List of IRA ambushes of the Irish War of Independence
This is a list of ambushes carried out by the Irish Republican Army against "Crown Forces" during the Irish War of Independence (1919–1921).
| Ambush | Date | Target | IRA strength | British strength | IRA losses | British losses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soloheadbeg ambush | 21 January 1919 | Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) | 10 volunteers | 2 constables (James McDonnell and Patrick O'Connell) | None | McDonnell and O'Connell were both killed |
| Holywell Ambush | 2 August 1920 | British Army | 20 volunteers | 12–20 soldiers | 1 wounded | 3–10 wounded |
| Rineen ambush | 22 September 1920 | RIC British Army | 50 volunteers | 10 lorries of British troops | 2 wounded | 6 killed 7 wounded |
| Tooreen ambush | 22 October 1920 | British Army | 30 volunteers | 2 lorries of British troops | None | 3 killed 4 wounded 6 captured |
| Piltown Cross ambush | 1 November 1920 | RIC | N/A | 20 constables | N/A | 2 killed 6 wounded |
| Kilmichael Ambush | 28 November 1920 | Auxiliary Division (ADRIC) | 36 volunteers | 18 constables | 3 killed | 16 killed 1 wounded |
| Pickardstown ambush | 6 January 1921 | RIC (Black and Tans) British Army | 50 volunteers | 40 personnel | 2 killed 2 wounded | 2 wounded |
| Clonfin ambush | 2 February 1921 | ADRIC | 21 volunteers | 19 constables | None | 4 killed 8 wounded |
| Dromkeen ambush | 3 February 1921 | RIC | 40–50 volunteers | 13 police constables | 1 wounded | 11 killed |
| Upton train ambush | 15 February 1921 | British Army | 13 volunteers | 50 soldiers | 3 killed 2 wounded | 6 wounded |
| Coolavokig ambush | 25 February 1921 | ADRIC | 62 volunteers | 70 constables | None | 3 killed |
| Sheemore ambush | 4 March 1921 | British Army RIC | 7 volunteers | Unknown | None | 1 killed 6 wounded |
| Clonbanin ambush | 5 March 1921 | British Army | 100 volunteers | 40 soldiers | None | 13 killed 4–15 wounded |
| Burgery ambush | 18–19 March 1921 | RIC | 20 volunteers | 14, later 50 constables | 2 killed | 2 killed 2 captured |
| Crossbarry Ambush | 19 March 1921 | British Army ADRIC | 104 volunteers | 1,200 soldiers 120 Auxiliaries | 3-6 killed | 10 killed 5 wounded |
| Headford Ambush | 21 March 1921 | British Army | 32 volunteers | 30 soldiers | 2 killed | 9 killed (British sources) 25 killed (IRA sources) |
| Scramoge ambush | 23 March 1921 | British Army RIC | 39 | 9 | None | 4 killed 2 captured later killed |
| Tourmakeady ambush | 3 May 1921 | RIC (Black and Tans) British Army | 60 volunteers | 120 constables 600 soldiers | 1 killed 1 wounded | 4 killed 1 wounded |
| Kilmeena ambush | 19 May 1921 | RIC (Black and Tans) | 41 volunteers | 20–30 constables | 4 killed 7 wounded | 3 killed |
| Carrowkennedy ambush | 2 June 1921 | RIC (Black and Tans) | 45–50 | 23 | None | 8 killed 16 captured |
| Rathcoole ambush | 16 June 1921 | ADRIC | 140 | 25 | None | 2 killed 14 wounded |
Bibliography
- Hart, Peter, ed. (2009). Rebel Cork's Fighting Story, 1916–21: Told by the Men Who Made It. Mercier Press. ISBN 978-1-85635-644-2.
- Kautt, William H. (2010). Ambushes and Armour: The Irish Rebellion 1919–1921. Dublin: Irish Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-7165-3025-1.
- O'Brien, Paddy (2009). O'Reilly, Terence (ed.). Our Struggle for Independence: Eye-witness Accounts from the Pages of 'An Cosantóir'. Mercier Press. ISBN 978-1-85635-614-5.
- O'Brien, Paul (2017). Havoc: The Auxiliaries in Ireland's War of Independence. Cork: The Collins Press. ISBN 978-1-84889-306-1.
- O'Halpin, Eunan; Ó Corráin, Daithí (2020). The Dead of the Irish Revolution. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-25747-2.