The Killing of Sgt O’Donoghue and its Aftermath

Introduction from Chronology

RIC Sergeant James O'Donoghue is shot dead by the IRA in White St, Cork City.  After this killing, the RIC kill three men (Patrick Hanley; Eugene O'Connell and James Coleman) in retaliation and wound a number of others (one very seriously). Also, the IRA subsequently kill up to three men who they suspected of informing the RIC about who carried out the O’Donoghue killing.

More Detail

Peter Hart starts his seminal work The I.RA. & Its Enemies with a detailed account of the killing of Sgt O’Donoghue and its consequences. According to Hart (and Abbott), O’Donoghue’s killers were brothers Willie (Joe) and Charlie O’Brien and, their future brother-in-law, Justin O’Connor. All were members of 1st Battalion, Cork No. 1 Brigade. (Along with quoting Hart, O’Halpin and Ó Corráin quote another source saying that the killers were Tommy Healy and Willie Joe O’Brien of G Company, 1^st Battalion, Cork No.1 Brigade IRA.)

The attack on Sgt O’Donoghue had not been authorised by Cork No. 1 Brigade officers and, a week after his killing, the Cork IRA apologise in writing to his family. Those who took part are court martialled but acquitted.

That night three men were shot dead in Cork City by men in military uniform. The first, Patrick Hanley, who was a member of Fianna Éireann, is shot dead at his home in 2 Broad Lane or Street. The second, James Coleman, a member of Sinn Féin (but not of the IRA), is shot dead at his home at 15 North Mall and the third, Eugene O'Connell, is shot dead at 7 or 17 Broad Lane or 28 Broad Street. Borgonovo says that O’Connell was a member of the IRA but this is not confirmed by Hart or O’Halpin & Ó Corráin with Hart quoting a source (O’Connell’s wife) saying that he never joined the IRA.

Two others (Charlie O'Brien; 17 Broad Lane and Stephen Coleman, 2 Broad St) are wounded. O’Brien was seriously wounded. (O’Farrell says that Stephen Coleman died but this is not confirmed by any other source.)

Charlie O’Brien was the only person targeted by the RIC who took part in the killing of Sgt O’Donoghue. However, according to Hart, both Hanley and O’Connell were associated with the O’Brien brothers. (O’Connell was their brother-in-law and Hanley was friendly with Charlie O’Brien.)

Because the RIC obviously knew who was involved in the killing of O’Donoghue within hours of it happening, the IRA went in search of an informer. According to Hart, suspicion fell on ‘Din Din’ O’Riordan (who was a member of the IRA and an ex-BA soldier) and he was arrested and interrogated by the IRA. According to Hart’s source, O’Riordan confessed to informing on the O’Brien’s and was executed. Hart says that O’Riordan said that he had been recruited by another IRA man who worked for Mr Nicholson of Woodford and Bournes Wine Merchants and that he got money from Mr Nicholson. Hart’s source says that the next night the other IRA man is abducted and killed.

However, no source (other than Hart) confirms the execution of a suspected informer called O’Riordan. A number of sources do confirm the killing by the IRA of a suspected informer called Denis ‘Din Din’ Donovan – see Apr-09-21/3. Hart also links the killing by the IRA of two other suspected informers – Edward Hawkins and John Sherlock – with the above killings – see May-20-21/3.

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