On Tuesday’s programme, we marked the 100th anniversary of the Canada Cross shootings of 1920 in Miltown Malbay.
On the night of 14th April 1920, celebrations were taking place in Miltown Malbay to mark the release of IRA hunger strikers from Kilmainham Gaol. At about 10.45pm, a bonfire was blazing at Canada Cross and a group of adults and children were gathered around it singing nationalist songs. The police and military arrived on the scene and without warning fired about a hundred shots at the crowd. Three men were killed: Patrick Hennessy from Church St, married with two children; Thomas O’Leary, Ballard Road, married with ten children; and John O’Loughlin, a 25-year-old tailor from the Ennistymon Road. 12 others were injured. Later, at the inquest in Ennis, a verdict was returned of “wilful murder without provocation”.
A planned commemoration event this weekend had to be cancelled.
Gavin spoke with Mary Crawford, Chairperson of the Mid Clare Brigade Commemoration Committee, and with Micheal Hennessy, the grandson of Patrick Hennessy who died on that fateful night.
