August 1922
Early-Aug |
Pro-Treaty army
stood at 12,970 men – including ‘reservists’ was over 14,000. Well supplied with armaments by the
British. |
Dorney (2017), pg
123 |
Early-Aug |
Three small
anti-Treaty columns are located in Co. Donegal by pro-Treaty forces (one in
the Drumkeen area; a second in the Meeniroy area and a third in the Glenfinn
area) with most of the members of the columns captured. In addition, there are a number of arrests
of anti-Treaty sympathisers at this time in the county. |
Ó Duibhir (2011), pgs 186-187 |
Aug-01 |
Cabinet of
Provisional Government sets up committee to consider its northern policy
consisting of James Hogan, JJ Walsh, Desmond Fitzgerald, Ernst Blythe and
Michael Hayes. |
Phoenix (1994), pg 247;
McDermott (2001), pg 265 |
Aug-01 |
Peadar O’Loughlin,
Adjutant of the 1st Western Division of the anti-Treaty army, dies of tuberculosis. |
Ó Ruairc (2009), pg
309 |
Aug-02 |
Fenit Landing 450 Dublin Guards (pro-Treaty), on board the Lady Wicklow, land by sea in Fenit, Co Kerry. (Horgan says 4th.)
They are led by General Paddy O’Daly.
They land under some fire but they bring the Vickers machine gun on
the turret of armoured car (which was strapped to the deck) into action and
this brings the fire from land to a stop quickly. Anti-Treaty Volunteer Tom Flynn is
killed. As they proceed
towards Tralee, they meet anti-Treaty fire at Spa which results in the death
of pro-Treaty Private Paddy Quinn of Meath St in Dublin. Also killed is
Volunteer John O’Sullivan from Castlegregory.
As they enter Tralee, six pro-Treaty soldiers and one medical orderly
are killed. The anti-Treaty forces
withdraw from Tralee after attempting, but only partially succeeding, to burn
down Ballymullen Barracks which the pro-Treaty forces set up as their HQ. |
O'Farrell P (1997),
pg xxii; Hopkinson (1988), pg 166; Dorney (2017), pg 124; Horgan (2018), pg
131; Doyle (2008), pgs 117-125 |
Aug-02 to 03 |
Fighting begins
between South Tipperary anti-Treaty forces (some 200 men led by Dinny Lacey
and Dan Breen) and some 500 pro-Treaty forces (led by John Prout) coming from
Waterford and approximately 200 men coming from Kilkenny (led by
Colonel-Commandant Thornton). After sustained
fighting, the pro-Treaty men coming from Kilkenny take the village of
Killamery. The anti-Treaty men (under
Dan Breen) escape towards Carrick-on-Suir. The pro-Treaty
forces coming from Waterford, attacked the anti-Treaty forces (under Dinny
Lacey) outside Carrick-on-Suir who, after sustained fighting, retreat back
into the town but with one pro-Treaty fatality (Private Patrick Murphy from
Enniscorthy, Co Wexford). The following
morning (3rd), Prout’s men cautiously enter Carrick-on-Suir to
find that the anti-Treaty forces had evacuated the town. The pro-Treaty troops coming from Kilkenny
arrive in Carrick-on-Suir in the afternoon. Anti-Treaty forces
also evacuate Cashel on the 4th.
See August 9th. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pgs 168-169; Curran J M (1980), pg 242; McCarthy (2015), pg 110; Walsh
(2018), pgs 188-192 |
Aug-02 |
Anti-Treaty forces
counter-attack Bruree but the pro-Treaty defenders hold out until re-enforcements
arrive from Limerick. |
Curran J M (1980),
pg 242; Horgan (2018), pg 305 |
Aug-02 |
At a meeting
between the GHQ of the pro-Treaty army and officers from the Northern IRA
(including Seamus Woods O/C of the 3rd Northern Division), Collins
outlines a policy of continued non-recognition of the NI government but a
non-aggressive military policy – the IRA in the North would have a purely
protective role. It was also
announced that Northern volunteers, who could not remain in the
North, would be sent to train at the Curragh but that they would not be
forced to join the pro-Treaty army. (By the end of August, 379 men had
arrived in the Curragh and this eventually rose to 524. Of the 524
Northern IRA men who went to the Curragh, 243 joined the pro-Treaty
army.) It was also agreed that GHQ would continue to finance divisional
staff and intelligence. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pgs 248-249; Phoenix (1994), pgs 246-247;
McDermott (2001), pgs 265 and 257-258; Ó Duibhir (2011), pgs 184-185 |
Aug-03 |
In the first direct
engagement between pro- and anti-Treaty forces in Co. Mayo, at Bracklagh near
Newport, two pro-Treaty soldiers (Sergeant Lally and Private Deasy) are
killed as well as one anti-Treaty soldier (Volunteer Edward Hegarty). |
Price (2012), pg
221 |
Aug-03 |
Tarbert Landing About 240 men of the Western Division of the pro-Treaty army, under
Colonel Michael Hogan, land at Tarbert, Co. Kerry from Kilrush in Co.
