Person:John McFadden (10)

John McFadden (1890-1921) was an Irish policeman who served in the Royal Irish Constabulary from 1909-1921. He was shot and killed in Kilrush, Co. Clare on the night of Apr. 22, 1921, three months before the end of the Irish War of Independence.

Birth and Early Life

John McFadden was born Aug. 18, 1890 in Derry City, Co. Derry to Patrick and Catherine (O'Hara) McFadden. He was the third of four children. John's father, a Donegal native, was stationed in Derry as a policeman with the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC). John's maternal grandfather and two uncles had also been policemen. John's mother died in 1892 just three weeks after the birth of John's younger brother William. His older sister Annie died in 1900 at age 13. Later in 1900, having completed 25 years of service, Patrick retired from the RIC and the family moved back to his native townland of Killoughcarron near Creeslough, Co. Donegal.^S2

The Royal Irish Constabulary

John and his older brother Jim followed in the footsteps of their father, grandfather, and uncles, joining the RIC in 1909 and 1907 respectively. John was stationed in Co. Down^S1 for three years, Belfast for six, and on May 17, 1919 he was stationed in Co. Clare. In 1911, John was named the best R.I.C. shot in Co. Down after achieving the highest score during Morris Tube Webley Revolver practice.

The Feakle Ambush

On Oct. 6, 1920, Constable McFadden was one of six RIC men who were ambushed by an IRA unit near the post office in Feakle, Co. Clare. Two policemen were killed in the attack. McFadden was wounded. He was later awarded the Constabulary Medal and promoted from constable to sergeant.^{S6 S7}

Six policemen were traveling in pairs. The front pair, Doherty and Stanley, were both killed. McFadden was in the middle pair with Murphy. Newspaper reports of the court of inquiry said that a wounded Murphy was dragged to safety by a comrade. Since the trailing pair did not enter the ambush, the comrade must have been McFadden.

Killed at Kilrush

Apr. 25, 1921, Yorkshire Post

Sgt. McFadden was shot and killed on the night of April 22, 1921 in Kilrush, Co. Clare^{S3 S4 S5} by a group of IRA men led by Michael Brennan, commander of the East Clare Brigade, during the Irish War of Independence. Brennan would later rise to the rank of Lieutenant General in the Irish Defense Forces, serving as Chief of Staff from 1931-1940.

There are several accounts of what happened that night from both Brennan himself and the policemen that were accompanying McFadden. The accounts differ only slightly. The following is a brief description of what happened that includes only what the various accounts agree on:

Sgt. McFadden and Const. Francis J. Fallon, RIC, were off duty at Sheehan's Public House when they heard shots fired in the town. Upon leaving Sheehan's, they met up with Const. Patrick Hopkins, RIC, and Pte. Clifton of the Royal Marines. The three RIC men were in uniform and armed with revolvers while Clifton was unarmed. The four men headed down Henry St. towards the Market Square where they were fired on by a group of IRA men led by Michael Brennan. Sgt. McFadden was shot in the right arm. The RIC men returned fire, but were outnumbered and forced to run for it. Const. Fallon and Pte. Clifton made their way back up Henry St. and returned to the barracks without further incident. Sgt. McFadden and Const. Hopkins turned into a lane off Henry St. and hid in a stable for about 20 minutes. They then returned to Henry St. in order to head for the barracks. There McFadden and Hopkins came upon a group of men standing in the street that they assumed to be military. The group were instead Brennan and his men. Brennan, unsure of who was approaching, called for the two policemen to halt. McFadden replied "It's alright, police!" at which point Brennan and his group opened fire at close range, hitting McFadden four times and killing him outright. Const. Hopkins escaped up Vandeleur St. and hid for a time before safely returning to the barracks.

Sgt. McFadden's body was found on Henry St. later that night by an RIC patrol. Dr. John F. Counihan was called to the barracks where he examined the body and found five bullet wounds - two in the chest, one in the throat, one in the abdomen, one in the right arm.

