Assistant RIC chief survives attempt on his life on Dublin street
Dublin, 23 June 1920 - The Assistant Inspector General of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), Albert Roberts, was shot and wounded in a daring attack in Dublin yesterday morning.
When the attack took place, Mr Roberts was in a motor car on Beresford Place, accompanied by detectives, and was making his way from Amiens Street train station to his office at Dublin Castle. His car was riddled with bullets, fired by a number of men concealed under the pillars of the railway bridge.
Witnesses, many of whom rushed for cover when the attack began, estimate that as many as 50 shots were fired.
As Mr Roberts’ driver, Constable Pathe, sped away from the scene, one of the attackers came into the middle of the road and continued firing an automatic pistol as the car sped around the corner. This gunman then ran up to Butt Bridge and, putting the pistol in his pocket, walked up to Eden Quay.
On arrival at Dublin Castle, Mr Roberts was found to have been shot in the head and had lost a lot of blood; and Constable Pathe had bullet wounds in both legs and was on the point of collapse. According to official updates, however, neither men’s injuries are thought to be life threatening.
Mr Roberts is the most senior member of the Dublin Castle establishment to be attacked since the attempt on the life of the Lord Lieutenant, Sir John French near Ashtown last December.
[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.]
