Joe Gannon's Blog Posts Tagged 'Irish Freedom Struggle' (33)

This Week in the History of the Irish: March 24 - March 30

LUAIN -- On March 25, 1846Michael…

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Added by Joe Gannon on March 23, 2024 at 4:14pm — No Comments

'The Blacksmith' Hammers the Auxies at Clonfin, Longford

Irish Volunteer Paddy "Bug" Callaghan and his two comrades stared up the road to the east as the cool, crisp air of February 2, 1921, caused their breath to fog the air around them. The three members of the North Longford Battalion of the Irish Volunteers were tasked with the most critical job of…

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Added by Joe Gannon on January 27, 2023 at 10:30pm — 3 Comments

Dillon’s Cross Ambush and the Burning of Cork City

Volunteer Michael Kenny pulled up the collar of his mackintosh, tightened his scarf, and pulled down his cap against the cold breeze as he stood beside the Old Youghal Road near Dillon’s Cross in Cork City. As the clock neared…

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Added by Joe Gannon on December 10, 2022 at 10:00pm — 3 Comments

Corkmen Capture Mallow Barracks

Dick Willis walked up to the Sheehan's farmhouse in Mourneabbey, County Cork, on the pleasant late summer afternoon of Sunday, September 26, 1920. Dick, a member of the Mallow Company of the Cork No. 2 (North) Brigade, could see numerous brigade members from the newly formed brigade…

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Added by Joe Gannon on September 25, 2022 at 6:00pm — 2 Comments

Ballymahon Barracks Attack: Arming the Boys of Longford

Seán Connolly and Leo Carter pushed a table into the corner of the upstairs bedroom of the Lloyd family in Ballymahon, Co. Longford. Carter, who stood 6’ 3”, jumped on the table and began to hack at the roof with an ax. It was just past midnight in the early morning hours of August 20,…

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Added by Joe Gannon on August 11, 2022 at 9:00pm — 8 Comments

The Listowel Mutiny: 'Shoot on Sight'

Seán Culhane stood across the street from the Cork & County Club Hotel, an Anglo-Irish social club in Cork City. Culhane, the Intelligence Officer, Cork 1 Brigade of the Irish Volunteers, was watching the door, waiting for a sign from his informer, waiter Ned “Bally” Fitzgerald. It was a…

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Added by Joe Gannon on July 6, 2022 at 7:30pm — 4 Comments

Seán Treacy at War: Tipperary 'Far Away'

Softly, gently, "Comrade", he cried

"No longer on earth can I stay

I will never more roam through my own native home

Tipperary so far away"…

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Added by Joe Gannon on February 8, 2022 at 3:30pm — 6 Comments

This Week in the History of the Irish: September 19 - September 25

MÁIRT -- On Sept. 21, 1827, Michael Corcoran (left), a brigadier general in the Federal Army during America's Civil War, was born in Carrowkeel, County Sligo. Corcoran served as a policeman in the…

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Added by Joe Gannon on September 18, 2021 at 7:00pm — No Comments

The Scramogue Ambush: Roscommon Steps Up

Two miles east of Strokestown on Spy Wednesday at the dawn

These Gallant men assembled 'neath the crest of ol' Sliabh Bawn

T'was called the Scramogue Ambush where Captain Peek was shot

But Ashbrook was the venue, right well I know that spot

They conquered their oppressors and filled their hearts with…

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Added by Joe Gannon on March 14, 2021 at 4:00pm — 3 Comments

Michael Brennan and East Clare Brigade at the Glenwood Ambush

Michael Brennan waved his arm and called out to the men of the East Clare Flying Column to abandon their positions along the road near Glenwood House in southeast County Clare, about 12 miles north of Limerick City. Like so many ambushes laid by members of the Irish Volunteers during the Irish War…

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Added by Joe Gannon on January 13, 2021 at 2:30pm — 4 Comments