Clare. (Horgan says 5th.) They garrison Tarbert, Listowel
and Ballylongford, which the anti-Treaty men had evacuated and then move on
to meet up with the Tralee force. In these Kerry
operations (after the landings at Fenit and Tarbert), 11 pro-Treaty soldiers
killed and 114 wounded. (Dorney says
10.) After they capture
the towns, some enmity develops between the pro-Treaty army (who are mostly
from Dublin, Clare and Galway) and the local population. |
O'Farrell P (1997),
pg xxii; Hopkinson (1988), pg 166; Dorney (2017), pgs 124-125; Horgan (2018),
pg 131; Doyle (2008), pgs 125-127 |
Aug-03 |
Churchill reports
to the British cabinet “In the area of the Northern Government the position
has sensibly improved: murders and incendiarism had almost entirely ceased, …
This might be due to the fact that the gunmen were engaged in the South …
With their return there might be a recrudescence of outrage, but for the
moment life in Belfast had almost become normal.” |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 248 |
Aug-04 |
Anti-Treaty men,
under Mick Mansfield, blow up the road bridge at Ballyvoile, near Dungarvan,
Co Waterford. They also blow up one of
the arches on the railway viaduct. The
viaduct later collapses (and was to become the site of the famous photograph
of the train tottering over the demolished viaduct – See February 2nd
1923). |
McCarthy (2015), pg 110 |
Aug-04 |
Jim Dunne, leader
of the anti-Treaty Kildare Brigade column, is captured with over a dozen of
his men when trying to blow up a railway bridge near Sallins, Co. Kildare. |
Durney (2011), pg 86 |
Aug-04 |
Anti-Treaty
volunteer, Patrick Moran, is killed in action at Kilkieran in North Galway. |
Price (2012), pg
220 |
Aug-04 |
Newcastle West, Co.
Limerick falls to pro-Treaty troops. As does Ardare and Rathkeale. |
Harnett (2002), pg 134; Hopkinson (1988), pg 152-153; O’Callaghan (2018), pg 111 |
Aug-05 |
Ulster Special
Constable Samuel Hayes was in the Britannic public bar on the Newtonards Rd.
in Belfast when a man being pursued by gunmen took refuge in the bar - the
gunmen shot two customers one being S/Con Hayes and he later died from his
wounds. |
Abbott (2000), pg
297; Parkinson (2004), pg 301 |
Aug-05 |
Kilmallock Taken After considerable fighting, Kilmallock is taken
by pro-Treaty Forces. (Bruree had been taken earlier after a
two-pronged attack.) Hopkinson and O’Callaghan puts this down to the
Kerry anti-Treaty forces leaving to defend their home areas from the sea
landings by pro-Treaty forces (see August 2nd and 3rd). Also, Cork forces left as they anticipated
a sea borne invasion of Cork. However,
by this stage, the pro-Treaty side had 2000 men in the area backed by
artillery. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 152; Curran J M (1980), pg 242; O’Callaghan (2018), pg 111 |
Aug-05 |
‘Night of the Bridges’ – A plan by the
anti-Treaty Dublin Brigade to destroy a large number of bridges around Dublin
(and thus cut Dublin of from the rest of the country) goes badly wrong when
their plans are discovered by the pro-Treaty army and a large number of
anti-Treaty volunteers are captured. (Anti-Treaty side claimed that the
pro-Treaty troops got assistance from the British Army still stationed in
Dublin on this night.) About 250
anti-Treaty men had been mobilised and, of these, approximately 160 were
captured. Dorney comments that “It was an even greater disaster for the
[anti-Treaty] Dublin Brigade than the attack on the Customs House had been in
1921”. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 145; Dorney (2017), pgs 114-120 |
Aug-05 |
Pro-Treaty troops,
stationed in Tralee, take Castleisland and Farrenfore in Co. Kerry. They set up in Hartnett’s Hotel in
Castleisland as their local HQ. One this day, a
young Kerryman called Michael Purcell, who had joined the pro-Treaty army,
was shot dead in Tralee. Also, a 17-year old member of Fianna Eireann from
Ballymacelligott was shot dead by a pro-Treaty soldier. Finally, a pro-Treaty supply lorry on its
way to Castleisland was ambushed at Knockeen Cross resulting in the death of
Captain Brian Houlihan and two other pro-Treaty soldiers. |
Doyle (2008), pgs
129-133 |
Aug-05 |
After a short clash
in Glenfinn, Co. Donegal, a column of 17 anti-Treaty volunteers surrender.
