#IRA #tombarry #westcork
Thomas Bernardine Barry was a Kerryman. He was born at Killorglin so surely that means he is not a Corkman. He led the IRA's flying column. On 28 November they ambushed 18 men of the RIC Auxiliary Division. Barry's men had little training. Nonetheless his 36 men defeated the Auxies. The IRA definitely shot the Auxies after the Auxies surrendered. The questions is whether there was a false surrender ruse or not. The IRA did not take away the Auxies weapons or ammunition afterwards or even threw it into a puddle to render it inoperable. This was a major mistake by the IRA. Anyway - it was found that very little of the Auxie ammo had been expended. This meant that they surrendered almost right away. The account we have from Barry of a fight lasting several minutes is an exaggeration.