Cove Street / Barrack Street - October 8 1920

It was quarter to nine on a Friday morning in October as men and women were on their way to work, boys and girls were on their way to school. This would be a normal scene playing out in a normal place and time but, this was Cork city in 1920 - a time of war and a place of fear.

A lorry of British soldiers from the Hampshire Regiment was making it's way up Cove Street and as it came to the junction at the bottom of Barrack Street to turn up for it's destination - Elizabeth Fort, the driver found his route blocked by an abandoned cart. Just then, Commandant Michael Murphy of the 2nd battalion Cork No. 1 Brigade IRA flung a tin can bomb at the lorry, thus signalling the start of 15 minutes of fierce fighting at the bottom of Barracka.

The black & white photo shows the bottom of Barrack Street in the 1940s/50s, it would have been similar looking in 1920. The red line indicates the route of the lorry, coming out of Cove Street and heading up the hill.



Commandant Murphy was accompanied by Kerryman Captain Tadgh O'Sullivan while positioned in a derelict building at the corner of Cove street/Barrack street were a number of volunteers who hurled bombs and rained bullets down on the Hampshires. 

Civilians got caught up in the fierce firefighting and although none were killed some received wounds. 25 year old Thomas Madden was on his way to work at Woodford Bourne when he was hit by shrapnel, as was 36 year old Denis Buckley who managed to crawl into the safety of a nearby public house. 27 year old Kate Fitzgerald was hit by shrapnel and bullets while Jer Linehan was hit by three bullets. It was a miracle all survived.

The Times reported that 'civilians' had attacked the lorry - An example of the London press painting all Irish as "terrorists".



The driver of the lorry somehow managed to manoeuvre up the hill and into the safety behind the walls of Elizabeth Fort, but not without a casualty. As another bomb landed into the lorry 17 year old Private John Gordon Squibb picked it up and was going to throw it back when it exploded. His hand was blown clean off and it was later found on a footpath, while flesh and bullet holes dotted the buildings that lined the bottom of Barrack Street.

                                                Burial of record Private Squibb




Private Squibb died from his injuries later that evening. His remains were sent back to his native Isle of Wight for burial. He was the lone fatality that morning, the rest of the Hampshires suffered non fatal injuries while none were repoteted from the Cork Brigade. 

Hosfords Bakery, South Terrace, the weapons used in the Barrack Street Ambush were stored here. Hosfords played host to one of a number of IRA arms dumps across the city.

Today - it is a car dealership.

The attack ended when the 20 or so volunteers led by Commandant Murphy ran towards Douglas Street and disappeared in waiting getaway cars. The attack in the area left locals fearing a reprisal. That evening, the words " Revenge Tonight" were scratched into the wall at South Gate Bridge. The Sullivan's Quay school closed for a few days and many locals packed their things and headed for temporary safety with friends and relatives far from Barrack Street. 

South Gate Bridge.

Later that night the first attempt to burn Cork city occurred. Enraged auxies, tans and British soldiers fire bombed a portion of Cork City Hall. They did not exceed in doing what they intended to do but, it would not take long before they would. Just two months later the Burning of Cork City took place.