programme for the day - kilkishen.com
TRANSCRIPT
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PROGRAMME FOR THE DAY
1.00pm Remembrance Mass in St Senan’s Church, Kilkishen, celebrated by Fr. Hugh O’Dowd and Fr. Harry Bohan
2.00pm Assembly at Glenwood Site. (cars to arrive via Fox’s Cross)
2.15pm Welcome by Chairman; Patsy Neville Unveiling of Memorial Wreath laying ceremony Address by Minister Tony Killeen, TD Military salute
3.00pm Blessing of Site Fr Bohan’s address Beautiful Vale of Belvoir sung by J P Guinane
3.15pm Mock Ambush by K McCormack re-Enactment Group
3.45pm Safe exit from Site
4.00pm Refreshments in Donnellan’s, Kilkishen
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FÁILTE ON gCATHAOIRLEACH
Is cúis mór athais dom fiorchaoin fáilte a fhearadh romhaibh go léir don áit seo inniu.
On behalf of the Glenwood Ambush memorial committee it is my plea-sure to extend a warm welcome to you all on this very special day when we mark to spot where the Glenwood Ambush took place all of ninety years ago. This entrance here in Glenwood was also the location where later in the same year in Dec 1921, Eamonn DeValera reviewed the 1st Western Division I.R.A. under the command of Michael Brennan. It is widely believed that it was the same day that the treaty was signed in London. As we commemorate the bravery of the men from the active service unit of the East Clare Brigade I.R.A. for the stance they took here at Glenwood, we also recognise the very important support role played by their families and friends during the war of independence and the role played by Cumann na mBan. We are aware that for years after this en-gagement the participating volunteers were slow to discuss the events of that particular day and its understandable as there was loss of lives. Should we have any relatives of the victims with us today we thank you for coming and offer you our hand of friendship.
I want to pay a special tribute to all who helped in any way to making today’s event possible including those who gave donations to finance the project. I want to thank the Minister for Defence Tony Killeen for taking time out from his busy schedule to unveil our memorial. I want to thanks the memorial committee for their unselfish dedication to the project and their hard work over the past eleven weeks which was a rather short plan-ning window for such a major undertaking.
Patsy Neville memorial committee chairman
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INTRODUCTION
On the 20th of January, 1921, at about 4pm, a motorised patrol of ten armed Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and Black and Tans, travelling from Sixmilebridge to Broadford, approached the back gate of Glen-wood house.
Waiting for them, concealed behind the walls of the Glenwood estate, was a group of approximately 37 armed volunteers from the East Clare Brigade of the IRA, led by Michael Brennan of Meelick As the patrol passed by the gates, a fusillade of gunshot, fired by the waiting group, struck the patrol. Six RIC and Black & Tans were killed, two were injured and two escaped unhurt. One IRA volunteer was injured.
The ambush party withdrew in good order through the forest and mountains to the East of Glenwood, towards Oatfield. The surviving members of the patrol made their way back to Sixmilebridge. The lo-cal people, on hearing of the news of the ambush, braced themselves for the inevitable retribution which would follow. In an orgy of vio-lence, on that evening and in the following days, Black and Tans and Auxiliaries burned houses, destroyed property and terrorised and as-saulted local people.
All the participants in the ambush are now deceased. However, the location of the ambush, the ambush itself and its aftermath and the people who were involved stayed in the memory of local people, with stories and anecdotes passed on. A primary purpose of this booklet is to preserve these memories for future generations.
Today is about remembering those tumultuous times during which the Republic of Ireland was born, and the people of East Clare who lived through them.
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BEFORE THE AMBUSH
The political situation in Ireland
Since the 1880s, Irish nationalists in the Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP) had been demanding Home Rule, or self-government, from Brit-ain. Fringe organizations, such as Sinn Féin, led by Arthur Griffith, instead argued for some form of Irish independence, but they were in a small minority at this time.
The demand for Home Rule was eventually granted by the British Government in 1912, immediately prompting Ulster Unionists to form an armed organization—the Ulster Volunteers — to resist this measure of devolution. The unionists resisted the idea of being governed by a majority Nationalist and Catholic population and regarded Home Rule as a form of Rome Rule. In turn, Nationalists formed their own military organization, the Irish Volunteers. Branches of the Volunteers were set up throughout Ireland.
The implementation of the Home Rule Act was postponed by the out-break of the First World War in August 1914. The majority of Nation-alists followed their IPP leaders’ and John Redmond’s call to support Britain and the Allied war effort by joining Irish regiments of the Brit-ish Army, the intention being to ensure the commencement of Home Rule after the war. But a significant minority of the Irish Volunteers opposed Ireland’s involvement in the war. The Volunteer movement split, a majority leaving to form the National Volunteers under John Redmond. The remaining Irish Volunteers, under Eoin MacNeill, held that they would maintain their organization until Home Rule had been granted. Within this Volunteer movement, another faction, led by the separatist Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), began to prepare for a revolt against British rule.
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The Easter1916 rising was a military failure but the execution of its leaders and the arrest of thousands of nationalist activists swung popular opinion behind the desire for full independence from Britain, as proclaimed by the IRB. The surviving members of the rising, led by Éamonn de Valera, joined Sinn Féin, a small party at the time, and took it over. Sinn Féin contested the 1918 election and won 73 out of 105 seats. They refused to sit in Westminster and in 1919 convened the first Dáil. The Dáil reaffirmed the 1916 declaration and issued a message which stated that there was an “existing state of war between Ireland and England”. The Dáil directed that the Irish Volunteers be re-constituted as the ‘Irish Republican Army’ or IRA. The IRA was thus perceived to have a mandate to wage war on the British administra-tion. This was the official beginning of the War of Independence.
The Situation In East Clare
Volunteer Units had been set up in Clare in 1915. Training, drilling and public parades had continued in the intervening years. However, the organisation had become moribund with no more than 25 turning up when summoned. Michael Brennan of Meelick who had been in the IRB, had been arrested, interned and had been on hunger strike was re-leased in a general amnesty in 1918. He returned to Clare in early 1918 and took part in DeValera’s election compaign. While he was away, Clare had been divided into three Brigade areas; East, Mid and West Clare. Each brigade area was subdivided into battalion areas. Each battalion had its own structure. For example, Kilkishen was in the 5th. battalion area. Joe Clancy of Kilkishen was the training officer because he had been in the British Army during WWI. Jack Egan of Pollough was the battalion’s intelligence officer. Quartermasters (QM) stored weapons for the battalion. Paddy Cox was the QM for the neighbour-ing 1st. battalion and he used the Hickman premises in Fenloe. Major Hickman was an officer in the RIC and did not stay in his house.
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Michael Brennan was appointed officer commanding the East Clare brigade and he set about revitalising his area and restoring morale to his volunteers. He was 23 years old at this time. Drilling and training re-commenced, weapons were procured via raids on big houses and sometimes sent down from HQ in Dublin. Brennan suspected Michael Collins of favouring his native Co.Cork when it came to the delivery of weapons. Money was needed to buy these weapons from Collins which was of course not readily available. However, in a raid on Lim-erick post office, Brennan obtained sufficient funds to allow the bri-gade to equip itself. Vacated RIC barracks were burned and occupied ones attacked. Michael Brennan’s book; “The War in Clare” describes a slow build up of attacks on the enemy. The volunteers were initially constrained by lack of experience, lack of weapons and lack of knowl-edge of which houses and places were safe to hide out in. With the passage of time, all of these constraints were resolved. By the time of the Glenwood ambush, his guerilla force was well trained and expe-rienced.
The volunteers overwhelmingly came from a rural background. The majority were aged in their 20s. They came from small farms, typi-cally 10 to 40 acres. They lived in houses which typically contained 2 parents, 4 to 6 children, 1 or 2 grandparents and sometimes a servant. In East Clare, there were no combatants from large farms or business-es. That the volunteers were strongly politically motivated is without doubt. This can be shown by the way families split after the Treaty in July 1921 when brother argued with brother. Michael Neville of Kilkishen tells the story about his father and his two uncles. All three brothers were in the IRA. After the truce, arguments in the house be-came so heated that their mother instructed her daughters to get the collection of guns and grenades that were hidden on the property and to throw them into the nearby lake. She was concerned that the argu-ments would turn into a shooting match. Setting aside the risks inher-ent in giving live weapons to teenage girls, the incident shows the total commitment of the young men to the cause of Irish Independence.
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Another item of interest is how the volunteers travelled around. The accounts of the participants show that they walked everywhere. When summoned by their commanding officer, they walked. At Glenwood, there were seven men from Feakle, a distance of more than 20 miles. There were 2 men from Mountshannon, which is some miles further. After an action like Glenwood, these men would have to be accom-modated until things had quietened down. Bicycles were not an option for travel outside one’s own area, as the police had placed a restriction on this type of travel.
