Crossbarry ambush: Taking battle to the empire

The survival of Tom Barry's flying column after the Crossbarry ambush plagued British forces and posed a serious and consistent threat to the authorities in West Cork writes Gerry White

Tom Barry, commander of the flying column that took part in the Crossbarry ambush

In the first two months of 1921, crown forces inflicted defeats on Cork IRA units at Dripsey on January 28, Mourne Abbey on February 15, at Upton that same day, and at Clonmult on February 20. 

While these defeats were significant, the 'History of the 6th Division', the British army unit with responsibility for the province of Munster and commanded by Major General EP Strickland, stated that: "On March 19th, the biggest battle of the campaign, and one more nearly approaching to an action as fought in normal warfare, took place between Bandon and Cork.