Work in Progress. Last updated: Friday, 17 May 2019
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The De Valera tour continued through the US starting again from New York:
“ Between all these efforts and the activities of (Diarmuid) Lynch, Boland and the Friends of Irish Freedom, de Valera’s trips in the main achieved a nice balance between serious political activities and those obviously aimed at the “human interest” angle. For example, at the Chippewa Indian Reserve in Wisconsin, he was made a “chief” of another sort - of the Chippewa nation... in Kansas he visited a murder trial and was invited to sit beside the Judge, who got everybody present to shake hands with him, including the defendant, a woman who said “Glad to meet you, Mr President, you are the first president I ever met. So glad you came””
Tim Pat Coogan “De Valera, Long Fellow, Long Shadow” Hutchinson, London. 1993. p153
In every city de Valera visited, the organisers of the Bond Loan formed a Bond Committee, directed support and advertised for subscriptions.
President Wilson suffered a serious stroke, leaving him paralysed on his left side, and with only partial vision in the right eye. He was confined to bed for weeks and sequestered from everyone except his wife and his physician, Dr. Cary Grayson. Doctor Bert E. Park, a neurosurgeon who examined Wilson's medical records after his death, writes that Wilson's illness affected his personality in various ways, making him prone to "disorders of emotion, impaired impulse control, and defective judgement." Anxious to help the president recover, Tumulty, Grayson, and the First Lady determined what documents the president read and who was allowed to communicate with him. For her influence in the administration, some have described Edith Wilson as "the first female President of the United States." In mid-November 1919, Lodge and his Republicans formed a coalition with the pro-treaty Democrats to pass a treaty with reservations, but the seriously indisposed Wilson rejected this compromise and enough Democrats followed his lead to defeat ratification. Throughout late 1919, Wilson's inner circle concealed the severity of his health issues.
The Dallas Oregon Chronicle commented ‘it’s a fine sight to see England suppressing the Irish for wanting the same rights which England came out strong for at the Peace Conference. It looks as if self-determination was a very good thing for all the world, according to the English view, Ireland and the Irish excepted.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:16 – October 17, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The De Valera tour continued through the US starting again from New York:
“ Between all these efforts and the activities of (Diarmuid) Lynch, Boland and the Friends of Irish Freedom, de Valera’s trips in the main achieved a nice balance between serious political activities and those obviously aimed at the “human interest” angle. For example, at the Chippewa Indian Reserve in Wisconsin, he was made a “chief” of another sort - of the Chippewa nation... in Kansas he visited a murder trial and was invited to sit beside the Judge, who got everybody present to shake hands with him, including the defendant, a woman who said “Glad to meet you, Mr President, you are the first president I ever met. So glad you came””
Tim Pat Coogan “De Valera, Long Fellow, Long Shadow” Hutchinson, London. 1993. p153
In every city de Valera visited, the organisers of the Bond Loan formed a Bond Committee, directed support and advertised for subscriptions.
President Wilson suffered a serious stroke, leaving him paralysed on his left side, and with only partial vision in the right eye. He was confined to bed for weeks and sequestered from everyone except his wife and his physician, Dr. Cary Grayson. Doctor Bert E. Park, a neurosurgeon who examined Wilson's medical records after his death, writes that Wilson's illness affected his personality in various ways, making him prone to "disorders of emotion, impaired impulse control, and defective judgement." Anxious to help the president recover, Tumulty, Grayson, and the First Lady determined what documents the president read and who was allowed to communicate with him. For her influence in the administration, some have described Edith Wilson as "the first female President of the United States." In mid-November 1919, Lodge and his Republicans formed a coalition with the pro-treaty Democrats to pass a treaty with reservations, but the seriously indisposed Wilson rejected this compromise and enough Democrats followed his lead to defeat ratification. Throughout late 1919, Wilson's inner circle concealed the severity of his health issues.
The Dallas Oregon Chronicle commented ‘it’s a fine sight to see England suppressing the Irish for wanting the same rights which England came out strong for at the Peace Conference. It looks as if self-determination was a very good thing for all the world, according to the English view, Ireland and the Irish excepted.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:16 – October 17, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
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The Friends of Irish Freedom National Executive meeting in New York on this date adopted the September 29th Trustee’s recommendation that a 'loan to the American Commission for Irish Independence, through President de Valera, of a sum not to exceed $100,000" De Valera now had the funding necessary to begin the Bond Certificate drive.
The National Executive meeting also voted a further $25,000 to fund the Anti-League Advertising Committee of Judge Cohalan, Richard Dalton and Diarmuid Lynch. Joe McGarrity apparently approved of it’s work as he had proposed this second contribution to the committee.
However, there was some contention to the latter part of the meeting as McGarrity presented the FOIF with the bill for the meeting at the Lexington Theatre on September 14:
The Friends of Irish Freedom National Executive meeting in New York on this date adopted the September 29th Trustee’s recommendation that a 'loan to the American Commission for Irish Independence, through President de Valera, of a sum not to exceed $100,000" De Valera now had the funding necessary to begin the Bond Certificate drive.
The National Executive meeting also voted a further $25,000 to fund the Anti-League Advertising Committee of Judge Cohalan, Richard Dalton and Diarmuid Lynch. Joe McGarrity apparently approved of it’s work as he had proposed this second contribution to the committee.
However, there was some contention to the latter part of the meeting as McGarrity presented the FOIF with the bill for the meeting at the Lexington Theatre on September 14:
Moneys Expended by McGarrity without authority
National Council. October 3, 1919
Mr Joseph McGarrity drew the attention of the Council to the meeting held in the Lexington Theatre, New York, Sunday, Sept.14th, and submitted that the expense incurred on that occasion amounting to about $1515.00* should be paid from the funds of the Friends of Irish Freedom.
Judge Rooney moved that the payment be made. Fr. Hurton seconded. Mr Devoy moved an amendment that the money be paid under protest in view of the fact that the meeting was organised by the men who did not belong to New York and without consultation with himself or the active leaders of the different organisations in New York who were on all occasions heretofore were responsible for the organisation of such meetings and the drafting of the resolutions outlining the policy of said organisations upon the question or questions at issue. He further stated that the meeting was organised by Dr. McCartan, Mr. Joseph McGarrity and Dr. Wm. H.M.A. Maloney. He characterised the latter as a British agent and quoted several instances in which his advice and pleading were for the purpose of injuring the Irish cause and which if followed would have wrecked the movement by making impossible the several important steps taken by the F.O.I.F. during the past ten months.
Mr. Devoy also added that Mr. Frank P. Walsh was only asked to act as chairman of the meeting after all preliminary arrangements had been made.
After Mr. Devoy's remarks Judge Rooney withdrew his motion to pay the bills.
Mr. McGarrity took issue with Mr. Devoy as to Dr. Maloney's purposes and conduct and stated that he (Mr. McGarrity) was approached on Friday evening, Sept. 12th, by Dr. McCartan as regards holding meeting. That Mr. Frank P. Walsh on being asked to act as chairman consulted President De Valera as to the advisability of holding the meeting and that the latter consented. Mr. mcGarrity also added that the bills had already been paid and that he would not accept one cent of the money under protest.
Mr. Devoy stated that his objection was not to the holding of the meeting but to the manner in which it was organised as already outlined by him and that he would not be a party of the paying of one cent of the expenses incurred unless accompanied by censure of some sort on the part of the National Council.
Fr. Sexton subsequently moved that the expenses be paid in the ordinary manner. Fr. Gough seconded the motion. After further discussion Fr. Sexton withdrew his motion and the meeting adjourned.
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Viscount Grey arrived in the US as temporary British Ambassador, cabled back to London:
‘..one comes on the Irish difficulty everywhere. It poisons the atmosphere’ a statement of policy on ‘self-government lines’ was he thought, becoming more and more desirable’
George Dangerfield “ The Damnable Question - a study in Anglo-Irish relations” Constable, London. 1977. p314
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In a letter from Michael Collins to Sean Nunan (part of De Valera’s entourage in the US and future ambassador), he warned of the direction things in America were going: “ ..from the very beginning and indeed prior to anybody going out I knew very well what to expect from the people in command in the USA, However, the best, not the worst must be made of them, and there is little doubt that eventually things will be all right”
Tim Pat Coogan. “Michael Collins” Arrow, London 1991. P.189.
In a letter from Michael Collins to Sean Nunan (part of De Valera’s entourage in the US and future ambassador), he warned of the direction things in America were going: “ ..from the very beginning and indeed prior to anybody going out I knew very well what to expect from the people in command in the USA, However, the best, not the worst must be made of them, and there is little doubt that eventually things will be all right”
Tim Pat Coogan. “Michael Collins” Arrow, London 1991. P.189.
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The Irish National Bureau Newsletter produced in Washington DC commented on de Valera’s visit to Ohio:
“President De Valera of the Republic of Ireland continues to draw audiences surpassing in numbers those of any public man who in the past two decades has travelled the country on a speech making tour. At Cleveland, Ohio, on' October 7th, one thousand crowded automobiles met him five miles outside the city and formed part of the great parade of welcome. But of greater significance was the Presidential salute of twenty-one guns fired upon his arrival. Those who have entertained the view that only the "Radical Irish" are supporting the cause of Ireland should study carefully the progress of President De Valera's tour of the country. He has placed the case of Ireland before record-breaking audiences in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Youngstown (Ohio), Akron, Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati. All labor meetings were suspended at Youngstown, so that the men could attend the De Valera meetings. Akron not only presented the freedom of the city, but the municipality officially recognized the Irish President and the Irish Republic. De Valera was welcomed to Cleveland like a conquering hero. The great armory was packed to overflowing and the largest tent ever erected in Cleveland accommodated the overflow when the Irish leader appeared for the night meeting. The crowds cheered for thirty-five minutes, while the orchestras tried in vain to drown the voices. Cleveland citizens pledged $65,000 in bonds of the Irish Republic, promising to make it $125,000 within a week. Two meetings in Columbus went on simultaneously, while crowds, unable to gain entrance, stood on the streets. Cincinnati, like other cities, rallied to the colors of the Irish Republic. Resolutions were adopted demanding the recognition of the Irish Republic by the American Government. Congress is asked to withhold loans or financial assistance to Great Britain until she withdraws her army of occupation from Ireland. The Irish President is forcing home to his audiences with telling effect the similarity between the struggle of the thirteen colonies and Ireland against the same foe.”
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:16 – October 17, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Eileen McGough wrote of Lynch's workload in October 1919:
"The report of one meeting of the combined national executive and national council of the FOIF held on 7 October is an indication of the heavy workload of the national secretary. He was to mail circulars, address envelopes, contact the Kerrymen’s Association and the New York Local Council, attend to the propaganda literature. Following a resolution which had been adopted at the February Convention, Lynch was also assigned the task of effecting the purchase of Pádraig Pearse’s school in Rathfarnham, County Dublin. The school was insolvent and was under threat of eviction from the premises which it rented in Rathfarnham.
The FOIF resolution was that the building would be purchased and presented to the Irish nation in memory of the Pearse brothers who had died in the Easter Rising.There were also more contentious matters to be attended to: some individuals in New York had formed a new association calling themselves ‘American Sons of Irish Freedom.’ In July 1919 Lynch was charged with the task of setting in motion the Incorporation of the FOIF for the protection of its title. This was no small task as all branches had to be incorporated under their own separate state legislature. Lynch was responsible for all documentation and correspondence regarding this operation which dragged on for some years."
Eileen McGough. 'Diarmuid Lynch - A Forgotten Irish Patriot' Mercier Press, 2013. P109-110
British cabinet sets up Committee (under Walter Long, Secretary of State for the Colonies) to examine each of the possible Irish policies.
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter produced in Washington DC commented on de Valera’s visit to Ohio:
“President De Valera of the Republic of Ireland continues to draw audiences surpassing in numbers those of any public man who in the past two decades has travelled the country on a speech making tour. At Cleveland, Ohio, on' October 7th, one thousand crowded automobiles met him five miles outside the city and formed part of the great parade of welcome. But of greater significance was the Presidential salute of twenty-one guns fired upon his arrival. Those who have entertained the view that only the "Radical Irish" are supporting the cause of Ireland should study carefully the progress of President De Valera's tour of the country. He has placed the case of Ireland before record-breaking audiences in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Youngstown (Ohio), Akron, Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati. All labor meetings were suspended at Youngstown, so that the men could attend the De Valera meetings. Akron not only presented the freedom of the city, but the municipality officially recognized the Irish President and the Irish Republic. De Valera was welcomed to Cleveland like a conquering hero. The great armory was packed to overflowing and the largest tent ever erected in Cleveland accommodated the overflow when the Irish leader appeared for the night meeting. The crowds cheered for thirty-five minutes, while the orchestras tried in vain to drown the voices. Cleveland citizens pledged $65,000 in bonds of the Irish Republic, promising to make it $125,000 within a week. Two meetings in Columbus went on simultaneously, while crowds, unable to gain entrance, stood on the streets. Cincinnati, like other cities, rallied to the colors of the Irish Republic. Resolutions were adopted demanding the recognition of the Irish Republic by the American Government. Congress is asked to withhold loans or financial assistance to Great Britain until she withdraws her army of occupation from Ireland. The Irish President is forcing home to his audiences with telling effect the similarity between the struggle of the thirteen colonies and Ireland against the same foe.”
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:16 – October 17, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Eileen McGough wrote of Lynch's workload in October 1919:
"The report of one meeting of the combined national executive and national council of the FOIF held on 7 October is an indication of the heavy workload of the national secretary. He was to mail circulars, address envelopes, contact the Kerrymen’s Association and the New York Local Council, attend to the propaganda literature. Following a resolution which had been adopted at the February Convention, Lynch was also assigned the task of effecting the purchase of Pádraig Pearse’s school in Rathfarnham, County Dublin. The school was insolvent and was under threat of eviction from the premises which it rented in Rathfarnham.
The FOIF resolution was that the building would be purchased and presented to the Irish nation in memory of the Pearse brothers who had died in the Easter Rising.There were also more contentious matters to be attended to: some individuals in New York had formed a new association calling themselves ‘American Sons of Irish Freedom.’ In July 1919 Lynch was charged with the task of setting in motion the Incorporation of the FOIF for the protection of its title. This was no small task as all branches had to be incorporated under their own separate state legislature. Lynch was responsible for all documentation and correspondence regarding this operation which dragged on for some years."
Eileen McGough. 'Diarmuid Lynch - A Forgotten Irish Patriot' Mercier Press, 2013. P109-110
British cabinet sets up Committee (under Walter Long, Secretary of State for the Colonies) to examine each of the possible Irish policies.
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United States In Major League Baseball, the Cincinnati Reds win the World Series, five games to three, over the Chicago White Sox, whose players are later found to have lost intentionally.
Media allegations that Irish Americans were attempting to involve the US in a war against Britian to secure Irish freedom were attacked by Senator Walsh of Massachusets:’..it is, indeed amazing to find inteligent men who, ind iscussing the Irish problem, allege that this element in America’s population seeks to involve America in a war against Great Britain in order to bring about the freedom of Ireland. The men who make such an accusaion is grossly ignorant of the facts, or makes such contention in an effort to justify opposition to their legitimate demands. It is adding insult to injury’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:19 – November 7th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
United States In Major League Baseball, the Cincinnati Reds win the World Series, five games to three, over the Chicago White Sox, whose players are later found to have lost intentionally.
Media allegations that Irish Americans were attempting to involve the US in a war against Britian to secure Irish freedom were attacked by Senator Walsh of Massachusets:’..it is, indeed amazing to find inteligent men who, ind iscussing the Irish problem, allege that this element in America’s population seeks to involve America in a war against Great Britain in order to bring about the freedom of Ireland. The men who make such an accusaion is grossly ignorant of the facts, or makes such contention in an effort to justify opposition to their legitimate demands. It is adding insult to injury’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:19 – November 7th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
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First Republic of Ireland consulate opened under Diarmuid Fawsitt. This diplomatic mission, unrecognised by major powers was located in Suite 404, Stewart Building, Broadway. New York.
Florrie O’Donoghue along with another IRA member went to Wales and abducted the youngest son of Jospehine Marchmont, the key information source for the IRA through her position as a typist with the British 6th Division HQ. Widowed in 1917, she had lost custody of the child to his paternal grandparents in Wales. Both mother and child were re-united shortly afterwards. Marchmont continued supplying critical information right up to the Truce and later married O’Donoghue.
First Republic of Ireland consulate opened under Diarmuid Fawsitt. This diplomatic mission, unrecognised by major powers was located in Suite 404, Stewart Building, Broadway. New York.
Florrie O’Donoghue along with another IRA member went to Wales and abducted the youngest son of Jospehine Marchmont, the key information source for the IRA through her position as a typist with the British 6th Division HQ. Widowed in 1917, she had lost custody of the child to his paternal grandparents in Wales. Both mother and child were re-united shortly afterwards. Marchmont continued supplying critical information right up to the Truce and later married O’Donoghue.
11
Michael Collins wrote to de Valera advising him to remain in the US and enclosing a copy of an order issued to immigration officials at British and Irish ports.
12
The New York Times was notorious amongst Irish Americans as being anti-Irish and overtly pro-British. On October 12th, it carried a special article by F.W.Wile of the London Daily Mail. ‘twisting the British lion’s tail has once again become a popular pastime in the United States.’.
