Tuesday 1 November 2011

Event on Sunday 13th November at Lower Grange, Co. Limerick

A Plaque is to be unveiled to commemorate an important military action in the War of Independence.  The incident was known as “The Ambush at Grange” and took place on the 8th November 1920
The Plaque will be unveiled by historian Tom Toomey. Mr. Toomey’s book “The War of Independence in Limerick, 1919-1921” was published recently.
The ceremony starts at 2.00 pm on Sunday 13th November and will take place at Lower Grange, on the Limerick Rd, on the city side of the Hamlet pub.
The event is organised by the Sean Wall Memorial Committee, originally founded to plan the construction of the Sean Wall Monument in Main Street, Bruff.
All  members of the public who are interested are most welcome.
The ceremony will include a short talk by Thomas Twomey, the raising of the National Flag, the playing of the National Anthem and the Last Post. Prayers will be led by Canon James Costello from Bruff and  Fr. Michael Cussen from Fedamore.
Secretary of the Sean Wall Memorial Committee, Mr. Michael J. Noonan said  “we believe it is important to have some tangible reminder of these actions, honouring the bravery of the people involved. We must never forget that the birth of our nation was not gained easily”

The Grange Ambush
Information had been gathered in the Bruff Battalion area about a convoy of one or maybe two lorrys of RIC and Black and Tans that travelled between Limerick and Bruff. It was decided to ambush the convoy at Grange Bridge, a point about eight miles from Limerick and about four miles from Bruff. The ambush was set for Monday 8 November 1920. Because the ambush site was on the border between the 3rd Battalion East Limerick Brigade and the 4th Battalion Mid Limerick Brigade it was decided that the action would be a joint action involving the flying columns of both brigades.They would be supported by men from the local companies of Bruff,Grange and Holy Cross in the East Limerick Brigade and from the Fedamore and Ballybricken Companies of the Mid Limerick Brigade. Donnchadha O'Hannigan had overall command of the combined columns and most of the ambushers were placed in houses and behind walls on both sides of the road.

Page 453  “The War of Independence in Limerick 1912-1921 by Thomas Toomey
Quoted with permission from Thomas Twomey

Further information from Michael J Noonan : Sec : Sean Wall Memorial Committee 086 8116270 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            086 8116270      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

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