ROINN COSANTA. BUREAU OF MILITARY HISTORY, 1913-21 ...

11.At this stage I handed the stock of guncotton over to LiamDeasy (Brigade Adjutant), who arranged for its transport toBrigadeH.Q.When Brigade H.Q. decided to arrange attacks on MountPleasant and Timoleague R.I.C. posts on the night of 25thFebruary 1920, some of the guncotton taken from Ardrigole wasused. The guncotton was made up in slabs about 9"x+"xl" witha hole in the centre of each slab. I should have mentionedthat the guncotton was wet and could not be exploded withoutthe insertion of a primer of dry guncotton with detonatorin the hole in the centre of the slab. The explosion of theprimer would explode the slab, but it was essential that theprimer should be perfectly dry. We had no experience of theuse of guncotton at this stage and we were of the opinion that,because the primer was enclosed in a thin damp-proof cylindrica:case, it was dry. However, we found from experience that itwas necessary to heat the primerbefore insertingguncotton if we were to get successful results.in the wetI prepared the charge of guncotton to be used in theattack on Mount Pleasant Barracks at Hurley's, Laragh, Bandon.With a number of local men I proceeded across country towardsMount Pleasant about midnight on 25th February.l920. Iremember that the first consignment of Mills bombs everreceived in the brigade arrived the same evening. I carriedtwo charges of guncotton one under each arm and ahaver-sack full of Mills bombs. When we reached the vicinity of thebarrack was instructed to lay the charges of guncotton againsthe wall of a 'lean-to' at the back wall of the barrack.Various sections were in position in the vicinity of thebarracks. Some ware armed with rifles, but the main armamentwas composed of shotguns. Tom Hales (Brigade 0/C.) was in