[1] The purpose of the IRP was to provide security for the Republican Courts, to enforce their judgements, to put into effect the Decrees of the Dáil and to maintain general order.

It was viewed as an illegal and subversive body by the Dublin Castle administration and IRP members at times came into conflict with Crown forces.

In one instance, IRP members James Cogan and Harry Sheridan arrested a suspected cattle thief named John Farrelly on 22 July 1920 in Clonsilla.

For individual volunteers, their military role as members of the Irish Republican Army and their police function in the IRP were not always clearly differentiated nor was this difference always obvious to the general public.

[7] Abandoned buildings in isolated areas were also used for detention, as in the case of a former barracks in the Nire Valley deep in the Comeragh Mountains.

The Department responded by ordering shipping companies and Emigration Agents not to receive money from prospective migrants that did not possess a Permit under threat of their premises being raided or burned.

[12] The manager at the offices of Thomas Cook, a prominent travel company in Grafton Street, Dublin, narrowly avoided being killed for persistent non-compliance with this instruction.

This force was, of course, rather big but owing to the fact that the men were untrained and were working under great difficulty and under extraordinary circumstances, it was found necessary to retain them.

As a replacement, he confirmed authorisation for the establishment of a force of one hundred locally recruited men, to be paid at a rate of £3 6s 0d per week by the Government.

Recruiting had commenced on 11 August and they were drawn from 'neutral' IRA men, and Irishmen who had previously been part of the British Army and Royal Navy.

The Cork police were unarmed and in lieu of a uniform wore "a white brassard with the letters CCP inscribed on it in black."

In case there was any doubt that they were, at least temporarily, under the authority of the Army rather than the Department of Defence much less Home Affairs, each new member took the following pledge: I hereby undertake and agree to obey the lawful orders of Captain Joseph MacCarthy, or any other officer nominated by General Dalton for the time being in charge of the Patrol.