Christopher (Christy) Lucey (1897-1920)

Story by Fiona Forde

At the November meeting of Cork Corporation, Barry Egan proposed a vote of sympathy for the relatives of a young Volunteer and member of Na Fianna Eireann, declaring, ‘he is one of Ireland’s martyrs – one of Ireland’s heroes.’[1]  Egan was referring to Christopher (Christy) Lucey shot dead at Ballingeary, West Cork, on the 10 November 1920.

Christopher Patrick Lucey was born in Cork City at 8 Grenville Place on the 21 December 1897.[2]  He was the first of three children born to John, a Seed Merchant and Nora (nee Lucey).[3] 

John Lucey died in 1905 and Nora moved to 3 Pembroke Street becoming a vintner, the premises today is Counihan’s Pub.[4] 

Christy, ‘one of a family who for generations made sacrifices for the Irish cause’ joined Na Fianna Eireann, later becoming Section Commander with ‘B’ Company, 1^st Battalion, Cork No. 1 Brigade.[5]

In 1919, he was arrested at an IRA training camp in Glandore and charged for offences against Regulation 9 A.A. of the Defence of the Realm.  In the early hours of 13 August 1919, the training camp was raided by British Forces, Christy had been found in possession of ‘a revolver, loaded in four chambers, on which the name of the accused was scratched.’ Also found on his person, were several letters including one which advised that it was a dangerous thing to carve his name on the revolver.  The evidence against Christy was overwhelming and he was sentenced to ‘imprisonment with hard labour for 1 year.’ [6]

Christy began his sentence in Mountjoy, but was released, after joining the hunger strike in April 1920.  Now a fugitive, he returned to West Cork where he ‘stayed with his friends and comrades, the Twomeys of Túirín Dubh’.[7]  The war of independence had grown steadily more violent and in the wake of the death of Cork Lord Mayor, Terence MacSwiney, matters had escalated even further.  The house at Túirín Dubh was located close to the road and was well known to British forces.  Taking every precaution, Christy did not stay there at night. Instead, he had slept in the rough on the opposite side of the road high up on the hillside.

On the 10 November 1920 Christy emerged from his sleeping quarters and descended the hill to Twomey’s house.  There are conflicting accounts as to what occurred.  Cornelius Cronin recounts that as he was crossing the road ‘an enemy convoy of seven or eight lorries … shot dead Christy Lucey’.[8]  Another account reflects that ‘as Christy descended the hill, his view of the road in the valley became more limited. He had actually crossed the road when the Auxiliaries arrived and, seeing him, immediately opened fire on him. He gained the shelter of the house, and had ill-fortune not intervened would have got away from them. Immediately behind the house a mass of rock rose vertically. To provide for such an emergency, as was now Christy’s, a ladder always stood in place against the rock. It had been temporarily removed and Christy had no option but to make a detour of the rock. This brought him again into view of his enemies who shot him down. He was not armed.’[9]

Two days later, ‘the remains of the late Mr. Christopher Lucey were interred … in the Republican Plot in St. Finbarr’s Cemetery.’  The funeral was closely watched by British Forces, but they did not interject when ‘the usual ceremony of firing volleys over the grave was performed’.[10]

The Auxiliary who shot and killed Christy soon faced the same fate.  ‘When the Tans returned to Macroom that evening, they entered the Market Bar and began to celebrate. They were toasting one man in particular, and he described in detail how he had taken aim and fired the fatal shot. The barman, an ex-RIC man named Vaughan, was able to identify the man, and he informed the Macroom Volunteer officers. All companies in Mid-Cork and city were notified about his man, and a few weeks later he was again identified by Volunteers in Cork city when he signed his name to a docket when ordering military supplies. When he returned to collect his order, he was taken prisoner and executed.’[11]

A simple headstone adorns Christy’s grave, the inscription reads, ‘In Dil cuimhne Ar CRIORTÓIR Ó LUARAIG Complacht b,ceád cath. céad briogáda chorcaighe do marbhuigheadh ag arni Sarana im béal-Áta-an-Ghaorthaid Samhain An 10ad la. 1920. A lora, dein Trócaire Air. Jesus have mercy on him.

Story, research and images by Fiona Forde

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[1] Evening Echo, 13 November 1920

[2] Civil Registration, https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1898/02089/1796697.pdf

[3] 1911 Irish Census, http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Cork/Cork_No__6_Urban/Pembroke_Street/394222/

[4] Guy’s Cork city and county almanac and directory (Cork : Guy & Co. Ltd., 1907), p. 524.

[5] Evening Echo, 13 November 1920

[6] Civilians tried by court-martial, 1920-1922, WO35/108/29.

[7] Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, Where mountainy men have sown (Tralee : Anvil Books, 1965), p. 159.

[8] http://www.militaryarchives.ie/collections/online-collections/bureau-of-military-history-1913-1921/reels/bmh/BMH.WS1726.pdf

[9] Ó Súilleabháin, Where mountainy men have sown, p. 159.

[10] Evening Echo, 12 November 1920.

[11] Dónal Ó hÉalaithe,  Memoirs of an old warrior : Jamie Moynihan’s fight for Irish freedom 1916-1923 (Cork : The Mercier Press Ltd, 2014), p.141.