Not While I Have Ammo

A History of Captain Connie Mackey, Defender of the Strand.

‘Compulsory reading for anyone interested in the Irish Revolution.’ – Dr Matthew Potter, curator of Limerick Museum

During the Irish Civil War, between the 15 and 20 July 1922, the Republican-held Strand Barracks in Limerick, on what is now Clancy’s Strand, came under constant ferocious attacks from Free State troops.

They attacked the barracks repeatedly with armoured cars, and a non-stop bombardment of sniper, machine gun and mortar fire. All attempts to capture the barracks were resisted fiercely by the brave men inside. Finally, when everything else failed to dislodge these gallant men, the Free State turned an 18-pounder Artillery Gun on the barracks. This was the only time a siege gun was used in Limerick since the siege of 1691. The officer in charge was told to surrender the barracks or be held responsible for the loss of life. His response was “he would not surrender while he still had ammunition”.

This man was Captain Cornelius McNamara of ‘A’ Company, 2nd Battalion, Mid-Limerick Brigade, but was known to his men as Connie Mackey. An intimate friend of the former Irish president Sean T. O’Kelly, Connie was part of a golden generation of unselfish Irishmen with high ideals who were prepared to risk and endure everything for the sake of their country and countrymen. This is his story.