Shortly after 8pm on a warm June night, Captain Sean Twomey, B Company 1st Battalion Cork No.1 Brigade IRA, was being transferred from the Bridewell on Cornmarket Street to a military lorry, his destination Victoria Barracks (today's Collins Barracks.) The 23 year old IRA captain took a chance as he was being led from the door of the Bridewell to the lorry and he made a dash for freedom.
Looking at Kyle St from Cornmarket St (Coal Quay) 1930s
Twomey had been arrested on the Grand Parade a few nights previously and when he made his escape he ran, still handcuffed, up Kyle Street in the direction of North Main Street where he lived.
Kyle Street was a busy thoroughfare, even at 8 o'clock at night, people were coming and going. When Twomey ran towards Kyle Street a hail of bullets followed him.
Twomey was hit and stumbled into the first open door he saw - Anne Bradleys pub. With a busy street and a hail of bullets there was of course a civilian casualty - Mary Parnell, a war widow in her early 30s with two children. She was standing in the doorway of Bradleys pub when she was hit by a number of bullets.
Twomey was recaptured as he lay wounded behind the bar in Bradleys pub. He was taken to the military hospital where he recovered just in time to be released for the truce.
Mary Parnell lived at 11 Kyrls Quay and was known as a supporter of the crown. Her husband Victor was a corporal in the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Regiment. He fell in action in France in 1914.
The inquest into her death found that 12 shots had been fired on that summers night on Kyle Street and Mrs Parnell stood in by the doorway of Bradley's pub when she heard the commotion. Unfortunately for her, she stood in the direct line of fire. A soldier testified: "most of her face and the top of her head were shot away."
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