The Rathmore Ambush
Introduction from Chronology
At Bog Road, a half-mile from Rathmore,
Co Kerry, the IRA ambush a nine-man party of RIC men, who were lured to the
spot by the body of a suspected informer. This ambush results in the deaths of
eight of the nine RIC men.
More Detail
The alleged informer was an 80-year-old itinerant called Thomas [O’]Sullivan. IRA
sources that he was identified as an informer with the assistance of two BA
deserters – George Mottley and Jack Steer. Andy Cooney, who was a GHQ organiser with
Kerry No. 2 Brigade at this time, claimed to have set up a test to ensure that
the deserters were correctly identifying the informer. After they identified him, [O’]Sullivan was court martialled and sentenced to death. Following his execution, his body was placed
by the side of the road.
A party of nine RIC men come out of Rathmore to investigate the body at
the side of the road. As the RIC men gather around the body, they are fired on
by their ambushers. This results in the deaths of eight RIC men (Sgt Thomas
McCormack, Constable Walter Brown, Constable William Clapp, Constable Robert
Dyne, Constable Alfred Hillyer, Constable James Phelan, Constable Samuel
Watkins, Constable Hedley Woodcock). The IRA capture eight rifles and a
considerable amount of ammunition. Constable
Hickey is the one survivor of the ambush.
According to O’Donoghue and Abbott, this ambush was a joint operation
between the Cork No. 2 and Kerry No. 2 Brigades. However, Hopkinson, MacEvilly
and O’Halpin & Ó Corráin
make no mention the involvement of Cork No. 2.
MacEvilly states that “Cooney was delighted
with the success of this operation, which he had planned but in which he had
not taken part”.
In retaliation, the Crown Forces burn five houses in the vicinity of the
ambush and Rathmore creamery.
For more on Mottley and Steer – see
Jun-04-21/6.
Six of the eight RIC men killed
were from England with between three and eight months’
service with the RIC.