April
1920
|
Apr-02-20/1 |
First battalion of the Manchester Regiment
arrive in Cork under Lt Col Gareth Evans and billeted in Fermoy and Kilworth.
|
Sheehan (1990), pg 67 |
|
Apr-02-20/2 |
James Craig is transferred from being
parliamentary secretary for pensions in the British government to being
parliamentary secretary at the Admiralty (under Walter Long). |
Fanning (2013), pg
220 |
|
Apr-03-20/1 |
A report from the Ireland correspondent of the
Daily Mail, and reprinted in the Cork Weekly News on this date, says
that “A theory is gradually gaining ground … that Mr MacCurtain,
the Lord Mayor of Cork, fell victim to a new secret Anti Sinn Féin
organisation modelled and run along the exact same lines as the famous
Ku-Klux-Klan, the secret society founded in America after the Civil War to
keep Negroes in Check”. This would seem to be the first mention of the shadowy Anti Sinn Féin organisation.
|
Borgonovo
(2007), pg 7 |
|
Apr-03 to 06-20/1 |
IRA
burns more than 300 evacuated RIC barracks and almost 100 income tax offices
in commemoration of the Easter Rising. Abbott says that approximately 150 barracks were destroyed on the night of 5/6 April and, between January 1st 1919 and June 30th 1920, 351 unoccupied barracks were destroyed and a further 105 damaged. (Abbott also notes that, at the beginning of
1919, the RIC had 1,299 barracks – including 51 ‘huts’ and 24 protection
posts - but this was reduced to 865 by the beginning of 1921.) McDermott gives details of Belfast raids on April 5th. McCarthy gives names of unoccupied barracks in
Waterford destroyed. Coleman notes that all unoccupied barracks in
Longford were destroyed along with three more which were evacuated the
following month. McCluskey notes that only four were destroyed in Tyrone along with one more on May 1st. Ó Ruairc details the
barracks destroyed in Clare – at least 10.
Price mentions two (Deergrove
and Cloontumper) that were destroyed in Mayo and,
subsequently, at least nine more are burnt out. Walsh lists 23 barracks that they destroyed on
this night or subsequently in Kilkenny.
In addition, two courthouses were burnt down in Kilkenny and two
income offices had their records burnt.
Durney lists 14 barracks which were attacked
in Co. Kildare and says that six courthouses were also burnt. Hall lists 7 barracks that were burnt in Louth before the end of May and that the tax office in Dundalk was burnt on April 14th. Ó Duibhir lists 15
barracks in Donegal which were destroyed along with two customs and excise
offices. McGarty lists five vacated barracks in Leitrim which the IRA burnt on the night of April 3rd. They burnt a further six government offices and one more vacated barracks in the coming months. During the burning of an RIC barracks in Limerick, an IRA Volunteer called J. J. Collopy is badly injured. He was to die on December 15th. During the attempted burning of the abandoned RIC Barracks at Luggacurran in Co. Laois, two IRA men were badly burnt and one, John Byrne, dies from his burns. Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of this
nationwide operation is that the little information about it would seem to
have got into the hands of the Crown Forces before it happened. The Irish Attorney General, Denis Henry,
estimated that 25,000 men took part in the various attacks around the country
(which was a wild exaggeration). |
Hopkinson (2002), pg 56; Abbott (2000), pgs 55-56; Dalton (199), pgs 68-72; McDermott (2001), pg 28; McCarthy (2015), pg 67; Coleman (2003), pg 119; McCluskey (2014), pg 90; Ó Ruairc (2009), pg 129; Price (2012), pg 71 & 94; Walsh (2018); pg 66; Durney (2013), pgs 95-96; Hall (2019), pg 70; Ó Duibhir (2009), pgs 130-131; Abbott (2019), pgs 69-71; McGarty (2020), pgs 79-80; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pgs 128 & 255; Mitchell (1995), pg 128; O’Farrell (1997), pg 103 |
|
Apr-03-20/1 |
Hamar Greenwood (Canadian Coalition Lib) appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland replacing Ian Macpherson. Sworn in on the April 13th. Fanning quotes O’Halpin
as follows “Greenwood, through brave, was not bright, and he was not to contribute
much to Irish policy in his two years as Chief Secretary”. Greenwood was to be the last Chief Secretary
for Ireland. |
Curran J M (1980), pg32; Fanning (2013), pg 224; Mitchell (1995), pg 180 |
|
Apr-05-20/1 |
Start of hunger strike in Mountjoy Jail by IRA
prisoners led by Peadar Clancy demanding prisoner of war status.
