A memorial service at the graves of IRA men Michael McCarthy, Jim Sullivan and Pat Deasy who died in the Kilmichael ambush in 1920.
The Kilmichael ambush was carried out on 28 November 1920 by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the War of Independence. A column of 36 local IRA volunteers led by Tom Barry killed seventeen members of the Royal Irish Constabulary Auxiliary Division (Auxiliaries) at Kilmichael.
Two IRA Volunteers, James O'Sullivan aged 33 from Clonakilty and Michael McCarthy aged 22 from Dunmanway died at Kilmichael. Patrick Deasy who was aged 16 and from Kilmacsimon Quay near Bandon died later than night in a house in Gortroe.
Fearful that the Auxiliaries would carry out reprisals, the bodies of the three men were placed in rough coffins and secretly buried in a bog. Professional coffins were procured and approximately three days later the men were given a proper burial in Castletown Kinneigh cemetery at night by Fr Patrick O'Connell, parish priest of Enniskeen and Ballineen, with many local people in attendance.
Today a memorial service was held at the graves of the three men, with a gun salute by a firing party and a wreath laid.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 29 November 1970. The footage shown here is mute.
