Harley Street - July 18 1920

Chaos reigned on the streets of Cork on a hot July night in 1920 when ex-service men and soldiers of the Hampshire Regiment clashed at North Gate Bridge. The Hampshire's were on patrol and well known in the city for their less than gentlemanly behaviour. When they encountered former soldiers, WWI veterans, crossing the North Gate Bridge words were exchanged and so was gun fire. From there murder and mayhem coloured that Summers night in the city as the British soldiers ran amok.

St Patricks Quay, Harley Street marked in red. 

18 year old IRA Volunteer John O'Brien from Green Lane in Blackpool was at a blockade near Leitrim Street with other IRA volunteers. The night was a restless one across the city and members of the 1st Battalion Cork No. IRA Brigade had set up a baricade to prevent the Hampshire's from taking their mayhem to Blackpool and its surrounding area. 

Harley Street which runs up from Patrick's Quay to MacCurtain Street at the side of the Metropole Hotel. 

Vol. O'Brien left the baricade and headed up towards MacCurtain Street where there was a commotion playing out near the Metropole Hotel. An old woman , Mrs O'Donovan, had been injured in a stampede on Shandon Street caused by a bayonet charge by the Hampshires. She, and many others, managed to flee as far as MacCurtain Street where they again encountered members of the crown forces.

Modern day Harley Street - from MacCurtain Street.

Young O'Brien came upon Mrs O'Donovan who fell exhausted as she tried to run down Harley Street. As he bent down to help her two bullets were fired from the guns of British Soldiers on MacCurtain Street. O'Brien who worked as a messenger boy would die days later in the north infirmary. He was laid to rest in the Republican plot in St Finbarrs Cemetery following a large IRA funeral from his home in Blackpool. 

Harley Street which runs down the side of the Metropole Hotel connects Patrick's Quay to MacCurtain Street and has been given a new lease of life in recent years due to the new pedestrian Mary Elmes Bridge .  100 years ago it was the scene of  Vol. John O'Brien's death.