Demonstrations of support take place around the prison. (Gallagher was a prisoner in Mountjoy at the
time and one of the leaders.
Considerable detail is given by Gallagher of the hunger strike from
the inside.) See Apr-11-20/1. |
Curran J M (1980), pg36 & Hopkinson (2002) pg xiv & pg 37; Macardle (1999), pg 344; Gallagher (1953), pgs 161-163; Townshend (2014), pgs 142-143; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pgs 209-212; Mitchell (1995), pg 129; Kautt (2014), pg 43; Sheehan (2007), pg 12 |
|
Apr-05-20/1 |
O’Farrell says that Patrick Cloonan from
Maree, Co. Galway dies on this day but it would seem that he got the year
wrong. See Apr-06-21/3. |
O’Farrell (1997), pg 104; |
|
Apr-07-20/1 |
Large cattle drives take place in south Mayo
carried out by men looking for local estates to be sold and divided up among
local people. Other cattle drives
occurred around Ballyhaunis, Hollymount and Ballindine later in the month. See Apr-10-20/1. |
Price (2012), pgs
69-70 |
|
Apr-07-20/2 |
Sapper James McKay from the BA’s Royal
Engineers accidently drowns off Bere Island in Co.
Cork. |
O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 128; Cork Fatality Register |
|
Apr-09-20/1 |
Two RIC men (Constables William Finn and
Daniel McCarthy) are shot dead in an ambush on a three man
RIC patrol at Lackamore Woods between Rearcross and Newport, Co Tipperary. The third constable, Constable Byrne, was
wounded. Part of the reprisals by Crown Forces for
these killings were attacks on eight creameries in the surrounding
areas. (A total of 48 creameries were
attacked by Crown Forces, with varying level of destruction, during the War
of Independence.) |
Coogan (1990), pg 139; Abbott (2000), pg 68; Hart (1998), pg 76; Leeson (2012), pg 138 & 156; Breathnach (2017), pg 556; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 128; Kautt (2014), pgs 50-51 |
|
Apr-09-20/2 |
IRA man Patrick Morrissey is shot during a
raid on a house at Pilmore near Youghal,
Co. Cork. He is later to die in
hospital. |
O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 128; Cork Fatality Register |
|
Apr-10-20/1 |
Under a front page
headline ‘Western Land Hunger’, the Mayoman reported that “the fight for the grazing land is
developing all over South Mayo, Galway and South Roscommon. Cattle drives
were occurring in many areas”. See Apr-25-20/1. |
Price (2012), pg 69 |
|
Apr-10-20/2 |
In an interview given to the Irish Independent, Griffith says “Labour stood down for Sinn Féin at the General Election and worked in harmony with us at the local elections. If our enemies are relying on a breach in our forces in that direction they will be disappointed.” See Apr-12-20/3. |
Mitchell (1995), pg 179 |
|
Apr-11-20/1 |
At the request of the Chief Commissioner of
the DMP, the British Army send two battalions to clear the large crowd who
had assembled outside Mountjoy prison to support the hunger strikers. See Apr-12-20/1. |
Kautt (2014), pgs 43-4 |
|
Apr-12-20/1 |
Five prisoners in Galway Jail go on hunger
strike. A general strike is organised
in the city. The prisoners are
released after ten days. See Apr-12-20/2. |
Henry (2012), pgs 60-63 |
|
Apr-12-20/1 |
Francis Curran, a 64 or
68-year old rate collector, is shot dead at Aughalough,
Aughavas, Co. Leitrim by two masked men. McGarty notes that “the reason for Curran’s
death was unclear”. McGarty say April 12th but O’Halpin and Ó Corráin say April 19th. |
McGarty (2020), pg
79; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin
(2020), pgs 130-131 |
|
Apr-12-20/2 |
Large demonstrations (up to 20,000 people) in
Dublin in support of jailed IRA hunger strikers (some convicted under DORA
and some untried). Thousands of
keening women gather outside Mountjoy Jail. See Apr-12-20/3.
