In January 1920 the War of Independence intensified with the IRA carrying out a number of offensives in almost every county. To mark the anniversary of this aspect of the campaign, this month we offer stories about the conflict as reported by the newspapers of the day.

Sergeant AM Sullivan K.C. Train Attacked 

On the 9 January 1920 a sensational attack occurred on Sergeant AM Sullivan K.C., one of the most distinguished people in county Kerry. The attack shocked the people of Tralee and further afield and was soon followed by the rounding up of a number of men who were suspected of involvement in the attack.

Although it was claimed that those responsible for the attack had been driven out of the locality they staged attack either to injure Sullivan or the rescue prisoners. Travelling on the Cork- Tralee train on 27 January Sullivan survived another attack when shots were fired at his carriage as it passed from Millstreet to Rathmore. Sullivan was on his way to give evidence in court in relation to the previous attack earlier that month. He was not injured but a detective accompanying him was injured by broken glass. It was not clear whether Sullivan was again targeted or whether the real objective was to rescue the eleven prisoners, against whom he would give evidence who were also onboard the train. Undeterred by the attack Sullivan would later give evidence that two men in particular, Leen and Sullivan, had been present at the 9 January attack. In these troubled times, it was with some degree of irony that some newspapers reported on the fact that Sullivan, a barrister, was the grandson of the man who had penned the famous Irish nationalist ballad ‘God Save Ireland’, while he himself had defended Roger Casement at his trial in 1916. Known as the ‘Last Sergeant’, Sullivan retired from the legal profession in 1949. He died in 1959.

Download Source: Irish Independent, 28 January 1920, page 5

Irish Independent 1905-current, Wednesday, January 28, 1920

In January 1920 the War of Independence intensified with the IRA carrying out a number of offensives in almost every county. To mark the anniversary of this aspect of the campaign, this month we offer stories about the conflict as reported by the newspapers of the day.

Walpole Ranch Ambush 26.January.1920

Roscommon was a county that witnessed a number of cattle drives during the days of the Ranch War in the early part of the twentieth century. Driven by the United Irish League the modus operandi of many of the cattle drives was to force the sale or break-up of land.

In the middle of January 1920 an incident occurred at a place called Cloneen, Hartland near Strokestown which rekindled memories of the Ranch War. On this occasion, James Hanley with others were charged with an attempt to drive cattle off the Walpole estate at Strokestown. Accompanied by an RIC Constable Cahill, two police officers and his son, the owner of the estate W.J. Walpole was ambushed when checking on his cattle by a number of men who entered from the road. In an effort to disperse, the group Walpole and his son fired a number of shots in the air. Constable Cahill and George Walpole pursued some of the men and managed to capture Hanley. Having searched him, he was found to have in his possession three notices calling on Walpole to give up his land. Defending the accused, PJ Neilan claimed that it was unfortunate that Walpole had fired on the men assembled and that they were only merely exercising a right to walk through his lands. Roscommon, he claimed, was a county free of crime and the firing of weapons would not help to calm matters. However, it was widely known that there had been trouble at the Walpole estate over several generations dating back to the Land War of the early 1880s. The following week Walpole brought a case before the Strokestown Petty Sessions for damage done to gates and fences. The cattle drives would occur again in April and May of 1920, when during the latter it took Walpole more than ten days to recover the animals which had been driven from his lands.

Download Source: Irish Independent, 26 January 1920, page 3

Irish Independent 26.January.1920 Walpole Ranch Cattle Drive

In January 1920 the War of Independence intensified with the IRA carrying out a number of offensives in almost every county. To mark the anniversary of this aspect of the campaign, this month we offer stories about the conflict as reported by the newspapers of the day.

