Ireland’s Civil War, by Carlton Younger in 1968, was the first full-length study of the Civil War 1922 - 1923. In the book he describes an event that took place in this area that resulted in the deaths of three men and the wounding of another 8 with 10 captives.

It was the ambush at Drumsheen where Joe Ring from Westport was killed, along with John Ingram the driver of the Big Fella and the driver from Ballinalee.

It took place on the 14th September 1922. The fighting started when a mine was not set off and the Free State soldiers took up firing positions on either side of the road.

Fourteen Republicans were captured and taken to Tubbercurry and from there to Ballymote and from there to Longford and Athlone.

There is a monument there in the bogs overlooking the ambush site, to Joe Ring and John Ingram. In his book, 'Green Against Green', Michael Hopkinson has written about the ambush too and there was an article in The Bonniconlon News of 1982.

It was the one major event in the Civil War and the men who took part on the Republican side were from Enniscrone and Bonniconlon and the man in charge was Section Commander Pat McAndrew.