All Blog Posts Tagged 'Irish War of Independence' (29)

The Irish War of Independence and Civil War in Co. Roscommon

By Kathleen Hegarty Thorne

Ireland is a very small country in land mass. Compared to industrialized England, it is a poor cousin in the family of imperialists. Challenging the most…

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Added by The Wild Geese on January 18, 2024 at 10:00pm — 2 Comments


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'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


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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


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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


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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


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The 1st Brigade Cork Volunteers and the Coolnacahera Ambush

Friday, February 25, 1921, dawned cool and crisp with a crystal clear blue sky near Coolnacahera, County Cork. Seán O’Hegarty, commanding officer of the 1st (East) Cork Brigade, stood on a high hill with numerous limestone outcroppings and peered off into the east, his right…

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Added by Joe Gannon on February 8, 2021 at 10:00pm — 3 Comments

Cappoquin RIC Shootings: 100 Years Ago

Apparently, a Black and Tan member of the Royal Irish Constabulary in Cappoquin (left) had been in the sights of the I.R.A. for “ill-treating Sinn Fein supporters.” Reportedly, members of the Volunteers (Oglaigh na hEireann) in Cappoquin  were  “reluctant to kill him.”  Accordingly, three, Dungarvan men –…

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Added by Ivan Lennon on November 20, 2020 at 8:30pm — No Comments

100 Years Ago: The Piltown Ambush (1 November 1920)

By the summer of 1920, the I.R.A. policy of attacking British administrative and police structures was bearing fruit. In August the  Waterford R.I.C County Inspector noted:  “there is hostility to the police everywhere…I do not regard it as safe for a single police vehicle to travel. We are losing men every day from retirement and resignations and getting…

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Added by Ivan Lennon on October 24, 2020 at 6:00pm — 2 Comments


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Liam Lynch, Civil War Martyr: “It never should have happened”

It was a lovely spring morning in the foothills of the Knockmealdown Mountains in southern County Tipperary on April 10, 1923. Six members of the Irish Republican Army, then engaged in the Irish Civil War against the Free State…

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Added by Joe Gannon on October 17, 2020 at 7:00pm — 10 Comments


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Tipperary’s Dan Breen: The Hardest Hard Man

Dan Breen was startled awake from his dozing slumber by the sound of tramping feet. The small room suddenly flashed to near daylight as a spotlight played across the window looking out to the back of the house. Breen leaped to his feet and grabbed his Mauser pistol off the chair where he had left…

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Added by Joe Gannon on August 6, 2020 at 7:30pm — 3 Comments

This Week in the History of the Irish: May 3 - May 9

DOMHNAIGH -- On May 3, 1921, the South Mayo Brigade of the Irish Volunteers, commanded by Tom Maguire, ambushed an RIC / Black and Tan supply column of a Crossley tender and a Ford car at Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo on the western shore of Lough Mask. This was the 2nd in a series of major attacks on crown forces in the county…

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Added by The Wild Geese on May 2, 2020 at 4:54pm — No Comments


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'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

Shot While Attempting To Escape

I have recently been reading transcripts of British House of Commons parliamentary debates for the period 1919-1921 in search of information relating to the Irish War for Independence and came across the following:

On 12 May, 1921, the Member of Parliament A.E.Newbould asked how many Irish…

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Added by Kieron Punch on February 3, 2020 at 11:00am — 3 Comments


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George Lennon and The Piltown Cross Ambush

The night of November 1, 1920, All Souls Night, was extremely cold in the west of County Waterford. The members of the West Waterford Volunteers flying column huddled along the road at Piltown Cross were not only shivering because of the temperature. Most of them were also trembling slightly as…

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Added by Joe Gannon on October 28, 2019 at 1:00pm — 4 Comments

March 1919: An 'Unruly Confrontation' in Lismore

By Ivan Lennon

On…

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Added by The Wild Geese on March 9, 2019 at 11:30am — 4 Comments


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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


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The Headford Ambush: Time Runs Out in Kerry

Now rise up DJ Allman, arise and tell me true

Who fought at Headford Station that day along with you?

Who stood out on that platform board, who fired that signal gun?

Who fought to free old Ireland with you my darling son?

-- From “The Ballad of DJ Allman"…

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Added by Joe Gannon on March 13, 2018 at 11:30pm — 6 Comments


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Cataclysm in Cork: The Battle of Clonmult

On top of roof and window,

Those boys stood up to fight,

‘Til the burning of the cottage

And no escape in sight.

It was around 4 pm on a…

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Added by Joe Gannon on January 19, 2018 at 5:30pm — 4 Comments


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'The Scourge of Tralee': Stalking 'The Major'

Late on Christmas night 1920, Irish Volunteers John Leen (24) and Maurice Reidy (25) stealthily made their way to the home of John Byrne, the creamery manager in Ballymacelligott, County Kerry. The cottage had been raided often, because Byrne was a well-known Republican who had…

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Added by Joe Gannon on December 3, 2017 at 9:30pm — 9 Comments


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The Dromkeen Ambush: Down Into the Mire in County Limerick

On the cool, pleasant night of St. Stephens day, December 26, 1920, over two hundred men and women were dancing, eating and enjoying themselves at Caherguillamore House, three miles northeast of Bruff, in County Limerick. The Martin brothers from Bruff were providing the music. This was not a commonplace dance. It had been…

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Added by Joe Gannon on November 13, 2017 at 10:00am — 6 Comments

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