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:16 – October 17, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
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The War Office circulated to the British Government two papers on American public opinion. The results were that ‘Ireland was not getting ‘a fair show’; that she was, in fact, suffering gross oppression; and that De Valera who had completed his first triumphant tour was the acknowledged representative of all Irish nationalists.
The Irish revolutionary press, led by ‘that master of calumny, John Devoy’ in the Gaelic American, was rabid in its hatred and misrepresentation; the Hearst press, with its influential chain of newspapers from coast to coast was little better; the ‘most reputable radical press’ such as the New Republic and Nation, held Britain up to obloquy for its oppression of Ireland, India and Egypt; the San Franscisco Chronicle was calling for Dominion Status...all were turning against England on the Irish question: only the Christian Science Monitor was still holding out..’
George Dangerfield “ The Damnable Question - a study in Anglo-Irish relations” Constable, London. 1977. p315
The All-Ireland football final was held in Dublin. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter described the scene on the day:
‘the proceeds from admissions went to the Irish Loan. No trams were running; Dublin was under martial law; newspapers were suppressed…but Irish patriotism knows how to surmount difficulties and 48,000 men and women witnessed the game…the English police, detectives and military were powerless to prevent the great gathering. It makes American blood tingle to read of such patriotic fervour.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:27 – January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
The War Office circulated to the British Government two papers on American public opinion. The results were that ‘Ireland was not getting ‘a fair show’; that she was, in fact, suffering gross oppression; and that De Valera who had completed his first triumphant tour was the acknowledged representative of all Irish nationalists.
The Irish revolutionary press, led by ‘that master of calumny, John Devoy’ in the Gaelic American, was rabid in its hatred and misrepresentation; the Hearst press, with its influential chain of newspapers from coast to coast was little better; the ‘most reputable radical press’ such as the New Republic and Nation, held Britain up to obloquy for its oppression of Ireland, India and Egypt; the San Franscisco Chronicle was calling for Dominion Status...all were turning against England on the Irish question: only the Christian Science Monitor was still holding out..’
George Dangerfield “ The Damnable Question - a study in Anglo-Irish relations” Constable, London. 1977. p315
The All-Ireland football final was held in Dublin. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter described the scene on the day:
‘the proceeds from admissions went to the Irish Loan. No trams were running; Dublin was under martial law; newspapers were suppressed…but Irish patriotism knows how to surmount difficulties and 48,000 men and women witnessed the game…the English police, detectives and military were powerless to prevent the great gathering. It makes American blood tingle to read of such patriotic fervour.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:27 – January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
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Telegram from Liam Mellows in Des Moines, Iowa to Charles N Wheeler, 280 Broadway, New York ( Head Office of the Friends of Irish Freedom ) Sent via Western Union, 12.11pm, Oct.14th. Received 12.21pm.
“Minneapolis insists Frank Walsh St.Paul instead of Governor Dunne in reference to Ryan, but will take both. If Walsh could make both cities it would be fine. Be sure to get Governor Dunne at all odds. Twin City arrangements ideal if you get photos of Dail Eireann from Paul Thompson. Got de Valera photos OK. Friends of Irish Freedom have one page ads contracted for in Minneapolis News and Journal but have not state(d) date of publication. Minneapolis Committee will buy a page, making double track if the ad is released before de Valera meeting. Please have Lynch release it and wire at once to George O’Flynn, care Minneapolis News. Irish Not Mats making big hit, suggest post card mats. What about proofs and de Valera articles from Hearst Services? Our address all day Tuesday, Hotel Savery, Desmoines. Train schedule St.Paul to Desmoines correct wire number eight. Mellows.”
The De Valera Papers. The Franciscan Library, Killiney. Folio 1234 & Lynch Family Archives. Folder 5/18
Telegram from Liam Mellows in Des Moines, Iowa to Charles N Wheeler, 280 Broadway, New York ( Head Office of the Friends of Irish Freedom ) Sent via Western Union, 12.11pm, Oct.14th. Received 12.21pm.
“Minneapolis insists Frank Walsh St.Paul instead of Governor Dunne in reference to Ryan, but will take both. If Walsh could make both cities it would be fine. Be sure to get Governor Dunne at all odds. Twin City arrangements ideal if you get photos of Dail Eireann from Paul Thompson. Got de Valera photos OK. Friends of Irish Freedom have one page ads contracted for in Minneapolis News and Journal but have not state(d) date of publication. Minneapolis Committee will buy a page, making double track if the ad is released before de Valera meeting. Please have Lynch release it and wire at once to George O’Flynn, care Minneapolis News. Irish Not Mats making big hit, suggest post card mats. What about proofs and de Valera articles from Hearst Services? Our address all day Tuesday, Hotel Savery, Desmoines. Train schedule St.Paul to Desmoines correct wire number eight. Mellows.”
The De Valera Papers. The Franciscan Library, Killiney. Folio 1234 & Lynch Family Archives. Folder 5/18
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Proclamation outlaws Sinn Fein, the IRA and all Republican organisations.
Meeting between Cathal Brugha (Dáil Minister of Defense); Richard Mulcahy (IRA Chief of Staff); Michael Collins (IRA Director of Intelligence) and Liam Deasy (Adj West Cork Brigade IRA) to discuss military preparedness of the West Cork Brigade. According to Deasy, permission was given to West Cork Brigade to attack RIC barracks from January.
Muriel McSwiney wrote to Kathleen Lynch from 18 Sunday’s Well, Cork:
‘A Cara Dhil.
How are the two of you? We are very well all of us, our daughter is running about now & still it seems no time since we were in Dundalk together.
We have a new house in Cork now. Baby & I were in Ballingearry for six months and loved it, but we had to come back to Cork as it was too far for Terry to come out to us at this time of the year ( he used to have to bike from Macroom ).
All your family were down in a motor in the summer. Alice & Denis, Miceal, Mr & Mrs T.J.Murphy & a whole heap of others.
Mr & Mrs Murphy were staying at [ Word illegible ] for a bit & the girls were in Ballingearry a whole month.
Mary Lynch came into see us one day since we came back to Cork & looked splendid.
When are we going to see you over here again? I would much prefer a talk to any amount of letters at any rate on my side as I don’t shine at them at all.
Give my best love to Diarmuid.
With the same to yourself,
From yours affectionately,
Muriel McSwiney
Lynch Family Archives . Folder 5/23
Proclamation outlaws Sinn Fein, the IRA and all Republican organisations.
Meeting between Cathal Brugha (Dáil Minister of Defense); Richard Mulcahy (IRA Chief of Staff); Michael Collins (IRA Director of Intelligence) and Liam Deasy (Adj West Cork Brigade IRA) to discuss military preparedness of the West Cork Brigade. According to Deasy, permission was given to West Cork Brigade to attack RIC barracks from January.
Muriel McSwiney wrote to Kathleen Lynch from 18 Sunday’s Well, Cork:
‘A Cara Dhil.
How are the two of you? We are very well all of us, our daughter is running about now & still it seems no time since we were in Dundalk together.
We have a new house in Cork now. Baby & I were in Ballingearry for six months and loved it, but we had to come back to Cork as it was too far for Terry to come out to us at this time of the year ( he used to have to bike from Macroom ).
All your family were down in a motor in the summer. Alice & Denis, Miceal, Mr & Mrs T.J.Murphy & a whole heap of others.
Mr & Mrs Murphy were staying at [ Word illegible ] for a bit & the girls were in Ballingearry a whole month.
Mary Lynch came into see us one day since we came back to Cork & looked splendid.
When are we going to see you over here again? I would much prefer a talk to any amount of letters at any rate on my side as I don’t shine at them at all.
Give my best love to Diarmuid.
With the same to yourself,
From yours affectionately,
Muriel McSwiney
Lynch Family Archives . Folder 5/23
Muriel Frances Murphy MacSwiney (8 Jun 1892 Cork - 26 Oct 1982 (aged 90) Kent, England)
Daughter of Nicholas Murphy and his wife, Mary Gertrude, nee Purcell. After the death of her husband, Terence in 1920, Muriel participated in nationalist activities, especially in the United States, where she was the first woman granted the freedom of New York city. After partition and the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922 she took the side of the defeated anti-treatyites in the civil war, and later joined the Communist Party. She left Ireland with her daughter, Maire, in December 1923, and spent the rest of her life in a peripatetic existence, mostly in Germany, France, and England. In 1932 Terence MacSwiney's elder sister Mary, a prominent figure within the nationalist movement before and after his death, removed Maire, her niece, to Ireland. The two sisters-in-law did not get on well together, and Muriel claimed that her daughter had been kidnapped. Legal attempts to regain her failed, however, and the daughter herself later repudiated her mother's claims. Muriel MacSwiney's later activities are obscure. She was granted a pension by the Irish government in 1950, and she surfaced briefly on the fringes of left-wing politics in London in the late 1960s and early 1970s. From a relationship with a French intellectual she had a daughter, Alix (b. 1926), with whom she was living in Tonbridge in Kent towards the end of her life. She died in Oakwood Hospital, Maidstone.
Máire MacSwiney Brugha (23 Jun 1918, Cork - 20 May 2012 (aged 93) County Dublin, Ireland. Interred Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.
Máire was the only child of Terence MacSwiney, former lord mayor of Cork, who died on hunger strike in 1920. She was the widow of former senator and TD Ruairí Brugha, whose father, Cathal Brugha, was killed in the Civil War in 1922. Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin described her as a woman who made a "strong and valued" contribution to the development of his party while Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said she "made her mark" on Irish history.
MacSwiney Brugha, was born in Cork in 1918. Her father's first sight of her was in Crumlin Road jail, Belfast, where she was brought to visit him when she was three months old. After he returned to Cork, her parents decided they would speak only Irish to their daughter. Her father pinned a fáinne to her baby frock before she learned to speak. He died after 74 days on hunger strike when she was two years old. In 1921 mother and daughter moved to Dublin. But Máire saw little of her mother, who was active in opposing the Treaty, and was taken into the home of Madame O'Rahilly whose husband Michael O'Rahilly died in the Rising. In 1923 her mother took her to Germany, where she was moved from place to place. Growing up, and seeing little of her mother, she spoke only German and soon forgot any Irish or English she had learned.
In 1930 she was moved to stay with a family in the Bavarian village of Grainau, where she attended secondary school. In 1931 her mother arrived to move her elsewhere but she refused and her mother left without her. Later, Máire MacSwiney, her aunt and legal co-guardian by the terms of her father's will, took her back to Ireland. This led to a court case in which it was claimed that her aunt had "kidnapped" her. However, the young Máire was made a ward of court and custody was awarded to her aunt. Thereafter mother and daughter were estranged. Máire attended Scoil Íte, a lay school run by her MacSwiney aunts, and later attended St Louis convent, Monaghan. She sat her Leaving Certificate in 1936 and won a scholarship to University College Cork.
She was an arts student and in 1938 spent the summer in Berlin to refresh her German. She graduated with a first-class honours degree, followed by the HDip and a German-Irish studentship. Having taught at Scoil Íte, in 1942 she travelled to Dublin to study for an MA. By 1944 she and Ruairí Brugha were "doing a line" and in 1945 they were married. She devoted herself to being a fulltime housewife and mother; her husband worked in the family business, Kingstons. They had one daughter and three sons. She backed her husband throughout his political career – as a senator, as a TD, when he was Fianna Fáil spokesman on Northern Ireland and as a member of the European Parliament.
MacSwiney Brugha was president of her Fianna Fáil cumann in south Dublin and former secretary of aid agency Gorta. In her memoir she wrote: "I never lost my love of Germany and its language and I have never regretted my upbringing or my life in Germany . . . Mine was a dual identity: I always felt partly German, yet wholly, deeply committed to Ireland."
Daughter of Nicholas Murphy and his wife, Mary Gertrude, nee Purcell. After the death of her husband, Terence in 1920, Muriel participated in nationalist activities, especially in the United States, where she was the first woman granted the freedom of New York city. After partition and the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922 she took the side of the defeated anti-treatyites in the civil war, and later joined the Communist Party. She left Ireland with her daughter, Maire, in December 1923, and spent the rest of her life in a peripatetic existence, mostly in Germany, France, and England. In 1932 Terence MacSwiney's elder sister Mary, a prominent figure within the nationalist movement before and after his death, removed Maire, her niece, to Ireland. The two sisters-in-law did not get on well together, and Muriel claimed that her daughter had been kidnapped. Legal attempts to regain her failed, however, and the daughter herself later repudiated her mother's claims. Muriel MacSwiney's later activities are obscure. She was granted a pension by the Irish government in 1950, and she surfaced briefly on the fringes of left-wing politics in London in the late 1960s and early 1970s. From a relationship with a French intellectual she had a daughter, Alix (b. 1926), with whom she was living in Tonbridge in Kent towards the end of her life. She died in Oakwood Hospital, Maidstone.
Máire MacSwiney Brugha (23 Jun 1918, Cork - 20 May 2012 (aged 93) County Dublin, Ireland. Interred Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.
Máire was the only child of Terence MacSwiney, former lord mayor of Cork, who died on hunger strike in 1920. She was the widow of former senator and TD Ruairí Brugha, whose father, Cathal Brugha, was killed in the Civil War in 1922. Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin described her as a woman who made a "strong and valued" contribution to the development of his party while Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said she "made her mark" on Irish history.
MacSwiney Brugha, was born in Cork in 1918. Her father's first sight of her was in Crumlin Road jail, Belfast, where she was brought to visit him when she was three months old. After he returned to Cork, her parents decided they would speak only Irish to their daughter. Her father pinned a fáinne to her baby frock before she learned to speak. He died after 74 days on hunger strike when she was two years old. In 1921 mother and daughter moved to Dublin. But Máire saw little of her mother, who was active in opposing the Treaty, and was taken into the home of Madame O'Rahilly whose husband Michael O'Rahilly died in the Rising. In 1923 her mother took her to Germany, where she was moved from place to place. Growing up, and seeing little of her mother, she spoke only German and soon forgot any Irish or English she had learned.
In 1930 she was moved to stay with a family in the Bavarian village of Grainau, where she attended secondary school. In 1931 her mother arrived to move her elsewhere but she refused and her mother left without her. Later, Máire MacSwiney, her aunt and legal co-guardian by the terms of her father's will, took her back to Ireland. This led to a court case in which it was claimed that her aunt had "kidnapped" her. However, the young Máire was made a ward of court and custody was awarded to her aunt. Thereafter mother and daughter were estranged. Máire attended Scoil Íte, a lay school run by her MacSwiney aunts, and later attended St Louis convent, Monaghan. She sat her Leaving Certificate in 1936 and won a scholarship to University College Cork.
She was an arts student and in 1938 spent the summer in Berlin to refresh her German. She graduated with a first-class honours degree, followed by the HDip and a German-Irish studentship. Having taught at Scoil Íte, in 1942 she travelled to Dublin to study for an MA. By 1944 she and Ruairí Brugha were "doing a line" and in 1945 they were married. She devoted herself to being a fulltime housewife and mother; her husband worked in the family business, Kingstons. They had one daughter and three sons. She backed her husband throughout his political career – as a senator, as a TD, when he was Fianna Fáil spokesman on Northern Ireland and as a member of the European Parliament.
MacSwiney Brugha was president of her Fianna Fáil cumann in south Dublin and former secretary of aid agency Gorta. In her memoir she wrote: "I never lost my love of Germany and its language and I have never regretted my upbringing or my life in Germany . . . Mine was a dual identity: I always felt partly German, yet wholly, deeply committed to Ireland."
16
The Sinn Fein autumn Ard Fheis met despite a government stamp of ‘illegal organisation’. The meeting took place between midnight and 3a.m.
Unionism in Ulster was not united, as this letter published in the Times and later in the Irish National Bureau Newsletter indicates with some accuracy:
“ Thomas Sinclair, of Rosslyn, Lisburn, a widely known Ulsterman, writing to the London "Times," protests against the Carson policy, which, he says, "while unsettling everything, is powerless in the long run to settle anything. There may be people who look forward cheerfully to the perpetuation in Ireland of a system akin to that which prevails amongst the tribes of the Indian border. This is not a prospect, however, which appeals to the majority of Ulster business men. Their support was originally secured on the assurance that the struggle would be short, sharp and decisive; they are now in danger of finding themselves committed to a conflict which promises to drag on interminably, and in which they will have to fight single-handed against overwhelming odds.
So far, party discipline has been strong enough to prevent open revolt, but ominous mutterings are already heard, and if Sir Edward Carson develops his policy along the lines he has indicated, these mutterings will grow louder and more insistent. Personally, I was a strong supporter of Sir Edward Carson until the war opened my eyes to the fact that the path along which he was marching led not to the delectable Mountain, but to the Slough of Despondency. I know the same conviction has been brought home to many men born and bred like myself in the strictest school of unionism and Orangeism. 'The fatal flaw in 8ir Edward Carson's position is that he assumes the law of force, abrogated elsewhere, will be maintained in Ireland for the benefit of himself and his followers, in defiance of the claims of the mass of the Irish people and of the acceptance by Great Britain of the oonstitution of the League of Nations, The politician who at such a crisis sets himself to revive race hatreds and inflame party passions may achieve his purpose, but he will live in history as an enemy not only of his own country, but of the new order in the world. In the long run Ulster must make terms with the rest of the nation. Ulster has never yet serious ly endeavored to make a deal with her opponents. When Ulster is forced to realize that Irish self-government is an accomplished fact and that the only issue on which she has to pronounce an opinion is the relations between herself and the other provinces, negotiations will begin in earnest.
