List of Irish Republican Army ambushes

This is a list of ambushes carried out by the Irish Republican Army against the British armed forces and police.

## Irish Republican Army 1918 – 1923

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Ambush  | Date  | Target  | IRA strength  | British strength  | IRA losses  | British losses

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Soloheadbeg ambush | 21 January 1919  | Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC)  | 10 volunteers  | 2 constables
(James McDonnell and Patrick O'Connell)  | None  | McDonnell and O'Connell were both killed
Holywell Ambush | 2 August 1920  | British Army | 20 volunteers  | 12–20 soldiers  | 1 wounded  | 3–10 wounded
Rineen ambush | 22 September 1920  | RIC
British Army  | 50 volunteers  | 10 lorries of British troops  | 2 wounded  | 6 killed
7 wounded
Tooreen ambush | 22 October 1920  | British Army  | 30 volunteers  | 2 lorries of British troops  | None  | 3 killed
4 wounded
6 captured
Piltown Cross ambush | 1 November 1920  | RIC  | N/A  | 20 constables  | N/A  | 2 killed
6 wounded
Kilmichael Ambush | 28 November 1920  | Auxiliary Division (ADRIC)  | 36 volunteers  | 18 constables  | 3 killed  | 16 killed
1 wounded
Pickardstown ambush | 6 January 1921  | RIC (Black and Tans)
British Army  | 50 volunteers  | 40 personnel  | 2 killed
2 wounded  | 2 wounded
Clonfin ambush | 2 February 1921  | ADRIC  | 21 volunteers  | 19 constables  | None  | 4 killed
8 wounded
Dromkeen ambush | 3 February 1921  | RIC  | 40–50 volunteers  | 13 police constables  | 1 wounded  | 11 killed
Upton train ambush | 15 February 1921  | British Army  | 13 volunteers  | 50 soldiers  | 3 killed
2 wounded  | 6 wounded
Coolavokig ambush | 25 February 1921  | ADRIC  | 62 volunteers  | 70 constables  | None  | 3 killed
Sheemore ambush | 4 March 1921  | British Army
RIC  | 7 volunteers  | Unknown  | None  | 1 killed
6 wounded
Clonbanin ambush | 5 March 1921  | British Army  | 100 volunteers  | 40 soldiers  | None  | 13 killed
4–15 wounded
Burgery ambush | 18–19 March 1921  | RIC  | 20 volunteers  | 14, later 50 constables  | 2 killed  | 2 killed
2 captured
Crossbarry Ambush | 19 March 1921  | British Army
ADRIC  | 104 volunteers  | 1,200 soldiers
120 Auxiliaries  | 3-6 killed  | 10 killed
5 wounded
Headford Ambush | 21 March 1921  | British Army  | 32 volunteers  | 30 soldiers  | 2 killed  | 9 killed (British sources)
25 killed (IRA sources)
Scramoge ambush | 23 March 1921  | British Army
RIC  | 39  | 9  | None  | 4 killed
2 captured later killed
Tourmakeady ambush | 3 May 1921  | RIC (Black and Tans)
British Army  | 60 volunteers  | 120 constables
600 soldiers  | 1 killed
1 wounded  | 4 killed
1 wounded
Kilmeena ambush | 19 May 1921  | RIC (Black and Tans)  | 41 volunteers  | 20–30 constables  | 4 killed
7 wounded  | 3 killed
Carrowkennedy ambush | 2 June 1921  | RIC (Black and Tans)  | 45–50  | 23  | None  | 8 killed
16 captured
Rathcoole ambush | 16 June 1921  | ADRIC  | 140  | 25  | None  | 2 killed
14 wounded

## Provisional Irish Republican Army 1969 – 1997

[edit]

Ambush  | Date  | Target  | IRA strength  | British strength  | IRA losses  | British losses

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Dungiven landmine and gun attack | 24 June 1972  | British Army  | 1 ASU  | 1 Army Convoy  | None  | 3 British soldiers killed
7 wounded
1 vehicle destroyed
1 vehicle damaged
Drummuckavall ambush | 22 November 1975  | British Army  | 12 volunteers  | 1 infantry section  | None  | 3 British soldiers killed
1 wounded
1978 Crossmaglen ambush | 21 December 1978  | British Army  | 4–5 volunteers
1 technical | 8 soldiers  | None  | 3 British soldiers killed
Warrenpoint ambush | 27 August 1979  | British Army  | 1 active service unit (ASU)  | 50 soldiers  | None  | 18 British soldiers killed
1 vehicle destroyed
1 British Army Wessex helicopter damaged
Dungannon land mine attack | 16 December 1979  | British Army  | 1 ASU  | 1 mobile patrol  | None  | 4 British soldiers killed
1 vehicle destroyed

