Sinn Fein Banks Raided and Barricaded March 1920 By March 1920 Dublin Castle, under pressure to control the growing support of Sinn Fein and prevent further outrages from occurring all across the country, set their sights on how the organisation was financed. Over the course of eleven days in early March that investigation became apparent and there were two raids on the Sinn Fein bank on Harcourt Street. There were also rai...

As the War of Independence intensified intelligence gathering became an important feature of the conflict and gave volunteers experience on active service. One of the many areas of intelligence gathering was the targeting of post as it was being delivered throughout the country. Quite often, this included post which was directed towards local magistrates and justices of the peace, local landowners and others who were deeme...

March was a month of terror in Ireland. It was a month when the IRA began to target the police, military and others in broad daylight as the frequency of barrack attacks gave way to ambush and assassination. It was also a month when the military began to strike back, while Dublin Castle upped the ante against Sinn Fein and their supporters. What else happened in Ireland in March 1920? RIC Constable John Martin Heaney (age...

Frank Shawe-Taylor Murdered 03.March.1920 3 March March was a month of terror in Ireland. It was a month when the IRA began to target the police, military and others in broad daylight as the frequency of barrack attacks gave way to ambush and assassination. It was also a month when the military began to strike back, while Dublin Castle upped the ante against Sinn Fein and their supporters. What else happened in Ireland ...

March was a month of terror in Ireland. It was a month when the IRA began to target the police, military and others in broad daylight as the frequency of barrack attacks gave way to ambush and assassination. It was also a month when the military began to strike back, while Dublin Castle upped the ante against Sinn Fein and their supporters. What else happened in Ireland in March 1920? The month of March 1920 commenced w...

After a month of intense IRA activity across the country, the War of Independence continued unabated in February 1920. Becoming more daring in the process, the IRA continued to target the RIC and their barracks. Elsewhere, local issues and tensions would also surface, and in some cases they become embroiled in the struggle for Independence. February 1920 would be a month of chaos across the country. In late February...

Land agitation in county Galway culminated in shots being fired at the home of Francis McCormack at Queensfort, between Dunmore and Tuam in February 1920. McCormick and sister were the only occupants of the house when the incident occurred and were unscathed, but one of the staff, Miss Kelly, a cook, was said to have had a lucky escape during the firing. More than eight shots were fired at the house and many of the windows ...

Timoleague RIC Barracks Attacked 24 February 1920 Cork Examiner 27 February 1920 The targeting of RIC barracks across the country continued in county Cork in late February when the police at Timoleague, occupied by nine constables and two sergeants, were attacked. The attack was alleged came as a surprise owning to the quietness of the area up to that point. However, the RIC were obviously prepared for an attack, using Vese...

RIC barracks in Ballynahinch Attacked Failed 23 February 1920 An attempt to blow up the RIC barracks in Ballynahinch, county Down was widely condemned within in February 1920 when as the Belfast Newsletter wrote the ‘operations of Sinn Fein happily failed in its murderous intent’. Ballynahinch was a small garrison of only five policemen and was manned at the time by Sergeant Doherty and Constables Fennell, Barrett, Coyn...

The release from prison of a man convicted to taking part in cattle drive was enthusiastically welcomed in Queen’s County (Laois) in February 1920. Anthony Monohan of Cappagh, near Borris-in –Ossory was welcomed home by a large crowd who gathered at Ballybrophy train station having served two months in jail for driving cattle off the lands of Thomas Colcough near Borris-in-Ossory. Met by the Knocknaree Pipers Band and ...