'Greyhound on Train': Rescuing Seán Hogan at Knocklong

Irish Volunteer Seán Hogan gazed out the window of the train toward the distant Galtee Mountains to the south. It was early evening on May 13, 1919. The train had just pulled out of Emly, County Tipperary, headed toward the small town of…

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Added by Joe Gannon on April 6, 2020 at 5:00pm — 12 Comments

The Kilmallock Barracks Attack: Burning Down the House

Tomás Malone, aka Seán Forde, looked down at the gaping hole in the roof of the Royal Irish Constabulary barracks and hurled in another Mills bomb, hoping that this time he would see the roof explode in flames. They had thrown several gasoline-filled bottles into the gaping hole already from their…

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Added by Joe Gannon on May 27, 2019 at 2:00am — 3 Comments

This Week in the History of the Irish: May 5 - May 11

DOMHNAIGH -- On May 5, 1981, Bobby Sands (right) died on hunger strike at Long Kesh prison. He had begun the strike on March 1, in…

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Added by Joe Gannon on May 4, 2019 at 7:00pm — No Comments

The Tureengarriffe Ambush: Cork and Kerry Strike a Blow

Seán Moylan slowly moved his binoculars back and forth pointed to the west as he scanned the east Kerry countryside in the direction of Scartaglen. He was standing on some high ground in Thade Daly’s Glen in Tureengarriffe, along what is now the R-577 road. Moylan, commanding the Flying…

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Added by Joe Gannon on January 1, 2019 at 2:30pm — 5 Comments

Mayo's Tourmakeady Ambush: Shrouded By 'Fog of War'

Tuesday, May 3, 1921 was a beautiful, sunny day in the nearly treeless Partry Mountains above the town of Tourmakeady, County Mayo, but Tom Maguire was in no condition to enjoy the weather. Maguire, the C/O of the South Mayo Flying Column, from Cross, was lying on his back, bleeding from a…

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Added by Joe Gannon on April 30, 2018 at 7:30pm — 10 Comments

The Carrowkennedy Ambush: Revenge Is a Dish Best Served Cold

It was late afternoon of a warm day in June in Carrowkennedy, County Mayo. Irish Volunteer Jimmy O’Flaherty (right) heard the warning cry, “HERE THEY…

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Added by Joe Gannon on May 20, 2017 at 9:00pm — 7 Comments

This Week in the History of the Irish: May 14 - May 20

MÁIRT -- On May 15, 1847, The Syria, the first ship to arrive during what Quebecois would call the 'Summer of Sorrow,' landed at the Canadian quarantine station in the St. Lawrence River, just north of Quebec. The French had called that island 'Grosse Ile,' but since 1847 many have called it…

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Added by Joe Gannon on May 13, 2017 at 10:00am — 3 Comments

1981 Hunger Strikes: On the Threshold of Another Trembling World

Among the most powerless men in the world are those in prisons. Your body no longer belongs to you; it belongs to the state. Every day you are told when to get up, when to go to bed, when you can exercise, when you can see your family, and also, when you can eat. Hidden within that last power of the state, however, is a…

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Added by Joe Gannon on May 5, 2017 at 8:00pm — 6 Comments

The Lispole Ambush -- Averting Disaster on the Dingle Peninsula

If you ever drive down the south side of the beautiful and scenic Dingle Peninsula in Co. Kerry, as I did with my wife, brother and sister-in-law last June (and everyone should, at least one in their lives), you will pass through the small village of Lispole on N-86 a few miles before you get to Dingle town. As you make…

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Added by Joe Gannon on March 20, 2017 at 1:30pm — 20 Comments

The Battle of Crossbarry: ... 'Who Piped Old Ireland Free'

They sought to wipe the column out,

From east to west, from north to south,

“Till at Crossbarry’s bloody rout

They woke from their day dreaming

Though ten to one they were that day

Our boys were victors in the fray,

And over the hills we marched…

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Added by Joe Gannon on February 10, 2017 at 10:30am — 11 Comments

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