sentences:  In 1918 he was appointed Vice Officer-Commanding of the 3rd Tipperary Brigade of the Irish Volunteers (which became the Irish Republican Army in 1919).On 21 January 1919 Treacy and Dan Breen, together with Seán Hogan, Séumas Robinson and five other volunteers, helped to ignite the conflict that was to become the Irish War of Independence.They ambushed and shot dead two members of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) — Constables Patrick O'Connell and James McDonnell – during the Soloheadbeg Ambush near Treacy's home.