Upton train ambush was start of IRA's darkest days in War of Independence
Station The Of Around 1920 During Of Line Old Killed Civilians War On During Irish Railway Ira Which Were Early Scene An Upton The Station And Volunteers Independence Three The Six 1921 Cork Was The West Ambush In
IRA manoeuvres across the Bandon area of County Cork in late 1920 and early 1921 were intense.
They attempted the almost impossible – to have their presence felt across the wide geographical space.
During September 1920, a training camp was held for the officers of companies south of the Bandon river at Clonbuig in Kilbrittain Company area. In mid-October 1920, a similar training camp was arranged at Ballymurphy for the officers of the companies situated north of the Bandon river.
Tom Barry, the newly appointed Brigade Training Officer, oversaw training. Barry was prized by the IRA for his military skill and his expertise to prepare young volunteers.
The week-long course of training covered the use and care of arms, bomb throwing, and foot drills. There were also lectures and discussions each evening on a variety of subjects, such as the use of cover, and the selection of ambush positions.
HISTORY HUB
If you are interested in this article then no doubt you will enjoy exploring the various history collections and content in our history hub. Check it out HERE and happy reading
Post the Kilmichael ambush on November 28, 1920, British forces became more prepared to counter guerrilla warfare. Numbers on patrols increased. Martial law was introduced in Cork.
In turn, the 3rd West Cork IRA Brigade - or as they were known Cork 111 Brigade - focussed their attacks on high-profile police barracks at Innishannon, Bandon, Kilbrittain and Rosscarbery.
Security and patrols became tighter and tighter around British forces, the Brigade’s flying column broke itself into smaller columns.
In December 1920, a small battalion column was formed in the Knockavilla Company of the Bandon Battalion area for the ambush of military travelling from Bandon to Cork.
Michael O’Riordan, 1st Lieutenant in the Kilpatrick Company of the Bandon Battalion in his witness statement to the Bureau of Military History (WS1638), recalls that to re-route the military along certain routes and to hinder their movement, an intensive campaign of road-blocking was undertaken throughout the whole brigade area. All roads were blocked by trenching, felling trees, and demolishing any bridges remaining intact.
Roads in the Kilpatrick Company area were trenched and three bridges at Finnis, Ballinacurra and Castlelack were demolished.
The work of keeping the roads in the area closed to enemy transport involved focussed attention each night, and very often during the day, by all members of the company.
In the first few weeks of February 1921, it was noticed that a small party of military from Kinsale favoured and utilised the West Cork train network than the roads. They changed trains at Kinsale junction and travelled on to West Cork.
The local flying column was mustered and arranged to ambush them at Upton Station. The small party comprised mostly local men with a few West Cork Brigade Staff Officers – including the Officer in Command Charlie Hurley, Flor Begley, Sean Phelan and Pat O'Sullivan.
Frank Neville, Quartermaster of the Knockavilla Company in his witness statement for the Bureau of Military History (WS443), recalls that on 15 February, 1921, a party comprising 14 local men armed with Ross Canadian and Lee Enfield rifles, revolvers, and automatics, met at Raheen and proceeded to Upton Station over three miles away.
The small station premises and signal cabin were on one side of the line – the northern side – and a goods store and a terrace of low houses were on the other side.
The surrounding country was flat with large fields sloping down to the station. Two scouts with bicycles were stationed at Kinsale Railway Junction to report the number of military on the train to the men at Upton.
Two other small parties were engaged in blocking the roads leading to the station.
Frank Neville explains that the train was due to arrive at Upton at 10.30am and that the party of ambushers arrived just before the train arrived.
Some of the ambush party took up positions within the station premises. A few others hid in the goods store and behind a low wall close beside the railway line.
The soldiers left Cork as usual in one train carriage, but at Kinsale Junction they were joined by extra soldiers – 30 to 50 others who distributed themselves in five or six groups throughout the train and mingled with the civilian passengers.
All were heavily armed. They belonged to the King's Liverpool Regiment stationed at Skibbereen.
Unfortunately, the IRA scouts on the bicycles at Kinsale Junction failed to make Upton Station before the train arrived to warn their comrades. As the train stopped the IRA volunteers opened fire. The military replied at once.
In the first volley, Seán Phelan and Batt Falvey were killed. Three others – Pat O'Sullivan, John Hartnett, and Dan O'Mahony – were badly injured.
The Brigade Officer in Command, Charlie Hurley, who was on top of the iron footbridge over the railway, was wounded in the head. Six civilians were killed, as well as four passengers and two railway officials – the guard and a porter.
Shortly afterwards Hurley blew his whistle as a signal to retreat from what was a hopeless engagement. The firefight was just 10 minutes long.
The wounded and others got 100 yards down the line under heavy fire as far as the level crossing. Tom Kelleher got a position in the turnstile wicket and opened rapid fire on the military who were advancing in all directions.
Under that covering fire the other members of the ambush party managed to extract themselves. Dan O'Mahony, wounded in the hip, was helped along by Denis Doolan to Murphy's farmhouse a short distance away, where he collapsed.
The Murphy family did all they could for him and hid him in the corner of a field where he remained all day and until nightfall.
British forces failed to find him. He was removed that night by some civilians. During the day though, he was attended by Fr O'Connor of the Order of Charity. This priest belonged to Upton Industrial School and was a good friend to the IRA.
Dan O'Mahony, after spending a long time in a Cork hospital, recovered but died some years afterwards from the effects of the wounds.
John Hartnett, who was shot through the lung, was helped away by few others. He also recovered.
Pat O'Sullivan was shot through the stomach. Despite this, he made his way alone carrying his rifle for a mile through the country to a farmhouse where he got some attention.
He was then removed in a trap to the northern end of the company area. There he got some medical attention but died a few days later in Cork’s North Infirmary hospital.
Charlie Hurley and Tom Kelleher, after covering the retreat of the others, made their way at least a quarter of a mile through open country before they were out of rifle range from the station.
They eventually got away some miles into comparative safety to the farmyard of Patsy Sheehan at Kilmore, where Hurley was able to get medical attention.
About five weeks later on March 19, 1921 recovering from his wounds in the safe house of Ford’s at Ballymurphy, near Crossbarry, Hurley was killed by crown forces on the morning of the Crossbarry Ambush.
Meanwhile, the bodies of Batt Falvey and Seán Phelan were taken to Cork by the military but were claimed as relatives by members of the City’s Cumann na mBan. They, along with Pat O'Sullivan, were buried in St. Finbarr's Cemetery in the Republican Plot.
On the British side, it was officially stated that six soldiers had been wounded. On the train, there were six fatalities amongst civilians and there were five wounded.
On the day of Pat O'Sullivan's burial, while his family was in Cork, his house at Raheen was raided extensively by British military. A workman there was arrested and interned.
A woman and a young girl, who were in the house at the time, were arrested too and were taken around the country all day in a lorry. They were, however, brought back unharmed and were released at nightfall near Raheen.
A day after the Upton ambush, on February 16, four young IRA men were shot – Con McCarthy, John McGrath, Timothy Connolly, and Jeremiah O’Neill.
The four men were caught at Crois na Leanbh, Kilbrittain, when they were surprised by a force of the Essex regiment. The bodies of the four men were found together near their unfinished cutting.
In the first half of February 1921, in just 12 days, the West Cork Brigade lost 11 men.
- is a Geographer, Cork local historian and an Independent member of Cork City Council. His latest book Witness to Murder, The Inquest of Tomás MacCurtain is now available to purchase online at www.irishexaminer.ie