Shooting of Sergeant Donoghue at White Street

A recent photo of White Street in Cork city, where Sergeant James Donoghue was shot dead in November 1920.

Sergeant James Donoghue, who was stationed at Tuckey Street, was shot twice in the back and once in the head as he walked down White Street, off Georges Quay, Cork. He had just left his home at Tower Street and was making his way to his barracks about half a mile away.

The Sergeant, a forty-six-year-old married man with four children, was from Cahirciveen, Co. Kerry. A farmer before he joined the R.I.C., he had twenty-two years service and was due for promotion to Head Constable.

Three IRA men had been standing in a small gateway into Desmond's yard in White Street. They had orders to attack another person who had not shown and were just about to leave the area when Sergeant Donoghue came upon them. Acting on their own initiative and to the later fury of their superiors they shot and killed the sergeant who was well-liked in the area and was unarmed when attacked. A week after his death the Cork IRA officially apologised in writing to his family. Charlie O'Brien, his brother Williarn, an officer in the IRA's G Company, First Battalion, and their future brother-in-law Justin O'Connor, were the three men involved in the attack.

Later that evening, three houses in Cork city were attacked by armed men, believed to have been in police uniforms. As a result of these attacks three men were killed and three others wounded, including Charlie O'Brien.