Two other anti-Treaty columns, with 23 men, were captured around this time in
Donegal. |
Ozseker (2019), pg
189 |
Aug-05 |
Collins sends
optimistic memo saying that no ‘definite military problem’ existed outside
the Southern Division area. Hopkinson notes that such optimism was to
be disappointed. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 172 |
Aug-05 |
After a number of
postponements, Collins proposes that they should “postpone parliament until
we can clean up this matter [Civil War] up definitely”. |
Dorney (2017), pg
105 |
Aug-05 |
The long running
farm labourer strike on the Keane, Devonshire, Villers-Stuart, Musgrave and
Ussher estates in the Blackwater Valley, Co. Waterford comes to an end with a
partial defeat for the strikers – See 22nd May and 7th
June above. (McCarthy indicates that
critical was the attitude of the local IRA where, due to many members -
particularly those who joined during the truce - being the sons of farmers, they were
hostile to the labourers.) Hostilities were to resume the following year
leading to a much more prolonged and bitter dispute – See 14th May
1923. |
McCarthy (2015), pg
104 |
Aug-06 |
Anti-Treaty forces
attack pro-Treaty men stationed in the old barracks in Kildysart in Co.
Clare. However, a mine with which they
hoped to plant against the wall of the barracks exploded prematurely
seriously injuring Volunteer John O’Gorman and Lieutenant John
McSweeney. Both were later to die of
their wounds. |
Ó Ruairc (2009), pg
309 |
Early-Aug |
When veteran
nationalist, William O’Brien complains to de Valera about the destruction of
the railway bridge over the Blackwater at Mallow by anti-Treaty forces, de
Valera admitted that if such tactics continue “the people will begin to treat
us as bandits”. |
Curran J M (1980),
pg 245 |
Aug-07 |
Collins makes a
visit to the Curragh Command and states that “The entire organisation and
command is defective” – he orders Commandant-General Price to take charge. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 157; |
Aug-08 |
Cork Landings Pro-Treaty forces land at Passage West (500 men), Youghal (200 men)
and Union Hall (180), Co Cork. Emmet Dalton is in charge the Passage
West landing and leads his men towards the Cork city. They meet stiff resistance at Rochestown
but take the city within a few days. |
O'Farrell P (1997),
pg xxii; Hopkinson (1988), pg 163; Curran J M (1980), pg 244; Dorney (2017),
pg 124 |
Aug-08 |
When the Cork
anti-Treaty volunteers serving with the Waterford volunteers in Dungarvan
hear of the pro-Treaty landings in Cork, they decide to return home. Pax Whelan, anti-Treaty O/C in Dungarvan,
decides to evacuate the town burning the barracks and coastguard station in
his wake. He breaks his men into three
ASUs and they resort to guerrilla warfare. |
McCarthy (2015),
pgs 110-111 |
Aug-08 |
During raids by
anti-Treaty forces on a number of banks in Monaghan town, pro-Treaty army Lieutenant Thomas Gillanders is killed and £1,200
taken from three banks. It
subsequently transpires, in an inquiry under Frank Aiken, that the
anti-Treaty forces were not sanctioned to rob the banks. £130 is returned and
the leaders of the raid leave the country. |
Dooley (2017a), pgs
106-107 |
Aug-08 |
Patrick McGuigan is
shot at his workplace in Belfast and dies a few days later. |
Parkinson (2004),
pg 302 |
Aug-08 |
RIC Constable
Thomas Ikin commits suicide. |
Abbott (2019), pg
407 |
Aug-09 |
Fighting between
South Tipperary anti-Treaty forces (led by Dinny Lacey and Dan Breen) and
pro-Treaty forces led by John Prout at Redmondstown. The use of
18-pounders by the pro-Treaty forces is decisive and Prout takes Clonmel. The anti-Treaty forces retire towards the
Nire valley but with their forces largely intact. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 169; McCarthy (2015), pg 110 |
Aug-09 |
Ernest Blythe,
acting Minister of Home Affairs, submits a memo to the cabinet of the
Provisional Government saying that there was no likelihood of a united
Ireland within a reasonable period of time and calls for a ‘peaceful policy’
towards the NI government including nationalists taking their seats in the NI
parliament. He argues that even though this policy may fail, there was
some hope and the aggressive policy had failed totally to protect
Catholics. He says “all military
operations on the part of our supporters in or against the North East should
be brought to an end” and that all future pressure on Northern Ireland should
be “absolutely normal and constitutional”.
