Ballingeary when visited by Michael McCarthy of Dunmanway to propose an attack on an RIC post at Macroom. But their strength was fatally weakened, and having no reserves they called off the attempt. In 1917, he became Vice-commandant of no.1 Cork Brigade. He worked as a store-keeper at the workhouse but was intimidating, and clashed with the Poor Law Guardians. War of Independence During the War of Independence, O'Hegarty was one of the most active in County Cork. Like others, he was exasperated with Tomas Mac Curtain's inactivity, and refusal to be more bellicose. One such was battalion commander, Richard Langford, who joined with O'Hegarty's unit to make an unauthorized raid on the RIC post at Macroom. Langford was court-martialed, but O'Hegarty continued to rise in the ranks. They had plundered 50 modern rifles and ammunition, much needed by a unit starved of supplies. When a RIC Inspector was murdered, Mac Curtain condemned the shootings and called for their end. On 19 March 1920, Mac Curtain was shot and killed in his own home in Cork. The coroner blamed the British establishment in Dublin, but the police never made any attempt to investigate the killings. Shortly after these events General Tudor began the policy of Official Reprisals. In January 1920, an inquiry was held into corruption alleged against "Hegarty's Mob" or "Hegarty's Crowd" running Cork City. He blamed the former mayors for the charges of incompetence, but remained on good terms with them. In a raid on Cork City Hall on 12 August 1920, the British managed to net all the top brass of the IRA in Cork. In an incredible failure of intelligence they did not identify the leadership as their prisoners. They were all released, including Liam Lynch, and O'Hegarty. Only Terence MacSwiney, the new Lord Mayor, was kept in custody and sent to England. On 25 February 1921 the Coolavokig Ambush was carried out by the 1st Cork Brigade under O'Hegarty at Ballyvourney village (on the road between Macroom and Ballyvourney). The IRA suffered no casualties. However, the number of British casualties has been disputed to this day. The brigade commanders in the southern division retained a residual lingering resentment of Dublin GHQ's lack of leadership and supplies. Sean Moylan, commandant of No.2 Cork bde, thought good communications with No.1 bde were to be vital; but little of this was seen via the organizer Ernie O'Malley at