Christmas Eve, 1920: Armed men attack Examiner offices

Linotype machines and printing presses at the offices of the Cork Examiner were wrecked by Republican forces during the Irish Civil War on December 24th 1920.. This picture shows some of the damage.

One hundred years ago today, a number of men armed with explosives and weapons raided the Cork Examiner offices and attempted to blow up the printing presses. 

We reproduce the reporting of the incident from our archives

Armed men attack Examiner offices

On Xmas Eve night, shortly after 8 o’clock, a number of armed men, wearing masks or other disguises, who announced that they were acting under the orders of the Irish Republic, made a deliberate effort to fire with incendiary bombs the printing departments in Faulkner’s Lane, and also hacked with sledge hammers or such heavy weapons the two rotary machines in the printing room, Bowling Green Street.

The damage done to three valuable printing machines is considerable. One, capable of printing a 16-page paper at a rate of over 20,000 per hour, is almost totally destroyed. This machine is situated under the compositing room.

In the Bowling Green Street premises, there are two such large machines, one fitted to bring out a 16-page paper and the other a 24-page paper. Those two most up to date machines were pounded with heavy instruments and vital parts destroyed and there are indentations on heavy steel wheels, showing that violent force was employed.

That the machinery was not in fact reduced to a scrap heap is probably due to the hurry of the party to get out before time fuse bombs they had placed under the machine in the Faulkiner’s Lane room exploded.

They had only just left when two big explosions did take place here. Immediately, the placed filled with a dense, nauseating smoke and fire broke out.

Damage to machinery at the offices of the Cork Examiner.

Employees, who had been held up, were, however, now free, and rushing to the scene, switched on the lights, got the hoses into play, sent for the Fire Brigade, and to the police at Union Quay. The Brigade was quick in arriving as was a party of police. In a short time, all danger from fire was avoided.

Shoppers and pedestrians in Patrick Street, startled by the explosion, were now introduced to still more trying conditions. Crowds were inclined to gather and a public order was given to clear the streets. With this object, rifle and revolver shots were fired, and continued for some time, causing general consternation

In common with nearly all the papers in this country and England – and at the request of the employees through their trade unions, these offices closed on Friday, not to re-open until Monday evening. They were about being closed, shortly after 8 o’clock when a number of disguised men rushed the place and tried to burn it to the ground by the use of incendiary bombs.

Damaged printing presses at the offices of the Cork Examiner.

All the staff had finished work at 6.30 or 7 o’clock on Friday evening. Two employees were then at work, cleaning the premises and putting things in order. The floor in the commercial department and the staircase leading to it from Patrick Street were washed down.

A final inspection was made to see that all doors were locked and the lights had been turned off from the main control switch. This done, two of them went to lock the front door in Patrick Street. It was then about 8.15pm. As they pushed out the door it was pushed back against them by a few young men, who were told that the place was locked up.

They then flashed revolvers out, intimating that they were acting under orders of the Irish Republic and entered. Fifteen or twenty men, some wearing handkerchiefs over their chin and mouth and carrying revolvers, others with with caps or hats pulled down over their eyes, passed in, in twos and threes 

The two employees were ordered to stay where they were, and a “guard” was put over them.

The majority of the party proceeded up the stairs, a visit being paid to the Editorial room, where the connection of the telephone on the table was cut. They then, showing that at least one of the party was well acquainted with the entire premises, went down to the machine room, under the compositing department. When down here much noise, as of hammering was plainly audible.

Damaged machinery following the attack on Christmas Eve.

After ten minutes or so, they came back, finding their way through the darkness with the aide of flashlamps presumably, and going across the compositing room floor passed over the bridge connection with the machine room, lying between Falkiner’s Lane and Bowling Green Street.

Here again, hammering went on. In 25 minutes, they came back, leaving the offices by the Patrick Street door, cautioning the few who happened to be on the premises not to leave for half an hour.

They were gone about five minutes when there was a bomb explosion, quickly followed by a second from the machine room they first went down to. Ongoing in that direction, it was found the place was filled with smoke

One of the employees, putting a handkerchief over his mouth, got down to the room and then saw that fire was starting under the rotary machine. Meanwhile, the Brigade and police under District Inspectors from Union Quay Station arrived and shortly afterwards the military. These parties of military and police gave very valuable assistance in helping secure the place and remained in charge for the remainder of the night.

A young lady who lives over the London and Newcastle Tea Co’s premises had a trying experience at the hands of the raiders. She wanted to go out to do some shopping but was quickly ordered back at the point of the revolver.

At eight o’clock the motor driver employed by Messrs. M. D Daly and Co., whose premises are abutting these offices was putting up his car in the yard off Faulkiner’s Lane. He noticed a very large number of young men in the lower end of the lane and had to shout at them to get out of his way to leave the car pass.

They moved away to allow the driver do this but ordered him to put out the headlights on the car. He then put it in but was forced to remain in the yard. He did not come out until he heard the two explosions and there was no one in the laneway.

As stated, three machines were smashed. Much consequential damage was done by water, and that the fire did not get any hold is due to the fact and courage with which the few employees on the premises at the time got the hoses ready to play, the promptitude with which the Fire Brigade under Captain Hutson arrived, and the excellent way in which they did their work.

When the place was examined subsequently the time fuse of a bomb, and altogether six sticks of gelignite, which had been placed in the cylinders of the machine were found.