Anti-Treaty IRA leader, Liam Lynch, killed in action

pro-Treaty newspaper describes him as a ‘man of considerable courage and ability’

Tipperary, 11 April 1923 - Liam Lynch, commander-in-chief of the Irregular forces, has been killed after being wounded during an exchange of gunfire in the south of the country. 

An official communiqué issued by the National Army’s GHQ yesterday claims that Mr. Lynch was seriously wounded in the course of being captured by national troops at Knocknafallen, near Newcastle.

It is understood that troops crossing the country at the foot of the Knockmealdown Mountains in the Newcastle-Ballybacon district were fired upon and that Mr. Lynch was severely wounded when they returned fire.

Lynch was a native of north Cork and was Officer Commanding the Cork No. 2 Brigade of the IRA in 1920, subsequently becoming O.C. of the 1st Southern Division of the IRA where, amongst other endeavours, he led raid on Mallow Barracks that resulted in the capture of a large quantity of arms and ammunition. 

Funeral of Liam Lynch (Image: Cork Examiner, 17 April 1923)

In the wake of the Treaty when the IRA split, Mr. Lynch sided with the late Rory O’Connor and was appointed ‘Chief of Staff.’

Arrested for a short period after the fighting in Dublin erupted in June, he subsequently headed south from where he had been leading the campaign of resistance against the Free State government and the National Army.

Although firmly pro-Government in its outlook, the Irish Independent newspaper this morning described the dead leader as a ‘man of considerable courage and ability.’

[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]