69 - The Emergency: The IRA, spies and the murder of Michael Devereux

Mens Rea: A true crime podcast

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True Crime, Society & Culture

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🗓️ 7 June 2020

⏱️ 57 minutes

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Summary

In 1940, 24 year old Michael Devereux disappeared from his home in Co Wexford. A year later, his body would be discovered buried in an isolated part of Co Tipperary. A number of men who were known members of the IRA found themselves accused of the murder - allegedly motivated by the belief that Devereux had been a spy among their ranks. A four month legal battle ensued, which saw the use of the Emergency Powers Act passed to deal with "The Emergency" of the ongoing war in Europe used to circumvent due process and normal court procedures in order to hold the men accountable. *********** Follow the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland here @masi_asylum *********** Thanks to our sponsors for today’s episode: Help take control of your debt with payoff.com/MensRea Try the casual mobile puzzle game Best Fiends today! Find it on the Apple App store and Google Play! Sign up today for a free trial of Noom - the habit changing app for a healthier you! Find it at noom.com/mens *********** Find us on Facebook or Twitter! With thanks to our supporters on Patreon! Donate today to get access to bonus and ad-free episodes! Check out the Mens Rea Merch Store! *********** Don't forget to check out our featured podcast this week: The Troubles Podcast *********** Theme Music: Quinn’s Song: The Dance Begins Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional Music: Allemande (Sting) by Wahneta Meixsell. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ *********** Sources: “Missing Wexford man: motor car found in a pit” in The Irish Times (23 September 1941) p. 1. “Co Wexford man's death: shot through the head” in The Irish Times (2 October 1941) p. 5 “Found buried after a year” in The Weekly Irish Times (4 October 1941) p. 1. “Devereux murder trial: counsel's story of an 'amazing crime'” in The Irish Times (12 October 1941) p. 1. "Devereux murder charge surprise: witnesses arrested and a prisoner discharged” in The Irish Times (11 of December 1941) p. 1, 5. “Collapse of the Devereux case: Plant discharged and again detained” in The Irish Times (12 December 1941) p. 4. “Devereux murder charges: Postponement of trials” in The Irish Times (23 December 1941) p. 2. “Devereux murder charge: special criminal court to sit” in The Irish Times (1 January 1942) p. 6. “Devereux murder charge: postponement of trial” in The Irish Times (2 January 1942) p. 3. “Devereux case echo: military court to hear charge” in The Irish Times (6 January 1942) “Military court sitting: Devereux case adjourned” in The Irish Times (7 January 1942) p. 3. “Devereux murder charge: habeas corpus order asked in high court” in the Irish Times (14 January 1942) p. 1. “Devereux murder charge: Habeas Corpus motion” in The Irish Times (15 January 1942) p. 5. “Habeas corpus motion: decision to-day in Devereux case” in The Irish Times (16 January 1942) p. 3. “Devereaux murder charge: habeas corpus and prohibition refused” in The Irish Times (17 January 1942) p. 1. “Devereux murder charge: appeal opened in the supreme court” in The Irish Times ( 22 January 1942) p. 3. “Statements as evidence: criticism in habeas corpus motion” in The Irish Times (23 January 1942) p. 6. “'All-devouring Article 28': Arguments in Habeas Corpus motion” in The Irish Times (24 January 1942) p. 7. “Wexford man who vanished: discovery of body after his car is found” in The Belfast Telegraph (1 October 1941) p. 6. “The Devereux murder: trial date fixed” in The Derry Journal (28 November 1941) p. 3 “'Unparalleled murder' – IRA accused” in The Northern Whig and Belfast Post (10 December 1941) p. 3 “Irish murder trial” in The Liverpool Evening Express (1 January 1942) p. 1. “Habeas corpus order sought” in The Irish Independent (14 January 1942) p. 4. “Devereux murder charge” in The Belfast News Letter (28 January 1942) p. 6. “Devereux Case: Decision upheld by Supreme Court” in The Irish Independent (28 January 1942) p. 2. “The Devereux murder: trial definitely fixed” in The Belfast Telegraph (4 February 1942) p. 4. “Devereux Case: Trial again postponed” in The Irish Independent (4 February 1942) p. 4. “Devereux case: Joint trial on Tuesday next” in The Irish Independent (5 February 1942) p. 2. "Devereux case; Adjournment of trial refused” in The Irish Independent (7 February 1942) p. 2. 'The Devereux murder: another adjournment” in The Belfast Telegraph (10 February 1942) p. 3. “Devereux case: trial adjourned to to-morrow” in The Irish Independent (11 February 1942) p. 2. “Devereux murder trial: Four men before military court” in The Irish Independent (13 February 1942) p. 2. “Witness refuses to be sworn in murder trial” in The Northern Whig and Belfast Post ( 14 February 1942) p. 2. “Witness refuses to testify” in The Irish Independent (14 February 2942) “Eire murder trial: Unwilling witness's statement” in The Belfast News Letter (17 February 1942) p. 4. “Silent witness feared IRA” in The Northern Whig and Belfast Post (17 February 1942) p. 3. “Garda evidence of man's statements” in The Irish Independent (17 February 1942) p. 2. “Devereux murder trial: a witness missing since December” in The Irish Independent (18 February 1942) p. 2. “Devereux murder trial: counsel refers to Hayes document” in The Irish Independent (19 February 1942) p. 2. “Devereux trial (6th day): evidence of one accused man” in The Irish Independent (20 February 1942) p. 2. “Devereux case: 8th Day: State evidence concluded” in The Irish Independent (24 February 1942) p. 3. “Dublin murder trial: a witness arrested” in The Belfast News Letter (24 February 1942) p. 4. “Devereux case: 9th Day: Closing stages of the trial” in The Irish Independent (25 February 1942) p. 3. “Three men to be shot” in The Liverpool Evening Express (26 February 1942) p. 1. “Slievenamon Murder: Three held guilty, sentenced to be shot” in The Belfast Telegraph (26 February 1942) p. 3. “Two reprieved” inThe Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette (3 March 1942) p. 5. “Shot for mountain murder” in The Evening Dispatch (5 March 1942) p. 3. Michael Moroney, “George Plant and the Rule of Law – The Devereux Affair 1940-1942” in The Tipperary Historical Journal (1988) p.p. 1-12

