28 DEAD ACROSS A CITY IN ANARCHY

IRA DIRECTOR Collins performs ceremonial throw-in at Croker in 1921

ON the morning of November 21, 1920, a group of men acting under the orders of Michael Collins, the IRA’S Director of Intelligence, was to assassinate members of what was known as ‘The Cairo Gang’, which formed a significant portion of the British intelligence network in Ireland.

The shootings resulted in 14 deaths, including six intelligence agents and two members of the British Auxiliary Force.

That afternoon, the footballers of Dublin and Tipperary were due to meet at Croke Park in a glamour challenge game, with the proceeds designated for the Republican Prisoners Dependents Fund. A crowd of around 10,000 attended.

Just after the game began, Croke Park was stormed by trucks filled with Royal Irish Constabulary, Auxiliary Police and Military men, who were under orders to search the crowd given the suspicion that some of those involved in the shootings that morning were in attendance.

However, they opened fire on the crowd for around 90 seconds, resulting in the deaths of 14 people, with up to 100 others injured.

The GAA will hold a commemorative event at Croke Park ahead of the Leinster football final between Dublin and Meath tonight.

The names of the 14 victims have been woven into a one-off Dublin jersey for the occasion (above). Tipp’s footballers will wear a white jersey with a green hoop (above), their chosen colours

100 years ago, for their Munster final against Cork tomorrow.