April 1920 started with the largest scale IRA activity to date in the War of Independence with the systematic targeting of abandoned RIC barracks and other buildings. It was a month during which the issue of Irish independence would be brought to an international audience, while it continued to be time of terror in Ireland. The RIC remained the open target of the IRA, but on a number of occasions in April the RIC would claim victory. Elsewhere, land related issues continued to flare as anarchy set in across the country.

Milltown-Malbay 14th April 1920 RIC and the military shot into a crowd.

It was a month of terror in county Clare, none more so than at Milltown-Malbay on the 14 April when a group of RIC and the military shot into a crowd who were celebrating the release of prisoners' release from Mountjoy jail, killing three people and wounding nine others. Gathered around a lit tar barrel to celebrate the release of the Mountjoy hunger-strikers, the crowd were fired after being warned to disperse. The dead included Patrick Hennessy, a 30-year-old small farmer from Miltown Malbay and a father of two; John O’Loughlin, an unmarried tailor from Ennistymon; and Thomas Leary, 33, a married father of 10 children from Miltown Malbay. Naturally, there was widespread revulsion at the killings. In the House of Commons, TP O’Connor rebuked the British government for the actions of the police and soldiers. In the wake of the attack, the Bishop of Killaloe, Michael Fogarty, condemned the incident but called for calm. Writing to Fr Hannon, PP of Miltown Malbay, the bishop expressed:     ‘Universal sorrow at slaughter of your helpless and inoffensive people. I tender my deepest sympathy to you and friends and victims. Please exhort people in my name to exercise self-control in spite of provocation’. The scenes witnessed at the funerals, it was said, would live long in the memory of the people of Clare.

Download Source: Irish Independent 1905-current, Monday, April 19, 1920; Page: 5