A BRIEF CHRONICLE OF
CHARLES JOHN 'NOMAD' McGUINNESS

Originally Compiled By John McGuffin
 j@mcguffin.freeserve.co.uk

Chronicle Periods   1893-1914   1914-1928   1928-1947

• (1928-29) The first Irishman to visit the South Pole with Admiral Byrd to Antarctica. Documented with his own scrapbook and copious contemporary photographs. At time he joined up w/Byrd CM was living at 7405 Fifth Ave, NY. (This sounds like a good address, but is described as a 'small apartment.' Wife, Russian whom he'd married in Vienna and a 3 year old boy. He has bullet scars on left hand, hip and right leg. Gives an interview to Harry Goldberg 'Metropolitan section' of ?? Oct 7, 1928. It mentions the shipwreck of the Puritan.

• Received US Congressional Medals

US Congressional Gold Medal  

City of New York Medal  

• Also - President of the Irish Military Veterans Association. (check)

• Brooklyn Union newspaper runs articles on him - where he blatantly lies and exaggerates. (Check Brooklyn Union)

• Rum runners of Rockaway beach (New York) (His two years as a bootlegger and rum-runner) (1930-1931) He wrote a column under pseudonym 'Nighthawk.' Perhaps for Brooklyn Union?

• 'Nomad' is published in 1934. Methuen. London. While Nomad is in Russia Methuen successfully sued by RUC murderer Inspector Nixon re murder gang allegations.

• Three years in Russia (1933-36) where he is appointed harbor master of Murmansk and Leningrad. [Where does this story of a plaque to CM in Red Square come from? Linda Edgerton? All his writing is deeply anti-Soviet.

• 1936 - the murky days in the Spanish Civil War.

• CM is back in Ireland in January 1937 - writes articles for Irish Independent.

• McGuinness' dealings with the German spies in Ireland – Herman Goertz and the Stephen Hayes affair. February 28th, 1942 German spy Schutz escapes from Joy. CM is supposed to ferry him to France - and bring back Frank Ryan? But Nomad arrested in the Brugha house (March 3rd, 1942) Schutz busted a month later. Nomad incarcerated in Arbor Hill jail during most of World War II. Did 3 1/2 years. (There is a disagreement as to whether Nomad was arrested March or April 30th 1942.) It seems that Nomad was only involved in trying to smuggle Masgerick and Schuetz out. The three who tried to get Goertz off (Feb. '41) from Fenit, Co. Kerry, IRA men Sean Brosnan, Johnny O'Connor and Jim Crofton were picked up as Goertz watched from the hill.

• After jail CM stayed at Shane O'Curry's grandparents house. Visited Derry.

• In May 1947 Goertz was arrested, swallowed cyanide. CM one of five at his funeral (See Harry White's book)

• 1947, December 5 'drowned' in Irish Sea. 7 on boat. Set out from Dublin bound for Waterford with cargo of fertilisers? Seems v. suspicious.  Two survived. 2 bodies washed up. 2 plus Nomad never found. Off Ballymoney, Co. Waterford. Boat was the 'Isallt.'(Built 1909)  See Cork Holly Bough and DJ (have both) - see His Last Command

No doubt - more to come...