They had been arrested after a gun battle with Garda (police) Special Branch in which Sergeant McKeown and Detective Hyland were shot dead.
[4] In his written confession Hayes admits to providing the address of the meeting to government officials which resulted in the capture Harte, McGrath and Hunt.
[6] In response to the IRA's bombing campaign in England, two bills giving the Government of Eire (the territory formerly known as the Irish Free State) extraordinary powers were introduced in the Dáil (in February 1939).
In 1938 Patrick McGrath was the IRA’s Adjutant General, he was also a veteran of the 1916 Easter Rising and a bullet remained lodged in his chest from that time.
In 1948 his remains were released to his family,[11] The North Armagh Republican Sinn Fein Cumman is named in honour of Thomas Harte.