Major Edwards Rathduff Stud Mystery Raid 25.January.1920

In late January 1920, a month which witnessed numerous raids on Irish country houses, a somewhat peculiar raid took place on the home of Major Edwards at Rathduff stud, near Bansha in county Tipperary. Edwards, one of the leading figures in the Irish horseracing, was no stranger to attack and was visited before and after this event by the IRA. On this particular evening, having heard a knock on the door Edwards’ secretary, a young woman, was confronted by a man demanding arms. Throwing a cloth over her head, the man then entered the house and while he looked through some rooms, it was later realized that nothing had been taken during the raid.  Terrified by the ordeal the secretary fainted and was unable to identify the assailant. Just what the man had wanted remained a mystery. As the War of Independence, intensified raids on houses such as Rathduff would increase, regardless of the perceived sympathy of the owner. The fact that houses such as Rathduff were stocked with sporting guns made them ready targets for the IRA. Two years previous Rathduff stud had been raided by a large party of men who took a number of sporting guns. This incident was later recalled by Tadgh Dwyer, an IRA volunteer:

the information we had was that some of Carson's rifles were stored at Major Edward's place. This information proved to be incorrect, and after a. thorough search of the buildings our booty consisted of a repeating shotgun, a revolver and some ammunition. All members of the company were mobilized for this raid, as it was considered a good opportunity to give the men some practical training. The repeating shotgun was a very useful weapon. It was used throughout the whole campaign and I still have it as a souvenir of that era.

During the Civil War, in 1922, horses and cattle were driven from Edwards’ demesne and walls and gates were broken down.

Download Source :

Irish Examiner 1841-current, Monday, January 26, 1920

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In January 1920 the War of Independence intensified with the IRA carrying out a number of offensives in almost every county. To mark the anniversary of this aspect of the campaign, this month we offer stories about the conflict as reported by the newspapers of the day.

At a special court in Derry on 23 January 1920 a man called Anthony McGinley was brought before the courts on a charge of soliciting subscriptions for Dail Eireann in the form of bonds. The man in question, a native of Dungloe, county Donegal, it was noted was appearing on his seventh charge.

Prior to this on 12 December 1919 as McGinley and another prisoner were being brought from the court in Letterkenny, the RIC patrol which was bringing them to Dungloe was attacked and four of the policemen injured, one seriously. Leaving the train station the patrol walked the prisoners towards the police barracks which located three miles away. They had not gone far when an armed party opened fire on them. Farrell took cover behind a rock and lay there for several hours until a search party reached him. He was said to have been in a critical condition having lost a lot of blood. As a result of his injuries, Sergeant Farrell, a native of county Longford, had his leg amputated after a bullet wound to his ankle had turned septic. Sergeant Farrell was unable to attend the court proceedings in late January in Derry. In total, the RIC men injured in the attack submitted malicious injury claims amounting to over £11,000. The incident was said to have caused a sensation in the north-west. Commenting on the attack, Judge Cooke at Lifford Crown Sessions stated that he hoped that the ‘shrewdness of the people of Donegal would take care that it was the last’ such attack in the county. Tensions continued in Dungloe and when two men were arrested in the village the local Sinn Fein band paraded through the streets playing republican airs and goading the police.

Download Source:

 Evening Telegraph Saturday, January 24, 1920

Farmers Ear Cut Off and Wife Assaulted 

In January 1920 the War of Independence intensified with the IRA carrying out a number of offensives in almost every county. To mark the anniversary of this aspect of the campaign, this month we offer stories about the conflict as reported by the newspapers of the day.

Not all crimes during this period might have been politically motivated or reported as so. For some, it was a period of opportunistic criminality, where under the cloak of republicanism raids on property was carried out. It was also a time when a number of old scores were settled. One hundred years ago this month a ‘revolting outrage’ took place near Killorglin, county Kerry when a man’s ears were severed from his head during an attack on his house.

