The 99th anniversary commemoration of the battle of Crossbarry will be held on Sunday March 29 next at 2pm at the monument.
On March 19, 1921 the flying column of the third Cork brigade of 104 volunteers
under the command of Tom Barry won a famous victory when they smashed through
an encircling British force of over 1000 soldiers at Crossbarry inflicting
heavy casualties on them.
British newspapers reported at the time that there were between 35
and 39 British soldiers killed and many more wounded. The British themselves
did not give figures for their casualties at the time such was the shock to
their confidence in the power of their armed forces. It would be considered to have
been the biggest land battle during the war of Independence and the flying
columns finest hour. The three IRA volunteers who died fighting for Ireland
that morning at Crossbarry were Peter Monahan, Jeremiah O’Leary of Corrin, Leap
and Con Daly, Ballinascarthy.
The guest speaker this year is Andrias Moynihan, Teachtaí Dála (TD) Fianna Fáil
for Cork North West, Is cainteoir dúchais ón nGaeltacht Cúil Aodha Aindrias
agus bhí baint ag a shinsir le ceann des na céad eachtra a tharla i gCogaidh na
Saoirse ag Béal a’ Ghleanna, Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh nuair a d’ionsaigh siad
buíon den RIC agus fuair an lámh is fearr orthu ar an 7u lá Mí Iúil 1918.
The commemoration will be followed by a dinnéar agus tráthnóna cheoil in the
Munster Arms Hotel Bandon agus tá failte roimh chách.