Glasdrumman ambush | 17 July 1981  | British Army  | ~7 volunteers  | 18 soldiers  | None  | 1 British soldier killed
1 wounded
1989 Jonesborough ambush | 20 March 1989  | Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC)  | 6 volunteers  | 2 constables
(Harry Breen and Bob Buchanan)  | None  | Breen and Buchanan were both killed
Operation Conservation | 6 May 1990  | British Army  | 1 ASU  | 1 Infantry section  | None  | 1 British soldier killed
1990 Lough Neagh ambush | 10 November 1990  | RUC  | 1 ASU  | 2 constables (Thomas Taylor and David Murphy)
Later joined by 1 former Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) soldier (Norman Kendall) and 1 civilian (Keith Dowey)  | None  | 4 killed
Mullacreevie ambush | 1 March 1991  | British Army (UDR)  | 1 ASU  | 1 mobile patrol  | None  | 2 British soldiers killed
2 wounded
1 vehicle destroyed
1992 Cappagh ambush | 12 May 1992  | British Army  | 1 ASU  | British Army foot patrol  | None  | 1 British soldier lost his legs[1]
1993 Fivemiletown ambush | 12 December 1993  | RUC
British Army  | 2 ASUs  | 1 mobile patrol
1 helicopter (follow-up operation)  | None  | 2 constables killed
1 vehicle disabled
1 British Army Lynx helicopter fired at in the follow-up operation
Killeeshil ambush | 15 July 1994  | RUC  | 1 ASU
1 technical | 1 mobile patrol  | None  | 3 constables wounded
2 civilians wounded
1 vehicle disabled

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Melaugh, Martin. "Cain: Chronology of the Conflict 1992". Conflict Archive on the Internet. Retrieved 21 February 2022.

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Provisional Irish Republican Army

General|

* Anti-Treaty IRA
* Sinn Féin
* Republican News
* An Phoblacht
* The Green Book
* The Troubles (Timeline)
* Haughey arms crisis
* IRA campaign
* Chronology of Provisional IRA actions
* Arms importation
* Weaponry
* Barrack buster
* Improvised tactical vehicles
* Mountjoy Prison helicopter escape
* Blanket protest
* Dirty protest
* HM Prison Maze
* Anti H-Block
* 1981 Irish hunger strike
* Maze Prison escape
* Armalite and ballot box strategy
* Punishment attacks
* Disappeared
* Smithwick Tribunal
* Northern Ireland peace process
* Good Friday Agreement

Organisation|

* Chief of Staff
* IRA Army Council
* IRA Northern Command
* IRA Southern Command
* Internal Security Unit
* Active service unit
* Belfast Brigade
* Derry Brigade
* South Armagh Brigade
* East Tyrone Brigade
* Balcombe Street Gang

Actions|

| 1970–1979|

* Battle of St Matthew's
* Falls Curfew
* 1970 Crossmaglen bombing
* Scottish soldiers' killings
* Red Lion bombing
* Balmoral showroom bombing
* Abercorn bombing
* Donegall Street bombing
* Battle at Springmartin
* Battle of Lenadoon
* Bloody Friday
* Claudy bombing
* Newry customs bombing
* Old Bailey bombing
* Honey Trap killings
* King's Cross & Euston bombings
* Coleraine bombings
* 1973 Westminster bombing
* M62 bombing
* Clogher attack
* Houses of Parliament bombing
* Tower of London bombing
* Guildford pub bombings
* Harrow School bombing
* Brooks's Club bombing
* Woolwich pub bombing
* British Airways bombing attempt
* Birmingham pub bombings
* London pillar box bombings
* Talbot Arms bombing
* Bristol bombing
* Telephone exchange bombings
* 1974 Oxford Street bombing
* Carlton Tower & Portman Hotel shootings
* Mountainview attack
* Bayardo Bar attack
* Forkhill attack
* Caterham Arms bombing
* Tullyvallen massacre
* London Hilton bombing
* Piccadilly bombing
* Trattoria Fiore bombing
* Scott's Oyster Bar bombing
* Walton's Restaurant bombing
* Drummuckavall ambush
* Balcombe Street siege
* Kingsmill massacre
* West Ham station attack
* Olympia bombing
* Store bar shooting
* Stag Inn attack
* Garryhinch ambush
* Jonesborough Gazelle downing
* La Mon restaurant bombing
* Crossmaglen ambush
* Warrenpoint ambush
* Brussels bombing
* Dungannon attack

|

1980–1989|

* Dunmurry train bombing
* Lough Foyle attacks
* Glasdrumman ambush
* 1981 Bessbrook attack
* Chelsea Barracks bombing
* Hyde Park & Regent's Park bombings
* Harrods bombing
* Royal Artillery Barracks bombing
* Brighton hotel bombing
* Ballygawley land mine attack
* Newry mortar attack
* Ballygawley attack
* Enniskillen mortar attack
* RUC Birches barracks attack
* Rheindahlen bombing
* Loughgall ambush
* Operation Flavius
* Corporals killings
* Lisburn bombing
* Aughanduff Lynx shootdown
* 1988 Netherlands attacks
* Glamorgan barracks bombing
* Inglis Barracks bombing
* Ballygawley bus bombing
* Jonesborough ambush
* Clive Barracks bombing
* Deal barracks bombing
* Mayobridge attack
* Derryard attack

