`."System- "Systemqgl܄VF-"System--@Times New Roman--- 52 x`cBelfast Column at Lappinduff          2 x[c  @Times New Roman--- 52 `cIntroduction from Chronology         2 Sc  @Times New Roman--- "2 `cOne of the two      g2 =cBelfast flying columns, which was operating in the Cootehill                   2 `Ocarea of Cavan (the other operated in Belfast), is surrounded by a large BA and                       ------------ %2 `cRIC force in the     --- )2 cLappinduff Mountains     ---  2 c  D2 &cresulting in the death of one IRA man              G2 `(c(Sean McCartney from Norfolk St., Falls             F2 'cRoad, Belfast) and the capture of most           @"Calibri--------- t2 `Fcof the rest of the column (10 men captured), two of whom were wounded.                   2 c   2 c ---  2 c  --- 2 "` cMore Detail    2 "c  --- V2 >`2cThey had only arrived in Cavan a few days earlier.               2 >c   2 >c  +2 >cThey were led by Joe       a2 T`9cMcGee or Magee who escaped along with perhaps one or two               2 TKcothers.    2 Tc   p2 p`CcThe Crown Forces were probably acting on information. According to                     t2 `FcMcDermott They seem to have been betrayed by an informer. However,                   }2 `Lcaccording to OHalpin and Corrin, McGee had allowed three Belfast men to                      @2 `#cvisit a local pub on the previous n            I2 m)cight. They also quote one member of the             2 `Occolumn as saying that the IRAs position was given away by a local Protestant                           }2 `Lcfarmer, perhaps inadvertently, while others suspected two families with RIC                   --- 2 ` crelatives.   ---  2 c  --- R2 `/cThe captured men were Thomas Fox, Joseph McGlin            +2 cchey, James McKenna,       2 "`OcPeter Callghan, John McDermott, Patrick Smith, Patrick Clarke, Patrick McGill,                  z2 7`JcJames Finn and Patrick Dougan. Smith and Clarke (both from Ballieborough,                      2 M`McCo. Cavan) were released by saying that they had unknowingly walked into the                      2 b`cambus   |2 bKch. The others were all from Belfast. Six were sentenced to death after a                     J2 x`*cCourt Martial but were saved by the Truce.            2 xc  72 xc(One source claimed that Fox         =2 `!cescaped but this was incorrect.)          2 ]c   |2 `KcThe O/C of the column, McGee, reported Local Volunteers were very slow and                   2 c   2 `Ocdo not seem to grasp anything. They are just typical of the sleepy place, and                       v2 `Gcseem to hold the enemy forces in great dread. However, his V/C, James                    2 `NcMcKenna said later that We should not have given battle to the enemy at all,                      42 `cbut collected all our arms       \2 $6cand equipment and cleared off. He was also critical              2 ` cof McGee.   2 c   2 1`NcOHalpin and Corrin describe this incident as a shambolic engagement with                       v2 F`GcCrown Forces which put an end to any hope of sustained IRA activity in                        2 \`cCavan.   2 \c   =2 x`!cThere was an attempt to spring th          ,2 xlce condemned prisoners        2 x&c-  2 x,c  2 x1csee Jun   2 xjc- 2 xpc03   2 xc- 2 xc21/6.    2 xc    2 `c  ---@Times New Roman--------- c2 `cBack  ---  2 c @Times New Roman---c- @ !*`- ---  2 `c  "Arial--ccbbaa