Tom Hales

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Tom Hales was an IRA Volunteer from West Cork. He was a friend of Michael Collins.

Both he and his brother, Seán Hales, fought with the IRA in west Cork during the Anglo-Irish War. During the War, Tom was captured by the British Army in Cork and was badly beaten and tortured in an effort to make him disclose the whereabouts of prominent IRA figures, including Michael Collins. He never broke, though his co-accused, Patrick Harte suffered brain damage and died in hospital insane.

The British officer in charge of the interrogation, a Major Percival, subsequently commanded the British forces in Singapore during the Second World War and surrendered to the Japanese.

During the Irish Civil War the Hales brothers fought on opposite sides. Tom Hales commanded the Flying Column which attacked the Free State Army convoy at Béal na Blath which resulted in the death of his childhood friend, Michael Collins. Sean Hales was killed by the IRA during the bitter Irish Civil War. As a reprisal, the Free State executed four senior Republicans, one from each province. The Munster man who was picked out to be shot was Dick Barrett. Ironically, Dick was a member of the same IRA brigade as Sean Hales during the Anglo-Irish War and both were childhood friends (See also Executions during the Irish Civil War).