Lavitts Quay - January 25 1921

It was a wet and cold January day when 73 year old Francis Barnane was walking along Lavitts Quay. As he came to the junction of Lavitts Quay and Patrick's Street  he stepped off the footpath to cross the city's main thoroughfare when a British military lorry came around the corner and knocked him down.

               The corner of Lavitts Quay and Patrick's Street where Mr Barnane was killed, an early 20th century photo and the area today.



Francis Barnane was known better to his family and friends as Florrie and was a coal porter who came from 21 Cathedral Walk. The driver of the military lorry which knocked him down was Constable Murphy. He was coming from Bandon and heading for Union Quay RIC Barracks.

                       Cathedral Walk on the north side of the city where Mr Barnane lived.




Constable Murphy would later claim he was unable to stop as the wheels of his vehicle skidded on the muddy street, on what was a wet and dreary Winters day in Cork city. Mr Barnane was struck by the mud guard of the lorry and was taken to the north infirmary where he died at 3am the following morning. 

A fleet of British military vehicles which were a common and most dreaded sight on the roads of Ireland. Mr Barnane was struck by a vehicle similar to the ones seen in this photo.