The volunteers could not have operated without the support of the local people. They were fed, accommodated and their clothes were washed. Injuries were treated by the local doctor and nurse. A preferred house for the men on the run was one where there was a long avenue leading up to it and a forest or woods to the rear.
In spite of the misery and terror that the Volunteers had indirectly brought on nearly every parish in East Clare, the people continued to support them. Shortly after Glenwood, Brennan authorised an ap-peal for funds for the Brigade to purchase clothes, food, cigarettes and boots and to pay for medical expenses. Collections were made, principally outside church gates and the enormous sum of £1500 was realised. Brennan states in his book that the collection showed that people were determined to back his group.
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MICHAEL BRENNANOfficer commanding East Clare Brigade, IRA
Age 23
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THE COMBATANTS IN THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
IRA
As explained in the previous section, the IRA were officially created by the first Dáil and initially consisted of the Irish Volunteers.
The Chief of Staff of the IRA was Richard Mulcahy, who was respon-sible for organising and directing IRA units around the country. In theory, Mulcahy were responsible to Cathal Brugha, the Dáil’s Minis-ter of Defence. However, in practice, Brugha had only a supervisory role, recommending or objecting to specific actions. A great deal also depended on IRA leaders in local areas (such as Michael Brennan) who organised guerrilla activity, largely on their own initiative. For most of the conflict, IRA activity was concentrated in Munster and Dublin, with only isolated active IRA units elsewhere.
While the paper membership of the IRA, carried over from the Irish Volunteers, was over 100,000 men, Michael Collins estimated that only 15,000 men actively served in the IRA during the course of the war, with about 3,000 on active service at any time. There were also sup-port organisations Cumann na mBan (the women’s group) and Fianna Éireann (youth movement), who carried weapons and intelligence for IRA men and secured food and lodgings for them.
The IRA benefited from the widespread help given to them by the general Irish population, who generally refused to pass information to the RIC and the British military and who often provided “safe houses” and provisions to IRA units “on the run”. Much of the IRA’s popularity arose from the excessive reaction of the British forces to IRA activ-ity.
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Officially, the IRA disbanded after Independence. Many joined the new National Army or the guards. Republicans who disagreed with the treaty, retained the name in the subsequent Civil War. In modern times, the IRA we are dealing with here are sometimes referred to as “old IRA”.
RIC
The armed Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) was Ireland’s major po-lice force for most of the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. The force was composed of Irish men and one of its rules was that a member could not serve in the County in which he was born. About seventy five percent of the force were Roman Catholic, in line with Irish demographics of the time. A separate civic police force, the un-armed Dublin Metropolitan Police or DMP, served the capital. Prior to the outbreak of hostilities, the force was generally well regarded by the general population and as being effective by the authorities. Although armed with revolvers, the members were not inclined to use them as they regarded their weapons “as encumbrances” to successful policing. The RIC’s system of policing influenced the Canadian North West Mounted Police and the Victoria Police force in Australia and the Palestinian police force. During the War of Independence, the RIC (along with the Courts and Inland Revenue collection) were targeted by the IRA as they were regarded as “the eyes and ears” of the gov-ernment.
The RIC was disbanded in 1922.
Black & Tans
In January 1920, the British government advertised in British cities for men willing to “face a rough and dangerous task”, helping to boost the ranks of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) in policing an increas-ingly anti-British Ireland. There was no shortage of recruits, many of
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them First World War army veterans, and by November 1921 about 9,500 men had joined. This sudden influx of men led to a shortage of RIC uniforms, and the new recruits were issued with khaki army uniforms (usually only trousers) and dark green RIC or blue British police surplus tunics, caps and belts. This mixture gave rise to their nickname, the Black and Tans, from the name of a famous pack of fox-hounds from Limerick, the Scarteen Black and Tans, whose colours were and are similar. The name stuck even after the men received full RIC uniforms.
They were employed by the RIC as Temporary Constables from 1920 to 1921 to suppress revolution in Ireland. Although they were estab-lished to target the Irish Republican Army, they became notorious through their numerous undisciplined and arbitrary attacks on the Irish civilian population. The actions of the Black and Tans alienated public opinion in both Ireland and Britain and abroad. Their violent tactics provided a pro-paganda coup for Sinn Féin, embarrassed the British Government and encouraged both sides to move towards a peaceful resolution.
The War of Independence is sometimes referred to as the “Tan War” or “Black-and-Tan War.” The “Cogadh na Saoirse” medal, which was awarded to IRA Volunteers after 1941, bears a ribbon with two vertical stripes in black and tan.
The Black & Tans were disbanded in 1922.
Auxiliaries
The Auxiliary Division RIC (ADRIC) was recruited in Britain from among ex-officers who had served in World War I. Most recruits were from Great Britain, though some were from Ireland. Recruiting began in July 1920, and by November 1921, the division was 1,900 strong.
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The Auxiliaries were nominally part of the RIC, designated TCs or temporary cadets, but actually operated more or less independently in rural areas. Divided into companies, each about one hundred strong, heavily armed and highly mobile, they operated in ten counties, mostly in the south and west, where IRA activity was greatest. For example, a company of Auxiliaries were based in the Lakeside hotel in Killaloe. They wore either RIC uniforms or their old army uniforms with ap-propriate police badges, along with distinctive Tam-o-shanter caps.
Auxiliary companies were intended as mobile striking and raiding forces, and they scored some notable successes against the insurgents. However, such successes and near-successes were not common: the Division was hobbled by its lack of reliable intelligence, and most of its raids brought no result. Many of the Division’s members did not cope well with the frustrations of counterinsurgency: hurriedly re-cruited, poorly trained, and with an ill-defined role, they soon gained a reputation for drunkenness, lack of discipline, and brutality worse than that of the Black and Tans. They were disliked by members of the RIC.
Like the Black & Tans, the Auxiliaries sometimes took reprisals in the wake of attacks by the IRA, as was the case in Kilkishen. The ADRIC were and are often confused with the Black and Tans: many atrocities laid at the door of the latter were in reality attributable to the Auxiliaries. Disbanded along with the RIC in 1922, many Auxiliaries joined the Palestine Police Force.
British Army
The British Army in the East Clare area was represented bythe 1st Battalion Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, with their headquarters in Limerick. The battalion, had outposts in loca-tions such as the workhouse in Tulla and Dobbins (now O’Hallorans)
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house in Kilkishen. Generally, the army did not get involved in day to day policing and they usually refrained from reprisals and killing in revenge for I.R.A. attacks.
One local incident involving the army occurred in November 1920. Members of the Ox and Bucks were guarding a crashed RAF plane near Punch’s quarry in the Cratloe area. A group of I.R.A. vol-unteers led by Joe Clancy of Kilkishen had seen the plane make a forced landing and gathered up a few other Volunteers who were hiding out at Hogan’s house in Cratloe. After dusk, Clancy and the Volunteers climbed to the top of Punch’s quarry and opened fire on the troops who had settled in for the night around a roar-ing fire near the crashed plane. Privates Baker and Spackman were killed. Private Robins was wounded in the attack and died later. In revenge for this incident the regiment went wild in Limerick city the following night, rioting, beating up civilians and getting drunk. This, however, was an isolated event.
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AN AUXILLARY SEARCH
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THE DAY OF THE AMBUSH
The following three accounts describe the ambush from differing perspectives. The first is an edited version taken from http://www.warofindependence.net/?page_id=118, and describes the event from the republican side. It is based on interviews with the participants and their written accounts.
The second account is an edited version from the Clare Champion of 30th January, 1921. The reporter appears to have been based in Sixmi-lebridge and describes what happened to the members of the police patrol immediately after the event.
The third account is based on an interview given by the driver of the police vehicle to a reporter from the Press Association.
1st. account of the ambush
“In mid January 1921, orders were sent to all six battalions of the East Clare Brigade asking all available I.R.A. Volunteers to assemble at Parker’s house, Castlelake on the morning of the 20th of January. The officers of the Brigade had decided to attempt to ambush the regular R.I.C. patrol travelling from Sixmilebridge to Broadford.
