(Continuing our series on the events of 1919 with the help of the daily newspaper of the First Dail, the Irish Bulletin.)
LEST WE FORGET (10)
THE FOLLOWING ARE ACTS OF AGGRESSION COMMITTED IN IRELAND BY THE MILITARY AND POLICE OF THE USURPING ENGLISH GOVERNMENT, AS REPORTED IN THE DAILY PRESS FOR THE WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 25th, 1919.
The sentences passed on political offenders in the six days above mentioned totalled three years and three months.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 20th, 1919.
Arrests:- Capt. Rev. Thomas J. O’Donnell, an Irish Australian Army Chaplain was arrested at the Gresham Hotel, Dublin. The charge is unstated. Fr. O’Donnell is now under close guard and is not permitted visits even from his law advisers. Mr. Joseph Birrells, Dundalk, recently released from Belfast Prison in broken health was rearrested by armed military and police. Military and police surrounded and arrested 25 young men who were spending their Sunday on the hills outside Dublin. They are being detained on a charge of illegal drilling.
Suppression:- Armed police suppressed the Annual Convention of the Cumann na mBan (Irish Women’s League) arranged to be held in the Mansion House, Dublin. The Convention was held secretly elsewhere.
Armed Assaults:- Military and police attacked a crowd in Dundalk, Co. Louth, who were demonstrating against the arrest of Mr. J. Berrills above-mentioned. Several women and children were injured.
Treatment of Prisoners:- Twenty prisoners imprisoned on political charges were released in broken health from Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, where they had been eleven days in manacles night and day and fourteen days in solitary confinement.
Courtmartial:- Mr. Edward Gilmore, Cross Row, Lisburn, Co. Antrim, was courtmartialled at Victoria Barracks, Belfast, on a charge of having in his possession arms and ammunition. Sentence will be promulgated.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21st, 1919.
Raids:- Armed police raided ten houses in Queenstown, Co. Cork. Armed police raided the residence at Kells, Co. Meath, of Patrick J. O’Brien, Secretary of the Irish Transport & General Workers’ Trade Union. At Millstreet and Rathmore, both in Co. Cork, Armed police raided about twelve houses. At Tullogher, Co. Wexford armed police raided two houses.
Arrests:- At Queenstown, Co. Cork, ten young men were arrested by armed military and police. Denis McDonald and D. Phelan, Tullogher, Co. Wexford were arrested on a charge of endeavouring to obtain arms. At Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, Mr. Kevin O’Sheil, Barrister-at-Law was overpowered, searched and arrested. Mr. P. J. O’Brien of Kells, Co. Meath, was arrested on a charge of possessing arms.
Sentence:- Mr. John O’Neill, of Dundrum, Co. Tipperary was at Dundrum charged with having arms and ammunition in his possession. Although it was proved that the arms were broken and useless, he was sentenced to two months imprisonment.
Suppressions:- Armed Police suppressed a social re-union of the Staff of Messrs. O’Gorman Bros., Clonmel, Co. Tipp., Motor Engineers. A Meeting of the Central Branch of the Sinn Fein Organisation, Dublin was suppressed by armed police who took possession of all approaches to the meeting place and turned away persons who wished to attend. The Paid English Magistrate at Queenstown, Co. Cork, ordered the closing of the rooms of the Hibernian Organisation where it was alleged the drill hall of the Irish Volunteers was situated.
Courtmartial:- Mr. James Higgins, Trim, Co. Meath, was court-martialled at Ship Street Barracks, Dublin, on a charge of possessing arms and seditious literature. The finding will be promulgated.
Treatment of Prisoners:- Three prisoners were released from Mountjoy Prison in broken health. They were immediately conveyed to hospital.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22nd, 1919.
Raids:- Armed police raided the houses of Messrs. James Lawless, James Derham, Patrick Clinch, A. Williams, Patrick Harts and John Gibbons, all of Balbriggan, Co. Dublin. The residence at Gorey, of Mr. John Gannon, Secretary of the Gorey (Co. Wexford) Gaelic League, was raided by armed police who removed all books in the Irish Language.