|
Phoenix (1994), pg 247; Litton (1995) pg s 107-108; Dooley (2017a), pg 108 |
Aug-09 |
Replying to
Churchill letter of the 31st July, Collins expressed serious
disappointment at Churchill’s attitude to Proportional Representation and
accuses the NI government of wanting to take over the local government bodies
in the border areas before the Boundary Commission starts working. |
Phoenix (1994), pgs 247-248 |
Aug-09 |
Edward McAvoy, an
anti-Treaty volunteer from Belfast, is killed during an attack by
pro-Treaty troops on Ferrycarrig in County Wexford. |
McDermott (2001), pg 271 |
Aug-10 |
An anti-Treaty
volunteer, Joe ‘Sonny’ Hudson (18), is shot dead during a raid on his house
in Glasthule, Co. Dublin |
Dorney (2017), pg
180 |
Aug-10 |
Cork Captured by pro-Treaty Forces. There was stiff resistance to the
advancing pro-Treaty forces at Rochestown and Douglas with (it is claimed)
eight pro-Treaty soldiers killed. The anti-Treaty forces withdraw to
Ballincollig and then (in some confusion) towards Macroom. Major towns
in west Cork soon taken by pro-Treaty forces. |
O'Farrell P (1997),
pg xxii; Hopkinson (1988), pg 164; Curran J M (1980), pg 242 |
Aug-10 |
The assassins of
Sir Henry Wilson, Reggie Dunne and Joseph O’Sullivan, are hung in London. On this day,
anti-Treaty volunteers burn Currygrane, the residence of James Mackay Wilson
(Sir Henry Wilson’s cousin). |
Coleman (2003), pg
145 |
Aug-11 |
Fermoy, the last
major town in anti-Treaty hands, is captured by pro-Treaty forces. The
first phase of the civil war is over and more and more the anti-Treaty army
reverts to guerrilla tactics. |
O’Donoghue (1986),
pg 266 |
Aug-11 |
A 200-strong
pro-Treaty force, under Commandant Tom Scarteen O’Connor, lands at Kenmare
and takes the town. (O’Connor is one of the few South Kerry officers
who had gone pro-Treaty.) Afterwards, Rathmore and Valencia are taken. Pro-Treaty troops
from Tralee, under James Dempsey and Jim McGuinness, take Killarney, on the
13th. Rathmore is taken on
the 15th and Killorglin on the same day. Millstreet is taken on the 19th. Cahirciveen
is taken on 24th after pro-Treaty troops, under Tom ‘Scarteen’
O’Connor, land at Reenard Point. In
capturing all these towns, the pro-Treaty troops meet little resistance.
(There were some casualties when they landed at Reenard Point.) |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 166; Horgan (2018), pg
100 & 169; Doyle (2008), pgs
138-141, |
Aug-11 |
Special Constable
Hamilton Alexander is shot dead by a fellow constable in Greencastle,
Kilkeel, Co. Down when he defies an order to put down his rifle. |
Lawlor (2011), pg 318, Abbott (2000), pg 316 |
Aug-12 |
Arthur Griffith,
President of the Provisional Government, dies of a brain haemorrhage.