On the appointed day, thirty seven I.R.A Volunteers reported for duty. Half of them carried rifles while the remainder were armed with shot-guns and revolvers. A number of the republicans who had arrived un-armed, volunteered as scouts. Volunteer Joseph Clancy of Kilkishen, a local and a former soldier in the British Army, suggested a suitable location for the attack at the rear entrance to Glenwood House. Mi-chael Brennan accepted his advice and divided up the men into dif-ferent sections and explained the plan of attack. At Glenwood the re-publican scouts were posted along the road a short distance in both directions from the I.R.A.’s new position. The thirty or so remaining
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I.R.A. Volunteers were divided into three sections under the command of Michael Brennan, his brother Austin Brennan of Meelick and Tom McGrath of O’Callaghan’s Mills. The men in Michael Brennan’s sec-tion were all armed with rifles and positioned along a high stone wall just north of the gate to Glenwood house. The stone wall would give then a good cover from enemy fire and a direct line of fire for about fifty or sixty yards. Michael Brennan himself was armed with a re-volver and stood a few yards behind the men in his group positioned along this wall. Joseph Clancy was hidden behind a large holly bush on top of the wall keeping watch along the road as the other Volunteers remained hidden. Austin Brennan’s group of Volunteers equipped with rifles and shotguns, was placed fifty yards further north behind another stone wall. The remaining men under Tom Mc Grath’s command were located along the edge of a field a hundred yards to the south of the gate armed with revolvers. The ambushers were to hold their fire, until riflemen under Michael Brennan’s command attacked the lorry.
The intelligence information gathered by Jack Egan of Pollough, showed that the R.I.C. patrol was due to travel through the area at eleven o’clock. When there was no sign of the ambush by half eleven, Mick Neville was dispatched to Kilkishen to see if he could get any news of the R.I.C. patrols location. He returned with refreshments and to report that the patrol had not passed through the village. By half three, the I.R.A. officers at Glenwood came to the conclusion that the R.I.C. patrol had travelled by a different route, and had begun to recall their scouts when they reported that a lorry was approaching the am-bush position. A few moments later, the Volunteers heard the roar of the vehicle’s engine. With a number of the scouts already withdrawn, the I.R.A. still did not know whether it was the R.I.C. patrol or not, as a number of civilian lorries had passed during the day. After their long wait the I.R.A. officers were anxious that the men would not fire an accidental shot. As the lorry approached, Joseph Clancy climbed on top of the wall which Michael Brennan’s section were positioned behind, and kept watch to check if the approaching lorry was the ex-
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pected R.I.C. patrol. Clancy made repeated appeals to the riflemen to hold their fire until the lorry came into view and entered the ambush position. He recognised the lorry as a police vehicle and then shouted ‘Police’ and dropped down into his position.
As the R.I.C. patrol entered the ambush position the I.R.A still did not know the strength of the enemy patrol and whether there was a second or possibly even a third Crossley Tender lorry following. Because of this uncertainty Michael Brennan did not give the order to fire until the Crossly Tender had almost drawn level with his sections position: “There was no time to get the out posts posted, but as it sounded like there was only one lorry, it seemed to be a fair chance. … The whistle brought a burst of fire from front and side. My party all aimed at the driver, but though they knocked off his cap and hit nearly everyone else on the lorry, he was unscathed. His steering column was broken though and the lorry went out of control rolling in against the wall where we were standing.” While the R.I.C. lorry was slowing to a halt, Dan Lenihan threw a Mill’s hand grenade into the back but it failed to explode. As the I.R.A. continued firing on the lorry, its driver jumped clear across the bonnet of the vehicle and ran for cover. He managed to leave the roadway and disappeared into nearby woods throwing aside his belt, revolver, ammunition and great coat in an effort to escape. A second R.I.C. man. who had been seriously wounded left the rear of the Crossly Tender and escaped while the republicans had turned their attention from the lorry onto its fleeing driver.
Within two minutes the ambush ended and Michael Brennan ordered a ceasefire. The I.R.A.’s initial attack had been so effective that the entire R.I.C. patrol had not been able to return fire. Five were killed instantly, one was mortally wounded but had not yet died and four escaped, two with injuries.. The dead and injured were carried to the roadside and one member of the flying column was sent to Sixmileb-ridge to summon spiritual aid for them from Fr. Daly and Fr. O’Dea. The I.R.A. Volunteers searched the dead and wounded and recovered
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eight rifles, seven .45 revolvers, almost a thousand rounds of ammuni-tion. Knowing that the sound of gunfire would have been heard and reported to the British forces, the I.R.A. withdrew eastwards toward Oatfield after setting fire to the Crossley Tender.”
2nd account of the ambush
“Belvoir, about two miles from Sixmilebridge, was the scene of a fierce ambush about 3:30 on Thursday evening of last week, when a District Inspector of police, a sergeant and four constables were shot dead.It appears that a motor lorry containing the D.I. and nine other ranks were proceeding from Sixmilebridge to Broadford, and just as they reached Belvoir, a thickly wooded district, a deadly fire was opened on them by the ambushers, who, it is stated, were concealed at each side of the road and were in large numbers. The attack was so startlingly sudden and so fierce that the occupants of the lorry were practically powerless to make any resistance. The names of the killed are: Major Clarke, D.I., a native of the North of Ireland; Sergeant M. Molloy, Constables John Doogue, M. Moran, T.E. Morris (English recruit1) and W.J. Smyth (English recruit).
Sergeant Egan, who was also in the vehicle at the time, was seriously wounded in the right thigh, and his right arm was fractured in two places. Constable Selve, an English recruit, received light wounds to the fingers. All wounded were conveyed to the military hospital, New Barracks, Limerick.
Constable Seabright, driver of the lorry, and Constable Prior escaped uninjured.
One of the deceased men, Constable Moran, who was a weekly com-municant, and a man of deep religious character, was found dead with his Rosary bead across his face. Major Clarke, a protestant, it is stated, was found with a Sacred Heart badge sewed inside his coat. He was in
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civilian clothes when killed. Sergt. Molloy, who is said to have been very popular in the district, leaves a widow and three children to mourn his loss. He was the only married man of the six who were killed.
The two men who had escaped injury came to the assistance of Sergt. Egan and assisted him along the road towards Sixmilebridge. Eventu-ally, as he became too weak, he was accommodated in the house of a Mr. Parker, Castle Lake, and his comrades proceeded on and met a trap in which Col. O’Callaghan-Westropp2 was returning home with his driver. The constables entered the trap and drove to Sixmilebridge with the news. Meanwhile, Constable Seabright, who had made his way to the residence of Mr. Wilson-Lynch, Belvoir, by whom he was driven to the village. The police at Sixmilebridge were not sufficiently strong to send out a relief party, and the clergy were communicated with, and asked to go to the place to minister to the dying.
Rev. J. Daly, P.P. and Rev. D. O’Dea C.C., left for the scene and anointed Sergeant Egan. There being no medical attendance available, Mr. James O’Regan3 and Mr. James O’Flynn4 , on being asked by Mr. Wilson-Lynch, proceeded to the scene, and in the former’s motor lorry removed the bodies to Sixmilebridge, Constable Doogue, who showed signs of life being anointed.
It is stated that the affair affected Father Daly so much that since its occurrence he has become quite an old man.”
English recruit was the official way of describing a Black & Tan.1.
Col. O’Callaghan-Westropp was a large landowner living outside 2. Tulla. He was quite a distance from home and it is interesting that he used a horse & trap rather than a motor-car for such a long jour-ney.
Mr. James O’Regan was former chairman of Clare Co. Council, the 3. owner of a sawmill and garage in Sixmilebridge and father of the
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late Brendan O’Regan.
Mr. James O’Flynn was the owner of the Thomond Woollen mills 4. in Sixmilebridge. He was also a prominent businessman in Sixmi-lebridge and Limerick.
3rd account of the ambush
This account was published by the Irish Independent on 25th Jan. 1921. The reader will note that, in this account, the driver’s name is given as Sievwright, in contrast with the Clare Champion’s Seabright. My insertions are in square brackets.
“A graphic story of tho ambush of a police patrol by 100 men near Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare……..was told yesterday by Mr. Geo. F. S. Sievwright, the driver of the police car, in an interview. Mr. Sievwright, whose home is at Aberdech [Aberdeen], said that Thursday’s affray was the fourth ambush which he had experienced in 3 days. The car, containing ten men, he said, was nearing Glenwood, when, on round-ing a bend in the road, about 100 men suddenly appeared from behind a hedge. A volley of shots was heard, and bullets hit the car from all directions. D.I. Clarke, said Mr. Sievright, was the first man to be hit. “He was sitting by my side when a bullet entered his left shoulder. He shouted: ‘Drive on, Sievright; I am hit’. A terrific and uninter-rupted rain of rifle bullets followed. I opened the throttle, and tried to race through, but just as I reached mid-way between the fire the car stopped, and a bullet grazed my hands at the wheel”.
D.I. Clarke fell out of the car on to the road and crawled by the road-side for several yards. The men behind the hedge turned their attention to him, and made him the target for the whole of their fire. He was riddled with bullets and killed outright. The rest of the patrol then jumped out of the car and returned the fire. Sergt. Egan was hit on the left side, the bullet passing out of his shoulder. Constables Silva and Prior assisted the sergeant into a dyke by the roadside. Owing to loss
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of blood, Egan could not move so the two constables left him under cover and succeeded in getting away in the direction of Sixmilebridge to call for reinforcements.”