1 confess I shall be very much surprised if in such negotiations Ireland does not offer terms which will satisfy the overwhelming majority of Ulstermen who, be it remembered, are also Irishmen."
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:18– October 31, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter never failed to make the most of any opportunity that presented itself, particularly when an anti-Irish member of Congress managed to embarrass himself, in this case the doyenne of pro-British spokesmen in the US who managed to drive most Irish Americans apoplectic with rage, Senator John Sharp Williams (1854-1932) Democrat from Mississippi. Former House Democratic Floor Leader in the 58th, 59th and 60th Congress (1903-08):
‘the spectacle of a Senator of the United States speaking on the floor of the Senate while heavily under the influence of liquor is a national disgrace. Senator John Sharp Williams of Mississippi on Thursday, October 16 gave an exhibition of drunken oratory that will long be recorded in the unwritten annals of the great American Congress. For years Williams has been noted for his intemperate attacks on Catholics and Irish…it was certain he would eventually take ‘enough rope and hang himself’. And he did.
His bitter, indecent attack in the Senate disgusted the Senate and the country. His best friends attempt to excuse him by saying ‘John Sharp was not himself. He had taken a little too much’…. The day following Williams’ attack on the Americans of Irish blood, the influence of liquor still chained him to a desire to further disgrace himself, and the New York Sun, the Washington Herald, and other big dailies printed extensive storeis reporting how Williams had fallen asleep in the chair of Senator Penrose of Pennsylvania [ in the Senate ]…attacks such as made by Williams spur those of Irish blood to more intensive loyalty to the ideals they struggle manfully to attain. The Irish have thrived onoppression, persecution and the attacks of bigots…meanwhile it might be pertinent to remind Senator Williams his liquor drinking habits, a topic of discussion in Washington for years, are not becoming to one who continually advertises himself as ‘the best educated man in the Senate.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:17 – October 24, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Friends of Irish Freedom formed branches as far afield in the Americas as the Panama Canal Zone and in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Germany: Adolf Hitler gives his first speech for the German Workers' Party (Deutsche Arbeiter Partei) (DAP).
17
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter commenting that Henry Ford was considering running a line of steamers from the United States direct to Cork “where he is building an automobile factory. But wait until Mr. Ford runs up against the commerce-throttling measures of the British Government. The way that the English powers do business is finely illustrated in the case of the American steamer Lake Gretna, which made a direct trip to Dublin about two weeks ago. The American press hailed this trip as the beginning of a new era for Irish·industry. But, on September 25, Floyd Gibbons, the noted correspondent of the Chicago Tribune, smashed the beautiful bubble, in a cable from Dublin. He quoted correspondence proving that British commercial interests charged Irish consumers of goods on the Lake Gretna exactly the same rates as for goods sent via England. Port dues at Liverpool, master porterage at Liverpool, cartage at Liverpool and charges equivalent to freightage between Liverpool and Dublin were assessed, despite the fact that the American cargo had never gone into Liverpool._ In other words, an effort to eliminate the extortionate charges made by the English upon the Irish people by forcing importation through Great Britain was fruitless. In the case of the Lake Gretna cargo, Dublin manufacturers were told to pay the price or go without”
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:16 – October 17, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Some political damage limitation was instigated by the Democratic Party following Senator Williams drunken tirade on the floor of the Senate. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter reported in the October 31 issue that ‘Senator Thomas P. Gore in a recent brief speech before the Senate, paid a beautiful tribute to Ireland, quoting as an offset to the bitter abuse of Senator John Williams… ‘It has given the world more than it’s share of genious and of greatness. It has been prolific in statesmen, warriors and poets. Its brave and generous sons have fought succesfully all battles but their own. In wit and humour it has no equal…on every battlefield where men have died for liberty will be found the graves of Irish heroes…Irish valor helped to win American indpendence and Irish chivalry helped to maintain the American Union’. Of course the crux of his speech was this paragraph ‘The Democratic party owes the Irish vote a debt which it can hardly pay. It is in debt to the Irish democrats for every democratic victory since the Civil War.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:18 – October 31, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter for it’s November 7th leader dredged up some information on Senator Williams ‘When Senator Williams Loved The Irish’. On St. Patricks’ Day 1914 he was a speaker at the annual Hibernian Society of Baltimore banquet and the Baltimore American Newspaper the following day quoted him as saying ‘The Irishman always remains loyal and faithful to his religion and also to his country’. The Baltimore Sun reported the Senator as saying ‘The Irish are a great people…they have gone on their way in the world with a sense of personal honour and an idea of living up to their own code…they live for ideals, not for propserity…they are a people true to themselves and, being true to themselves, are true to what is best and are uplifting, glorious and helpful’. The consumate politician!
". . . I'd rather be a dog and bay at the moon than stay in the Senate . . ." from Senator John Sharp Williams' "mocking bird speech" on the event of his retirement in 1928.
“The soundest argument in favour of Irish Independence is the same as the argument for Women’s Suffrage. Quite aside from the question whether it will do them or anybody else any particular good, the plain fact is that, if the Irish people want it, nobody has any right to keep them from having it.” The Erie Despatch, Pensylvania.
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:18 – October 31, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Irish National University Senate elections returned a Sinn Fein majority, defeating such notables as Dr. Douglas Hyde and Dr. George Sigerson.
The Providence Tribune, Rhode Island in an editorial commented: ‘the forces of labor, even in England, will nto take kindly to the spectacle of Ireland held down by armed occupation and military force used to stamp out the organisation by which the people are trying to secure their rights and national independence’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:17 – October 24, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Dáil Éireann Loan Certificate receipt No. 34/745 for £20 purchased by Michael Lynch, Cnoc, Rochestown, Co. Cork.
Lynch Family Archives
Lynch Family Archives
18
On October 18, 1919, de Valera, while touring the US as the President of the Irish Republic, was adopted as an honorary chieftain of the Ojibwe nation (formerly commonly referred to as the Chippewa) during a visit to their reservation in Wisconsin. He was named ‘Dressing Feather’ or Nay Nay Ong Abe, after a famous Ojibwe leader. The ceremony took place in front of 3,000 Native Americans and white people. The audience watched ceremonial dances and listened to a variety of speeches.
Chief Billy Boy and Joe Kingfisher welcomed De Valera to the nation and Kingfisher declared, “I wish I were able to give you the prettiest blossom of the fairest flower on earth, for you come to us as a representative of one oppressed nation to another.”
During his speech, De Valera spoke in both Irish (Gaelic) and English to highlight to common cultural oppression of both groups.
He received thunderous applause when he declared, “...you say you are not free. Neither are we free and I sympathise with you because we are making a similar fight. As a boy I read and understood of your slavery and longed to become one of you...I want to show you that though I am white I am not of the English race. We, like you, are a people who have suffered, and I feel for you with a sympathy that comes only from one who can understand as we Irishmen can.”
19
DMP Constable Michael Dowling (23) was shot while on beat patrol in High Street, Dublin and died hours later from wounds.
Effectively from ongoing assasinations, the inteligence division of the DMP began to falter. The British Administration realised that measures were now necessary and placed the DMP’s 2nd Assistant Commisioner of Police, Redmond, an experienced detective in charge of the G Division in order to reorganise the demoralised detective division and inflitrated a British secret service agent close to Michael Collins.
DMP Constable Michael Dowling (23) was shot while on beat patrol in High Street, Dublin and died hours later from wounds.
Effectively from ongoing assasinations, the inteligence division of the DMP began to falter. The British Administration realised that measures were now necessary and placed the DMP’s 2nd Assistant Commisioner of Police, Redmond, an experienced detective in charge of the G Division in order to reorganise the demoralised detective division and inflitrated a British secret service agent close to Michael Collins.
20
F.W.Wile of the London Daily Mail on a speaking tour of the US, spoke before the Union League in Philadelphia: ‘An Irishman doesn’t know what he wants and won't be happy until he gets it’ and came to the attention of the Irish National Bureau Newsletter where it reported his speech in the November 7th edition. On checking through their copy of the British ‘Who’s Who’ for 1919 they found ‘ Wile, Frederic William…war worker in England on foreign propaganda’. The last two words tell the story’
IRA jailbreak of six prisoners from Strangeways Prison, Manchester including Austin Stack and Piaras Béaslaí.
To avoid the Third Home Rule Bill, which would effectively come into being with the finalisation of the Versailles Peace Conference, Lloyd George instructed the formation of the Irish Situation Committee, chaired by Sir Walter Long, to consider the question. The main issue was that in view of the situation in Ireland and potential adverse public opinion from overseas, a repeal or postponing of the Home Rule Act of 1914 was not possible. However, the overriding determination was to prevent the breakup of the Empire and any coercion of Ulster into what the majority did not want. The Committee’s first report was made on November 4th, 1919.
F.W.Wile of the London Daily Mail on a speaking tour of the US, spoke before the Union League in Philadelphia: ‘An Irishman doesn’t know what he wants and won't be happy until he gets it’ and came to the attention of the Irish National Bureau Newsletter where it reported his speech in the November 7th edition. On checking through their copy of the British ‘Who’s Who’ for 1919 they found ‘ Wile, Frederic William…war worker in England on foreign propaganda’. The last two words tell the story’
IRA jailbreak of six prisoners from Strangeways Prison, Manchester including Austin Stack and Piaras Béaslaí.
To avoid the Third Home Rule Bill, which would effectively come into being with the finalisation of the Versailles Peace Conference, Lloyd George instructed the formation of the Irish Situation Committee, chaired by Sir Walter Long, to consider the question. The main issue was that in view of the situation in Ireland and potential adverse public opinion from overseas, a repeal or postponing of the Home Rule Act of 1914 was not possible. However, the overriding determination was to prevent the breakup of the Empire and any coercion of Ulster into what the majority did not want. The Committee’s first report was made on November 4th, 1919.
21
Weekly meetings of the Sinn Fein Central Club supressed.
22
23
The DMP Head in Dublin advised that ‘ the sailors on all American ships are now suspect and all their belongings must be searched’. This was prompted by the increasing success of smuggling firearms and ammunition.
Ex Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon takes over as British Foreign Secretary.
Throughout Russia, the Red Army advanced against the White armies
24
The British Admiralty Intelligence centered in Room 40, continued it’s peacetime functions in virtual complete secrecy since formation in 1914. Admiral Sir Hugh ‘Quex’ Sinclair, then Director of Naval Inteligence and later Director of MI6 was appointed to form and lead the Government Code and Cipher School (later to become GCHQ in Cheltenham ).
In early 1919, the British Government agreed to the Admiralty’s request that all cable companies operating in Britain should hand over copies of all messages for examination. The continuing Irish situation and the threat of a home grown Bolshevik style revolution fuelled by post war depression and high unemployment continued to occupy the minds of British Government and secret service for some time. Three cable/telegraph companies were operating in Britain at the time, one of the main players - Cable & Wireless was owned by the Government so there were no difficulties getting originals of messages, but two others, Commerical Cable Postal Teleggraph Company and Western Union were owned by US interests and not surprisingly reticent having their confidential messages copied and read by the British Government. This was sidestepped with a threat not to renew their operating licences. Soon all three companies were sending the original messages to the Admiralty where they remained for a few hours before being returned for processing and delivery. This would remain generally secret until December 1920.
Source: James Rusbridger & Eric Nave. ‘Betrayal at Pearl Harbour – How Churchill lured Roosevelt into War’. Michael O’Mara Books Ltd. London. 1991. P35.
The St. Louis Dispatch newspaper, Missouri in its editorial on October 24th welcomed de Valera: ‘ no other people has done more to keep the flame of liberty burning than the Irish. Through centuries of oppression and restriction they have maintained their struggle. They never despaired. As the embodiment of the Irish determination to obtain self-government in the largest sense, President de Valera has unique distinction. We may welcome him as a leader of men who refuse to compromise when liberty is at stake. A cause of this kind finds generous response in the hearts of all Americans.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21– November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Senator Shields of Tennessee (D) addressed the Senate ‘..it is better to destroy the League of Nations than to degrade the United States before the world and humiliate her people for all time…the League of Nations is not sacred or hedged around with divinity. It was not thundered down from Mount Sinai…it must be Americanised and made to confirm to American constitutional liberty and free institutions.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:18 – October 31, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The British Admiralty Intelligence centered in Room 40, continued it’s peacetime functions in virtual complete secrecy since formation in 1914. Admiral Sir Hugh ‘Quex’ Sinclair, then Director of Naval Inteligence and later Director of MI6 was appointed to form and lead the Government Code and Cipher School (later to become GCHQ in Cheltenham ).
In early 1919, the British Government agreed to the Admiralty’s request that all cable companies operating in Britain should hand over copies of all messages for examination. The continuing Irish situation and the threat of a home grown Bolshevik style revolution fuelled by post war depression and high unemployment continued to occupy the minds of British Government and secret service for some time. Three cable/telegraph companies were operating in Britain at the time, one of the main players - Cable & Wireless was owned by the Government so there were no difficulties getting originals of messages, but two others, Commerical Cable Postal Teleggraph Company and Western Union were owned by US interests and not surprisingly reticent having their confidential messages copied and read by the British Government. This was sidestepped with a threat not to renew their operating licences. Soon all three companies were sending the original messages to the Admiralty where they remained for a few hours before being returned for processing and delivery. This would remain generally secret until December 1920.
Source: James Rusbridger & Eric Nave. ‘Betrayal at Pearl Harbour – How Churchill lured Roosevelt into War’. Michael O’Mara Books Ltd. London. 1991. P35.
The St. Louis Dispatch newspaper, Missouri in its editorial on October 24th welcomed de Valera: ‘ no other people has done more to keep the flame of liberty burning than the Irish. Through centuries of oppression and restriction they have maintained their struggle. They never despaired. As the embodiment of the Irish determination to obtain self-government in the largest sense, President de Valera has unique distinction. We may welcome him as a leader of men who refuse to compromise when liberty is at stake. A cause of this kind finds generous response in the hearts of all Americans.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21– November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Senator Shields of Tennessee (D) addressed the Senate ‘..it is better to destroy the League of Nations than to degrade the United States before the world and humiliate her people for all time…the League of Nations is not sacred or hedged around with divinity. It was not thundered down from Mount Sinai…it must be Americanised and made to confirm to American constitutional liberty and free institutions.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:18 – October 31, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
25
Michael Collins has a narrow escape when there is a police raid on the Standard Hotel in Harcourt St in Dublin.
The Gateshead Independent Labour Party sent a resoloutions to William O’Brien of the ITGWU, saying ‘The Gatsehead I.L.P. demands that the crucifixion of the Irish nation by British militarists should cease immediately. We assert that the presence of British troops on her soil is an insult and a crime against a free people. We desire that the Irish people should be given the right to determine their own form of Government and demand that the British army of occupation should be immediately withdrawn. We extend to our Irish comrades our sympathy in their hour of trial.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:20, November 14th 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Michael Collins has a narrow escape when there is a police raid on the Standard Hotel in Harcourt St in Dublin.
The Gateshead Independent Labour Party sent a resoloutions to William O’Brien of the ITGWU, saying ‘The Gatsehead I.L.P. demands that the crucifixion of the Irish nation by British militarists should cease immediately. We assert that the presence of British troops on her soil is an insult and a crime against a free people. We desire that the Irish people should be given the right to determine their own form of Government and demand that the British army of occupation should be immediately withdrawn. We extend to our Irish comrades our sympathy in their hour of trial.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:20, November 14th 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
27
While under supression, Dail Eireann met for its 6th session, fourteenth sitting and last meeting of 1919.
28 TD’s were present for the private meeting in the Mansion House Oak Room. The acting President, Arthur Griffith (deputising for de Valera after he departed for America in June) spoke of British military aggression:
‘Since our last meeting over two months ago, Dáil Éireann, a body composed of the elected representatives of the Irish people, has been proclaimed a dangerous association by the enemy. In convening this meeting, the Ministry sent out a peremptory request to certain members not to attend because there was a possibility that the attendance of these members might involve imprisonment. There are some members whose health would not stand the strain, and there are others who must retain their liberty to carry on the work of the Dáil.
The period since last session has been one of strenuous activity by the Enemy Government. On the 13th September they made a general raid throughout the country, issued a Proclamation suppressing Sinn Féin, The Irish Volunteers, The Gaelic League, Cumann na mBan, and the Sinn Féin Clubs, and this Proclamation was promptly followed up by the suppression of the National Press. The effect of these proclamations and suppressions has been of tremendous usefulness to the campaign in the United States of America. The President's letters testify to that. I regard all these acts which succeed each other in regular procession as of the greatest assistance to our efforts in the United States, and it is there that the centre of gravity of the whole political situation is for the present fixed.'
Macardle. ‘The Irish Republic’ Irish Press, Dublin 19151. p314
While under supression, Dail Eireann met for its 6th session, fourteenth sitting and last meeting of 1919.
