He’s a name not many folk in Nenagh will be familiar with, yet he was every much a local victim of the times as some of the other fallen from Nenagh. William was the son of a Railway Guard, later Signalman William Crolly and his wife Esther Kenny. Williams family lived in Railway Workers cottages in Ballybrophy in 1911 but William junior was a lodger, and lived with Edward Doyle and his young family at No 34 Barrack St Nenagh. The census of 1911 records that both William and Edward were Firemen working for Great Southern & Western Railways. In 1923, William is recorded as living at 1 Barrack St. This house played a key role in the Battle of Nenagh.

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The railways were a soft target during the War of Independence and later during the Civil War. To put it into perspective, by 1920 there were over 3000 miles of track and approximately 2500 bridges of various sizes all offering potential targets and all requiring protection.  Destroying the networks was also a very effective means of lowering the morale of the opposing side. If the letters, little luxuries and supplies aren’t getting through, or are being destroyed enroute or upon arrival, it adds to the misery the occupying force has to endure. Of course this does bring about the inevitable reprisals. 

There were also little prizes to be had though. Until the 1950’s when radios on trains became more reliable, one means of warning trains of obstacles and dangers ahead were track detonators. These would be wrapped with a metal band around the rail and were detonated by the wheel of the train running over them. The primary constituents were Potassium Chlorate and Sulpher with added Sand and Binder. They were first and foremost a signaling device but were also used for celebrations when dignatories arrived in town. A box of these and the explosive powder within would have been worth having especially for any Brigade making it’s own I.E.D’s. Add to this, large supplies of Sodium Chlorate which historically was used by Track Maintenance to kill weeds on the permanent way. You have within the sheds and outlying trackside tool bins, a means of creating explosive devices and derailing trains.

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In June 1920, a raid took place at Nenagh station where Petrol and tools were confiscated. That same month a group of R.I.C. men boarded the train up the line at Cloughjordan. The Driver and Fireman refused to move the train until the Police disembarked. They refused so the train sat idle in Cloughjordan going nowhere.

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In May 1921, Volunteers from B Coy held up a Military Transport Party at Nenagh Railway Station. They confiscated Arms and equipment from the British soldiers and also shot their transport mules to deny them any future use. That same month, Jack Ayres from Silver St raided the Parcel office for Belfast Goods. He was accompanied by James Burke of Spout Road - both in A Coy. There had been previous raids during May 1921 when the Coal stocks were destroyed by combined personnel from A & D Coy's to prevent the movement of trains. 

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In the middle of this, William was noted as being among the first Engine Drivers to refuse to carry any Black and Tan’s on his Train. This is made reference to by Teresa Mulligan, (Williams sister) in her application for his pension and also reported in the Derry Journal of 26/02/1923.

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During the Civil War, the station at Nenagh didn’t escape conflict. Destruction of the main Dublin/Cork line at Goolds Cross and Lisduff, neccessitated a long diversion via Nenagh, thus increasing the rail traffic on this branch line and offering many more opportunities to the Irregulars.

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The Leinster Reporter of 22/07/1922 records that three National Army troops who were out walking on a Sunday were met by armed men who deprived them of their boots, leggings and stockings and sent them back to the Barracks barefoot. Later that same day shots were fired at a guard at Nenagh Station. 

The following day, 23/07/1922 Eoin O'Duffy, GOC South Western Command confirms to Michael Collins the arrival of artillery at Nenagh for use at the third siege of Limerick.

On 29/07/1922, the Drogheda Independent records that gangers and workmen attempting to repair a damaged bridge of the Nenagh/Limerick line, were fired on by Irregulars resulting in the repair being abandoned and the railwaymen withdrawing to safety. Consequently no trains were able to run from Nenagh to Limerick.

