Evening star., 1922-07-19
IRISH IN BATTLE f....''.. !
:. TO WIN Limerick
-- ~ 80 ,ef''
Free Staters Are lsolatlng
( Rebels, Dublin Report =.
: Declares. I
CORK DEFENSE PLANNED
Insurgents Killed Officer at Fu-
neral-Body Placed Along
side Coffin.
CORK DEFENSE PLANNED
Bs the Associated Press.

Bs the Associated Press.
DIrRIIN. July 19.-NewS reaching
Dublin this morning confirms the
earlier reports that heavy hghtng
occurred in Limerick over the week
end. the national army troops sue
ceeding in isolating the irreguiars In
the Strand barracks and King Johh
Castle The capitulation or the IN
surgents is believed to be imminent.
A traveller who arrived here from
cork today brought the Information
that the irregulars there we're max
ing elaborate preparations to detend
cork city. Hotel visitors have been
turned cut of their quarters and only
allowed to take few personal oelehs-
ings. bNing told that their tuikier
baggage would make good barrlcades.
Attack strand Barracks.
In the Limerick fighting the ma
tionalists on Saturday evening. oper-
ating in armored cars. poured hail
of bullets into the Strand barracks
and also used hand grenades freely
The Free State forces resumed their
operations early Sunday. One wing
Of the barracks caught fire, ana
when the advices were dispatched the
nationals were awaiting the surren-
der of the garrison.
The regulars in King John Castie
were entirely cut off, without means
Of retreat.
1t is known that the casualties OF
the insurgents include six killed. put
it is difficult to learn definitely the
number of killed and wounded. The
irregulars have fully equipped hos
pital,
One Slain in Funeral Attack.
An automobile funeral party Of
Free Staters which was taking the
body of a volunteer killed in County
Galway to Ipiddal for burial. was
ambushed today near Athenry oN
republican insurgents. who appeared
from both sides of the road. Com
mandant Rooney was killed and eight
other national army soldiers were
taken prisoner.
Commandant Rooney's body was
placed beside the CONN of the dead
volunteer and was sent to Galway,
where the sight of the dead com j.
mandant alongside the comm horrl-
fled crowd which surrounded the
car.
AS soon as the first. shots were
fired by the ambushing party the
driver of the motor hearse speeded
mp. followed by the car with the
parents of the dead man The cars
raced along for mile. but, hnding
no one pursuing them. they returned
to the scene OF the ambush and
picked up the body of the dead Of
feer then proceeding to Galway, ,
When news of the ambush reached
national army headquarters in Gal
nr~a
sent out in pursuit of the anibushlng
detachment. The troops are reported
20 have come into conflict with the
irregulars.
Reports from Galway state that
the action of the ambushers in at
lacking the funeral party so in
censed many others of the irregulars
that the leaders of the Tuam Brigade
in Galway resigned their commands.
while thirty-five of the rank and file
also rendered their resignations. 1t
is believed their action. add the ad-
vices. will have a similar effect in
other places.
Hard Campaign Seen.
Recent speculation on the supposed
impending large scale operations
against the republican insurgents in
southwest Ireland seems to have
moved the Free State government to
put the brakes on popular anticipa-
tion of an early march to triumph
and peace.
The provisional governments news
paper. Truth, today publishes. an
article empha sizing the difficulties to
he met and warning the public not
to expect immediate achievement of
the task. 1t points out that the ex-
penditures of both lives and money
may be considerable before the end
is reached
Meanwhile. although the military
council Is busily preparing for ac-
tion, there Is no outward sign of that
great advance of the Free State army
of which everybody has been talking 6