Sentence:- Mr. James Burke, North Street, Lurgan, was sentenced to two months imprisonment for using a motor bicycle to attend a proclaimed Republican Meeting. The Court also ordered the forfeiture of the bicycle valued at £100.
Suppressions:- The Pig Market at Tipperary was suppressed by armed police who freed the pigs from the market pens, and drove them into the streets. At Nenagh the weekly fair was suppressed and at Templemore (also in Co. Tipperary) military and police took possession of the roads and dispersed the country people who endeavoured to attend the Templemore Market. At Keady, Co. Derry, armed police suppressed a Republican meeting arranged to be held in the Town Hall. The meeting was however secretly held elsewhere.
Courtmartial:- Mr. John Shields, Lisnacroy, Co. Tyrone, was courtmartialled at Victoria Barracks, Belfast for possession of a revolver and ammunition. The decision will be promulgated later.
Armed Assault:- A young man named O’Donnell was shot, without warning, by English soldiers at Kilworth Camp, Co. Cork. He is lying seriously wounded at the local hospital. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23rd, 1919.
Raids:- At Gleneely, Co. Wicklow, the residence of Mr. C. N. Byrne, Chairman of the Rathdrum Rural District Council, was raided by armed police. The police held a warrant for Mr. Byrne, charging him with advocating the Irish Self-Determination Loan. Mr. Byrne was however not at home. The house of Mrs. Lehane, Scart, Co. Cork, was raided by armed police.
Arrests:- Mr. Joseph Haugh, of Farrihy, Co. Clare, was arrested by military and police. He was charged with endeavouring to obtain arms and was remanded. Mr. John Lehane, Scart, Co. Cork, was arrested by armed police on a charge of advocating the Irish Self-Determination Loan.
Suppression:- Meeting in support of the Irish Self-Determination Loan was proclaimed and suppressed by armed police and military.
Armed Assault:- At Macroom, Co. Cork, armed police attacked a crowd firing at them with their revolvers.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24th, 1919.
Sentence:- Mr. W. M. Swanton, Proprietor, Medical Hall, Castletownbere, Co. Cork, was sentenced to 5 months imprisonment by a “Crimes Court” for placing the Prospectus of the Irish Self-Determination Loan in the window of his shop. Mr. James Telvin of Castlekeernan, Carncross, Co. Meath, was sentenced by courtmartial to one year’s imprisonment with hard labour for having in his possession arms and ammunition.
Courtmartial:- Mr. Richard Higgins of Landenstown, Co. Kildare, was courtmartialled at Ship Street Barracks, Dublin on a charge of possessing arms and ammunition.
Armed Assaults:- On the return to Tipperary of prisoners whose health had been broken by their treatment in Mountjoy jail, an effort by their friends to welcome them publicly led to an attack upon unarmed civilians by a large body of police and military who charged the crowd several times using their batons and rifle butts on men, women, and children.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25th, 1919.
Raids:- Police armed with rifles raided a dance hall at Thurles, Co. Tipperary, and endeavoured to suppress a dance which was in progress. Proclamations:- A Proclamation had been issued applying further sections of the Coercion Act of 1887 to Dublin City and County. By these sections the English Crown is empowered to empanel special juries to secure a conviction or alternatively to transfer the trial to any other city or county in Ireland where a conviction could be more easily secured.
Sentences:- Mr. Thomas Cotter of Ballyea, Co. Clare, was sentenced by courtmartial to one year’s imprisonment with hard labour for possessing arms and ammunition. Mr. Edward Gilmore, of Cross Row, Lisburn, Co. Antrim, was sentenced by courtmartial to six months imprisonment with hard labour for having in his possession arms and ammunition.
THE FOLLOWING ARE ACTS OF AGGRESSION COMMITTED IN IRELAND BY THE MILITARY AND POLICE OF THE USURPING ENGLISH GOVERNMENT, AS REPORTED IN THE DAILY PRESS FOR THE WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 1st, 1919.