According to the Saturday Record of 30th Jan. 1921, on Friday night, the bodies of Sgt. Molloy, Const. Dooge and Const. Moran were laid out in Sixmilebridge Catholic church. The bodies of DI Clarke, Const. Smith and Const. Morris were similarly laid out in the Protestant Church. On Saturday morning, they were removed to Sixmilebridge railway station accompanied by several residents.
The Irish Independent of 25th. Jan. 1921 reported on DI Clarke’s fu-neral as follows: (note the last sentence of the report)
“The remains of DI Clarke were interred in the Presbyterian Cemetry at Lurgan yesterday. Practically all business premises were shuttered and there was an enormous cortege. At the morning service in First Lurgan church on Sunday, Rev. W.B. Sproule said deceased was a fine specimen of young manhood. He had done more than a man’s part in the Great World War.Some hay was burned between O’Briensbridge and Clonlara on Sunday night.”
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AFTER THE AMBUSH CAME THE REPRISALS
Here, we have three accounts. The first two are, as above, taken from the War of Independence website and the Clare Champion. The 1st account concentrates on the Kilkishen and Broadford areas, while the 2nd account describes what happened in the Sixmilebridge and Kil-murry areas. The 3rd account is an edited version of a report from The Saturday Record of 30th January 1921, and goes into more detail of what happened in the Broadford & Kilkishen areas. All three accounts are consistent in their descriptions of the reprisals meted out to local people and their property.
1st account of the reprisals
“As the I.R.A. volunteers crossed the hills to the East, they saw the first houses burning as the British forces began another night of terrorism and reprisals in revenge for the ambush. Lorry loads of Black and Tans and R.I.C. from Sixmilebridge and Broadford converged on Kilkishen, firing their weapons at random into houses along the roadside as they travelled to the area. After raiding a number of pubs for drink, they began to fire wildly at the inhabitants of the village as they made their way towards Joseph Clancy’s home. When the Black and Tans arrived and found the house empty, they began a ‘police search’ of the house and reduced its entire contents to pieces. By now word of the ambush had reached the Auxiliaries stationed at the Lakeside Hotel in Killaloe, who set off to join in the reprisals at Kilkishen. They stopped on their journey to burn the Bridgetown Creamery and various houses along the way. Their next stop was at Clonaconry where they torched Hayes and Ryan’s before continuing on their way stopping at Lissane, Bal-lykelly, Ahaclare, Belvoir and Knockatureen marking their progress with a trail of burning farmhouses. Upon reaching Kilkishen they set alight a number of farm buildings and haystacks belonging to the Dw-yer family. When they eventually arrived in the centre of the village
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they joined the Black and Tans in looting and burning more houses before they all got so drunk and out of control that their officers had to disarm a number of them that were shooting their rifles and revolvers so freely that they were a danger to themselves and the other members of the R.I.C. By morning the Black and Tans and the Auxiliaries had reduced twenty-one houses to ashes but the British forces reprisals had still not ended. The R.I.C. and Black and Tans returned early the next morning with some British soldiers who assisted them in ransacking houses, burning them and questioning or beating up their occupants.”
2nd account of the reprisals
“Following the ambush, scenes of terror and destruction were wit-nessed in Sixmilebridge and district on Thursday night. On hearing of the encounter hundreds fled from their homes and spent the night in the fields, while vast tongues of flame made a spectacle which told their own tale of the deeds that were being enacted soon afterwards. At least a score of families have been left homeless, and in many cases penniless.
About 7 p.m. huge war-equipped forces swooped from Limerick and Ennis into the countryside, and at once began a search for the men implicated in the ambush. Fields, farmhouses and every conceivable place for mile around were searched, and a big sweeping movement was directed towards the mountains in the east of the county, towards Shannon and Limerick City.
As the night wore on and the search continued, fires began to spring up here and there. Farmer’s residences were being consumed. After 7 p.m., when the street of Sixmilebridge were deserted, an outburst of fire, followed by loud explosions, prepared the people for what was coming. The thatched residence of Messrs Casey Brothers, Railway Rd., was observed to be on fire. The occupants, including an aged, infirm man, had cleared out earlier. The house of Daniel Moloney, victualler, was attacked. It also was unoccupied. Mrs. Moloney came
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on the scene and opened the door for the attackers but was powerless to prevent them, and she was ordered to clear away. It appears that an attempt to set the house on fire failed, and the furniture was then taken out and piled on the street and burned. The National Bank occupied portion of the house as offices, and this met the same fate as the rest. The internal fittings were all smashed. The house of Joseph Fennessy, blacksmith, was also wrecked, and its furniture burned on the street. Property belonging to Mr. T. Frost, C.P.S., which was at the rear of this house, was also burned. There is nothing left of the premises of Pat-rick Moore, farmer. The residence and shop of John Gilligan, Rossroe, father of Rev. M. Gilligan, C.C., Carrigaholt, were partly destroyed. Houses of farmers named Messrs Fitzgerald, McNamara, Dillon and Duggan at Belvoir, and of Patk. Herbert, Lisnagry, were consumed whilst the village of Kilkishen and Meelick also suffered.
Along the Broadford hills ruined houses could be seen smoking on Friday. It is impossible to estimate the damage, but it must run into many thousands of pounds.All business was suspended in Sixmilebridge during the week end and all houses were closed and shuttered, whilst blinds were drawn. It is also alleged that animals have also been shot in the district.”
3rd account of the reprisals
“The extraordinary activity of Crown forces, which began on Thurs-day night, following the ambush at Glenwood, continued over a large portion of East Clare, and 28 arrests were made, but all have been re-leased, except two farmers’ sons—James McNamara, Knockatoureen, and Martin Fitzgerald, Cappalaheen.John Kett, Cappalaheen; Tim Clune, snr; Tim Clune, junr., father and son, of Scart; Con. O’Neill, contractor, -Kilkishen; James McNamara, Knockatoureen; Martin Fitzgerald, Cappalaheen; Fred Baily, Mount Baily; Patrick O’Loghlen, Enagh and Patrick Courtney, Ogonneloe, who had been arrested in their homes during the night were brought into the village and placed under an armed guard in the yard of Mr S.
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O’Halloran’s premises. After a while, all, with the excep tion of J. Mc-Namara, were discharged, and proceeded to provide themselves with refreshments in the village.
There were several marks and discolourations all over their faces and bodies, and in several instances their clothes were torn. Within a short time Tim Clune, senr., Con. O’Neill and Martin Fitzgerald were re-arrested. Fitzgerald was taken in a lorry to Tulla, the military HQ for the district. McNamara’s brother is an ex-soldier and has been interned in Wormwood Scrubs.
So far as I have been able to penetrate the devastated countryside, I have come across one burned creamery at Bridgetown, 17 burned houses (12 being those of farmers) which brings the ascertained total for this part of Clare for the past few months up to 32. The damage caused by fire following the Glenwood ambush is estimated at not less than £30,000. The creamery alone was worth £5,000.
Excluding the houses in Sixmilebridge, the following have also suf-fered:
Mrs. Linnane, Broadford - house, barns and hay; John Dillon, Ahaclare - house and hay; T Duggan, Ahaclare - house and hay; Mrs. Fitzgerald, Belvoir - barns, hay and cornDaniel McNamara, Killanena - hay and farmyardMcNamara, Kilkishen - house partly saved, hay burned; Martin Hayes, Clonboyne - house; Edward Hynes, Clonboyne - house;Martin Hayes, Leitrim, - hay burned, house burned last Sept.; Michael Larkin, Bridgetown - new house and hayMrs. Hayes, Clonaconry - house and hay; John Ryan, Clonaconry - house and hay; Hynes, Lissane – houseDonnellan, Lissane – house.
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The burning of Bridgetown Co-Operative Creamery, the only co-op-erative enterprise of this kind in Clare, strikes a serious blow at the farming community, over 200 of whom send their milk there.
A member of the Committee of Management told a press representa-tive that at 9.45 p.m, on Thursday, armed men arrived in three lorries, smashed in the doors, and, after some internal explosions, flames burst out, and the whole house, with his machinery, was en veloped. There is nothing left except the bare walls.
Martin Hayes, of Clonboyne, stated that he was beside the kitchen fire reading and his wife had retired, when armed and disguised men came. They look him out and spoke about shooting. His wife was pulled out of bed, and after some explosions the house was set on fire. Describing the destruction visited on Martin Hayes of Leitrim, whose residence was burned last September, an eye-witness stated that the family were living in a barn and were reciting the Rosary when armed men arrived.Michael Larkin had his house, which was burned last September, just fit for occupation again, but it is now a ruin once more.”
