#OnThisDay 1920 Black and Tans and British troops raided the home of James Connolly Jr, a Captain in the local Volunteers in Kinlough, Leitrim. After coming up empty handed, the Crown Forces shot dead his father, 70 year old James Connolly senior.
James Connolly Jr was killed two years later during the Civil War.
#OnThisDay 1961 Comdt Pat Quinlan & 155 men of A Coy 35th Bn were attacked at Jadotville, Congo by 3000 enemy troops led by mercenaries. As UN peacekeepers they held out for five days until ammo & water ran out. They did not suffer a single death.
#OnThisDay 1943 Pte Richard Kelliher from Tralee was awarded the Victoria Cross. Serving with the Australian Army Kelliher’s ran forward throwing grenades at an enemy MG nest that had killed or wounded most of his squad, came back for a Bren LMG and with accurate fire from within 30-40 yards took out the machinegun nest. Kelliher then saved his corporal’s life by dragging him back to friendly lines under heavy enemy rifle fire.
#OnThisDay 1847 Thirty Irish men from the San Patricios regiment were hanged by the US Army following the Battle of Chapultepec, in full view of their allies. These men had deserted the US Army for various reasons to aid Mexico in their struggle.
#OnThisDay 1649 Cromwell’s troops enter Drogheda after surrender terms were refused & killed 2,500 Royalist soldiers, 800 civilians & any clergy were ‘knocked on the head’ . Cromwell wrote ‘this is a righteous judgment of God upon these barbarous wretches’.
The Irish at War 