RIC barracks in Ballynahinch Attacked Failed 23 February 1920 An attempt to blow up the RIC barracks in Ballynahinch, county Down was widely condemned within in February 1920 when as the Belfast Newsletter wrote the ‘operations of Sinn Fein happily failed in its murderous intent’. Ballynahinch was a small garrison of only five policemen and was manned at the time by Sergeant Doherty and Constables Fennell, Barrett, Coyn...

The release from prison of a man convicted to taking part in cattle drive was enthusiastically welcomed in Queen’s County (Laois) in February 1920. Anthony Monohan of Cappagh, near Borris-in –Ossory was welcomed home by a large crowd who gathered at Ballybrophy train station having served two months in jail for driving cattle off the lands of Thomas Colcough near Borris-in-Ossory. Met by the Knocknaree Pipers Band and ...

By 1920 the GAA had become the most prominent sporting organisation across the country and was closely aligned to the political aspirations of Irish nationalists. Despite the ongoing troubles in Ireland (and the inclement weather) the GAA continued to organise games during the month of February. The GAA in county Tipperary was said to have delighted when martial law was postponed in February allowing them to organise games ...

IRA Target Railway Lines - February 1920 As the War of independence progressed, attacks on railway lines and their staff increased as the IRA attempted to prevent the movement of the RIC and the military. Trains that were carrying weapons were also attacked as at Drumcondra, county Dublin in February 1920 (see earlier post this month). In county Donegal, the railway at Burtonport and trains traveling on the line came under ...

IRA Attack Camp RIC Barracks Co. Kerry 19.February.1920 The attack on Camp RIC barracks in County Kerry by the IRA caused a sensation locally and indicated the first withdrawal of the constabulary from the countryside. Carried out using rifles, revolvers, hand grenades and crowbars the IRA were intent not just on seizing weapons but on destroying the barracks. Sergeant McDonagh and six police officers were present in...

Murder of Ellen Morris - Fiendish Outrage A ‘fiendish outrage’ was how the Belfast Newsletter described the murder of Ellen Morris in county Wexford in February 1920. Aged 60 and a native of Glentine, Ballagh near Enniscorthy. Six masked men stormed the Morris house and when Morris took a spade to force the raiders out and one of the attackers pointed a revolver at her and shot her through the heart. A person in ...

Throughout the month of February 1920, a number of outrages were committed across the country, the motives for which were not always clear. At Ballylongford, county Kerry a young man named Heaphy was shot through the shoulder as he left his house, the shot alleged to have been fired by a policeman. The injured man was removed to hospital in Limerick and said to have been in a precarious condition. In the same week, a soldie...

RIC Ballytrain Barracks Fierce Fighting - 14.February.1920 After a month of intense IRA activity across the country, the War of Independence continued unabated in February 1920. Becoming more daring in the process, the IRA continued to target the RIC and their barracks. Elsewhere, local issues and tensions would also surface, and in some cases, they become embroiled in the struggle for Independence. February 1920 would be a...

The attack on a train at Drumcondra on 13 February 1920 highlighted both how daring and orgainsed IRA units had become. At 8.45pm a military train, with 47 wagons left the North Wall Railway Station bound for Athlone barracks in county Westmeath. The IRA, having received intelligence about the contents on-board the train lay in wait and looked to seize the arms, most of which were miniature rifles, which would have been id...

 ‘the disgraceful nature of terrorism’ The Belfast Newsletter reported in February 1920 that lawlessness in the south of Ireland was getting out of hand and that everyday life in many counties was disturbed. The Kerry Milk case in that month reflected such sentiments or as the newspaper claimed, ‘the disgraceful nature of terrorism’. The issue was linked to the two attempts which were made on the life of Sergeant A...