Heritage archives - Kilmichael Ambush, November 28th 1920

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Introduction

During the War of Independence, which started around January 1919 and ended in July 1921, numerous officers in the Royal Irish Constabulary, which was Ireland´s British established police force, were resigning at an alarming rate. Then Sir Hamar Greenwood, British Chief Secretary for Ireland decided to reinforce them with a ruthless force of battle-hardened British Auxiliaries. Each man carried with him a rifle, two revolvers and a Mills bomb. In August 1920 about 150 of these Auxiliaries took over Macroom Castle and made it their barracks.

Around 2am on Sunday morning November 28th, 1920, the Volunteers marched to Kilmichael from Ahilnane, north of Enniskeane, after Fr.O´Connell P.P. Enniskeane, had heard their confessions. Pat Deasy a sixteen-year-old from Kilmacsimon and John Lordan, Newcestown joined them later.