Civil War action in Templemore

The War of Independence had a devastating effect on the town of Templemore in the autumn of 1920.

Following the shooting of DI Wilson on August 16, the Town Hall was burned to the ground in reprisal that same night. Just over two months later the town was once again devastated as soldiers from the Northamptonshire Regiment went on the rampage following the killing of three of its members in an ambush near Thomastown (Tipperary).

The ensuing Civil War was a quiet time for the town but there was plenty of activity on the railway line, either side of the train station. Like all wars, infrastructure is a target and the railways of Ireland were no exception with the Irregulars constantly aiming to disrupt the movement of the new National Army troops.

In April 1922 - “a goods train from Kingsbridge, conveying Belfast goods to Fermoy and Waterford, was held up by armed men at Templemore and all the stuff destroyed”. In July - “ five rails were lifted on the railway line between Lisduff and Templemore. Rails lifted the previous day were replaced by a breakdown gang, the foreman of which was warned if he repaired the line any more, he would suffer the consequences”.

Just a few days later the railway cabins at Lisduff and Ballybrophy were set on fire while the line near Lisduff was blown up by explosives causing severe damage. Railway traffic to Thurles was completely paralysed with wires and phones silenced. In September a huge explosion blew up a bridge at the 74-mile post near Clonmore. The explosion was heard in Rathdowney and Thurles.

Newspaper reports said “Debris was scattered for several hundred yards around the scene, which shows that high explosives were used”. Soon after the timber bridge which crossed the Suir at Aughall was blown up, again causing massive disruption to train services. But perhaps the most miraculous escape of all came in January 1923 when 60 passengers and train staff avoided injury when the train in which they were travelling somehow managed to cross a 12-foot chasm between Lisduff and Templemore, where only the rails were intact. The supporting cattle culvert underneath had been blown up just two minutes previously but, despite a terrific blast, the driver and fireman were unaware of any problem, mainly due to the noise of the train itself and the evening darkness. Travelling at over fifty miles per hour the train made it across the gap before coming to a halt about 400 yards away. Serious damage had been done to the train but the passengers, despite being violently thrown about in their carriages, escaped largely unscathed. After a two-hour delay all passengers were taken to Thurles on a special train sent for them.