August 1922

The war wages on

View of the railway station at Achill Sound

One of the features of the Civil war was the disruption to the transport system, such as the destruction of the road and railways. The railways in particular were targeted by the irregulars, as they were easier to destroy than the roads. They were vandalised too. The disruption to the transport and communication systems was a tactic of guerilla warfare.

Looting was common too. Some pillaging was opportunistic, but sadly most was not. Due to the disruption in the transport as well as the supply system, people in rural areas were deprived of the basics. In some instances they went hungry, and looted the shops and abandoned lorries and carts for supplies. Luxury goods were not left behind in the ‘raids’, as newspaper reports of the time conveted:

The tracks between the larger urban centres were generally repaired quickly but the outposts including Achill were left in a state of wreck for longer periods of time.

Sources

Freeman’s Journal 11 August 1922

Dublin Daily Express 20 June 1914