"Cairo Gang"

The so called "Cairo Gang" photo comes in fact in two varieties, one with the Getty Image Archives and is credited to a Sean Sexton, and another attributed to the Piaris Beaslai collection at NLI (above). Beaslai was a cousin of Lily Merin (or Mernin), one of Michael Collins' moles in Dublin Castle, who passed much useful information to Collins. He was also, worryingly from the point of view of spin, IRA Director of Publicity. It could have come from Reynolds who was supplying Collins with information for money. .

There is a fuller discussion on this link as to what is going on with theis photo

The collection of material held in Dublin, Military Archives (The Bureau of Military History) and contained in a scrapbook compiled by I.R.A.intelligence,1919-21,including intelligence in Collins papers. Labelled by the IRA as "Special Gang F Coy Auxiliaries" complete with names

• 1. Dentith R. ADRIC no1017 Wounded 14 Mar 1921

• 2. Fletcher A F. ADRIC no890 . The IRA have him down as Irish and he was Irish

• 3. Moore F. ADRIC no 1393. The IRA have him down as Irish and he was Irish

• 4. Swaffer S D. ADRIC no1234

• 5. Dove C B. ADRIC no667

• 6. Appleford L.G. ADRIC no589 - Section Leader from 2 Dec 1920, shot 24 Jun 1921

• 7. Gorman H F ADRIC no 625

• 8. Winch A. ADRIC no 888 - later Intelligence Officer F Coy from 2 Jul 1921

• 9. McClean D F ADRIC No 588 , CQM from 2 Feb 1921, which would have been S/L grade

• 10.Stapley G.A. MM, Section Leader from 2 Oct 1920. ADRIC No 33

• 11. hidden behind the group

F Coy ADRIC