|
Townshend (1975), pg 76; Townshend (2014), pg 143; Sheehan (2007), pg 12 |
|
Apr-12-20/3 |
Call from General Strike to support the hunger
strikers signed by Thomas Farren (Chairman, National Executive of Trade
Unions) and Thomas Johnson (Secretary, Irish Congress of Trade Unions). See Apr-13-20/1. |
O’Farrell (1997), pgs 33 & 48; Macardle (1999), pg 344 |
|
Apr-13-20/1 |
Following the call
the previous day, the Trade Union movement stages a one-day general strike
throughout the country in support of the hunger strikers. It receives widespread support. For
example, 300 workers of the Cavan and Leitrim Railway Company came out on strike. The British fly aircraft over the streets of
Dublin to buzz the crowds with one flying below the eaves of the houses. Even the use of Lewis machine guns from the
air seems to have been considered. A nationalist MP tells the House of Commons in
London that the Thomas Ashe’s death on hunger strike was the reason that “we
have seven representatives here today rather than seventy-seven”. See Apr-14-20/1. |
Townshend (1975), pg 76; Townshend (2014), pg 143; McGarty (2020), pg 80; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pgs 209-215; Mitchell (1995), pgs 129-130; Sheehan (2007), pg 13 |
|
Apr-14-20/1 |
IRA prisoners released from Mountjoy
Prison. British say that it was
intended as an act of clemency to create the opportunity for a fresh start
for the new Chief Secretary – see Apr-03-20/1. Originally, it was intended only to parole unconvicted prisoners but, due to a mix-up, all 90 hunger-striking prisoners were released of whom 31 were convicted prisoners. There was huge consternation within the RIC after the release of the prisoners. As Townshend notes “The error delivered a dramatic republican victory and a correspondingly staggering blow to the forces of order (sic)”. According to the record of the BA’s Dublin District Division “The release of the hunger strikers by the Government was looked on a great victory by Sinn Féin.” The volume of the official BA Record of the Rebellion dealing with intelligence says that the releases “decreased still further the moral of the R.IC. … Informers, who had begun to come forward in the preceding months, now became afraid to do so”. Later in the evening, a joint RIC and BA
military (Highland Light Infantry) party, led by RIC Sgt Hampson, shoot at
crowd celebrating release of prisoners in Miltown Malbay, Co Clare killing three (John O'Loughlin, Thomas
O'Leary and Patrick Hennessy) and wounding nine. O’Loughln
was a member of the IRA. O’Halpin and Ó Corráin say that Hennessy was also a member of the IRA
and O’Leary was a civilian. However, Ó Ruairc does
not mention that Hennessy was a member of the IRA in the account that he
reproduces from an IRA man who was an eyewitness. See May-07-20/1 for outcome
of inquest into these killings. There are also riots in Derry when the
released prisoners arrive back in the city.
|
Townshend (1975), pg 76; Hopkinson (2002), pg 36; O'Malley (2001), pgs 84-85; O'Kelly and Mulvey in The Kerryman (1955), pg 148 & Coogan (1990), pg 139; Gallagher (1953), pgs 162-193; Regan (2007), pg 141; Ó Ruairc (2009), pgs 131-132 & 328; Grant (2018), pg 95; Townshend (2014), pg 144; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 129; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pgs 216-217; Mitchell (1995), pg 130; Sheehan (2007), pg 13; Sheehan (2009), pg 36; Hart (2002), pg 21 |
|
Apr-14-20/2 |
DMP Detective Constable Henry Kells is shot dead
at the corner of Upper Camden St and Pleasants St,
Dublin. Abbott says that he was shot by Squad member,
Paddy [O’]Daly. O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin say that he was killed by Squad
members Hugo MacNeill] and Tom Keogh. Molyneux and Kelly say that Kells was
killed by MacNeill and Joe Leonard.