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Faced with widespread attacks by Anti Treaty Forces on the Railway infrastructure which were becoming more frequent the Provisional Government introduced the Railway Protection and Maintenance Corps (RPMC) led by Colonel Charles Russell. This was unique in so far as they bypassed the actual owners of the fragmented network and spoke directly with the National Union of Railwaymen. The RPMC recorded in a memo sent to General HQ, that apart from obstructions on the line among the methods used by the Irregulars were Explosive, Acetylene Torches, removal of Fishplates holding the rails and destruction of Buildings, Viaducts and Masonry. To counteract this, it was intended to set up Blockhouses at key points, provide armoured trains and rail adapted Lancia's. They would also provide armed escorts on some trains. The Blockhouses would be created from available railway sleepers, sandbags and corrugated sheeting with the intention they would be improved at a later stage. However all of this costs money and was something the shareholders on the Networks refused to spend and the Government had little to offer. Nevertheless, the recruitment of fresh personnel to join the RPMC continued. 

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In August and September 1922, an armoured train was attacked at Beechwood, outside of Nenagh by elements from B Coy. You have to admire the gall of taking on an armoured train but it does show the intensity of activity on the Railway Lines and the Government response to try and get supplies through. Elsewhere, 7 Lancia armoured cars were fitted with Rail wheels (below) but of course the disadvantage is, you are reliant on the rails and can only go where they go. 

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At this time, there was a branch line between Birdhill and Ballina. There were a number of quarries along the route and of course the Lakeside Hotel (recently vacated by the Black and Tans) at the Terminus. This was also known as the Dunalley Line. In September 1922 the bridge over the Coole River was subject to an arson attack thereby rendering this spur line ineffective. Meanwhile The Irish Times on 05/09/1922 reported that repairs to Kilruane Bridge on the Nenagh Line meant trains to Dublin could resume again.

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On a more positive note on 24/10/1922, the general manager of GS&WR, Edward Addison Neale wrote thanking the RPMC for their help in repairing the line between Nenagh and Birdhill. A military escort had been provided for the workmen for the duration of the repairs and it was hoped this practice of military protection for repairmen would continue for the future.

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In November and December of 1922. attacks were made on Shallee Bridge by personnel from E Coy.

November 14 saw an attack on the 18:15 Limerick to Nenagh at Lisnagry. The driver John Crossan from Nenagh and the Fireman William Nolan from Limerick, were ordered out of the cab at gunpoint. The train was sprinkled with petrol and set alight. Crossan was made to fire up the engine and send it towards Castleconnell. The train slowed at a gradiant and came to a halt. The coach immediately behind the engine was consumed by flames and the remaining four coaches survived.

Back in Nenagh on December 1922 the Signal Box burned down. Personnel from ‘A’ Coy and ‘D’ Coy 1st North Tipp Brigade took part in this. This also affected the locals with only one Goods train managing to make it through to the town in a fortnight. All the Coal depots were closed and the shops had little or no supplies. This had the knock on affect of no goods to sell, staff being superflous and so they were let go. Nenagh was essentially being cut off. 

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On 12/02/1923, William was driving the 18.00 hours passenger train between Limerick and Nenagh. They also had onboard goods and members of the National Army. William heard fog signals being detonated and up ahead saw a redlight which neccessitated him slowing down and stopping the train. They were 2½ miles outside of Castleconnell heading towards Bushfield. It's claimed the perpetrators were looking for Captain Stack of the N.A.

William was shot in his left elbow and hip. One of his assailants, some of whom were from E Coy, actually apologised for shooting him. 

William however was badly injured. He was lifted from the Foot Plate by the Fireman Thomas Woodhouse and laid on the embankment beside the train. This is where he lay for up to eight hours. Bear in mind this is a cold, dark February evening so being laid on the damp grass wasn’t going to do him much good. The train was emptied of it’s passengers and goods and set alight. A military ambulance later arrived from Limerick and ferried William to St John’s Hospital. From there he was transferred to Dr Steevens Hospital in Dublin where he underwent an operation to remove the bullet. Unfortunately Sepsis had set in and William died of Septecaemia from infected gunshot wounds 8 days after the ambush. William was only 36. His father, William senior received £200 compensation from the railway company GS&WR.

William senior would join his son the same year.

Londonderry Sentinel - 24/02/1923

Freemans Journal - 24/02/1923