William Horgan was a 29 year old from Dillons Cross who worked as a fireman with the Great Southern and Western Railway. Just shortly after 2am on June 28th 1921, soldiers from the South Staffordshire Regiment arrived at the Horgan home and lifted William from his bed. It was the last time his parents saw him alive.
William was put into a lorry along with another local man by the name of Lenihan who was also taken from his bed in handcuffs. The lorry sped through the streets of Cork but then came to a stop outside the Opera House, at Emmet Place/Lavitts Quay.
According to the British military the lorry broke down and both Horgan and Lenihan grappled with soldiers. Lenihan managed to flee the scene while William Horgan was shot dead. In the inquest which followed, his father claimed that he was not involved with the Republican movement and that it was not in his nature to grapple with armed British soldiers.
The officer in charge on the night of William Horgans murder was Lieutenant Adelin Eugene Paul Firmin Marie Ghislaine van Outryve d'Ydewalle. This Beliguim born Sandhurst commissioned British officer was well known on the streets of Cork as a dubious character who had no qualms in shooting prisoners "trying to escape."
The South Staffordshire Regiment 2nd Battalion moved to Victoria Barracks ( Collins Barracks) on the northside of Cork city in 1919 and had a reputation for brutality.
Emmet Place, Crawford Art Gallery and Opera House.
On the 27th of June the IRA ambushed three Staffordshires walking back to barracks after a night in a local pub. As they walked by Mayfield Road a volley of shots were fired in their direction wounding two and killing one - Private Frederick Crowther. It was this ambush which saw Lieutenant d'Ydewalle set off looking for revenge and the route took him to the home of the innocent Horgan family in Dillons Cross.
Report from Freeman's Journal on the Mayfield Road ambush.
Despite the father of William Horgan claiming at his son's inquest that he was an innocent civilian, the military verdict decided differently and believed the statement of Lieutenant d'Ydewalle and his soldiers in the South Staffordshire Regiment.
The Staffordshires would remain in Cork until 1923 when they returned to England and from there they took their bad reputation to Palestine. Lieutenant d'Ydewalle survived the War of Independence despite attempts by the First Cork Brigade to rub him out.
William Horgan
Its my first time to see this it's my uncle that was shot by the black and tans that night my father never spoke about it at home just to say thanks for putting it up for us to read many thanks pat horgan uh
ReplyDeleteMam often spoke of this to us when we were growing up too Pat. Great to see it now in writing. Thanks for sharing 🇮🇪☘🇮🇪💚
ReplyDeleteMam often spoke of this to us when we were growing up too Pat. Great to see it now in writing. Thanks for sharing 🇮🇪☘🇮🇪💚
ReplyDeleteLiz Moynihan, grand niece of William Horgan 💚