5 Marina Terrace

 

Seamus Quirke lived with his family at Marina Terrace before moving to Galway where the 23 year old was killed in brutal fashion by the crown forces. 

Seamus Quirke in uniform.

Quirke joined Na Fianna Eireann as a teenager  and later joined IRA H Company 2nd Battlion Cork No.1 Brigade. The son of a jeweller, he took on his father's trade and went to Galway where he worked in O'Donovans Jewellers on William Street. 

Upon relocating to Galway he joined the 1st Battalion  of the Galway City Brigade where he became adjutant.

Marina Terrace, near Albert Road, Cork's docklands.

On the night of September 8th 1920 Constable Edward Krumm was on a drinking spree in pubs across Galway. Sporting the mismatched uniform of black and kaki, Krumm was a new recruit to the RIC - better known as a Black & Tan. 

Krumm, a native of Middlesex and a veteran of WWI, was in a pub making a scene showing off his shooting skills with a row of bottles behind the bar. He then met up with a fellow tan and the two went to the railway station where they harassed passengers coming off the midnight mail train. At the station were a group of IRA men who were waiting for arms due to come in on the train from Dublin. When Krumm drew his pistol and began shooting above the heads of passengers disembarking the train, IRA Volunteer Sean Mulvoy sprung into action and wrestled Krumm to the floor. During the struggle both Krumm and Mulvoy were fatally shot. 

Funeral of Mulvoy and Quirke, Galway Cathedral.

When news reached Krumm's colleagues at Eglington Street Barracks they set out for revenge. They took to their armoured cars and tore through the city, shooting wildly and looting shops and pubs. During their ramage they called to the lodgings of young Seamus Quirke at New Dock. 

Quirke in coffin

The tans and RIC burst in Quirke's door and dragged him from bed. They then took him quayside and lynched him from a lampost before shooting 11 bullets into his body. Thinking he was dead, the tans and RIC left and went off to continue their night of terror in the city of tribes. 

Despite being half hanged and shot 11 times, Quirke managed to crawl back towards his lodgings and slumped in it's front door. Neighbours came to his aid and Fr Michael Griffin arrived and stayed with Quirke until he drew his last breath as dawn was breaking over the River Corrib. Fr Griffin would suffer the same fate as Quirke just two months later when he was taken from his home by tans and brutally murdered.

Grave of Quirke, St Finbarrs Cemetery Cork.

Quirke had a joint funeral in Galway with Mulvoy before his remains were brought back to his native city and laid to rest in the Republican Plot at St Finbarrs Cemetery.

3 Pembroke Street

 

Christopher Lucey lived at No. 3 Pembroke Street before he went west to Ballingeary where he was killed by crown forces on November 10th 1920. Lucy was a UCC medical student and a volunteer of B Company, 1st Battalion, Cork No.1 Brigade IRA.

Chris Lucey

22 year old Lucey was the son of John Lucey of the "Lucey & O'Connell" agricultural tool merchants on Mulgrave Road. He had strong roots in Muscrai where his ancestors fought against the red coats at The Battle of Keimaneigh. Young Christopher Lucey would die not far from that famous battlesite on a cold winters morning in 1920. 

3 Pembroke Street - today known better as Counihans Pub.

Lucey was born December 21st 1897 at No. 8 Grenville Place Cork city. In 1905 his father died and the family moved across the city to Pembroke Street where Nora his mother became a vintner. Today the pub is known as Counihans. 

8 Grenville Place, red brick building on right. Located near the Mercy Hospital, Cork city.

Looking across the river at 8 Grenville Place. Originally built as Turkish Baths in the 1860s, the property was later adapted for residential use where Christopher Lucy was born in 1897. 

Lucey had spent three months in Mountjoy when he was arrested in Skibbereen in early 1920. He went on hunger strike and was released early and from there he went to Ballingeary where he joined the local IRA company and took part in various actions including the Ballingeary Ambush in July 1920. 

Irish Independent November 11 1920.

Lucey was staying with his cousins, the Twomeys, at Tuirin Dubh near Gougane Barra. By night he slept in a haggard across from the Twomey cottage. 

In the morning he would come down to the cottage to wash and have breakfast. On the morning of November 10th 1920 as Lucey was making his way down from the haggard to the cottage he noticed a lorry of Auxies coming.

The memorial which marks the spot where Lucey was shot.

Lucey ran for the cottage to warn his cousins but they had already left. With the auxies hot on his heels , Lucey ran through the cottage and out the back door. As he ran up a grassy incline shots rang out and young Lucey fell dead. He was unarmed.

The second memorial to Lucey, not far from where he was killed.

* memorial photos from the brilliant - 

https://readingthesigns.weebly.com/

The auxies who killed Lucey later boasted about it in the Market Bar in Macroom. Members of the dreaded Auxie C Company were drinking in the bar the evening after Lucey was killed. 

The barman heard them talking about it, and one particular auxie who claimed to have killed him. The barman then told local IRA men about what he heared. Weeks later, the boasting auxie was taken prisoner by the Cork No.1 Brigade and executed.

Lucey's grave at St Finbarrs Cemetery Cork City. 

Christopher Lucey was buried in the Republican Plot in St Finbarrs Cemetery. His funeral drew a large attendance but suffered harrasment from British troops.

His gravestone inscription translated:

In sweet memory of Christopher Lucy

1st Battalion

1st Cork Brigade

Who was killed by the English army in Ballingeary

10 November 1920

Jesus have mercy on him