The first of a six book series on titles on the Military History Of The Irish Civil War, this is an in-depth study of the battle for Limerick city.The story concentrates on the vicious battle that took place between Republican and Provisional Government forces for the control of Limerick City. Occurring in the early days of the Civil War, hostilities arrived in Limerick with a whimper rather than a bang. Outnumbered and out-gunned, the Pro-Treaty Commander of the city, Michael Brennan, negotiated a truce with the Anti-Treaty Chief of Staff, Liam Lynch. But the benefit of this lull in fighting accrued almost entirely to the Pro-Treaty side, gaining them time for reinforcements and weaponry to arrive. When it did, the city became a battleground of extreme viciousness. Several buildings were shelled by 18-pounder guns at point-blank range. The fighting around the Strand barracks was particularly heavy. Padraig Ó Ruairc offers a fresh perspective on the struggle that reduced the viability of the Republican's hoped-for Munster Republic and set the stage for the battle of Kilmallock which checked the pro-treaty rout that the initial stages of the Civil War had been.
The story of the vicious battle between Republican and Provisional Government forces for control of Limerick City in the early days of the Civil War. The opening shots of the Irish Civil War in Limerick city were fired on 11 July 1922. The city was of vital strategic importance in the fight for control of the newly independent Ireland, and both Free State and republican troops were determined to secure the city for their respective causes. At the outset the republicans controlled the city's four military barracks and Thomond and Sarsfield bridges. The Free State forces held the custom house, Limerick prison, the courthouse, William Street RIC barracks and Cruise's Hotel. Battle lines were drawn and over the course of the following two weeks, fighting raged throughout the city until superior numbers and arms gave victory to the Free State army. In this book on the battle for Limerick city, Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc offers a new perspective on the struggle that reduced the viability of the republican's 'Munster Republic' and set the stage for the battle of Kilmallock, which turned the tide of the Civil War in favour of the Free State.
