Background
The IRA's North Longford Flying Column, 21 strong, led by Seán Mac Eoin, had been formed in late 1920. In that year they had killed 4 RIC policemen. In November, a company of Auxiliaries - a paramilitary police force formed out of ex-officers - had been stationed in the county to put down the local IRA, they were reinforced in January 1921. Whereas previously the IRA had tried to operate in relatively large numbers, often attacking police barracks, from this point on, their GHQ in Dublin ordered smaller but more frequent attacks to be made.
The ambush site, on the road between Granard and Ballinalee, was well chosen. Sean McEoin selected a position where the ambushers had excellent cover and were barely visible to the British. The plan was to explode a mine as the lorries passed. The British assessment was that, "the ambush was most cleverly laid" The IRA were, however, unaware that their targets were Auxiliaries, who were usually a far more formidable enemy than the regular RIC or Black and Tans.
Read more about this topic: Clonfin Ambush
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