Cornelius Delaney

Cornelius Delaney was an Irish republican who fought in the Irish War of Independence. On the night of 11–12 December 1920 (the night of the The Burning of Cork) the Delany family home in Dublin Hill, Cork was raided by British Forces and the two brothers were shot dead.^[1]

He was born in 1886.^[2]

Republican career

Easter Rising

In the months before the Easter Rising Delany helped arm the Irish Volunteers, Volunteer Thomas Murphy, "Near the end of 1915, or early in 1916, a special train came from Fermoy to Cork with Military Stores. There was an unsealed wagon of ammunition on it. The train stopped at Kilbarry about 7p.m. I took five boxes of ammunition from the wagon and shifted it from the running road to a stationary wagon in a siding. About ten minutes afterwards I went down to Con Delaney, Dublin Hill, and told him. He came at once with me to Kilbarry and we shifted the five boxes to Smiddy's field where we hid them until Con Delaney made arrangements for the removal of the stuff elsewbere. I opened one box. It contained •303 ammunition in canvas slings. There were 1,000 rounds in each box."^[3]

On Monday May 1, 1916 (the week after Easter Rising) members of the Cork No. 1 Brigade, I.R.A. met at their headquarters in Sheare Street, Cork to discuss the surrender of their weapons (which had been ordered by the Dublin Castle authorities). Volunteer Joseph O'Shea later made a statement about the meeting that showed that Cornelius Delaney worked closely with the Lord Mayor of Cork Tomás Mac Curtain, "On the following Monday night the meeting in connection With the surrender of arms was held in the Hall. I have no recollection of the Bishop or the Lord Mayor being present. After the meeting I asked Tomás MacCurtain was I was to do. He said "Hand in your rifle and. go up to Con Delaney and get him to bring in mine'. Con Delaney brought it in personally. I handed in mine at the South Mall to the Lord Mayor's house".^[4]

War of Independence

He and his younger brother Jeremiah were members of F Company, 1st Battalion, Cork No. 1 Brigade, I.R.A. during the Irish War of Independence.^[1]

Raid and Death

On the 11th December 1920, members of E Company, 1st Battalion, Cork No. 1 Brigade, I.R.A. ambushed a vehicle carrying Auxiliaries at Dillon's Cross on the city. After the ambush two members of 'E' Company met and walked Cornelius' brother Jeremiah towards the Delany family home in Dublin Hill.^[5]

At around 2 a.m. a group of men approached the Delany home in Dublin Hill. They demanded to be let in, and a group of at least eight did so, and proceeded to the bedroom where Cornelius and Jeremiah were sleeping. As the group entered the room, the brothers both stood up. One of the group asked if their name was Delaney. When this was confirmed, the brothers were immediately shot.^[1]

One of their sisters spoke at the subsequent enquiry, "[Having been awakened by the loud knocking on the door]...I arose and went towards my brothers' bedroom. I saw a number of men going downstairs, their backs towards me. I entered my brothers' room, and saw my brother Jeremiah lying on the floor; he was not then dead, his lips were moving. My brother Con was lying in the bed in a pool of blood. I ran out and got the Crucifix. I asked my brother to kiss the Crucifix. He did so, and put up his hand to keep silent. I then presented the Crucifix to Jeremiah, and asked him to kiss it. As I did so, he turned his head towards me and I put the Crucifix to his lips. He died immediately. I left the room to get bandages. I got some, and left them in the room. As I was going downstairs to go for a priest and doctor, I met a man coming towards me with a revolver and torchlight. I asked him where he was going, or was he going to kill more of us? I do not know the reply he made. He tried to push past me. I put my two hands to his chest and besought him, for God's sake, not to go up as they were all dead. He persisted in his efforts and said, 'Is there anybody belonging to me up there?' in a foreign accent. My father answered, 'Nobody but dead men.'"^[1]

Cornelius was not killed outright but "lingered for a fortnight before he died", he was 34 years old.^[2][5]

References