The Irish Republican Army (IRA) mounted an attack on a train carrying British soldiers at Upton, County Cork.

A week before the Upton ambush, the local IRA had made a successful attack on a train travelling from Killarney to Millstreet near Drishanbeg, killing one sergeant and wounding five more soldiers.

[4] Five days after the Drishanbeg ambush, plans were made for an attack at Upton and Innishannon railway station on a train travelling between Cork city and Bandon.

[6] As a result, when the IRA opened fire on the train, there were heavy civilian casualties; including two commercial travellers killed by the first volley.

[3] IRA leader Tom Barry later wrote, "Through some miracle, the nine unwounded and two wounded got away across country, in small parties, with the British following close behind".

Hurley was shot dead by British troops when they raided a safehouse on the 4th, another died in an accidental shooting on the 7th, two more (the Coffey brothers) were killed in their beds on the 14th by Black and Tans or Auxiliaries, three died at Upton on the 15th and four were killed on the 16th when they were arrested by the Essex Regiment in Kilbrittain while digging a trench and shot dead.

One of the three men captured by the British at Upton is reported to have given information leading to the Third Cork Brigade's main column of over 100 fighters almost being encircled at the Crossbarry Ambush.