Tag: Rathcoole Ambush

Today marks the 100^th anniversary of the Rathcoole Ambush, one of the largest and most successful ambushes by the IRA during the War of Independence, which increased pressure on the British Empire to leave Ireland to the Irish..
The IRA laid landmines in the road, and detonated them as a convoy of Auxillaries passed over them, disabling two vehicles and trapping three more. Two auxiliaries, both only 20 years old, William A.H. Boyd, and Frederick Shorter were killed in the ambush, and many more injured.

Further Details of the ambush can be found in the article The Rathcoole Ambush – June 16^th 1921

 

[read more …] “Rathcoole Ambush – 100 Years Ago Today”

One of the largest ambushes of the War of Independence took place at Rathcoole, North Cork, situated between Millstreet and Banteer, on 16th. June 1921.

The railway line between Banteer and Millstreet had been cut in several places so the Auxiliary forces based at Millstreet had to travel to Banteer by road for their supplies a couple of times every week. Therefore, a combined force of 130 men were mobilised to attack the Auxiliaries as they returned from Banteer. The volunteers were from the Millstreet, Kanturk, Newmarket, Charleville and Mallow battalion columns in the second division area and were under the command of Paddy O’Brien from Liscarroll.

On the night before the ambush the I.R.A. volunteers slept at Rathcoole Wood, which overlooked the planned ambush position. Shortly after sunrise the following morning, Captain Dan Vaughan laid six landmines on the [read more …] “The Rathcoole Ambush – June 16th 1921”