The Career of George McKee
The memoirs of George McKee give a flavour of the life of an RIC man in County Mayo during the 1890s. McKee claimed to have been born in Drummin RIC barracks near Castlebar in 1862. (He also calls it “Drum” Barrack.) His sister Caroline was born there two years before. His father was a head constable and seems to have been stationed in several Mayo towns during his career. George’s grandfather had served in the police too, for over 30 years - and drew a police pension for about 35 years afterwards. Six of George’s brothers joined up and all, apart from Hugh, seem to have done well in the force. Hugh resigned from the force in 1900 and had been doing badly in it for some time. He was “too fond of drink” and he had been “reported for tippling”, an infringement that was treating very seriously in the force (McKee, 1998, p. 116).
George joined the force in March, 1880 and served for a total of 26 years. After training in the Depot in the Phoenix Park, he was dispatched to county headquarters at Westport and then immediately transferred from there to Ballinrobe. He was stationed at Ballinrobe during the Boycott episode. Usually, newly-trained men were not allowed to serve in the counties that they came from. Perhaps this rule was relaxed because of the extreme unrest during the Land War. McKee was on duty at Dowagh protection post (near Ballinrobe) in 1881 protecting a man called Thomas Gildea. He then served at Cong and in 1882, he arrived at Castlebar and worked in the county store issuing new clothing to the men.
Paperwork
In January, 1890, Constable McKee was informed that he was to be transferred to Westport. He was to work in the county inspector’s office as an assistant clerk, replacing Acting Sergeant Doyle who had recently been promoted. It was common for county inspectors to appoint promising constables as clerks to help them with their paper work, thus guaranteeing such men rapid promotion. As Malcolm (2006) has noted, the RIC was used by the state for a wide range of purposes and became, over time, a complex bureaucracy. It used huge amounts of paper and ink. By 1911, county inspectors, were required to keep twenty-two books, from registers of public houses to postage books to personal journals. They were also required to make 65 returns each year to the inspector general including monthly financial statements, quarterly returns of farms from which tenants had been evicted and annual returns of the numbers of sheep killed by dogs. Registers of police pensioners and of forges in each district had to be kept by district inspectors, along with sixteen other books. Returns had to be sent to the county inspector each month and each quarter. These returns included (among other things), information on cases of boycotting and police revolver practice. Head constables had to keep a daily diary of the duties that they performed. Not maintaining books properly was a serious offence but most of the paper work compiled by the RIC had nothing to do with crime. As Malcolm has noted, “If Irish policemen were trained at the Phoenix Park Depot as soldiers, many of them spent a great deal of their time employed essentially as clerks” (Malcolm, 2006, p. 96).
McKee was not particularly happy with his transfer to a new station. Although only a short train journey away, he missed his friends and his mother in Castlebar. He started work in Westport in February, 1890, and quickly came to enjoy it. He became “contended and settled” in his new station and he found the work “interesting and pleasant to perform” (McKee, 1998, p. 102). His main task was the keeping of the county register. He made frequent trips back to Castlebar by train to visit his mother. In late December 1891, he was given leave to return home for a short period. According to a relieved Constable McKee, “Christmas in a Police Barracks is anything but pleasant” (McKee, 1998, p. 106).
More Transfers for McKee
Work in the county inspector’s office became lighter in 1892 and McKee was directed by “that gentleman (Mr Milling)” to revert to ordinary outdoor duty in March of that year. For some unexplained reason, McKee felt that this kind of work in Westport would be unpleasant, so he applied for a transfer to Ballina station. County Inspector Milling granted him his request and made it known to him that his promotion was not far away. McKee’s brother had worked in Ballina station before being transferred to Newport as a clerk. He preferred the outdoor duty and found it beneficial for his health. Police work in County Mayo at this time does not seem to have been especially onerous. It is interesting that McKee notes that the general election of 1892 gave the RIC “something to do” (McKee, 1998, p. 106). Later that year McKee learned of his promotion to the rank and pay of acting sergeant. He had been 12 years and seven months in the RIC.
