Detective Constable Joseph Murtagh had left the Palace Theatre on King Street (MacCurtain Street) and was walking down Popes Quay shortly before 11pm when two men from the First Cork Brigade shot him dead on the footpath directly across from St Marys Church.
Murtagh was a 46 year old widower from Westmeath who had served 23 years in the Royal Irish Constabulary.
Witness Statement of Michael O'Donoghue
Earlier that day he attended the funeral of a colleague, Constable Healy, before then going to a play at the Palace Theatre (Everyman Theatre). Murtagh was making his way back to Sundays Well RIC Barracks when he was shot.
The killing of Murtagh was not offically sanctioned by the IRA but he was known to have tortured Volunteer Martin Condon in custody.
Murtagh was buried in Lismore County Waterford where his wife was buried some years previously.
Det. Const. Murtagh.
Witness Statement of Pa Murray.
Just two hours following the shooting of Murtagh, masked RIC men shot dead Sinn Fein Lord Mayor Tomas MacCurtain in his Blackpool home. There is strong indications the two incidents , Murtagh and MacCurtain , were not connected. The killing of MacCurtain had been preplanned for some time.
Popes Quay, the scene of Murtagh's shooting.
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