Narrow Escape For East Cork Column

The house in Cloyne in which the volunteers were surrounded by the military.

On December 11th 1920, members of the East Cork Column of the IRA were resting in a house in Cloyne when their presence was discovered by the enemy. The column sentries raised the alarm as the house was being surrounded by British forces. Commandant Diarmuid O'Hurley, the column O/C, ordered that strict silence be maintained inside the house, so as to give the British the impression that it was unoccupied. Having taken up positions that covered the western, eastern and rear approaches to the house, the British commander detailed a section of his men to search it.

Commandant O'Hurley and volunteer Jack Aherne waited on the stairway landing. Having got no response to their loud knocking at the front door, the British troops smashed it in and cautiously entered. The British advanced to the foot of the stairs, rifles at the ready when the silence was shattered by a volley from the rifles of O'Hurley and Aherne. In confusion, the soldiers at once dashed out through the door, but one of them turned and threw a hand grenade into the hallway. With great daring and coolness Aherne kicked the grenade out the door after the retreating troops. The British then directed heavy fire from outside the house. The IRA returned fire.

O'Hurley noticed that immediately opposite the house was an open gateway, flanked on one side by a house and on the other by an old outhouse. This appeared to be the only escape route. From the front door of the house, a revolver in each hand, he fired rapidly in the direction of the British. His actions scattered the soldiers long enough to enable his men to dash to the gateway and get safely away. One of the volunteers, Jack Aherne, kneeling in the open street, covered the retreat of the column, inflicting a number of casualties on the enemy.