They say that attack was led by Daly and other members of the Squad were
stationed along Camden St and Wexford St. Kells was earlier engaged in trying to
identify the leaders among IRA prisoners in Mountjoy who were on hunger
strike. Peadar Clancy recognises him
and send out word to his comrades. The day before Kells is killed, Collins
sends a message to Clancy saying “I am going to Kells to-morrow.” |
Abbott (2000), pg 69; Gallagher (1953), pg 159; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 128; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pgs 213-215 |
|
Apr-14-20/3 |
RIC Sgt Patrick Finnerty is shot in Clonard St, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin when accompanying a
group of people coming back from an illegal assembly. He died two days
later in the Mater Hospital. |
Abbott (2000), pg 69-70; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pgs 129-130 |
|
Apr-14-20/4 |
RIC Constable Patrick Foley, who is on leave
in his home place (Annascual, Co. Kerry), is
abducted by the IRA after leaving Moriarty's Hotel. His body is found
two days later in a creamery yard in Deelis, Co.
Kerry with twenty-six wounds on his body. According to O’Callaghan, Foley had given the
local RIC information on IRA men in the area (including his brother). The local RIC District Inspector informed
the IRA that he had done this so he was seized and court martialled. (Abbott gives the date of his abduction as April 14th in the 2000 edition of his book but gives the date of April 21st in the 2019 edition of his book. O’Halpin and Ó Corráin give the date of his death as April 15th.) |
Abbott (2000), pgs 70-71; O’Callaghan (2017), pg 552; Abbott (2019), pg 90; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 129 |
|
Apr-14-20/4 |
RIC Sergeant Patrick Lavin commits suicide
when in his room in the RIC Depot in Dublin. |
Abbott (2019), pgs 408-409; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pgs 128-129 |
|
Apr-14-20/5 |
Nevil Macready takes up the post of
Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in Ireland. Greenwood was sworn in as Chief Secretary on April 13th. |
Kautt (2014), pg 45 |
|
Apr-15-20/1 |
Reacting to the release of the IRA prisoners the previous day, the Irish Times states that the sudden collapse of the British government’s resolve “is slightly ridiculous and will weaken the [British] Government’s authority on both sides of the Irish Sea”. |
Mitchell (1995), pg 130 |
|
Apr-16-20/1 |
Thomas Mulholland (QM of C company, North
Louth Battalion, IRA) from John St., Dundalk is killed by RIC Sgt Joseph
Bustard during an attempt by party of eight IRA men (led by Patrick Culhane)
to disarm a three-man RIC patrol. At the inquest, Sgt Bustard said that he shot
as he feared for his own life but the jury still brought in the finding that
there was no justification for his shooting.
At Mullholland’s funeral on April 18th, Culhane is badly beaten. He is to receive another beaten from Crown forces in May after which his health fails. He will die on September 19th1920. On this night, a two man
RIC patrol is relieved of their weapons by six IRA men at Seatown,
Dundalk without any casualties on either side. |
Gallagher (1953), pg 200; O’Farrell (1997), pg 114; Hall (2019), pg 70; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 130 |
|
Apr-17-20/1 |
RIC Constable Martin Clifford, who was on home
leave in Derinaden, Co Kerry, was ambushed and
killed at Bradley's Cross, Dromod between
Waterville and Derinaden. (Possibly a retired RIC
man.) |
Abbott (2000), pg 71; Abbott (2019), pg 88; Kautt (2014), pg 51 |
|
Apr-17-20/2 |
IRA men enter a house in Bruff, Co.