The failure of the RIC men to correctly identify the IRA that night was a fatal error, but Brennan shed some light on why low nighttime visibility was only partially responsible for the confusion:

"I had never seen an Auxiliary up to this time except at night and a description of their dress on service made the RIC error in my identification at least understandable. I wore a grey-green coat cut like a military tunic, khaki breeches, collar and shirt, brown, boots and leggings, Sam Brown belt and holstered revolver, field glasses slung over my shoulder, and no head gear. The only difference in our dress was that the Auxiliary tunic was khaki and this would not be very noticeable in moonlight."

Burial

The following was printed in the Freeman's Journal on April 29, 1921:

"The remains of Sergeant John McFadden, RIC, who was shot dead Friday night in Kilrush, Co. Clare, were brought to Derry on Wednesday afternoon for internment at Carrigart, his native district. As the railway is closed and the roads trenched this was impossible, and the internment took place in the Derry City Cemetery, being attended by a party of local police.

John is buried with his mother, sister, and grandfather.

Possible Daughter?

The following was published in the Manchester Guardian on Jan. 16, 1922:

CLARE DRESSMAKER'S CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION

DEAD POLICE SERGEANT AND A MARRIAGE PROMISE

Judge Bodkin, at the Kilrush Quarter Sessions held at Ennis, Co. Clare, heard an unusual claim for £5,000 compensation brought by Mary Annie Sheedy, a dressmaker and milliner, of Feakle, East Clare, in connection with the death of Sergeant John McFadden, who was killed in the execution of his duty at Kilrush, West Clare. The applicant said she first met Sergeant McFadden in June of 1919; and in November of the same year she became very friendly with him. On July 27, 1920, he gave her an engagement ring, telling her at the same time that it was his intention to marry her, and he kept company with her until he was transferred to Kilrush in February, 1921. In November, 1920, two men came to her home and said she must have nothing to do with McFadden because he was a policeman. If she married him, they said they would shoot both of them. In March, 1921, she wrote a certain letter to McFadden, who in his reply reasserted his intention to marry her as soon as possible, but she destroyed the letter. McFadden was killed in Kilrush on April 22, and on September 13 the applicant gave birth to a child, of which the father, she said, was McFadden. The Judge said he was in a difficulty. There was no evidence to corroborate the applicant's statement that there had been a promise of marriage. In none of the letters read was there the faintest allusion to marriage, and the only letter in which there was a reference to marriage the applicant had destroyed. With great reluctance he had to dismiss the case.

A civil birth record shows that on Sep. 13, 1921 a baby Maureen Joan Sheedy was born to a Maryanne Sheedy in Feakle, no father listed.

Apr. 25, 1921, Yorkshire Post

1. ↑ Census of Ireland, 1911.

   http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Portaferry/High_Street/241429/

2. ↑ Census of Ireland, 1901.

   http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Donegal/Doe_Castle/Killoughcarran/1173103/

3.   Court of Inquiry in lieu of Inquest, The National Archives (UK), WO 35/154/47.

   Proceedings of a Court of Inquiry in lieu of Inquest
   assembled at Kilrush
   on the 26th day of April 1921
   by order of Colonel Commandant 18th Inf. Bde
   for the purpose of inquiring into and reporting on
   circumstances under which Sgt. McFadden No. 65056 R.I.C.
   met his death on the night of 22nd/23rd April 1921 at Kilrush
   
   President: Maj. G.E. Hall 2/The Royal Scots
   Member: Lt. F.M. McCausland 2/The Royal Scots
   Member: Lt. L.M. Goodall 2/The Royal Scots
   
   1st Witness: Constable Francis J. Fallon, R.I.C., No. 69971
   
   "I and Sgt. McFadden, R.I.C., left the Police Barracks at about 2215 hours on the night of the 22nd 23rd inst. I understood that Sgt. McFadden had obtained leave for both of us to be out till 0015 hours. We were not on duty. We were in uniform and carrying our revolvers. We walked round the town and went into Madigan's Public House where we remained about ten minutes and then went on to Sheehan's Public House where we stayed for about an hour. I had noticed no strangers in the town and nothing unusual except that I thought the town unusually quiet. The corner loafers were not in their usual places.
   