28 TD’s were present for the private meeting in the Mansion House Oak Room. The acting President, Arthur Griffith (deputising for de Valera after he departed for America in June) spoke of British military aggression:
‘Since our last meeting over two months ago, Dáil Éireann, a body composed of the elected representatives of the Irish people, has been proclaimed a dangerous association by the enemy. In convening this meeting, the Ministry sent out a peremptory request to certain members not to attend because there was a possibility that the attendance of these members might involve imprisonment. There are some members whose health would not stand the strain, and there are others who must retain their liberty to carry on the work of the Dáil.
The period since last session has been one of strenuous activity by the Enemy Government. On the 13th September they made a general raid throughout the country, issued a Proclamation suppressing Sinn Féin, The Irish Volunteers, The Gaelic League, Cumann na mBan, and the Sinn Féin Clubs, and this Proclamation was promptly followed up by the suppression of the National Press. The effect of these proclamations and suppressions has been of tremendous usefulness to the campaign in the United States of America. The President's letters testify to that. I regard all these acts which succeed each other in regular procession as of the greatest assistance to our efforts in the United States, and it is there that the centre of gravity of the whole political situation is for the present fixed.'
Macardle. ‘The Irish Republic’ Irish Press, Dublin 19151. p314
British National debt stood at £473 million.
The future Shah of Iran, Mohamed Reza Pahlevi ( 1919-1980 ) born Tehran.
New York: Large meetings of protest against America's involvement in the League of Nations continued October 1919. James McGurrin, one of the younger Irish-American leaders invited Senator Borah to be the speaker at a large rally in New York City. While the Senator was unable to attend, he wrote the following letter, unsparing in its criticism of the League and which was read out at the rally:
"The League of Nations in its present form is a complete autocracy. At no place and at no time are the people given a voice in this scheme of world peace, and in no way and by no process are the subject peoples permitted to have a hearing. In addition to being an autocracy it is an autocracy so arranged in its machinery that it may be controlled by European powers and against the only real Republic in existence today.
When this League is organized five dominant powers (an alliance) will dominate and control as subject peoples nearly one half of the inhabitants of the globe. There is not to be found in the covenant a single line or phrase giving these subject peoples a right to be heard as to their independence or their freedom. There is no machinery provided in the covenant by which these subject peoples can set up their own form of government or be permitted to live their own lives. So far as the terms of the League are concerned these peoples must live in subjection for all time to come. And we agree to do our part in keeping them in subjection. Ireland, Egypt, Korea, India and all subject peoples alike can find no door or escape from this autocratic machine save that of war with all the great powers combined against them. . . . Let's fight it [the Covenant] now and fight it for all time as our fathers fought tyranny and autocracy before. . . . We should raise the banner once and for all. No compromise now or hereafter until the last vestige of this new scheme of autocracy has been wiped out. "
Tansill. ‘America and the fight for Irish Freedom 1866-1922’. Devin-Adair. New York 1957. P.337
Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate rejected by a close vote the amendment offered by Senator Johnson which would deprive the British Empire of six votes in the League Assembly.
29
Anti-Semitism was reported to be spreading throughout Germany.
Lord French, Lord Lieutenant, made a member of the British Cabinet
US: To enforce the 18th Amendment banning the sale of all intoxicating liquor, Congress passed the National Prohibition Act, usually called the Volstead Act named after the Congressman from Minnesota who introduced it.
This law defined the prohibited “intoxicating liquors” as those with an alcoholic content of more than 0.5 per cent, although it made concessions for liquors sold for medicinal, sacramental, and industrial purposes, and for fruit or grape beverages prepared for personal use in homes. Because the Congress and the state legislatures, however, were reluctant to appropriate enough money for more than token enforcement—and because the opportunities for disregarding the law through smuggling, distilling, fermenting, and brewing were legion—Prohibition always represented more of an ideal than a reality.
On this basis the Prohibition era began at midnight on January 16, 1920.
Anti-Semitism was reported to be spreading throughout Germany.
Lord French, Lord Lieutenant, made a member of the British Cabinet
US: To enforce the 18th Amendment banning the sale of all intoxicating liquor, Congress passed the National Prohibition Act, usually called the Volstead Act named after the Congressman from Minnesota who introduced it.
This law defined the prohibited “intoxicating liquors” as those with an alcoholic content of more than 0.5 per cent, although it made concessions for liquors sold for medicinal, sacramental, and industrial purposes, and for fruit or grape beverages prepared for personal use in homes. Because the Congress and the state legislatures, however, were reluctant to appropriate enough money for more than token enforcement—and because the opportunities for disregarding the law through smuggling, distilling, fermenting, and brewing were legion—Prohibition always represented more of an ideal than a reality.
On this basis the Prohibition era began at midnight on January 16, 1920.
30
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter reprinted a news clipping from an unknown British newspaper:
‘On November 15 a meeting is to be held in the Albert Hall, London, in support of full self-determination for Ireland. Commander Kenworthy M.P. is to preside, and prominent British labour and other public men will be among the speakers. Ti sit o be the first of a series of such meetings in the populous centres of Great Britain, and will inagurate a British, as distinguished from an Irish League for carrying on of the struggle. Commander Kenworthy M.P. put full Irish self-determination in the forefront of his program at Hull, and the labour candidate at Rushholme adopted the same attitude. The new league will make this matter an outstanding issue in all future British elections.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter reprinted a news clipping from an unknown British newspaper:
‘On November 15 a meeting is to be held in the Albert Hall, London, in support of full self-determination for Ireland. Commander Kenworthy M.P. is to preside, and prominent British labour and other public men will be among the speakers. Ti sit o be the first of a series of such meetings in the populous centres of Great Britain, and will inagurate a British, as distinguished from an Irish League for carrying on of the struggle. Commander Kenworthy M.P. put full Irish self-determination in the forefront of his program at Hull, and the labour candidate at Rushholme adopted the same attitude. The new league will make this matter an outstanding issue in all future British elections.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
31
“ PRESIDENT DE VALERA'S TOUR WILL LIVE IN HISTORY
The eyes of the world are focussed upon the President of the Irish Republic as he swings west on one of the greatest speaking trips ever undertaken in this or any other country, Everywhere he goes, President De Valera is greeted by record-breaking crowds, eager to hear the words and shake the hand of one who represents a new era in world affairs· This week De Valera sweeps triumphantly across Missouri, Nebraska and into the mountains of Colorado, pleading the cause of Ireland to responsive audiences, Next week he plunges into the Far West, and by Sunday will look upon the Pacific. It is indeed a marvel how he stands the terrific grind. From October 1, when his tour began in New York, until the present, he has been traveling steadily, speaking almost every day, and sometimes two and three times a day. And the end is not yet in sight, for his program carries him down the Pacific coast and then baok again eastward through Arizona, New Yexico and the great South. There is to be no rest, no let-up in this remarkable tour until Christmas comes and brings a brief respite. What other man in America ever embarked on such a tremendous undertaking?
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:18 – October 31, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
“The Saint Louis Republic, one of the Influential papers of the United states, prints the following: "Blundering England - blundering particularly as far as Ireland is concerned - apparently has started on another of its futile campaigns to subjugate the island, Raids, wholesale arrests, machine guns and brutality are again the order of the day, There is only one way that England can placate Ireland and still maintain control, and that is by killing and imprisoning about 75 per cent of the whole population. Is she prepared to do away with a couple of million people whose only crime is a desire for independence? The British inability to see a joke is proverbial; their inability to see a serious fact is likely to become generally accepted. Ireland does not want to be ruled by England, She has been showing it in no uncertain way for centuries, for hundreds of years her cry for independence has been ringing through the British Isles. Bullets, jails, gallows, racks and wheels have failed to stifle the cry. It has grown in volume decade by decade. England cannot stop it and she ought to know by this time that she can only stop it by giving Ireland what she craves for and what she has a right; to have under the doctrine of self-determination accepted by England at Versailles - her freedom."
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:18 – October 31, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
President Wilson was now coming under criticism from many for his reticence on official recognition of Ireland. One of the four men who induced Wilson to run for public office, former Congresman and later Major Eugene F. Kinkhead spoke to an audience of ‘many thousands’ in the Academy of Music at Charleston, South Carolina:
"Here, tonight, speaking for the men in uniform before me and four million others who fought for liberty, we demand of the President of the United States the fulfillment of the pledge he gave as your commander-in-chief, and as my oommander-in-chief until a few months ago, when at the tomb of the immortal Washington, he told us we were not fighting alone for the honor of the Stars and Stripes, but for liberty, that all small nations everywhere might have the right of determinating the kind of government under which they should live.
We are glad that freedom has come to Poland; we are glad that the Ukrainian breathes the air of freedom; we are glad that liberty is now in the land of CzechoSlovak, and hope the dream of the Jew will be realized and he will soon again have a land of his own, but we also demand the carrying out of the contract made with us by the President of the United States, that he use the influence of his high position which we have given him that the flag of gold, white and green offered by Ireland shall be recognized. "
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter also brought to attention that as Mayor Couzens of Detroit had ‘officially welcomed President deValera last week, he has been blacklisted by British royalty. According to news despatches, the committee in charge of the reception and banquet to the Prince of Wales on the occasion of his crossing the Detroit River from Windsor, Cauada, to the United States have withdrawn the invitation to attend which was to have been sent to Mayor Couzens.”
Issue no. 18 rounded off with a comment that while Ireland had many natural resources, but above all was the potential for re-forrestation and a wildly optimistic statement that ‘ Ireland if properly reforrested…would support 25 million people instead of 5 million as now. This is the testimony of various experts who have studied the conditions…’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:18 – October 31, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
‘details of acts of agression commited in Ireland by the military and police as reported in the daily press. It is illuminating to know that, between October 13 and October 25 inclusive, there were reported 48 raids, 49 arrests, 20 sentences, 32 proclamations and suppressions, 11 armed assaults and 9 courts-martial – a total of 169 outrages. Such is England’s so called ‘government’.
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Meanwhile in Dublin, the Irish National Loan had raised £19,160. Collins as Minister for Finance opted to risk advertising in the national dailies. An appeal was produced which carried no mention of Dail Eireann, however only The Cork Examiner and 22 sepratist and provincial papers carried it. The British Authorities acted swiftly. All were closed down, some of the provincial papers were allowed to re-open days later, others had a permanent ban placed on them, among them most of the Sinn Fein publications. Arthur Griffith’s Young Ireland did not print the loan advert and remained the only Sinn Fein paper printing in the period.
Constable William Agar (37) was shot dead as he answered the RIC barracks main door in Ballivor, Co. Meath. Recently married, his wife was expecting their first child and newly posted to the Ballivor barracks. Agar became the first RIC constable to be killed by direct attacks on barracks.
Arrival of Essex Regiment in Kinsale
“ PRESIDENT DE VALERA'S TOUR WILL LIVE IN HISTORY
The eyes of the world are focussed upon the President of the Irish Republic as he swings west on one of the greatest speaking trips ever undertaken in this or any other country, Everywhere he goes, President De Valera is greeted by record-breaking crowds, eager to hear the words and shake the hand of one who represents a new era in world affairs· This week De Valera sweeps triumphantly across Missouri, Nebraska and into the mountains of Colorado, pleading the cause of Ireland to responsive audiences, Next week he plunges into the Far West, and by Sunday will look upon the Pacific. It is indeed a marvel how he stands the terrific grind. From October 1, when his tour began in New York, until the present, he has been traveling steadily, speaking almost every day, and sometimes two and three times a day. And the end is not yet in sight, for his program carries him down the Pacific coast and then baok again eastward through Arizona, New Yexico and the great South. There is to be no rest, no let-up in this remarkable tour until Christmas comes and brings a brief respite. What other man in America ever embarked on such a tremendous undertaking?
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:18 – October 31, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
“The Saint Louis Republic, one of the Influential papers of the United states, prints the following: "Blundering England - blundering particularly as far as Ireland is concerned - apparently has started on another of its futile campaigns to subjugate the island, Raids, wholesale arrests, machine guns and brutality are again the order of the day, There is only one way that England can placate Ireland and still maintain control, and that is by killing and imprisoning about 75 per cent of the whole population. Is she prepared to do away with a couple of million people whose only crime is a desire for independence? The British inability to see a joke is proverbial; their inability to see a serious fact is likely to become generally accepted. Ireland does not want to be ruled by England, She has been showing it in no uncertain way for centuries, for hundreds of years her cry for independence has been ringing through the British Isles. Bullets, jails, gallows, racks and wheels have failed to stifle the cry. It has grown in volume decade by decade. England cannot stop it and she ought to know by this time that she can only stop it by giving Ireland what she craves for and what she has a right; to have under the doctrine of self-determination accepted by England at Versailles - her freedom."
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:18 – October 31, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
President Wilson was now coming under criticism from many for his reticence on official recognition of Ireland. One of the four men who induced Wilson to run for public office, former Congresman and later Major Eugene F. Kinkhead spoke to an audience of ‘many thousands’ in the Academy of Music at Charleston, South Carolina:
"Here, tonight, speaking for the men in uniform before me and four million others who fought for liberty, we demand of the President of the United States the fulfillment of the pledge he gave as your commander-in-chief, and as my oommander-in-chief until a few months ago, when at the tomb of the immortal Washington, he told us we were not fighting alone for the honor of the Stars and Stripes, but for liberty, that all small nations everywhere might have the right of determinating the kind of government under which they should live.
We are glad that freedom has come to Poland; we are glad that the Ukrainian breathes the air of freedom; we are glad that liberty is now in the land of CzechoSlovak, and hope the dream of the Jew will be realized and he will soon again have a land of his own, but we also demand the carrying out of the contract made with us by the President of the United States, that he use the influence of his high position which we have given him that the flag of gold, white and green offered by Ireland shall be recognized. "
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter also brought to attention that as Mayor Couzens of Detroit had ‘officially welcomed President deValera last week, he has been blacklisted by British royalty. According to news despatches, the committee in charge of the reception and banquet to the Prince of Wales on the occasion of his crossing the Detroit River from Windsor, Cauada, to the United States have withdrawn the invitation to attend which was to have been sent to Mayor Couzens.”
Issue no. 18 rounded off with a comment that while Ireland had many natural resources, but above all was the potential for re-forrestation and a wildly optimistic statement that ‘ Ireland if properly reforrested…would support 25 million people instead of 5 million as now. This is the testimony of various experts who have studied the conditions…’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:18 – October 31, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
‘details of acts of agression commited in Ireland by the military and police as reported in the daily press. It is illuminating to know that, between October 13 and October 25 inclusive, there were reported 48 raids, 49 arrests, 20 sentences, 32 proclamations and suppressions, 11 armed assaults and 9 courts-martial – a total of 169 outrages. Such is England’s so called ‘government’.
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Meanwhile in Dublin, the Irish National Loan had raised £19,160. Collins as Minister for Finance opted to risk advertising in the national dailies. An appeal was produced which carried no mention of Dail Eireann, however only The Cork Examiner and 22 sepratist and provincial papers carried it. The British Authorities acted swiftly. All were closed down, some of the provincial papers were allowed to re-open days later, others had a permanent ban placed on them, among them most of the Sinn Fein publications. Arthur Griffith’s Young Ireland did not print the loan advert and remained the only Sinn Fein paper printing in the period.
Constable William Agar (37) was shot dead as he answered the RIC barracks main door in Ballivor, Co. Meath. Recently married, his wife was expecting their first child and newly posted to the Ballivor barracks. Agar became the first RIC constable to be killed by direct attacks on barracks.
Arrival of Essex Regiment in Kinsale
1
The Coal Strike of 1919 begins in the United States by the United Mine Workers under John L. Lewis. Final agreement comes on December 10.
Rear Admiral William Snowdon Simms (1858-1938) Canadian born, commanded the US naval squadrons from Cobh during 1917-1919, during which time he developed a strong dislike for Irish nationalists and in particular Sinn Fein. In October he published his war memoirs ‘The Victory at Sea’ and aroused the wrath of Irish American groups throughout the US with his comments on Irish priests denouncing the Queenstown based US sailors and Sinn Fein members attacking & assaulting both sailors and officers. He reserved specific criticism for those he called ‘Sinn Fein Irishmen’:
“The members of this organisation were not only openly disloyal, they were openly pro-German. They were not even neutral, they were working day and night for a German victory, for in their misguided minds a German victory signalled an Irish Republic’
W.S.Sims ‘Victory at Sea’. Garden City 1919. P83.
While the book raised a storm when released, an article by Admiral Simms in the November copy of ‘World’s Work’ published by Doubleday, Page & Co, was in the words of the Irish National Bureau Newsletter ‘a vicious attack on the people of Ireland’. The Editor, Daniel T. O’Connell protested to the US Naval Secretary, J. Daniels and called on the newsletter readers that ‘all lovers of truth and liberty should protest to Secretary Daniels against the unwarranted and bitter statements. The Irish National Bureau will, upon request, furnish a full copy of its protest to Secretary Daniels ; also its answer to Admiral Sims personally. The admiral had in the past made it evident that he is intensly pro-English. He was born in Canada, and, naturally enough, has a love for his native empire. But sometime it asserts itself too strongly.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:19, November 7th 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Admiral Sims raised his head above the parapet again in the Irish National Bureau Newsletter of November 14th. ‘Admiral Sims, who if we judge him by his writings about Ireland, is in the same class with Senator Williams as an historian, informs an unenlightened world that the Irish girls of Cork deserted their Sinn Fein sweethearts and went over to the Yankee sailors because the latter could entertain them more ‘lavishly’ at the ice cream stands. We used to think that Admiral Sims really was in Cork at some time in the course of the war, but when he raves about ice cream stands we begin to wonder. Ice cream is not a popular dish in Ireland and the distinguished admiral would have considerable difficulty in trying to buy it in Cork. He probably could get it at the hotels, but as for ice-cream stands – ‘there aint no such animal’.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:20, November 14th 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Coal Strike of 1919 begins in the United States by the United Mine Workers under John L. Lewis. Final agreement comes on December 10.
