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LI-DARA-0166
Record Date:
3 July 2013
Graveyard:
Exact wording of epitaph:
In
loving memory
of
Sean Riordan
Thomastown, Kilmallock
who died of wounds
in The War of Idependence
on Decr 14th 1920
Mrs. Margaret Riordan
nee Tobin
die Novr 22nd 1961
her husband Matthew
died June 20 1979
sons
William doed Nov 18 1977
Sean died Sept 4 1987
Matthew died Nov 7 1999
RIP
Erected by her husband and family
Riordan
Memorial Type:
Headstone
Number of people commemorated:
6
People commemorated:
Name:
Sean
Surname:
Riordan
Date of death - day:
14
Date of death - month:
December
Date of death - year:
1920
Address:
Thomastown, Kilmallock
Name:
Margaret
Surname:
Riordan (nee Tobin)
Date of death - day:
22
Date of death - month:
November
Date of death - year:
1961
Name:
Matthew
Surname:
Riordan
Date of death - day:
20
Date of death - month:
June
Date of death - year:
1979
Name:
William
Surname:
Riordan
Date of death - day:
18
Date of death - month:
November
Date of death - year:
1977
Name:
Sean
Surname:
Riordan
Date of death - day:
4
Date of death - month:
September
Date of death - year:
1987
Name:
Matthew
Surname:
Riordan
Date of death - day:
7
Date of death - month:
November
Date of death - year:
1999
Notes:
Metal Plaque commemorating death of Sean Riordan tied with tri-colour ribbons on top of monument.
Capt. Séan O’Riordan, who is named on the Sraharla monument, was shot during the ‘Cross of the Tree’ ambush in December 1920. Séan had served in WW1 and on his return after the war had joined the local volunteers. While in the British Army he proved himself to be an outstanding sharpshooter. He sacrificed his own life during the ambush in order to save his own men. He held back over fifty British soldiers single-handedly with his sharp-shooting during the ambush. By doing so, he allowed sufficient time for his own men to escape through the fields. When eventually Séan himself began to retreat he was shot in the stomach. He managed to escape but died agonisingly, 36 hours later, from wound infection. He was buried secretly at night in Darragh Cemetery, in order to conceal from enemy forces his eventual fate.
And also