   I heard two shots go off in the town and we at once got up and started to go back to barracks. We went along Vandeleur St. and just before turning into Henry St. we heard two more shots. We turned to the left down Henry St. and near the bottom of the street we met Constable Hopkins, R.I.C., and Pte. Clifton, Royal Marines. We stopped and talked to them and discussed the firing and then all proceeded to go back to barracks.
   
   After we had gone about five yards towards the Market Square, a volley of shots was fired at us. I could see some of the men who were firing at us and Constable Hopkins and I returned the fire. The men were at the Ryan's corner of Henry St. and at the Market House. After firing all my rounds, I ran up Henry St. with Pte. Clifton, who was unarmed. I thought Sgt. McFadden and Const. Hopkins were following, so we proceeded via Convent(?) Road to the Police Barracks. We were not being fired at and all was quiet until I got into barracks at about 0010 hours."
   
   2nd witness: Dr. John F. Counihan
   
   "About 0300 hours on the morning 23rd April I was called to the Police Barracks to see a wounded man. On arrival, I saw a man whom I identified as Sgt. McFadden, R.I.C.. He was quite dead. I made a superficial examination of the body and found the following wounds: one bullet wound through the throat, two bullet wounds on his chest, one bullet wound on the abdomen, and the joint of the right arm was completely shattered. Death was due to shock and hemorrhage caused by these wounds. I (?) that he must have been dead for a couple of hours."
   
   3rd witness: Constable Patrick Hopkins, R.I.C., No. 67754
   
   "I left barracks at 2100 hours on night of 22nd/23rd April and went out for a walk with a girlfriend. I was on pass till midnight. I returned to the town about 2315 hours and went into Crotty's Public House at about 2345 hours. I heard firing in the street and went out to see what was the matter. I met Pte. Clifton, Royal Marines. I arrived (?) the road with Pte. Clifton and met Sgt. McFadden and Constable Fallon, R.I.C..
   
   We proceeded to go back to barracks and were fired on from the East side of the Market House. I could see civilians advancing from the Market House and firing on us as they advanced. I opened fire on them (?) and they ran back. Fire was then opened on us from the other side of the Market House. I and Sgt. McFadden then started to run down Henry St. on the East side and turned up a lane to seek shelter. We were being fired at the whole time. We got into a stable and I found that Sgt. McFadden had been wounded in the right arm. I bound his arm up and we stayed there for about 20 minutes. As all was then quiet we started to go back to barracks. We turned to the right up Henry St. and saw a cordon of about 20 men drawn (?) the left of the street. We thought they were the military. They shouted halt and Sgt. McFadden replied "Alright, we are police." We continued to advance and when we got to within about 10 yards, they opened fire on us and I saw that they were civilians and not military.
   
   I turned into a doorway and saw Sgt. McFadden swerve to the left. I fired two shots from the doorway and then ran up Vandeleur St.. I was being fired at the whole time and being pursued. I never saw Sgt. McFadden again. I hid myself behind a cart in the glen(?). Four civilians came up looking for me, halted near the cart and discussed as to where I could have gone. They then went away. I eventually met a party of military and joined up with them."
   
   4th witness: Constable John Horan, R.I.C., No. 69455
   
   "I was one of a police patrol which had been sent by the D.I. to the military barracks on the night of 22nd/23rd April. We left the military barracks to return home at about 0230. When we got to the north end of Henry St. I saw a black thing lying on the road. We went up to it and I saw it was the body of Sgt. McFadden, R.I.C.. He was dead."
   
   The Court having considered the evidence is of the opinion that:
   
   1. Sgt. John McFadden, No. 65056, R.I.C., single, 31 years of age died at Kilrush on the night of 22nd/23rd April 1921.
   2. Death was due to shock and hemorrhage caused by five bullet wounds.
   3. The shots were fired by persons unknown who were wearing civilian clothes.
   4. These persons are guilty of willful murder.

