Monument unveiled on 105th anniversary of Tourmakeady Ambush

A LARGE attendance gathered at Srah Bridge in Tourmakeady yesterday to mark the 105th anniversary of the Tourmakeady Ambush.

On May 3, 1921, the brave IRA Flying Column (South Mayo Brigade) ambushed British Forces at Tourmakeady. A monument to honour the volunteers who took part in the Tourmakeady Ambush was unveiled at Srah Bridge by Tom Maguire and Pake Conroy.

Later in the evening, at a packed Tourmakeady Hall, esteemed historian Sinéad McCoole presented a lecture on the role Cumann na mBan played in the War of Independence.

For Tourmakeady Ambush committee member John Gibbons, Sunday’s events were a culmination of a lot of hard work.

“A lot of work went into today’s events, and we began working on this project seven years ago. As a committee, we held regular meetings, and I have to say we got great support from the local community and from the county councillors.

“There was support, not just from Tourmakeady, but from all across south Mayo and further afield, to get this project over the line,” he said.

Fellow committee member Joe Greaney added: “We launched this committee for the centenary (2021), and this has been a rolling process.

“Unveiling the monument is another event for the committee and it was great to have a good attendance at Srah Bridge, and also in Tourmakeady Hall.”

Joe also hopes that schools may want to visit the monument and learn about the history of the local area and south Mayo during the War of Independence.

“There is education here for the next generation. We had an excellent lecture hosted by Sinéad McCoole on the role of Cumann na mBan in the War of Independence.

“We could invite schools to visit Srah and the monument, and the students could listen to someone speak about the Tourmakeady Ambush.

“We now have a monument that people can visit, and afterwards they can also find out more information on our website.”

Further information on the Tourmakeady Ambush can be found here.