Ambush at Glenwood

Introduction from Chronology

The IRA ambush of a police patrol in a Crossley tender at Glenwood, four miles from Sixmilebridge, Co Clare.  This ambush resulted in the deaths of six policemen. Ambush carried out by the Flying Column of the East Clare Brigade led by Michael Brennan.  Major reprisals by the RIC follow this ambush.

 

More Detail

The six policemen killed were DI William Clarke, Sgt Michael Mulloy or Molloy, Con John Doogue, Con Michael Moran, Con Frank Morris and Con William Smith.  Two others were wounded (Sgt Egan and Con Selve) and two others escaped uninjured. 

There were 37 men in the ambush party broken into three sections led by Michael Brennan (O/C Brigade ASU), Thomas McGrath (Brigade V/C) and Joe (or Austen?) Brennan (Brigade O/C) - about half were armed with rifles and the rest (barring scouts) were armed with shotguns.  The Crossley came into the exact spot planned by the ambushers which was the reason for the high casualties.  There were no casualties on the IRA side and they captured eight rifles, six revolvers and a quantity of ammunition.  (Brennan says 10 rifles and 7 revolvers.) 

Major reprisals by the RIC followed the ambush with a large number of houses (Brennan says 36) burnt that night around the nearby village of Kilkishen and in the wider area.  The Auxiliaries based in Lakeside Hotel joined in and burnt a number of houses and the creamery at Bridgetown. A large number of local people are arrested and interned.

Constable Morris was from Lancashire in England and Constable Smith was from London.  The other four RIC men killed were born in Ireland. 

 

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