Both sides confirmed ambush false surrender

YOUR columnist Ryle Dwyer (Irish Examiner, January 8) says that “history is not an exact science, so the current controversy over the Kilmichael ambush is unlikely to be resolved.

Barry may well have believed there was a false surrender and he may have been right. We will probably never know for sure”.

This is a surprising conclusion for a historian in current circumstances. The false surrender at Kilmichael has been discussed ad nauseam in books, pamphlets, articles, reviews, correspondence columns and on the internet. It has been clearly established that all participants on the Irish side who commented on the ambush confirmed that there was a false surrender.

The head of the Auxiliaries, Gen Frank Crozier, also confirmed it at the time. Lionel Curtis, the main adviser to Lloyd George on Irish affairs, also concurred. Why is all this evidence not sufficient for Ryle Dwyer?

Why does he insist on being a ‘doubting Thomas’ on the issue?

Jack Lane

Aubane

Millstreet

Co Cork