ROINN COSANTA. BUREAU OF MILITARY HISTORY, 1013-21 ...

7.I reported that night at Mrs. Breen's (Dan's mother) cottageat Donohill. I met Breen and Treacy there and the three of uswent to the "Tin Hut" at Greenane. We were joined at the Hutduring the night by Seamus Robinson and Sean Hogan. MauriceCrowe, Patrick McCormack (then an Irish teacher in Dundrum),Paddy O'Dwyer from Hollyford, Michael Ryan, Arthur Barlow andCon Power reported next day. During the days that followedthere were some changes in the personnel. On account of theirbusiness in life, some were unable to remain for more than a'day or two and then there were days when Brian Shanahan, NedO'Reilly, Dinny Lacey and Sean O'Meara were with us.The plans were simple enough. Each morning, two of theparty left to scout for the coming of the Co. Council men andthe police escort with the gelignite, and the remainder of uswent to the, ambush position. Two, positions were actuallyoccupied. For the first few days we waited at a point about200 yards from Coffey's forge. Then, one day, an R.I.C.man with a dog passed along the road and his dog ran into thefield where we were. As there was a likelihood that thepoliceman might have seen us, we changed the waiting positionto one about 150 yards from the entrance to the quarry. Therewe had reasonable cover behind a whitethorn hedge atCranitch's field, and there, too, a gate gave easy access onto the road. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday morningpassed with the same routine, but nothing unusual happened.We returned each evening to the "Tin Hut", lighted a fire andspent the night there. In our conversations around the fire,there were divergent views as to what the strength of theescortbe, and variouswouldsuggestions were made about thebest method of holding them prisoners after they were disarmedand until the gelignite 'gas got safely away. We assumed allalong that the police would surrender when called upon to halt