Limerick. They take two young women
who live in the house outside where they threaten to kill them and cut their
hair for “walking with policemen”. |
Kautt
(2014), pg 51 |
|
Apr-17-20/3 |
Celebrations in Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim for the
release of prisoners turns violent when a section of the crowd breaks the
windows of unionist-owned businesses which were being boycotted for not
closing on the day of the general strike (April 14th). Later that night the RIC barracks in
Ballinamore is attacked and the Masonic Hall is burnt down. (The boycott is later lifted after an
apology from the businesses is printed in the local newspapers.) |
McGarty (2020), pg 80 |
|
Apr-17-20/4 |
The Irish Labour movement launches action
aimed at lowering prices. Due the
removal by the British government of controls on the price of bacon and
butter, the price of these foodstuffs had risen. The Labour executive therefore imposes a ban on the export of live pigs, bacon and butter. After negotiations with the Irish Farmers Union the prices of bacon and butter were reduced on April 20th. |
Mitchell (1995), pgs 180-181 |
|
Apr-17 to 18-20/1 |
Widespread riots in Derry when six prisoners are
removed from Derry Jail to Wormwood Scrubs in England. A number of serious injuries (and many
minor injuries) but no fatalities. Catholic clergy intervene to calm the
situation. |
Gallagher (2003), pg 21; Grant (2018), pg 96; Townshend (2014), pg 173 |
|
Apr-17-20/5 |
Bouladuff, Co. Tipperary shot up by RIC. |
Macardle (1999), pg 353 |
|
Apr-18-20/1 |
French writes to Bonar Law (Lord Privy Seal)
asking for a complete review of the Castle Administration. Bonar Law (who was acting for Lloyd George
while the latter was at the Peace Conference in Versailles) agrees to set up
an investigating committee under Warren Fisher, who was the head of the
British civil service. (Matthews says Fisher was permanent secretary to the
Treasury.) French also re-instates MacMahon with the full responsibilities of Under Secretary (see Dec-11-19/1). French blamed Macpherson for the chaos within the Castle Administration but O’Halpin clearly demonstrates that French was behind the anomalous situations of MacMahon and Taylor. See May-12-20/1. |
Townshend (1975), pg 78; Fanning (2013), pg 223; Matthews (2004), pg 37; McBride (1991), pg 279 ; O’Halpin (1987), pg 198 |
|
Apr-18-20/2 |
The IRA attacks a number of RIC men leaving a
church in Kilmihill, Co. Clare. One IRA man
(Vol John Breen) and one RIC (Sgt Patrick J Carroll) are killed. Another RIC man (Constable Collins) is
wounded. Abbott says that a number of IRA men are
wounded but Ó Ruairc does not mention any being
wounded. |
Abbott (2000), pgs 71-72; Ó Ruairc (2009), pg 134-135; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 130 |
|
Apr-18-20/3 |
The local IRA company from Ballysteen,
Co. Limerick conduct a raid for arms on the house of Peter Switzer, a member
of the Church of Ireland. Switzer fires on the raiders and mortally
wounds Lieutenant Dan Neville. The O/C
of the West Limerick Brigade, Sean Finn, reports to GHQ but Mulcahy orders
that no reprisals are to be taken. See Sep-19-20/5. |
O’Callaghan (2018), pg
116-117; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin
(2020), pg 130 |
|
Apr-18-20/4 |
P. Fogarty from Clontarf, Dublin dies. (No mention of this death in O’Halpin and Ó Corráin or any
other source consulted.) |
O'Farrell P (1997), pg 108 |
|
Apr-18-20/5 |
Two members of BA’s RASC, Alfred Redfern and
Wilfred Ventriss, are killed in a boating accident in Claremorris, Co. Mayo. |
O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin (2020), pg
553 |
|
Apr-19-20/1 |
Lieutenant Bird Everton of the BA’s
Dorsetshire Regiment is crushed between two armoured cars in Ebrington Barracks in Derry. |
