Longford towns during the War of Independence and Civil War

Seán Ó Súilleabháin, author of Longford’s Republican Story 1900 - 2000, will give an illustrated talk on activity in the parishes of Rathcline and Cashel during the War of Independence and Civil War in Lanesboro Library on Wednesday, March 22 at 8pm.

The parishes of Cashel and Rathcline saw a significant amount of activity during the War of Independence but, rather surprisingly, they were absolute hotbeds of activity during the Civil War.
The islands in Lough Ree were the locations for IRA training camps and recuperation centres and they were virtually inaccessible for enemy forces, be they British or Free State.

The Turlough Ambush on the borders of Cashel and Rathcline was the most successful operation mounted by the South Longford Flying Column during the War of Independence.
However, when the local IRA came to document their successes for pension purposes in the 1930s, they seem to have concocted stories of ambushes that never happened.

Strange things happened too, like the execution of a suspected informer who was made to walk from North Longford, to face his execution on the shores of Lough Ree.
During the Civil War there were constant raids on Lanesboro Barracks, but the most bizarre adventure of the time was when a group of Cashel men went to Limerick to defend the city against the encroachment of Free State forces in March 1922.

All in all, this forthcoming lecture will reveal many fascinating stories from the two parishes that have been all but forgotten.

The IRA and Cumann na mBan from here made a telling contribution to the fight for Irish freedom that deserves to be acknowledged. The talk will be on Wednesday next, March 22 at 8pm in Lanesboro Library. Admission is free. Beidh fáilte romhat.