Rear Admiral William Snowdon Simms (1858-1938) Canadian born, commanded the US naval squadrons from Cobh during 1917-1919, during which time he developed a strong dislike for Irish nationalists and in particular Sinn Fein. In October he published his war memoirs ‘The Victory at Sea’ and aroused the wrath of Irish American groups throughout the US with his comments on Irish priests denouncing the Queenstown based US sailors and Sinn Fein members attacking & assaulting both sailors and officers. He reserved specific criticism for those he called ‘Sinn Fein Irishmen’:
“The members of this organisation were not only openly disloyal, they were openly pro-German. They were not even neutral, they were working day and night for a German victory, for in their misguided minds a German victory signalled an Irish Republic’
W.S.Sims ‘Victory at Sea’. Garden City 1919. P83.
While the book raised a storm when released, an article by Admiral Simms in the November copy of ‘World’s Work’ published by Doubleday, Page & Co, was in the words of the Irish National Bureau Newsletter ‘a vicious attack on the people of Ireland’. The Editor, Daniel T. O’Connell protested to the US Naval Secretary, J. Daniels and called on the newsletter readers that ‘all lovers of truth and liberty should protest to Secretary Daniels against the unwarranted and bitter statements. The Irish National Bureau will, upon request, furnish a full copy of its protest to Secretary Daniels ; also its answer to Admiral Sims personally. The admiral had in the past made it evident that he is intensly pro-English. He was born in Canada, and, naturally enough, has a love for his native empire. But sometime it asserts itself too strongly.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:19, November 7th 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Admiral Sims raised his head above the parapet again in the Irish National Bureau Newsletter of November 14th. ‘Admiral Sims, who if we judge him by his writings about Ireland, is in the same class with Senator Williams as an historian, informs an unenlightened world that the Irish girls of Cork deserted their Sinn Fein sweethearts and went over to the Yankee sailors because the latter could entertain them more ‘lavishly’ at the ice cream stands. We used to think that Admiral Sims really was in Cork at some time in the course of the war, but when he raves about ice cream stands we begin to wonder. Ice cream is not a popular dish in Ireland and the distinguished admiral would have considerable difficulty in trying to buy it in Cork. He probably could get it at the hotels, but as for ice-cream stands – ‘there aint no such animal’.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:20, November 14th 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Admiral Sims 'The Victory at Sea' published in October 1919 was also serialised in an abridged format from another publication 'The World's Work' in the December 1919 editions of the Washington D.C. 'Sunday Star'.
A copy of the relevant first excerpt dated December 7th is included here - the Admiral's remarks on Cork and Queenstown (Cobh) begin with the last paragraph of the first page and continue on page 2.
Material thanks to the United States Library of Congress ' |
Admiral Sims' article continued:
Admiral Sims further raised the ire of Irish-America when he remarked that Irish-Americans are ‘... like Zebras, either black horses with white stripes or white horses with black stripes. We know they are not horses. They are asses. But each of those asses has a vote and there are lots of them!’
Desmond Ryan. ‘Unique Dictator’. Arthur Barker-London. 1936. p106
A swift response to the slur came from Irish American groups who pointed out the names of the 5,000 Irish Americans who died on the battlefields of Europe between 1917 & 1918, and the offer of more on demand.
The Newsletter also commented on cabled dispatches from London that ‘the Sinn Fein army at present has a total strength of 80,000 and London says 250,000 English soldiers are needed to meet ‘the threatened uprising’. How absurd!’
Desmond Ryan. ‘Unique Dictator’. Arthur Barker-London. 1936. p106
A swift response to the slur came from Irish American groups who pointed out the names of the 5,000 Irish Americans who died on the battlefields of Europe between 1917 & 1918, and the offer of more on demand.
The Newsletter also commented on cabled dispatches from London that ‘the Sinn Fein army at present has a total strength of 80,000 and London says 250,000 English soldiers are needed to meet ‘the threatened uprising’. How absurd!’
3
The Allies Committee of Los Angeles sent a telegram to the Department of State in Washington, protesting against the ‘revolutionary speeches of De Valera’. A month later, the US Attorney General, A.Mitchell Palmer later replied to Secretary of State, Lansing, that to date, De Valera had not ‘made any speeches which bring him within the purview of any Federal statute’.
Tansill. ‘America and the fight for Irish Freedom 1866-1922’. Devin-Adair. New York 1957. P.359
In Melbourne, Australia, over 60,000 attended a mass meeting called to organise an Irish Freedom movement similar to that in the US. The presiding officer was D.J.Ryan, Premier of Queensland and in an address said:
‘The policy of Britain had been to drive from Ireland its sons and daughters, and the latter have scattered not only into all parts of the world, but into possession where the British flag floats. They are now rallying to the cause of Ireland and the British flag appears powerless to cause a stop…’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:23 – December 5th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Allies Committee of Los Angeles sent a telegram to the Department of State in Washington, protesting against the ‘revolutionary speeches of De Valera’. A month later, the US Attorney General, A.Mitchell Palmer later replied to Secretary of State, Lansing, that to date, De Valera had not ‘made any speeches which bring him within the purview of any Federal statute’.
Tansill. ‘America and the fight for Irish Freedom 1866-1922’. Devin-Adair. New York 1957. P.359
In Melbourne, Australia, over 60,000 attended a mass meeting called to organise an Irish Freedom movement similar to that in the US. The presiding officer was D.J.Ryan, Premier of Queensland and in an address said:
‘The policy of Britain had been to drive from Ireland its sons and daughters, and the latter have scattered not only into all parts of the world, but into possession where the British flag floats. They are now rallying to the cause of Ireland and the British flag appears powerless to cause a stop…’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:23 – December 5th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
4
Tory MP Sir Auckland Cambell Geddes in the House of Commons stated ‘I most emphatically deny that I was ever wrong on a single thing’ A modest man indeed or as the Newsletter commented: ‘This utterance is indicative of the weird state of mind of those in England today who are responsible for the ‘Rule or Ruin’ regime in Ireland.’
Newsletter of the Friends of Irish Freedom National Bureau of Information - Washington D.C – No. 30, January 23, 1920. Lynch Family Archives
Legislation banning the export of livestock and horses from Ireland to the continent was lifted providing only a certain quota were shipped and these were to be embarked at a British port and would be trans-shipped using British firms.
Walter Long’s Irish Committee finalised their advisory report on which Irish policy to adopt. As with the Cabinet, the Committee was dominated by Tories with the inevitable party political influences. Three options were considered by the Committee:
The result was a rejection of an all-Ireland Home Rule Parliament with some parts of Ulster excluded but also the the concept of an all-Ireland Parliament with Ulster given special privileges of an Ulster Committee or inflated numbers of MPs. Instead, a third and more radical option was recommended:
‘..to establish one Parliament for the three Southern provinces and a second Parliament for Ulster, together with a Council of Ireland…mainly to promote as rapidly as possible..the union of the whole of Ireland under a single legislature.’
Liz Curtis ‘The Cause of Ireland – from the United Irishmen to Partition’. Beyond the Pale, Belfast 1994. p317
The Committee also emphasised their attachment to ‘doing everything possible to promote Irish unity without in any way infringing the freedom of Ulster to decide its own relation to the rest of Ireland’
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p35
This was the first time that two Home Rule Parliaments had been proposed and the Committee argued that this would effecitivly ‘enormously minimise the partition issue. The division of Ireland becomes a far less serious matter if Home Rule is established for both parts of Ireland than if the excluded parties retained as part of Great Britain’
Liz Curtis ‘The Cause of Ireland – from the United Irishmen to Partition’. Beyond the Pale, Belfast 1994. p317
Divisions would be along historic boundaries, with Ulster composed of Derry, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Antrim, Down, Armagh, Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan and the committee recognised that both religions would not be unevenly balanced in the Parliament of Northern Ireland. In order to promote Irish unity, the committee recommended that for one year only:
‘..certain services which it is specially undesirable to divide,notably agriculture, technical education, transportation, old age pensions, health and unemployment, insurance and labour exchanges, should be reserved to the Imperial Parliament, and that a Council of Ireland should be established consisting of twenty representatives from each Parliament.’
Liz Curtis ‘The Cause of Ireland – from the United Irishmen to Partition’. Beyond the Pale, Belfast 1994. p317
Substantial powers would remain with London, including peace & war, armed forces, foreign relations and international trade.
However, the Act was little more than a quick fix solution. The Government realised that no Irish Nationalist could agree to it just as no Unionist could be persuaded into a united Ireland. Lord Bikenhead admitted that the Cabinet’s chief aim was to satisfy American public opinion. H.A.L. Fisher, a Liberal member of the Committee later agreed there were defects to the Government of Ireland Act, but that ‘it was the best that could be got from the exisiting Government. It would at least accomplish two essential things; it would take Ulster out of the Irish Question which it had blocked for a generation and it would take Ireland out of English party controversies’
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p35
Tory MP Sir Auckland Cambell Geddes in the House of Commons stated ‘I most emphatically deny that I was ever wrong on a single thing’ A modest man indeed or as the Newsletter commented: ‘This utterance is indicative of the weird state of mind of those in England today who are responsible for the ‘Rule or Ruin’ regime in Ireland.’
Newsletter of the Friends of Irish Freedom National Bureau of Information - Washington D.C – No. 30, January 23, 1920. Lynch Family Archives
Legislation banning the export of livestock and horses from Ireland to the continent was lifted providing only a certain quota were shipped and these were to be embarked at a British port and would be trans-shipped using British firms.
Walter Long’s Irish Committee finalised their advisory report on which Irish policy to adopt. As with the Cabinet, the Committee was dominated by Tories with the inevitable party political influences. Three options were considered by the Committee:
- A Home Rule Parliament for all Ireland with an exclusion of Ulster based on a county option or by plebescite.
- A single Parliament with strong powers for Ulster, virtually amounting to veto powers, or
- The establishment of two separate Parliament with a Council of Ireland.
The result was a rejection of an all-Ireland Home Rule Parliament with some parts of Ulster excluded but also the the concept of an all-Ireland Parliament with Ulster given special privileges of an Ulster Committee or inflated numbers of MPs. Instead, a third and more radical option was recommended:
‘..to establish one Parliament for the three Southern provinces and a second Parliament for Ulster, together with a Council of Ireland…mainly to promote as rapidly as possible..the union of the whole of Ireland under a single legislature.’
Liz Curtis ‘The Cause of Ireland – from the United Irishmen to Partition’. Beyond the Pale, Belfast 1994. p317
The Committee also emphasised their attachment to ‘doing everything possible to promote Irish unity without in any way infringing the freedom of Ulster to decide its own relation to the rest of Ireland’
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p35
This was the first time that two Home Rule Parliaments had been proposed and the Committee argued that this would effecitivly ‘enormously minimise the partition issue. The division of Ireland becomes a far less serious matter if Home Rule is established for both parts of Ireland than if the excluded parties retained as part of Great Britain’
Liz Curtis ‘The Cause of Ireland – from the United Irishmen to Partition’. Beyond the Pale, Belfast 1994. p317
Divisions would be along historic boundaries, with Ulster composed of Derry, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Antrim, Down, Armagh, Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan and the committee recognised that both religions would not be unevenly balanced in the Parliament of Northern Ireland. In order to promote Irish unity, the committee recommended that for one year only:
‘..certain services which it is specially undesirable to divide,notably agriculture, technical education, transportation, old age pensions, health and unemployment, insurance and labour exchanges, should be reserved to the Imperial Parliament, and that a Council of Ireland should be established consisting of twenty representatives from each Parliament.’
Liz Curtis ‘The Cause of Ireland – from the United Irishmen to Partition’. Beyond the Pale, Belfast 1994. p317
Substantial powers would remain with London, including peace & war, armed forces, foreign relations and international trade.
However, the Act was little more than a quick fix solution. The Government realised that no Irish Nationalist could agree to it just as no Unionist could be persuaded into a united Ireland. Lord Bikenhead admitted that the Cabinet’s chief aim was to satisfy American public opinion. H.A.L. Fisher, a Liberal member of the Committee later agreed there were defects to the Government of Ireland Act, but that ‘it was the best that could be got from the exisiting Government. It would at least accomplish two essential things; it would take Ulster out of the Irish Question which it had blocked for a generation and it would take Ireland out of English party controversies’
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p35
5
John Devoy in his Gaelic American newspaper, paid his regards to the newly emergent Irish-American grouping led by McCartan/McGarrity/Maloney:
‘..the most dangerous English propaganda that ever menaced the Irish cause is now being carried on here in America under the pretence of zeal for the Irish Republic. Its object is to sow dissension in the Irish movement at a time when unity is absolutely necessary, and to destroy confidence in the leadership when that leadership is achieving results more beneficial to Ireland and more injurious to England. If it should succeed, the Irish movement in America will be destroyed or rendered powerless and Ireland, when she most needs American help, would be deprived of it...it does not matter to the slanderers that the men they falsely accuse have given the most ample proof of sincerity by standing up for Ireland when the whole power of the Washington Administration was exercised remorselessly for their destruction...’
Tansill. ‘America and the fight for Irish Freedom 1866-1922’. Devin-Adair. New York 1957. P.349
This strong worded editorial from an ageing John Devoy, appeared to have little effect on Joe McGarrity as the next day he was pressing strongly for the Friends of Irish Freedom to pay the expenses of his September 14th meeting.
Desmond Ryan in 1936 gave this pen portrait of Devoy, that he ‘for over 30 years, cow-hided his political enemies as an unspeakable gang of traitors, humbugs, liars, libertines, embezzlers, catamites, poltroons, cut-throats and by blows. These flourishes of the Old Man were not taken over seriously by his friends and admirers, for they regarded them as only symptoms of his irritable temperament, intensified by his deafness and rigours of his extraordinary life’
Desmond Ryan. ‘Unique Dictator’. Arthur Barker-London. 1936. p108
Judge Cohalan was portrayed by his enemies as ‘a lime-lighting politician, Grand Sachem of the Tammanay Society. Overbearing, intruiging, ruthless and as concious of a superiority fo the native Irish at heart as the most lofty Anglo-Saxon, more warmly by Cardinal O’Connell as a future liberator of Ireland and the one American of Irish blood to whose great intellect and wonderful organising ability, the solidification of the Irish race in the United States was due…the eminent jurist at whose feet the whole United States Senate sat in awe and grattitude…victim of a vindictive Wilsonian vendetta; a noble panther ever crouched to spring on the British lion.’
Desmond Ryan. ‘Unique Dictator’. Arthur Barker-London. 1936. p108-109
Local Irish American groups appeared well organised in lobbying Congress. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter reported that ‘more than 3,000 citizens of the Borough of the Bronx, City of New York, recently petitioned Congress ‘as a duty which it owes to American honor to vote against any further loans or credits to Great Britain, because a large part of the American money already lent to the British Government has been used to crush liberty in Ireland and in other countries which are held in bondage by British militarism. As citizens of a nation which has always sympathised with countries struggling for freedom, we protest emphatically against lending the money of the American people for any such un-American purpose…’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
A growing resentment amongst many Irish-Americans was that since the Famine, many millions of dollars had been poured into Irish political coffers and movements with doubtful results and precarious grattitude.
RIC detectives from Belfast, who had been brought to Dublin by 2nd Assistant Commissioner DMP, William Redmond, were now living around the city as civilians and did not appear at any RIC station.
John Devoy in his Gaelic American newspaper, paid his regards to the newly emergent Irish-American grouping led by McCartan/McGarrity/Maloney:
‘..the most dangerous English propaganda that ever menaced the Irish cause is now being carried on here in America under the pretence of zeal for the Irish Republic. Its object is to sow dissension in the Irish movement at a time when unity is absolutely necessary, and to destroy confidence in the leadership when that leadership is achieving results more beneficial to Ireland and more injurious to England. If it should succeed, the Irish movement in America will be destroyed or rendered powerless and Ireland, when she most needs American help, would be deprived of it...it does not matter to the slanderers that the men they falsely accuse have given the most ample proof of sincerity by standing up for Ireland when the whole power of the Washington Administration was exercised remorselessly for their destruction...’
Tansill. ‘America and the fight for Irish Freedom 1866-1922’. Devin-Adair. New York 1957. P.349
This strong worded editorial from an ageing John Devoy, appeared to have little effect on Joe McGarrity as the next day he was pressing strongly for the Friends of Irish Freedom to pay the expenses of his September 14th meeting.
