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 attack on a number of occasions in 1920. During one attack in February, big stones were placed on the line forcing the drivers' engine off the track but the carriage remained on the line. Reports from the incident described the danger which railway workers faced and it was luck that there was no loss of life.
Later that month as the train was due at the village of Kincasslagh in Donegal fifteen masked men held up the station master, cut the wires and smashed equipment in his cabin. With the station master held at gunpoint, the train was then ransacked but the IRA retreated without finding any weapons or ammunition on-board. Later in 1920, the Burtonport train was again targeted by the IRA when coming from Derry, the train was held up at a place called Crolly by armed men. Two men were wounded by a shotgun during the raid, while the driver was told to take the train to a ‘lonely spot’ where it was searched, again in vain, for ammunition.