He is replaced by Cosgrave. Comment |
O'Farrell P (1997),
pg xxii; Hopkinson (1988), pg 140; Macardle (1999), pg 777; Curran J M
(1980), pg 247; Doyle (2008), pg 136 |
Aug-12 |
A pro-Treaty patrol
is ambushed at Bedford near Listowel, Co. Kerry resulting in the death of
John Quayne and the wounding of two others.
|
Doyle (2008), pg
137 |
Aug-13 |
Six pro-Treaty
soldiers are on a search mission in the Crosspark area on the
Kilkenny/Tipperary border. While
getting out of their car, a gun is accidently discharged hitting Lieutenant
Edward Maher from Gortnahoe, Co. Tipperary.
He dies early the following morning.
|
Walsh (2018), pgs
191-192 |
Aug-14 |
Frank Aiken,
Commandant 4th Northern Division, throws in his lot with the anti-Treaty side
and his forces capture Dundalk barracks and prison. More Detail |
O’Donoghue (1986),
pg 269; Hopkinson (1988), pg 171; Gavin and O’Donnell (1999), pg 36; Macardle
(1999), pgs 763-764; Dooley (2017a), pg 108; Durney
(2011), pgs 91-94; Hall (2019), pgs 109-110 |
Aug-14 |
A Special
Constable, Albert Ross, was shot dead by a fellow constable in Ballymena
Barracks, Co. Antrim when he was mistaken for an intruder. |
Lawlor (2011), pg 318 |
Aug-14 |
Liam Lynch abandons
his HQ in Buttevant, Co. Cork after burning the barracks and, along with his
staff, retreat to the mountainous area bear Ballyvourney. |
Horgan (2018), pg
270 |
Mid-Aug |
At the annual
conference, Labour criticises the anti-Treatyites for acting without popular
support but also criticises pro-Treaty government for waging war without Dáil
support. |
Curran J M (1980),
pg 245 |
Aug-15 |
Pro-Treaty
Lieutenant Commandant Edward O’Brien is shot dead when he goes with his
troops to investigate a fire at the unoccupied Shorecourse barracks in
Waterford city. It is believed that it
was an ambush targeted at O’Brien (a Waterford native). See August 19th. |
|
Aug-15 |
A Waterford native,
John O’Keeffe, is killed in crossfire during an ambush in Mullinavat in Co.
Kilkenny. |
Walsh (2018), pg
194 & 246 |
Aug-15 |
Special Constable
Thomas Greenfield is patrolling the railway lines near Randalstown,
Co. Antrim when he is struck by a train and killed. |
Abbott (2019), pg
406 |
Aug-16 |
Reporting on the
situation in Cork, the Irish Times states “The advance is becoming
swift but the retreat, or, as I should prefer to call it, the disappearance
is swifter". |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 164 |
Aug-16 |
On the evening of
the 16th, pro-Treaty troops, led by Dan Hogan, re-enter Dundalk.
