Macroom Shooting - 1921 Apr 29

The Briar of Life " As I was walking round Coolyhanne one evening, I heard a volley of shots in the distance. A few minutes later, a tender manned by Auxiliaries came rushing up the road behind me, and jerked to a halt as I was making way for it to pass . An Auxiliary asked me if I had seen any armed men. When I told him I had not, he waved and the vehicle sped away. I was later to learn that two Auxiliaries, on patrol at Gurteenroe just outside the town had been fired on by IRA men armed with shotguns. One Auxiliary was hit and fell. The other scrambled over a wall, ran through fields to the River Sullane, waded across it, and made his way to the Castle.

While the wounded man was lying alone on the road, two girls who had been out walking came on him. One walked on, the other stopped, went over, knelt down and asked the man what his religion was. "I am not a Catholic" he replied, but I never hurt or harmed anyone" Indicating the pocket of his tunic, he told the girl that she would find a First Aid outfit there. She had not been long ministering to him when a tender came on the scene, and she found herself surrounded by angry Auxiliaries flourishing guns. Having ascertained what she had been doing they thanked her and let her go.

The girl who had been kneeling down caught sight of, and recognised two armed retreating IRA men. She found it convenient to forget that she had seen them. A few weeks later the Auxiliary who had been wounded called to the house where the girl lived. He thanked her for what she had done (the girl in question was Bridie Cremin and the author of The Life of Briar later married her. )

The Story of the 7th, Charlie Browne "An attack was made on an enemy patrol at the Glen Gate, Macroom. Those taking part were Richard Browne, Jack Burns, Mick Mullane, Andy Casey, Denis J O'Brien, Denis O'Connell, Cors Healy and Jerh Casey, all of B Coy. One enemy killed, one wounded, arms captured" Browne puts this as 20th April 1920.

The 2 Auxiliaries were S Jailler and WA Grundy both of J Company

1921 Apr 29 Wounded. Jailler, S., Temporary Cadet, Auxiliary Division, Royal Irish Constabulary: ambushed by rebels and received severe injuries; pension awarded

WA Grundy was discharged in Sept, medically unfit but not due to service in ADRIC. And Jailler was discharged medically unfit in Oct due to service in ADRIC. I deduce from this that Jailler was the Auxiliary on the road, and Grundy the Auxiliary who got back to Macroom Castle to raise the alarm

 

Incidents