Comment
The Saturday Record reporter got some of the townland names wrong. However, I have not altered his report as the actual properties that were damaged are well known locally. The reporter also did not get all of the names of the affected properties, probably because travel in the area was dangerous at the time.
The following properties were also damaged:
Broughton’s, Killaderry – new houseDwyer’s, Kilkishen – house and haySavage’s, Lissane – house and hayClancy’s, Kilkishen - house
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Based on the above accounts, it would appear that the Auxiliaries and Black & Tans approached the district from two directions. Those based in Limerick and Ennis attacked the Sixmilebridge area and those in Killaloe commenced their trail of destruction at Bridgetown, moving to Broadford, then Belvoir and onward to Kilkishen.
The military’s advance through the area was not random. They knew who were in the IRA and where they lived and they targeted these houses.
Two weeks after the ambush, a Lady Sykes of the Peace with Ireland Movement visited Sixmilebridge to survey the damage caused from the reprisals and to make a short newsreel film. The film shows an unknown single storey house, with a loft above and a lean-to at one gable, totally gutted. Only the walls survive. The film may be seen at http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=17861
In addition to the properties listed above, other properties were visited and escaped with minor damage or the occupants were beaten up. The burning of hay ricks was second in seriousness to the destruction of dwelling houses. Hay was needed for the farm animals to tide them over the Winter. The burnings happened in January, leaving 4 months before there would be sufficient grass to feed the animals. The farmers had little or no savings, so the gift of hay that they got from their unaf-fected neighbours was especially welcome.
In the interest of balance, it should be mentioned that some of the householders were compensated by the British Government in the form of a cash grant to rebuild their properties.
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Participants In The Ambush
NAME FROM ORGANISATION DIVISION RANK
Michael Brennan Meelick IRA E.C. Brigade C.O.
Austin Brennan ‘’ IRA ‘’ V.C.
Tom McGrath O’Callaghans Mills IRA ‘’ V.C.
Jack O’Grady Kilnacrandy, Quin IRA 1st Battalion Volunteer
Danny O’Brien Applefort, Quin IRA ‘’ ‘’
Jack Curley Applefort, Quin IRA ‘’ ‘’
Mick Hehir Bodyke IRA 2nd Battalion ‘’
Jack McCormack Clonlara IRA ‘’ ‘’
Martin Naughton Oatfield IRA ‘’ ‘’
Seamus Hogan Loughrea, Galway IRA ‘’ ‘’
Jackie Ryan Kilbane, Broadford IRA 3rd Battalion ‘’
Michael Cleary Mountshannon IRA 4th Battalion ‘’
Tom McInerney ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Dinny Minogue ‘’ ‘IRA ‘’ ‘’
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Joe Clancy Kilkishen IRA 5th Battalion T.O.
Martin (Neigh-bour) McNamara
‘’ IRA ‘’ Volunteer
Mick Neville ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Jimmy McInerney ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Jack Egan Pollough, SMB IRA ‘’ I.O.
Pat ( Tadhg ) McGrath
O’Callaghans Mills IRA ‘’ Volunteer
Dan Lenihan ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Peter St. Ledger ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Michael O’Shaughnessy
‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Mick Moloney ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Michael O’Dea Tulla IRA ‘’ ‘’
Paddy Quinn ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Paddy Hanrahan ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Paddy McCarthy ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Participants In The Ambush
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Joe McNamara Bodyke IRA ‘’ ‘’
Paddy Cox ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Matty McGrath Feakle IRA 6th Battalion ‘’
Joe Tuohy ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Joe Rocheford ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Joe Nugent ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Mick O’Brien ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Matty Moloney ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
Mick Tuohy ‘’ IRA ‘’ ‘’
William Clarke Lurgan, Co. Armagh RIC Regular D.I.
Michael Molloy Co. Mayo ‘’ ‘’ Sergt.
J Egan ?? ‘’ ‘’ Sergt.
John Dooge Co. Laois ‘’ ‘’ Const.
? Selve ?? ‘’ ‘’ Const.
Michael Moran Co. Mayo ‘’ Black & Tan Const.
William Smith Kent ‘’ Black & Tan Const.
Frank Morris Richmond, London ‘’ Black & Tan Const.
? Seabright Aberdeen ‘’ Black & Tan Const.
? Prior ?? ‘’ Black & Tan Const.
Participants In The Ambush
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A VOLUNTEER’S LETTER TO HIS SISTER IN CANADA
The following letter was given to me by Denis Lenehan of Cloncool, O’Callaghan’s Mills, who in turn got in from Ms. Phil McGrath, daughter of Tom McGrath of Clonloum, O’Callaghan’s Mills.
It was written by Pat (Thade) McGrath, aged approximately 30, of Clonloum, O’Callaghan’s Mills to his younger sister Kit in Canada. He was a brother of Tom McGrath and both men were at the Glenwood ambush.The letter is undated, but more than likely was written in early January 1921.
The Ned referred to is Ned Burke of Woodfield House, Broadford and the husband of Kit. It is not known who the “little gal who loves me” was. The “Two” refers to Thade and his brother Tom.
Thade survived the war, went to Australia for a year or so and returned to work the family farm. He died unmarried in 1959.
This letter is valuable in that it gives an insight to the feelings of a typical Volunteer of the period. Spelling and punctuation are as in the letter. My insertions are in square brackets.
Dear Kit
Most sincerely do I wish you and Ned a Happy Christmas and a bright & prosperous New Year. Though it is bright & prosperous for you, what will it bring to us now as I write to you. I hear the sound of the lorries, perhaps tis on a visit to ourselves they are. They cannot do much more to us – they have left us the walls. We heard of the atrocities of Belgium committed by the G[ermans]. Did we believe
35
that it could be committed by man under military command. I have seen it – the excesses would make you skin creep. I suppose war is war but why can’t they recognise it as such. Fancy treating our prisoners as criminals – the best of Ireland’s sons – brains and brawn – but we will get even with them yet. I don’t think you will ever see one of us again or even hear from us as we mean to die fighting if needs require it. Tis a hard lot to say you cannot rest or sleep in your own home. I have given you the worst side of the picture already, though the other side is not very bright. I am sure you would like to hear something different to what I am telling you, but dear knows, Kit, tis a lot worse though we have not had the worst of it. I would not mind so much about myself but I got a little gal who loves me better than I can’t say what. Yet what can I do when I haven’t done it before now – perhaps tis all for the better. I am not grumbling, never did. Wish I could be with you and Ned but tis not my place. Ireland needs all her sons at present. Tis a glorious fight – though you don’t think so, we are winning and when the Crowning day comes though we may not be there yet I hope and expect we will, you will be proud of the Two who never failed her in her hour of need. Don’t be one bit alarmed about the two of us. If we die, we die in a good cause. Tis about time I would ask how [are] yourself and Ned, though I am nearly sure a letter to Clonloum won’t find me. God bless you and don’t cry when you read this. There is a silvery lining to every cloud. We may enjoy each other society yet when our oppressors are gone to the wall. This house to lett [sic]. Big heart you have. Don’t be downhearted. I wish I could be with Ned now.Get me my passport.
Your outlaw brother
To H[EL]L with England
I must say my prayers
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Vol. Seán O’Keefe (left) from Kilrush and Vol. Martin (Neighbour) McNamara of Kilkishen
in dress uniform on the day DeValera reviewed the 1st. Western Division.
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What Happened To The Participants After The War Of Independence
NAME FROM What happened to them?
Michael Brennan MeelickAged 24 at the time of the ambush, joined National Army, married in 1938, 3 children, retired as Lt-Gen in 1940, joined OPW. Lived in Dublin til his death in 1986, aged 90, buried in Deansgrange, Dublin
Austin Brennan MeelickJoined the army, married in 1938 to Christine Hogan of Bodyke. Lived in Dublin til his death in 1983, buried in Balgriffin, Dublin
Tom McGrath O’Callaghans MillsMember of the Clare team of 1914. Aged 33 at the time of the ambush. Became Colonel in the Army, retired in 1946, died in 1977 and buried in Glasnevin.
Jack O’Grady Kilnacrandy, QuinAged 26 at the time of the ambush. Married in 1922, 6 children. Briefly in the army then worked with Clare Co. Co. Lived in the barrack in Fenloe, died in 1980.
Danny O’BrienApplefort, Quin
Aged 26 at the time of the ambush. Went to USA in 1923, married, never returned.
Jack CurleyApplefort, Quin
Originally from Galway, used to come to visit his sister Katie who worked in Glenwood House, married Babs Clandillon a teacher in Kilmurry, 5 children, lived and farmed in Drumullan.
Mick Hehir BodykePossibly not from Bodyke, but a member of the mid-Clare Bridade from Kilmaley/Kilnamona area.
