The 'Boys' Of The Millstreet Battalion Area - Aubane Historical Society

members of the Charleville, Newmarket and During April and May the enemy forces
Kerry II Brigade Columns. They were moving in the area were being continually harassed by
into positions about 1/2 mile west of Clonbanin sniping. Roads, bridges, and railways were
Crossroads as we arrived. The Millstreet demolished mainly by members of local
Column was divided into two sections. I was companies. The Column, however, had in many
with a section of six under Con Meaney. We cases to act as guards for these operations. I
were positioned in Shaughnessy's haggard - think it was about mid-May that a large supply
south of the Killarney-Mallow road - with a of stores which arrived at Millstreet railway
machine gun party. We were behind a sod fence station for the Auxiliaries who were to occupy
about 150 yards from the road.
Mount Leader House were destroyed by the
The members of the Kerry II Brigade members of the Dooneen Company under Sein
Column and the other members of the Millstreet Buckley.
Column were on our left (west) and the whole About this time the Column was divided
party were extended over a distance of about into small parties - helping to train the members
800 yards. It was about 8 a.m. when we took up of the local companies throughout the battalion.
our positions. The Charleville and Newmarket This work went on until about mid-June when
Columns were on the north side of the road. In the Column was again mobilised for Rathcoole
addition to the main body on each side of the ambush. The Columns from Mallow,
road there were flanking parties at each end of Charleville, Newmarket and Kanturk were also
the position, as well as scouts posted at suitable engaged in this fight. The combined forces were
points. A mine was laid in the road at the in charge of Paddy O'Brien (Brigade Vice O/C).
eastern end of the position right in front of the The combined Columns numbered about 120.
machine gun section (Liam Moylan and Denis About 80 were armed with rifles while the
Galvin).
remainder had shotguns. The Columns
It was about 10 a.m. when two lorries of assembled at Rathcoole Wood - about 2
military passed through the position from the
east (Mallow). They were allowed to go on their
way and there was no further activity until 2
p.m. when the approach of an enemy convoy
from the west was signalled.
This convoy consisted of two lorries, a
touring car followed by an armoured car and a
lorry. It drove into the ambush position and as
the leading lorry reached our position the signal
to open fire was given. This lorry managed to
get through the position and got under cover of
a farmhouse beyond the eastern end. The
touring car was crippled by a burst of machinegun
fire and the armoured car, in an endeavour
to avoid the touring car, got ditched. The crew
were, however, in a position to continue to use
their machine-guns effectively. The remainder
of the enemy party left their transport at the
opening blast and took cover behind the
roadside fences.
The fighting went on for about two
hours, but as we were unable to silence the
machine-guns in the armoured car the
engagement had to be broken off. The members
of the Millstreet Column withdrew with the
Kerry II Brigade Column towards their home
areas. The I.R.A. had no casualties but the
enemy lost General Cummings and a number of
others as well as several wounded.
1
/ 2 miles
east of Millstreet - during the night of June 15 th
1921.
The combined force, which was divided
into several sections, took up positions on rising
ground to the south of the Millstreet-Banteer
road on the morning of June 16 th
1921. They
were extended over a distance of about 1,000
yards, along which six mines had been laid at
intervals along the road. I was a member of a
flanking party of six at the western end of the
position. We were about 1/2 mile from the centre
of the position. We were about 200 yards from
the road behind a sod fence and were all armed
with rifles. The members of the section were:-
Jimmie Hickey, "Neilus" Healy, "Miah" Galvin,
Wm. Kelliher, Tom Crowley and Wm.
O'Riordan (witness). As the enemy party,
travelling from the east, did not reach our
position, I am unable to give any description of
what happened along the line. When firing
ceased we withdrew to a prearranged spot at the
rear of Rathcoole Wood, where we received
instructions to return to our billets.
Beyond sniping of enemy posts, which
was a nightly occurrence, there was little other
activity in the area up to the date of the Truce
on July 11 th
1921.
I should have mentioned that when I
went on the run following the Millstreet attack
25