Pickardstown ambush

ThePickardstown ambush,an action in theIrish War of Independence,took place near the town ofTramore,County Waterfordon the night of 6 January 1921.

The ambush

The ambush was conceived by Paddy Paul, the leader of the IRA East Waterford Brigade, who gathered Volunteers from the local Dunhill and Waterford City units of his command as well as the West Waterford flying column led byGeorge Lennon.This made for a total of fifty men although several were armed only with shotguns.

An attack was made on theRICbarracks in Tramore which lured reinforcements from the British military garrison in Waterford City. FourCrossley tenderswere quickly dispatched with forty troops on board. However, the ambush had been badly planned with the result that the British troops were able to make a determined counterattack, ultimately killing two IRA men - Michael McGrath (the first Waterford City Volunteer killed in the Irish War of Independence) and Thomas O'Brien and wounding two more.One British soldier and oneBlack and Tanwere wounded.

For further information about the Pickardstown Ambush visit:https://www.pickardstown-ambush.ie

Commemoration

A memorial was later erected on the ambush site.

In later years, localGAAfields were named after the two dead IRA men.

References

• Rebel Heart: George Lennon: Flying Column Commander Mercier 2009,ISBN1-85635-649-3
• British Voices: From the Irish War of Independence 1918–1921 Collins Press 2007ISBN1-905172-37-0