The separatist movement about 1907 was led by Seán (John) Cawley, Granard; William Ganley, Creevy; and Frank McGuinness, Longford. Cawley arranged 150 Volunteers to parade in Granard on the passing of the Home Rule Bill (Nationalists & Irish Party). Seán Connelly & Seán MacEoin were two exceptional leaders in the fight for independence of Ireland, both were recruited and sworn into the IRB? by John Cawley (died about 1957 RIP) of Granard a manager of a local creamery. He established the Irish Volunteers in Granard with Brian Cusack (then a medical student) and it spread through out Longford and Westmeath with “Myles the Slasher” meetings in Finnea. In 1916 on Easter monday night John Cawley and Paul Cusack (brother of Dr. Cusack who moved to Lusk, Co. Dublin) were driven to Dublin by Larry Kiernan (to find out what was going on) but were not allowed to enter Dublin. On Easter Tuesday night he and James Fealy cut all the telephone wires around Granard. Role of Honor for 1916 for Longford:-Cusack Paul Dawson, Granard; MacAmhalgaidh E., Granard; Doyle Patrick, Granard; McGrath Michael, Keenagh; Connanghton Pat, Longford town; Cahill Wilson, H.J. Longford town; Curran James, Newtownbarry; Farrell James, Whitehall.Arrests in Frongoch Internment Camp in Wales:-Hubert Wilson of Longford; Paul Cusack of Granard; and John Cawley of Granard.It should be noted that many more were questioned, arrested and released in the round up around Granard in the aftermath of 1916 (with many honorable neighbors acting as swearing references).
