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Tiede Herrema was born on 21 April 1921 in Utrecht, Holland. He graduated in mechanical engineering in 1945 and gained a bachelor’s degree in industrial psychology in 1951. He continued his studies in psychology and sociology and gained a PhD in 1959, his dissertation dealing with the rehabilitation of disabled people. He married in 1948 Engelina Elizabeth Borren and the couple had four sons. Herrema’s distinguished career in industry spanned 37 years (1946-1983) and covered all aspects, including production management, general management and industrial relations. In 1973, Herrema was appointed managing director of Ferenka Ltd., and in September of that year he moved to Ireland with his wife Elizabeth and their two youngest sons to take up a position in the newly constructed cord manufacturing plant at Annacotty. Two years later, on the morning of 3 October, Herrema was abducted on his way to work by IRA leader Eddie Gallagher and his accomplices Marion Coyle, Brian McGowan and John Vincent Walsh. The objective of the abduction was to secure the release of three republican prisoners, including Dr Rose Dugdale, by whom Gallagher had a son. Herrema’s status as manager of a large multi-national corporation was hoped to bring international pressure on the government to yield to the demands.

For the next two and a half weeks, Herrema and his captors moved from location to location, and their whereabouts remained unknown until 21 October, when Herrema, Gallagher and Coyle were traced to a house in St Evin’s Park, Monasterevin, County Kildare. On the evening of 7 November, after prolonged negotiations directed by Chief Superintendent Laurence Wren, during which a minimum amount of food was allowed into the house, the kidnappers surrendered and Herrema was released after 36 days in captivity. He was later to attribute his survival to his strong physical fitness and his concerted efforts to befriend his captors to make it harder for them to kill him.

In the trials that followed the abduction, Marion Coyle was sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment in Limerick Prison, while Eddie Gallagher received twenty years in Portlaoise Prison. For their courage and dignity, Herrema and his wife were honoured by Irish authorities with the honorary citizenship of Ireland and Freedom of Limerick in December 1975. In Holland, Herrema was voted Dutchman of the Year in 1975, and granted an officership of the Order of Orange Nassau by Queen Juliana in 1977.

Following a holiday in the Bahamas to recover from his ordeal, Herrema returned to his job in Ferenka, but in early 1976 was appointed Personnel Director of AKZO and returned to Holland. He later specialised in crisis management and worked in that capacity for Thomassen International, Lijnco Groningen, Silenka, and Radio Veronica. He also became a much sought-after speaker and adviser to the police and multinational companies in hostage preparedness and prevention. His humanitarian interests led to his appointment in 1984 as Director General of the Dutch Red Cross. In the meantime in Limerick, Ferenka Ltd., which throughout its existence had a poor record of industrial relations, was shut down in 1979, with losses of over 1,400 jobs.

Although Herrema and his wife returned to Holland, they never lost their love for Ireland and the Irish people and became regular and popular visitors to the country. Herrema campaigned for an early release of Marion Coyle and Eddie Gallagher, but the release was not granted and both prisoners served full term. Coyle was released in 1985, and Gallagher in 1990. Herrema felt no bitterness towards his captors and expressed a willingness to meet both following their release, but only if requested by Coyle and Gallagher. However, no such request was forthcoming and, in spite of attempts by journalists, the three never met again.

The kidnapping and the trials that followed caused an international media storm, which threw Herrema into the public arena and made him a celebrity for the rest of his life. He later joked that he could never forget his abduction because he was never allowed to forget it. Tiede Herrema died on 24 April 2020, a few days after his 99th birthday and just two days after the death of his wife.

Michael Healy was a native of Limerick and joined the Irish Volunteers in 1917 when they were being reorganised following the 1916 rising. He was promoted to Captain in the Volunteers and was heavily involved in IRA activities during the War of Independence. Healy took the Anti-Treaty side during the Civil War. He remained in the IRA following the end of the Civil War and was involved in its reorganisation until at least 1924. He appears to have been involved in helping to expedite the application process for military pensions for members of his company and battalion in c. 1940. He is recorded in 1956 in Dáil records as having been in receipt of a government pension having served in the War of Independence. Little is known about his life outside of the IRA except that he lived and worked as a shoe repairer at No. 38 Nicholas Street, Limerick City.

Julia Cecilia Harris née Ryan was born on 4 August 1855 as the fourth of the nine children of Michael Robert Ryan of Temple Mungret, Limerick and Julia Teresa née Kieran. Her father was a solicitor and agent to many prominent landowners of the day. Julia’s family were devout Roman Catholics and she was accordingly educated at St Leonard’s Catholic Boarding School for girls in Mayfield, East Sussex. She married George William Harris on 22 April 1875 at the Dominican Church, Dominic Street, Dublin and had four children: George Joseph (1876-1922); James Michael (Jim) (1877-1949); Richard Edmond (1880-87); and Mary Josephine (May) (1882-1946). She died on 21 April 1933 in Kensington, London.

William Hare, 1st Earl of Listowel (1751-1837) was a Member of Parliament in the Irish House of Commons until the Act of Union in 1801. Having voted in favour of the Union, he was raised to the peerage of Ireland as Baron Ennismore in the county of Kerry. He was created Viscount Ennismore and Listowel in 1816 and Earl of Listowel in county Kerry in 1822.

Field Marshal Douglas Haig was a decorated military officer and commander of the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War. He was created Earl Haig in 1919.

Catherine Gyll was born Catherine Doolin in Dublin in 1923. After seeing a production by the Irish Ballet Club at the Abbey Theatre in late 1939, she auditioned for and was invited to join the Club by its director, Cepta Cullen. Catherine studied and performed with the Irish Ballet Club until 1943, during which time she also studied radiography at St. Vincent’s hospital, Dublin. Catherine performed in most of the Ballet Club’s repertory during this period, including Puck Fair, Aisling, Lanner Waltz, Rhapsodie, and Peter and the Wolf. In 1943, Catherine went to work in London where she met and married theatre director Peter Gyll (1913-1989) while working as an Assistant Stage Manager. Catherine returned to live in Ireland in 2004.

Charles Henry Gubbins was born at Woodstown, Lisnagry, county Limerick on 16 August 1859 as the fourth son of provision merchant and justice of the peace William Gough Gubbins (1820-1902) and his first wife Mary née Russell (d. 1874). The family later moved to Castle Troy, county Limerick and subsequently lived at Castleconnell, county Limerick. Charles was educated at St John’s College, Newport, county Limerick and Abbey School, county Tipperary, and followed his father into the merchant trade, working for the food company Messrs W. J. Shaw and Sons in Limerick.

In his free time, Charles Henry Gubbins was a keen cyclist and athlete. Between 1881 and 1887, he served as honorary secretary to the Limerick Amateur Athletic and Bicycle Club. He was a popular figure in social circles with a cheerful disposition and a good sense of humour. He possessed a good singing voice, played the cornet with notable skill and was an enthusiastic amateur thespian, appearing regularly both in concerts and plays.

In 1889, Charles moved to Cork to manage the firm’s branch in that city. It was probably here that he met his future wife, Martha Banyer Trew, whom he married in Cheddar, England on 2 February 1898. In 1900, Charles was promoted to the charge of W. J. Shaw & Sons’ head office in Manchester, in which city he remained for the rest of his life. He died in Manchester on 31 December 1932.