The Kerry TD killed in a road accident in 1955
The road surface was later described as having been ‘most slippery’ and ‘treacherous’.’ It was Sunday, 11 December 1955 and Johnny Connor, the Clann na Poblachta TD for Kerry North…
Three Kerrymen and the Treaty
The plenipotentiaries who signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty on 6 December 1921 did not include any Kerry men or women. But three Kerry political figures did make their own contribution and…
The Kerry MP denied the right to speak Irish in the House of Commons
Thomas (Tom) O'Donnell, who served as the member of parliament for West Kerry from 1900 to 1918, was born on 30 November 1871. A native of Ballyduff near Castlegregory, he…
‘We rode on … carrying our revolvers in our hands’
An extract from 'Ballymacandy: The Story of a Kerry Ambush' by Owen O'Shea (Merrion Press, 2021) The police completed their business in Tralee by 2.45pm and they set out on…
An apology from the BBC – Ross Kinloch, Senator The McGillycuddy of the Reeks
Seanad Éireann – the Irish parliament’s second chamber – has often been home to a diversity of colourful and interesting personalities who, it could be argued, might never have been…
Kerry’s forgotten Minister for Education and his legacy
Many political figures of interest from the past are forgotten with the passage of time and one of the objectives of this blog is to ensure that significant politicians from the…
Almost 100 years ago, on 1 June 1921, five men were killed in an IRA ambush at Ballymacandy on the main road between the villages of Milltown and Castlemaine in County Kerry. Outside the house where the IRA Volunteers hid and close to the site of the Ballymacandy Ambush. Historian and Author, Owen O'Shea, 3rd left, brings this atrosity to life in his latest book, published by Mercier Press entitled 'Ballymacandy: The Story of a Kerry Ambush' meeting some of the relatives, from left, Seán O'Keeffe, grandson of the IRA Officer Commanding on the day, Tom O'Connor; Mary O'Neill, granddaughter of RIC Sergeant James Collery, who was killed in the ambush; Owen O'Shea, local historian; Dermot Cotter, grandson of Jerry 'Unkey' O'Connor, who threw the grenade which killed Sgt Collery. Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan
Ballymacandy – RTÉ Nationwide 30 June 2021
A feature from the RTÉ Nationwide programme on the Ballymacandy Ambush in County Kerry in 1921 which was broadcast on 30 June 2021. The report by presenter, Donal Byrne, features…
Timothy ‘Chub’ – the suave and soft-spoken Killorglin man
Killorglin TD, Timothy 'Chub' O'Connor is one of the most significant political figures in twentieth century politics in Kerry not least because he served in Dáil Éireann for twenty years…
Killarney woman was last to die in Ireland’s War of Independence
Killarney waitress struck by stray bullet a few minutes before the Truce on 11 July 1921 The very final victim of Ireland’s War of Independence was a 48-year-old waitress who…
‘Threatened with castration’ in Listowel in 1977
Liam Cosgrave arrived in Listowel in a last ditch bid to secure support for Fine Gael during his national constituency tour. It was days before the general election of 1977…
“This is local history at its best”
"This is local history at its best: clearly written and cliché free, painstakingly researched, a useful index, a really clear map, interesting photos and placing the ambush in the context…
“Meticulously researched and soberly written” – the Business Post on ‘Ballymacandy’
“Wait for a dead man’s shoes and you’ll end up barefoot,” warns an old English adage about the importance of taking action. At the removal of four police officers killed…
Ballymacandy: a timeline of events
The Ballymacandy Ambush: 1st June 1921 9.30am: Twelve RIC and Black and Tans leave Killorglin RIC Barracks by bicycle to travel to Tralee to collect their wages. They are led…
The Ballymacandy Ambush: 1st June 1921
The first day of June 1921: as Ireland’s War of Independence intensifies, twelve policemen - members of the Royal Irish Constabulary and the notorious Black and Tans – make their…
Launch of ‘Ballymacandy: The Story of a Kerry Ambush’ on 24th May at 8.00pm
The online launch of 'Ballymacandy: The Story of a Kerry Ambush' by Owen O'Shea and published by Merrion Press, will take place on Monday, 24th May at 8.00pm. The book…
How Lemass’ visit to Killarney led to new planning laws
On the 50th anniversary of the death of former Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader, Seán Lemass, here is an extract from the memoirs of Kerry South TD, John O’Leary (which…
What I learned while researching the war in my community
Learnings from researching the ambush at Ballymacandy History isn’t really an interest of mine: it’s more like an obsession. It’s difficult to adequately articulate what makes one want to constantly…
The only shots fired in Kerry during the Easter Rising
Despite much activity in County Kerry during the week-long Easter Rising in 1916, there was just one discharge of a weapon in the county during the entire rebellion. The confused…
Coming soon: Ballymacandy – The Story of a Kerry Ambush
My new book on the Ballymacandy Ambush will be published shortly by Merrion Press. The ambush, which took place on the 1st of June 1921, a century ago this year,…
“The Tans ordered me outside and told me I would be shot …”
A century ago, the women of Cumann na mBan played a critically important role in the Irish War of Independence, a role which has often been understated and overlooked. This…