4.   Bureau of Military History, Witness Statements, 1913-21.

   http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/reels/bmh/BMH.WS1068.pdf
   
   Witness: Lt. Gen. Michael Brennan, Simmonscourt House, Simmonscourt Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin
   Identity:
   Brigade Adjutant East Clare Brigade
   Brigade Commander East Clare Brigade
   Column Commander East Clare Flying Column
   
   pg. 93
   
   "Seán Liddy, the West Clare Brigadier, had asked me to visit his area with the column as he had only a few rifles and the Black and Tans were making things very unpleasant."
   
   pg. 94
   
   "We were joined by Seán Liddy and about ten of his West Clare men, mostly, but not all armed with rifles. There seemed no possibility of finding any British parties in the open where we could attack them on more or less equal terms. The only course open to us was to try and induce some of them to come out from behind their solid walls to help some of their own forces. The position in Kilrush offered opportunities in this direction as it was garrisoned by about 100 troops, forty or fifty Black and Tans and about 40 marines in the Coastguard Station. All these parties were located in different. parts of the town and we calculated that a feint attack on the R.I.C. would result in Verey light signals for aid which we could assume would be acted upon by the military. We would ambush the military when they left their barracks."
   
   pg. 95-98
   
   "My guide led us to a street crossing and pointed out a large building at the end of a short side street as the R.I.C. Barracks. I questioned him and he repeated his directions, adding "There it is, straight foreninst you". We fired half-a-dozen shots at the windows and then waited for a reply. When none came I began to have doubts and I again queried the guide. He repeated his previous directions and I asked him if he meant the building facing us. He said "Yes" and we waited a few minutes, but nothing happened. I again tackled our guide and inquired if it was the big building facing us across the end of the side street. He replied "God Almighty, that's the convent". It then transpired that the barracks was on the side of the street and was in fact not facing us at all. We moved out at once and fired a few shots into it. Almost immediately Verey lights went up and we walked quickly back towards the main party. Just as we reached the Market Square we heard voices and saw a group of men standing in the shadow of a house on the far side. They called to us and they seemed all right, but I thought it safer to investigate. I left my companions in an archway and I crossed to the Market House which stood in the centre of the square. Going around this I surveyed the group, but owing to the dense shadow I still couldn't identify them. They again called to me in what were clearly Irish accents and I stepped out and crossed over to them. It was a very clear moonlight night and out of the shadow the street was almost as bright as in daylight. I walked straight to the group who seemed to number about six. When I was within about fifteen feet of them one of them stepped out towards me with his right hand out. I assumed he was a local wishing to shake hands and I removed my right hand from the small of the butt of my rifle which I was carrying across my left forearm. As the stranger's arm reached the moonlight I saw it was clothed in black with the V's of an R.I.C. sergeant on the sleeve and with a revolver gripped in the hand. I swung my rifle round instantly and fired at him turning at once and snaking a wild dash for the corner of the Market House swerving and stooping as I ran and snapping a wild shot back at them, for effect.
   
   I must have gone 20 yards before a shot was fired after me but quite a number came then. Even as I ran I realised that I must have been mistaken for an Auxiliary and that my shot had given them a much worse shock than they had given me. The first result of this was delay in reacting and the second was the equally valuable one of erratic shooting. I reached the Market House safely and from there fired a few shots at the men on the corner who were just moving to follow me. My own men in the archway were calling anxiously to me as they couldn't see what had happened on the other side of the Market House. I shouted to them that I was all right and to open fire. This fire forced a hurried retreat from the corner and I went up and investigated but only found a trail of blood from where the man had stepped out to me. (It transpired subsequently that
   there were three R.I.C. and a number of military police in the group).
   
