At 9:45pm Kathleen Murphy was walking with 28 year old Constable John Cyril MacDonald along Cove Street. MacDonald had been in Ireland for four months and was stationed at Union Quay Barracks. He was from Fulham, London, and was a target of the Cork No.1 Brigade.
As MacDonald and his female companion walked by the gates of the now deconsecrated St Nicholas Church two men who were standing by the church gates tackled MacDonald. One of them pinned the hands of the plain clothes constable behind his back while the other one reached for his pistol. MacDonald tried to knock the gun from his attackers hand but it went off and a bullet pierced through MacDonald's face.
As MacDonald fell to the ground the two men, who turned out to be members of the Cork No.1 Brigade Active Service Unit, fired more bullets into the Constable, hitting his head and neck. As they ran off in the direction of Sullivans Quay Kathleen Murphy dragged MacDonald into a nearby house before rushing off to the nearby Sullivan's Quay Fire Station for help.
The scene of the shooting.
When Kathleen Murphy arrived back on Cove Street with firemen they were stunned to see the shot constable stumbling out of the house with his face shot and bloodied. He was intent on making his way back to Union Quay Barracks to report the incident. He was instead taken by ambulance to the Military Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries five days later.
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