Detail on Clonbanin Ambush
The ambushing party consisted of up to 100 men from Newmarket Battalion Column (under Sean Moylan), a section of the Kerry No. 2 Brigade Column (under Tom McEllistrim), a section of the Charleville Battalion Column (under Paddy O'Brien) and the Millstreet Battalion Column (under Con J Meany). They ambushed a military convoy consisting of three lorries, an armoured car and a touring car at Clonbanin, Co Cork (on the road between Rathmore and Mallow). According to O'Donoghue, during the battle (which lasted a number of hours), 13 British soldiers were killed (including Brigadier-General Cumming, head of the Kerry Command of the British Army) with none of the attackers killed. However, Hopkinson says that only four were killed (including Cumming). Lynch says it lasted an hour to an hour and a half and that 13 British army killed and 15 wounded. IRA land mines failed to explode and the ditched armoured car proved decisive in not allowing the IRA capture the British arms. (O'Donnoghue gives 3rd March as date of ambush.)