Headford Ambush

Headford Ambush
Part of the Irish War of Independence
British soldiers searching a train in County Kerry, 1921
Date 21 March 1921 Location Headford Junction railway station (near Killarney), County Kerry, Ireland 52°02′28″N 9°20′38″W / 52.041°N 9.344°W / 52.041; -9.344 Result Indecisive
Belligerents
Irish Republican Army	United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Tom McEllistrim Danny Allman  †	C. F. Adams  †
Strength
32 volunteers	30 soldiers in first train, more arrive in a second train
Casualties and losses
2 killed	9 killed (British sources) 25 killed (IRA sources)
3 civilians killed, 2 wounded in ambush 1 alleged informer killed by the IRA in the aftermath
class=notpageimage| Location within island of Ireland

The Headford Ambush was carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 21 March 1921, during the Irish War of Independence. The IRA's 2nd Kerry Brigade ambushed a train carrying British troops of the Royal Fusiliers at Headford Junction railway station near Killarney, County Kerry. This sparked a battle lasting almost an hour, in which at least 13 people were killed – nine British soldiers, two IRA volunteers and three civilians.^[1] The IRA withdrew after another train carrying British troops arrived.