blandishment of cunning politicians but Tom, throughout his long life remained faithful to the oath he took as a TD of the independent Republic of 32 Counties established by the overwhelming vote of the people of all Ireland – to uphold that Republic in arms against all enemies, foreign or domestic, even at the cost of his own life or as it happened the life of his young brother Seán, executed by the forces of the vassal state in Tuam.