Community Notes Feb 20th
February 18, 2021
The month of February was a bleak one for the volunteers as many were killed in various engagements throughout the county. The Upton Ambush, though glorified in song was a disaster from an organisational view point. On February 15th.the 9.30am train from Cork to Bandon which was to have some 20 members of the Essex Regiment on board was to be attacked at Upton Station. Ten minutes prior to its arrival, thirteen volunteers under the leadership of Charlie Hurley arrived at the station building and tied up the stationmaster. Unknown to Charlie Hurley, fifty extra Essex soldiers boarded the train at Kinsale Junction. IRA scouts witnessed the extra soldiers boarding the train. Using their bicycles, they cycled at full speed to warn their colleagues. However, they were too late as the train had already reached the station. Two IRA scouts were to have been on the train but they failed to show up. The plan was that just as the train entered the station, the scouts were to jump off indicating the number of soldiers on board and in which carriage they were seated. Usually soldiers remained together, but on this occasion, they mingled among the passengers throughout the train.
Charlie Hurley believed that the soldiers were in the middle carriage and he and his men opened fire. The soldiers got out and returned fire. Quickly realising that he and his men were greatly outnumbered, he ordered a retreat. In the ensuing skirmish, he himself was wounded in the face and three of his men were killed. Some eight civilians were also killed
The Upton Ambush gained international publicity. An Italian Sunday newspaper published a sketch of the ambush at the station in its magazine section. This drawing gave the struggle for independence in Ireland a new audience. However, as one could imagine, the killing of eight civilians which obviously was not part of the plan and was not good from a public relations point of view. Up to now any ambush engagements with the enemy were conducted in isolated areas, far from the view of innocent bystanders. Though the fighting lasted only about ten minutes, its consequences were tragic.
On the same day as the Upton Ambush, five volunteers were killed at Mourneabbey in North Cork. Nearer to home, four volunteers were killed at Crois na Leanbh cross roads on the day after, as they were engaged in road trenching. On the 20th. twelve volunteers were killed when the house in which they were staying at Clonmult was surrounded by a joint force of RIC and Auxiliaries.
As can be seen, the month of February 1921 saw a high number of volunteer casualties (only some of whom are mentioned here) in county Cork. West-Cork did not escape either, as in addition to those who fell in combat, others were dragged from their beds and killed in or near their homes in cold blood. In total eleven members of the West-Cork Brigade were killed between the 4th. and 16th. of the month. It was no surprise that Tom Barry later recalled that period of the struggle as “twelve dark days”.
The Skibbereen Eagle of the 26th of February reported that a large number of men were arrested in Clonakilty and Timoleague. On Monday the 21st a large force of soldiers surrounded Timoleague village as the fair was been held. Fair Day in Timoleague in those days was a big event and the village was usually thronged with people. The fair was proclaimed and many were placed under arrest for some hours. Most if not all were subsequently released after being questioned. These sweeps by The Essex were certainly making life rather difficult for the volunteers and were curtailing their movements and activities.