   The others joined me then and the guide led us by a roundabout route towards the workhouse. Later, I discovered we could have gone directly from where we were, but he took us around three sides of a square to bring us back again on to the street leading from where I had the brush with the police. As we reached there I heard steps coming down this Street again on the shadowy side and I saw two figures coming towards me. When I challenged them they replied: "It's all right" and came on. I was standing in the moonlight and I repeated my order peremptorily. One of them snapped back: "It's all right, police!" at the same time stepping out into the light with a revolver in his hand. I fired and he dropped, the other turning and darting away. I called to Tom McGrath and Joe Clancy to get this man's revolver and papers and I set off after the second man, but lost him."
   
   pg. 99
   
   "We learned locally that the poor nuns were uninjured except for the damage to their nervous systems, and, fortunately for our reputations, the Black and Tans were blamed for the shooting into the convent. I had never seen an Auxiliary up to this time except at night and a description of their dress on service made the R.I.C. error in my identification at least understandable. I wore a grey-green coat cut like a military tunic, khaki breeches, collar and shirt, brown, boots and leggings, Sam Brown belt and holstered revolver, field glasses slung over my shoulder, and no head gear. The only difference in our dress was that the Auxiliary tunic was khaki and this would not be very noticeable in moonlight. The previous rifle shots must have been accepted as the usual Auxiliary method of celebrating their arrival - "shooting Up" the town."

5.   Bureau of Military History, Witness Statements, 1913-21.

   http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/reels/bmh/BMH.WS1316.pdf
   
   Witness: John Flanagan, Tullagower, Tullycrine, Co. Clare
   Identity: Commandant, Second Battalion, West Clare Brigade
   
   pg. 16-17
   
   "The officers of the West Clare Brigade were keen on pulling off successfully an attack on the enemy which could compare in size with some of the operations that were then occurring frequently in other parts of Ireland, and when the reports from the I.R.A. Intelligence Officer in Kilrush showed that such an opportunity had presented itself immediate steps were taken to avail of it. The intelligence reports disclosed that a police patrol went around the town each night enforcing curfew from about 9 o'clock to midnight. This patrol dealt severely with an unfortunate man who was found about the streets between these hours. Several cases were reported where men were badly beaten and kicked by members of this patrol.
   
   The Brigade O/C, in his anxiety to punish the patrol severely, asked for assistance from his friend, Michael Brennan, O/C East Clare Brigade. This was readily forthcoming. On the night of 20th April 1921, a detachment of about twenty-five men commanded by Brennan himself arrived by boat from East Clare at Killydysart where they were met by a party from our brigade about twenty strong. The East Clare men were all armed with rifles and our men carries eight or nine rifles and eleven or twelve shotguns."
   
   pg. 19
   
   "About a dozen men under Michael Brennan and Tom McGrath, O/C and V/C East Clare Brigade respectively, to attack the police patrol. This party was to occupy three positions at the entrances to Ball Alley Lane, Malt House Lane and Stewart Street, all off Moore Street where the patrol was to be ambushed."
   
   (The patrol did not go through Moore Street as planned)
   
   pg. 20
   
   "Shortly after the return of the patrol to barracks two thirsty policemen, Sergeant McFadden and Constable Hopkins came out again in quest of a drink. They had reached the Square when they were challenged by Michael Brennan, Tom McGrath and Matt Bermingham who had come up from Moore Street to investigate what was delaying the patrol. The two policemen were called to halt and in reply Sergeant McFadden shouted "It's all right. We're R.I.C." The sergeant had assumed that he was meeting a military patrol. The I.R.A. leader and his two comrades opened fire, killing McFadden outright and wounding the Constable in the shoulder. In the darkness the latter escaped to the barracks and McFadden's revolver was taken from him."

6.   Bureau of Military History, Witness Statements, 1913-21.

   http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/reels/bmh/BMH.WS1462.pdf
   
   Witness: Sergeant Sean Moroney, Detective Branch, Dublin Castle
   Identity: Member of East Clare Brigade Active Service Unit
   
   pg. 4-5
   
   "My next engagement, which was about two weeks later, was against an R.I.C. foot patrol about a mile outside the village of Feakle. This attack was made by the 6th Battalion A.S.U. under Henry O'Mara, who is now Chief Superintendent in charge of Phoenix Park Garda Depot. It was the custom for a party of R.I.C., a sergeant and five men armed with carbines, to proceed daily to the post office, which was about a mile outside the village on the Scariff road, to collect mails. It was decided to ambush them.
   