1990–1991|

* Derrygorry Gazelle downing
* South Armagh sniper
* Downpatrick roadside bomb
* Operation Conservation
* 1990 Wembley bombing
* Carlton Club bombing
* London Stock Exchange bombing
* Honourable Artillery Company bombing
* Lichfield gun attack
* RFA Fort Victoria bombing
* Proxy bombings
* Downing Street mortar attack
* Paddington & Victoria station bombings
* Mullacreevie ambush
* Glenanne barracks bombing
* Coagh ambush
* Musgrave Park Hospital bombing
* Crumlin Road Prison bombing

1992–1997|

* Teebane bombing
* Clonoe ambush
* London Bridge bombing
* Staples Cnr bombing
* Baltic Exchange bombing
* Sussex Arms bombing
* Cloghoge attack
* Coalisland riots
* Forensic Science Laboratory bombing
* Stoke Newington Road bomb
* 1992 Manchester bombing
* Night of the Long Knives
* 1993 Harrods bombing
* Warrington bombings
* Cullaville occupation
* Camden bombing
* Bishopsgate bombing
* Finchley Road bombings
* Battle of Newry Road
* Shankill Road bombing
* 1993 Fivemiletown ambush
* Heathrow attacks
* Crossmaglen Lynx downing
* Drumcree conflict
* Docklands bombing
* Aldwych bus bombing
* 1996 Manchester bombing
* Hammersmith Bridge bombing
* Osnabrück mortar attack
* Thiepval barracks bombing
* Coalisland attack
* 1997 Northern Ireland riots

Personalities
(Volunteers)|

* Paddy Agnew
* Martina Anderson
* Declan Arthurs
* Thomas Begley
* Ivor Bell
* Patricia Black
* Charles Breslin
* Edward Butler
* Paul Butler
* Joe Cahill
* Liam Campbell
* Fergal Caraher
* Malachy Carey
* Owen Carron
* Gerard Casey
* Carál Ní Chuilín
* Gabriel Cleary
* Peter Cleary
* Kevin Coen
* Eamon Collins
* Eddie Copeland
* Marion Coyle
* Gerard Davison
* Matt Devlin
* Hugh Doherty
* Joe Doherty
* Kieran Doherty
* Martin Doherty
* Pat Doherty
* Colin Duffy
* Rose Dugdale
* Dessie Ellis
* Mairéad Farrell
* William Fleming
* Kieran Fleming
* Bernard Fox
* Angelo Fusco
* Michael Gaughan
* John Francis Green
* Dessie Grew
* George Harrison
* Brendan Hughes
* Francis Hughes
* Martin Hurson
* Pearse Jordan
* Brian Keenan
* Gerry Kelly
* John Kelly
* Patrick Joseph Kelly
* Sean Kelly
* Jim Lynagh
* Proinsias Mac Airt
* Breandán Mac Cionnaith
* Antoine Mac Giolla Bhrighde
* Joseph MacManus
* Seán Mac Stíofáin
* Patrick Magee
* Paul Magee
* Donna Maguire
* Larry Marley
* Paul Marlowe
* Leo Martin
* Alex Maskey
* Pearse McAuley
* Daniel McCann
* Fra McCann
* Jennifer McCann
* Raymond McCartney
* Martin McCaughey
* Raymond McCreesh
* Joe McDonnell
* Séamus McElwaine
* Thomas McElwee
* Brendan McFarlane
* Tom McFeely
* Gerry McGeough
* Pat McGeown
* John Joe McGirl
* Martin McGuinness
* Pádraig McKearney
* Tommy McKearney
* Billy McKee
* Kevin McKenna
* Laurence McKeown
* Michael McKevitt
* Thomas McMahon
* Jackie McMullan
* Martin Meehan
* Ian Milne
* Arthur Morgan
* Danny Morrison
* Conor Murphy
* Thomas "Slab" Murphy
* Kieran Nugent
* Ruairí Ó Brádaigh
* Ed O'Brien
* Dáithí Ó Conaill
* Éamonn O'Doherty
* Joe B. O'Hagan
* Siobhán O'Hanlon
* Rita O'Hare
* Diarmuid O'Neill
* Dolours Price
* Marian Price
* Liam Quinn
* Paddy Quinn
* Billy Reid
* Bobby Sands
* Seán Savage
* Pat Sheehan
* Frank Stagg
* Jimmy Steele
* Bobby Storey
* Gerard Tuite
* Seamus Twomey
* Roy Walsh
* Séanna Walsh