The sentences passed on Political Offenders in the above six days totalled 3 years, 1 month and 2 weeks.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 27th, 1919.
Raids:- Armed police and military raided the houses of Messrs. T. Lanigan, – Ryan, – Davy, T. Stapleton, J. Dwyer, and six other houses in Templemore, Co. Tipperary. Extensive searches were made in all cases. The residence of Mr. Joseph Flynn, Clonakilty, Co. Cork, was raided by armed police.
Arrest:- Mr. Joseph Flynn, Clonakilty, was arrested on a charge of having in his possession a copy of the Prospectus of the Irish Self-Determination Loan.
Sentence:- Mr. James Higgins, Trim, Co. Meath was sentenced by English court martial to 12 months’ imprisonment for being in possession of a revolver, ammunition and “seditious” documents.
Suppressions:- Military and police accompanied by tanks suppressed a meeting of farmers arranged to be held at Holycross, Co. Tipperary. The meeting was held secretly elsewhere. Armed police suppressed the two weekly markets customarily held at Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary.
Treatment of Prisoners:- Mr. E. T. Keane, Editor, “Kilkenny People”, was released from Cork Jail in broken health before the expiration of his sentence.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28th, 1919.
Raid:- Armed military and police raided the offices of the “Southern Star”, Skibbereen, Co. Cork, and carried off parts of the printing machinery.
Sentence:- Mr. P. O’Donohue of Lakelands, Coachford, Co. Cork, was sentenced to six weeks imprisonment for possession of “seditious” literature.
Suppressions:- Military and police took possession of a sports field at Cratloe, Co. Limerick, and suppressed a hurling match. The players secured a field elsewhere and played the match secret. The Republican Weekly Newspaper the “Southern Star” Skibbereen, Co. Cork has been suppressed by order of the English Military.
Armed Assault:- Michael Hanley, aged 14 years was shot without warning at Binghamstown, Belmullet, Co. Mayo by English soldiers. The young lad is lying in a critical condition in the local hospital.
Treatment of Prisoners:- James McCann, Loughrea and Patk. Jordan, Islandcady, Co. Galway were released from Galway Jail in broken health before the expiration of their sentences
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29th, 1919.
Arrest:-Miss Bridget Mullane, Sligo, was arrested on her way from Sligo Prison, where her father, whom she was visiting, is imprisoned for possession of seditious literature, and was brought under heavy escort to Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh.
Sentences:- Mr. Francis Neville of Kinnitty, King’s County, was sentenced by courtmartial at Dublin to three months imprisonment with hard labour for possession of seditious literature. Miss Bridget Mullane, above mentioned was at Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, sentenced to two month’s imprisonment for being in possession of “seditious” literature.
Deportation:- Rev. Fr. O’Donnell, Captain in the Australian Forces, recently arrested in Dublin has been deported to England and cast into the Tower of London.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30th, 1919.
Raids:- A large force of fully armed police raided and took possession of a house in Thomas Street, Cork, arresting the inmates. Armed police raided a house at Ballymote, Co. Sligo, occupied by a family called Hannon. Armed police raided a score of houses in the hilly country between Killeagh and Youghal, Co. Cork. The house of Mr. O’Donnaghain, Wolfe Tone Square, Bantry, Co. Cork, was raided by armed police and military. Two other houses in the same town were similarly raided.
Arrests:- Mrs. Holland, her two sons and Anthony Nunan all of Thomas Street, Cork, have been arrested on a charge of possession of ammunition. At Kilbrittain, Co. Cork, armed police and military arrested Messrs. T. Ryan, W. Kearney, members of local public bodies, John Fitzgerald, John O’Hea, James Manning, and Patrick Sullivan, on a charge of unlawful assembly. Two of the men were aged sixty years.
Sentences:- At Bandon, Co. Cork, J. Lehane of Scart in the same County, was sentenced to three months imprisonment with hard labour for a speech advocating the Irish National Loan. At the same court J. Flynn, Clonakilty, Co. Cork, was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment for having in his possession a copy of the prospectus of the National Loan.
