History and family memory: the ‘Burning of Cork’ 11 and 12 December 1920

ABSTRACT As in community settings, intangible narrative evidence may exist within a family’s living memory, awaiting a trigger to inspire investigation. During the 2016 SFLS annual conference in Dublin, marking the 1916 Easter Rising, such a catalyst appeared to the author. A replica newspaper, recounting the ‘Burning of Cork’ revived his interest in a story told to him by his father. On the night of 11 December 1920, horrendous destruction and violence occurred in Cork city, Ireland. In retaliation for attacks against Crown Forces by Irish Volunteers, supporting Irish Independence, the Government sent in an irregular military force commonly known as the ‘Black and Tans’. This paper explores the conflict as experienced and remembered by the author’s family in both oral and written testimonies. Comparison with newspaper reports and other sources attempts to unravel the various threads in a complex story.