History of the Day – On this Day 15th March 1923

As early as the 2nd of March, General Liam Lynch proposed a meeting of the Executive to be held on the 15th of March in the Goatenbridge area. It was proposed that on the 14th of March, the Dublin and Northern Divisions were to assemble in Rathgormack, the Western Divisions at the Glen of Aherlow and the Southern Divisions in Araglin.

Free State activity made it necessary to postpone the meeting to the 23rd of March at a location to be chosen in the Comeragh Mountains. From local lore and sources, we believe the Goatenbridge meeting was to be held in Nugent’s of Poulatar.

Instead on the 15th of March Liam Lynch, and others met with Fr Duggan who was pushing for a negotiated peace. Fr Duggan who later became Vey Rev Canon Duggan president of St Finbarr’s College, Farrenferris, Cork was a moving spirit in this effort for peace from the start of the Civil War.