Walking in the Footsteps of the IRA: The Road to Freedom

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Thanks so much to Tom for bringing me around south Tipperary and showing me some local IRA history. In this video, Tom shows us the first marching place of Seán Hogan's No.2 Column of the Third Tipperary Brigade Irish Republican Army, the local 'Bán Dóite' training grounds, and the bóithrín that the column used during the Irish War of Independence from 1919-1921.

[@SectionSixteen]

50 years ago I visited Ireland. My grand uncle drove me to where he had participated in an ambush in south Tipperary. (He was a veteran and even got a pension for his service.) I was timid of asking questions. Now I wish I had asked a hundred questions and written down the answers. Thanks, Davey, for delving in the way you do. This history must be preserved . . . in fine detail.

[@stevebirmingham9650]

Davy brilliant stories and history, so proud of my Irish History even though i was born in the UK i am Irish to the core keep up the good work we need your local history knowledge super star thanks 😊

[@19Tharg76]

I love when your videos drop Davy! Jesus that man is a treasure trove of our Republican history!

[@seanohare5488]

Definitely

[@seanohare5488]

Agree they don't call him big bad Davy Holden for nothing

[@peterallison-ex4yy]

In wind and rain and dark of night and all other kinds of weather. Being attacked and chased and launching attacks this really does give you a sense of the terrain and commitment the Rebels had in their cause for Irish freedom. Just an all round terrific video Davy. Go raibh maith agat 💚🇮🇪☘🍀✊

[@Jen999]

This is your best video Davy.. that wee road saved the lives of the brave men.. who served without wages.. for love of country.. for all the reasons stated in the live chat.. we want to go☘️💜💙☘️

[@patwynne8373]

Another, very good video from. Davy Holden . 😢God save Ireland. Thank you davy.

[@mgk7963]

Davy we are so blessed to have you, and that guy knows his stuff, thank you so much

[@AngelaHealey]

Really enjoyed this Davy, and that guy, apologies I have forgotten his name, I taught he was brilliant. You can see the passion he has for the whole area he lives in. It's great that a relatively young man like him has retained all that local history, well done by him we need more people like him. Excellent. Billy Scannell formally of Cork but now a resident of the Kingdom of Kerry.

[@ffionpearl5893]

Great name you have there, Angela! I'm a Healey, too

[@Aengus42]

Davey, I'm a Brit & have come yo learn about your country from your perspective. The island of Ireland had had one major impact upon my life. It shaped the path my life took dramatically at 17. I'd like to explain if I could... Born in 1964 I grew up with the aftermath if WWll. The family stories, things in my Nan's home like my Grandads ARP warden's helmet, a huge AA shell fuse used as a paperweight of all things, family recipes... We were still surrounded by the war. So after school it was just assumed I'd join the forces & with my interest in aeronautics & my Granddad's service (after his ARP stint) it eas going to be the RAF. As I'd grown up my ambition to be an astronaut was whittled down to test pilot, fighter pilot, any type of bloody pilot until Motor Transport Driver seemed attainable, at least as an entry point. Although not known at the time, my Asperger's & AD/HD had wrecked my school results in a 1970's secondary school.. Anyway, I made an appointment at the recruitment centre in Exeter. I passed the physical, aptitude tests & was told "Well, you're in! Dependant upon a short interview, it's all sorted. The desk Sergeant eill make you a coffee & we'll call you in about half an hour, there's some people in front of you." So, I sat where I was told, I got my cuppa was chatting with the "desk Sergeant". I should've picked up on it, I put it down to my Asperger's. I take people at their word. Subterfuge & lying don't enter into my thoughts when dealing with people... until after the event. Plus, I had no idea I was different back then. Chatting over coffee we got onto my thoughts on the monarchy & Northern Ireland. He said he'd had some difficulties serving the queen & he wasn't at all sure about Northern Ireland. Well, I'd thought sbout both of these things & seeing as I was waiting for the interview & just chatting about his memories if joining up, I told him. "The monarchy really is an anachronism, we spend far too much in this already madly rich family & there was no reason they couldn't keep up their figurehead status of shaking hands & waving at weekends if they had a proper profession like normal people. So, the National Trust could probably look after their palaces, all their trinkets, art, land ect. should be sold off & the money used for things to help lift the bottom 10% of the population out of poverty. Housing, education, health ect." So with the monarchy sorted he asked about the vexed problem of Northern Ireland... "Well, some of the money from the sale of the monarchy's holdings and probably some of the land could ve used for this. If you live in Northern Ireland but want to be British you've got 30 years to make up your mind. This'll give the elderly, more entrenched people time to die off & for the others to decide. If you want to be British then there's a council house waiting & help with removals. So come over here, be as British as the rest of us, and after 30 years we do the face saving ceremonies and reconciliation speeches. Apologies all 'round and the job's a good'un! I mean, what are we doing there in the first place? The Irish don't want to be occupied, and who can blame them? Imagine if Cornwall was occupied by the Irish by force, would we stand for it? Would you? So after 30 years, Ireland for the Irish & anyone who wanted to would be here. Housed, settled and using ex royal money too which seems fitting." It was only then my Aspie brain put together his face, the questions he asked, the coffee & biscuits... "I'm afraid you've just failed your interview and we can't have you in the ROYAL air force." Well, at least it was my actual thoughts on things. So that was the impact Ireland had on my life and it's future path. The 30 years would've been up in 2011. D'you think it would've worked? Remember, I was a rural Devon kid who didn't know about Asperger's but I had thought about how to extricate ourselves from being the obvious bad guys. Occupation by force didn't sit well with my pacifist leanings (Ha! Another reason I shouldn't've joined up I guess!) and by 1984 I was sat in a field by Stonehenge for a month for the last Free Festival there... So it was probably for the best. Love the channel mate! I'm learning a lot. Keep up the excellent work Davey! Keep safe ☮️

