White Street - November 17 1920

Just after 6pm on the evening of November 17th 1920 Sergeant James O'Donoghue left his home on Tower Street and proceeded to walk to his barracks on Tuckey Street. 

As he walked down White Street three men hiding in the gateway of Desmond's Builders Yard emerged with pistols drawn. Shots rang out and Sergeant O'Donoghue fell dead with two bullets in his back and one in his head. 

Today - White Street, off Douglas Street.

Sergeant O'Donoghue was 46 years old and married with four children. Originally from Cahirsiveen Co. Kerry, he had 22 years service in the RIC. 

Tuckey Street RIC Barracks, across from the Freemasons Hall, today it is the Society of St Vincent de Paul. 

Sergeant O'Donoghue was not initially a target of the Cork IRA, in fact he had been well liked in the locality and was known to rebuke Tans in his barracks who acted like thugs. When news of his killing spread across the city many people thought it was the Tans who killed him.

White Street, early 20th Century. 

O'Donoghue's killing was carried out by IRA Volunteers Charlie O'Brien and brothers William and Justin O'Connor. Senior officers in the First Cork Brigade were furious with them. It was not sanctioned and they sent a letter of apology to O'Donoghue's widow.

Sergeant O'Donoghue and his wife.

Sergeant O'Donoghue was buried in his native Cahirsiveen. His heartbroken wife never recovered from the shock of his killing, she died three years later. 

The killing of O'Donoghue later sparked off a reprisal when a number of RIC and Tans terrorised the tenements of Broad Lane where a number of IRA members lived. They killed and maimed in the name of their dead colleague but, it was a reprisal O'Donoghue certainly would not have wanted and his was a killing that should not have happened. 

Washington Street - October 18/22 1922

 

For a few days in October in 1922 Washington Street played host to scenes of mayhem and tragedy.

On the 18th of October 13 year old Ellen 'Lily' Gallagher left her home on the Western Road and  was walking along Washington Street with a friend when a grenade was thrown at a passing Free State Crossly Tender. It bounced off the vehicle and landed by the Lee Boot Factory just as the two girls were walking past. It exploded and injured them both. Lily Gallagher had head injuries so severe she died four days later in the Mercy Hospital. Her friend survived. 

The old Lee Boot Factory, the large red brick building on Washington Street.

On October 22nd another incident happened near the same spot on Washington Street when a Free State Crossely tender crashed into a horse & trap. 

Confusion reigned as gunfire was heard near the Court House. A Free State crossly tender sped from the scene of the gunfire and at full speed hit a horse & trap outside the entrance to the Lee Boot Factory injuring its passengers and killing one - David Nolan.

Free Staters in their lorry on Patrick Street 1922.

Mr Nolan worked as secretary in the Lee Boot Factory. A married man with children from Homeville on Magazine Road, he was seriously injured and died four days later.