Mauser pistol, Vinnie Byrne, The Squad, 1920

Mauser pistol, Vinnie Byrne, The Squad, 1920

This 1912 model Mauser pistol was used by Vinnie Byrne as a member of The Squad, also known as The 12 Apostles, the counter-intelligence and assassination group founded by Michael Collins. Byrne had joined the Irish Volunteers at the age of 14, and served at Jacob’s Factory during the 1916 Rising. He later became a member of The Squad and took part in Bloody Sunday, when 14 British agents of The Cairo Gang were assassinated on 21^st November 1920. Byrne was one of the gunmen at 38 Upper Mount Street. His Mauser, also referred to as a Peter (after Peter the Painter) was his main firearm, though the fear that the Mauser would jam - leaving them defenceless - led most IRA gunmen to carry a second, smaller firearm as back-up.