Courtmartial:- At Renmore, Co. Galway, Mr. John Farrell, Athlone, was courtmartialled on a charge of being in possession of “seditious” literature. At the military Barracks, Galway City, Joseph Bourke, of Ardrahan, Co. Galway, was courtmartialled on a charge of possessing ammunition. At the same courtmartial Stephen Wyse of Coxtown, Co. Galway was charged with being in possession of a revolver.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31st, 1919.
Sentences:- Thomas and Michael Magowan, Toomna, Joseph Burns, Cortobber and Thomas Gilchrist, Carrick-on-Shannon, all of Roscommon were remanded to prison without bail to the Winter Assizes on a charge of attempting to obtain arms. This is equivalent to a sentence on each man of two months imprisonment.
Suppression:- At Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary the usual monthly fair was proclaimed and suppressed by the English military authorities
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1st, 1919
Raids:- The house of Mr. W. J. Buckley, President of the Sinn Fein Organisation at Clonakilty, Co. Cork, was raided by armed police and searched. The residence of Mr. John Nanagan, Monegall, Co. Tipperary was raided by military and police and searched. The houses of Mr. James Cawley and Mr. W. Conway of Emly, Co. Tipperary were searched by military and police.
Arrests:- Armed police surrounded and arrested nine young men at Ballyfermot, Dublin (See below: Armed Assault). Mr. Thomas Devanny, Pallas, Toomevara, Co. Tipperary, was arrested on a charge of possessing documents which if published might cause disaffection Mr. Thomas Devanny, above mentioned, was tried by a paid English magistrate and sentenced to three months imprisonment. In the course of the trial it was announced that notes in a notebook dealing with the manufacture of gunpowder constituted the “documents which if published might cause disaffection”. Mr. John Gannon, Secretary of the Gorey (Co. Wexford) Sinn Fein Club, was sentenced to three months imprisonment for being in possession of copies of the prospectus of the Irish National Loan.
Proclamations and Suppressions:- Mr. John Fitzpatrick, Tipperary has been served with a notice from the Commander in Chief of the English Army in Ireland, ordering him to leave the Province of Munster forthwith and to reside outside that province on pain of arrest and courtmartial. The reason stated in the order for Mr. Fitzpatrick’s removal is that he is “suspected of acting in a manner pre judicial to the Defence of the Realm.” At Ballybofey, Co. Derry, a large body of troops in full war equipment suppressed a Republican meeting.
Armed Assaults:- At Ballyfermot, Dublin, armed police surrounded and fired upon a body of young men suspected of drilling. Nine of the men were subsequently overpowered and arrested.
Courtmartial:- Mr. Patrick Hegarty, Derry, was courtmartialled in that City on a charge of possessing arms and ammunition.
THE FOLLOWING ARE ACTS OF AGGRESSION COMMITTED IN IRELAND BY THE MILITARY AND POLICE OF THE USURPING ENGLISH GOVERNMENT AS REPORTED IN THE DAILY PRESS, FOR THE WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 9th, 1919.
The Sentences passed on Political Offenders in the above six days totalled 12 years and 2 weeks.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd, 1919.
Raids:- All over Ireland armed police were engaged in tearing down posters advertising the Irish National Loan. In upwards of a 1,000 districts large bodies of police were for several hours engaged on this work. The Sinn Fein Hall at Nenagh, Co. Tipperary was entered by a force of armed police who proceeded to disperse the young men who were using the hall as a reading room. The men were warned that they could not again use their own hall without a permit from the English military. At Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, the houses of Messrs. Seamus Ward, and Sean Kane, and Sean Murray were raided by fully armed police.
Arrests:- Eleven girls who were selling flags in aid of the Gaelic League were arrested by armed police. Mr. Sean Milroy, General Secretary of the Sinn Fein Organisation, was arrested on an unknown charge.
