Clonfin - Irish War of Independence Documentary

This film tells the story of the Clonfin ambush and the North Longford Flying Column through a combination of interviews with historians and relatives of those who took part in the action; the use of images and archival footage; and dramatic reconstructions. Professor Marie Coleman of Queen’s University Belfast, an expert on County Longford in the revolutionary period, was the historical advisor on the project, and Dr Mel Farrell (Royal Irish Academy) and Professor Diarmaid Ferriter (UCD) also contributed to it.
The film was produced with Harp Media, which was co-founded in 2018 by Longford filmmakers Patrick McGivney and Robert Higgins. In addition to providing marketing, training and videography, the company makes films. In 2020, they wrote, produced and directed 'Drifting', a short film starring Paul Mescal (Normal People). This year, they made their feature entitled 'Lakelands', which was shot in Granard, will be released in cinemas in Ireland and Britain. It won Best Irish Film at both this year’s Galway Film Fleadh and Kerry Film Festival.

[@gazhukov]

Impressive, inspiring and educational. god bless all the irish

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

If you believe that then you must condemn the IRA and mourn their victims.

[@terrypierce2173]

So very brave young Irish men and woman. We need people like you today. Thank you for your service. God rest you all.

[@user-dg8du2ep4s]

Respect and Honour to the Freedom Fighters Respect to the Flying Columns

[@annoconnor2735]

Amen

[@jlah3390]

I loved it. It was emotional to see part of the path of a people to achieve their liberty and auto determination. God bless Eire

[@drewtube50x74]

Now they have to fight the tyranny of the Catholic Church, and religion in general.

[@MALEXI10]

Hasn't gone to well, has it? 😂 They sold out their Irish neighbours in what is now Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

We always had our liberty and were granted Home Rule in 1912, Irish nationalists are fascists who want to murder their neighbours to form a totalitarian state.

[@multymedia5320]

very interesting - the re-created parts are very well done too

[@seanohare5488]

I agree

[@johnhiggins779]

May they all rest in peace.

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

Yes, god bless the Tans, we Irish owe them much.

[@caitrionamoroney2248]

Very interesting. Thank you sister maeve.

[@andrewmellon5072]

Very interesting video. Thank you.

[@seanohare5488]

A very well done informative documentary with top notch historians in diarmid ferriter marie Coleman and Mel Farrell Longford can be proud of having played a big part in Ireland's war of independence in the clonfin ambush was a decisive victory over a highly decorated auxillary force Sean maceoin was not only a great leader figure in Longford but throughout Ireland

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

You should be very ashamed of this fascist murderer, when are Irish nationalists going to stop celebrating such atrocities?

[@johnroche7541]

At the time of the 11th July 1921 Truce the IRA volunteer could justifiably in military terms be considered a first rate light infantry soldier.

[@marybrady3421]

How interesting John McDowel would be a grand uncle of mine x

[@seanohare5488]

You should be proud

[@marybrady3421]

Very x

[@tomgreene1843]

Was he the man I remember who drove a steamroller in later life.?

[@Joy3269]

May God Bless Ireland. May God Almighty Bless All Our Irish Brothers & Sisters. We Pray For The Peace,Progress, Positive Growth, Safety,Security,Stability,Fabulous Success, Extreme High Prosperity & For a Glorious Future of Ireland. May God Bless Ireland. We Pray to God Almighty So that May Ireland Become One of the Best Superpowers in this World. Brave Salute to all those Brave, Genuine, Legendary & Heroic Irish Freedom Fighters & also to the brave Irish Revolutionaries who Fought For The Freedom of Ireland. May Their Souls Rest in Peace. Amen.👍👍👍👍👍🙏🙏🙏🙏✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️💐💐💐💐💐🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🙂🙂🙂🙂.

[@tedwarden1608]

Can I ask what I hope is an honest question. What direction do you think Irish history would have taken if Parnell’s move to home rule had been successful?

[@seanmccann8368]

Eventually we would have to have fought the brits, , britain does not understand equality, parity, freedom, right, justice, or any human or civilised emotion or feeling. Britain took and held an enormous empire by force and might, the Nations of the Earth have taken back most of their countries from the british by force and warfare.

[@johnroche7541]

