No county in Ireland made a greater contribution than Cork to the Irish War of Independence, from 1918 through to the 1921 truce with the British.
Right up to the ending of hostilities in July 1921, the Irish Republican Army in Cork organised its companies, battalions and brigades with total commitment. Leaders of remarkable ability emerged. Among them were Tom Barry, Liam Lynch, Sean Moylan, Liam Deasy, Sean O'Hegarty, Charlie Hurley and of course Michael Collins.
Though severely handicapped by a shortage of equipment, courage and resourcefulness were the main factors in their winning many battles against the odds. In fact, so effective was their campaign that more than thirty percent all British forces in Ireland were concentrated within the county during the conflict.
Cork city and county was at the forefront of the Anglo-Irish War of liberation. Those men and women who sacrificed
all for the love of their country should not be forgotten.