A member has sent photos of the IRA Volunteers Memorial at the old Cork county Gaol, it is now part of the University College Cork campus, the memorial commemorates the IRA volunteers executed there.

On viewing the memorial it can be seen clusters of executions, or batches, please read below:

“On 28 January 1921 the 6th Battalion, Cork No.1 Brigade were preparing an ambush in Dripsey, Co. Cork when they were surrounded by soldiers of the 1st Battalion, The Manchester Regiment, most were taken prisoner. After a military trial on the morning of 28 February 1921 six of the IRA prisoners were executed by firing squad in Cork. That evening between 18.30 and 20.00 the IRA retaliated and shot 12 British soldiers on the streets of Cork. The first to be shot was Private Wyse who was shot by two men, shortly afterwards Corporal Hodnett was shot four times in a nearby street.”

Any member or reader who can supply information on the other executed volunteers please e mail it to info@irishvolunteers.org

cork IRA executed volunteers Memorial UCC Cork old jail

cork IRA executed volunteers Memorial UCC Cork old jail

Cork IRA 2 Brigade Volunteers executed

cork volunteers IRA

IRA Brigade Executed Cork

irish volunteers cork

Irish Volunteers executed Cork County Gaol

Cork county Gaol a sit was,nearly all the interior buildings were demolished in the late 50.s and 60.s, only the main gates and perimeter walls remain today

main walls and gate entrance today Cork county Gaol UCC

IRA Volunteers Memorial to those who died in Cork County Gaol, the plaque is on the perimeter wall by the main gate.

The above plaque showing deaths in the gaol from Cork IRA Brigades 1 , 2 and 3

cork volunteers executed

Member John Jefferies has kindly sent in pics of the commemoration book for the unveiling. It is dated 11 July 1948, the day of the unveiling.

























Many Thanks to Ailín Mac Conbhuí for sending in the information below,well done Ailín.

Buried in the Republican Plot in U.C.C.
Cornelius Murphy- Ballydavid, Millstreet 1/2/1921

Capt Cornelius Murphy of Millstreet Battalion, Cork No. 2 Brigade is executed in Cork – the first official execution under martial law.  (He was arrested on 4th January and charged with possession of a loaded revolver.)  Patrick Lynch KC had applied for habeas corpus.

O’Donnoghue (1986), pg 129

Patrick O’Mahony-Donoughmore – 28/2/1921

 

Timothy McCarthy-Donoughmore – 28/2/1921

 

John Lyons-Aghabullogue – 28/2/1921

 

Thomas O’Brien-Dripsey – 1901 – 28/2/1921                                                          
Two brothers and a sister, dad is a wool dyer

Seán Allen-Tipperary – 28/2/1921

Daniel O’Callaghan-Dripsey – 28/2/1921

Eldest son, one sister, five brothers dad a farmer

O’Farrell P (1997), pg xvii; O’Donnoghue (1986), pg 157; Sheehan (1990), pg 154 & Hart (1998), pg 99; O’Farrell (1997), pg 102

Six IRA prisoners are shot in Cork. In retaliation, the IRA shoots twelve unarmed British soldiers in the streets of Cork the following day. Sean Allan was from Bank Place, Tipperary and a member of the Tipperary No. 3 Brigade and the others were captured after the Dripsey ambush.

 

Patrick Ronayne-Mallow – 28/4/1921
Thomas Mulcahy-Mallow – 28/4/1921

Captured after the Mourne Abbey Ambush. IRA ambush party at Mourne Abbey is surprised by British force – four IRA men are killed and eight captured.

Detail of Mourne Abbey Counter Ambush

Mallow Battalion Column, under Jack Cunningham (with the battalion Commandant, Tadg Byrne, also present) lay in ambush on the Mallow-Cork road at Mourne Abbey but are surrounded by a strong British force.  Three Volunteers were killed (Patrick Flynn, Patrick Dorgan and Eamonn Creedon) and another dies of his wounds (Michael Looney).  Eight Volunteers are taken prisoner and two of them are subsequently executed on the 28th April after a court-martial (Patrick Ronayne and Thomas Mulcahy).

O’Donnoghue (1986), pg 136

 

Maurice Moore – Cobh – 1897 -28/4/1921

Maurice Moore was an Irish republican who fought in the Irish War of Independence and was executed in April 1921 after capture in the aftermath of the Clonmult Ambush. 

Moore was born at Ticknock, Cobh, County Cork in 1897. He was educated at the local Presentation Brothers National School and after school began work as a plumber’s mate at Haulbowline dockyard (then a British naval establishment).

