On This Day / June 18, 1921
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
June 18, 2021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 18th June 1921, details emerged of the IRA execution of an RIC district inspector held as a hostage during the War of Independence. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
‘Executed’ in IRA Reprisal | On This Day – 18th June 1921
IN DUBLIN yesterday, before Mr Justice Dodd, leave was asked to presume the death of District Inspector Potter of Cahir, County Tipperary who, it will be recalled, was captured by the IRA who offered to exchange him for Mr Edward Traynor, afterwards executed in Mountjoy Prison in connection with an ambush in Dublin.
Gilbert Potter was District Inspector of the RIC in charge of the Cahir district. In the course of his duty last April he proceeded to Clougheen.
On his return journey he was taken prisoner by the IRA and he had not been seen since that date.
On April 26, his wife received a letter from him dated May 1921 and this was the only communication which she received until 7th May when she received a package containing articles and documents. He left his wife and four little children.
Mrs Potter produced a letter from her husband, written while a prisoner of the IRA stating: ‘The officers of the IRA are here today and one has informed me that they had reported my capture to Dublin and were awaiting instructions.
‘Meanwhile I was to be treated well and given what I require. …
‘Whatever happens, dear Lily, I feel so much that I brought such great unhappiness and distress to you and I pray you may be comforted and be assured that there is nothing else on earth I value except you and the children – you first.
‘With my love, your husband. GILBERT.’
He asked her to send him papers to read, smokes and a little money.
Mrs Potter also received the following from IRA HQ, Tipperary, Number 3 Brigade, dated April 27, 1921: ‘Madam, it is my sad duty to inform you that your husband, G Potter, was legally executed yesterday.
Your husband was charged with and found guilty of waging war against the Republic.
We offered to release your husband if the British Government would release Volunteer Traynor who was similarly charged.
Personally I don’t believe the offer went past Dublin Castle.
Traynor was hanged on Monday, the law had, therefore, to take its course.
Your husband was treated with the utmost consideration while a prisoner in our hands.
‘I am, madam – Yours, O C.’
Mr Justice Dodd granted the application.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: As in the famous case of Mrs Lindsay in Co Cork, DI Potter had been held by the IRA as a hostage for the safe release of an IRA prisoner then under sentence of death.
The details of the inspector’s personal letters to his wife and the IRA’s confirmation of his fate make poignant reading even after a century.)
On This Day – 18th June 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
On This Day is a daily column in the Irish News looking back either 50 or 100 years. The column was compiled by Dr Éamon Phoenix from the mid 1980s until autumn, 2022. The Foundation is very grateful to the Irish News for giving permission to reproduce Eamon’s columns. Funding gratefully received from Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and the Magill Trust.
* The Foundation has worked hard to recreate Eamon’s distinctive voice through AI. Since this is an emerging technology, occasional imperfections may be audible.