Espionage and
Supergrasses|

* Eamon Collins
* Denis Donaldson
* Joseph Fenton
* Kevin Fulton
* Raymond Gilmour
* Martin McGartland
* Sean O'Callaghan
* Freddie Scappaticci (allegedly "Stakeknife")

Associates|

* Cumann na mBan
* Fianna Éireann
* South Armagh Republican Action Force
* Direct Action Against Drugs
* NORAID
* Clan na Gael
* Troops Out Movement

Derivatives|

* Continuity Irish Republican Army
* Real Irish Republican Army

Prominent
killings|

* Jeffery Stanford Agate
* Johnathan Ball
* Anthony Berry
* Robert Bradford
* Joe Bratty
* Matthew Burns
* Martin Cahill
* Eamon Collins
* Raymond Elder
* Gerard Evans
* Christopher Ewart-Biggs
* Joseph Fenton
* Billy Fox
* Maurice Gibson
* Ian Gow
* Heidi Hazell
* Donald Kaberry
* Andrew Kearney
* Baroness Brabourne
* William "Frenchie" Marchant
* Martin McBirney
* Jerry McCabe
* Robert McConnell
* Jean McConville
* Columba McVeigh
* Ross McWhirter
* Stephen Melrose
* Lord Mountbatten
* Lenny Murphy
* Robert Nairac
* Thomas Oliver
* Tim Parry
* Paul Quinn
* Robert Seymour
* Robert McCartney (allegedly)
* Joseph Rafferty (allegedly)
* Ray Smallwoods
* Sammy Smyth
* Nick Spanos
* James Stronge
* Norman Stronge
* Richard Sykes
* Stephen Tibble
* Sammy Ward
* Michael Willetts

* v
* t
* e

Irish Republican Army (1919–1922)

General|

* Genealogy
* Irish Volunteers
* Irish Citizen Army
* Easter Rising
* Sinn Féin
* Declaration of Independence
* Irish Republic
* Dáil Éireann (First Dáil & Second Dáil)
* Irish Bulletin
* Irish War of Independence
* Flying column
* Government of Ireland Act 1920
* Partition of Ireland (Northern Ireland & Southern Ireland)
* Anglo-Irish Treaty
* Irish Civil War
* Irish Free State

Organisation|

* Brigades of the Irish Republican Army
* Irish Republican Police
* The Squad

Actions|

* Soloheadbeg ambush
* Rescue at Knocklong
* Listowel mutiny
* Rineen ambush
* Tooreen ambush
* Battle of Ballinalee
* Dublin Bloody Sunday
* Kilmichael ambush
* Clonfin ambush
* Dromkeen ambush
* Upton train ambush
* Clonmult ambush
* Coolavokig ambush
* Sheemore ambush
* Clonbanin ambush
* Selton Hill ambush
* Burgery ambush
* Crossbarry ambush
* Headford ambush
* Scramoge ambush
* Kilmeena ambush
* Custom House burning
* Carrowkennedy ambush
* Rathcoole ambush
* Coolacrease killings
* Belfast Bloody Sunday

Chiefs of Staff|

* Cathal Brugha (1917–1918)
* Richard Mulcahy (1918–1922)
* Eoin O'Duffy (1922)

Personalities|

* Michael Collins
* J. J. "Ginger" O'Connell
* Terence MacSwiney
* Emmet Dalton
* Dick McKee
* Paddy Daly
* Piaras Béaslaí
* Erskine Childers
* Liam Mellows
* Joe McKelvey
* Michael Brennan
* Frank Aiken
* Gearóid O'Sullivan
* Tom Maguire
* Seán Lemass
* Seán Mac Mahon
* Stephen Behan
* Andrew Cooney
* Seán Treacy
* Dan Breen
* Seán Hogan
* Séumas Robinson
* Tom Barry
* Seán Mac Eoin
* Charlie Hurley
* Seán O'Hegarty
* Seán Moylan
* Tom McEllistrim
* George Oliver Plunkett
* George Lennon
* Michael Kilroy
* Ernie O'Malley
* Frank Aiken
* Moss Twomey
* Tom Hales
* Seán Hales
* Peadar O'Donnell
* Liam Deasy
* Liam Tobin
* Joseph McGrath
* Richard Barrett
* Louis Darcy
* W.J. Brennan-Whitmore

Associates|

* Irish Republican Brotherhood
* Cumann na mBan
* Fianna Éireann
* Clan na Gael
* Irish Self-Determination League
* National Association of Old IRA
* 1916–1921 Club

Derivatives|

* National Army
* Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army

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