At a place called Glencultane, about three miles from Killorglin the home of Tim Mangan junior was attacked by a gang of twelve men. From the outset, the men were said to have ‘adopted a menacing attitude’ and were intent on causing injury to Mangan. He was easily overpowered by the gang, thrown on the floor and tied up with a rope. There he was held down by the men and then a shears was used to sever his ears from his head. The victim was left ‘writhing in pain’ while the gang also attacked his wife, attempting to shear her hair. Dr. Dodd of Killorglin was called but found Mangan very weak from the loss of blood and the Rev M. O’Donaghue CC administered spiritual aid. Despite the best efforts of Inspector Heard and District Inspector Riordain from Killarney no arrests were made. The attack, it was said ‘caused widespread indignation over what was hitherto a peaceable district’ and was widely condemned. The following month ten men were brought to trial for their part in their attack but after a lengthy trial, their case was adjourned to the next assizes. Four men were discharged but six were returned for trial which was later transferred to Cork.

Download Source: Evening Telegraph, 24 January 1920,

Download Source: The Liberator, 24 January 1920

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In January 1920 the War of Independence intensified with the IRA carrying out a number of offensives in almost every county. To mark the anniversary of this aspect of the campaign, this month we offer stories about the conflict as reported by the newspapers of the day.

Dublin Metropolitan Assistant Police Commissioner William Forbes Redmond Assassinated 21.January 1921

On 21 January 1920 Dublin, according to newspaper reports, was ‘startled’ with the sensational shooting of William Forbes Redmond, who had recently been appointed as Second Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

Just after darkness fell and when crowds of people made their way along Harcourt Street two gunmen fired a number of shots at Redmond as he made his way towards the Standard Hotel where he was temporarily staying. Conflicting reports emerged as to where the attackers made their escape, but Redmond was carried to a nearby doctor’s house where he died a few minutes later. One of the bullets had passed through his jaw which was said to have caused the mortal wound. Redmond was found to be clutching an automatic pistol but was unable to fire it. He was married with two daughters.

Redmond was Head of DMP 'G' Intelligence Division and had been brought from the north in December 1919 in an effort to capture Michael Collins and the other members of his ‘squad’. On the evening prior to his murder Redmond had ordered a raid on Cullenswood House, which the IRA had been using an office. Although Richard Mulchay managed to escape, important files had been left behind and which fell into Redmond’s hands. Collin’s obviously enraged by this ordered that he be shot with two members of his squad carrying out these orders the following day. With information from an informant in Dublin Castle and help from Belfast where he had obtained a photograph, Collins’s squad had little difficulty in identifying and shooting Redmond.

Download Source: Nenagh News, 24 January 1920, page 3 / Longford Leader

 Nenagh Guardian 1838-current, Saturday, January 24, 1920

 Longford Leader 1897-current, Saturday, September 08, 1951 pg 3

 Sunday Independent 1906-current, Sunday, January 19, 2020                                                                                                                

In January 1920 the War of Independence intensified with the IRA carrying out a number of offensives in almost every county. To mark the anniversary of this aspect of the campaign, this month we offer stories about the conflict as reported by the newspapers of the day.

On Sunday night 18^th January 1920, in thickly wooded country around the village of Hollycross in county Tipperary the IRA arrived under the cover of darkness. With few houses in the village, it was not obvious that a ‘desperate attack’ was about to take place at Holycross RIC barracks, just one of many such incidents which occurred in the month of January 1920.

The attackers opened fire shortly after 9 pm having located themselves in treetops, behind ditches and in the front room of a dwelling house which they had commandeered. The nine police officers in the barracks ‘vigorously replied’ fire and ‘occasionally’ sent up relief rockets in the hope that the military would come to their aid. Some of the explosions, it was said, were ‘like an earthquake’. Placing a ladder against the wall the IRA party was said to have ‘hacked’ at the wall to insert explosives. The mansion of CL Clarke, located just 100 yards away from the barrack was guarded and no one allowed to leave or enter lest reinforcements were sent for. On the same night the police barracks at Drombane, near Thurles was also attacked when with thirteen policemen on duty the RIC were completely overwhelmed by a force estimated to have included more than 150 men. The initial plan was also to blow up the village hall which was held by the military for more than twelve months. Sounding a whistle, the battle commenced and bullets rained down on the barracks. Lasting more than four hours the IRA party managed to blow a hole in the gable wall, while the roof of the building was also partially damaged. In an attempt to get help the police fired rockets into the sky which were seen by the police in Clonoulty.

