Irish Civil War: The Battle of Kenmare and the IRA’s 'September offensive' in Kerry 

In September 1922, the IRA launched attacks on Kenmare and Killorglin, representing some of the largest Republican offences of the Civil War, writes Dr Richard McElligott

Main St in Kenmare. In early September 1922, the IRA rallied to launch a series of attacks on the towns of Kenmare and Killorglin. These actions represented some of the largest Republican offences of the war.

With the success of the National Army’s seaborne landings across Kerry in early August 1922, victory for the Provisional Government in this bastion of Republican resistance looked imminent. Within a fortnight the anti-Treaty IRA had unceremoniously abandoned every town in the county, retreating to the hills to wage a guerrilla campaign. 

Yet, in early September, the IRA rallied to launch a series of attacks on the towns of Kenmare and Killorglin. These actions represented some of the largest Republican offences of the war and the IRA’s victory in Kenmare was one of their greatest tactical triumphs nationally which helped to keep their forces in Kerry fighting to the bitter end. Nonetheless, many aspects of these battles would foreshadow the depraved depths the conflict would soon descend into in Kerry.