On This Day / October 19, 1920
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19201019
Reference Date
19201019
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 19th October 1920, Dublin’s Talbot Street saw a deadly shootout killing IRA man Sean Treacy and two British officers, as Major Smyth’s funeral left Dublin. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Terror in Dublin | On This Day – 19th October 1920
OUR Dublin correspondent wires: A shocking ending to a day of sensations in Dublin was reached in Talbot Street in the afternoon when a shooting affray in which military guns were used resulted in several casualties.
It is known definitely that three lives were lost while the number of wounded cannot be estimated. The three persons dead are: an unknown young man in a fawn trenchcoat; a fair-haired messenger boy and an old man, unknown, while an old woman is reported to be severely wounded.
About 4.40pm two lorries and an armoured car dashed down Talbot Street in the direction of Amiens Street and pulled up outside the Marlboro’ Schools.
Immediately a man in a fawn Burbery ran out of a house opposite. He got a few yards down the street when a man in civilian clothes jumped out of one of the lorries and grappled with him.
The man in the fawn coat was seen fumbling in his pocket with his right hand but before he could pull his hand out the soldiers in the lorries opened fire. The man in the fawn coat was killed and the other man who grappled with him was wounded.
The soldiers continued blazing away at the people in the street. The second man was killed outside a shop and Mr Corrigan, tobacconist, was badly wounded in the stomach. The young messenger boy from Gilbey’s was killed while a policeman standing nearby had his arm smashed by bullets.
The scenes of confusion were terrifying as the crowd scattered in all directions. When the firing ceased, the soldiers rushed into the Republican Drapery Stores and arrested everyone they found there. The two dead men were placed in a military lorry.
Dublin Castle last night stated: ‘This afternoon a party of troops were sent to raid an establishment in Talbot Street. On the arrival of the military they were fired on by a body of civilians. One officer was killed and one NCO wounded. The fire was returned by the troops, two civilians being killed.’
(Editor’s note: This report covers the military raid on a Republican store in central Dublin in which the leading Tipperary IRA man, Sean Treacy and two of his assailants, Lieutenant Price and Sergeant Christian were killed. The incident was captured by a passing news cameraman.)
Funeral of Shot Officer
THE remains of the late Major Smyth, who was shot at Drumcondra on Monday night, were removed from King George V Hospital, Dublin to Amiens Street and placed on the three o’clock train for Banbridge. It was an imposing military display, featuring a twin-turreted armoured car.
On This Day – 19th October 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201019
Reference Date
19201019
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 19th October 1920, Dublin’s Talbot Street saw a deadly shootout killing IRA man Sean Treacy and two British officers, as Major Smyth’s funeral left Dublin. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Terror in Dublin | On This Day – 19th October 1920
OUR Dublin correspondent wires: A shocking ending to a day of sensations in Dublin was reached in Talbot Street in the afternoon when a shooting affray in which military guns were used resulted in several casualties.
It is known definitely that three lives were lost while the number of wounded cannot be estimated. The three persons dead are: an unknown young man in a fawn trenchcoat; a fair-haired messenger boy and an old man, unknown, while an old woman is reported to be severely wounded.
About 4.40pm two lorries and an armoured car dashed down Talbot Street in the direction of Amiens Street and pulled up outside the Marlboro’ Schools.
Immediately a man in a fawn Burbery ran out of a house opposite. He got a few yards down the street when a man in civilian clothes jumped out of one of the lorries and grappled with him.
The man in the fawn coat was seen fumbling in his pocket with his right hand but before he could pull his hand out the soldiers in the lorries opened fire. The man in the fawn coat was killed and the other man who grappled with him was wounded.
The soldiers continued blazing away at the people in the street. The second man was killed outside a shop and Mr Corrigan, tobacconist, was badly wounded in the stomach. The young messenger boy from Gilbey’s was killed while a policeman standing nearby had his arm smashed by bullets.
The scenes of confusion were terrifying as the crowd scattered in all directions. When the firing ceased, the soldiers rushed into the Republican Drapery Stores and arrested everyone they found there. The two dead men were placed in a military lorry.
Dublin Castle last night stated: ‘This afternoon a party of troops were sent to raid an establishment in Talbot Street. On the arrival of the military they were fired on by a body of civilians. One officer was killed and one NCO wounded. The fire was returned by the troops, two civilians being killed.’
(Editor’s note: This report covers the military raid on a Republican store in central Dublin in which the leading Tipperary IRA man, Sean Treacy and two of his assailants, Lieutenant Price and Sergeant Christian were killed. The incident was captured by a passing news cameraman.)
Funeral of Shot Officer
THE remains of the late Major Smyth, who was shot at Drumcondra on Monday night, were removed from King George V Hospital, Dublin to Amiens Street and placed on the three o’clock train for Banbridge. It was an imposing military display, featuring a twin-turreted armoured car.
On This Day – 19th October 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201019
Reference Date
October 19, 2020
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 19th October 1920, Dublin’s Talbot Street saw a deadly shootout killing IRA man Sean Treacy and two British officers, as Major Smyth’s funeral left Dublin. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Terror in Dublin | On This Day – 19th October 1920
OUR Dublin correspondent wires: A shocking ending to a day of sensations in Dublin was reached in Talbot Street in the afternoon when a shooting affray in which military guns were used resulted in several casualties.
It is known definitely that three lives were lost while the number of wounded cannot be estimated. The three persons dead are: an unknown young man in a fawn trenchcoat; a fair-haired messenger boy and an old man, unknown, while an old woman is reported to be severely wounded.
About 4.40pm two lorries and an armoured car dashed down Talbot Street in the direction of Amiens Street and pulled up outside the Marlboro’ Schools.
Immediately a man in a fawn Burbery ran out of a house opposite. He got a few yards down the street when a man in civilian clothes jumped out of one of the lorries and grappled with him.
The man in the fawn coat was seen fumbling in his pocket with his right hand but before he could pull his hand out the soldiers in the lorries opened fire. The man in the fawn coat was killed and the other man who grappled with him was wounded.
The soldiers continued blazing away at the people in the street. The second man was killed outside a shop and Mr Corrigan, tobacconist, was badly wounded in the stomach. The young messenger boy from Gilbey’s was killed while a policeman standing nearby had his arm smashed by bullets.
The scenes of confusion were terrifying as the crowd scattered in all directions. When the firing ceased, the soldiers rushed into the Republican Drapery Stores and arrested everyone they found there. The two dead men were placed in a military lorry.
Dublin Castle last night stated: ‘This afternoon a party of troops were sent to raid an establishment in Talbot Street. On the arrival of the military they were fired on by a body of civilians. One officer was killed and one NCO wounded. The fire was returned by the troops, two civilians being killed.’
(Editor’s note: This report covers the military raid on a Republican store in central Dublin in which the leading Tipperary IRA man, Sean Treacy and two of his assailants, Lieutenant Price and Sergeant Christian were killed. The incident was captured by a passing news cameraman.)
Funeral of Shot Officer
THE remains of the late Major Smyth, who was shot at Drumcondra on Monday night, were removed from King George V Hospital, Dublin to Amiens Street and placed on the three o’clock train for Banbridge. It was an imposing military display, featuring a twin-turreted armoured car.
On This Day – 19th October 1920
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.