Press release
Tánaiste Micheál Martin launches 'A Very Hard Struggle - Lives in the Military Service Pensions Collection'
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Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin today (23 November) launched new book 'A Very Hard Struggle – Lives in the Military Service Pensions Collection' at the home of the Military Archives in Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin.
The book is the third in a collection, complementing the previous publications, 'Guide to the Collection' published in 2012 and 'The Brigade Activity Reports' in 2019. It is edited by Professor Anne Dolan, Associate Professor of Modern Irish History at Trinity College Dublin, and Ms Catriona Crowe, former Head of Special Projects at the National Archives of Ireland.
'A Very Hard Struggle – Lives in the Military Service Pensions Collection' is available to download on the Military Archives website while hard copies are available free of charge from the Military Archives in Cathal Brugha Barracks.
In addition to the book launch, the Tánaiste announced the latest release of material from the Military Service Pensions Collection (1916-1923) online. The release comprises of over 2,200 files representing records relating to 863 individuals.
Taking into account all the MSPC file series, over 121,900 files have now been catalogued and approximately 80,200 are now fully digitised.
Speaking at today's book launch, the Tánaiste said:
“It is an honour to launch this book A Very Hard Struggle– Lives in the Military Service Pensions Collection. This book demonstrates perfectly that while the collection shows evidence of the shared experience of a whole generation, each file comes with its very specific set of individual circumstances. They enable us to look beyond the lists and access a window on each individual’s story as they navigated the many uncertainties of life.
"The overall collection is a critical source for the history of twentieth-century Ireland as a whole. This publication demonstrates the potential of testing and exploring it, inviting some of the finest social, economic, political and cultural historians of modern Ireland to draw out the power of the material.
"The further online release of historical records contained in the Military Service Pensions Collection is the fifteenth release of material under this project, and the second release of material this year.
"This latest release of files adds to the valuable insight and to the experience of those involved in the struggle for independence. The fact that in excess of 2.5 million pages of archival material is now available online presents the public with further opportunities to research information about their ancestors and their community during the period leading up to the establishment of Irish independence.”
The release of material is now available to view on the Military Archives website.
Origins and scope: The archives contained within the Military Service Pensions Collection were once active administrative files generated through legislation enacted by the newly formed Saorstát Éireann from June 1923. In post-conflict conditions, various legal acts were sanctioned to compensate members of certain organisations and their widows, children and dependents. Over time, legislation was enhanced and broadened to include more veterans, including the members of Cumann na mBan.
This 15th release sees 381 applications lodged under the Military Pensions Act 1934, and 257 applications for service pensions under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1924 (National Army applicants). In addition to this, a further 10 applications were lodged for wound pensions/gratuities by women, and 155 claims for dependency (74 of them lodged by mothers in respect of deceased sons) under the Army Pensions Acts (Special Allowances, wounds, disability and dependents). It includes one successful application lodged by a 1916 veteran, and 570 applications were successful in their claim for both War of Independence and Civil War Service.
Among the 863 individuals whose files are being released, there were 79 individuals show an address in Northern Ireland, 270 in Dublin, 118 in Cork, 65 in Kerry, 35 in Galway, 36 in Donegal. 38 individuals had an address in England, 48 in the USA, and 2 in Australia.
MSPC publications “’A Very Hard Struggle’ – Lives in the MSPC”, “Guide to the Military Service Pensions Collection” and a guide to the “Brigade Activity Reports” are available to download on the Military Archives website.