Joseph
McGarrity (1874
- 1940)
Irish Republican, Leader of Clan na
Gael, Irish Volunteers financial backer, Publisher
Joseph
McGarrity
was
born
in
Carrickmore,
County
Tyrone,
Ireland
of
farming
stock
with
strong
republican
and
nationalist
leanings.
The
Ireland
of
McGarrity's
youth
was
asserting
its
national
aspirations
in
a
number
of
ways
including
demands
for
agrarian
reform,
agitation
for
home
rule
and
Fenian
revolutionary
fervor.
In
addition
to
these
forces
another
sinister
force
that
was
working
for
the
division
of
Ireland
was
taking
shape
in
Ulster.
All
of
these
competing
forces
and
the
consequences
for
Irish
unity
and
independence
influenced
his
actions
for
the
rest
of
his
life.
He
immigrated
to
the
USA
in
1892
at
the
age
of
sixteen
and
settled
with
relatives
in
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania.
He
would
later
become
a
successful
business
man
who
dedicated
much
of
his
time
and
money
towards
the
cause
of
Irish
independence.
He
helped
fund
pro-independence
movements
back
in
Ireland
including
the
Irish
Republican
Brotherhood
and
the
Dungannon
Clubs.
At
age
nineteen
he
joined
Clan
na
Gael,
where
he
remained
a
leading
light
in
the
organization
until
his
death.
He
was
involved
in
Clan
activities
that
provided
direct
support
for
the
1916
rising
via
arms
and
funding
for
the
Irish
volunteers.
Worthy
of
special
mention
are
the
following
historic
events
where
his
patriotism
and
money
played
a
significant
role;
-
in response to a request
by
Padraic Pearse when he visited the United States in 1914, McGarrity provided financial support to the Irish volunteers. He also provided financial support to keep Pearse's St. Enda's School open.
-
in the purchase and delivery of 1,500 Mauser rifles and 49,000 rounds of ammunition used by the Irish volunteers in the Easter 1916 uprising.
(The rifles and ammunition were brought into
Howth
Harbor in Dublin from Germany in July of 1914 by Erskine Childers and his wife
aboard their
yacht, Asgard)
-
in response to a request by
Michael Collins in January of 1921 for 500 Thompson submachine guns, McGarrity arranged for the purchase and delivery of the guns, along with ammunition.
(Most of the guns were confiscated by U.S. agents in Hoboken. A few years later, the government returned the guns to Clan na Gael after payment of a fine. McGarrity arranged to have the guns shipped to the IRA in the 1930’s).
From
1918
through
1922,
McGarrity
published
a
newspaper
called
the
Irish
Press
that
supported
the
War
of
Independence.
He
counted
among
his
close
friends
Sean
MacDermott,
John
McBride,
Michael
Collins,
Harry
Boland,
Sean
T.
O'Kelly,
Sean
Russell
and
many
other
leaders
of
the
War
of
Independence.
Padraig
Pearse
and
Roger
Casement
stayed
at
his
home
while
visiting
Philadelphia
and
Eamonn
De
Valera
stayed
in
close
contact
with
him
while
on
his
tour
of
America.
In
response
to
newspapers
reports
in
1921
in
which
he
was
named
a
plotter
in
a
British
government
'white
paper',
McGarrity
issued
the
following
statement;
"I
have
not
read
this
latest
English
'white
book'
and
do
not
know
its
contents,
but
if
the
newspapers
states
that
I
plotted
or
attempted
to
secure
aid
for
Ireland
to
drive
out
England's
army
of
occupation,
I
assure
you
I
would
consider
it
an
honor
to
be
of
the
slightest
service
in
securing
such
aid,
and
I
would
gladly
accept
it
from
Germany
or
any
other
power".
He
opposed
the
Anglo-Irish
Treaty
of
1921,
which
among
other
concessions
facilitated
the
partition
of
Ireland.
He
traveled
to
Dublin
in
1922
to
assist
in
mediating
a
pact
involving Collins
and
De
Valera
to
prevent
war.
Despite
his
best
efforts
at
mediation
the
negotiations
failed
signaling
the
onset
of
the
war
between
pro-treaty
and
anti-treaty
forces.
Following
the
victory
of
the
British
supported
pro-treaty
forces
and
the
subsequent partition
of
Ireland,
McGarrity
continued
the
struggle
for
a
free
and
united
32-county
Irish
Republic.
Again,
he used
his
own
money
and
his
newspaper
the
'Irish
Press'
in
his
campaign
to
achieve
the
Irish
Republic
that
so
many
of
his
friends
died
for.
He
did
not
support
the
founding
of
Fianna
Fáil
in
1926
and
opposed
the
party’s
entry
into
the
Dáil
in
1927,
and
though
having
christened
his
child
De
Valera
McGarrity,
he
irrevocably
broke
with
De
Valera
in
1936.
In
1939,
McGarrity
supported
the
demand
from
Sean
Russell
for
a
bombing
campaign
in
Britain.
The
Irish
Republican
Army
declared
war
on
England
and
launched
what
becomes
known
as
the
Sabotage
Campaign,
bombing
targets
throughout
the
country.
The
declaration,
posted
throughout
Ireland,
reportedly
was
written
by
Joseph
McGarrity.
The
flag
given
by
Captain
George
S.
Anthony
of
the
Catalpa
to
John
Devoy
of
the
Clan
na Geal
in
1896
at
a
gathering
of
10,000
people
in
Rising
Sun
Park
in
Philadelphia,
PA.,
was
later
given
to
Joseph
McGarrity
by
John
Devoy.
The
flag
was
kept
at
the
Irish-American
Club
at
1428
N.
Broad
Street,
Philadelphia.
Later
on
it
was
moved
to
the
MacSwiney
Club,
510
Greenwood
Avenue,
Jenkintown,
PA,
The
flag
was
donated
by
the
Clan
na
Geal
to
the
National
Museum
of
Ireland
in
1992.
Upon
his
death
on
August
5,
1940
in
Philadelphia,
a
mass
was
held
in
the
pro-cathedral
in
Dublin.
McGarrity
remained
an
unrepentant
physical
force
republican
all
his
life.
Contributed by Josh Jacobs
cemetery
Name:
Holy
Cross
Cemetery
ADDRESS:
626
Baily
Rd, Yeadon,
PA
19050
HEADSTONE