[@mch12311969]

Thank you for what you do, to preserve the history, Davy!!!

[@Jen999]

These videos are getting better and better Davy., excellent work☘️💜💙

[@davyholden]

Thank you Jen! Excited for this one to come out 😁

[@Jen999]

@@davyholden we are too.. we enjoy and learn from your videos Davy.. they.. and you.. are quality ☘️💜💙

[@PH-hk8mb]

Long live Ireland, the fighting Irish, for freedom.

[@jojokeavy2835]

I'm 100 yards from my boreen that was used as a limestone query with pony and cart over 150 years plus and they were deeper and narrowe.. Perfect Cover for the West Waterford Flying Column 🇮🇪

[@Conero08]

Thanks for the brilliant video Davy. Tom is a national treasure with this level of knowledge. This is the kind of content we should be getting on RTE - I won't hold my breath though...

[@firstlast-ns2qo]

We are fighting a very different fight this time 🇮🇪

[@3158dave]

Excellent production guys, we have such a rich history and culture

[@vespamorelli7090]

This sort of stuff needs recorded on maps / archives for future generations to understand & enjoy. Fair play to you both for documenting this history 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@spike6643]

And more songs written!❤

[@MrMartgolf]

Thank you Dave, An amazing insight to the struggles against the oppressors, I have been to Ireland a few times over the years, Love the country and Love the people of people of Ireland, Keep up the Great vlogs 👍

[@joejackson6453]

Thanks for sharing the Truth about Wonderful Irish Ancestry 🙏🏽

[@phillydwyer]

I wait until the weekend to watch as many of your videos together as I can. Unbelievable channel,Davy!

[@davyholden]

Thanks so much Philly! Really appreciate that pal 😊

[@karukun0212]

Am I glad that this passion still remains among at least some of my Cousins. Yes--these places are exactly where I hope to go. My own Irish ancestors, in so many different ways, gave so much for the freedom of our people. I honor them and in my own ways try to live up their expectations in my own life, and I hope to learn and treasure their sacrifices.

[@domedweller4202]

Great video lads.

[@jofasable]

I wish you two were in government

[@liamoconnor3010]

Great history boy's, great job 👏☘️

[@songsmith31a]

Freed from the British (with a useful place to live as an alternative) but now held hostage to the EU by political positioning. Who would have thought it?!

[@patrickheaney5871]

Fantastic video Davey, I love that history, Sean Hogan, Dan Breen, Darney lacey, Sean Milan, are my ides, have great songs aswell 🇮🇪 🇮🇪🇮🇪👍

[@Digger72]

Great work Davy.

