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Coolavokig ambush | |||||||
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Part of the Irish War of Independence | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Irish Republican Army (1st Cork Brigade) |
Royal Irish Constabulary (Auxiliary Division) | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Seán O'Hegarty | Major Seafield Grant † | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
62 volunteers 2 Lewis guns |
70 soldiers 7 constables | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
none |
3 dead (RIC sources) 14–16 Auxiliaries dead (IRA sources) | ||||||
The Coolavokig ambush (Irish: Luíochán Chúil an Bhuacaigh) was carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 25 February 1921, during the Irish War of Independence. It took place at Coolavokig, on the road between Macroom and Ballyvourney, County Cork. A 60-man flying column of the IRA's 1st Cork Brigade under Seán O'Hegarty, ambushed a 70-man convoy of the Auxiliary Division under Major Seafield Grant, sparking a four-hour battle. Ten Auxiliaries were killed, including Major Grant, and others wounded.[1] The IRA column left the area when British reinforcements arrived. After the ambush, British forces stopped carrying out raids and patrols in the area.