Piltown Cross ambush

Last updated

The Piltown Cross ambush was an action of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the Irish War of Independence. The attack on British forces took place on the night of 1 November 1920 near the village of Kinsalebeg, County Waterford. The site of the attack at the crossroads known as Piltown Cross was carefully chosen to give the attackers maximum tactical advantage. [1]

Involved was the IRA West Waterford Brigade, specifically the newly formed Deise Flying Column under Officer Commanding (O/C) George Lennon of Dungarvan, as well as Volunteers from the local Ardmore battalion. Returned Great War veteran John Riordan planned the successful engagement involving a feint attack on the RIC barracks in Ardmore. The British garrison in Youghal subsequently dispatched nearly twenty troops from the 2nd Hampshires under Lieutenant Griffin in a single lorry. [2] They were ambushed at Kinsalebeg on the main Dungarvan - Youghal road and suffered one dead and six wounded. [3] Because the British had no means of transport, O/C Lennon got a horse and cart for their use in transporting the dead and wounded back to Youghal. [4] The ambush resulted in the capture of 18 Lee-Enfield rifles, two police carbines and a large quantity of ammunition/grenades which were used to equip the flying column. Captured were R.I.C. constables O'Neill and Prendiville who gave their word that they would resign. O'Neill returned to his base in Youghal and resigned on the spot. [5] Prendiville was subsequently killed from a shot from the Waterford side of the Youghal Bridge.

In 2008 a commemorative memorial was erected to the Piltown ambushes. “Here at Piltown Cross on the night of the 1st of November 1920, Volunteers of the West Waterford I.R.A. Brigade took on the might of the British Crown Forces fatally wounded 2 of them, captured and injured many more".

The IRA captured a substantial amount of much needed arms/ammunition and destroyed enemy vehicles, in what was one of the biggest ambushes of that era in this area.

The ambush is commemorated in a memorial erected at the site of the ambush: [6]

This monument is erected in memory of those Volunteers who fought here and assisted in the West Waterford area on that night, and to all of those brave Irish men and women who fought in every generation up to the present day in the struggle for Irish freedom.

Related Research Articles

The Carrowkennedy ambush was an ambush carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 2 June 1921, during the Irish War of Independence. An IRA flying column, commanded by Michael Kilroy, ambushed a mobile patrol of the Royal Irish Constabulary including Black and Tans recruits at Carrowkennedy, near Westport, County Mayo. It resulted in the deaths of seven of the RIC, including some who were killed by their own rifle grenade. After two hours the RIC surrendered and their weaponry and ammunition were seized by the IRA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the Irish War of Independence</span>

This is a timeline of the Irish War of Independence of 1919–21. The Irish War of Independence was a guerrilla conflict and most of the fighting was conducted on a small scale by the standards of conventional warfare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish Free State offensive</span> Military campaign during the Irish Civil War

The Irish Free State offensive of July–September 1922 was the decisive military stroke of the Irish Civil War. It was carried out by the National Army of the newly created Irish Free State against anti-treaty strongholds in the south and southwest of Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crossbarry ambush</span> 1921 battle of the Irish War of Independence

The Crossbarry ambush or Battle of Crossbarry occurred on 19 March 1921 and was one of the largest engagements of the Irish War of Independence. It took place near the small village of Crossbarry in County Cork, about 20 km south-west of Cork city. About a hundred Irish Republican Army (IRA) volunteers, commanded by Tom Barry, escaped an attempt by about 1,200 British troops to encircle them. During the hour-long battle, ten British troops and three IRA volunteers were killed.

This is a timeline of the Irish Civil War, which took place between June 1922 and May 1923. It followed the Irish War of Independence (1919–1921), and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

The Coolavokig ambush was carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 25 February 1921, during the Irish War of Independence. It took place at Coolavokig, on the road between Macroom and Ballyvourney, County Cork. A 60-man flying column of the IRA's 1st Cork Brigade under Seán O'Hegarty, ambushed a 70-man convoy of the Auxiliary Division under Major Seafield Grant, sparking a four-hour battle. Ten Auxiliaries were killed, including Major Grant, and others wounded. The IRA column left the area when British reinforcements arrived. After the ambush, British forces stopped carrying out raids and patrols in the area.

The Clonfin Ambush was an ambush carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 2 February 1921, during the Irish War of Independence. It took place in the townland of Clonfin between Ballinalee and Granard in County Longford. The IRA ambushed two lorries carrying members of the British Auxiliary Division, sparking a lengthy gun battle in which four Auxiliaries were killed and eight wounded. The Auxiliaries eventually surrendered and their weapons were seized. The IRA commander, Seán Mac Eoin, won some praise for helping the wounded Auxiliaries. Following the ambush, British forces burned a number of houses and farms in the area, and shot dead an elderly farmer.

