Oswald Ross Swanzy. c.1920

Oswald Ross Swanzy.

Oswald Ross Swanzy was stationed in Carlow R.I.C. barracks for a number of years. Several of his handwritten R.I.C. report books are in the PPP. In March 1920 Swanzy was implicated in the murder of Tomas Mac Curtain. He was killed by the I.R.A. (using Mac Curtain's own handgun) outside the Church of Ireland Cathedral in Lisburn after attending Sunday Service. The killing led to reprisals against the Catholic population of Lisburn. The I.R.A. squad were in hiding for two days in Carlow on their way back to Cork following the assassination. RIC District Inspector Shot Dead by Cork IRA

(Irish War of Independence - First Cork Brigade)

When the Lord Mayor of Cork, Tomas MacCurtain, who was also the leader of Cork No. 1 Brigade of the IRA, was killed by the British on March 20, 1920, Michael Collins learned that RIC District Inspector Oswald Ross Swanzy was one of those responsible for the killing. The British, in an effort to protect Swanzy from IRA reprisals, transferred Swanzy from Cork to Lisburn in Northern Ireland. However, Collins's vast intelligence network was able to track Swanzy down and a special hit team comprised of members of the First Battalion, Cork No. 1 Brigade was dispatched to kill him. They achieved their objective on August 22, 1920 and he was shot dead in Market Square Lisburn as Swanzy was leaving a church service.

Transcribed by M. Purcell c2011.
Old newspapers in the PPP.