Anti-Treaty Attack on Killorglin
Introduction from Chronology
Anti-Treaty forces carry out an abortive attack on Killorglin, Co.
Kerry. About 500 are in the attacking party led by Sean Hyde, John Joe
Rice and Humphrey Murphy but, in 30 hours of intense fighting, they fail to
dislodge sixty Clare men defending the town and they retreat when a pro-Treaty
relieving column arrives from Tralee.
More Detail
There are conflicting claims about casualties but at least two anti-Treaty
men are killed, 15 wounded and 14 captured. (The body of one of the captured men, John
Galvin, is found next day at Ballyseedy Wood, near
Tralee. It was alleged that he was
responsible for the death of Captain James Burke on August 26th – see
Aug-26-22/2.)
Macardle says there are
four anti-Treaty volunteers killed and 20 captured. She also says that
Galvin was killed four days later when the prisoners were being brought to
Tralee. (Macardle says attack took place on
September 25th.)
Horgan says that
there were two anti-Treaty fatalities (Con Looney and Paddy Murphy) and that
Captain Dan Lehane (from Lahinch, Co. Clare),
the pro-Treaty O/C, was also killed. (It was alleged that
Looney was involved in the killing of Tom ‘Scarteen’
O’Connor on September 9th and was singled out for this reason – see Sep-09-22/2.)
Lehane’s father and brother had been killed by
the RIC after the Rineen ambush in September 1920 –
see Sep-22 to 23-20/1.
Horgan also says that one of the wounded anti-Treaty volunteers (Diarmuid or
Jeremiah ‘Romey’
Keating) died a couple days later.
Doyle agrees with
these four casualties and adds that a pro-Treaty soldier (Denis O’Connor) later
died of his wounds.