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to be here. Oh, Michael Devaroo was a petrol salesman living in Modlinstown County Wexford.
0:48.0	By September of 1940 he was 24 years old and married with a small child. He was employed by the ShellMax Oil Company as a lury
0:58.1	driver and salesman and was a member of the IRA. The Northern Whig and Belfast Post described him as a commanding officer of the
1:07.5	Wexford Battalion of the Irish Republican Army, though he was also described by Michael Moroni as Quartermaster. This title may have
1:17.3	owed more to the lorry he drove and had access to than his true position in the IRA at the time though.
1:24.0	Devaro travelled often to Dublin and would bring messages to headquarters there to the chief of staff of the IRA
1:31.0	and former commanding officer of Wexford, Stephen Hayes.
1:36.2	Devaro was arrested in Enis Dorothy with a number of other men on August 24, 1940,
1:41.8	but was released a few days later. The men were suspected by the Gardi
1:46.5	to be associated with an illegal organization, namely the IRA, and they weren't wrong. Devaro had been held by Gardee in the special branch for two days before
1:57.2	being released without charge and after he returned home to Wexford. But a few days later, Gardi discovered an arms dump in the county.
2:06.4	Suspicion fell on Devaro, that he had disclosed the sight of the arms cash to the Gardi,
2:12.0	which had led to his release without charge.
2:15.4	On top of that, a man named James Crofton told the IRA that Devaro had been put under pressure
2:20.5	by the guard a Special Branch.
2:22.5	Crofton himself was a member of the Special Branch, having been recruited to join up in
2:28.0	1932 from the IRA.
2:31.0	He eventually became disillusioned with his work and its targeting of IRA members and began
2:36.1	passing on information back to the organization. Shortly after the arms were discovered in Wexford, Michael Devaro disappeared.
2:46.8	On the evening of the 23rd of September, Devaro, his wife and their small child had driven
2:51.9	from their home in Modland's town to see his parents at Bally-Bohar.
2:55.1	A family member told the press that the 24-year-old had left his house for a second time that night,
	...

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