April 28th – May 4th, 1916
Head-constable W. M. Rowe, Fermoy was shot dead when he and a party of constabulary under his command arrived at the residence of Mrs Mary Kent, Bawnard, Castlelyons to demand the surrender of arms and to arrest some of the family members who were alleged to be identified with the Sinn Fein movement. Following the arrival of military assistance, the inmates surrendered and a number of arrests were made. Two of the Kents were seriously wounded – one it was stated fatally.
Fermoy and Mitchelstown played out a very interesting football match at the Athletic Grounds, Fermoy. The field was in good order; the attendance was of meagre dimensions and Mr Charles Page, Fermoy refereed. The O’Briens, Donovans and Barry kept the Fermoy defence busy, whilst Cahill and the Hallinans did likewise for that of Mitchelstown. The final score was Fermoy 2 points, Mitchelstown 4 points.
Master Jerh. Foley of the Christian Brothers’ Schools, Fermoy was notified that he passed the entrance examination of the Scottish Universities Board held recently in Dublin. He was the holder of a Cork County Council scholarship and was now about to commence his medical studies at UCC.
Sergeant Edward J. Kennedy, Galbally was called to give evidence at the inquest into the death of Constable John Hurley, who was shot dead at Monour, near Tipperray on April 26th. He stated that when he got to the house of Mr Peter Hennessy, Monour, he saw the body lying on the passage opposite the cowhouse in the yard. The jury returned a verdict that the deceased had died ‘from a bullet wound in the head’. (The background to this is that Volunteer Michael O’Callaghan of Garryspillane was wanted by the RIC. When two policemen entered the house in which he had taken refuge, he shot dead Constable Hurley and Sergeant Thomas F. Rourke. After a period on the run, O’Callaghan ultimately escaped to the United States).
At the Cork Police Court, David Keating and his wife Isabella of Alfred Street were charged with receiving several articles well known to be stolen from the Cork Steam Packet Company’s Stores. Among those to give evidence against them was Denis Mullins, 16 Lower Glanmire Road, chief clerk at the works department of the company who identified recovered napkins. Further hearing of the case was adjourned until a future date.
It was announced that 2nd Lieut. Frank J. Flynn, Munster Fusiliers from Summerhill in Cork had been killed in action on April 29th. The 23 year old had joined the cadet corps at Kilworth Camp and had gone to France in December 1915.
At Fermoy Union, a motion moved by Mr Dunne providing for the erection of a wall at a cost of £10 along the Kilworth water supply for a short distance was passed. Meanwhile, P. O’Brien of Commane, Killavullen issued a notice that the lands of Commane, Monanimy Lower, were poisoned from April 29th.
