Blackrock Police Barracks Attacked

(Irish War of Independence - First Cork Brigade)

From Cork Examiner, June 24th., 1920

BLACKROCK POLICE BARRACK.

Wrecked Yesterday Morning.

An attempt, partly successful, was made yesterday morning to burn down Blackrock police barrack, which was evacuated only the previous night by the police.

Interviewed by an 'Examiner' reporter, Mr. John Moore, who is in charge of the Blackrock post office, situated three doors from the police barracks, said he was the  owner of the latter building. He said he was awakened about 4 o'clock yesterday morning by the departure of a military lorry with soldiers who who had been on duty in the vacinity of the evacuated police barracks up to that time. The lorry, he said, had not gone ten minutes, when on looking out of the window, he saw a group of from 15 to 18 men on the road. Two of their number had climbed a telegraph pole between the city and the barrack, and cut several of the wires. Then the men passed on to the barracks, some of them carrying straw, and others tins of oil and petrol. They were preparing to force a entrance to the barrack. when Mr. Moore called out. "Dont touch that house. It is my property." The men took no notice, and having entered the building, thev soaked it with oil and other inflammibles, and then set it ablaze. Having then warned the occupants of the adjoining building the the barracks had been set fire to, they departed cheering loudly. Mr Moore said he then cycled to Cork, and went to Union Quay police barracks wher he reported the matter. When he got back he found that the barracks was still burning, but the fire had burnt itself out in several places. Assisted by a few men he succeeded in extinguishing the flames but not before the interior was a complete wreck.

The barrack, which was a semi detached building was strongly fortified against attack, there being barbed wire entanglements at the rear, and the gable ends were sandbagged. The exterior of the building does not show many signs of damage, but the interior is a complete wreck. Mr. Moore believes that if the men who set it ablaze had opened or smashed the windows the building would have been completely destroyed.