How The Kerryman covered the attack

The following are contemporary accounts of the attack in Tralee that appeared in The Kerryman in the week after the incident.

POLICEMEN FIRED AT. ONE SHOT THROUGH BACK

ONE of the most daring outrages in the whole history of the troubles in Ireland occurred in Tralee on Friday evening 14 June when two policemen were shot, entering the Square, shortly after two o’clock, by two young men, each armed with a shot gun.

A young man named Sugrue was under trial before Mr Wynne RM charged with perjury in his evidence at the Coroners Inquest into the deaths of two young men, Browne and Laide, who were fatally shot last April, during a raid for arms at Gortatlea Police Hut, at which the jury found that both deceased were shot by Sergeant Boyle.

At the adjournment of the perjury case Constable Fallon and Sergeant Boyle were on their way through The Mall to the police barracks, when entering the Square two young men, each holding a gun, appeared in the street, took deliberate aim at the Constable and the Sergeant, and fired, the shots going off simultaneously.

Both men threw the guns on the street and disappeared. Fallon was shot though the back, near the shoulder, and was removed to the Infirmary. Further attacks have taken place elsewhere in the county. When returning from the train at about eight o’clock on Wednesday evening Sergeant P. J Moloney on Annascaul, was shot at, receiving several pellets in the back.

He was treated promptly by Dr Keane and the wounds were found no to be of a very serious nature. The incident took place in the village where a sensation was created

The Sergeant was returning from Cork in connection with the trial of three men named Walsh, father and two sons, relative to some posters in support of Mr Austin Stack’s candidature for West Kerry.

The shots were fired from behind a fence. During the night three Annascaul men were arrested and charged with having committed the shooting. Large forces of police and military have been drafted into the place.

TWO ARRESTS

Two men named Browne, Feale’s Bridge and Carmody, Clogher were arrested during the night in connection with the shooting occurrence in Tralee on Friday.

Three marks left by the shots on Mr Frank McDonnell’s house next to The Sqaure, attract attention.

Considering the great number in The Mall at the time of the shooting, it is miraculous that there was no civilian shot.

On inquiring at the county infirmary, we were told that Sergt Fallon’s condition is not serious as the pellets, which were of a specially large type, only wounded his shoulder.