Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [1985] (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 item
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
John J. Hassett was born in Ballytarsna, Cashel, Co. Tipperary on 22 September 1937, the eldest of eight children of William Hassett and Mary née Gooney. He grew up immersed in local lore and stories of Ireland’s struggles for freedom. From an early age, he listened to tales of the Troubles and the War of Independence, developing a lifelong passion for history and its impact on ordinary people. Though he left school early to help his family, Hassett became a voracious reader, linking national events to local narratives and sharpening his historical insight.
A committed GAA man, John played hurling for Dualla and later founded Ballytarsna Athletic Club, eventually serving as President of the National Athletic and Cycling Association of Ireland (NACAI). Professionally, he worked in insurance, but his organisational skills also made him a key figure in rural advocacy as General Secretary of the Irish Farmers’ Association during the 1960s and campaign manager for T. J. Maher’s European Parliament bid in 1979.
Hassett’s deepest commitment was to preserving memory. In the early 1980s, he purchased one of Tipperary’s first tape recorders and began visiting homes to capture the voices of an older generation – men who played hurling in the early 1900s and veterans of the Irish Volunteers and War of Independence. Later, with Pat O’Donnell and others, he expanded this work to video interviews, ensuring these stories were told in the participants’ own words. His respectful, easy manner encouraged candour, creating an invaluable archive of firsthand testimony.
John Hassett championed commemorations, notably reviving the Soloheadbeg anniversary and honouring figures like Seán Treacy and the women of Cumann na mBan. He resisted historical revisionism, arguing for nuanced understanding of Ireland’s armed struggles and the complexities of Civil War divisions. His vision was of an inclusive Irish Republic rooted in equality and care for all citizens. Generous with his knowledge, Hassett shared documents, tapes and insights freely with researchers, believing history belonged to the people.
John Hassett died on 3 December 2019.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Betamax tape containing a series of recordings, beginning with scenes of streetscapes in Clonmel, focusing on derelict or otherwise neglected buildings and old, damaged roofs. After a short break there follows a recording made on 21 May [1985] showing the lands of Messrs Mahony & Brothers [in Clonmel?] subject to a compulsory purchase order. A short break is followed by three interviews, with John Ryan of Reafadda, county Tipperary, a one-time schoolfriend of Seán Treacy’s, who recalls an incident in Hollyford, county Tipperary [in 1921] involving the Black and Tans, during which Denis Quinlan was shot and fatally wounded, and an attack on the Hollyford Barracks [in 1920]; Mrs Ryan [John’s wife?], who recalls [the murder of four men on Killaloe Bridge by the Black and Tans in November 1920?] (the start of this interview is missing); and Miss Quirke of Hollyford, who recalls the arrest of her father by the Black and Tans by District Inspector Henry Biggs and the killing of Denis Quinlan. A series of scenic view of the village of Hollyford taken from a distance are followed by a close-up the Hollyford Barracks, where Hassett relates the story of the attack that took place here 1920 and Philip Shanahan holds up a photograph of his grand-uncle Phil Shanahan TD, who was born in Hollyford. There follow views of the home of the Allice family in Lacknacreena, Hollyford, where Seán Treacy came to reside as a child with his mother and aunt after his father’s death; the birthplace of Phil Shanahan; and monuments erected to Phil Shanahan, Jim Quirke and Eamonn an Chnoic (Ned of the Hill). Next, Hassett interviews John Ryan of Loughisle, who recalls the Kilcommon Ambush of 1920, the killing of District Inspector Henry Briggs and the accidental killing of Winifred Barrington, only daughter of Sir Charles Burton Barrington of Glenstal Castle, and the start of the Volunteer movement in the parish. Hassett then visits the site of the Kilcommon Ambush by the North Tipperary of the Old IRA and a police barracks at Rearcross, county Tipperary, attacked by the IRA in July 1920. The tape continues with a recording of a family outing to Fota Wildlife Park [in June 1985?] and of children getting riding lessons on a pony in a concrete yard. The tape concludes with a recording of an episode of Sports Stadium on RTÉ 1. Total duration 02:13:47.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
No access to magnetic tape. For access to digitised content, please consult with the staff.
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- English