Nine dead after Cork train ambushes

Cork, 16 February 1921 - Just days after a police sergeant was killed at Millstreet, a further eight fatalities were reported from Co. Cork yesterday after the IRA attacked a train at Upton. 12 people were also wounded. The casualties include civilians, soldiers and members of the ambush party.

The train, the 9.30 am from Cork to Bandon, was carrying approximately 40 soldiers and a number of civilians when it was ambushed at Upton station.

The attacking party, it is understood, arrived at the station about 10 minutes before the scheduled arrival of the train. After restraining the stationmaster and porter, they took up positions at selected locations in the station building and in another building on the opposite side of the tracks where they could have a good view of the oncoming train.

As the train entered the station and slowed down, the assailants opened fire. Passengers threw themselves onto the floor of the carriages, although not all were able to avoid being hit.

A statement issued by the British Military GHQ noted that the train had been ‘heavily fired on when it arrived at Upton station. The troops left the carriages and fired on the attackers, who immediately fled’. Two of the ambushers are reported to have been killed, along with six passengers – one woman and five men. Other passengers, railway workers and soldiers were wounded in the exchanges.

Millstreet train station. (Image: 15 February 1921, Cork Examiner)

Millstreet ambush
The ambush at Upton comes days after a similar incident took place on 11 February at Millstreet station, also in Cork, in which a sergeant was killed.

This attack, which targeted a Killarney-bound train, began when two men boarded the engine cab at Mallow and forced the driver to bring the train to a point on the track near Millstreet. As it slowed the ambushers opened fire at the leading coaches.

14 soldiers, members of the 1st Royal Fusiliers, were on board the train at the time. According to one eye-witness account a command of ‘Put them up Tommy! Surrender your arms!’ was issued by the attackers. This was met with a response of gunfire. The exchange of shots that followed lasted for approximately 15 minutes.

(Image: Irish Military Archives, A4 (1) Maps 4 Cork Brigade_010)

[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.]