Irregulars Burning Cork — Barracks and Public Buildings in Flames — National Troops at the Gates — Reported Evacuation of the City — Heavy Fighting in Outlying Districts

Galway Observer, Saturday, August, 1922

The flames of burping buildings lit up the sky over Cork City on Thursday night.

The irregulars had consigned to the fires all the military and police barracks, Government House, the Victoria Hotel, and other structures in the centre of the city.

The offices of the two newspapers — the "Cork Examiner" and the "Cork Constitution" — were blown up.

The news comes from an official but trustworthy source.

This appalling destruction would indicate that the bulk of irregulars have evacuated the city.

Fighting their way along the road from Passage West, the National troops established contract with the Irregular outposts at Douglas, a village about a mile and a half from the city. Sharp fighting ensued.

The National troops stood on Thursday night practically at the gates of the city, but they do not appear to have actually entered it.

In the course of the day an aeroplane of the National Army, flying at a particularly low altitude drew faint rifle fire, a symptom of the evacuation of the city.

Dungarvan has also been evacuated by the irregulars, who blew up all bridges and approaches to the west and north of the town.

The fires at Cobh have burned themselves out.