[@jaymooney1285]

Fascinating, the feels I get just from watching, and getting your man telling the facts with such details brings a totally different aspect and feelings that I’ve had been actually around there. Thanks so much for sharing a part of our story. Bless you Both. 💚🇮🇪

[@garygallagher7269]

Good video Davy

[@darkym88]

Brilliant video 🍀

[@Ben-Downlow.]

Fighting against the m3 motorway through Tara we lived amongst the fields and hidden ways, the land opened her secrets to us. How we tried and tried to get enough people to use flying column tactics of hit and run against the traitors and mercenaries who laid waste to that landscape for a few €! The stories of the real heroes who went before us in the fight for Ireland kept us warm through the bitter winter, and proud and strong as we struggled tooth and claw in the mud and mire for the dignity of Eriú. Without history, we are lost. Whilst the fire of that inspiration that carried the heroes of Ireland burns in a single heart, there is hope. Èire Abù, Tara Abù.

[@MrLucky-wc1iv]

What a absolutely fascinating an interesting video that was , I really enjoyed watching this , the history is just fascinating and interesting to see and hear , I wish I had the opportunity to speak with my granddad about his life growing up in Ireland but sadly he was gone before I arrived. Keep up these videos please , most definitely got yourself a new subscriber to this channel

[@bastiaanstapelberg9018]

Zeer interessant om dit deel van de geschiedenis van Ierland ook te leren.

[@chrisgodson2692]

Great Irish History, thankyou

[@taylowendy]

I would totally sign up for your history tours if you put one together, that is if I ever get to visit or relocate to my “real” home (Ireland). Davy, your channel is awesome! I just found it. Keep up the great work. May the goddess, Brigid, smile and bless your heart and home.

[@cW-jk1sw]

Great video yet again

[@pegitwillcomebacktoyou]

"The Road to freedom"? Ireland was never fully free...especially not now!

[@369blueneptune]

It's a long, long road with many turnings along the way.

[@towel2473]

Dan Breen's Road to Irish Freedom is a great read to contextualise alot of this. Will have to take a trip down there some day

[@sandidavis820]

Oh,how I wish I could be there, but you do such a great job of showing us and telling us about our history. Thank you, Davy I have to tell y'all about something funny from a few days ago. I was watching a video about some of the early days of America, when they were fighting the brits, and I was reading the comments. Someone was commenting about the Americans using guerilla warfare and I said yes and the brits didn't like the IRA using guerilla warfare and called them terrorists and I said they they probably said it about the American people and some guy made a remark for me to not talk about that and he called me a Paddy. I laughed and said I was very proud to be a Paddy. It shut him up.

[@werewolf5674]

Great history. This technique was used by locals in Afganistan. Americans called the rat lines. They were a shield from observation. I find it so interesting. Could you do a map of major engagements to give us perspective. Thank you for the video.

[@seanohare5488]

I agree major in-depth engagement s be educational

[@KernowekTim]

Ireland bled, while WhiteHall and The Crown slept on soft beds, ate fine foods and drank port. A curse upon their souls.

[@brendanmcerlaine3349]

So true.

[@anthonystephens7914]

Good one Davy

[@Slievenamon]

Another great video, well done. By the way, a few centuries ago the Irish countryside was divided into small fields by making ditches and planting thorn bushes but to allow people to continue to travel in a more direct route they built stiles. These stiles were still in use until cars became more common. In about the 1940s / 50s my uncles use to walk across the fields to Callan to the "pictures" ( Cinema ) about 12 kilometers away by road, but probably about 8 1/2 across the fields and then walk back home. This was after they had been working all day. And then up in the morning again.

[@1Hannigan1]

Awsome, great work. Fantastic. T.A.L.

[@anthonywhelan8220]

Is it ballinard castle here in south tipp?? Love the videos ❤

[@ourstories-galwayantiracis2743]

What an incredible video Davy …

[@northscrow9316]

This is grand.

[@michaelcollins9386]

Best channel on KZbin well done

[@davidhollywood448]

Absolutely fascinating stuff davey thank you for sharing and keeping theese stories alive

[@MrChristopher42]

Have you not heard the song Down by the Glenside?

[@PH-hk8mb]

🇮🇪

[@js9767]

❤❤❤❤

[@Fenian1213a]

Wonderful as usual Davy! Very informative and interesting

[@mrmoney2249]

Great video thanks for keeping the story alive!

