Dublin fireman whose death in 1938 ‘slipped through history’ is remembered with plaque

A member of Dublin Fire Brigade who died 85 years ago while on duty has had a plaque unveiled in his memory at the Tara Street fire station.

John ‘Jack’ Darmon was electrocuted while working on a Fire Brigade ambulance at Tara St in August 1938. He subsequently died, leaving behind his wife and four children who lived on the station premises.

Mr Darmon previously served as an IRA volunteer during the War of Independence and aided the anti-treaty IRA during the Civil War while serving in the fire brigade. He died after a 16-year career as a firefighter and a mechanic with the brigade.

Speaking at the unveiling of the plaque, Dennis Keeley, chief fire officer of the Dublin Fire Brigade, said that Mr Darmon had “slipped through our history” given the length of time between his death and commemoration.

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Mr Keeley said “1938 was a year of severe changes in Dublin Fire Brigade. A new chief fire officer would reorganise the brigade and a new method of regulation would be introduced. The coming war in Europe meant sweeping changes in the brigade and it was expanded to deal with the possible consequences of the coming conflict.

“In the heat of those times, a permanent memorial to fireman Darmon was overlooked. Soon, current events overtook history and the memory. He lost his life while quietly and diligently going about his duty, but his death was equally the supreme sacrifice. We salute him and we will remember him.”

Colin Darmon, grandson of Jack, travelled from Canada to be present at the unveiling alongside a number of other relatives. He described his grandfather as a “dedicated family man who loved Dublin and loved his country of Ireland.”

He added that he and his family is “very proud of the contributions he made to the republic, making it what it is today.

“Thank you for recognising my grandfather, this day will not be forgotten.”

Las Fallon, a retired firefighter and historian, said that Mr Darmon served as a transport officer in the IRA during the War of Independence. He was a member of K Company in the Third Dublin Battalion.

“One one occasion, he was tipped off to an impending raid by auxiliaries on the company arms dump,” said Mr Fallon. “He [Darmon] used a horse and carriage to go to the dump and remove the arms and ammunition to safety. He was leaving the street with the disguised weapons just as an auxiliary raiding party arrived.”

Mr Fallon also said that Mr Darmon and his company were sent to guard the flanks and rear of a building as a British army officer was shot as part of the Bloody Sunday assassinations in November 1920. “As far as I can gather, the shooting would have been of Captain Baggally, who was killed by a squad which included Sean Lemass, the future Taoiseach.”

Mr Fallon added that Mr Darmon was interned as part of a “general sweep of suspected IRA volunteers” in the aftermath of Bloody Sunday. He was released from prison in 1922 following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty. Mr Fallon said that, upon joining the fire brigade following his release from prison, Mr Darmon used his position to aid the anti-treaty IRA.

“He took ambulances through Free State lines to encircled garrisons to carry messages in and out,” said Mr Fallon. “He removed some republican fighters by taking them in and out dressed as wounded men to get through the cordons.”

Following his death in 1938, Mr Darmon received “full military honours” at his graveside by his former comrades from K Company, according to Mr Fallon.

The plaque commemorating Mr Darmon’s death at the Tara Street fire station can be found near the Townsend Street entrance to the station.