The Valley of Knockanure is the name of several ballads commemorating a murder by the Royal Irish Constabulary that occurred during the Irish War of Independence at Gortaglanna (Gortagleanna) near Knockanure, County Kerry, Ireland.
The best-known of these was written by teacher and poet Bryan MacMahon (d. 1998) at the request of a local schoolmaster, Pádraig Ó Ceallacháin.
[1] On 12 May 1921, a troop of Black and Tans were travelling out from Listowel towards Athea when they arrested four young unarmed men in Gortaglanna.
Prior to this the barracks in Listowel had been burnt out and in retaliation the troops, who were under the influence of alcohol, decided to execute the young men.
When this happened, Cornelius Dee decided, as he was going to be shot anyway, to make a run for it.