Jack McCormack ClonlaraAged 20 at the time of the ambush. Captain in the Army, then fisheries inspector on the Shannon, then became post - master in Castleconnell, Co. Limerick. Died in 1956.
Martin Naughton OatfieldAged 21 at the time of the ambush. Joined Volunteers in 1917. Married with 7 Children. All emigrated to USA in the late 40s. Lived in NY state, died in 1980.
Seamus Hogan Loughrea, Galway
Aged 20 at the time of the ambush. Brother of Paddy Hogan, Minister of Ag. in 1st Dail, who coined the phrase “1 more cow, 1 more sow, 1 more acre under the plough” Became Prof. of History in UCC, died in Cork in 1967.
Jackie Ryan Kilbane, BroadfordAged 20 at the time of the ambush. Joined the Army based in Cork, then farmed at home. Married with 3 children. Died 1957.
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Michael Cleary MountshannonAged 23 at the time of the ambush, joined the National Army rising to Captain. Killed in an accident in Listowel in 1923. Buried in Holy Island.
Tom McInerney ‘’ Emigrated to USA, returned and lived in Corbally, Limerick where he died.
Dinny Minogue ‘’Aged 20 at the time of the ambush. Emigrated to Canada in 1923, then to St. Louis. Came home in 1966 for the 50th. anniv. of the rising. Married with family in St. Louis and died there.
Joe Clancy KilkishenBritish army in WWI. After the truce, was a carpenter in Killaloe, died in 1961 aged 62.
Martin (Neighbour) McNamara
‘’British army in WWI, after the truce, emigrated to Australia with 5 siblings, died there. 4 siblings stayed in Ireland
Mick Neville ‘’Officer in Army til mid 1940s. Emigrated to London and worked as an attendant in the Tate Gallery, died in 1956 aged 57 (?), married with children, buried in London
Jimmy McInerney ‘’Aged 25 at the time of the ambush. Worked for Clare Co. Co., married & had 6 children. Farmed in Kilkishen, died in 1973.
Jack Egan Pollough, SMBReturned to Farming, married, no children. Hurled with SMB, Died in 1969 in his 80s
Pat ( Tadhg ) McGrath
O’Callaghans MillsReturned to farming. Unmarried. Died 1959, buried in Killuran, see letter to Kit
Dan Lenihan ‘’Aged 19 at the time of the ambush. Joined National Army, killed in a road accident in 1928, buried in Broadford.
Peter St. Ledger ‘’Aged 24 at the time of the ambush. Joined guards, made Sgt. on his first day, posted to Co. Kildare. Married with family. Died in 1961, buried in Monasterevin.
Michael O’Shaughnessy
‘’Aged 31 at the time of the ambush. Farmed & worked with Clare Co. Co. Died C. 1960.
Mick Moloney ‘’Aged 28 at the time of the ambush. Farmed, then Post-master in OCM from 1936. married, 1 child. Died 1973.
Michael O’Dea TullaFought in the 1916 rising. Aged 24 at the time of the ambush. Joined the Army and was promoted to Captain. Returned to farming in Cutteen Tulla, Married with 5 children. Died in 1982.
What Happened To The Participants After The War Of Independence
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What Happened To The Participants After The War Of Independence
Paddy Quinn ‘’Aged 25 at the time of the ambush. His brother Jack and sister Mary Ellen were very involved in the War of Independence. He was in charge of the barracks in Tulla. Afterwards, he returned to farming and married.
Paddy Hanrahan ‘’went to USA, returned in 1932 & bought a farm in NOF. Married, no children. Sold farm in 1969 and retired to Tulla. Died in 1973.
Paddy McCarthy ‘’Aged 28 at the time of the ambush. Joined the Army and served as Captain in Templemore. Retired to farming in Knappogue, married with 3 children, died 1957.
Joe McNamara BodykeAged 18 at the time of the ambush. Joined the Guards with his 4 brothers, detective in Birr, married with family. Died in 1956, buried in Birr.early 50s
Paddy Cox ‘’Aged 29 at the time of the ambush. Driver/Mechanic for Clare Co. Co., married and had 4 children, lived in Shandangan, died in 1968 aged 76.
Matty McGrath FeakleAged 20 at the time of the ambush. Captain in the Army. Died in a shooting incident in Co. Kerry in 1922, buried in Tulla where there is a memorial to him.
Joe Tuohy ‘’ Emigrated to USA, married, died and was buried there.
Joe Rocheford ‘’ Joined the Guards, served in Westmeath, Buried in Feakle.
Joe Nugent ‘’Captain in Army to 1927, farmed in Kinnitty, Co.Offaly til his death in 1975, aged 79, unmarried, buried in Feakle
Mick O’Brien ‘’ no account
Matty Moloney ‘’ Emigrated to USA, settled in Texas, married no children
Mick Tuohy ‘’ Became manager of Collinstown (now Dublin) airport
William Clarke Co. Armagh died in ambush
Michael Molloy Co. MayoDied in ambush, left a wife and 3 children. Descendants live in Co. Galway.
J Egan ?? ?
John Dooge Co. Laois died in ambush
? Selve ?? ?
Michael Moran Co. Mayo died in ambush
William Smith Kent died in ambush
Frank Morris London died in ambush
? Seabright Aberdeen ?
? Prior ?? ?
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Vol. Paddy Quinn of Moymore, Tulla. He is wearing a Junior All- Ireland medal on his watch chain.
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Vol. Joe Clancy, Kilkishen
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Vol. Mick O’Dea, Tulla
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Vol. Jack Curley, Applefort, Quin
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Vol. Jack O’Grady, Kilnacrandy, Quin
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WEDDING PHOTO OF VOL. TOM MCGRATH IN NATIONAL ARMY UNIFORM AND HIS WIFE KATIE HURLEY
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CAPT. DAN LENIHAN IN NATIONAL ARMY UNIFORM
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VOL. JACKIE (BISHOP) RYAN IN THE MID 1950s. He got his nickname from the time the Bishop of Killaloe gave him a
lift to his confirmation in the Bishop’s pony & trap
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STORIESMartin Kennedy, the Bard of Violet Hill, composed a song about the Glenwood ambush. However, Cook, an RIC man in Kilkishen, threat-ened “ to plug him” if he sang the song in public. The song is probably now lost. The opening lines went;
On the 20th. day of January in 1921The Black and Tans with petrol cans
To Glenwood came along.
Pa Heffernan, Pullough Martin Kennedy was in Glenwood the day after the ambush when he came across two schoolboys kicking the remains of a petrol can from the tender. The schoolboys were John Hassett and Paddy Casey from Ballyvorgal and Pullough, who were returning home from Belvoir school. Kennedy was inspired to compose the following lines about the ambush:
They tanned them and they banged them‘til the guns fell from their hands.
And put schoolboys kicking footballWith their rusty petrol cans.
Mary Keane née Neville, Mountcashel, KilmurryEvery house had to have a list of occupants pinned up on the back of the front door. When the police visited, the occupants had to give an account of the whereabouts of everybody on the list.
Michael McNamara, Ballynevin, Sixmilebridge.The remains of the Crossley tender were brought to Sixmilebridge and left in the Square outside the then Fennessy’s forge. Over time, piec-es were scavenged from it. Parts from an axle were used to decorate a home-made Brian McMahon headstone in Ballysheen graveyard in Sixmilebridge.
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Seán Lonergan, Ballysheen, SixmilebridgeHickman was a large land-owner and an officer in the RIC. He did not stay in his house in Fenloe as he did not feel safe there. The house was then used as a weapons cache by Pat Cox.
James Cox, ShandanganMike Neville, Jack Curley and Neighbour McNamara were in Boyle’s bar in Kilkishen (now Eva’s) when the Black and Tans raided. The three men escaped through the fields at the back of the bar. However, Neighbour was shot in the knee. The two uninjured men brought him to Hassett’s in Bally-vorgal. The following day, he was brought by Stevie Heffernan & Paddy Hassett in an ass and cart to ei-ther Murphy’s of Carnmallow or O’Shea’s of Cant. Pat Cox, who lived nearby, brought him into Limerick Hospital on market day, hidden in a load of hay. He was nursed by a Mrs. Hannon.
Michael Neville, KilkishenJames Cox, ShandanganThe destruction of property by the Black & Tans was so total that Fitzgeralds of Belvoir did not even have a pitch-fork to unload do-nated hay.
Pa Heffernan, PulloughA derelict stone building in Castlelake, called the boat house, was used as a hide by people on the run.
Paddy Carroll, CastlelakeThe men on the run constructed a dug-out at Cullane. It was roofed
Brian McMahon headstone in old Ballysheen graveyard, Sixmilebridge
with parts of an axle from the Crossley tender.
