On the evening of Sunday, November 14th, 1926, There were ten attacks on Garda Stations throughout Ireland. Six stations in Cork city and county were attacked, including Douglas, Blackrock and Rylane. Two stations in County Waterford, one in County Tipperary and one in County Meath, were attacked. Later that evening at about 11 p.m. there was an attack on the Irish Army at Tallaght Camp where a soldier who was on sentry duty was shot and wounded. However, the most serious attack occured at St. Lukes Garda Station in Cork City.

At about 6:30 p.m. a gang of three armed men entered St. Lukes Garda Station in Cork city. The Barrack Orderly knocked a revolver out of one raider's hand and closed the station door. A shot was then fired through a panel in the door and hit Sergeant James Fitzsimons who had been in the hall of the station. He was wounded in the stomach and died on the way to the hospital.

Sergeant Fitzsimons from Strangford, County Down, was aged 30 years and had been stationed in Cork city for the previous 18 months. He was the first member of the Garda Síochána to be killed in the city.