In early 1938, the then IRA Chief of Staff, Sean Russell, ordered Goss to go to Dublin to assist in the ongoing preparations the upcoming sabotage campaign in England (S-Plan).
[3] About two months later, he returned to Ireland but was unlucky enough to be arrested and interned by the Irish Defence Forces during their nationwide round-up of known and suspected IRA members and supporters.
Speaking in court after his sentencing Goss stated (in part):The liberation of the Six Counties from Britain and the securing of Irish Freedom was my sole motive.
I regret that circumstances should have brought about the clash for which you have tried me, I hope that the future will witness the bringing about and the realization of the ideals of Irish Freedom.
[9][10] On September 18, 1948, the bodies of six executed Irish Republicans associated with the S-Plan (Richard Goss, Patrick McGrath, Thomas Harte, George Plant, Maurice O'Neill and Charlie Kerins) were disinterred in prison yards and given to their relatives for re-burial.