   They travelled in pairs, with about 200 yards between each pair. When the first pair arrived at the post office they remained outside until the other four came up. Then one of them entered the post office and collected the mail. Having done so, the party returned to the barrack in the same order in which they had come. Paddy Houlihan, myself and two Volunteers were to take up positions at windows on the first floor of the post office. Four men were to occupy a house adjacent to the post office, and three men to position themselves behind the graveyard wall on the opposite side of the road. The Battalion Commandant, Henry O'Mara, with six or seven Volunteers, was to occupy a position about 200 yards on the Feakle side of the post office, for the purpose of cutting off the retreat of the R.I.C. if any of them should try to return to their barrack that way. The orders for the ambush were to allow the whole patrol to arrive at the post office without a shot being fired. Then Paddy Houlihan and I, who would be at windows in the same room and who would be armed with double barrelled shotguns and buckshot, would open the attack, the other parties then joining in.
   
   We were all in positions as arranged. The leading pair of the patrol reached the post office and remained outside. When the second pair were about forty yards from the post office, one of our men in the graveyard accidentally discharged a shot. This, of course, alerted the patrol and spoiled our plan. Houlihan said to me, "you get the man on the right, I will get the man on the left". We opened fire on them just as they were bringing their carbines to the firing position. Both of them were shot dead. One of them was the sergeant. The remainder of the patrol retreated as fast as they could to the village. One of them was badly wounded, but all four succeeded in reaching the barrack. We captured two carbines and about 150 rounds of ammunition. We suffered no casualty. That night the Black and Tans and R.I.C. burned several houses in the locality, including those of some Volunteers who had taken part in the attack. They burned the post office and the house adjoining it which our men had occupied for the attack. They also wounded Thomas Maloney, the proprietor of the post office. The house of Tadhg Kelly, an elderly man and a strong supporter, was also burned."
   
   pg. 10
   
   "The Brigade O/C, Michael Brennan, took a few men and went into the centre of the town, where he shot dead an R.I.C. sergeant."
   
   pg. 11
   
   "The R.I.C. sergeant who was shot dead in Kilrush was one of the R.I.C. patrol we ambushed at Feakle Post Office. He led the Black and Tans to the houses of Volunteers to carry out reprisals, and had been promoted to the rank of sergeant and transferred to Kilrush."

7.   Bureau of Military History, Witness Statements, 1913-21.

   http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/reels/bmh/BMH.WS0983.pdf
   
   Witness: Thomas (Tomo) Tuohy, Clonusker, Scariff, Co. Clare
   Identity: Vice-O/C 6th Battalion East Clare Brigade
   
   pg. 15-19
   
   "After the hold-up of the postman in Feakle the R.I.C. began to collect their own mail. I decided to attack this party and gave instructions to the Volunteers living in the Feakle village to keep the patrol under close observation, particularly as to the time on which it left the barracks and the formation in which moved.
   
   On 6th October, 1920, while I was working at my own turf on Coolreagh bog, Joe Nugent, Feakle, the Battalion Quartermaster, came to me to report that on the two previous days six policemen had come on foot from the barracks to the Post Office for the mails round 10 o'clock in the morning and that they walked in pairs about 7 or 8 paces apart. On hearing this I instructed Nugent and my brother, Paddy, to notify certain picked men in the Feakle district to appear in Rochford's field, Feakie, after the circus which was to be held that night in the village. All the men selected turned up and totalled around thirty. I sent half of them through the different townlands in the parish to collect arms and ammunition, and with the remainder I got into Tadhg Kelly's house, Feakle East, which had been vacated by himself and his family as he had heard of our intention to attack the police. About 2 p.m. all the men sent to collect the arms had completed their mission and rejoined us. All told we had 20 guns, 4 rifles, 15 shotguns and 1 automatic (short "Peter the Painter).
   
