Remembering all of Cork's War of Independence fatalities, and the bitter Treaty debates

Cork recorded more violent deaths than Belfast or Dublin in the revolutionary period, more than a third of them civilians. Here, we examine the ongoing work to account for them all — and the Treaty debate that was dividing Ireland 100 years ago

A 1935 Battle of Clonmult commemoration in Midleton, Co Cork. The emphasis has been on republican casualties — such as the IRA men who died in Clonmult, including those killed after surrendering — but research is ongoing into other fatalities, including civilians. Picture: Irish Examiner Archive

In geographical terms, the War of Independence was defined by certain regions that experienced very high levels of violence and by other areas (far more typical) with relatively limited degrees.

Death, of course, provides the most quantifiable measure of extreme violence. Between 1919 and 1921, fatalities were noted by the military protagonists, in state records, by relatives of the victims, in burial records, and by local and national newspapers, so most conflict-related fatalities can be successfully identified in a host of available sources.