List of Irish Republican Army ambushes explained

This is a list of ambushes carried out by the Irish Republican Army against the British armed forces and police.

Irish Republican Army 1918 – 1923

Ambush	Date	Target	IRA strength	British strength	IRA losses	British losses
Soloheadbeg ambush	21 January 1919	Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC)	10 volunteers	2 constables (James McDonnell and Patrick O'Connell)	None	McDonnell and O'Connell were both killed
Holywell Ambush	2 August 1920	British Army	20 volunteers	12–20 soldiers	1 wounded	3–10 wounded
Rineen ambush	22 September 1920	RIC British Army	50 volunteers	10 lorries of British troops	2 wounded	6 killed 7 wounded
Tooreen ambush	22 October 1920	British Army	30 volunteers	2 lorries of British troops	None	3 killed 4 wounded 6 captured
Piltown Cross ambush	1 November 1920	RIC	N/A	20 constables	N/A	2 killed 6 wounded
	28 November 1920	Auxiliary Division (ADRIC)	36 volunteers	18 constables	3 killed	16 killed 1 wounded
Pickardstown ambush	6 January 1921	RIC (Black and Tans) British Army	50 volunteers	40 personnel	2 killed 2 wounded	2 wounded
Clonfin ambush	2 February 1921	ADRIC	21 volunteers	19 constables	None	4 killed 8 wounded
	3 February 1921	RIC	40–50 volunteers	13 police constables	1 wounded	11 killed
Upton train ambush	15 February 1921	British Army	13 volunteers	50 soldiers	3 killed 2 wounded	6 wounded
Coolavokig ambush	25 February 1921	ADRIC	62 volunteers	70 constables	None	3 killed
Sheemore ambush	4 March 1921	British Army RIC	7 volunteers	Unknown	None	1 killed 6 wounded
Clonbanin ambush	5 March 1921	British Army	100 volunteers	40 soldiers	None	13 killed 4–15 wounded
Burgery ambush	18–19 March 1921	RIC	20 volunteers	14, later 50 constables	2 killed	2 killed 2 captured
	19 March 1921	British Army ADRIC	104 volunteers	1,200 soldiers 120 Auxiliaries	3-6 killed	10 killed 5 wounded
Headford Ambush	21 March 1921	British Army	32 volunteers	30 soldiers	2 killed	9 killed 25 killed
Scramoge ambush	23 March 1921	British Army RIC	39	9	None	4 killed 2 captured
Tourmakeady ambush	3 May 1921	RIC (Black and Tans) British Army	60 volunteers	120 constables 600 soldiers	1 killed 1 wounded	4 killed 1 wounded
Kilmeena ambush	19 May 1921	RIC (Black and Tans)	41 volunteers	20–30 constables	4 killed 7 wounded	3 killed
	2 June 1921	RIC (Black and Tans)	45–50	23	None	8 killed 16 captured
Rathcoole ambush	16 June 1921	ADRIC	140	25	None	2 killed 14 wounded

Provisional Irish Republican Army 1969 – 1997

Ambush	Date	Target	IRA strength	British strength	IRA losses	British losses
Dungiven landmine and gun attack	24 June 1972	British Army	1 ASU	1 Army Convoy	None	3 British soldiers killed 7 wounded 1 vehicle destroyed 1 vehicle damaged
Drummuckavall ambush	22 November 1975	British Army	12 volunteers	1 infantry section	None	3 British soldiers killed 1 wounded
1978 Crossmaglen ambush	21 December 1978	British Army	4–5 volunteers 1 technical	8 soldiers	None	3 British soldiers killed
	27 August 1979	British Army	1 active service unit (ASU)	50 soldiers	None	18 British soldiers killed 1 vehicle destroyed 1 British Army Wessex helicopter damaged
Dungannon land mine attack	16 December 1979	British Army	1 ASU	1 mobile patrol	None	4 British soldiers killed 1 vehicle destroyed
	17 July 1981	British Army	~7 volunteers	18 soldiers	None	1 British soldier killed 1 wounded
	20 March 1989	Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC)	6 volunteers	2 constables (Harry Breen and Bob Buchanan)	None	Breen and Buchanan were both killed
Operation Conservation	6 May 1990	British Army	1 ASU	1 Infantry section	None	1 British soldier killed
	10 November 1990	RUC	1 ASU	2 constables (Thomas Taylor and David Murphy) Later joined by 1 former Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) soldier (Norman Kendall) and 1 civilian (Keith Dowey)	None	4 killed
Mullacreevie ambush	1 March 1991	British Army (UDR)	1 ASU	1 mobile patrol	None	2 British soldiers killed 2 wounded 1 vehicle destroyed
1992 Cappagh ambush	12 May 1992	British Army	1 ASU	British Army foot patrol	None	1 British soldier lost his legs^[1]
	12 December 1993	RUC British Army	2 ASUs	1 mobile patrol 1 helicopter (follow-up operation)	None	2 constables killed 1 vehicle disabled 1 British Army Lynx helicopter fired at in the follow-up operation
Killeeshil ambush	15 July 1994	RUC		1 mobile patrol	None	3 constables wounded 2 civilians wounded 1 vehicle disabled

Notes and References

1. Web site: Melaugh . Martin . Cain: Chronology of the Conflict 1992 . . 21 February 2022.