O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin (2020), pg
130 |
|
Apr-19-20/2 |
Private Christopher Duckworth of the BA’s
Lancashire Fusiliers is accidently shot when on sentry duty outside Mountjoy
Prison in Dublin. He dies shortly
afterwards. |
O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin (2020), pg
130 |
|
Apr-19-20/3 |
Writing to Harry Boland about the Dáil Loan,
Collins says “This enterprise will certainly break my heart if anything ever
will. I never imagined there was so much cowardice, dishonesty, hedging,
insincerity, and meanness in the world, as my experience in connection with
this work has revealed”. However, eventually subscriptions to the Dáil
Loan exceeded the targeted amount – See Jul-1920/3. |
O’Sullivan Greene (2020), pg
150 |
|
Apr-20-20/1 |
The coroner’s inquest in Cork brings in a
verdict that Tomas MacCurtain was murdered and that
“the murder was organised and carried out by the R.I.C. officially directed
by the British Government; and we return a verdict of wilful murder against
David Lloyd George, Prime Minister of England; Lord French, Lord Lieutenant
of Ireland; Ian Macpherson, late Chief Secretary for Ireland; Acting
Inspector General Smith of the R.I.C.; Divisional Inspector Clayton of the
R.I.C.; District Inspector Swanzy and some other unknown members of the
R.I.C.” See Aug-22 to Sep-01-20/1. |
Gallagher (1953), pgs 199-200; Lawlor (2009) pg 34 |
|
Apr-20-20/2 |
Detective Constable Laurence Dalton, who had
recently moved from the ‘B’ division to the 'G' Division of the DMP, is shot dead
near the Black Church on Mountjoy St, Dublin near St. Mary's Place (or
Avenue). Dalton had earlier arrested prominent Sinn
Féin man, J.J. Walsh, and had been warned by the IRA to desist. The killing was carried out by Mick
McDonnell, Tom Keogh and Jim Slattery of the Squad with Paddy Daly nearby. |
Abbott (2000), pg 72; Abbott (2019), pgs 89-90; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 131; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pgs 221-223; Kautt (2014), pg 51 |
|
Apr-20-20/3 |
IRA GHQ issues General Order No. 20 (New
Series) on the handling of spies. This
order stipulated that spies could only be executed after ratification by the
Brigade O/C and all executions have to be notified to GHQ. |
Hughes (2016), pg 123 |
|
Apr-21-20/1 |
Hunger strike starts among IRA prisoners in
Wormwood Scrubs resulting in the release of some 200 internees in May. Sympathisers, who have gathered outside the
gates of the jail, were attacked by violent mobs. The four London companies
of the IRA (under the guise of the ISDL) moved in to provide a guard for the
sympathisers. Riots ensued in which
many people were injured. |
Macardle (1999), pg 345; Murphy W (2017), pg 442; Hart (2003), pgs 147-148 |
|
Apr-21-20/2 |
Private Thomas Sibthorpe
of the Royal Highland Light Infantry dies in the British Army barracks in
Ennis, Co. Clare. The inquest returns
a verdict of death by suicide but he could have been killed by his fellow
soldiers. |
Ó Ruairc (2009), pg 133 |
|
Apr-23-20/1 |
Constable Michael McCarthy of the DMP is
shot dead when on home leave and working in a field on his brother's farm at Lackenalooha, near Clonakilty, Co. Cork. Molyneux and Kelly say that McCarthy was a G Division detective. |
Abbott (2000), pg 73; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 131; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pg 223, Kautt (2014), pg 51; Cork Fatality Register |
|
Apr-23-20/2 |
Writing to Walter Long, General Macready (the
new GOC-in-C, British Army in Ireland) says “Before that I was here three
hours, I was honestly flabbergasted at the administrative chaos that seems to
reign here”. He went on to say that he was also “a little