The Selton Hill ambush took place on 11 March 1921, during the Irish War of Independence. An Irish Republican Army (IRA) flying column was ambushed by members of the RIC Auxiliary Division at Selton Hill, County Leitrim. Six IRA members of the South Leitrim Brigade were killed, which effectively destroyed the IRA in South Leitrim.

The Sheemore ambush was an ambush carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 4 March 1921, during the Irish War of Independence. It took place at Sheemore near Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim.

The Burgery ambush was an ambush carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 18–19 March 1921, during the Irish War of Independence. It took place near Dungarvan, County Waterford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Kilroy</span> Irish republican and politician (1884–1962))

Michael Kilroy was an Irish republican and politician. He was an Irish Republican Army (IRA) officer in his native County Mayo during the Irish War of Independence and Irish Civil War. Subsequently, he was a Sinn Féin and later Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for Mayo South.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Headford Ambush</span> 1921 IRA ambush

The Headford Ambush was carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 21 March 1921, during the Irish War of Independence. The IRA's 2nd Kerry Brigade ambushed a train carrying British troops of the Royal Fusiliers at Headford Junction railway station near Killarney, County Kerry. This sparked a battle lasting almost an hour, in which at least 13 people were killed – eight British soldiers, two IRA volunteers and three civilians. The IRA withdrew after another train carrying British troops arrived.

The Tooreen ambush was an ambush carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 22 October 1920, during the Irish War of Independence. It took place near Roberts Farm, Tooreen, near Ballinhassig in County Cork. The IRA ambushed two lorries of British soldiers, killing three and wounding four others. The British surrendered and their weapons and ammunition were seized by the IRA. Later that night, British soldiers went on a rampage in nearby Bandon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Lennon</span> Irish Republican Army leader

George Lennon was an Irish Republican Army leader during the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War.

The Clonmult ambush took place on 20 February 1921, during the Irish War of Independence.

The Rineen ambush was an ambush carried out by the Mid Clare Brigade of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 22 September 1920, during the Irish War of Independence. The attack took place at Drummin Hill in the townland of Drummin, near the hamlet of Rineen, County Clare.

The Pickardstown ambush, an action in the Irish War of Independence, took place near the town of Tramore, County Waterford on the night of 6 January 1921.

The Kilmeena ambush was an action during the Irish War of Independence that took place at Kilmeena, County Mayo on 19 May 1921. The ambush ended in defeat for the local West Mayo Irish Republican Army (IRA), with five IRA volunteers killed and four wounded and captured. Two members of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and one Black and Tan were also killed in the action.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burning of the Custom House</span> IRA attack on The Custom House in Dublin

On 25 May 1921, during the Irish War of Independence, the Custom House in Dublin was occupied and then burnt in an operation by the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The Custom House was the headquarters of the Local Government Board for Ireland, an agency of the British administration in Ireland, against which the IRA was fighting in the name of the self-proclaimed Irish Republic. The operation, involving over 100 IRA volunteers, was a propaganda coup for the republicans but a military disaster for the IRA in the Irish capital. A force of British Auxiliaries quickly arrived and a gun battle erupted. Five IRA volunteers were killed, along with three civilians, and about 80 volunteers were captured.

The Rathcoole ambush was an ambush carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) near the village of Rathcoole in County Cork on 16 June 1921 during the Irish War of Independence. Under the command of Paddy O'Brien, the IRA's 2nd Cork Brigade attacked an armed convoy of the Auxiliary Division returning to their barracks in Millstreet after collecting supplies. After 50 minutes of intense fighting, the IRA managed to inflict heavy casualties on the Auxiliaries before a shortage of ammunition forced them to withdraw. The Rathcoole ambush was one of the largest engagements of the war, and was the last major ambush to be carried out in the county.

References

  1. ↑ O'Reilly, Terence (2009), Rebel Heart: George Lennon: Flying Column Commander, Mercier, Pgs 68-69, ISBN 978-1-85635-649-7
  2. ↑ "Private A. Leigh 5485478. 2nd Bn. Hampshire Regiment". www.cairogang.com.
  3. ↑ O'Halpin, Eunan & Ó Corráin, Daithí (2020), The Dead of the Irish Revolution, Yale University Press, pg. 210.
  4. ↑ O'Reilly, Pg 72
  5. ↑ O'Reilly, pg 73
  6. ↑ John. Commemoration, the Piltown Ambush and Ireland 2016 (Report). The Memory Trail. Retrieved 13 August 2022.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.