[@user-br8nf2om2n]

Imagine meeting a tan late some night in middle of the bowreen

[@user-ck2sg7hw5g]

Yes

[@trisgilmour]

Very interesting

[@SweetSchnubbl]

Me da visited ireland the first time in the 1970s, can you believe it? And i also spent sum time there. To be honest: i didnt know much about merry oul ireland in 2003, except from oliver Cromwell, the great famine and the ira... 😂 Spent sum months there- and converted🎉 Probably the only converted paddy ❤

[@robertdesmomd5696]

It's sad nowadays people can be bought too easily and take the King's pound. Because thats what they are doing.

[@dane5896]

🇮🇪💪🇮🇪

[@throne6675]

Does this guy do tours? If so, how do I find them if I don’t have TikTok thank you.

[@damianchristie288]

yes allow the public access to the boreens so they can interfear with rural lifestyles and activities with their urbanised save the planet animal rights extremism

[@riellylane7251]

You should do a series with Tom he's an absolute font of local knowledge!

[@seanmc3735]

I used to have my mam tell me about my grand father from Cork, who was in a colum and the escapades and history before I was born in the 60's. Yr man's correct, it was genocide. Great video Davy thanks

[@darrenanthonykk]

What's yer thoughts on this mate?? Be good to hear your views

[@bbiggins]

😮😮😮😮😮

[@EireFirst2024]

Part 2 is on the way.✊🏻💚. Thanks Lads

[@michaelosullivan1024]

The. Irish can chew trough briars

[@missmo3451]

I disagreee about opening up to tourists.

[@Traid01]

y? Its only been 100 years and so many of these places are already lost knowledge and being changed or destroyed for one reason or another, farming, new roads, pipe lines, windfarms or whatever. What will it be like in 200, 500 or 1000 years? The stories could live on through tourism while celebrating the men and women who helped to free Ireland after 800 years of occupation, oppression, genocide, hunger, failed risings and a life of poverty, hardships and servitude. Ireland, especially the countryside is losing Irish people to emigration as has been the case since before the genocide/famine. We want to be finding ways to develop. Ireland is rich with history and gathers a great interest from outsiders, why would we not look to use our strengths to improve the country?

[@missmo3451]

@@Traid01 correct on all your points. But education and tourism are two different things. Nothing will blight a place and make it lose its integrity like hoards of tourists. It's a Faustian bargain.

[@seanohare5488]

I agree some parts of beautiful Ireland should be left to the Irish

[@conorgribbin3928]

Whilst tourism would be admirable given the current state of affairs it might be better to familiarise ourselves with our local areas once again

[@AwRighttttt]

​@@seanohare5488all parts should be leftt to the Irish

[@jimbojones1107]

Don't you guys have urgent work to do with the current situation?

[@user-ck2sg7hw5g]

Yes we bloody do beautiful xxx

[@craigpimlott204]

Yep it’s another invasion 900 plus years later

[@KINGKONG-jc7xh]

The informers back then were the equivalent of ppl today who are up to date with all there booster shots & believe MS media pbp supporters green party ect I could go on, maby a thread can start under my post

[@999britain]

Freedom what's that haha😂

[@zzirSnipzz1]

Still murdered many men an woman on both sides also did unspeakable things to women for example Máiría Cahill

[@snowflakemelter1172]

"The road to surrender" would br far more accurate.

[@Pa_700]

Allah, the best deceiver Quran 3:54. Jesus is God

[@brickie59]

Tourism Really !!! Who in there right mind would want to track across a field whilst on holiday.

[@qwebsome]

Why are you so obsessed with the IRA. Like surely there's another 2000 years of interesting Irish history you can cover. IRA is all you seem to cover and it's getting boring.

[@stevescuba1978]

Watch something else then

[@AwRighttttt]

Get back to the strip club and listening to Tupac Yeh freek show koward

[@saorbhreatachocroimin8193]

If our history doesn’t interest you then turn off. Videos like this record history which is fading from memory and will disappear unless it’s recorded.

[@craigpimlott204]

@@saorbhreatachocroimin8193I don’t think it’ll disappear it’s coming again in the near future

[@GkPhotographic]

jasus lads , firce proud to be an Irishman , on the shoulders of giants we stand free . a wealth of knowledge from you lads , sure arnt we a grand tribe , through all the suffering, weer still laughing honour be upon your names , your ancestors are proud . Slan from south Dublin

[@0886193906]

That's not my phone number anymore but c can u help