Desmond Ryan in 1936 gave this pen portrait of Devoy, that he ‘for over 30 years, cow-hided his political enemies as an unspeakable gang of traitors, humbugs, liars, libertines, embezzlers, catamites, poltroons, cut-throats and by blows. These flourishes of the Old Man were not taken over seriously by his friends and admirers, for they regarded them as only symptoms of his irritable temperament, intensified by his deafness and rigours of his extraordinary life’
Desmond Ryan. ‘Unique Dictator’. Arthur Barker-London. 1936. p108
Judge Cohalan was portrayed by his enemies as ‘a lime-lighting politician, Grand Sachem of the Tammanay Society. Overbearing, intruiging, ruthless and as concious of a superiority fo the native Irish at heart as the most lofty Anglo-Saxon, more warmly by Cardinal O’Connell as a future liberator of Ireland and the one American of Irish blood to whose great intellect and wonderful organising ability, the solidification of the Irish race in the United States was due…the eminent jurist at whose feet the whole United States Senate sat in awe and grattitude…victim of a vindictive Wilsonian vendetta; a noble panther ever crouched to spring on the British lion.’
Desmond Ryan. ‘Unique Dictator’. Arthur Barker-London. 1936. p108-109
Local Irish American groups appeared well organised in lobbying Congress. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter reported that ‘more than 3,000 citizens of the Borough of the Bronx, City of New York, recently petitioned Congress ‘as a duty which it owes to American honor to vote against any further loans or credits to Great Britain, because a large part of the American money already lent to the British Government has been used to crush liberty in Ireland and in other countries which are held in bondage by British militarism. As citizens of a nation which has always sympathised with countries struggling for freedom, we protest emphatically against lending the money of the American people for any such un-American purpose…’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
A growing resentment amongst many Irish-Americans was that since the Famine, many millions of dollars had been poured into Irish political coffers and movements with doubtful results and precarious grattitude.
RIC detectives from Belfast, who had been brought to Dublin by 2nd Assistant Commissioner DMP, William Redmond, were now living around the city as civilians and did not appear at any RIC station.
6
The Cork Examiner reported the while berthed at the North Wall in Dublin, the US merchant ships, ‘Lake Fontana’ and ‘Lake Franconia’ were thoroughly searched by detectives and the crew interogated. Ostensibly they were informed the search was for arms and ammunition. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter called attention that members of Congress ‘should be called to these acts of British contempt for ‘freedom of the seas’ in its application to American liberties.’
MP McLean in the House of Commons asked how many raids there had been made by police and military on private houses in Ireland during the previous twelve months. ‘The Attorney General said the Chief Secretary had endeavoured to get the information, but found it would impose such an amount of work on the plice that he could not ask them to undertake the detailed investgation that would be necessary.’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives.p20
This information was in fact readily available from Dublin Castle and amounted to 5,588 raids in the first 9 months of 1919.
In Cork, Terence MacSwiney was arrested and sentenced to 6 months imprisonment for wearing a Irish Volunteers uniform in public.
Washington D.C. The Senate Committee proposes the fourteen Cabot-Lodge Reservations. Each one of these reservations was voted upon separately, sometimes after a protracted debate. One of these reservations specifically dealt with Article X of the Covenant.
The Cork Examiner reported the while berthed at the North Wall in Dublin, the US merchant ships, ‘Lake Fontana’ and ‘Lake Franconia’ were thoroughly searched by detectives and the crew interogated. Ostensibly they were informed the search was for arms and ammunition. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter called attention that members of Congress ‘should be called to these acts of British contempt for ‘freedom of the seas’ in its application to American liberties.’
MP McLean in the House of Commons asked how many raids there had been made by police and military on private houses in Ireland during the previous twelve months. ‘The Attorney General said the Chief Secretary had endeavoured to get the information, but found it would impose such an amount of work on the plice that he could not ask them to undertake the detailed investgation that would be necessary.’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives.p20
This information was in fact readily available from Dublin Castle and amounted to 5,588 raids in the first 9 months of 1919.
In Cork, Terence MacSwiney was arrested and sentenced to 6 months imprisonment for wearing a Irish Volunteers uniform in public.
Washington D.C. The Senate Committee proposes the fourteen Cabot-Lodge Reservations. Each one of these reservations was voted upon separately, sometimes after a protracted debate. One of these reservations specifically dealt with Article X of the Covenant.
7
The National Council of the Friends of Irish Freedom met in New York and was joined by Joe McGarrity. The Council voted to pay Joe McGarrity his expenses for the Lexington Theatre Meeting. John Devoy was none too happy at this obvious gesture towards his leadership of Irish-America, but he was reported as being furious when Joe McGarrity proposed that ‘the total expenses of the Bond-Certificate campaign be defrayed from the funds of the Friends of Irish Freedom’ . It was calculated as a declaration of war against the Friends of Irish Freedom , Clan na Gael and in particular, Devoy and Cohalan with the gauntlet being thrown down by the McCartan/McGarrity/Maloney faction. The estimated costs of the bond campaign was in the region of $1million and would have bankrupted the Freind’s treasury. McGarrity was ruled out of order and the motion was not voted upon, but the flags had been firmly nailed to the mast.
The National Council of the Friends of Irish Freedom met in New York and was joined by Joe McGarrity. The Council voted to pay Joe McGarrity his expenses for the Lexington Theatre Meeting. John Devoy was none too happy at this obvious gesture towards his leadership of Irish-America, but he was reported as being furious when Joe McGarrity proposed that ‘the total expenses of the Bond-Certificate campaign be defrayed from the funds of the Friends of Irish Freedom’ . It was calculated as a declaration of war against the Friends of Irish Freedom , Clan na Gael and in particular, Devoy and Cohalan with the gauntlet being thrown down by the McCartan/McGarrity/Maloney faction. The estimated costs of the bond campaign was in the region of $1million and would have bankrupted the Freind’s treasury. McGarrity was ruled out of order and the motion was not voted upon, but the flags had been firmly nailed to the mast.
However, more pressing matters than McGarrity's Lexington Theatre account were discussed at the National Council meeting:
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter commenting on the Bond Drive ‘all the extra dollars which can be spared should be applied to purchase of the Bond Certificates of the republic of Ireland. For complete information, write the American Commission on Irish Independence, Woolworth Building, New York City.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:19, November 7th 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Comment was also made on moves by some British Labour MPs to highlight the Irish issue:
‘Mr Robert Richardson, the Labour MP for Houghton-Spring, speaking at Stanley, said that the fact that Ireland was under military occupation was a disgrace to the British Government. Ireland, said he, had been juggled with for years by both Liberal and Tory Parties, and today England was reaping the whirlwind due to that policy.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The first Palmer Raid is conducted on the second anniversary of the Russian Revolution. Over 10,000 suspected communists and anarchists are arrested in twenty-three different U.S. cities.
Inspired by Cape Town's daily Noon Gun Three Minute Pause, King George V institutes the Two Minute Silence, following a suggestion by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, to be observed annually to mark the end of the World War at the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month.
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:19, November 7th 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Comment was also made on moves by some British Labour MPs to highlight the Irish issue:
‘Mr Robert Richardson, the Labour MP for Houghton-Spring, speaking at Stanley, said that the fact that Ireland was under military occupation was a disgrace to the British Government. Ireland, said he, had been juggled with for years by both Liberal and Tory Parties, and today England was reaping the whirlwind due to that policy.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The first Palmer Raid is conducted on the second anniversary of the Russian Revolution. Over 10,000 suspected communists and anarchists are arrested in twenty-three different U.S. cities.
Inspired by Cape Town's daily Noon Gun Three Minute Pause, King George V institutes the Two Minute Silence, following a suggestion by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, to be observed annually to mark the end of the World War at the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month.
Fenian Bonds
Below are some examples of Fenian Bonds, large sheets of paper issued by republican groups in the late 1860's to raise money for the cause of Irish freedom. Thousands of these bonds were sold throughout the United States in values ranging from $5, $10, $20 and $100 and featured Irish patriots such as Wolfe Tone and James Stephens. The 1866 dollar equivalent face values in 2018 were $5 ($80), $10 ($160), $20 ($320) and $100 ($1,600). Each bond carried an equivalent compounded interest rate of 6% per annum from 1866 - reasonably generous but a little impractical for the time as it was stipulated that Bonds would be "redeemable six months after the acknowledgement of the Independence of the Irish Nation"
Such a stipulation had already been used a few years earlier by the Confederate States, who issued their bank notes printed with ‘payable six months after the signing of the treaty of peace between the confederate states and the United States of America.”
“The bonds were widely disseminated and sold to the Irish American community. Most of the people who bought them were actually Irish immigrants. There were references made in the American magazines in New York at the time that ‘you’ll find your maids and your cooks and your butlers are spending the money you give them on these bonds.’” Patrick Doherty in "Irish America"
In 1866, a New York Times article reported that the Fenians in Boston faced “unexpected difficulties” after questions arose about where people’s money was going when they purchased these bonds and just what it was being used for. According to the article, “thousands of those who contributed their hard earnings…now feel that they have been the victims of designing men and demand a legal investigation”.
Meanwhile, in Fenian circles, opinion was divided, however. “Those who are still hoping to see the independence of Ireland realised contend that there has been no fraud practised whatever.” As it stood, the bonds themselves weren’t payable until after an Irish republic was established and, therefore, bond-holders knew full well this condition.
The New York Times continued: “The courts will have a nice question to decide, however, when it is shown that these bonds were issued for the purpose of invading a country with which the United States are at peace. ” While Boston courts may decide that these bonds were invalid, most purchasers at the time felt “that the money exchanged for these bonds was a simply a donation” and was never expected to be redeemable. The value of bonds sold in Boston “during the Fenian excitement” was at least $100,000, according to The New York Times.
Below are some examples of Fenian Bonds, large sheets of paper issued by republican groups in the late 1860's to raise money for the cause of Irish freedom. Thousands of these bonds were sold throughout the United States in values ranging from $5, $10, $20 and $100 and featured Irish patriots such as Wolfe Tone and James Stephens. The 1866 dollar equivalent face values in 2018 were $5 ($80), $10 ($160), $20 ($320) and $100 ($1,600). Each bond carried an equivalent compounded interest rate of 6% per annum from 1866 - reasonably generous but a little impractical for the time as it was stipulated that Bonds would be "redeemable six months after the acknowledgement of the Independence of the Irish Nation"
Such a stipulation had already been used a few years earlier by the Confederate States, who issued their bank notes printed with ‘payable six months after the signing of the treaty of peace between the confederate states and the United States of America.”
“The bonds were widely disseminated and sold to the Irish American community. Most of the people who bought them were actually Irish immigrants. There were references made in the American magazines in New York at the time that ‘you’ll find your maids and your cooks and your butlers are spending the money you give them on these bonds.’” Patrick Doherty in "Irish America"
In 1866, a New York Times article reported that the Fenians in Boston faced “unexpected difficulties” after questions arose about where people’s money was going when they purchased these bonds and just what it was being used for. According to the article, “thousands of those who contributed their hard earnings…now feel that they have been the victims of designing men and demand a legal investigation”.
Meanwhile, in Fenian circles, opinion was divided, however. “Those who are still hoping to see the independence of Ireland realised contend that there has been no fraud practised whatever.” As it stood, the bonds themselves weren’t payable until after an Irish republic was established and, therefore, bond-holders knew full well this condition.
The New York Times continued: “The courts will have a nice question to decide, however, when it is shown that these bonds were issued for the purpose of invading a country with which the United States are at peace. ” While Boston courts may decide that these bonds were invalid, most purchasers at the time felt “that the money exchanged for these bonds was a simply a donation” and was never expected to be redeemable. The value of bonds sold in Boston “during the Fenian excitement” was at least $100,000, according to The New York Times.
When the first Dáil Éireann External Loan was being floated in the United States in 1919, there was widespread publicity informing Fenian Bond holders that they could exchange their Fenian bonds for the new External Loan bonds, under the recently formed Irish government. The Dail upheld the original condition of the Fenian bond – they could be redeemed once an Irish republic had been established...or in this case declared.
For ten years – between June 1927 and October 1937 – an office operated by the now-independent Irish state was based at 117 Liberty Street, New York City where bond holders could redeem their bonds in person or by mail. The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs spent thousands of dollars on press and radio advertisements throughout the United States telling folks where they could redeem their by now elderly Fenian bonds. A time limit was placed on the opportunity however - the final date for redemption of these pieces of Irish-American history was 30 June, 1936. Any outstanding bonds were thereafter valued only as collectibles.
Research is ongoing.
Research is ongoing.
8
In 6 days from November 3rd to 8th inclusive, British military forces completed 1118 raids, 27 arrests, 32 sentences, 8 proclamations and suppressions, 1 court martial and 6 armed assaults on Irish citizens.
The 2nd Assistant Comissioner DMP, William Redmond, who had been charged with restructuring the inteligence department of the force, the G Division, ordered they all attend and parade in Brunswick Street where he addressed them. As part of the morale booster he said ‘It was extraordinary that you who know Dublin so well could not catch Michael Collins, wheras a man who had only just arrived from England had managed to meet him more than once’
Richard Abbott ‘Police Casualties in Ireland 1919-1922’ Mercier Press, Cork. 2000 p53
This revelation was quickly passed to Michael Collins. This coupled with information about the Belfast based detectives living around the city incognito led Collins to immediately order a full and widespread search. Through his own contacts, deep within the British Secret Service, Collins discovered that an agent had been placed close to him, named Byrne and an RIC Detective Inspector’s son from Newcastle West, Co. Limerick. Byrne had begun inflitrating Irish circles in London, posing as ‘one of the fiery communist speakers whose podium adjoined the Irish Self-Determination League’s platform at Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park.’
Richard Abbott ‘Police Casualties in Ireland 1919-1922’ Mercier Press, Cork. 2000 p53
Byrne had visited Dublin, even handing over a suitcase of arms. A security forces search of the building which the arms had been taken effectively blew his cover and he was marked as suspect. Meanwhile, Collins had inflitrated one of his men into the RIC barracks in Musgrave Street, Redmond’s original office. Photographs were removed from files and identifications made of suspected detectives.
$10,000 was given to James O’Mara for transmission to the Irish delegation in Paris from the Friends of Irish Freedom Victory Fund.
The de Valera meeting was to be held in the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles - that is, until the lease was cancelled at the last moment by the management committee of the Auditorium. De Valera was ‘ prevailed to wait untilt he following Sunday, when the baseball park was available. An audience of 30,000 greeted him, the largest audience ever gathered in Los Angeles’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:23 – December 5th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
In 6 days from November 3rd to 8th inclusive, British military forces completed 1118 raids, 27 arrests, 32 sentences, 8 proclamations and suppressions, 1 court martial and 6 armed assaults on Irish citizens.
The 2nd Assistant Comissioner DMP, William Redmond, who had been charged with restructuring the inteligence department of the force, the G Division, ordered they all attend and parade in Brunswick Street where he addressed them. As part of the morale booster he said ‘It was extraordinary that you who know Dublin so well could not catch Michael Collins, wheras a man who had only just arrived from England had managed to meet him more than once’
Richard Abbott ‘Police Casualties in Ireland 1919-1922’ Mercier Press, Cork. 2000 p53
This revelation was quickly passed to Michael Collins. This coupled with information about the Belfast based detectives living around the city incognito led Collins to immediately order a full and widespread search. Through his own contacts, deep within the British Secret Service, Collins discovered that an agent had been placed close to him, named Byrne and an RIC Detective Inspector’s son from Newcastle West, Co. Limerick. Byrne had begun inflitrating Irish circles in London, posing as ‘one of the fiery communist speakers whose podium adjoined the Irish Self-Determination League’s platform at Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park.’
Richard Abbott ‘Police Casualties in Ireland 1919-1922’ Mercier Press, Cork. 2000 p53
Byrne had visited Dublin, even handing over a suitcase of arms. A security forces search of the building which the arms had been taken effectively blew his cover and he was marked as suspect. Meanwhile, Collins had inflitrated one of his men into the RIC barracks in Musgrave Street, Redmond’s original office. Photographs were removed from files and identifications made of suspected detectives.
$10,000 was given to James O’Mara for transmission to the Irish delegation in Paris from the Friends of Irish Freedom Victory Fund.
The de Valera meeting was to be held in the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles - that is, until the lease was cancelled at the last moment by the management committee of the Auditorium. De Valera was ‘ prevailed to wait untilt he following Sunday, when the baseball park was available. An audience of 30,000 greeted him, the largest audience ever gathered in Los Angeles’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:23 – December 5th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
10
Shops in principal streets in Cork City was sacked and looted by the same troops as sacked Fermoy. Kinsale and Athlone received similar treatment. In the streets of Cork, men from the Shropshire Regiment ‘marched through the streets shouting ‘To Hell with Sinn Fein’ and then proceeded to attack civilians. The entire regiment particiapted and brought in armoured cars to aid them. They smashed shop windows and instituted a general reign of terror. Unarmed citizens were absolouetley at their mercy… The commanding Office, General Strickland…sent a public letter of apology for the action of his men to the Lord Mayor of Cork and promised that the leaders of the soldiers riot would be punished.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:23 – December 5th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
However this was after the initial news released to the US press from Belfast was that the citizens of Cork had attacked the soldiers.
Shortly afterwards, a number of claims for malicious injury to property was made and granted in the Courts along with a claim for £2,000 for personal injuries when wounded by Captain Harris, APM.