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with a dancing platform taken from a nearby crossroads. Locals would bring supplies and changes of clothing. Conditions in the dug-out were very unhealthy.
Michael Neville, KilkishenA few days after the ambush, the Black & Tans caught Paddy Quinn’s younger brother, Michael. They beat him very severely, trying to find out Paddy’s whereabouts and then threw him into a nearby flooded river. He managed to get out but contacted pneumonia. He never re-ally recovered from the ordeal and died in 1923, aged 21, from another bout of pneumonia.
Joe Quinn, SixmilebridgeJosephine Neville née Gunning from Kilbane, then aged 6 or 7, re-membered having to give up her bed for 3 nights to accommodate some men who arrived at the house late one night.
Michael Neville, Kilkishen (her son)Parker of Castlelake donated hay to Heffernans, Fitzgeralds, Dwyers, Hassetts and Nevilles in the Belvoir & Kilkishen areas to replace their hay ricks burned by the Black & Tans.
Several peopleSome days after the ambush, Stephen Roughan was going into Johnny Walton’s door in Rathmore, Sixmilebridge. Black & Tans passing by in a lorry, shot him dead. In the subsequent inquest, they claimed that they thought they were shooting at a goat!
Seán Lonergan, Ballysheen, SixmilebridgeWe salute Nora Hannon of Belvoir who was born on the day of the ambush and wish her all the best on her birthday!
The Committee
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THE 1917 TO 1921 SERVICE MEDAL WITH BAR
The service medal was issued from 1941 to persons who were members of Oglaigh na hEireann (Irish Republican Army), Fi-anna Eireann, Cumann na mBan or the Irish Citizen Army for the three months ended on the 11th of July 1921. The bar across the ribbon contains the Irish word comhrac, meaning struggle/conflict. This bar was awarded to combatants.
The design of the medal is described as follows:A circular medal approximately one and three fifth inches in diameter bearing on the obverse the Arm of the Four Provinces of Ireland. In the centre appears a standing figure, facing front, depicting a Volunteer of the period 1917 – 1922 in typical dress (trench coat and cap with rifle, revolver and bandolier). The word “EIRE” appears horizontally across the centre of the medal
in large letters (two either side of the fig-ure). The words “Cogadh na Saoirse” appear below.
The Black and yellow colouring on the ribbon led it to be unofficially termed the Black & Tan medal.
Several people in the Kilkishen area have these medals, awarded to their relatives. This photo is courtesy of the Cox family.
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CERTIFICATE PRESENTED TO VOL. PADDY COX
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SOURCES
O’Ruairc, Pádraig Og, Blood on the Banner, Mercier Press, 2009.Brennan, Michael, The War in Clare, Four Courts Press, 1980.Ryan, John (Bishop), Activities of the East Clare Brigade 1917-1921, Bureau of Military History 1913-1921, Doc. No. WS1136, 1955.O’Dea, Michael (Miko), Activities of the East Clare Brigade 1917-1921, Bureau of Military History 1913-1921, Doc. No. WS1152, 1955.Clancy, Joseph, Activities of the East Clare Brigade 1918-1921, Bureau of Military History 1913-1921, Doc. No. WS1370, 1956.Moroney, Seán (Sergeant), Activities of the East Clare Brigade 1919- Truce, Bureau of Military History 1913-1921, Doc. No. WS1462, 1956.Brennan, Michael (Lieut. – Gen.), National Activities, East Clare, 1911-1922, Bureau of Military History 1913-1921, Doc. No. WS1068, 1955.O’Kelly and Mulvey, The Ambush at Glenwood in With the IRA in the Fight for Freedom – 1919 to the Truce , The Kerryman (1955)Ainsworth, John, British security policy in Ireland 1920-1921, Queen-sland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia, unpublished, (2000). Available at http://eprints.qut.edu.au/6/
Websites http://theirishwar.com/www.warofindependence.net/http://irishmedals.org/
Newspapers Clare Champion Irish Independent Saturday Record
The personal recollections of many local people.
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ORGANISING COMMITTEEIn November, 2010, Patsy Neville of Kilkishen, whose uncle Mike, took part in the ambush, felt that the Glenwood ambush should be commemorated in some way. He was inspired by reports in the Clare Champion of commemoration ceremonies of the 90th anniversaries of the Rineen ambush and the Killaloe massacre. He called a meeting in Kilkishen to see what level of interest there was in remembering this event. About 25 people turned up that first evening and that number stayed constant during subsequent meetings, in spite of the sometimes Arctic weather conditions in December. Many of the people at the meeting were relatives of the volunteers who took part in the ambush and were keen to have their contribution in the War of Independence remembered in some physical way. Others had stories and anecdotes of events associated with the ambush and wanted to share them.
Having got the go ahead from the meeting, tasks had to be allocated and decisions made. The following list gives an idea of the things that were done to get the memorial in place.
Permission from land owner• Decide on what kind of memorial• Decide on what wording on memorial• Check with Clare Co. Co. roads and planning sections.• Funding of the memorial via donations and fundraising events• Publicity via local newspapers, radio and church newsletters.• Presentation to the public of the proposed memorial.• Open a bank account• Insurance for workers on site and public liability• Appoint a stone mason to carve the dedication• Carry out site works: clearance, demolish wall, rebuild wall with • memorial stone inserted, clean and resurface the gateway.Refurbish the old gate.• Prepare a souvenir booklet to include photos, stories, recollections and • reports from newspapers of the time.Arrange traffic flows, special mass, speakers and a re-enactment on • the unveiling day.
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The following report by Patsy Neville is a summary of who helped with what in the course of the works.
With the Glenwood Ambush Memorial Committee meeting on a weekly basis for eleven weeks to plan the project, the hard grafting took place at sub-committee level at the site in Glenwood. Dan Mc-Namara, Paddy Carroll and Denis Lehihan were assigned the task of having repairs done to the two wing walls and the piers. This also in-cluded improving the terrain around the entrance. John Lyons carried out significant repairs on the cast iron gate and the other members of this group were John Lenihan and John Lonergan.
The publication committee were Michael McNamara, Marguerite Keane and Sean Lonergan. The people charged with coming up with a suitable citation for the monument were: Joe Brady, Jim Lynch, Mar-guerite Keane, Paddy Carroll, Michael McNamara and Patsy Neville. The personnel that were tasked with getting information on the am-bush participants were: Denis Lenihan, Sean O’Driscoll, Aggie Mc-Carthy, Noreen Ryan, John Lenihan and PJ Ryan.
The personnel given the task of co-ordinating with local residents in Glenwood, planning car parking and traffic flow for the unveiling were: John Lyons, Sean McMahon, Paddy Carroll, Dan McNamara, Tom Quinn and PJ McNamara.
Kevin Lynch was engaged to do the stonework and he had good help from his brother Jim and son Tom . Others to help here were Greg Shanahan, Pat Conlon, Daniel McNamara and his cousin Patrick. The Mini-Digger was provided by Pat Keane and the driver was Pat O’Sullivan. Paddy Carroll provided the rectangular blocks of Lime-stone and John Lyons made up the Lantern and the Flagpole with as-sistance from PJ Corbett.
John Power covered the photography and Michael McTigue was the sculptor.
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COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Patsy Neville, ChairmanMichael McNamara, Secretary
John Lenihan, TreasurerPaddy Clancy, Hon. President
Mick Ryan, Hon PresidentFlan McCarthy, Hon PresidentFrank Cahill, Hon President
John LyonsDan McNamaraPaddy Carroll
Marguerite KeaneSean LonerganDenis Lenihan
PJ RyanSean O’DriscollSean McMahon
Jim LynchTommy McMahon (Clonbrick)
Joe BradyAggie McCarthy
Noreen RyanPa Joe McNamara
Ann ShanahanJohn CroweJ P Guinane
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This project was a community wide endeavour. Very many people gave their support in different ways. In particular, the committee
would like to thank the following people.