They take the jail and release some 320 prisoners. After the intervention of a local priest,
Fr James McKeone, Aiken agrees to withdraw from Dundalk. One civilian (James
McEvoy) was killed during the re-capture of Dundalk. |
Hall (2019), pg 110 |
Aug-16 |
A pro-Treaty convoy
of three lorries is passing through the Kilmurry area on its way to Cahir,
Co. Tipperary when machine gun fire is opened on it by an anti-Treaty column
led by Jack Kileen. Three pro-Treaty
soldiers are killed – Cornelius Roche, Daniel Fogarty and Joseph Bergin. (It was Bergin’s 21st birthday.) |
Walsh (2018), pg
193 |
Aug-17 |
Two pro-Treaty
medical orderlies from Co. Galway (Cecil Fitzgerald and John O’Mara), who are
based in Killarney, Co. Kerry, decide to take a boat trip to Innisfallen
island in Lough Leanne. As the
approach the jetty on the island, they are shot at and both killed. |
Doyle (2008), pg
145 |
Aug-18 |
An anti-Treaty
Column of Kerry No. 2 led by Jerry Kennedy (with men mostly from around
Headford and Glenflesk) attack a large column of pro-Treaty troops led by
Paddy O’Daly and Jim McGuinness making its way from Killarney to Rathmore at
Droum bridge. McGuiness and three
others are wounded. |
Horgan
(2018), pg 111; Doyle (2008), pgs
146-148 |
Aug-18 |
A four-man
pro-Treaty patrol is going from Fenit to Tralee in Co. Kerry when it is
attacked at Spa resulting in the death of Sergeant Jack Lydon, a native of
Tralee. |
Doyle (2008), pg
148 |
Aug-18 |
Michael O’Driscoll
from Bannow, Camp, Co. Kerry is shot dead by two men. This may have been due to a land dispute
but his brother later made a claim on the basis that his death was due to the
political conflict. |
Doyle (2008), pg
149 |
Aug-18 |
Civic Guard is
disbanded by Provisional Government |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 92 |
Aug-19 |
Provisional
Government formally adopts a ‘peace policy with North East Ulster’. |
Phoenix (1994), pg 249 |
Aug-19 |
Con Moloney,
Adjutant-General of the anti-Treaty forces, issues a General Order saying
that “our troops will be formed into Active Service Units” not exceeding 35
men. He also authorises that Unionist property should be commandeered
to accommodate the men and ordered the systematic destruction of road and
rail infrastructure. (Dorney says that it was Lynch who issued the order.) |
Hopkinson (1988),
pgs 172-173 & 195; Dorney (2017), pg 127; McCarthy (2015), pg 111 |
Aug-19 |
An anti-Treaty
volunteer, Daniel Kane, is killed after an attack on a pro-Treaty post in
Glenmalure, Co. Wicklow |
Dorney (2017), pg 163 |
Aug-19 |
In Kilkenny Jail,
an anti-Treaty prisoner, Jack (John) Edwards, who had been captured in
Waterford, was shot dead by a sentry.
His brother believed that it was a reprisal killing for the killing of
Edward O’Brien in Waterford. See 15th August above. |
McCarthy (2015), pg
111; Walsh (2018), pgs 194-195 |
Aug-19 |
Anti-Treaty men
from the Mid-Clare Brigade attack pro-Treaty men stationed in the old
barracks in Clarecastle. The attack
lasts for over two hours but the anti-Treaty men withdraw when pro-Treaty men
arrive from Ennis and attempt to surround them. |
Ó Ruairc (2009), pg
310 |
Aug-21 |
A car carrying five
pro-Treaty soldiers (including Frank Thornton) is ambushed at Redmindstown
about 4km outside Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.
Two pro-Treaty soldiers (including the driver, Private Richard
Cantwell) are killed and Thornton is badly injured. |
Walsh (2018), pgs
195-196 |
Aug-21 |
Pat Stapleton, an
IRA spy, who had worked as a filing clerk for the Royal Army Service Corps in
Victoria Barracks in Belfast before being transferred to the office of the
Military Advisor to the NI Government (Solly Flood) in his Waring Street HQ,
decides to leave the six counties. He took with him a number of files.
According to McDermott, Stapleton was the
“jewel in the crown of IRA intelligence in Belfast”. |
McDermott (2001), pgs 24, 204
& 267 |
Aug-21 |
Pro-Treaty soldier,
Patrick Kelly, is killed in Kilrush, Co. Clare. Anti-Treaty forces carried out a number of
attacks on pro-Treaty positions and patrols in Clare over this period. |
Ó Ruairc (2009), pg
310 |
Aug-21 |
Anti-Treaty
volunteer, Frank Byrne, is accidently shot dead by a comrade when the small
column they belong to are resting in a field at Crutt, Clogh near
Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny. |
Walsh (2018), pg
196 |
Aug-22 |
Michael Collins is
shot dead in an ambush at Béal na mBláth, Co Cork. More Detail |
O'Farrell P (1997),
pg xxii; Hopkinson (1988), pg 176-179; Macardle (1999), pgs 777-778; Curran J
M (1980), pgs 248-250; Phoenix (1994), pgs150 |
Aug-22 |
A general report by
O’Duffy of the pro-Treaty army states “The Irregulars in Cork and Kerry are
still more or less intact. Our forces have captured towns, but they
have not captured Irregulars and arms on anything like a large scale, and,
until that is done, the Irregulars will be capable of guerrilla warfare … Our
present position leaves us particularly disposed to guerrilla warfare.” |
Hopkinson (1988),
pgs 164-165 & 172 |
Aug-22 |
Harry Brazier shot
dead by pro-Treaty troops in Limerick City “while resisting arrest”. |
O’Callaghan (2018),
pg 111 |
Aug-22 |
Pro-Treaty forces,
under Paddy Paul, enter Dungarvan to a warm welcome from local people. |
McCarthy (2015), pg
111 |
Aug-22 |
A small number of
pro-Treaty soldiers escorting a large number of prisoners leaving Ballymullen
Barracks in Tralee, Co. Kerry are attacked with grenades, rifle and revolver
fire. Five prisoners and three
soldiers are wounded with two of them (Private John Galworthy from Inisbofin,
Co. Galway and Thomas Drummond from Tralee) later die of their wounds. |
Doyle (2008), pgs
151-152 |
Aug-22 |
Three staff officers
of anti-Treaty 1st Southern Division (Tom Daly, Dan Mulvihill and
Con O’Leary) are captured by pro-Treaty troops under Paddy O’Daly at Milleen,
Co Kerry. Also captured is Will
Patrick Fleming, husband of Marguerite Fleming. As the prisoners are being
brought to Killarney, the lorry that they are travelling in is fired on and a
pro-Treaty soldier, Thomas Kavanagh from Dublin, is killed. The following day,
the O/C of the anti-Treaty 4th Battalion, Kerry No. 2 Brigade, Pat
Allman, is also captured. |
Horgan
(2018), pgs 50-52 & 193; Doyle (2008),
pgs152-153 |
Aug-23 |
The London Times
reports that “The temporary injunction of the Supreme Court of the United
States which restrains the Irregular leaders from drawing upon funds
collected in that country for the republican cause has struck directly at the
most sensitive part of their organisation.” Hopkinson says that
“Looting and commandeering became a necessary means for the Republican forces
to survive, but served also to increase their unpopularity.” |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 131 |
Aug-23 |
Anti-Treaty
Volunteer, Eamon O’Neill from Sallins Road, Naas, Co. Kildare dies of his
wounds. (Unclear as to how he received
his wounds.) |
Durney (2011), pg
72 |
Aug-23 |
Two pro-Treaty
soldiers (John Beatty from Lettermore, Co Galway and Denny Woods from
Mountshannon, Co. Clare) receive severe wounds after a prank goes wrong. They were guarding the harbour at the canal
basin in Tralee, Co. Kerry. Both men
were to die of their wounds. |
Doyle (2008), pgs
154-155 |
Aug-25 |
William Cosgrave is
appointed Chairman of the Provisional Government, in place of Collins. |
O'Farrell P (1997),
pg xxii |
Aug-24 |
An anti-Treaty
Column of Kerry No. 2 led by Jerry Kennedy ambushes a pro-Treaty column, led
by Fionán Lynch, at Glenflesk. The
pro-Treaty column was trying to get to Kenmare from Tralee but after intense
fighting are forced to turn back. |
Horgan (2018), pg
111 |
Aug-25 |
Winifred Carney is
arrested in Belfast and through the documents found on her the Northern
authorities got “information on virtually every volunteer in the 3rd
Northern Division who has ever received help from the White Cross Fund”. |
McDermott (2001), pgs 266-267 |
Aug-25 |
A grenade being
carried by a member of a four-man pro-Treaty patrol accidently explodes
killing two (Lieutenant Timothy McMahon and Sergeant Michael Roche both from
Co. Clare) and injuring the other two. |
Doyle (2008), pg
155 |
Aug-26 |
A convoy of 100 men
of the pro-Treaty army set out from Killorglin going to Tralee, Co Kerry led
by Captain James Burke. They are ambushed
four times on this journey resulting in the deaths of Captain Burke and
Private Connors. (Doyle says that this
occurred on the 28th and that there was a separate ambush on a
large pro-Treaty convoy on the 25th at Filadown near Glenfesk
which did not result in any fatalities.)
