Comment by Gerry Regan on October 22, 2011 at 2:11pm

11 dead, with no casualties -- the British must have been furious. Was there retribution on civilians (those bullies)?

Comment by Kieron Punch on October 24, 2011 at 4:43am

Ger, ten homes in the area were burned down in reprisal by the Crown forces.

Comment by Gerry Regan on October 24, 2011 at 8:35pm

Kieron, the figures flanking the monument. They are portrayals of whom, the Crown forces or the IRA?

Comment by Kieron Punch on October 28, 2011 at 4:32am

Ger, I'm guessing that they are supposed to represent an IRA officer and an IRA Volunteer rather than Crown forces, but they are such poor works of art that it is difficult to be sure. There are very few recorded instances of any individual IRA member wearing formal uniforms, like the ones depicted, during the Tan War (Tom Barry at the Kilmichael ambush is one that springs to mind). The uniforms they figures are wearing are closer to what the Free State forces were wearing during the Civil War than anything worn by the IRA during 1919-21. I wonder, therefore, if the artist was making some kind of political statement given that O'Hannigan, the commander of the East Limerick Brigade flying column during the Dromkeen ambush, was one of the minority of Munster IRA officers to side with the Free State (he became Commandant general of the 4th Southern Division), and the East Limerick Brigade itself was the only brigade in Ernie O'Malley's militant Republican 2nd Southern Division to fight on the Pro-Treaty side?

Comment by Gerry Regan on October 28, 2011 at 8:38am

Interesting, as you say, the poor aesthetic that marks the art here. Representing a lack of funds to hire a proper artist, I wonder?

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