In January, 1893, McKee moved from Ballina to Bonniconlon on a temporary transfer. Some disquiet had risen in that vicinity on account of a man named Ginley having taken a farm of land that had had its former tenant (Durkan) evicted for non-payment of rent. Ginley became hated in the area and had to get constant police protection. Extra men were sent to Bonniconlon station. McKee describes this task as “very hard duty” (McKee, 1998, p. 107). He spent 5 weeks protecting Ginley and his property. He was glad to go back to Ballina.
In April 1893, McKee learned that he was to be transferred from Ballina to Achill Sound. Concerned by the prospect, McKee believed that he had left “a very good station for a bad one” but he was prepared to “go to any place that the exigencies of the service may require”. Ultimately, he found Achill “not so bad as represented” but its principal drawback was that it was “so unapproachable” (McKee, 1998, p. 107).
Social Life
Despite his earlier comments about Christmas in a police barracks, he seems to have enjoyed the Christmas of 1893 at his station at Achill Sound. He did apply for a week’s leave of absence but was refused. He had an enjoyable time of it thanks to the hospitality of Mr and Mrs Johnston at the nearby hotel which he visited on several occasions during that time. In early January 1894, he returned the favour and hosted a party in the barracks for the proprietors of the Hotel Achill Sound. This was not particularly unusual. Barracks sometimes hosted dances for their men and for the local community. Malcolm (2006) describes a New Year’s Eve party in 1900 at Dromond barracks in County Leitrim that began at 9.00 p.m. and “continued without a break” until 7.00 a.m.. The venue had been highly decorated for the occasion and attendees (including 25 single women) were supplied with “all classes of liquors and beverages” (Malcolm, 2006, pp. 186-187). The event was organised by the head constable, the acting sergeant and the four constables who lived in the barracks. Catering was supervised by the sergeant’s wife.
Women were not permitted to join the RIC at any level (Campbell, 2009) but in some circumstances they did have a role to play in police matters. In The Royal Irish Constabulary Manual (1909), policemen were informed that the searching of a female prisoner should only be done by “The wife of a constable, or should she decline, the barrack servant in her presence, but not in the presence of the men” (The RIC Collection, 2011c). It was assumed that the barrack servant would be female. In February 1894, George McKee was transferred from Achill Sound to Swinford Station. He was glad to be getting away from “such a backward pace” (McKee, 1998, p. 108).
The memoirs of George McKee give a flavour of the life of an RIC man in County Mayo during the 1890s. McKee claimed to have been born in Drummin RIC barracks near Castlebar in 1862. (He also calls it “Drum” Barrack.) His sister Caroline was born there two years before. His father was a head constable and seems to have been stationed in several Mayo towns during his career. George’s grandfather had served in the police too, for over 30 years - and drew a police pension for about 35 years afterwards. Six of George’s brothers joined up and all, apart from Hugh, seem to have done well in the force. Hugh resigned from the force in 1900 and had been doing badly in it for some time. He was “too fond of drink” and he had been “reported for tippling”, an infringement that was treating very seriously in the force (McKee, 1998, p. 116).
George joined the force in March, 1880 and served for a total of 26 years. After training in the Depot in the Phoenix Park, he was dispatched to county headquarters at Westport and then immediately transferred from there to Ballinrobe. He was stationed at Ballinrobe during the Boycott episode. Usually, newly-trained men were not allowed to serve in the counties that they came from. Perhaps this rule was relaxed because of the extreme unrest during the Land War. McKee was on duty at Dowagh protection post (near Ballinrobe) in 1881 protecting a man called Thomas Gildea. He then served at Cong and in 1882, he arrived at Castlebar and worked in the county store issuing new clothing to the men.
Paperwork
In January, 1890, Constable McKee was informed that he was to be transferred to Westport. He was to work in the county inspector’s office as an assistant clerk, replacing Acting Sergeant Doyle who had recently been promoted. It was common for county inspectors to appoint promising constables as clerks to help them with their paper work, thus guaranteeing such men rapid promotion. As Malcolm (2006) has noted, the RIC was used by the state for a wide range of purposes and became, over time, a complex bureaucracy. It used huge amounts of paper and ink. By 1911, county inspectors, were required to keep twenty-two books, from registers of public houses to postage books to personal journals. They were also required to make 65 returns each year to the inspector general including monthly financial statements, quarterly returns of farms from which tenants had been evicted and annual returns of the numbers of sheep killed by dogs. Registers of police pensioners and of forges in each district had to be kept by district inspectors, along with sixteen other books. Returns had to be sent to the county inspector each month and each quarter. These returns included (among other things), information on cases of boycotting and police revolver practice. Head constables had to keep a daily diary of the duties that they performed. Not maintaining books properly was a serious offence but most of the paper work compiled by the RIC had nothing to do with crime. As Malcolm has noted, “If Irish policemen were trained at the Phoenix Park Depot as soldiers, many of them spent a great deal of their time employed essentially as clerks” (Malcolm, 2006, p. 96).
