Grattan Street - April 28 1919

A three story tenenment dwelling at 33 Grattan Street served as a secret bomb making factory for the Cork No.1 Brigade. The premises was owned by Andy Ahern who ran a small shoemaking store on the ground floor. It was in the kitchen at the back of Mr Ahern's store that the IRA had set up their bomb factory. 

Grattan Street today.

               

On the evening of April 28th 1919 the RIC were searching properties in the Grattan Street and Broad Lane area. Known locally as The Marsh Area, it was a place of dark laneways and overcrowded tenements but it was also a hive of Republican activity.

Broad Lane tenements.

 Because of the searches taking place, 28 year old IRA Lieutenant Michael Tobin and his comrades decided to move their bomb making equipment. Tobin was a native of Ballineen West Cork, he was working in the city as a drapers assistant and was lodging at 15 Bachelors Quay.

                                               Bachelors Quay where Tobin lived.


An explosion occurred when Tobin and his comrades moved gunpowder from tins into coarse linen sacks. This caused a build up of heat which resulted in the powder igniting. 

The witness statement of Sean O'Connell

With Tobin at 33 Grattan Street on that evening were fellow IRA men Sean O'Connell and Dick Murphy whilst Volunteers Varian and Downey and Cumann na mBan member Bessie Moore were in a room next door. 

Cork No1 Brigade Quartermaster Sean O'Connell recalled what happened in his witness statement for the bureau of military history: " Dick and Michael were holding a bag and I was emptying one of the tins into it when all of a sudden a terrific explosion occurred."

Account from Captain Charles Meaney, H Company, 2nd Battalion.

The building was blown apart and all of it's occupants were injured, one fatally -Lieutenant Tobin was taken to the Mercy Hospital with serious burns to his face, hands and legs. He lingered in hospital until he died there on May 21st 1919. 

Removal of Lieutenant Tobin from the Mercy Hospital.

Lieutenant Michael Tobin was removed to the church of St Peter and Paul before a large funeral procession led by the Cork Volunteer Pipe Band made it's way through the streets of the rebel city. Among those providing a guard of honour were members of the IRA, Cumann na mBan, Na Fianna Eireann and the Irish Citizen Army. Thousands thronged the funeral route before it went west to Ballineen where Lieutenant Tobin was laid to rest in the cemetery there.

                                         The grave of Michael Tobin in Ballineen cemetery.