Community remembers Glenwood Ambush

A SLIGHT wind chill but overall a beautiful day last Sunday was the setting for the unveiling of a memorial to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the ambush at Glenwood where six policemen were shot dead by members of the East Clare Brigade IRA.
The day began with a concelebrated remembrance mass in Kilkishen Church by Fr H O’Dowd, assisted by Fr Harry Bohan and Fr K Hogan, who is the son of Seamus Hogan, Galway, a volunteer in the ambush. A number of relatives of the volunteers also participated in the service.
Those in attendance then proceeded to the site in Glenwood where memorial committee chairman, Patsy Neville welcomed a large gathering and acknowledged the large voluntary effort that facilitated the memorial day.
Speakers on the day included Deputy Tony Killeen and Fr Bohan, with the treasurer of the memorial committee John Lenihan making the closing address.
The memorial itself is constructed so that a candle can be placed at its heart and it is proposed to light a candle in subsequent years on the anniversary of the ambush.
The highlight of the afternoon was the mock ambush performed by Kevin McCormack and the Irish UN Living History Group. This involved a re-run of the ambush with men and women dressed in civilian and military uniform of the period and a vintage truck to resemble a crossley tender, which was the vehicle used by the RIC and Black and Tans on that day in Glenwood.
According to reports from The Saturday Record and Clare Journal, the ambush was described by a semi-official source as follows, “The lorry was going at a good speed when suddenly it was met by a hurricane of lead from about 50 men concealed behind the trees. District Inspector Clarke fell wounded from the first volley. The steering column was broken in the hand of the driver, Constable Seabright. The tank and car were riddled and the lorry ran against the bank, turning over on its side and throwing the occupants, still under a withering fire, onto the road. The district inspector, the sergeant and two of the constables never rose, but the others replied as vigorously as they could.”
It was also documented that as Constable Silve was using his rifle, his right index finger was shot off and the next finger broken. Sergeant Egan received a very serious wound in the side, while Constables Seabright and Prior took cover and had a remarkable escape.
“Some of the attackers came onto the road and having set the lorry on fire, decamped with all the arms and ammunition. The two men who had escaped injury came to the assistance of Sergeant Egan and assisted him for half a mile along the road towards Sixmilebridge. Eventually, as he had become too weak from loss of blood, he was accommodated in the house of Mr Parker at Castlelake and his comrades proceeded on and met a car in which Colonel O’Callaghan Westropp was returning home with his driver,” records continue.
The Saturday Record states two constables entered the trap and drove to Sixmilebridge, bringing the news. Meanwhile, Constable Seabright made his way to the residence of Wilson Lynch, Belvoir and Mr Lynch drove him to the village.
“The police of Sixmilebridge were not sufficiently strong to send out a relief party and the clergy were communicated with and asked to go to the scene and administer to the dying. Rev J Daly, PP and Rev D O’Dea, CC left for the scene and anointed Sergeant Egan. There being no medical assistance available, Fr James O’Regan, proprietor of the local sawmills and garages and James O’Flynn, proprietor of the local woollen mills, neither of whom had taken part in politics for some years, were approached by Mr Lynch and asked in the interests of humanity to take the dead and the dying off the roads.
“They consented to go…Mr O’Regan who was deeply moved said that when they got to the place, the revile spectacle of six men lying on their backs within the space of a few yards met their gaze. The motor tender was still burning.
“There appeared to be no signs of life in Constable Dooge and he was anointed. Fr Daly, Fr O’Dea, Mr O’Flynn and his chauffeur put the bodies into the lorry and took them to Sixmilebridge. The bodies presented a ghastly spectacle as they lay in an upper room in the barracks where a military inquiry was held. The bodies of Sergeant Molloy and Constable Dooge and Constable Moran lay in Sixmilebridge parish church on Friday night and the rosary was recited by Rev John Daly PP.
“The bodies of DI Clarke and the two constables were taken to the Protestant church. On Saturday morning, they were removed to their respective destinations, being accorded military honours, Several residents saw the remains away to the station,” the reports conclude.
A 68-page booklet to commemorate the anniversary has also been produced and over 400 copies were distributed on the day. There are just 100 copies left and these are available locally in Nora Donnellan’s shop and Gleeson’s Supermarket in Kilkishen and in the Post Office in Sixmilebridge. A DVD has also been produced, which will be available from Friday.
For further details on these items, contact Patsy Neville at 087 9691415 or any member of the committee.