Winifred Frances Barrington (Winnie)-Nurse/Civilian

Born- 05/07/1897 - Hanover Square, London                                 Died- 14/05/1921 -Coolboreen Bridge, Killoscully

Collateral damage -Shot by IRA A.S.U. at Coolboreen Bridge in an operation to assassinate R.I.C. D.I. Biggs

Following the actions and losses at Shraharla and Lackelly in Limerick some of the North Tipperary IRA returned to their home territory to regroup. Among those was Paddy Ryan 'Lacken' who had been active with the Mid Limerick Flying Column.

On Saturday the 14/05/1921, the group were resting at McGraths house, midway between Killoscully and Newport when word was received that a car bearing D.I. Biggs and companions had been spotted on its way to Ciamaltha House, outside of Killoscully. It was Bigg's own car and he was driving. Significantly all the occupants were in civilian clothes. There was also the intel that Biggs was due to be rotated back to England at Whit weekend. A promise had been made by the IRA that Biggs would not leave Ireland alive.  

Sean Gaynor O.C. Nenagh 1st Battallion IRA, was also in the area so a plan was formulated to cover both potential return routes for the car and to ambush the occupants. Biggs was the prize and his assassination would be the fulfillment of their promise.

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The ambush party, armed with rifles and shotguns, took up two positions at either side of the road at a point on the Killoscully/Newport road known as Coolboreen where the road crossed a bridge on a bend. The second group of ambushers covered the Rossaguile Road in case the car returned that way.

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Having spent the afternoon fishing the Mulcair around Killoscully and tea at Ciamaltha House, the car and occupants returned to Newport. At 19:30 the car approached Coolboreen Bridge. The waiting ambushers opened fire on the car hitting the driver who was D.I. Biggs. The car stopped as Biggs was hit in the throat and the car rolled to a halt. Biggs fell from the car and was seen to have stumbled about 10 yards from the car before falling to the ground.

The front seat passenger, was still dressed in riding gear, having earlier left her mount at Newport in order to go on this impromptu visit. This is significant as it meant the ambushers mistook them all for military. In actual fact this was Winifred Barrington, only daughter of Sir Charles Barrington of Glenstal. Winnie fell into the ditch having been shot through the lung and also had her leg shattered by a dum-dum. She was unconscious when she was taken to some nearby houses where whatever aid could be given was administered to her. She died soon after.

Of the three passengers in the back of the car, one was Winnie's cycling companion Miss Coverdale and a Major Gabbett. They had spent the afternoon at the Kingscote's residence at Ciamaltha House outside Killoscully. A third passenger, Lieutenant Trengrouse, managed to escape by forcing his way through a hedge when the firing started and running off towards Newport. He emptied his revolver at the ambushers. This in itself was miraculous and he would have had to get out of the rear of the car, get past four IRA men in front who were firing and after passing them run all the way to Newport......all this without a scratch. Reading between the lines I would hazard that this action did not please his superiors and they thought he should perhaps have stood his ground instead of abandoning his companions.

Miss Coverdale had been accompanying Winnie Barrington on her bicycle when they had met Biggs in Newport. She was slightly wounded in the foot and Gabbett was unharmed. Major Gabbett was retired and had earlier that year been prosecuted for having unregistered arms and ammunition at his home but Sir Charles Barrington testified as a character witness as to his Unionist loyalty. Gabbett called to the ambushers telling them about the women and asking for a cease fire. 

Miss Coverdale made her presence known by swearing at the ambushers over what they had done to Winnie Barrington. Paddy Ryan shut her up by exclaiming...

"....only for the bitch being in bad company she would not have been shot!"

The official report credits Ryan with other words.

The ambushers circled the car and some of them went to where Biggs was lying and fired into his inert body. He had been hit with both regular and dum-dum rounds any one of which would have killed him. By the time Trengrouse returned with a rescue party, the ambushers had dispersed. Biggs body was brought to Newport Barracks and Winnie's was returned to Glenstal.

Winnie was buried some days later at the nearby Church of Ireland graveyard at Abington. Throughout the funeral cortege, the bells of the local Catholic church in Murroe pealed while the houses and shops closed their blinds and curtains in respect.

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