Appeal by descendant of murdered officer

Tommy Foody has no idea where his relative was buried, and as next year will be 100 years since the incident Tommy is hoping to hold memorial ceremonies for the forgotten men.

Among the 11 Royal Irish Constabulary officers who died in the Dromkeen Ambush was 44-year old Patrick Foody and 21-year-old Samuel Adams from Lanark.

Tommy said: “Of the 11 constables who were killed, two were Scottish, and we’ve traced details of only one.

“Samuel Adams, 21, came from Lanark – I feel it is important to remember these men who had only come to Ireland a month or two before their deaths.

“They went to join a police force not knowing they would soon lose their lives in a civil war.

“It would be a great day for the families if we could remember all of these men who were killed on that day.”

As civil unrest intensified in Ireland following the Easter Uprising of 1916, the Irish War of Independence was declared three years later.

To bolster the Royal Irish Constabulary a recruitment drive across England, Scotland and Wales led to almost 10,000 men enlisting.

The introduction of a new British government policy to execute anyone found with a gun had led to the shooting of five prisoners at Cork. The IRA was looking for revenge – and it came on February 3, 1921.

Around 45 IRA volunteers took their positions behind walls on either side of a long straight road at Dromkeen House. Most of the officers travelling in two lorries were killed in the massacre.

So, we pass the baton to our readers, do you know the name Samuel Adams?

Could he have been buried locally after his death? If you have any information that could help in the search email: [email protected] and we’ll pass any info on.