strange method when Liam Lynch, Sean Hegarty, Michael Leahy, Sandow Donovan, and Joe O'Connor were all caught together with Lord Mayor Terry McSwiney, and while he was held, they were all released some time later. Shortly after Sandow's release, he and I were, one day, walking along Princess [58] Street, Cork, when he suddenly pulled me by the arm and started racing away through Market St. Obviously, I started running too , keeping right behind him, although I was not quite clear in my mind what all the sprinting was about. But then Sandow told me that four British officers in mufti were just ready to pounce on us, he had recognised them from seeing them a short time ago in Cork Barracks. Sandow, incidentally, used to have a tattoo on one of his hands which he had promptly removed by surgery as this would always have been an indelible mark by which he could have been recognised anywhere and at any time. Our Cork Battalions had set up an excellent Intelligence Service which had contacts in all Public Buildings, including the Telephone Exchange, the Post Office, various Hotels, Public Houses, Restaurants, Jarveys, etc., etc. in short more or less all those places which the Black and Tans frequented. Railway terminals, of course, were under surveillance around the clock. As a matter of fact, in the Main Post Office, Cork, it was that our Intelligence People found the first clue to the first member of the infamous murder gang; a man, who admitted his guilt when confronted and who was executed as far back as Sept 1920. All strangers, entering or leaving Cork City, came under our very close scrutiny, yet, it must be said, that during that time, we too suffered a lot of casualties. Replacing Sean Culhane in his position as Brigade Intelligence Officer was Frank Buckley. He too, and after holding his job for a short time only, was arrested. Frank Mahoney, who succeeded Frank Buckley, was also caught and incarcerated. Prior to this, late in April, Mick Murphy left for the Column, and I took over as Battalion O.C. when again, shortly after, the newly created Division appointed me O.C., Cork City over the 1st and 2nd Battalions. The month of May came and a civilian, whom I knew quite well, told me that Daishi Kent had been released from Spike Island. Immediately, I checked with Brigade and Divisional Headquarters, neither of them could give me definite confirmation. Later, we found that the civilians information was quite true. It was also during the month of May that an order was received from GHQ Dublin for the 1st Southern Division to intensify the war against the British during that month, in fact, we were to make an "all out try and effort". Thus we [59] were charged to attack three different Barracks in Cork, all to be handled by the 1st and 2nd Battalions, with Abbey Barracks assigned for bombing by the 1st Batt., with Tuckey Street Barracks going to the 2nd Batt. Orders were carried out most successfully, and the twelve bombs we owned were all put to good use! Throughout all this time, the British continued their relentless terror campaign, burning down, or closing down, business establishments as well as private homes. We stood this for a certain time but then it was decided and announced by the Brigade that the next burning or closing down of a shop of any of our sympathisers by the British would be promptly met by our reprisals against many of their sympathisers most of them conducted business in Cork City. A detailed discussion on how best to attack Tuckey Street Barracks resulted in the decision that a powerful car was needed both, for a very speedy approach and equally speedy "getaway". So, we settled on an Austin car, owned by a Mr. Edward Murphy, residing at Evergreen House, who was one of our most valued sympathisers. In fact, he had allowed us to use one of his places of business as one of our arms dumps. Before going on with the story, I must explain here that during those times, and by strict order of the British Forces, car owners were not permitted to use their vehicles except with a very special permission. The British were so dead-set in enforcing their order, that some vital part of the car engine had to be removed. This part had either to be turned in to the British Authorities, if the car owner was not fully trusted by them, or, and in a very few cases, the car owner was allowed to hold it himself under the solemn promise not to release it to any person or persons without the knowledge of the authorities. Mr. Murphy now, was one of the few who had been entrusted with holding that one vital engine part of his car in his own possession. knowing his friendly disposition towards us I went to him and laid my cards right on the table, disclosing to him our plans and explaining to him that his powerful car represented the most important factor in making our plan successful. Listening to me carefully, seeing him nod in agreement ever so
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