nervous, owing to the disorganisation of the R.I.C., not so much on account
of their morale, as in that crass stupidity which is so often found among
police officers who have not been carefully selected”. He also writes (perhaps in a letter to John
Anderson) “as regards the RIC, we are sitting on a volcano” and continued “if
they were turned into an ordinary unarmed police force, they would fulfil
their functions in time of peace a good deal better than at present”. |
Townshend (2014), pg
155; Jeffrey (2006), pg 261 |
|
Apr-24-20/1 |
RIC Detective Swanton is shot at by the IRA in
Ennis, Co. Clare. He is wounded but
survives and resumes his work. |
Ó Ruairc (2009), pgs 135-136 |
|
Apr-24-20/2 |
The Clare Champion reports on the burning of the Protestant church in Clarecastle. (In June, there is an attempt to burn the Protestant church in O’Briensbridge.) These sectarian attacks are condemned by the IRA. |
Power (2020), pg 154 |
|
Apr-24-20/3 |
Liam Lynch, O/C Cork No. 2 Brigade, IRA goes
to the Milstreet area of Co. Cork with between 100
and 200 Volunteers and sets up an investigation into the robbery of two bank
officials the previous November (see Nov-17-19/2). Eight men are arrested and seven confess to be
involved. £10,000 is recovered and the
seven are sentenced to various lengths of deportation from or exile within
Ireland.
|
Townshend (2014), pg
132; Mitchell (1995), pgs 150-151 |
|
Apr-25-20/1 |
After the participation in a land agitation
protest by the Kilbride Sinn Féin cumann in Co. Galway,
the Dáil cabinet issues a directive that “Sinn Féin clubs should not take
steps of this nature until a fair offer has been made to the owner”. The Sinn Féin Executive also re-issued an
earlier instruction that constituency leaders were to be consulted before any
action is taken. See May-01-20/3. |
Mitchell (1995), pg 133 |
|
Apr-25-20/2 |
A three-man RIC patrol is ambushed at Ballinspittal, Co. Cork by IRA men from the local battalion of the 3rd (West) Cork Brigade led by Jim O'Mahoney (Adj Bandon Bat) or Charlie Hurley. Two RIC men are killed (Sgt Cornelius Crean and Constable Patrick McGoldrick). Sgt Crean's brother (Tom Crean) was a member
of Shackleton voyage to the South Pole in 1909. (Deasy places this
ambush at Highfort on the Innishannon to Upton road. O’Halpin and Ó Corráin say that it was near Upton Railway station.) See Jul-24-20/6. |
Abbott (2000), pg 73; Deasy (1973), pg 106; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 131; Kautt (2014), pg 51; Cork Fatality Register |
|
Apr-26-20/1 |
A party of about 18 British Army soldiers fire
into a crowd greeting a released hunger striker in Arklow, Co. Wicklow. A young man, Philip Dowling, is wounded and dies shortly afterwards. (O’Halpin and Ó Corráin say April 26th; O’Farrell says May 4th.) |
O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pgs 131-132; O’Farrell (1997), pg 106 |
|
Apr-26-20/2 |
Private Francis Quinn of the BA’s Royal Welch
Fusiliers is killed in Limerick City by the IRA during a street fracas. |
O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg132 |
|
Apr-26-20/3 |
Kilcommon, Co. Tipperary partially wrecked by
the RIC. |
Macardle (1999), pg 353 |
|
Apr-28-20/1 |
East Limerick Brigade, IRA attacks and capture
Ballylanders RIC barracks, Co Limerick led by
Vice-OC Thomas Malone (aka Sean Forde). |
Abbott (2000), pg 79; Breen (1989), pg 106; O'Daly in The Kerryman (1955), pgs 51-55; O’Callaghan (2018), pg 79 |
|
Apr-28-20/2 |
In retaliation for Ballylanders
attack, the RIC go on rampage in Limerick city. Molyneux and Kelly say Joe Dolan and Frank Thornton of the IRA’s Intelligence Department are in Limerick at the time and witness the rampage first hand. They also say Dolan and Thornton are in
Limerick to investigate the killing of an alleged spy by the Limerick IRA who