|
Dorney
(2017), pg 130; Horgan (2018), pg ?;
Doyle (2008), pgs 158-159 |
Aug-26 |
Anti-Treaty forces
led by Frank Carty ambush 45 pro-Treaty troops outside Tubercurry, Co. Sligo – one
pro-Treaty soldier is killed. Carty’s volunteers capture 30 to 40 rifles and
one Lewis machine gun. |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 215; Farry (2012), pg 101 |
Aug-26 |
Two young members
of the anti-Treaty Fianna scouts, Se |
Dorney (2017), pg
177; Dolan and Murphy (2018), pg 279 |
Aug-26 |
An anti-Treaty ASU
under Thomas Keating attack pro-Treaty troops stationed in Whitefield Court,
Co. Waterford. Despite a lengthy
engagement, there are no casualties. See 2nd September. |
McCarthy (2015), pg
112 |
Aug-26 |
Retired RIC man,
John Cullen, is mortally wounded during a raid on his home in Ballymote, Co.
Sligo. |
Abbott (2019), pg
279 |
Aug-27 |
Provisional
Government gives authority for an Army Strength of 35,000 (including
Volunteer Reserves). |
Hopkinson (1988),
pg 136 |
Aug-27 |
Two anti-Treaty
army men (Sean Moriarty and James Healy) are arrested in Tralee by pro-Treaty
forces. Both are shot while prisoners. Healy survives but Moriarty
dies. |
Macardle (1998), pg
9; Doyle (2008), pgs 157-158 |
Aug-28 |
Collins buried in
Dublin. |
Curran J M (1980),
pg 250 |
Aug-28 |
Two men – Luke
McGrane and Anthony Brady– are shot during an armed robbery of a spirit
grocer in the Oldpark area of Belfast. |
Parkinson (2004),
pg 303 |
Aug-28 |
Michael Danford, an
anti-Treaty volunteer, is arrested by pro-Treaty men in Limerick City – he is
shot dead and his body dumped. |
O’Callaghan (2018),
pg 111 |
Aug 29 |
Peter Mullan (65)
was shot in the head at his place of work, the Crumlin Road Picture House in
Belfast. A postman, George Higgins (30), is shot and his body was found
near the isolated Musgrave Channel Road. |
Parkinson (2004),
pg 303 & 304 |
Aug-29 |
50 members of the
Civic Guard move into the No. 1 Barracks on Lower Main Street, Letterkenny,
Co. Donegal. |
Ó Duibhir (2011), pg 200 |
Aug-30 |
Anti-Treaty forces
attack Bantry. They had captured several posts when the killings of
Gibbs Ross and three other officers led to a retreat. (Hopkinson says
Ross was O/C of the 3rd Cork Brigade but probably was O/C of the 5th
Cork Brigade.) |
Hart (1998) pg 119;
Hopkinson (1988), pg 203 |
Aug-30 |
Cosgrave renews
Collins’ protest to Churchill about the NI government’s Local Government Bill
which aimed to remove Proportional Representation. Churchill replied
that he hoped to procure some further delay. |
Phoenix (1994), pg 250 |
Aug-30 |
British army
soldier Lieutenant R.J. Story is shot dead when sitting in a taxi in Merrion
Sq, Dublin |
Dorney (2017), pg
302 |
Aug-31 |
Anti-Treaty men
enter the print works of the Kerry
People and remove the main printing press – the paper has to cease
publication. |
Doyle (2008), pg
160 |
Aug-31 |
End of disbandment
process of RIC. A total of 13,502 men had been disbanded including
1,158 in the Auxiliary Division of the RIC. Very generous terms given
(e.g. irrespective of length of service, 12 years were added and used when
calculating remuneration). (Abbott when
commenting on the number of RIC men who helped the IRA, states that 1,136
ex-RIC men applied for pensions to the committee set up under the 1923 Free
State Superannuation and Pensions Act and that, by 1927, 631 were
successful.) |
Abbott (2000), pg
295-296; Abbott (2019), pg 380 |
Aug |
Mrs Mary Hartney is
shot by pro-Treaty troops in Adare, Co. Limerick. (She was only one of three Cumman na mBan
to be killed in the War of Independence or Civil War.) |
McCoole
(2003), pg 98; McCarthy (2014), pg 214;
Corbett (2008), pg 74, |
Aug-31 |
Ó Murthuile, as secretary of Supreme Council of the IRB
(and then governor of Kilmainham jail), calls a meeting of senior colleagues “to
meet me to discuss the situation, to take over his [Michael Collins’s] I.R.B.
papers, etc.” |
Valiulis (1985), pg 97 |