Ambush near Rathcoole

Introduction from Chronology

Ambush of four lorries containing 25 Auxiliaries by 130 to 140 men from the Cork No. 2 Brigade, IRA under Paddy O'Brien near Rathcoole (between Millstreet and Banteer), Co. Cork.  This ambush results in the deaths of two Auxiliaries. 

More Detail

The IRA had about 65 rifles, a Hotchiss machine gun and a number of shotguns.  They also had six mines placed along the road of the ambush but only two could be used. 

Lynch says that when the IRA broke off the engagement, “Nearly half the Auxiliary force lay dead on the roadway”.  Hopkinson says that this ambush resulted in the death of, at least, 12 Auxiliaries.  However, Abbott says that only two were killed (Cadet William Boyd and Cadet Frederick Shorter) and four were wounded.  These same two names of the Auxiliary cadets who were killed are given by O’Halpin and Ó Corráin.    

(Lynch’s account is very sympathetic to the IRA – he says that his account is as told to him by participants.  This illustrates the difficulty of relying on the accounts of ‘old soldiers’ – no matter which side they are on.)

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