This is an excellent documentary and if I may I would like to add a bit more specific information. I have studied the Irish War of Independence 1919-1921 for over 25 years. My research has brought me to the archives in both Britain and Republic of Ireland. I have debunked a lot of Republican and British myths in relation to the conflict. I have also been in contact with well established Irish and British historians and corrected some of the books they have written on the turbulent period. The documentary makes a reference to the Battle of Ballinalee which took place place in early November 1920. This was where a small IRA unit that was heavily outnumbered drove back a Crown Force convoy that was on a reprisal mission. For those who like me want more precise details I can say that the British convoy arrived in several trucks. It was a joint military and police patrol. The soldiers were from the 9th Lancers. It is amazing no one was killed in the encounter. It is the only time an IRA unit defended and drove back a reprisal convoy throughout the conflict. The Auxiliaries that were ambushed at Clonfin came from "M Company". This could have equalled the Kilmichael Ambush. The Clonfin Ambush would not have the same impact if it was against a regular RIC or British Army patrol. That it was against the "elite Auxiliaries" elevates it. According to British Army records held at the National Archive, Kew,UK the site of the ambush was and I quote verbatim "expertly chosen". Sean McEoin was the Commander of the North Flying Column but according to a lot of local people in Co Longford it was actually IRA volunteer Michael(Mick) Gormley who actually chose the ambush site. Michael Gormley was a veteran of WW1 where he served with the Irish Guards. The surviving Auxiliaries did not surrender concealed small arm pistols. This is a violation of the principles of war. Sean McEoin was very chivalrous to the defeated Auxiliaries but Mick Gormley wanted to kill the survivors as he stated to McEoin " You dont know the bastards like I do". He would have justified the killing by stating the Auxiliaries did not surrender concealed weapons. As I stated this could have equalled the Kilmichael Ambush if the North Longford Flying Column were more ruthless. I dont think the Co.Cork IRA would have been as chivalrous! The Auxiliaries committed war crimes in Ireland and would be recognised as such today under a UN charter. Individual wounded surviving Auxiliaries of the Clonfin ambush would be awarded hundreds and in some cases over a thousand pounds in compensation. In the House of Commons after the Clonfin Ambush Sir Hamar Greenwood Chief Secretary of Ireland(he is seen in the documentary here with the walking stick inspecting Auxiliaries) defended the defeated Auxiliaries by stating and I quite verbatim "This is the type of man who won the War(Great War) for this country and he is winning the war now in Ireland". The historian states that Sean McEoin was captured by Crown Forces. Again just to give a bit more detail. He was captured in March 1921 in Mullingar by soldiers from the East Yorkshire Regiment. He was sentenced to death despite surviving Auxiliaries attending his trial and giving evidence of his chivalrous conduct towards them. The IRA attempted to break Mac Eoin free from Mountjoy Jail in May 1921 using a captured armoured car and IRA men such as Emmet Dalton(ex Royal Dublin Fusilier who won the Military Cross at Guinchy in September 1916 during the latter stages of the Battle of the Somme) were disguised as British officers. It ended in failure. Michael Collins stated to Lloyd George there would be no Truce if McEoin was not released. McEoin gave a poignant speech from the dock at his trial. There is a beautiful statue of Sean Eoin in volunteer uniform in his native village. Due to his trade which was a blacksmith he was known as the "Blacksmith of Ballinalee". The historian makes reference to the death of IRA man Sean Connolly in Co.Leitrim. He was KIA along with 5 other IRA men at Selton Hill,Co.Leitrim on 11th March 1921 in an engagement with a superior force engagement with a superior force of British soldiers from the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment. An informer gave their position away. This was a big blow to the IRA to lose 6 men. The day after the Clonfin Ambush the Limerick IRA had a major successful ambush at Dromkeen where 13 Black & Tans travelling in two Crossley Tenders were ambushed and 11 killed. In just 2 days(2nd & 3rd February 1921) the Crown Forces would lose 15 men. On 25th February in Co.Cork abig IRA unit would lauch a major attack against a big Auxiliary convoy killing 3 and wounding several at Ballyvourney sometimes known as the Coolavohig Ambush. As a result the Crown Force would not operate or have patrols in this area until the 11th July Truce. The historian also makes a reference to British sweeps. These were in military parlance "seek & destroy" missions. They started from the Spring of 1921 and through the Summer. On paper they looked impressive as they involved thousands of troops on foot,troops in trucks(Motorised Infantry),Calvary, armoured cars and airplanes and boats on the River Shannon. These British sweeps were designed obviously to capture and kill IRA units. They took place in the 3 southern provinces of Ireland. From the British perspective they were disappointing as they yielded very little results for such an effort. At the time of the 11th July 1921 Truce the IRA Volunteer could be justifiably in military terms

[@Imyourhuckleberry01]

Perhaps you would like to explain why you made the reference under 640 because what was said was actually true, so what was the point you were making there exactly? Oh and by the way the UN Charter didn’t exist during the WOI so again, whats the bloody point of keep mentioning it, it’s an irrelevance and in any case what’s sauce for the goose is source for the gander RIGHT?

[@Imyourhuckleberry01]

Could you please respond to you comment on column 630 please and what was your reason for using it?

[@johnroche7541]

Crikey what a post of information above. Those facts really enhance this documentary. Well established historians such Professor Marie Coleman(QUB),Dr Mel Farrell(RIA) and Professor Diarmaid Ferriter(UCD) who have all written on the revolutionary period and appeared on several documentaries on Irish TV in relation to the conflict did not supply the additional information I posted. All were historical advisors on this project also!. I have been to this ambush several times. My sincere thanks to Sister**** who confirmed what the local people whose fathers,uncles including her own who took part in the ambush stated in relation to Mick Gormley etc. Michael(Mick) Gormley formerly of the Irish Guards picked out an excellent site with a good clear field if fire.

[@johnroche7541]

What an absolute honour and privilege to speak to those sons,grandsons,daughters,nephews, nieces,grand-daughters etc of those who were involved in the Irish War of Independence in that part of the country.

[@johnroche7541]

Goodness me my first original post with all that quality information is from over a year ago at least and according to You Tube just 3 months ago!

[@user-sj1xn7wm2b]

God Bless the Souls of the brave volunteers of The Irish Republican Army who took on the might of the crown forces during the war of Independence...!! #OglaíghNaEíreánn #Saoírse #EíreNuá #ErínGoBrágh

[@drewtube50x74]

There is no God to Bless anyone. Religion is mass delusion, ask the average Catholic.

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

That's it? REALLY? How pathetic! An minor ambush of a unit which doesn't even constitute an understrength platoon and this is considered a huge triumph?

[@drewtube50x74]

One day Ireland will be one, and it won't be a Catholic Ireland, nor will it be a Protestant Ireland, but an Ireland for all the Irish people, non-believers too!

[@MALEXI10]

What about the British population in Ulster? Don't force your Irish nationality on me, Sir.

[@drewtube50x74]

Imagine no religion, it's easy if you try . . .