On Saturday 15th April, those who lost their lives at Canada Cross, Miltown Malbay, on the 14th April 1920 will be commemorated
This is a deferred decade of centenaries event, organised by the Mid Clare Brigage Commemoration Committee, originally due to take place in April 2020 but postponed due to pandemic restrictions.
At about 5.30pm on the 14th April 1920, news reached Miltown Malbay that ninety republican hunger strikers, seeking political status, had been released from Mountjoy prison. The community in common with the rest of the country began to come out onto the streets; the town that had been in darkness during the War of Independence began to light up. “A lighted tar barrel was carried in procession through the town and dropped to burn out in the centre of the square at Canada Cross. A crowd gathered at the burning tar barrel and several patriotic songs were sung and chorused including “An Irishman’s Toast”.
As the fire blazed at Canada Cross, the R.I.C. and military fearful of public disorder approached with fixed bayonets from the R.I.C barracks at The Square through the town. As they shouted at the crowd to disperse, without provocation they indiscriminately opened fire at the crossroads. When the shooting ceased Patrick Hennessy, John O’Loughlin and Thomas O’Leary lay dead or dying with many more wounded.
At the inquest the jury returned the following verdict, “We find that Patrick Hennessy, John O’Loughlin and Thomas O’Leary died as a result of shock and haemorrhage caused by bullet wounds on the night of 14th April 1920 inflicted by men of a patrol consisting of Sgt. James Hampson, Constable Thomas O’Connor, Constable Thomas Kennon, Lance Corporal Kenneth McLeod, Privates William Kilgoar, James McEwan, P. MacLoughlen, Robert Bunting and R. Adams. We find that each of the above named members of the patrol was guilty of wilful murder without any provocation. We also condemn the other members of the patrol for their action in trying to shield those who committed the murders”.
We will remember Patrick Hennessy, John O’Loughlin and Thomas O’Leary and their lives on Saturday 15th April 2023. The day will commence at 4.30pm with a wreath laying ceremony at the republican plot in Ballard Cemetery, Miltown Malbay. Mass celebrated by Fr. Donagh O’Meara at 6.00pm in St. Joseph’s Church followed by a candlelight procession to Canada Cross where a plaque commemorating the fallen at Canada Cross will be unveiled at 7.15pm. Refreshments will be served at the Community Centre, where as part of the programme from 2.00pm a Clare War of Independence exhibition, including the Comdt. Art O’Donnell archive will on display. The day will conclude at 8.00pm in the Centre with a lecture on the Canada Cross shootings by local historian Dr. John Treacy followed by a Q&A. All are very welcome and if any members of the community have memorabilia or items of interest from the period, they would be appreciated by the committee to be included in the exhibition.
This event is supported by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Clare County Council under the Community Strand of the Decade of Centenaries programme.
