Jim Corbett is the grandson of Captain Connie McNamara, leader of an IRA Active Service unit during the War of Independence and Civil War.

Having heard so much about his grandfather,he took the decision two years ago to record his life and times in book form.

He never knew Connie as he had passed to his eternal reward before Jim was born. In his extensive research, he discovered the full extent of his activities in Limerick during the War of Independence and the Civil War.

Connie enrolled as a Volunteer early in 1916 and was involved in the Easter Rising of that year, and later in the War of Independence and Civil War.

But it was as the Commander of the Strand Barracks in during the siege of Limerick in July 1922, that he is most renowned.

During the Civil War, the Republican-held Strand Barracks in Limerick came under constant ferocious attacks from Free State troops for six successive days, in July 1922

They attacked the barracks repeatedly with armoured cars, and a non-stop bombardment of sniper, machine gun and mortar fire. All attempts to capture the barracks were resisted fiercely by the brave men inside.

Finally, when everything else failed to dislodge these gallant men, the Free State turned an 18-pounder artillery gun on them. This was the only time a siege gun was used in Limerick since the siege of 1691.

When Connie was told to surrender or be held responsible for the loss of life, he refused to do so while he had still held ammunition.

Firing commenced shortly afterwards from Arthur’s Quay area, about 150 yards across the Shannon.

The bombardment lasted for several hours until the barracks' four-foot front walls had been breached in front by the 19 shells fired. The gun was then moved to the rear of the barracks and 14 more shells were fired, making a second breach.

The men inside were surrounded, cut off from the rest of their comrades, outgunned and outnumbered. They had withstood everything thrown at them; realistically there was no real point in continuing, as further resistance would have led to needless loss of life.

To spare the lives of his men, Connie surrendered. The Free State officer in charge commended him and his soldiers on their magnificent defence.

Connie was one of a golden generation of unselfish Irishmen with high ideals who were prepared to risk and endure everything for the sake of their country and countrymen.

Jim has written this book on the 50th anniversary of his death, to give him a deserved place in Limericks history.

Members of Strand Barracks

Further upates and information can be found on Jims website,: http://www.conniemackey.com/index.php and the forthcoming book is titled, "NOT WHILE I HAVE AMMO" which will be released in the Hilton Hotel 14th March 2008 and published by Nonsuch Publishing (Ireland).

All the information contained in this book was gleaned from many different sources in Ireland, and also in Britain.

If you can identify any of the men in the above photographs, or if you have any information concerning the Strand Barracks, or ‘A’ Company, Second Battalion, Mid-Limerick Brigade; Please contact: Jim Corbett, conniemackey.com, P.O. Box, 1794, Croydon, CR9 3BJ, Surrey, or mail me at conniemackey@hotmail.com. .