   The distance from the. R.I.C. barracks to the Post Office was about three quarters of a mile, the Post Office being situated outside the village almost opposite the graveyard on the road to Gort. On the village side of the Post Office and thirty yards or so away a road forks off to Tulla. At the junction of this road and the Gort road stands Keating's house, a small one-storied cottage. A few yards further on towards the Post Office and on the opposite side of the road is a good sized two-storied house owned by the Nugent family. The following is a list of the men who were assembled, how they were armed and the positions to which they were allocated:
   
   Graveyard
   Michael Tuohy, Laccarroe - Rifle
   Tom Tuohy, Garrane - Shotgun
   William Doyle, Laccarroe - Rifle
   Tom Considine, Feakle - Shotgun
   Joe Nugent, Feakle - Shotgun
   
   Post Office
   Pat Houlihan, Dooras, Caherfeakie Rifle
   Joseph Maloney, Furnacetown - Shotgun
   Michael Lillis (Miko) Flagmount - Shotgun
   Tommy O'Meara, Flagmount - Shotgun
   
   Nugent's
   Joe Tuohy, Dromore, Feakle - Rifle
   Jack Tuohy, Dromore - Shotgun
   Tom Grady, Annagh - Shotgun
   Denis McGrath, Aughaneale, Feakle - Shotgun
   Denis Rochford, Feakle East - Shotgun
   Jack Slattery, Derinahighia - Shotgun
   Jack Minogue, Gortavollagh - Shotgun
   
   Keating's
   Mick Slattery, Derinahighia - Shotgun
   James Rochford (Jame) Feakle East - Shotgun
   Patrick Brody, Killaneane - Shotgun
   
   I had the automatic and was with the group in Keating's. Another man Patrick Brady, Garrane, Feakle, armed with a shotgun, occupied a position in a recess in the wall of the Gort road opposite the far corner of the churchyard and covering a laneway leading to Tadhg Kelly's house. My brother, Michael, was in charge of the group in the graveyard and Pat Houlihan & Joe Tuohy in the Post Office and Nugent's respectively.
   
   I had anticipated that the first two policemen would be approaching the Post Office door when the next two would be passing Nugent's and the last pair opposite Keating's. This was explained to all the men, who were given strict orders to withhold their fire until I fired a warning shot.
   
   About 9 o'clock in the morning I sent a scout, Martin Maloney, Killaneana, into the village to keep an eye on the police barracks until he saw the patrol leaving. After ascertaining their strength and formation he was to walk quickly in front of them and when he got to a bend on the road half a mile from Nugent's he was to sprint as quickly as he could to me with the information. Maloney was a champion sprinter at that time. While he was away I brought the party from Kelly's to the back of Nugent's. Maloney returned after three-quarters of an hour and his report indicated that there was no change in the size and formation of the patrol. Each section then moved quickly into the positions which had been assigned to them.
   
   In the course of 10 minutes or so the patrol came along headed by Sergeant Doherty and Constable Stanley. As these two passed by Jack Tuohy at one of the windows in Nugent's position he fired at Stanley, contrary to orders. On the previous night he had been held up inside in the village when he got a bad beating from Stanley. The middle pair, Constables Murphy and McFadden, on hearing the shooting made for the fence opposite Keating's, while the last two did not enter the ambush position at all but retreated back to the barracks. Constables Murphy and McFadden, who dropped their rifles, got into the fields where, taking advantage of thick cover, they managed to remain concealed until we left. At a pre-arranged signal nine of the attacking party came out on the road where they collected 4 carbines, 1 .45 revolver, 300 rounds .303 and 24 rounds .45 ammunition and 1 Mills bomb. A coded message which was intended to be sent from the Post Office to R.I.C. Headquarters in Tulla was found on the Sergeant and this was forwarded to the Vice O/C of the Brigade, Tom McGrath. The enemy casualties were: Constable Stanley shot dead, Sergeant Doherty and Constable Murphy fatally wounded and Constable McFadden wounded. We sustained no loss.
   
   The search for Constables Murphy and McFadden continued for about 20 minutes, when Fr. O'Reilly, C.C., Feakle, came on the scene to administer the last rites of the church to the police. He shouted to us from the road "The horsemen will be on top of you in a few minutes as a messenger had gone for them before I left the village". It later transpired that as soon as the other R.I.C. at the barracks heard the shooting two policemen were sent cycling to the military headquarters in Tulla six miles away, where there was a cavalry detachment among the garrison. I then gave orders to discontinue the search and we went off along the Scarriff road."