McKee was not particularly happy with his transfer to a new station. Although only a short train journey away, he missed his friends and his mother in Castlebar. He started work in Westport in February, 1890, and quickly came to enjoy it. He became “contended and settled” in his new station and he found the work “interesting and pleasant to perform” (McKee, 1998, p. 102). His main task was the keeping of the county register. He made frequent trips back to Castlebar by train to visit his mother. In late December 1891, he was given leave to return home for a short period. According to a relieved Constable McKee, “Christmas in a Police Barracks is anything but pleasant” (McKee, 1998, p. 106).
More Transfers for McKee
Work in the county inspector’s office became lighter in 1892 and McKee was directed by “that gentleman (Mr Milling)” to revert to ordinary outdoor duty in March of that year. For some unexplained reason, McKee felt that this kind of work in Westport would be unpleasant, so he applied for a transfer to Ballina station. County Inspector Milling granted him his request and made it known to him that his promotion was not far away. McKee’s brother had worked in Ballina station before being transferred to Newport as a clerk. He preferred the outdoor duty and found it beneficial for his health. Police work in County Mayo at this time does not seem to have been especially onerous. It is interesting that McKee notes that the general election of 1892 gave the RIC “something to do” (McKee, 1998, p. 106). Later that year McKee learned of his promotion to the rank and pay of acting sergeant. He had been 12 years and seven months in the RIC.
In January, 1893, McKee moved from Ballina to Bonniconlon on a temporary transfer. Some disquiet had risen in that vicinity on account of a man named Ginley having taken a farm of land that had had its former tenant (Durkan) evicted for non-payment of rent. Ginley became hated in the area and had to get constant police protection. Extra men were sent to Bonniconlon station. McKee describes this task as “very hard duty” (McKee, 1998, p. 107). He spent 5 weeks protecting Ginley and his property. He was glad to go back to Ballina.
In April 1893, McKee learned that he was to be transferred from Ballina to Achill Sound. Concerned by the prospect, McKee believed that he had left “a very good station for a bad one” but he was prepared to “go to any place that the exigencies of the service may require”. Ultimately, he found Achill “not so bad as represented” but its principal drawback was that it was “so unapproachable” (McKee, 1998, p. 107).
Social Life
Despite his earlier comments about Christmas in a police barracks, he seems to have enjoyed the Christmas of 1893 at his station at Achill Sound. He did apply for a week’s leave of absence but was refused. He had an enjoyable time of it thanks to the hospitality of Mr and Mrs Johnston at the nearby hotel which he visited on several occasions during that time. In early January 1894, he returned the favour and hosted a party in the barracks for the proprietors of the Hotel Achill Sound. This was not particularly unusual. Barracks sometimes hosted dances for their men and for the local community. Malcolm (2006) describes a New Year’s Eve party in 1900 at Dromond barracks in County Leitrim that began at 9.00 p.m. and “continued without a break” until 7.00 a.m.. The venue had been highly decorated for the occasion and attendees (including 25 single women) were supplied with “all classes of liquors and beverages” (Malcolm, 2006, pp. 186-187). The event was organised by the head constable, the acting sergeant and the four constables who lived in the barracks. Catering was supervised by the sergeant’s wife.
Women were not permitted to join the RIC at any level (Campbell, 2009) but in some circumstances they did have a role to play in police matters. In The Royal Irish Constabulary Manual (1909), policemen were informed that the searching of a female prisoner should only be done by “The wife of a constable, or should she decline, the barrack servant in her presence, but not in the presence of the men” (The RIC Collection, 2011c). It was assumed that the barrack servant would be female. In February 1894, George McKee was transferred from Achill Sound to Swinford Station. He was glad to be getting away from “such a backward pace” (McKee, 1998, p. 108).