Council bosses eye proposal to honour Longford War of Independence hero

The council's naming committee, the local authority body that oversees the naming of all public spaces in the county, will review a proposal put forward from Longford MD.

In a motion Cathaoitleach of the MD, Cllr Gerry Hagan, called on the Longford Municipal District to name the roundabout at Carriglass after Tom Reddington: “It's fitting this will happen this year as we celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Tom Reddington’s death at Carriglass during the Civil War. Tom was Operations Commander for county Longford during the War of Independence.”

Tom Reddington died tragically on October 9, 1922, at 37 years of age while serving on the pro-Treaty side in the Civil War.

Reddington was a Galway man who came to teach woodwork to the young men of the county, but ended up leading one of the most effective IRA Brigades in Ireland of the time. His life was laced with family tragedy, his young wife died at the height of the War of Independence, while her husband was on-the-run.

When Reddington was shot dead by a Free State soldier at Carriglass his three young children were orphaned and their aged grandmother in Galway reared them.

The shooting of Tom Reddington evoked a major response, and his funeral brought the town of Longford to a standstill.

Reddington’s remains were taken to Galway for burial and there they remained in an unmarked grave for almost one hundred years, until a small plaque was placed on the family plot recently.

Members unanimously approved Cllr Hagan's motion. It will now go to Longford County Council's naming committee which will make a decision on the proposal.