Philip John O’Sullivan

Died

17 December 1920

Age

Rank

District Inspector

Force

Royal Irish Constabulary

Cause

Homicide - Shot

Duty Status

Off Duty

Roll of Honour Citation

Shot and killed by two masked gunmen while off duty walking with his fiancée in Henry Street, Dublin.

Roll of Honour Citation

Shot and killed by two masked gunmen while off duty walking with his fiancée in Henry Street, Dublin.

Circumstances

Born on the 6th August 1897 in Kinsale he was the son of Solicitor Florence O'Sullivan and his wife Margaret. Philip grew up with his younger sister and parents in Denis Quay, Kinsale in Cork. In the 1911 Census the family were recorded as Catholic and Philip listed as being able to speak Irish and English. In June 1918 he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant. He saw action later in 1918 at the Battle of Durazzo in the Adriatic. He was demobilised from the RNVR due to injury and left the service on the 18th November 1919, it is noted in his service record he could not be promoted to Lieutenant due to not being 22 years old. He joined the Royal Irish Constabulary on the 21st July 1920 and appointed as a Cadet, on the 1st October 1920 he was appointed as an officer, 3rd District Inspector. On the evening of 17th December 1920 he was off duty and went to meet his fiancée in Henry Steet, Dublin as he had done numerous times before. As they met and began to walk together two masked men approached and shot at Philip. As he lay on the ground, and despite the efforts of his fiancée to save her future husband, one of the gunmen approached and again fired before they made off. A passing military patrol rushed Philip to Jervis Street Hospital but he died shortly after arriving. Some press reports claimed the gathered crowds did little to help Miss Moore as she cradled Philip, fatally wounded, but she ensured this was corrected in the press by having the Marquess of Aberdeen pen a letter to editors. The Marquess outlined Miss Moore's thanks to the many men, women and children who tried to help prior to the military patrol arriving.

Born on the 6th August 1897 in Kinsale, Philip was the son of Solicitor Florence O’Sullivan and his wife Margaret. Philip grew up with his younger sister and parents in Denis Quay, Kinsale, in Cork. In the 1911 Census the family were recorded as Catholic and Philip listed as being able to speak Irish and English.

In June 1918 he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant. He saw action later in 1918 at the Battle of Durazzo in the Adriatic. He was demobilised from the RNVR due to injury and left the service on the 18th November 1919. It is noted in his service record he could not be promoted to Lieutenant due to not being 22 years old.

He joined the Royal Irish Constabulary on the 21st July 1920 and appointed as a Cadet. On the 1st October 1920 he was appointed as an officer, 3rd District Inspector.

On the evening of 17th December 1920 he was off duty and went to meet his fiancée in Henry Steet, Dublin as he had done numerous times before. As they met and began to walk together, two masked men approached and shot at Philip. As he lay on the ground, and despite the efforts of his fiancée to save her future husband, one of the gunmen approached and again fired before they made off. A passing military patrol rushed Philip to Jervis Street Hospital but he died shortly after arriving.

Some press reports claimed the gathered crowds did little to help Miss Moore as she cradled Philip, fatally wounded, but she ensured this was corrected in the press by having the Marquess of Aberdeen pen a letter to editors. The Marquess outlined Miss Moore’s thanks to the many men, women and children who tried to help prior to the military patrol arriving.