Books: Cork town that was hotbed of revolutionary fervour in 1920s

The Cork town of Donoughmore was the “epicentre” of the revolutionary period in Ireland in the early 20th century.

That is the view of Gerard O’Rourke, a native of the town, and a part-time historian, who has recently self-published a book, Land War To Civil War 1900-1924: Donoughmore To Cork And Beyond.

With a substantial bibliography and indexes, it is a well-researched book, telling the story of “conflict and perseverance leading to Irish independence”.

Gerard, who previously published A History Of Donoughmore Hurling And Football Club and Ancient Sweet Donoughmore, says that his parish, 26km north-west of Cork city, is a good base for the historical story he is telling “because Donoughmore was really the epicentre of the revolutionary period”.

He recounts the killing of the well-known Anglican, Mrs Mary Lindsay, who met her end in Donoughmore as revenge for her informing the authorities about the proposed ambush at Dripsey.

The ambush happened on January 28, 1921. A month later, Mary was killed. The IRA had captured her and tried to bargain her life for the release of prisoners, but five prisoners involved in the ambush were executed for taking on the Crown, sealing her fate.

The killing of Mrs Lindsay has been the subject of much debate and commentary.

Gerard also writes about Geoffrey Compton Smith, who was a British general at Buttevant Barracks.

“He went to Blarney against orders,” says Gerard. “There’s various interpretations about what happened. He was supposed to have been seeing a lady, which is well documented.

“He ended up in Blarney anyway and was a sitting target for the IRA volunteers that were on the prowl.

“He was abducted and brought to Donoughmore, where he was executed.

“Compton Smith struck up a kind of amicable friendship with the IRA while in captivity. He respected their aspirations, while the IRA acknowledged that he was a good general that accepted his fate.

“He was bargaining for the release of other prisoners, but they were executed and he had to face the same fate.”

Another event that has Donoughmore in the picture concerns a daring raid that the IRA carried out on the high seas on a British warship, The Upnor, says Gerard.

The ship contained a vast amount of ammunition. In a military-style operation, the IRA gathered all the trucks available, and anything they could use for transporting the ammunition. A lot of it ended up in Donoughmore.

“It seemed to be the place to get rid of unwanted articles or personnel, explains Gerard. “The northern part of Donoughmore was really wild countryside and there would have been a lot of cover there.”

His book also looks at some of the women involved in Ireland’s bloody past.

“There’s the Wallace sisters, who grew up in Donoughmore. After their father was evicted, they were sectioned out to different family members,” says Gerard.

“The two main Wallace sisters were Sheila and Nora, well-known revolutionaries. When they saw what happened to their father, they saw no prospect for themselves.

“They went to Cork city, where they rented a shop in Brunswick Street, opposite St Augustine’s church. It was in a little laneway now called Augustine Street.

“The sisters sold stationery, newspapers, cigarettes and religious items. But behind that shop was a completely different operation. It was the unofficial headquarters of the IRA Number One Brigade.

“All the top officers of Cork held meetings and discussions there,” says Gerard. 

“The Wallaces were the front for that. They had been very involved in the Irish Citizen Army. They were friends of Countess Markievicz who spent a lot of time at the HQ.

“Other national figures like Éamon de Valera, James Connolly and Michael Collins frequented the shop.

“The sisters held their positions for years until they were discovered at the end of the war. They did a lot of dispatch work. They went around the city carrying messages.

“In one particular incident, Nora was asked by the top IRA brigade man in Cork to make the train in Kent Station – in about seven minutes.”

Gerard also writes about “a little known lady”, Mary Healy, from Donoughmore, who emigrated to Manchester and died tragically in America.

She became involved in the IRA in Manchester and was “very much involved in de Valera’s escape from Lincoln Gaol.

“de Valera stayed in her house in Manchester for a week. In the evenings, he wanted to get fresh air. Mary accompanied him around Manchester. They looked like a courting couple.

“At one stage, he disguised himself in a priest’s collar.

“When Mary came back to Ireland for the Eucharistic Congress in 1932, she went to de Valera to help her with her application for a pension.”

She got an interview with him but he pretended not to know her.

“I don’t know why,” said Mary later.

She was depressed after that, went back to England and later emigrated to Detroit, where she got involved in the Cumann na mBan branch there.

Mary’s application for a pension was finally approved in 1943, but the envelope, with the details of her successful application, were returned with a postman’s note saying ‘not here’.

It was discovered that she had died at least seven years previously, and she was never able to enjoy her pension.

“It’s sadder still that she died from what would now be a very minor thing – appendicitis,” reflects Gerard. “She was only in her forties.”

Gerard also writes in his new book about the Land War, telling another tragic story about a prominent person involved in it, DD Sheehan, a native of Kanturk.

He founded the Land and Labour Association and later became an MP, who was much appreciated for being an advocate for the labourers’ cottages that were built all over the country.

However, Sheehan endured a traumatic life himself. Even though he helped people to secure housing, he was destitute and enlisted with the British Army for the money. His two sons joined it also, as did his daughter, a nurse.

The three offspring were killed, DD Sheehan’s wife’s health was poor, and he had to apply to the Irish Grants Committee for help.

It was an ignominious end for a man who had contributed so much.

Land War To Civil War 1900-1924, by Gerard O’Rourke, is available at Vibes & Scribes and Murray’s tackle shop in Cork.

The book costs €25, with €15 from each copy sold going to cancer services in memory of Gerard’s wife, Tricia, who died from cancer in 2023.

See www.donoughmore.ie for more.