ndependence Museum Kilmurry
‘Dripsey Ambush , Executions and Reprisals’ , gives an account of those involved in this historic engagement on January 28, 1921 which would subsequently lead to the deaths of fourteen people – five volunteers executed, another volunteer to die in military hospital, six soldiers killed as reprisals and two informants executed by the IRA.
This centenary book acknowledges the sacrifice of local volunteers and details the events and how they were communicated in contemporary newspaper reports, with the aid of supporting documentation from an Irish and British perspective. Proceeds from the sale of this publication will go towards Independence Museum Kilmurry and the Dripsey Ambush Site Fund.
This book will be on sale in local shops including Sheila’s Shop Kilmurry, QuikPick Crookstown, O’Leary’s SuperValu Macroom, Murphy’s Centra, Coachford, Kathleen’s Shop Coachford, Coachford Post Office, O’Leary’s SuperValu and Filling Station, Tower and we are hoping to add others.
If you have any queries and/or wish to purchase the book online – please contact kilmurry.historical@gmail.com
Object Of The Month February
Upton Ambush Bullet
Ambush at Coolnacaheragh, West Cork, Ireland
A story of conflict and sacrifice in the Irish War of Independence, 25 February, 1921
Luíochán Cúil na Cathrach, Bhaile Bhuirne, Co. Chorcaí.
@MOLSCEALTG4 Mol Scéalta ó @TG4TV
Drishanebeg Train Ambush Centenary Publication
The Drishanebeg Train ambush was a Millstreet Battalion operation led by Commandant Cornelius J Meany and the Flying Column O/C Jeremiah Crowley. It was regarded as one of the more successful train ambushes of the War of Independence period due to meticulous planning and patience on the part of the Volunteers. The publication details the story of the lead up to the ambush and also the ambush itself. The arms and equipment captured that night would be used within weeks at Clonbanin Ambush on 5 March 1921Terence MacSwiney had strong links with the Millstreet Battalion and visited Millstreet several times in 1915 in an organisational capacity. It was on 1 Nov 1915 a Fair Day that he attended a public meeting where the first 4 companies of Millstreet Battalion were formed. A chapter in the book outlines the influence of Fr. Joseph Breen on the Millstreet Battalion and being a source of counsel and comfort for them. He also campaigned openly in Millstreet during the 1918 election for Terence Macswiney.
The Publication costs €10.00A copy can be purchased by contacting drishanebegtrainambush@gmail.com
Independence Museum Kilmurry Fundraiser
Below is a link to a recent exhibition we staged to commemorate the centenary of the Lissarda Ambush
Lissarda Ambush Centenary Exhibition 1920-2020
Show your support by going to this link
Our main source of funding for The Independence Museum Kilmurry is through events organised and run by volunteers such as concerts, coffee mornings, bag packing etc. There is also a community room onsite which up to March served as an area for classes, birthday parties and the active retirement group to meet etc. This was also a source of income for the museum. However, due to COVID-19, we are unable to have any of these activities due to the present government guidelines.
From March of this year to the end of July, our running costs for the museum and community room have remained the same but we were not able to open our doors and as such this year we have incurred a loss of €12,000.
We would appreciate it if you, the potential donor would support us in trying to keep our museum and community room running in these difficult times. We would be delighted with any contribution you could help with. A heartfelt thank you in advance.
Yours sincerely,
Aidan O’Sullivan, Chairman Independence Museum Kilmurry.
A 360o short documentary undertaken by Wombat Media, working with and on behalf of Cork County Council to commemorate the County Cork connections of Terence McSwiney and Tomás Mac Curtáin. This production forms part of Cork County Council’s Decade of Centenaries Commemorative Programme, developed by Cork County Council’s Commemorations Committee and supported by Cork County Council and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media
Cork Lord Mayor Terence MacSwiney’s Hunger Strike 12th of August 1920 – 25th October 1920
After 74 days since he began his hunger strike on the day of his arrest in Cork City Hall Lord Mayor Terence MacSwiney died on hunger strike in Brixton Prison, London on the 25th October 1920.
LORD MAYOR MacSWINEY DEAD
These are the original Lawrence Telegram (Lawrence , Massachusetts) newspaper coverage, not unlike many other international newspapers 100 years ago, which kept the worldwide public informed daily on the tragic saga of the Lord Mayor of Cork Terence MacSwiney’s hunger strike. Note how the coverage continued even after the death of the Lord Mayor.
Lawrence Telegram (Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA) showing the daily almost vigil-like reporting with which the world media followed the Lord Mayor’s struggle during his hunger strike in Brixton Prison.
Lawrence Telegram (Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA) showing the daily almost vigil-like reporting with which the world media followed the Lord Mayor’s struggle during his hunger strike and eventual death in Brixton Prison.
Lawrence Telegram (Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA) showing the daily almost vigil-like reporting with which the world media followed the Lord Mayor’s struggle during his hunger strike and eventual death in Brixton Prison as well as the aftermath.
Lawrence Telegram (Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA) showing the daily almost vigil-like reporting with which the world media followed the Lord Mayor’s struggle during his hunger strike and eventual death in Brixton Prison as well as the aftermath. Note also the reference here (“Friends of Irish Freedom- ATTENTION”) to the Cork deaths, also on hunger strike, of Michael Fitzgerald and Joseph Murphy.
These newspapers were very kindly donated to the Museum in 2019 and earlier this year were centerpiece in the January 2020 launch of the Cork Decade of Centenaries Programme 2020 by the then Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan in the City Hall Cork.
RTE NEWS January 2020 coverage
Professor Cathal MacSwiney Brugha, Tomás MacCurtain (grandson of Lord Mayor Tomás MacCurtain) and Lord Mayor John Sheehan review original US newspaper coverage of Terence MacSwiney’s hunger strike
Minister of State for Equality David Stanton,, Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan, and Professor Cathal MacSwiney Brugha grandson of Terence MacSwiney at the anouncement of Cork Decade of Centenaries Programme 2020. Photograph: Gerard McCarthy
Aindrias Moynihan T.D. and Tomás MacCurtain (grandson of Lord Mayor Tomás MacCurtain )reviewing original US newspaper coverage of Terence MacSwiney’s hunger strike
Thanks to a grant from the Heritage Council and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage these newspapers are currently undergoing preservation off-site for eventual public display in our collection.
