From someone in the family. Michael O'Keeffe and Bransfield were married to two sisters. My understanding is that there was some prior personal animosity between them and firstly the IRA shot O Keeffe and Bransfield was shot in reprisal by the Tans. I dont know if the animosity was based on personal or political differences between the two of them.
1892 Feb 6 Born Ballyvolane (see Military Inquest)
1901 census at Ballyvolane
1914 Nov 11. Attested to RGA
His wife's evidence to Military Inquest says he was in RGA and had a pension. Service Record
1916 Jul 4 Posted from 13 Siege Battery to Base
1917 Mar 22 Posted Base to 25 Siege Battery
1918 Oct 28 Posted to 94 siege battery RGA
1919 Jun 26 Discharged. Protection cert issued. Awarded a 1 year disability pension (15% to 19%) for gasing
1919 Aug 7. Married Hannah Stanton (nee Foley)
1921 Apr 30 Shot in Cork
On Saturday the 30th of April 1921 Michael O’Keeffe of Main Street, Carrigtwohill, County Cork was shot dead. An inquest into his death heard evidence from his wife who told the court that her husband had been woken by a knock at the door, her husband went down and opened the door, she saw or heard no more of him until his dead body was found 200 yards from his home early the following morning. A card attached to O’Keeffe sleeve when the body was found read Spies and informers beware, I.R.A. The dead man leaves one child and was in receipt of a British Army disability pension.
IRA Witness Statement On 1st May,1921,a local spy named Michael O'Keeffe was executed, and the party carrying out the sentence had called to my place of residence about 2O minutes prior to carrying out of the death sentence. Needless to remark, there was intense police and military activities as a result of the shooting, but no evidence was forthcoming to establish the identity of the parties responsible, so the enemy went on the policy of an eye for an eye, etc
Compensation Commission Register says British liability was accepted, and compensation of £950 was awarded. See Register of Compensation Commission (Ireland) Cases of Private Persons (CO 905/15, TNA).