Arthur Griffith commenting to an English journalist, explained the ‘Irish Question’: ‘ If, in the recent war, Germany had conquered your country, had abolished your separate nation and land…taken away your separate government, had reduced you to a province of the German Empire. Had filled your country with German soldiers, had bribed the most ignorant and meanest section of your population to act as spies, had set amongst you as governors, those who foreswore their English nationality, had governed you, not in your interests, but in the interests of Germany…would you have been loyal to this government?’. The Englishman said ‘Certainly not’.He also said to this Englishman ‘Would you have taught your children to honour and accept the government or would you have taught your children to war against it for seven years or for seventy, or for seven hundred?’ And he said ‘Yes, and for a thousand years’. ‘Well’ said Griffith, ‘that is the Irish Question’.
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Smith Brothers make the first succesful flight from England to Australia.
In the Senate, Senator John Sharp Williams from Missishippi launched a new attack on Irish American groups with a verbal assault on Senator David Walsh of Massachusets. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter paints the picture:
‘The latest attack was cold-blooded, deliberately schemed. Senator Williams had smarted under the country-wide criticism that followed his attack of a few weeks ago, when his intemperate, insulting words directed against the Irish race as a whole aroused the indignation of the entire country…practically every Senator realised that Senator Williams ws ‘gunning’ for Senator Walsh, and. At the first opportunity, would oratorically assault him with venemous language, poisioned with biogeted hatred, and the assault came as per schedule.’ The Newsletter continues saying that in fairness to the Senator from Missisihippi, this time around he wasn’t drunk, so ‘the usual excuses do not apply’. Space preculded the Newsletter from printing the full text of the attack, but did include the reply from Senator Henry Cabot Lodge (1850-1924 ) ( Republican Senator from Massachussets and representative of a large Irish American electorate ) in defence of Senator Walsh:
‘No matter what race he springs from, and he springs from one with which the world is familiar, a race of great talent and brilliancy, he is as good an American as I know. I do not think it necessary to go back and examine every mans geanealogy and ancestry to determine whether he is an American…’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:20, November 14th 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Michael Strank, born. One of the iconic U.S. Marine flag raisers on Iwo Jima in 1945.
11
The Bulletin, a ‘highly seditious’ newspaper published secretly by Dail Eireann & edited by Desmond Fitzgerald made its appearance. This paper would appear several times a week listing day to day facts of British aggression and countering publication by Dublin Castle of the ‘political crimes statements’. By this stage, all offical pro-Republican press had been suppressed and closed and so was the only dissenting source of information. The first issue carried details of:
‘ outrages comitted by the British Government in Ireland from May 1st, 1916 to September 30th, 1919. These include 58 murders, 2076 deportations, 431 armed assaults on unarmed civilians, 5859 rais of private houses etc, 5394 arrests, 1998 sentences, 292 proclamations and suppressions, 51 newspapers supressed and 524 courts-martial.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
A planned assassination attempt on Lord French during the Armistice Day parade was cancelled by the intervention of Arthur Griffith.
General Hackett-Pain, Commander of the British Forces in Ulster proscribed a number of Nationalist meetings in the province. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter commented ‘..a few weeks of this sort of tactics by the Carsonites will nto only make every Nationalist and ardent Sinn Feiner, but will still further weaken the already tottering Carsonite minority.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Irish Self-Determination League held a meeting in Holborn Hall, London to demand ‘international recognition of Ireland’s determination to be free and independent’.
Order issued by the Inspector General's office of the RIC which gave the authority to recruit non-Irishmen to the RIC.
The British Cabinet meeting considered the Irish Committee report from Walter Long on two home rule parliaments and decided that a draft bill based on the report be completed. General agreement within Cabinet would be reached on December 3rd.
Former British Army Sergeant Tom Barry, home in Bandon Co. Cork, is remembered to have raised the Union Jack on Armistice Day 1919. By the following year, Sergeant Tom Barry would be an Irish Volunteer and guerrilla leader.
The Bulletin, a ‘highly seditious’ newspaper published secretly by Dail Eireann & edited by Desmond Fitzgerald made its appearance. This paper would appear several times a week listing day to day facts of British aggression and countering publication by Dublin Castle of the ‘political crimes statements’. By this stage, all offical pro-Republican press had been suppressed and closed and so was the only dissenting source of information. The first issue carried details of:
‘ outrages comitted by the British Government in Ireland from May 1st, 1916 to September 30th, 1919. These include 58 murders, 2076 deportations, 431 armed assaults on unarmed civilians, 5859 rais of private houses etc, 5394 arrests, 1998 sentences, 292 proclamations and suppressions, 51 newspapers supressed and 524 courts-martial.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
A planned assassination attempt on Lord French during the Armistice Day parade was cancelled by the intervention of Arthur Griffith.
General Hackett-Pain, Commander of the British Forces in Ulster proscribed a number of Nationalist meetings in the province. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter commented ‘..a few weeks of this sort of tactics by the Carsonites will nto only make every Nationalist and ardent Sinn Feiner, but will still further weaken the already tottering Carsonite minority.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Irish Self-Determination League held a meeting in Holborn Hall, London to demand ‘international recognition of Ireland’s determination to be free and independent’.
Order issued by the Inspector General's office of the RIC which gave the authority to recruit non-Irishmen to the RIC.
The British Cabinet meeting considered the Irish Committee report from Walter Long on two home rule parliaments and decided that a draft bill based on the report be completed. General agreement within Cabinet would be reached on December 3rd.
Former British Army Sergeant Tom Barry, home in Bandon Co. Cork, is remembered to have raised the Union Jack on Armistice Day 1919. By the following year, Sergeant Tom Barry would be an Irish Volunteer and guerrilla leader.
12
Military and police raid the Republican Government headquarters in Harcourt Street, arresting and imprisoning staff and removing printing facilities.
Military and police raid the Republican Government headquarters in Harcourt Street, arresting and imprisoning staff and removing printing facilities.
13
Dublin Castle issued an order, forbidding cars to be used throughout Ireland.
Robert Barton (1881-1975), Sinn Fein Minister for Agriculture (1919-21) wrote to Diarmuid Lynch from Sinn Fein Headquarters, 6 Harcourt St. Dublin:
“ A Dhiarmuid a chara,
In addition to the weekly list of Acts of Aggression, we are now sending out a daily bulletin of important news items to the foreign correspondents here and in England. I expect that you are doing work of a similar nature. I would be glad to know if you have any suggestions to make regarding the copy we send you, and whether you are being kept well enough supplied.
The information from your quarter is very encouraging. Things are going splendidly here despite the efforts of the enemy.
Here are a couple of addresses to which you might send any propaganda matter you are sending out.
Best respects to yourself and all the boys,
Mise le meas,
Riobard”
Addresses include Bernard McGillian of the Chicago Citizen, Senor Vildosola of the Mecurio de Chile in Chile and Prof. Lionel Johnson, School of Engineering at Harvard University”
The DeValera Papers - Franciscan Library, Killiney. Folio: 1234.
Dublin Castle issued an order, forbidding cars to be used throughout Ireland.
Robert Barton (1881-1975), Sinn Fein Minister for Agriculture (1919-21) wrote to Diarmuid Lynch from Sinn Fein Headquarters, 6 Harcourt St. Dublin:
“ A Dhiarmuid a chara,
In addition to the weekly list of Acts of Aggression, we are now sending out a daily bulletin of important news items to the foreign correspondents here and in England. I expect that you are doing work of a similar nature. I would be glad to know if you have any suggestions to make regarding the copy we send you, and whether you are being kept well enough supplied.
The information from your quarter is very encouraging. Things are going splendidly here despite the efforts of the enemy.
Here are a couple of addresses to which you might send any propaganda matter you are sending out.
Best respects to yourself and all the boys,
Mise le meas,
Riobard”
Addresses include Bernard McGillian of the Chicago Citizen, Senor Vildosola of the Mecurio de Chile in Chile and Prof. Lionel Johnson, School of Engineering at Harvard University”
The DeValera Papers - Franciscan Library, Killiney. Folio: 1234.
14
Terence MacSwiney began a hunger strike to protest at his jailing and was released within days.
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter announced that it’s Secretary, Katherine Hughes was on an organising trip through the South and ‘Men and women in southern cities and towns which are without branches of the Friends of Irish Freedom should coummunicate with the Bureau…there is no charge for her services as an organiser. The Bureau cannot promise that she will be able to stop at every place…but she will drop in for a few days wherever time and routing permit.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:20, November 14th 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Flowery prose appeared to be have got the better of editorial policy in the Rome Herald newspaper, Georgia:
‘Most Americans’ it continues ‘have some Irish blood in their veins, and they never attempt to conceal the fact; rather do they blazon it abroad. They want it known that their ancestors came from the land where the harp of Erin tunes its mellow notes, where the shamrock grows in wild profusion, where the age-long fight for liberty is part of the religion of the country; where the grass grows greenest and the cheeks of the maiden glow brightest; where wit is proverbial and eloquence reaches highest perfection.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:20 – November 20, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
As to the frequent request the Irish National Bureau received on ‘in what way can I do something to advance the cause of Ireland?’ Organise branches of the Friends of Irish Freedom. Wherever 12 American men or women of Irish blood can be grouped for meetings at convenient hall or home, a branch can be organised. Diarmuid Lynch T.D., National secretary, 280 Broadway, New York will gladly supply detailed advice, organisation blanks etc. there should be a branch in every city and town of America, and in the larger cities there should be many.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:20, November 14th 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
In New York, the Inter-Church League for Irish Independence organised to ‘ defend the loyal Americans and loyal Protestants in this country against the slurs cast upon them by British propagandists who have practically proclaimed to the world that the Protestant religion is desirious of keeping Ireland in bondage in order to maintain supremacy. In a statement signed by a large number of Protestant ministers and prominent laymen, it is said ‘ This is slander against our religion that Protestants all over the world resent. Protestants have never fought to enslave any people, no matter what their creed might be. Protestantism is more hurt by the charge that it is selfishly opposed to the freedom of the Irish nation than is the cause of Irish freedom’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Inter-Church League letterhead reported its organisation address as 2126 Woolworth Building, New York and its board as:
President: John E. Millholland. New York
Vice-President: Lindsay Crawford, President & founder in Ulster of the Independent Orange Lodges and Editor ‘The Statesman’. Toronto
Secretary: The Rev. Norman Thomas. Editor of ‘The World Tomorrow’ New York & Minister of the Presbyterian Church. Widely regarded as ‘The Socialist Presbyterian’ and pacifist critic of the Wilson administration during the war.
Treasurer: William Harmon Black, Woolworth Building, New York.
Executive Committee: Rev. Owen Lovejoy – President National Conference of Social Work, New York & Minister of the Congregational Church.
Mrs W.J.Browns, Miss G. Goller, Mrs N.G.Sexton,
Prof. H.E.Cory University of California,
Prof. A.U.Pope New York,
Rev. G.A. Lackland, Denver Colorado. Minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Rev. F. Lloyd,
Rev. W.B. Spofford of St. Georges Church, Chiacgo, Minister Episcopal Church.
D.C. O’Flaherty.
The Inter-Church League issued a letter ‘and widely distributed throughout America reads in part as follows:
‘The religious aspect of the question of Irish indpendence concerns you vitally. Stripped of its camoflage of political propaganda, the religious issue in Ireland comes to this: the world is asked to believe that to maintain its supremacy in Ireland, the Protestant religion is desirous of keeping a nation in political bondage, andto attain this unholy end is willing to use machine guns, bomb dropping aeroplanes, the dungeon and the sword. This is slander against our religion that Protestants the world over resent. Protestants have never fought to enslave any people, no matter what their creed might be. Protestants gladly fought for the freedom of Catholic Belgium, Catholic Cuba, Catholic France and Catholic Poland. Protestantism is mor ehurt by the charge that it is selfishly opposed to the freedom of the Irish nation than is the cause of Irish freedom.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:22 – November 28, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
As a crucial vote on US membership in the League of Nations was imminent in Washington DC, de Valera “ Seeking to garner whatever kudos might accrue from this defeat…made the grand gesture of cutting short his speaking tour and returned to the Waldorf-Astoria... in real terms he had failed to secure either American recognition for Ireland or backing for the Irish membership of the League. Although his contribution and that of the Irish Americans was greatly exaggerated at the time, his campaign could be and was represented as having had a bearing on the Senate result..”
Tim Pat Coogan “De Valera, Long Fellow, Long Shadow” Hutchinson, London. 1993. p171
De Valera’s last meeting was held in San Francisco and was escorted to the meeting by 300 World War Veterans, many crippled and wearing their decorations. The crowd was estimated at 27,000
Terence MacSwiney began a hunger strike to protest at his jailing and was released within days.
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter announced that it’s Secretary, Katherine Hughes was on an organising trip through the South and ‘Men and women in southern cities and towns which are without branches of the Friends of Irish Freedom should coummunicate with the Bureau…there is no charge for her services as an organiser. The Bureau cannot promise that she will be able to stop at every place…but she will drop in for a few days wherever time and routing permit.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:20, November 14th 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Flowery prose appeared to be have got the better of editorial policy in the Rome Herald newspaper, Georgia:
‘Most Americans’ it continues ‘have some Irish blood in their veins, and they never attempt to conceal the fact; rather do they blazon it abroad. They want it known that their ancestors came from the land where the harp of Erin tunes its mellow notes, where the shamrock grows in wild profusion, where the age-long fight for liberty is part of the religion of the country; where the grass grows greenest and the cheeks of the maiden glow brightest; where wit is proverbial and eloquence reaches highest perfection.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:20 – November 20, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
As to the frequent request the Irish National Bureau received on ‘in what way can I do something to advance the cause of Ireland?’ Organise branches of the Friends of Irish Freedom. Wherever 12 American men or women of Irish blood can be grouped for meetings at convenient hall or home, a branch can be organised. Diarmuid Lynch T.D., National secretary, 280 Broadway, New York will gladly supply detailed advice, organisation blanks etc. there should be a branch in every city and town of America, and in the larger cities there should be many.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:20, November 14th 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
In New York, the Inter-Church League for Irish Independence organised to ‘ defend the loyal Americans and loyal Protestants in this country against the slurs cast upon them by British propagandists who have practically proclaimed to the world that the Protestant religion is desirious of keeping Ireland in bondage in order to maintain supremacy. In a statement signed by a large number of Protestant ministers and prominent laymen, it is said ‘ This is slander against our religion that Protestants all over the world resent. Protestants have never fought to enslave any people, no matter what their creed might be. Protestantism is more hurt by the charge that it is selfishly opposed to the freedom of the Irish nation than is the cause of Irish freedom’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Inter-Church League letterhead reported its organisation address as 2126 Woolworth Building, New York and its board as:
President: John E. Millholland. New York
Vice-President: Lindsay Crawford, President & founder in Ulster of the Independent Orange Lodges and Editor ‘The Statesman’. Toronto
Secretary: The Rev. Norman Thomas. Editor of ‘The World Tomorrow’ New York & Minister of the Presbyterian Church. Widely regarded as ‘The Socialist Presbyterian’ and pacifist critic of the Wilson administration during the war.
Treasurer: William Harmon Black, Woolworth Building, New York.
Executive Committee: Rev. Owen Lovejoy – President National Conference of Social Work, New York & Minister of the Congregational Church.
Mrs W.J.Browns, Miss G. Goller, Mrs N.G.Sexton,
Prof. H.E.Cory University of California,
Prof. A.U.Pope New York,
Rev. G.A. Lackland, Denver Colorado. Minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Rev. F. Lloyd,
Rev. W.B. Spofford of St. Georges Church, Chiacgo, Minister Episcopal Church.
D.C. O’Flaherty.
The Inter-Church League issued a letter ‘and widely distributed throughout America reads in part as follows:
‘The religious aspect of the question of Irish indpendence concerns you vitally. Stripped of its camoflage of political propaganda, the religious issue in Ireland comes to this: the world is asked to believe that to maintain its supremacy in Ireland, the Protestant religion is desirous of keeping a nation in political bondage, andto attain this unholy end is willing to use machine guns, bomb dropping aeroplanes, the dungeon and the sword. This is slander against our religion that Protestants the world over resent. Protestants have never fought to enslave any people, no matter what their creed might be. Protestants gladly fought for the freedom of Catholic Belgium, Catholic Cuba, Catholic France and Catholic Poland. Protestantism is mor ehurt by the charge that it is selfishly opposed to the freedom of the Irish nation than is the cause of Irish freedom.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:22 – November 28, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
As a crucial vote on US membership in the League of Nations was imminent in Washington DC, de Valera “ Seeking to garner whatever kudos might accrue from this defeat…made the grand gesture of cutting short his speaking tour and returned to the Waldorf-Astoria... in real terms he had failed to secure either American recognition for Ireland or backing for the Irish membership of the League. Although his contribution and that of the Irish Americans was greatly exaggerated at the time, his campaign could be and was represented as having had a bearing on the Senate result..”
Tim Pat Coogan “De Valera, Long Fellow, Long Shadow” Hutchinson, London. 1993. p171
De Valera’s last meeting was held in San Francisco and was escorted to the meeting by 300 World War Veterans, many crippled and wearing their decorations. The crowd was estimated at 27,000
15
James O’Mara joined de Valera in Portland, Oregon.
