Throughout August 1920 IRA attacks on the military and police took on very different forms, including engaging with large parties such as at Annascaul in county Kerry to ambushing small parties of the police such as at Ballybay in county Monaghan.

Here RIC Constables Boyd and Sharkey of Ballybay were returning from Newbliss when they were ambushed at a place called Aughadrumken, three miles from Newbliss. About half a dozen shots hit the motor car in which they were travelling and Constable Boyd was injured in the process. Although injured, Boyd returned fire and engaged with his enemy who were located on both sides of the road. He was quickly surrounded by the IRA and overpowered, although he lay on his revolver to avoid its capture. Constable Sharkey was taken from the vehicle, which was quickly dismantled to make it inoperable, and made swear that he would resign the force a tactic of intimidation widely practiced by the IRA. Constable Boyd was later transferred to the Monaghan infirmary for treatment. Scouring the countryside in the aftermath of the attack, the military were aware that one of the ambushing party had been injured and was obviously receiving medical treatment somewhere but no arrests were made.  

Source: Belfast Newsletter 1738-1938, 11.08.1920, page 6

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