The "Peelers," so called after their founder, Sir Robert Peel, lived and worked in the R.I.C. barracks dotted throughout the land. They were the eyes & ears of the British administration in Dublin Castle. They were engaged in surveillance of known or suspected subversives, but also had considerable civil and local government responsibility.

By 1900 the R.I.C. had about 11,000 men (70% of whom were Catholic) stationed in about 1,600 barracks throughout Ireland. Members could not serve in their native counties and had to have at least 7 years service before they were allowed to marry. The union had to be vetted by the superior officers and if permitted, the couple were transferred to a county where neither had relatives.

The following information has been researched by Klifton Snow. (Used here with thanks).

Information on Roscommon R.I.C. Barracks taken from “Devia Hibernia” 1893

LIST OF SOLDIERS SERVING IN VICTORIA BKS., ATHLONE IN 1901

MISCELLANEOUS NEWSPAPER REPORTS

OFF DUTY POLICEMEN & THEIR FAMILIES 1911 CENSUS - ATHLONE WEST URBAN

OFF DUTY POLICEMEN & THEIR FAMILIES 1911 CENSUS - ROSCOMMON TOWN AREA

PHOTOGRAPHS OF FORMER R.I.C. BARRACKS IN SOUTH ROSCOMMON

PHOTOGRAPHS OF MEMORIALS TO R.I.C. MEN

R.I.C BARRACK DATABASE 1: ROSCOMMON UNION

R.I.C. BARRACK DATABASE 2: ATHLONE UNION

ROSCOMMON BORN R.I.C. CASUALTIES LIST

Roscommon “That Blackguard County” - SGT CRADDOCK - COMPENSATION CASE

Sergeant Thomas Martin Craddock Killed in athlone

THE KILLING OF CONSTABLE W. M. POTTER IN KNOCKCROGHERY IN 1920

THE KILLING OF M. J. GREER IN DUBLIN IN 1921

THE KILLING OF JAMES & THOMAS GREER AT COOTEHALL IN 1922

Who was Frank Elliott?

RIC Receipt for amount levied on Warrant. Ballaghaderreen Garrison. Dated 1903. The Warrant for £9 was issued against Patrick Roddy of Drumalasson, near Ballaghaderreen. It is signed by Constable Patrick Hegarty.

(A number of similar documents, one signed by Sgt. M. Glynn, (also of Ballaghaderreen) and dated 19 Jan. 1904, recently sold on eBay).

Race-card for meeting at Roscommon on 30 July 1918 in aid of the Roscommon Red Cross. The stamp is from the R.I.C. Athlone Garrison.

In 1922 the R.I.C. was disbanded and replaced by An Garda Siochána.

ADDITIONAL R.I.C. RESOURCES.

To visit a web forum devoted to R.I.C. family research, go to: http://irishconstabulary.com

R.I.C. RELATED BOOKS.

"With the Constabulary in Roscommon" by Liam Desmond.

The story of the R.I.C. and Garda Siochána in Co. Roscommon. By a member of the latter force who served here for 21 years. He was stationed in Roscommon, Boyle and Frenchpark.

The gravestone of Thomas Leonard in St. John's Old Cemetery.

Photograph (left) of John Flaherty, taken in Derry. (Photo: © Copyright: Nuala Farrell-Griffin, Diversity Family History. 2000).

Images are not to scale.

If you have any material relating to the R.I.C. please contact us.

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