- Coolavokig Ambush
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Coolavokig Ambush Part of the Irish War of Independence Date 25 February 1921 Location Coolavokig, County Cork Result IRA victory Belligerents 
Irish Republican Army
(1st Cork Brigade)
Royal Irish Constabulary
(Auxiliary Division)Commanders and leaders Seán O'Hegarty Major Seafield Grant †Strength 62 volunteers
2 Lewis guns70 soldiers
7 constablesCasualties and losses none 3 dead (RIC sources)
14–16 dead (IRA sources)Timeline
Declaration of Independence – Soloheadbeg – Listowel mutiny – Rineen – Toureen – Ballinalee – Bloody Sunday (Dublin) – Kilmichael – Burning of Cork – Clonfin – Dromkeen – Upton – Clonmult – Coolavokig – Sheemore – Clonbanin – Selton Hill – Burgery – Crossbarry – Headford – Scramogue – Kilmeena – Carrowkennedy – Coolacrease – Bloody Sunday (Belfast) – McMahon killings – Arnon St killings – Dunmanway killingsThe Coolavokig Ambush (Irish: Luíochán Chúil an Bhuacaigh) was an ambush carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 25 February 1921, during the Irish War of Independence. It took place at Coolavokig (on the road between Macroom and Ballyvourney), County Cork. It involved the IRA's 1st Cork Brigade under Seán O'Hegarty, and a unit of the Auxiliary Division under Major Seafield Grant.
Contents
Preparations
The IRA Column had been attempting to ambush the Auxiliaries for two weeks but had always missed them. As they occupied the ambush position over a few days their position became known and a force of 70 Auxiliaries and 7 RIC constables moved against them. The force of 62 IRA included units from the 1st, 7th, and 8th battalions of the 1st Cork Brigade, and was divided into four sections. Apart from Seán O'Hegarty the main IRA officers were Dan "Sandow" O'Donovan and Dan Corkery. The IRA was armed with sixty rifles, several shotguns and revolvers, and two Lewis guns. The British forces, traveling in eight lorries and two cars, also carried four Irish hostages with them.
Battle
Around 8am on 25 February, scouts signalled the approach of the British force. They were forewarned about the IRA position however, and approached with caution. When half of the lorries came into the ambush position the IRA opened fire. The Auxiliaries were quickly losing ground and taking casualties. Major Grant was killed while rallying his forces. The British forces retreated into two nearby cottages. The IRA closed in and as they were preparing to bomb the cottages, large numbers of RIC reinforcements approached and began encircling the area. After fighting a half-hour rear guard action the flying column retreated towards the north-west. The engagement at Coolavokig lasted four hours.
Aftermath
It later transpired that the Auxiliary forces were just part of a large round-up operation planned for that day which included 600 British Army troops from Cork, Ballincollig, Bandon, Clonakilty, Skibbereen, Bantry, Dunmanway, Millstreet, Macroom, and Killarney. After the ambush British forces ceased raiding and patrolling the area west of Macroom, effectively handing it over to IRA control.
The IRA suffered no casualties. However, the number of British casualties has been disputed to this day. The British claimed that only Major (Auxiliary Commandant) James Seafield-Grant was killed during the ambush, and that two other Auxiliaries later died of their wounds (see [1]). The IRA claimed that between 14 and 16 members of the British force were killed.
Further reading
- Micheal O'Suilleabhain (1965), Where Mountainy Men Have Sown
External links
Categories:- Irish War of Independence
- 1921 in Ireland
- History of County Cork
- Royal Irish Constabulary
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