On This Day / April 6, 1921
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19210406
Reference Date
19210406
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 6th April 1921, a dramatic armed hold-up on Belfast’s Falls Road led to arrests, Coalisland barracks was bombed and an IRA drill instructor died from a gunshot wound. Edited by Éamon Phoenix
RIC Foil Hold-Up | On This Day – 6th April 1921
A HOLD-up of the most daring character occurred on Belfast’s Falls Road yesterday afternoon and was followed by a sensational chase by two detectives.
Five men participated in the hold-up and three of them were captured.
They were: William James Casey (22) and Patrick Begley, Abercorn Street North and Laurence Maguire (21), Derby Street
The affair occurred opposite Willowbank Huts. A paymaster was driving on a sidecar with about £600 to pay men employed at Glenalina when five men rushed out and presented revolvers.
As the raiders were endeavouring to relieve the man of the money, he clung tenaciously to the bag.
Realising that matters were becoming too hot for them, the raiders made off across the fields in the direction of the Donegall Road.
Detective Sergeant M. Concannon happened to be passing and was informed of what had happened as was Detective Constable Slowey.
The two detectives commandeered a motorcar which was passing and, sighting the men making across the Bog Meadows, drove into the fields at a fast pace.
The policemen alighted and called upon the fugitives to halt.
One of the men halted and turned and Sergeant Concannon, suspecting the man’s movements, fired on him, missed and closed with him effecting his arrest.
Two other men were arrested and loaded revolver recovered.
Coalisland Barracks Bombed
COALISLAND (County Tyrone) Police Barracks was attacked last night. Bombs were thrown at the building which is a substantial and protected structure.
The bombs had little effect and were followed by rifle fire. The police replied vigorously.
IRA Drill Instructor Shot
MR R S Heron, Deputy Coroner for South Down, held an inquest yesterday in Castlewellan Courthouse on the remains of James Johnston of Castlewellan who died on Sunday from a gunshot wound.
It was stated that Johnston, originally drill instructor of the Unionist [Ulster] Volunteers and later of the Irish Volunteers [IRA}, had been imprisoned and was released on hunger strike and had been ‘on the run’ recently.
Accompanied by two men he went to a field near the town on Sunday.
As he pulled a concealed rifle from the ditch, it exploded, wounding him. He died two hours later.
The jury found that he was accidentally shot by a rifle which he was handling himself.
The funeral to Aughlisnafin and was restricted by the military.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Willowbanks Huts had been erected on the Falls Road to house Baden-Powell’s troops during the 1886 riots.
They were later used by the Irish Volunteers, reviewed there by Patrick Pearse in March 1916.
James Johnston, a Castlewellan Protestant, had left the UVF to join the IRA.)
On This Day – 6th April 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210406
Reference Date
19210406
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 6th April 1921, a dramatic armed hold-up on Belfast’s Falls Road led to arrests, Coalisland barracks was bombed and an IRA drill instructor died from a gunshot wound. Edited by Éamon Phoenix
RIC Foil Hold-Up | On This Day – 6th April 1921
A HOLD-up of the most daring character occurred on Belfast’s Falls Road yesterday afternoon and was followed by a sensational chase by two detectives.
Five men participated in the hold-up and three of them were captured.
They were: William James Casey (22) and Patrick Begley, Abercorn Street North and Laurence Maguire (21), Derby Street
The affair occurred opposite Willowbank Huts. A paymaster was driving on a sidecar with about £600 to pay men employed at Glenalina when five men rushed out and presented revolvers.
As the raiders were endeavouring to relieve the man of the money, he clung tenaciously to the bag.
Realising that matters were becoming too hot for them, the raiders made off across the fields in the direction of the Donegall Road.
Detective Sergeant M. Concannon happened to be passing and was informed of what had happened as was Detective Constable Slowey.
The two detectives commandeered a motorcar which was passing and, sighting the men making across the Bog Meadows, drove into the fields at a fast pace.
The policemen alighted and called upon the fugitives to halt.
One of the men halted and turned and Sergeant Concannon, suspecting the man’s movements, fired on him, missed and closed with him effecting his arrest.
Two other men were arrested and loaded revolver recovered.
Coalisland Barracks Bombed
COALISLAND (County Tyrone) Police Barracks was attacked last night. Bombs were thrown at the building which is a substantial and protected structure.
