1920 Jul 10, Disappeared , the ex-soldier John Crowley of Lissagroom near Upton went missing, according to a newspaper notice placed by his brother Michael in the Cork Examiner.
1920 Jul 24 Executed as a spy by the IRA
IRAWitness Statement Another job which did not come of was a prepared ambush for military cycle party in Ballinadee one Sunday. This was just for the purpose of disarming the party. Word came out from Cork at this time that there was an ex British soldier named Crowley in the Company Area who had informed on members of the party which had ambushed the R.I.C at Upton. For this he had got an award of 20 (Twenty Pounds) and had been promised another like sums was arrested and executed
IRA Witness Statement Arrest, trial and sentence of death on spy, Crowley, in Cross Pound, with Tom Hales, Dick Barrett, Chas. Hurley.
The body does not appear to have been found and no death certificate exists
List of Suspected Civilian Spies Killed by the IRA, 1920- 21 Dr Andy Bielenberg, University College Cork Professor Emeritus James S. Donnelly, Jr, U niversity of Wisconsin -Madison. In his BMH witness statement Frank Neville reported that John Crowley had been executed as a spy on 24 July 1920 by members of the Knockavilla Company of the Bandon Battalion of the Cork No. 3 Brigade: ‘Word came out from Cork at this time that there was an ex- British soldier named Crowley in the company area who had info rmed on members of the [IRA] party which had ambushed the R.I.C. at Upton. For this he had got an award of £20 . . . and had been promised another like sum. He was arrested and executed.’ Along with Tadhg O’Sullivan, quartermaster of the Cork No. 3 Brigade, Volunteer leaders Tom Hales, Dick Barrett, and Charlie Hurley were reportedly involved in the arrest, trial, and sentencing to death of John Crowley at Crosspound. See Tadhg O’Sullivan’s WS 792, 5 (BMH). The former Volunteer John O’Sullivan declared in h is pension claim that he was present at Ballymurphy at the execution of a spy —probably John Crowley — who was an ex- soldier; O’Sullivan also asserted that he had been the first to detect the spy and had reported the matter at the next meeting of his Volunteer company. See MSP34/ REF29651 (Military Archive
WS Statement A man who subsequently was proved to be a spy for the enemy and was tried and executed in the Newcastle West area, first came under suspicion in the Killarney district. He was endeavouring to pass himself off as Peadar Clancy, and Mick Spillane got suspicious when he heard this. The suspect, whose real name proved to be Crowley and whose origin was obscure owing to the variety of places he claimed to belong to, was trying hard to inveigle the Volunteers into carrying out attacks on enemy posts. This was a clumsy procedure arid didn't succeed, due to the vigilance of Tom McEllistrim of Ballymacelligott. A watch was kept on Crowley's movements at Breahig, outside Castleisland. Mick Spillane, once his suspicions were aroused, had sent word to the Brigade O/C., who was then Dan O'Mahony, and the McCarthys of Breahig confirmed those suspicions. Crowley found himself a prisoner and was transported into West Limerick where he met his deserts: as already mentioned