Download Source Evening Telegraph, Cork Examiner & Nenagh Guardian :

(Photo Daily News 17.January.1920)

In January 1920 the War of Independence intensified with the IRA carrying out a number of offensives in almost every county. To mark the anniversary of this aspect of the campaign, this month we offer stories about the conflict as reported by the newspapers of the day.

With the War of Independence taking on a new trajectory in January 1920, the President of the First Dail, Eamon de Valera continued to make the case for the recognition of the Irish Republic during his eighteen-month tour of the USA.

Travelling across America, de Valera was warmly received by Irish-American communities, and indeed others, as the US Presidential elections loomed. Nowhere was this welcome as pronounced as in New York where on 17 January 1920 de Valera received the Freedom of New York City. At a reception hosted by Mayor John Hylan at City Hall and before a crowd of 1,000 New Yorkers de Valera received the highest honour the city could bestow upon him. Greeted by hundreds of cheering supporters who waved flags including the Irish tricolor, de Valera heard resolutions passed by the Board of Aldermen, many of whom were Irish or of Irish descent.

The occasion also marked the floating of the First External Loan, also known as the ‘Dail Bonds’. Mayor Hylan, leading by example, purchased the first bond, while de Valera stated that ‘it will be distinctly understood by each subscriber to the loan that he is making a free gift of his money. Repayment of the amount subscribed is contingent wholly upon the recognition of the Irish Republic as an independent nation.’

De Valera’s time in America proved fruitful and in addition to securing almost $5,000,000 dollars for the Dail Loan, de Valera and the The Friends of Irish Freedom ensured that wherever he visited he was enthusiastically welcomed. In Boston, an estimated crowd of 70,000 people heard him talk in Fenway Park, while smaller crowds gathered in venues such as San Francisco where de Valera unveiled a statute of  Robert Emmett. By December 1920 de Valera decided to return to Ireland and a new phase of the War of Independence would commence.

Download source: Freeman’s Journal, 19 January 1920, page 2

In January 1920 the War of Independence intensified with the IRA carrying out a number of offensives in almost every county. To mark the anniversary of this aspect of the campaign, this month we offer stories about the conflict as reported by the newspapers of the day.

By the middle of January 1920, under the cover of darkness, there were widespread reports of raids on Irish country houses. Following on the from the attack on those attending the ball at Roxborough, in the middle of the month a number of houses in county Galway were raided with the primary motive of taking arms and ammunition.

There were reports of raids on a number of houses in Clifden and at Ballyglunin, near Tuam the home of a Mr Shaughnessy. On this occasion, the raiders took guns and almost £115. Another armed raid took place at the Kennels, Craughwell where the raiders claimed that they were taking the guns ‘in the name of the Irish Republic’. At Loughrea, Kylemore House, the home of W.J. Roche, justice of the peace, was raided and guns taken, as was the home of James Kelly DC. Two other houses were also raided on the same night. One man named Hynes, a native of Kinvara was arrested on suspicion of having played a part in the raids but by and large the authorities had little success in apprehending those responsible or in recovering the stolen items. In the months that followed county Galway would witness the burning of a number of country houses including Castlelambert House, near Athenry and Tyrone House, the home of the St George family. In 1921 Moyode Castle and Monatigue House, near Craughwell amongst others would be added to that list. It was an end to many of the country residences in county Galway, just as Lady Gregory had predicted when she wrote in January 1920 that ‘the big houses are falling’.

Source: Connaught Tribune, 17 January 1920, page 4

Source Offaly Independent 17.January.1920 page 5