Sectarian violence and murder spreads across the North

THE tension in Ireland over seizing Unionist hostages in the North was raised considerably on Feb 11, 1922, when the IRA in Clones, Co Monaghan, clashed with a group of 19 Ulster Special Constables (USC), travelling from Belfast to Enniskillen by rail.

Part of their journey was through Clones, where they had to change trains.

The special constables claimed that IRA commander Matt Fitzpatrick fired first and the constables fired in self-defence, while the IRA contended that the shooting started when Fitzpatrick was shot dead on the platform by the constables. In the ensuing gunfire, four of the constables were killed and eight others wounded.