However, they decided in late 1939 or early 1940 to instead all join the local Irish Republican Army (IRA), in the hope that this would reinvigorate it, and that its name and tradition would prove useful.
Kelly, personally, was also inspired by attending future IRA Chief of Staff Eoin McNamee's trial as a reporter.
This was then returned to the troops without arousing suspicion, enabling the IRA to crack British messages for some time, although it did not ultimately lead to any useful results for the organisation.
In July, he was selected as Hayes' replacement, but in November in company of the German spy Hermann Görtz, he was arrested and subsequently interned at the Curragh.
[5] At the Curragh, Kelly took over as Officer Commanding republican internees, although his predecessor, Liam Leddy, refused to recognise him, leading to an ongoing rift.