County Westmeath. They managed to secure an appointment to have tea with the President Seán T. O'Kelly, which was photographed, as they appealed for extra time before putting down their initial down payment of IR£75,000. As the weeks passed people became suspicious of their backgrounds and the Minister for Justice, Gerald Boland, ordered an investigation which resulted in their arrests. Two fled the country while the third was put on the mailboat to Holyhead. As there were by-elections in the offing the opposition capitalised on the issue. Oliver J. Flanagan, in particular, made a number of allegations of corruption in the Dáil and the Government under Éamon de Valera set up the Locke Tribunal to investigate the matter. The report was very critical of Flanagan and called him irresponsible but did not find any Fianna Fáil politician guilty of corruption. Nevertheless, the perception remained going into the 1948 general election which benefitted the Clann na Poblachta party. Death Quirke died while on a stag hunt with the Ward Union Hunt on 5 March 1955 while still a Senator. His funeral mass was attended by many former colleagues from the Second Southern Division of the Old IRA and by President O'Kelly, Fianna Fáil Oireachtas and party members, and representatives of the Government parties. He is buried in Deans Grange Cemetery. The resulting by-election to fill the vacancy caused by the death was held on 14 May 1956, and was won by Joe Sheridan of Fine Gael. References 1890s births 1955 deaths Irish farmers Members of the 1931 Seanad Members of the 1934 Seanad Members of the 2nd Seanad Members of the 3rd Seanad Members of the 4th Seanad Members of the 5th Seanad Members of the 6th Seanad Members of the 7th Seanad Members of the 8th Seanad Fianna Fáil senators Politicians from County Tipperary Burials at Deans Grange Cemetery People educated at Rockwell College