Molyneux and Kelly say was erroneously suspected of being a spy. This may have been James Dalton – see May-15-20/3. But, if this was the case, the time line is incorrect as Dalton was not killed until May 15th. It may also have been Denis J. Crowley – see cMar-27-20/1 – but that is not likely as he was killed by the East Limerick brigade. |
O'Farrell P (1997), pg xvi; Macardle (1999), pg 353; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pg 223 |
|
Apr-29-20/1 |
British soldiers from the Royal Horse
Artillery, billeted in Kildare town, sell the local IRA 17 revolvers and 723
rounds of ammunition. |
Durney (2013), pg 91 |
|
Apr-29-20/2 |
During an attack on an RIC barracks in Rush, Co. Dublin, an RIC sergeant (Sgt John Brady) is wounded. He dies ten days later. |
Abbott (2000), pg 74; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pgs 132-133 |
|
Apr-30-20/1 |
A conference held in 10 Downing St with Llyod
George, Long, Law, French, Greenwood and Denis Henry (Irish attorney general)
– also in attendance were Philip Kerr, Tom Jones and Maurice Hankey. Long says that the conflict in Ireland should
be put “on a war basis, as had been done in the Boer War when the rebels were
seized and put into concentration camps” and asks the government to declare
war. However, Llyod George refused
saying that “you do not declare war on rebels”. Hankey, in his diary, writes that Greenwood “talked the most awful tosh about shooting the Sinn Feiners at sight, and without evidence … He has not been to Ireland yet and will no doubt be sobered by responsibility”. They decide to continue their two pronged strategy of ‘restoring order’ (i.e. further
repression) and proceeding with the Government of Ireland Bill. |
Fanning (2013), pg 225; Boyce (1972), pgs 47-48; Roskill (1972), pg 153 |
|
Apr-30-20/2 |
The Irish government transfers £102,000 to the National Co-operative Mortgage Bank (see Aug-19-19/1) and on June 24th 1920 a further £98,000 is transferred. A further $500,000 (about £125,000) was committed by de Valera from American Loan Funds and this money was received by the bank in late 1920 or early 1921. The Bank carries out some good work in setting
up branches and advancing loans for land purchase and other businesses. However, given its scale, it could never
meet all the demand (and it did not get the level of deposits from the public
that it had hoped for.) |
Mitchell (1995), pg
87-89 |
|
Apr-1920/1 |
|
Gallagher (2003), pgs 23-24; Mitchell (1995), pgs 166-167 |
|
Apr-1920/2 |
Art O’Connor takes over from Robert Barton as Minister of Agriculture in the Dáil Cabinet. Barton had been arrested again on January 31st and sentenced to three years penal servitude. O’Connor was a 32-year old
engineering graduate from Cellbridge, Co.
Kildare. He was to become critical to
the Dáil Cabinet’s attempts to quell land agitation – see May-01-20/3. |
Townshend (2014), pg
127; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pgs 180; Mitchell
(1995), pg 133 |
|
Apr-1920/3 |
Nearly £150,000 raised for the Dáil Loan. See Jun-19-19/1. |
Townshend (2014), pg
92 |
|
Apr-1920/4 |
After a number of requests by the British Army in Ireland to the War Office in London for reinforcements, three battalions of cavalry regiments (10th Hussars, 17th Lancers and 1st Dragoons) and two infantry battalions (1st Battalion Manchester Regiment and 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers) arrive in Ireland during April. One further battalion (from the 9th Lancers) arrives in May. These battalions are allocated to Dublin and Munster. |
Kautt (2014), pg 43 |
|
Apr-1920/5 |
Michael O'Callaghen
(QM, Bantry Bat, Cork No. 3 Brigade IRA) discovers 4,000 detonators left
behind by an RIC escort at Drimoleague Junction. |
Deasy (1973) pg 107 |