The
Ballytrain Barracks Attack
There were about 120 IRA men
involved in the attack and they were armed with a dozen rifles, twenty
revolvers and about thirty shotguns. The barracks was defended by six RIC
men (Sgts Lawton and Graham and Constables Gallagher, Murtagh, McDonnell and
one other.). At first the RIC refused to surrender but they did after the
IRA blow a hole in the gable end of the barracks with gelignite stolen from
Monaghan County Council. Six carbines and ammunition in the barracks was
taken by the IRA and the surrendered RIC were released. Among the IRA who
took part in the attack were Dan Hogan, Seamus McKeena, Terry Magee, James
Flynn, Phil Marron, P J Daly, John Donnolly, Thomas Donnelly, Patrick
McDonnell, Charles Walton, Barney Marron and Patrick McCabe. (O’Drisceoil says
that Peadar O’Donnell also took part.)
Dooley suggests that the one
other constable present in the barracks was Constable Fox. Lawlor doesn’t give
the name of Constable McDonnel but does give the names of Constables Nelson and
Roddy. He also says that O’Duffy ensured
that injured RIC men were given medical attention and that it was a major
propaganda success. Lawlor notes that
within a month most of those who took part in the attack were arrested.