[Summary: At the height of the Civil War, one humourous story appeared in the columns of the East Galway Democrat concerning Martin "Coffey" Bradley. A member of the Free State army, he was reported killed at Limerick, but after a full military funeral, Coffey Bradley appeared in person by car from Galway.]

War and Peace

Ballinasloe during the War of Independence (1919–1921) and the Civil War (1922–1923)

Local Newspaper Extracts

East Galway Democrat, Saturday, July 29, 1922

Mistaken Identity

The supposed remains of Private M. Bradley, who was reported killed at Limerick, were taken to Ballinasloe for interment. The parents, on examining the remains, were not satisfied as to their identity, and had inquired made in Galway, where he was last seen. In the meantime prayers were offered in the church for the dead soldier, and the remains were interred by the Bradley family, a full military funeral being accorded.

When the funeral was over, and the people had returned from the burial ground, however, the real Private Bradley arrived home from Galway in a motor car to the great joy of this parents and relatives.