IRELAND

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 29 July 1922, Page 7

IRELAND

WIDESPREAD FIGHTING.

FREE STATERS AMBUSHED, j

IBY GAJE2.E—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT LONDON, July 27. Mr Sylvester Kerr, a large landowner, aiid at one time high sheriff ot King's County,* was found shot dead in front of his residence at Edenderry la tne south, t^e Free Staters are -meeting strong opposition and are advancing warily in a region where the roads are impassable or are mined, a. auine was laid under cover or darkness =and cleverly connected with the Dundalk electric supply. When it was fired a. tremendous explosion shook the town, smashing windows over a wide radius' lhe gaol walls were very thick, but a breach was made sufficient to enable .prisoners to escape in single file. Ffty were recaptured this evening including wounded brigadier. Simultaneously with the Dundalk explosion extensive rebel operations w^re out . elsewhere. Jtoads were •Mocked m various- directions, and railway signal bosses *set on -fire.

iDONDON, July 28. An important and widespread .fight .appears to be in progress on the Cork xoad, which is so barricaded and mined that the local government board has appealed to all clergy and prominent *os*d©nis bo .assist by their la&our, and their influence in removing it- so as to help the advance of the Free State ■troops.: - •Scraps of information allowed to filter through the rigid censorship suggest that the Free Staters are not meeting y*th uaifontn -success, one statement declaring that the road is so hazardous &aa perilous that no army could achieve final victory in such circumstances .w#fihout meeting with some reverses. Another statement is that the rebel positions were bombarded with machine guns, and the utmost heroism was displayed 'by troe-ps and civilians, the latter assisting to bring in the dead and wounded •wader the most intense rifle and machine igun fire. The rebels are unwilling to adopt the offensive.

Irish rebels ambushed a party of Free -Staters ,at Plenties. Donegal,' at midSlight. The Free Staters were led into ta trap by a rebel leader dressed as a Two Free "Staters were "killed. Inour rebels were capured, -one being wounded.

Oscar Traynor, wno was a leader in tlie 1916 re~bellion and was prominent the Four Courts operations, has oeen captured in "Dublin. Irregulars captured the Clifden wireless station, bombed tbe condenser Ijouse and destroyed vital parts. TransAtlantic traffic has been transferred to *the Ongar station, in.Fssex.