Proclamations & Suppressions:- At Ballybofey, Co. Derry, a Republican demonstration was suppressed by a large force of military and police who occupied every vantage point in the village. At Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, a meeting in support of the Irish National Loan was proclaimed and suppressed by the English Military and Police. The military occupied the building in which the meeting was to have been held. A meeting arranged by Nationalists to be held at Caledon, Co. Tyrone, was suppressed by large bodies of troops and police. The old established November fair at Nenagh was suppressed by English military and police. For the last two months no fairs or markets have been permitted in this town, the inhabitants of which are suffering keenly. At Clonmel in the Co. Tipperary the weekly fair was similarly suppressed.
Treatment of Prisoners:- Mr. Seamus O’Higgins was released in broken health from Mountjoy jail, Dublin, before his sentence had expired.
Militarism:- Prof. J. H. Longford of London University, writing in the “Fortnightly Review” referring to the conditions in Ireland says: “There is military domination in Ireland of which, to find a parallel, we must go to Alsace before the war – or even to Belgium under Prussian rule . . . . Militarism in its most arrogant form is all powerful.” The London New Statesman in its current issue says “Few Englishmen realise the effect that the continuance of the war against Ireland is having on the minds of the most ardent friends of that country (England). They see around them. . . . a regime which would not be tolerated for a moment by white people in any other portion of the British Empire.”
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4th, 1919.
Raids:- Armed police and military raided upwards of a hundred houses throughout Co. Meath. The residence of Mr. James Layng, St. Mary’s Road, Dundalk, was raided by armed police. In the same town the house of Mrs. Toal, Bachelor’s Walk, was similarly raided.
Arrest:- A young man whose name has not transpired had been arrested at Navan, Co. Meath, on a charge of complicity in an attempt to obtain arms.
Sentences:- Twenty-two young men were sentenced to six months imprisonment each on a charge of unlawful assembly at Kilternan, Co. Dublin. The unlawful assembly consisted in attending a drill parade of the Irish Volunteers. The young men who were aged between 19 and 20 years refused to recognise the authority of the Court or to give bail.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5th, 1919.
Arrest:- Mr. Thos. O’Donnell, Mullaghroe, was arrested on a charge of advocating the Irish National Loan. He was conveyed manacled and under strong armed escort to Sligo Jail.
Sentence:- Five girls were sentenced to four days’ imprisonment in Mountjoy criminal jail for collecting for the Irish Language movement. They refused to recognise the authority of the Court.
Proclamation:- In consequence of the suppression by Military and police of all fairs and markets in the Co. Tipperary the farmers in that country organised an auction in the neighbouring County, (Co. Waterford) so that their stocks held up for months could be disposed of. The police immediately interfered and suppressed the Auction although the county of Waterford is not at present “a special military area”.
Armed Assault:- At Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, which is under severe military law, and in which county the people have not even the liberty to sell their cattle and produce, an effort to protest against the pro-British part of the population, fox-hunting over the lands of the farmers who are being crippled by the military repression, was met by the police with baton charges in which many people were injured. The fox-hunting then proceeded.
Confiscation:- The English Authorities confiscated the monies found in collecting boxes which were in the possession of the two girls above mentioned. The money had been publicly contributed to the fund for the spread of the Irish Language. In the Court of Appeal, Dublin, the English Authorities ordered the confiscation of £124 found on the person of William Pedlar, an American citizen, who was recently arrested as a prominent Republican and deported.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5th, 1919.
Raids:- Armed police raided two private houses at Midleton, Co. Cork.
Arrests:- Mr. Denis Costello, Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary, was arrested on a charge of “unlawful assembly”.
Sentences:- Three girls arrested in Dublin on a charge of collecting for the Irish Language Movement, were each sentenced to one week’s imprisonment in Mountjoy Criminal Jail. These girls, as the five mentioned in yesterday’s list, refused to recognise the authority of the Court.
Treatment of Prisoners:- Mr. Ernest Blythe, Member of the Irish Parliament for North Monaghan was released from Mountjoy Jail, Dublin, in broken health. He had served but a small part of a twelve month sentence for possessing seditious literature.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7th, 1919.
Raids:- In the rural district of Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, armed police raided and searched eight private houses. The raids took place in the early morning.