The bombs had little effect and were followed by rifle fire. The police replied vigorously.
IRA Drill Instructor Shot
MR R S Heron, Deputy Coroner for South Down, held an inquest yesterday in Castlewellan Courthouse on the remains of James Johnston of Castlewellan who died on Sunday from a gunshot wound.
It was stated that Johnston, originally drill instructor of the Unionist [Ulster] Volunteers and later of the Irish Volunteers [IRA}, had been imprisoned and was released on hunger strike and had been ‘on the run’ recently.
Accompanied by two men he went to a field near the town on Sunday.
As he pulled a concealed rifle from the ditch, it exploded, wounding him. He died two hours later.
The jury found that he was accidentally shot by a rifle which he was handling himself.
The funeral to Aughlisnafin and was restricted by the military.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Willowbanks Huts had been erected on the Falls Road to house Baden-Powell’s troops during the 1886 riots.
They were later used by the Irish Volunteers, reviewed there by Patrick Pearse in March 1916.
James Johnston, a Castlewellan Protestant, had left the UVF to join the IRA.)
On This Day – 6th April 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210406
Reference Date
April 6, 2021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 6th April 1921, a dramatic armed hold-up on Belfast’s Falls Road led to arrests, Coalisland barracks was bombed and an IRA drill instructor died from a gunshot wound. Edited by Éamon Phoenix
RIC Foil Hold-Up | On This Day – 6th April 1921
A HOLD-up of the most daring character occurred on Belfast’s Falls Road yesterday afternoon and was followed by a sensational chase by two detectives.
Five men participated in the hold-up and three of them were captured.
They were: William James Casey (22) and Patrick Begley, Abercorn Street North and Laurence Maguire (21), Derby Street
The affair occurred opposite Willowbank Huts. A paymaster was driving on a sidecar with about £600 to pay men employed at Glenalina when five men rushed out and presented revolvers.
As the raiders were endeavouring to relieve the man of the money, he clung tenaciously to the bag.
Realising that matters were becoming too hot for them, the raiders made off across the fields in the direction of the Donegall Road.
Detective Sergeant M. Concannon happened to be passing and was informed of what had happened as was Detective Constable Slowey.
The two detectives commandeered a motorcar which was passing and, sighting the men making across the Bog Meadows, drove into the fields at a fast pace.
The policemen alighted and called upon the fugitives to halt.
One of the men halted and turned and Sergeant Concannon, suspecting the man’s movements, fired on him, missed and closed with him effecting his arrest.
Two other men were arrested and loaded revolver recovered.
Coalisland Barracks Bombed
COALISLAND (County Tyrone) Police Barracks was attacked last night. Bombs were thrown at the building which is a substantial and protected structure.
The bombs had little effect and were followed by rifle fire. The police replied vigorously.
IRA Drill Instructor Shot
MR R S Heron, Deputy Coroner for South Down, held an inquest yesterday in Castlewellan Courthouse on the remains of James Johnston of Castlewellan who died on Sunday from a gunshot wound.
It was stated that Johnston, originally drill instructor of the Unionist [Ulster] Volunteers and later of the Irish Volunteers [IRA}, had been imprisoned and was released on hunger strike and had been ‘on the run’ recently.
Accompanied by two men he went to a field near the town on Sunday.
As he pulled a concealed rifle from the ditch, it exploded, wounding him. He died two hours later.
The jury found that he was accidentally shot by a rifle which he was handling himself.
The funeral to Aughlisnafin and was restricted by the military.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Willowbanks Huts had been erected on the Falls Road to house Baden-Powell’s troops during the 1886 riots.
They were later used by the Irish Volunteers, reviewed there by Patrick Pearse in March 1916.
James Johnston, a Castlewellan Protestant, had left the UVF to join the IRA.)
On This Day – 6th April 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
On This Day is a daily column in the Irish News looking back either 50 or 100 years. The column was compiled by Dr Éamon Phoenix from the mid 1980s until autumn, 2022. The Foundation is very grateful to the Irish News for giving permission to reproduce Eamon’s columns. Funding gratefully received from Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and the Magill Trust.
* The Foundation has worked hard to recreate Eamon’s distinctive voice through AI. Since this is an emerging technology, occasional imperfections may be audible.