His family had strong republican connections and he joined Irish Volunteers in Cobh in 1916. Three of his brothers were also members and they all subsequently served with the Irish Republican Army as members of the 4th Battalion, Cork No.1 Brigade.

As a member of the Cobh Company of the IRA Moore took part in the capture of Carrigtwohill Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) barracks which was the first police barracks captured by republicans in the War of Independence. He was later involved in the capture of Cloyne RIC barracks and numerous other actions of the local IRA against British crown forces.

In February 1921 Moore was one of a flying column of over 20 IRA men billeted in an old farmhouse at Clonmult, near Midleton under Commandant Diarmuid Hurley. They were tracked down and surrounded by a company of the Hampshire Regiment of the British Army and RIC, Black and Tans and Auxiliaries. In the ensuing gunfight 12 of the republicans were killed and eight captured, including Maurice Moore.

The group were given a military courtmartial and all were sentenced to death. Seven of them later had their sentences commuted but two, Moore and his lifelong friend Paddy O’Sullivan were executed on 28 April 1921.

Maurice was 24 years old.

 

1911 

One of 7 children, one sister, mother died, worked as shop porter. Older brothers farm servants, iron mongerer,younger siblings scholars, dad a labourer.

Patrick O’Sullivan – Cobh – 1897 – 28/4/1921

Fought at Clonmult, was captured.

1911 
Patrick was the youngest of seven children of which four brothers survived  and lived with them and his parents at 8.4 Thomas St., Cobh. Father/oldest brother a gardener, other two boiler maker and iron work.

 

Patrick Casey-Limerick –2/5/1921

Captain Patrick Casey of 5th Battalion, Mid-Limerick Brigade executed in Cork

O’Donnoghue (1986), pg 157

 

Daniel O’Brien-Liscarroll – 1891 – 16/5/1921
Daniel O’Brien
Knockardbane, Liscarroll and member of Charleville Battalion, Cork No. 2 Brigade is executed in Cork.  He had been captured on the 11th May at Aughvrin, near Liscarrol.
O’Donnoghue (1986), pg 157;O’Farrell (1997), pg 75

 

Mother had passed. Brother and sister, son of farmer.

Also of note: O’Leary, Walsh, Harty and Garde were 4 volunteers captured at clonmult who got their sentences communted. (Captain P. Higgins and Volunteer J. O’Leary were wounded, o leary was still recovering and was only not executed as he was still recovering at the time of the truce)

 

During the period of the killing of these Volunteers General Strickland, the British G.O.C. of the Martial Law area received written warnings from the I.R.A. that if executions went ahead there would be retaliatory acts, as such,  retaliatory attacks for Volunteers including Frank Hurley, Geoffrey Canty and Lt. Con Murphy did not occur as a plan had already been put in place in retaliation for the 28/4 killings.

 

This occurred on May 14 when every one of the Ten Garrisons in the area was to be attacked by Volunteers. Estimates on casualties vary as the Volunteers estimate of British casualties/deaths tend to be higher than those released by the brits. This occurred on May 14 when every one of the Ten Garrisons in the area was to be attacked by Volunteers. Estimates on casualties vary as the Volunteers estimate of British casualties/deaths tend to be higher than those released by the brits.

 

Different esitimates of numbers  can be found in Tom Barry pg 547.

 

Major Compton-Smith, of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who was being held hostage by the IRA was shot by the IRA on the same day.  The IRA had told Major General Strickland, Commander of the British 6th Division, that Compton-Smith would be shot if the IRA men were executed 28/4.

O’Donnoghue (1986), pg 157; Breen (1989), pg 162

Also of note:

I’m not entirely certain as to the exact reason why, as he isn’t buried there, Fian but Richard Noonan is also commemorated on the monument. I have little information on him available to hand but can ask a collegaue of mine if you’d like it.

And while on the subject of Cork Fian, in case it is of any interest: There were four Fian from Cork killed during that period, they were:

Fian Patrick Hanley,Fian Richard Noonan, Fian Jmes Pyne, Fian Seamus Courtney

Below is a mural that was completed to mark the centenary of Na Fiann Éireann by members of Ógra Shinn Féin in the Lee Fields (a popular walking area near UCC) on an abandoned structure (formerly the city baths I think). It was painted over by the City Council within a few weeks who failed to paint the rest of the graffiti riden wall.

Na Fianna Cork city

 

 

Cork city Na Fianna wall mural 1909 -2009

Seán Ó Caomhánaigh: (Though I believe this would fall outside of the remit of the years your society commemorates)

Shot by Free State Branch men while unarmed, digging an escape tunnel into the gaol
Plaque in Memory of Vol. John Joe Cavaghnagh on the other side of the gates of the old Gaol Gates from the Roll of Honour. Killed in 1940.