During the War of Independence, Cork was one of the main centres of resistance to British rule. In one of the worst atrocities committed during the War of Independence, British forces deliberately set fire to several blocks of buildings along the east and south sides of Saint Patrick’s Street during Saturday and Sunday 11/12 December 1920.

Five acres of the city was torched, 300 homes destroyed as well as 40 businesses, leading to the loss of 2,000 jobs. The City Hall and the Carnegie Library were also completely destroyed by fire. A look back at those events, 97 years ago this week.