Unveiling of Monument in Baile na nGall
12 November 2006

 Charles J “Nomad McGuinness
1893-1947

 Charles McGuinness was born in Derry in 1893. At the age of fourteen he went to sea. He returned to Derry in 1920 and was involved in defending the Catholics in the Derry riots. He was a commander of the 3rd Battalion of the IRA’s Northern Division, and in this capacity he led a flying column in Donegal in 1921. He came to fame by assisting in the breakout of Frank Carty, Dáil Deputy for Sligo, from Derry Gaol in February 1921.

In April 1921 he is said to have shot Sgt, Higgins outside St. Eugene’s.

In June 1921 he was captured and wounded in Belfast and was imprisoned in Ebrington Military Barracks, Derry. He was so badly wounded that they did not think him to be a threat. Fr. Coyle of Derry says that he escaped by being smuggled out in a coffin.

The next we hear of McGuinness, he was in Dublin with Liam Mellows and the rest of the GHQ staff. Robert Briscoe and McGuinness were sent to Germany to secure arms. At a meeting of the Southern Command it was suggested to bring the arms in at Myross Co.Cork, but Pax Whelan Dungarvan, totally rejected this and suggested that they land in Helvick, Ring.

Learning that Maire Commerford was visiting Dungarvan, the GHQ asked her to carry out an independent estimate of the depth of the water in the Ring harbour. The report was favourable and was confirmed when James O’Donovan, introduced her to a sea captain who brought with him complete nautical maps of the southern approaches.

The first ship that McGuinness got was called The Anita. She had some engine problems and while they were in port he was paying men with large notes, at which the Germans became suspicious and raided the boat. A large quantity of rifles were found on board and McGuinness was put in jail. Briscoe hired a good lawyer for McGuinness and when the case came to court, it was not a big crime to smuggle guns to fight the British and he received a nominal fine of £5.

The next ship that McGuinness acquired was the Karl Marx. This was towed out of the German harbour by a steam tug called The Frieda, which McGuinness had bought outright. 3 miles out to sea the Karl Marx turned back to port and The Frieda sailed out to sea. This journey from Germany to Helvick was to take 3 days and a watch was put in Helvick for the 30th of October. Liam Mellows, Pierce Kavanagh, Pax Whelan, Liam Lynch, and Joe Vize who had escaped from the Curragh on the 9th of September, along with local volunteers were all waiting in Helvick for the arrival of The Frieda. On the 7th of November the watch was called off, as they feared the worst. On the night of the 10th of November, The Frieda arrived off Helvick after having problems at sea. Flares were fired and as McGuinness received no return signal he headed to Cheekpoint, Waterford Harbour. The next morning McGuinness walked the 5 miles to Waterford city and met the mayor of Waterford, Dr. White. Dr. White was afraid to unload the guns in Waterford, as there were naval ships in the harbour, it was decided to refuel The Frieda and return to Ring.

Waterford Harbour	Waterford Harbor	Helvick Harbour
		Ballinagoul Village Ballinagoul Harbour

The guns were unloaded in Ballinagoul and transferred to Keatings of Comeragh and Mansfield’s of Crobally Old Parish.

Mellows and McGuinness sold The Frieda to a Captain Collins of Cork where she spent the rest of her days ferrying coal to Cork.

McGuinness was left to keep the proceeds of the sale and purchased the “City of Dortmund”. This vessel engaged in legitimate trade. She was the first ship to fly the Irish Tricolour.

McGuinness returned to Germany and a second shipload of weapons came to Ballinagoul onboard The Hannah on the 3rd of April 1922. The Hannah was registered to a P. Whelan of Dungarvan. This operation was overseen by Pax Whelan of Dungarvan and Dick Barret on behalf of the southern command; Dick Barret was one of the  four that were executed in the civil war. These guns were taken by lorries from Ballinagoul to Birr in Co. Offaly and moved onto Northern Ireland, as this was during the Truce.  

Cumann Staire agus Oidhreachta Gaeltachta na nDeise will be unveiling a monument at Baile Na nGall at 2pm on Sunday  the 12 of November