Burgery ambush explained

Conflict:Burgery ambush
Partof:Irish War of Independence
Date:18 March 1921
Place:The Burgery, near Dungarvan, County Waterford
Combatant1: Irish Republican Army
(Déise Brigade)
Combatant2: Royal Irish Constabulary
(Reserve Force)
Commander1: George Oliver Plunkett
Commander2: Captain DV Thomas
Strength1:~20
Strength2:14 (initially)
50 (subsequently)
Casualties1:2 killed
Casualties2:2 killed
2 captured

The Burgery ambush was an ambush carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 18–19 March 1921, during the Irish War of Independence.[1] It took place near Dungarvan, County Waterford.

Ambush

On the night of 18–19 March 1921, IRA volunteers of the West Waterford flying column ambushed a British military convoy at the Burgery, about a mile and a half northeast of Dungarvan. The convoy included Black and Tans and a Royal Irish Constabulary Sergeant, named Michael Hickey. In overall command of the IRA unit was IRA GHQ Officer George Plunkett. Also present were West Waterford Brigade Commandant Pax Whelan, ASU leader George Lennon, and Mick Mansfield. A British Crossley tender was set on fire and prisoners taken by the IRA, including Sergeant Hickey. Hickey was later killed by an IRA firing squad with a sign reading "police spy" affixed to his tunic. He was later buried in an unmarked grave.[2] Other prisoners including Captain DV Thomas, the commander of the British garrison, were released.[3]

After the ambush, a group of volunteers under Plunkett returned to search for any armaments left behind by the British forces. Crown forces who were now searching the area engaged the IRA party; IRA volunteers Seán Fitzgerald and Pat Keating were shot dead.[4] A member of the Black and Tans, Constable Sydney R. Redman[5] was shot dead during the return fire.

References

  1. Web site: The Irish War of Independence 1919-1921. 25 May 2008. Edmond Keohan. 26 July 2001. Waterford County Museum. 5 June 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080605225810/http://www.waterfordcountymuseum.org/exhibit/web/Display/article/22/6/?lang=en. live.
  2. http://www.munster-express.ie/local-news/unmarked-dungarvan-grave-pushes-man-to-act-as-his-fathers-son "Unmarked Dungarvan grave pushes man to act as his father's son"
  3. O'Halpin, Eunan & Ó Corráin, Daithí (2020), The Dead of the Irish Revolution. Yale University Press, pg 344.
  4. O'Halpin, pg 347.
  5. http://www.policememorial.org.uk/Forces/IRELAND/RIC_Roll.htm RIC Memorial

Sources