Sack of Ballyconnell
Sack of Ballyconnell
In January 1923 the town of Ballyconnell was attacked by a small group of armed men who made their way to the Post Office where they dismantled the telephone system and then took any money they could find there.
Then they went to a hardware shop and tried to open the safe but were prevented by the arrival of armed officers. On the street an exchange of gunfire took place in which one of the raiders was fatally wounded. The raiders then fled, promising to be back again.
Exactly one month later a group of about fifty men arrived in Ballyconnell and began an attack on the town. A single rifle shot was the signal for the raid to begin. They looted most of the houses, bombing some, including the Ulster Bank. Money and goods were stolen from shops and a young teacher was shot dead in one premises.
During the attack all roads leading to the town were guarded and warnings were given of the consequences if the army was alerted. The attack or sack lasted for about an hour
and as they left the raiders promised to be back again at a later date. The army went in pursuit of the raiders as they fled towards Ballinamore but did not succeed
in arresting any of them. The people of the terror-stricken town were in mourning after the tragic event and messages of sympathy were receive from many places on the deaths of innocent young men in the raids and the destruction of so many houses and business premises.
The attack on this small town was discussed in Dail Eireann and hundreds of Free State army were drafted in to search for the killers who were reportedly hiding in the Arigna mountain area where there were many caves and underground hiding places. Their leader and other were later arrested and all were heavily armed. They were known as The Irregulars who were anti-treaty activists.
That Day of Terror will never be forgotten by the people of Ballyconell.
