Grand Parade/South Mall - September 5 1922

 

On the evening of September 5th 1922 a flat bed Free State military lorry was part of a convoy which was making it's way from Clonakilty to Cork City. The convoy was carrying stores and when they made their way into the city and trundled down the Grand Parade tragedy struck.

Free State forces in Cork city 1922.

As the convoy turned the corner from Grand Parade onto South Mall the occupants of one of the lorry's were thrown from the vehicle. One of them, 17 year old Private John Harford fractured his skull and died instantly. 

Today - the scene of the accident at the corner of Grand Parade/South Mall

Harford was sitting on a drum at the rear of the flat bed lorry. He was thrown from it as the vehicle rounded the corner. The others thrown onto the road from the lorry suffered injuries but survived. The incident was declared an accident and the driver was cleared of any wrong doing. 

The corner of Grand Parade South Mall, early 20th Century. 

John Harford came from 77 St Peters Terrace, Howth, Dublin. Before joining the Free State Army he was a merchant sailor. One of seven siblings, his widowed mother recieved a gratuity of £100 following his death in Cork City. 

Home to John Horgan in Howth, Dublin. 

Warrens Lane, Bandon Road - November 25 1922

 

Today Warrens Lane is a gated laneway connecting Bandon Road with Noonans Road but over 100 years ago this laneway was a cluster of little houses and at No.32 a tragic incident occured there on a Winters night in 1922. 

The now gated Warrens Lane, also known as Warrens Court, located near the top of Bandon Road opposite the Post Office. 

It was Saturday night in November 1922 and 28 year old Free State soldier John Delaney left his military patrol in the city without permission. He headed up Barrack Street, up to his home patch on Bandon Road. Delaney arrived at the door of his home where his widowed mother and brothers were living at No.32 Warrens Lane. 

Warrens Lane from Noonans Road

John flung his arms around his mother in an embrace and asked for a cup of tea. He was carrying a rifle and when he saw his brothers Thomas and James he began showing off with the deadly weapon. 

While messing about with his rifle John Delaney accidentally pulled the trigger and a bullet hit his older brother James in his head, killing him instantly. 

John was arrested and court martialed. His family would later claim that John was a rather excitable character and on the night of the tragic incident on Warrens Lane he was highly strung. His widowed mother had previously raised concerns when her son joined the Free State Army due to his volatile nature but, her worries were dismissed.