28 February 1921
Six IRA prisoners were executed by firing squad in Cork Military Prison. Five of them were men captured in the failed Dripsey Ambush at the end of January. The sixth was a Tipperary man who had been arrested separately in possession of a revolver and a training manual.
Sean Allen, age 24 from Tipperary town. Arrested 19 January 1921 and tried in Cork by court martial.
John Lyons, age 26 from Coachford, Co. Cork.
Timothy McCarthy, age 21 from Donoughmore, Co. Cork.
Thomas O'Brien, age 21 from Dripsey, Co. Cork. O’Brien was an ex-soldier in the South Irish Horse.
Daniel O'Callaghan, age 23 from Dripsey, Co. Cork.
Patrick O'Mahony, age 24 from Berrings, Co. Cork.
The bodies of the men executed in Cork Military Prison at this time were taken to Cork Men’s Prison for burial for some reason. The prison is now long gone and is part of University College Cork. The burial plot is still in existence as is a small memorial plaque on what was the wall of the prison.
War Memorial in Cork, City Gaol, Cork City
In retaliation, the IRA shot a number of British soldiers at random in the streets of Cork that night. At least six men were killed
2nd Bn, Hampshire Regiment
5485484 Lance Corporal John Beattie. Killed on Infirmary Road at about 7pm. From Peverel, Hampshire, Beattie was 24 and had joined the army at the age of 14 in 1912. He had been wounded three times in the war. Buried Old Plymouth Cemetery.
5485394 Private Albert Whitear, aged 20, with six years service. Met George Bowden (see below) and was shot in Leycester’s Lane. Whitear staggered to a nearby house and was taken to Cork Military Hospital where he died the next day. He is buried in Wimbledon.
5485999 Private William Gill. Gill and Private Bettersworth went into a music shop on Patrick Street to buy a mouth-organ. Two men armed with revolvers ordered them outside and shot them on the street. Gill died immediately while Bettersworth survived his wounds. Gill, aged 20, had two years service. He is buried in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.
Royal Army Service Corps
M/16638 Corporal Leonard Hodnett, a Londoner, aged 20 with 18 months service. Hodnett was visiting his fiancée in Douglas Street. His fiancée’s brother wanted Hodnett to wear civilian clothes returning to barracks and neighbours warned him that he was in danger. Hodnett ignored the warnings and was accosted when he left the house. He is buried in Cork Military Cemetery.
19097 Private Thomas Wyse, 1155th Mechanised Transport Company. Wyse appears to have been a local man. He was shot in Hayes Lane and died in the Mercy Hospital.
Royal Engineers
Signaller George Bowden. Bowden, aged 20, had met his girlfriend and they stopped to talk to Albert Whitear in Leycester’s Lane. Two civilians approached, drew revolvers and shot the two soldiers. The girlfriend was hit in the leg. Bowden died immediately.