Thomas Malone (Tomás Malone) was baptised at Meedin Parish Church on 7th August 1896 to William Malone and Marie Mulavin. His father was born in London due to his father's involvement in Fenian activities.
Thomas was described by General Richard Mulcahy of the Free State Army as: “the most dangerous man in Munster”. Tomás was educated at the Franciscan College, Multyfarnham where he studied Greek and Irish. His later republican activities led him to adopt the alias Seán Forde and he is invariably described in the pages of the “Westmeath Examiner” as: “Westmeath’s 1916 Link”.
From the census returns of both 1901 and 1911, we can see that Tomás grew up in a family of six. His family consisted of his father William and his mother Mary, his two brothers James and Joseph and his only sister Mary. We also observed from these census returns that his great-uncle Andrew and his two cousins Mary and Sarah also lived with them. Most interestingly, we note that by census night 1911, Tomás was by then fifteen years old and described as being: “fluent in both Irish and English”.
Thomas' story and role during the Easter Rising and the Irish War of Independence is well documented, it is also interesting to note his nephew Joseph Malone (Seosamh Ó Mhaoileoin) who currently resides in the old Malone Homestead in Meedin is the current president of Republican Sinn Fein.
Thomas died in Nenagh, Tipperary in 1981.
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 7th Aug 1896 | VIEW SOURCE |
| Date of Death | 1st Jan 1981 | |
