On this day in 1922, the anti-treaty IRA ambushed National Army forces at Woodrooffe outside Clonmel. The attack was led by Jack Killeen and resulted in three National Army fatalities. It was to be the first in a series of ambushes in the Tipperary countryside by the IRA during the Civil War after they had gradually lost control of the towns of South Tipperary to government forces in July/August 1922.
Two more National Army soldiers were killed in an ambush at Redmondstown, Clonmel on 21 August. A further two were killed at Bushfield when a small convoy of soldiers were travelling between Nenagh and Limerick on 26 August. On 7 September, another ambush near Woodrooffe led to a National Army soldier being killed. Ten days later, a party of Free State soldiers were ambushed at Boher near Nenagh where three soldiers and one of the ambushers (16-year-old Thomas Hayes) were killed. Finally, the Cahir-Clonmel road near Woodrooffe was the scene of yet another ambush on 2 October when an IRA column led by Paddy Dalton ambushed a National Army vehicle and three soldiers were killed.
Denis G. Marnane claims that by October 1922, the Free State forces increasingly exerted control over the Tipperary countryside and consequently, there were only four National Army casualties in November/December 1922. By the end of 1922, Republican forces had been severely weakened by the loss of senior IRA leaders. Paddy Dalton was shot dead at Donohill on 26 October. Jack Killeen was captured on 18 September near Slievenamon. In early 1923, column-leader Martin ‘Sparky’ Brennan was killed by a National Army patrol. Denis Lacey, whose death was a severe loss to the anti-Treaty side, was killed during a gun battle in Aherlow on 18 February 1923.
Marnane importantly points out that although Free State forces had largely gained the upper hand by late 1922, it was not always done legitimately and at least six IRA prisoners were killed while under arrest.
Overall, 112 county Tipperary fatalities are listed in the UCC Irish Civil War Fatalities Project.
Sources:
Denis G. Marnane, Civil War Fatalities in Tipperary, 17 April 2024 (Available at https://www.ucc.ie/.../civil-war-fatalities-tipperary/)