Paul and Marguerite HeffernanMichael Hogan, Chairman, Kilkishen Development
McCarthy Family, Donnellans BarPaddy and Marion Hannon
Tony Killeen, Minister for DefenceKevin McCormack’s Re-Enactment Group
Paddy Carroll, CastlelakeSean and Margaret Hannon
Dan and Kathleen McNamaraStephen and Joan O’Brien
Griffin FamilyFr O’Dowd & Fr Bohan
Mary GallagherJoe Cooney
Timmy DooleyCivil Defence
Sgt.Tracy Stanley and Garda Team SixmilebridgeJohn Power
Alan O’CallaghanPat Keane
Clare ChampionClare PeopleKevin Lynch Tom LynchAine Lynch
Pat O’SullivanJohn Keane
Greg ShanahanJunior Lynch
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DONATIONS LOGThe Glenwood Memorial Committee wish to thank the following for their donations to the memorial fund (It is regretted that some lodge-ments to BOI Tulla are excluded as the lodgement did not include a name )
Pa Heffernan, Belvoir John Crowe, SixmilebridgePaddy Clancy, Kilkishen Sr. Eva O’DeaJohn Clancy, Kilkishen Niall Gilligan, SixmilebridgeDan McNamara, Killanena, Kilkishen Rita Higgins, SixmilebridgeMartin O’Grady, Quin Joe Cooney, BallymacdonnellJoe Carey TD, Clarecastle Erica Broge/Kathy Beirne Vets, TullaSean McMahon, Rathluby, Quin Dermot RyanJoe Brady, Enagh, Kilkishen Donal & Mary Ryan, FedamoreKerry Creameries Mary Teresa RyanPa Joe McNamara, Enagh, Kilkishen Lenihan Family, Enagh East, KilkishenPauline Taylor Dillon Tommy McMahon, KilkishenFrank Cahill, Kilkishen James Francis & James Junior DowningCox Family, Kilmurry Ann ShanahanSean Crowe, Broadford Michael & Sean BrennanSean O’Driscoll, Broadford Michael McGrath, BallinachinchMick & Noreen Ryan, Kilbane Sean Moloney, Kealderra, Bodyke
Denis Lenihan, O’C Mills Jack Murphy, Main St. TullaPaddy McCarthy, Quin Michael Lynch c/o Aggie McCarthyVardins Pharmacy, Quin Paul Heffernan & Family, BelvoirPat Hannon, Ardsolus, Quin St Ledger Family, O’C MillsSeamus Moroney, Enagh, Kilkishen Ann & Ger DugganMike Flannery, Drumullen, Quin Duggan Family, GortadrommaPeggy Moloney, Post Office, O’C Mills Duggan Family, ClashduffMike Neville, Gortnacorragh, Kilkishen Sean & Tom Nugent, ScariffJ P Guinane, Enagh, Kilkishen Jim & Angela St Ledger, MonasterevinLenihan Builders, Clonloum, O’C Mills Pauline Broughall (née St Ledger)Tom Quinn, Sixmilebridge John & Eileen Gunning, KilbaneFr Jim Quinn, Miami Bobby Frost, Enagh Cross, KilkishenIta QuinnQuinn Family, MoymoreJoan Quinn Chaplin Michael QuinnMichael Quinlivan John McInerneyPaddy Carroll, Sixmilebridge Eddie Russell, Sixmilebridge
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MY GLENWOOD EXPERIENCE….... the making of a commemorative memorial.
by Patsy Neville, Chairman
It was the month of September 2010 as I was scanning through the local newspapers that I came across a feature on the Rineen Ambush and the pageant that the local committee there had put in place re-lated to the 90th anniversary. As I became engrossed in the article and the work this committee were doing to remember past events, ques-tions began to come into my mind as to why nothing had been done to mark the place in Glenwood where our local ambush took place. As I compared Rineen with Glenwood there were a number of similar situations. The six RIC / Black and Tans killed were the same in both situations as was the aftermath related to the destruction of property. However in the Glenwood situation there was no loss of life in the af-termath atrocities. In the next few weeks Glenwood began to consume me, and I asked myself questions as to why 90 years had passed and little or anything had been to commemorate rate the event of to mark the spot. I had previously chaired a committee that had produced His-tory of O’Callaghan’s Mills GAA club and in this publication we had also included some local history including the ambush at Glenwood. Kieran Griffin had done this particular section from me, so I duly con-tacted him and he forwarded me his notes on the project which in-cluded a list of 37 participants in the ambush plus the 10 members of RIC and Black and Tans who were in the patrol that was attacked on that particular day. I then decided to check where the actual site was so I visited Kieran’s dad Tony who lives very close to the spot and he pointed out the spot to me. From reading Joe Clancy’s statement to the Military bureau, the terrain did not appear correct. Joe stated that the land behind the wall was well above the level of the road, whereas the terrain at the gate that Tony pointed out was sloping the opposite way. I visited Pa Heffernan down the road and he explained that the gate entrance was correct but that the volunteers were spread a good length
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along the road behind the wall and sure enough the terrain further down the road towards Sixmilebridge fitted Joe’s account .
Later I had a chance chat with Thomas Tuohy in a local licensed prem-ises and when the subject of the Glenwood Ambush came up he men-tioned that he was a member of a class in Kilkishen school that were taken to the site by the school principal of the time Mr Pat O’Connor on the day of the fiftieth anniversary which was January 1951. This story gave me the belief that something needed to be done. If the schoolmaster in the village felt it was worth taking a senior class in the school to the site then it should be suitably marked. I contacted Mary Crawford the chairperson of the Rineen commemoration committee and she gave me great advise and enthusiasm to proceed. Yes, I felt well capable of undertaking what is a reality here today.
I called an open meeting for Friday Nov 5th at Donnellans Kilkishen where approx 22 people attended. This was to be the nucleus of our committee which has met weekly to bring today commemoration to fruition. Our meeting of Nov 29th gave the committee a more formal structure with yours truly being appointed chairman, Michael McNa-mara Sixmilebridge secretary and John Lenihan as treasurer. Later we appointed four honorary presidents namely Paddy Clancy, Mick Ryan, Flan McCarthy and Frank Cahill. The most difficult decision that our committee had to make was related to the names on the monu-ment. The mood of our very first meeting was that all names that were in the public domain including Irish and British should be included. There was only one dissenting voice at this meeting. However as we progressed the project it became obvious that including the RIC and Black and Tans names could be problematic as there were still very deep rooted feelings floating around related to the atrocities carried out by the Black and Tans during the war of independence especially down in Killaloe with the torture and murder of the Scariff Martyrs. We had 37 names on the Irish Republican Army side which were listed in the Kerryman Publication as having participated in the Ambush and
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we would include these names on the monument. However at a se-cret ballot at our meeting of Dec13th it was decided by a significant majority to exclude all names This decision was made due to the fact that we could not prove if the 37 names we had was an accurate or a comprehensive listing. Others were mentioned as having participated and while we believe that these additional people played an active part in the war of independence we do not know if they were in Glenwood on that particular day. It was a case of “ when in doubt leave it out “. At a subsequent meeting it was agreed to revisit the names on the monument issue at a later date when we have had time to do further research. Should in the future we gain a high confidence level related to the IRA participants, then these names can be added to another suit-able position at the site.
In conclusion I must mention the weekly meetings we had around a blazing fire in Donnellans Pub Kilkishen where many a story was shared and a pint drank and I thank the McCarthy family for facilitat-ing this. These Monday nights can never be the same again.
Patsy Neville
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PERSONAL COMMENT ….………by the author of the booklet
My father, Tim McNamara wasn’t much interested in history. I’m told by Paddy Clancy that he preferred singing and his party piece was “The Legion of the Lost”. I never did hear him sing it. However, he did tell me one story concerning the aftermath of the Glenwood ambush. He was 12 years old at the time, walking home from school in Sixmi-lebridge when an RIC man on a bicycle told him to get off the road and to go home through the fields as the Black & Tans were coming in a lorry and shooting wildly. This he did and he attributed his survival to that RIC man.
So when Patsy Neville launched his memorial project, I decided to get involved. I attended all of the meetings in Donnellan’s and volun-teered to write this booklet. I have been involved in different voluntary projects through the years and I can say that I have never experienced the level of interest and commitment that was shown during those Monday nights in Donnellans.
I would like to thank all those people who went off to remote parts of Co. Clare and who made phone calls to far-away places and uncov-ered old papers, medals photographs, letters and other memorabilia and who stirred up long buried memories in order find out what hap-pened to the participants in the ambush.
It is good that all of this information came to light. There is an African saying that when an old person dies, a library is lost. This booklet will preserve some of that library.
Finally, I would like to thank Marguerite Keane and Seán Lonergan for their assistance in sourcing information for this booklet. I have handled enough old weapons now to do me for a long time and I defi-nitely never want to be anywhere near a 90 year old grenade.
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ERRORS AND OMISSIONS
It is probably inevitable that errors and/or omissions will occur in the preparation of this booklet. There are some known omissions where time and resources did not permit a fuller investigation.
For example, there is a lack of personal details of the RIC and Black & Tans involved in the ambush. Also, due to space considerations, it was not possible to give fuller accounts of the subsequent lives of the republican participants. Another regrettable omission is an account of the activities of Cumann na mBan. There were active Cumainn in many villages in East Clare, but there is little or no contemporary re-portage of their activities.
Should the reader like to comment on the contents, please contact the author at the contact details below.
Michael McNamaraJamaica InnSixmilebridgeCo. ClarePhone: 061 369220Email: [email protected]