Seán Harrington (1915–1978) was an

Irish republican Irish republicanism ( ga, poblachtánachas Éireannach) is the political movement for the unity and independence of Ireland under a republic. Irish republicans view British rule in any part of Ireland as inherently illegitimate. The develop ...

who later became

Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army Several people are reported to have served as Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army () in the organisations bearing that name. Due to the clandestine nature of these organisations, this list is not definitive. Chiefs of Staff of the Irish ...

Biography

Harrington was born in Ballyduff,

County Kerry County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...

in 1915. He joined the

Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various paramilitary organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Organisations by this name have been dedicated to irredentism through Irish republicanism, the belief tha ...

(IRA) as a young man. By 1941, Harrington was a member of the IRA's Army Council which organised a court-marshal of former Chief of Staff Stephen Hayes, although he did not personally take part in the trial. He became Chief of Staff of the IRA in November 1941 when

Pearse Kelly Patrick Pearse Kelly (14 October 1916 – 6 April 1974), also known as Paul Kelso, was an Irish journalist and republican activist. Biography Born in Dungannon in County Tyrone, Kelly began working as a journalist at the ''Dungannon Obse ...

was arrested, but he himself was arrested the following month. He was charged with failing to explain his possession of £50 and refusing to give his details to police, and was sentenced in March 1942 to two years imprisonment. Despite this, he appears to have remained Chief of Staff until February 1942, when

Seán McCool Seán McCool (Irish: Seán Mac Cumhaill) (died 1 May 1949) was a prominent Irish Republican and a former chief of staff of the Irish Republican Army. Imprisoned on numerous occasions, both North and South of the border, he embarked on a number ...

was selected as his replacement. He later lived at Kennelsfort Road,

Palmerstown Palmerstown (; officially Palmerston, see spelling) is a civil parish and suburb in western Dublin on the banks of the River Liffey. It forms part of the South Dublin local authority and the Dublin Mid-West parliamentary constituency. The area ...

, Dublin, and died in November 1978.The Kerryman, 10 November 1978.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harrington, Sean 1915 births 1978 deaths Irish Republican Army (1922–1969) members People from Ballyduff, County Kerry