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{{Short description|Ambush during the Irish War of Independence}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Use Irish English|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox Military Conflict
| conflict    = Burgery ambush
| partof      = [[Irish War of Independence]]
| image       = 
| caption     = 
| date        = 18 March 1921
| place       = The Burgery, near [[Dungarvan]], [[County Waterford]]
| combatant1  = [[File:Flag of Ireland.svg|border|22px]] [[Irish Republican Army]]<br>(Déise Brigade)
| combatant2  = {{flagicon|UKGBI}} [[Royal Irish Constabulary]]<br>(Reserve Force)
| commander1  = [[File:Flag of Ireland.svg|border|22px]] [[George Oliver Plunkett]]
| commander2  = {{flagicon|UKGBI}} Captain DV Thomas
| strength1   = ~20
| strength2   = 14 (initially)<br>50 (subsequently)
| casualties1 = 2 killed
| casualties2 = 2 killed<br>2 captured
| notes       = 
}}
{{Campaignbox Irish War of Independence}}

The '''Burgery ambush''' was an [[ambush]] carried out by the [[Irish Republican Army]] (IRA) on 18–19 March 1921, during the [[Irish War of Independence]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waterfordcountymuseum.org/exhibit/web/Display/article/22/6/?lang=en|title=The Irish War of Independence 1919-1921|accessdate=25 May 2008|author=Edmond Keohan|date=26 July 2001|publisher=Waterford County Museum|archive-date=5 June 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080605225810/http://www.waterfordcountymuseum.org/exhibit/web/Display/article/22/6/?lang=en|url-status=live}}</ref> It took place near [[Dungarvan]], [[County Waterford]].

==Ambush==
On the night of 18–19 March 1921, IRA volunteers of the West Waterford flying column ambushed a British military convoy at the Burgery, about a mile and a half northeast of Dungarvan. The convoy included [[Black and Tans]] and a [[Royal Irish Constabulary]] Sergeant, named Michael Hickey.<ref name="Hickey"/> In overall command of the IRA unit was IRA GHQ Officer [[George Oliver Plunkett|George Plunkett]]. Also present were West Waterford Brigade Commandant Pax Whelan, ASU leader [[George Lennon]], and Mick Mansfield. A British Crossley tender was set on fire and prisoners taken by the IRA, including Sergeant Hickey. Hickey was later killed by an IRA [[firing squad]]<ref name="RIC Memorial"/> with a sign reading "police spy" affixed to his tunic. He was later buried in an unmarked grave.<ref name="Hickey">[http://www.munster-express.ie/local-news/unmarked-dungarvan-grave-pushes-man-to-act-as-his-fathers-son "Unmarked Dungarvan grave pushes man to act as his father's son"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111029102821/http://www.munster-express.ie/local-news/unmarked-dungarvan-grave-pushes-man-to-act-as-his-fathers-son/ |date=29 October 2011 }}, ''The Munster Express'', 17 March 2006.</ref> Other prisoners including Captain DV Thomas, the commander of the British garrison, were released.<ref>O'Halpin, Eunan & Ó Corráin, Daithí (2020), ''The Dead of the Irish Revolution''. Yale University Press, pg 344.</ref> 

After the ambush, a group of volunteers under Plunkett returned to search for any armaments left behind by the British forces. Crown forces who were now searching the area engaged the IRA party; IRA volunteers Seán Fitzgerald and Pat Keating were shot dead.<ref>O'Halpin, pg 347.</ref> A member of the [[Black and Tans]], Constable Sydney R. Redman<ref name="RIC Memorial">[http://www.policememorial.org.uk/Forces/IRELAND/RIC_Roll.htm RIC Memorial] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512014740/http://www.policememorial.org.uk/Forces/IRELAND/RIC_Roll.htm |date=12 May 2016 }}; accessed 20 August 2014.</ref> was shot dead during the return fire.

==References==
<references/>

==Sources==
*''Rebel Heart: George Lennon: Flying Column Commander'', Mercier 2009, {{ISBN|1-85635-649-3}}<!-- auhtor's name, pages, etc. needed -->

{{coord missing|County Waterford}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burgery Ambush}}
[[Category:Conflicts in 1921]]
[[Category:1921 in Ireland]]
[[Category:Ambushes of the Irish War of Independence]]
[[Category:Dungarvan]]
[[Category:History of County Waterford]]
[[Category:March 1921 in Europe]]