Leaflet threatening reprisals by British Forces on Kilfinane, Co. Limerick, February 1921

Leaflet threatening reprisals by British Forces on Kilfinane, Co. Limerick, February 1921

One of the leaflets thrown from British ariplanes flying over Kilfinane, Co Limerick, threatening reprisals unless Flying Officer Andrew Mackay is returned, having been taken prisoner by the East Limerick Flying Column after a British aircraft landed at Bosnetstown, Kilfinane, and was captured and destroyed by the Column on 9^th February 1921.  Two days after this the British forces sent 20 airplanes over the town, throwing copies of this leaflet onto the area with ‘Warning – If Flying Officer Mackay is not returned safely within 48 hours official reprisals will be taken’. When informed of this the men of the Column stated that if the town was burned Mackay would be killed. Large forces of military were drafted in, raiding houses and terrorising the people of the town.  On the morning of the 12^th the shopkeepers of the town were officially notified that their premises were to be destroyed - one house, that of the Clancy family - had already been burned. As British forces arrived to destroy the town the parish priest, Canon Lee, negotiated Mackay’s release and averted the destruction of the area.