Belfast Column at Lappinduff
Introduction from Chronology
One of the two Belfast flying columns, which was operating in the Cootehill area of Cavan (the other operated in Belfast), is
surrounded by a large BA and RIC force in the Lappinduff Mountains resulting in the death of one IRA man (Sean McCartney
from Norfolk St., Falls Road, Belfast) and the capture of most of the rest of
the column (10 men captured), two of whom were wounded.
More Detail
They had only arrived in Cavan a few days earlier. They were led
by Joe McGee or Magee who escaped along with perhaps one or two others.
The Crown Forces were probably acting on information. According to
McDermott “They seem to have been betrayed by an informer”. However, according to O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin, McGee had allowed three Belfast men to
visit a local pub on the previous night.
They also quote one member of the column as saying that the “IRA’s
position was given away by a local Protestant farmer, perhaps inadvertently,
while others suspected two families with RIC relatives”.
The captured men were Thomas Fox, Joseph McGlinchey, James McKenna,
Peter Callghan, John McDermott, Patrick Smith,
Patrick Clarke, Patrick McGill, James Finn and Patrick Dougan. Smith and Clarke
(both from Ballieborough, Co. Cavan) were released by
saying that they had unknowingly walked into the ambush. The others were all from Belfast. Six were sentenced to death after a Court
Martial but were saved by the Truce. (One source claimed that Fox escaped
but this was incorrect.)
The O/C of the column, McGee, reported “Local Volunteers were very slow
and do not seem to grasp anything. They
are just typical of the sleepy place, and seem to hold the enemy forces in
great dread”. However, his V/C, James McKenna said later that “We should not
have given battle to the enemy at all, but collected all our arms and equipment
and cleared off”. He was also critical
of McGee.
O’Halpin and Ó Corráin
describe this incident as a “shambolic engagement with Crown Forces which put
an end to any hope of sustained IRA activity in Cavan”.
There was an attempt to spring the
condemned prisoners - see Jun-03-21/6.