William Robert Agar (1882 - 1919)

Born 24 Aug 1882 in Coolnakisha, County Carlow, Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Florence (Noblett) Brookes — married 31 Aug 1911 (to 31 Oct 1919) in Registrar's Office, Dublin, Ireland

Died 31 Oct 1919 at age 37 in Ballivor RIC barracks, Co. Meath, Ireland

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Biography

William was born in 1882 in the townland of Coolnakisha, Co. Carlow. He was the 7th of 8 children of William Agar and Mary Harpur. He was baptised in the Cathedral Church of Old Leighlin.

The family was evicted from their home and land in Coolnakisha in 1895 and moved to the Brownshill Road area of Carlow town.

In 1901, William was living at 67 Burrin Street (Boake's drapery) in Carlow town and working as a draper's assistant. Boake's drapery was destroyed in the great fire that engulfed Burren Street in 1906.

In 1911, William was a constable in the RIC, quartered at the RIC barracks in Oranmore, Co. Galway.

William Agar’s RIC record states that he was a labourer before joining the constabulary on the 7th October 1907, although the Carlow Nationalist newspaper after his death wrote that he had worked for some time as draper’s assistant for Mr. E. Boake in Carlow town prior to joining the force.

William Agar and Florence Noblett married at the Registrar's Office Dublin on 31 Aug 1911 (which gives his profession as carpenter). William gave his address as 13 Ross Street, which was the home of William's brother Robert Agar (1877-1933) and his family. Florence's address was at 57 Niall Street in Stoneybatter.

William and Florence had two children: Eileen Mary Agar, born in September 1911, who died as a baby, and Violet Agar, born in 1913.

When Eileen was born, and when she died in 1912, their address was 57 Niall Street. When Violet was born in 1913, their address was 1 Thor Place in Arbour Hill.

William and Florence later had a Church of Ireland wedding on 22 May 1919 at St. Paul's in Dublin. William's residence was at the RIC barracks in Navan. Florence gave her residence as 33 Oxmantown Road, which was Robert Agar's address.

Constable William Agar: Royal Irish Constabulary Number 63198 was killed during the capture of Ballivor RIC Barracks in County Meath on the 31st of October 1919.

The account of his death below is taken from the Facebook page,: https://www.facebook.com/battleofashbourne1916/posts/constable-william-agar-ric-number-63198-was-killed-during-the-capture-of-ballivo/2164433400281064/

Agar was born on 24th of August 1882 in the townland of Coolnakisha, Co. Carlow and joined the RIC on the 7th of October 1907. After basic training in the Phoenix Park Depot he was first stationed in Galway. In July 1912 he was moved to Belfast and the following year in September 1913 was moved to Co. Meath where on Friday April 28th 1916 he was captured after a force of around 50 RIC surrendered after the battle at the Rath Crossroads in Ashbourne.

On the night of Friday 31st of October 1919 he was acting barrack’s orderly of Ballivor RIC barracks. It was normally occupied by a Sargent McDermott and four Constables. The building was attacked by approximately 14 volunteers from two units, the Trim and Longwood companies. The operation was under the commanded of Paddy Mooney and was sanctioned by IRA GHQ in Dublin. A car and driver requested by the Meath brigade was sent to support the action, the objective of which was the seizure of arms and ammunition and any useable intelligence held inside.

On the night of the attack Ballivor was encircled by outposts placed on the surrounding roads and the phone lines were cut. Meanwhile in the village the volunteers secured the main street and approached the barracks from the front and rear. Three of them Pat Fay, Stephen Barry and O/C Paddy Mooney walked up to front door and knocked on it. When challenged by Agar they gave a password used by locals friendly towards the RIC. They also gave the name of a local farmer saying they wanted to report the theft of cattle. Constable Agar opened the door slightly but realising what was about to happen he tried to close it again. Agar also drew his revolver and in the struggle a shot was fired and Agar was hit in the chest and fell mortally wounded. The three Volunteers forced the front door open and Paddy Mooney went to give first aid to Agar but found that he was already dead.

The other volunteers entered the building and overpowered the remaining occupants and began searched the building. A third constable captured by an outpost was brought into the barracks. During the volunteers search a revolver, five rifles, holsters, bandoliers and a large amount of ammunition and documents were seized. The volunteers were disappointment that Sargent McDermott was not present as they had intended to make an example of him for his actions in raiding homes in Athboy and Trim. The captured constables were tied up and locked into the day room and Agar's body was placed in another room after which the volunteers escaped into the night towards Kildalkey.

The following day in Trim six men were detained and questioning about the death of Constable Agar but they were later released without charge. The Jury at an inquest subsequently held in Ballivor courthouse found that Agar had been killed by ’a rupture of the heart caused by a bullet deliberately fired by some person unknown’’. On the 1st of March 1920 William Agar's widow Florence and their seven year old daughter Violet were awarded £ 2500 compensation. At a sitting of Trim courthouse Mr Justice Pim awarded £1500 to Florence and £1000 to Violet. Florence later married James Brookes in Belfast and subsequently had two more children, in 1927 Violet was awarded a further £288, 18 shillings and 8 pence towards the cost of her education.

Constable William Agar was buried on Monday the 4th of November 1919 in St Mary’s graveyard, Rathvilly, County Carlow.

Research Notes

In both the 1901 census and the 1911 census, William's age is recorded as 25y although he would actually have been 18y and 28y.

Sources

• Birth of William Agar, 1882

• Baptism of William Agar, 1882

• William Agar in Census of Ireland, 1901

• Constable William Agar in Census of Ireland, 1911

• Marriage of William Agar and Florence Noblett, 1911

• Birth of Eileen Mary Agar, 1911

• Death of Eileen Agar, 1912

• Birth of Violet Agar, 1913

• Marriage of Constable William Agar and Florence Noblett, 1919

• 1919 Reports of the attack on Ballivor RIC Barracks, Co. Meath. Freeman's Journal 04 November 1919.

• Account of William Agar's death

• Death of William Agar, 1919

• William Agar probate 1919