Bloody Sunday 21 th of November 1920 What

Bloody Sunday 21 th of November 1920

What Happened • The Bloody Sunday of 1920 was caused after the Irish Republican Army (IRA), led by Michael Collins assassinated the ‘Cairo Gang’- a group of British spies living in Dublin. • The IRA went to their homes and killed or fatally wounded the 15 men. • They were then instructed to go into hiding by Collins but some didn’t obey, and it cost them their lives.

What Did The British Do Part One • The British planned to strike back by attacking the suspected assassins at a Gaelic football game later that day between Tipperary and Dublin. • They brought rifles, revolvers and an armoured car similar to a tank.

Where Was It The attack was in Croke Park at 3: 15 pm on the 21 st of November with a crowd of almost 10, 000 supporters. It was meant to start at 2: 45 but was delayed due to crowd congestion.

Who Was Involved The Tipperary captain Mick Hogan was an IRA member and had been informed of a ‘big job’ happening the night before at Philip Shanahan’s pub (Irish Sinn Fein politician). The following morning Philip told him of the shooting of the British Agents. Friend Dan Breen advised Hogan to skip the match and go back to Tipperary but Hogan refused to.

What did the British do Part Two The British stormed into the stadium and started shooting wildly into the crowd. People ran for the exits but some were caught in the crush and others were shot by the soldiers.

The Victims Part One There were 14 people killed from the shooting or the crush at Croke Park. The first victim was William Robinson (bottom right). I have gone to Croke Park before with my dad and have no idea how William lived through a time where going to a football game could be life threatening. He was extremely brave in my opinion. The eleven year old boy was shot on the tree where he was watching the game as he could not get tickets. The bullet ripped through his chest and shoulder, knocking him from the tree.

The Victims Part Two • The two other victims that have pictures up are Patrick O’Dowd and Jane Boyle. • Patrick was fifty seven years old. When the firing started he ran for the seven foot tall wall that separated Croke Park and Belvedere College’s sports ground. • He died trying to help the other people attempting to escape through the same route • Jane Boyle lived on Lennox Street with her fiancé Daniel Byron. • They went to mass the morning of Bloody Sunday at St Kevin’s Church, where they were due to be married later that week. • She was shot dead while holding the arm of her fiancé. • She was buried in her wedding dress in Glasnevin Cemetery • There were eleven other victims that had very sad stories of their own

The Aftermath After one hundred years, the horrors of Bloody Sunday have not been forgotten. The Hogan Stand in Croke Park is named after Michael Hogan, the only player that was killed. The victims are remembered in the long struggle for Irish independence that has been going on for centuries. RIP Jane Boyle, James Teehan, John William Scott, Jerome O’Leary, William Robinson, Patrick O’Dowd, James Matthews, Michael Feery, James Burke, Michael Hogan, Daniel Carroll, Tom Hogan, Thomas Ryan and Joseph Traynor.

Go Ireland ; )