Arrests:- In Stephen’s Green, Dublin, armed police arrested a man named Massey who was suspected of possessing arms. Denis Cleary, Denis Kelly, Martin Loughnan, Denis Heffernan, of Ballyartella, Co. Tipperary, Patrick Grace, John Ahern of Richmond in the same county, and Wm. Herbert and Martin Barry of Newtown, also in Tipperary, were arrested on a charge of attempting to obtain arms.
Sentence:- Mr. John Shields of Lisacroy, Co. Tyrone, was sentenced by English Courtmartial at Victoria Barracks, Belfast, to nine months imprisonment with hard labour for possessing a revolver and seven cartridges.
Courtmartial:- Mr. Patrick J. O’Brien of Kells, Co. Meath, was courtmartialled at Ship Street Barracks, Dublin, for having ammunition in his possession. He refused to recognise the authority of the Court.
Armed Assault:- At Bandon, Co. Cork, police armed with carbines attacked a crowd which were sympathetically cheering seven men arrested on a charge of illegal assembly.
Proclamation:- The English Authorities in Ireland have issued a proclamation, according to which no civilian in the whole of Ireland can possess or use or drive a motor vehicle without permission from the English Military Authorities.
Militarism:- In reply to a question in the English House of Commons as to the number of Irishmen arrested upon political charges, the English Government made answer that they could not give a detailed reply as “it would impose such an amount of work on the already over burdened police.”
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8th, 1919.
Raids:- Armed police raided and searched the residence of Mr. Charles J. Garland, Enislar House, Armagh. At Kiltimon, Co. Wicklow armed police searched the residence of Mr. Charles Cullen.
Arrests:- Mr. Thos. McManus of Ballinamallard, Co. Fermanagh, was arrested on a charge of possessing seditious literature. Messrs. Philip Cassidy and Ed. Shannon, Lisnaskea, Co. Fermanagh, were arrested on a charge which has not been disclosed.
Sentences:- Mr. John McKeon of Kilshrewley, Co. Longford, was at Longford sentenced by a paid English Magistrate to two months’ imprisonment for displaying advertisements for the Irish National Loan. He refused to recognise the authority of the Court.
Armed Assault:- At the trial of Mr. McKeon above mentioned, Mr. Redington entered the Courthouse with a tray of refreshments for the prisoner who had been in custody for some days during which time he was kept for long periods without food. The paid magistrate ordered Mr. Redington to be ejected, whereupon he was thrown down the stairs leading to the court by two armed police. The tray and its contents were smashed and Mr. Redington seriously hurt. Police, armed, some with shot-guns and bombs, others with carbines and bayonets, charged at and carried at the point of the bayonet the Parochial Hall, Thurles, Co. Tipperary where a meeting of Trade Union workers was in progress. The workers were dispersed, many being injured. At Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary the police fully armed attacked and dispersed an Irish Class. When the Committee of the Borrisoleigh Town Park assembled to consider how to secure some lime and stone for building the park wall, the police attacked the meeting and dispersed it.
Suppressions:- At Ballysloe, Co. Tipperary, armed police and military occupied the village to prevent the holding of a meeting of the Transport Workers’ Trade Union.
Militarism:- The “London Daily News” publishes the following in its issue of to-day’s date:- “Whatever may be said in Downing St., Dublin Castle relaxes none of its efforts to drive discontent underground by force. Dublin at night with armed police parading in threes and motor cars manned by police patrolling the Suburbs, bears an uncanny resemblance to Brussels under German occupation.” In the Southern Police Court, Dublin, during the examination of an English soldier who when driving a military motor car at Kilmainham, Dublin, collided with a horsedrawn vehicle and although he saw the driver of the vehicle fall injured to the ground, did not stop. It came to light that the English military in Ireland have ordered their motor drivers not to stop when an accident has occurred. During the last year approximately of civilians have been ridden down by military vehicles an wagons, some of which were proved to have been driven through city streets at 35 miles an hour. No action by the English Authorities has ever been taken against these drivers.
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The full Lest We Forget series can be viewed HERE.
