RIC District Inspector Shot Dead by Cork IRA

(Irish War of Independence - First Cork Brigade)

When the Lord Mayor of Cork, Tomas MacCurtain, who was also the leader of Cork No. 1 Brigade of the IRA, was killed by the British on March 20, 1920, Michael Collins learned that RIC District Inspector Oswald Ross Swanzy was one of those responsible for the killing. The British, in an effort to protect Swanzy from IRA reprisals, transferred Swanzy from Cork to Lisburn in Northern Ireland. However, Collins's vast intelligence network was able to track Swanzy down and a special hit team comprised of members of the First Battalion, Cork No. 1 Brigade was dispatched to kill him. They achieved their objective on August 22, as Swanzy was leaving a church service.