James O’Mara joined de Valera in Portland, Oregon.
The Menace could not pass up on the Admiral Sims debate with this headline and content from November 15, 1919 in issue 446:
16
The Worcester (Massachussets ) Sunday Telegram newspaper carried several ‘substantial articles from members’ of the local Friends of Irish Freedom branch. ‘One was a thoughftful reply to Senator Williams’ attack, in which it was shown that the Irish played an importnt part in the history of the United States, another gave a complete list of books bearing upon the Irish situation…a third showed up the Anglo-Saxon propaganda net, a fourth challenged two local English propaganda organisations to a public debate on the Irish situation; a fifth showed the part that Irish immigrants have taken in the history of Worcester, and a sixth claimed the stand taken by loyal Americans of Irish blood upon the question of the League of Nations was important to the best interests of our country. Publicity of this kind is of almost untold value. All over the United States there is demand for authorative information on the Irish situation. The American people want facts. Follow the example of the Worcester Americans of Irish blood.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:22 – November 28, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Worcester (Massachussets ) Sunday Telegram newspaper carried several ‘substantial articles from members’ of the local Friends of Irish Freedom branch. ‘One was a thoughftful reply to Senator Williams’ attack, in which it was shown that the Irish played an importnt part in the history of the United States, another gave a complete list of books bearing upon the Irish situation…a third showed up the Anglo-Saxon propaganda net, a fourth challenged two local English propaganda organisations to a public debate on the Irish situation; a fifth showed the part that Irish immigrants have taken in the history of Worcester, and a sixth claimed the stand taken by loyal Americans of Irish blood upon the question of the League of Nations was important to the best interests of our country. Publicity of this kind is of almost untold value. All over the United States there is demand for authorative information on the Irish situation. The American people want facts. Follow the example of the Worcester Americans of Irish blood.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:22 – November 28, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
17
The Millstreet, Co Cork bank robbery took place on this day. Cars transporting some £18,000 from two banks were stopped and robbed at gunpoint. These latter-day highwaymen gave the impression they were Volunteers, a fact that Dublin Castle accepted and then used as a pretext for armed raids on suspected I.R.A members. The reality was somewhat different and would come to the fore in late April, 1920.
In the US, Daniel A. MacKay, secretary of the Republican League of Massachussets gave an address to the Canadian Club of Boston. It’s content, as the Newsletter commented was ‘notable for its un-Americanism…Mr MacKay said ‘No Republic of Ireland exists, and by the grace of God and the Union Jack, it never will’…Toryism has no place in America…race pride is a laudable thing and our English friends in America are to be congratulated upon the remarkable interest which they take in the welfare of the so called Anglo-Saxon. But men of Irish blood are not Anglo-Saxon and never were. They are Celts and take a natural pride in the welfare of the Celtic race…but let him not, especially here in America, exemplify his love of England by advocating the application of un-American principles in the case of Ireland.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:26 – December 26th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Millstreet, Co Cork bank robbery took place on this day. Cars transporting some £18,000 from two banks were stopped and robbed at gunpoint. These latter-day highwaymen gave the impression they were Volunteers, a fact that Dublin Castle accepted and then used as a pretext for armed raids on suspected I.R.A members. The reality was somewhat different and would come to the fore in late April, 1920.
In the US, Daniel A. MacKay, secretary of the Republican League of Massachussets gave an address to the Canadian Club of Boston. It’s content, as the Newsletter commented was ‘notable for its un-Americanism…Mr MacKay said ‘No Republic of Ireland exists, and by the grace of God and the Union Jack, it never will’…Toryism has no place in America…race pride is a laudable thing and our English friends in America are to be congratulated upon the remarkable interest which they take in the welfare of the so called Anglo-Saxon. But men of Irish blood are not Anglo-Saxon and never were. They are Celts and take a natural pride in the welfare of the Celtic race…but let him not, especially here in America, exemplify his love of England by advocating the application of un-American principles in the case of Ireland.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:26 – December 26th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
18
The unusual case of the Australian Priest, Fr. O’Donnell was resolved. A chaplain during the war, winning distinguished honours for his services in the trenches on the Western Front. He was charged by a Lieutenant with having made ‘seditious utterances against England, such utterances being that Fr. O’Donnell believed that Ireland should have her freedom. The Lieutenant made many additional statements which might build up a case of treason.’ The padre was arrested and thrown in the Tower of London to await courts-martial. At his trial on this date, he was aquitted.
The unusual case of the Australian Priest, Fr. O’Donnell was resolved. A chaplain during the war, winning distinguished honours for his services in the trenches on the Western Front. He was charged by a Lieutenant with having made ‘seditious utterances against England, such utterances being that Fr. O’Donnell believed that Ireland should have her freedom. The Lieutenant made many additional statements which might build up a case of treason.’ The padre was arrested and thrown in the Tower of London to await courts-martial. At his trial on this date, he was aquitted.
19
Washington DC: The Treaty of Versailles fails a ratification vote in the Senate
The Treaty for the League of Nations received an anticipated setback in the US Senate. By the time it came up for voting, it had no fewer than 14 reservations proposed by Henry Cabot Lodge and other Senators objecting to Article 10 which bound signatories to come to the aid of member states if attacked. Many felt, despite the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s suggested amendments, that membership of the League would deprive Congress of some powers of self government. Wilson’s Democrats joined with the Republican’s to kill the Bill and also the slim Irish hopes for independent membership of the League.
The catalyst was now set for a striking difference between Irish American circles. The Friends of Irish Freedom opinion as expressed in the Irish National Bureau Newsletter was: ‘Who aroused America to the danger and who started the fight to save America? 99 out of a 100 will promptly answer: ‘The American Irish’ and such is the truth. Within 24 hours following the publication in America of the terms of the Peace Treaty, Justice Daniel F Cohalan of New York appealed to Americans of all races and creeds to rush to the defense of America. Day after day and week after week protests went up from the societies and organisations comprised of men and women of Irish blood, sounding the alarm for the entire country…they are leaders who led fearlessly…the great appeal thus far has been; “Save America first, then Ireland”. That appeal will be repeated at hundreds of meetings, and the Americans of Irish blood are certain that when America is saved, the grattitude of America will insure American assistance for Ireland in the hour of need of the Irish nation and its scattered peoples.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:22 – November 28, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Senator Borah of Idaho supported the motion that the United States reject the Peace Treaty in the League of Nations Covenant and the Irish National Bureau Newsletter reported that the speech was regarded by fellow Senators as ‘rankign with the greatest orations ever delivered before the Senate…it was delivered without notes and with a vigor and mastery of presentation which held the Senate and crowded galleries spellbound…the speech should be read by every American and this bureau will gladly furnish copies upon request.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:22 – November 28, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
“..Senator W.E.Borah, a leading member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, ascribed the principal credit for the defeat to Cohalan…“ ..you have rendered in this fight a service which no other man has rendered or could have rendered”..”
Tim Pat Coogan “De Valera, Long Fellow, Long Shadow” Hutchinson, London. 1993. p171
As for the opinion of De Valera in parliamentary circles in London: “ The British had determined that if they laid their hands on him, they would send him back to the country of his birth. The Cabinet minute containing this decision has a note written across it “It is an astonishing revelation, after all the bullying H.M.Government have put up with from this man, to find out that he is not even technically a British subject. ( Foreign Office 371/4249 )
Tim Pat Coogan “De Valera, Long Fellow, Long Shadow” Hutchinson, London. 1993. p140
In Los Angeles, the notoriously pro British LA Times newspaper in its editorial finally admitted that:
‘ neither is the Sinn Fein question one of religious faith, creed or belief. It does not typify a fight of the Catholic Church against the Church of England nor of Catholicism against Protestantism…Catholics and Protestants have mingled in the Sinn Fein movement…and are united in the opposition..the Sinn Fein question is not a religious issue. Religion has nothing to do with it.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
In Italy, Benito Mussolini and 37 Fascists are arrested following the Socialist election victory.
Ten men from the 5th Battalion, Cork No. 3 Brigade, IRA (including Mossie Donegan, Sean Cotter, Ralph Keyes, Constable Sullivan and Michael O'Callaghan) sneak on-board a British Navy vessel anchored at Bantry, hold-up the crew and make away with ten rifles, ten revolvers and ammunition
Washington DC: The Treaty of Versailles fails a ratification vote in the Senate
The Treaty for the League of Nations received an anticipated setback in the US Senate. By the time it came up for voting, it had no fewer than 14 reservations proposed by Henry Cabot Lodge and other Senators objecting to Article 10 which bound signatories to come to the aid of member states if attacked. Many felt, despite the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s suggested amendments, that membership of the League would deprive Congress of some powers of self government. Wilson’s Democrats joined with the Republican’s to kill the Bill and also the slim Irish hopes for independent membership of the League.
The catalyst was now set for a striking difference between Irish American circles. The Friends of Irish Freedom opinion as expressed in the Irish National Bureau Newsletter was: ‘Who aroused America to the danger and who started the fight to save America? 99 out of a 100 will promptly answer: ‘The American Irish’ and such is the truth. Within 24 hours following the publication in America of the terms of the Peace Treaty, Justice Daniel F Cohalan of New York appealed to Americans of all races and creeds to rush to the defense of America. Day after day and week after week protests went up from the societies and organisations comprised of men and women of Irish blood, sounding the alarm for the entire country…they are leaders who led fearlessly…the great appeal thus far has been; “Save America first, then Ireland”. That appeal will be repeated at hundreds of meetings, and the Americans of Irish blood are certain that when America is saved, the grattitude of America will insure American assistance for Ireland in the hour of need of the Irish nation and its scattered peoples.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:22 – November 28, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Senator Borah of Idaho supported the motion that the United States reject the Peace Treaty in the League of Nations Covenant and the Irish National Bureau Newsletter reported that the speech was regarded by fellow Senators as ‘rankign with the greatest orations ever delivered before the Senate…it was delivered without notes and with a vigor and mastery of presentation which held the Senate and crowded galleries spellbound…the speech should be read by every American and this bureau will gladly furnish copies upon request.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:22 – November 28, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
“..Senator W.E.Borah, a leading member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, ascribed the principal credit for the defeat to Cohalan…“ ..you have rendered in this fight a service which no other man has rendered or could have rendered”..”
Tim Pat Coogan “De Valera, Long Fellow, Long Shadow” Hutchinson, London. 1993. p171
As for the opinion of De Valera in parliamentary circles in London: “ The British had determined that if they laid their hands on him, they would send him back to the country of his birth. The Cabinet minute containing this decision has a note written across it “It is an astonishing revelation, after all the bullying H.M.Government have put up with from this man, to find out that he is not even technically a British subject. ( Foreign Office 371/4249 )
Tim Pat Coogan “De Valera, Long Fellow, Long Shadow” Hutchinson, London. 1993. p140
In Los Angeles, the notoriously pro British LA Times newspaper in its editorial finally admitted that:
‘ neither is the Sinn Fein question one of religious faith, creed or belief. It does not typify a fight of the Catholic Church against the Church of England nor of Catholicism against Protestantism…Catholics and Protestants have mingled in the Sinn Fein movement…and are united in the opposition..the Sinn Fein question is not a religious issue. Religion has nothing to do with it.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
In Italy, Benito Mussolini and 37 Fascists are arrested following the Socialist election victory.
Ten men from the 5th Battalion, Cork No. 3 Brigade, IRA (including Mossie Donegan, Sean Cotter, Ralph Keyes, Constable Sullivan and Michael O'Callaghan) sneak on-board a British Navy vessel anchored at Bantry, hold-up the crew and make away with ten rifles, ten revolvers and ammunition
20
In issue no. 20 of the Irish National Bureau Newsletter, the Friends of Irish Freedom advertised that one way of promoting the cause of Irish freedom was to organise local branches of the Friends ‘ where ever 12 American men or women of Irish blood can be grouped for meetings at convienient hall or home, a branch can be organised. Diarmuid Lynch TD, National Secretary, 280 Broadway, New York, will gladly supply detailed advice, organisation blanks etc. there should eb a branch in every city and town of America, and in the larger cities there should be many’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:20 – November 20, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Judge Cohalan wrote a number of articles for the Gaelic American and were published as a phamphlet titled ‘Freedom of the Seas’ by Otis F Wood at 10 cents
Cabot Lodge in brief note to Judge Cohalan wrote of the Treaty ratification failure in the Senate: "They were obliged to choose between the treaty with my reservations or kill it themselves. They decided to kill it themselves or, rather Mr. Wilson did, and if there was any killing to be done I am glad that they did it. I tried to ratify it with American reservations. Because American reservations were on, they destroyed it."
Tansill. ‘America and the fight for Irish Freedom 1866-1922’. Devin-Adair. New York 1957. P.338
In issue no. 20 of the Irish National Bureau Newsletter, the Friends of Irish Freedom advertised that one way of promoting the cause of Irish freedom was to organise local branches of the Friends ‘ where ever 12 American men or women of Irish blood can be grouped for meetings at convienient hall or home, a branch can be organised. Diarmuid Lynch TD, National Secretary, 280 Broadway, New York, will gladly supply detailed advice, organisation blanks etc. there should eb a branch in every city and town of America, and in the larger cities there should be many’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:20 – November 20, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Judge Cohalan wrote a number of articles for the Gaelic American and were published as a phamphlet titled ‘Freedom of the Seas’ by Otis F Wood at 10 cents
Cabot Lodge in brief note to Judge Cohalan wrote of the Treaty ratification failure in the Senate: "They were obliged to choose between the treaty with my reservations or kill it themselves. They decided to kill it themselves or, rather Mr. Wilson did, and if there was any killing to be done I am glad that they did it. I tried to ratify it with American reservations. Because American reservations were on, they destroyed it."
Tansill. ‘America and the fight for Irish Freedom 1866-1922’. Devin-Adair. New York 1957. P.338
21
Issue no.21 of the Irish National Bureau Newsletter carried an article on ‘The State Elements of Historical and Practical Politics’ written by President Wilson in 1889 while a professor in Princton. Wilson wrote ‘…the power of the community must support law or law would be nullified. This principle ‘ said the future US President ‘is strikingly illustrated in the inefficiency of the English repressive laws in Ireland. The consent of the Irish people is not behind them, though the strenght of England is, and they fail utterley, as all laws must which lack at least the passive acquiesence of those whom they concern’…Nearly thirty years later, Mr. Wilson, as President of the United States said ‘Every people should be left free to determine its own policy, its own way of development, unhindred, unthreatened, unafraid, the little along with the powerful’.
Quoted in the Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
American patriots were often invoked to provide a latter day example as in this case from the Irish National Bureau Newsletter who by ‘calling attention to the identity of British propagandists arriving weekly in the United States, has forced many of them to ‘soft-pedal’ in their public utterances. But they ar ebegining to speak more freely at the ‘specially’ arranged lectures before clubs, forums and fraternal societies. Paul Revere warned the patriots of Massachussets that the British were advancing by hanging a lantern from the old North Church. Let the patriots of the present day devise their own warning signals, that America may not be poisoned by the propaganda medicine Lord Northcliffe prescribes.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Humour was rarely used, but when deemed appropriate was included usually towards the end of a Newsletter:
‘An English officer recently registered at a New York hotel, and noting that the clerk did not greet him with any more ceremony than was accorded American guests, said ‘My good man, d’you know that the sun never at one time sets on all Great Britain’s possesions?’. The clerk, a sturdy American, replied: ‘Quite true, I believe; but as the American Indian once said, ‘It is because God wouldn’t trust the English in the dark.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Issue no.21 of the Irish National Bureau Newsletter carried an article on ‘The State Elements of Historical and Practical Politics’ written by President Wilson in 1889 while a professor in Princton. Wilson wrote ‘…the power of the community must support law or law would be nullified. This principle ‘ said the future US President ‘is strikingly illustrated in the inefficiency of the English repressive laws in Ireland. The consent of the Irish people is not behind them, though the strenght of England is, and they fail utterley, as all laws must which lack at least the passive acquiesence of those whom they concern’…Nearly thirty years later, Mr. Wilson, as President of the United States said ‘Every people should be left free to determine its own policy, its own way of development, unhindred, unthreatened, unafraid, the little along with the powerful’.
Quoted in the Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
American patriots were often invoked to provide a latter day example as in this case from the Irish National Bureau Newsletter who by ‘calling attention to the identity of British propagandists arriving weekly in the United States, has forced many of them to ‘soft-pedal’ in their public utterances. But they ar ebegining to speak more freely at the ‘specially’ arranged lectures before clubs, forums and fraternal societies. Paul Revere warned the patriots of Massachussets that the British were advancing by hanging a lantern from the old North Church. Let the patriots of the present day devise their own warning signals, that America may not be poisoned by the propaganda medicine Lord Northcliffe prescribes.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Humour was rarely used, but when deemed appropriate was included usually towards the end of a Newsletter:
‘An English officer recently registered at a New York hotel, and noting that the clerk did not greet him with any more ceremony than was accorded American guests, said ‘My good man, d’you know that the sun never at one time sets on all Great Britain’s possesions?’. The clerk, a sturdy American, replied: ‘Quite true, I believe; but as the American Indian once said, ‘It is because God wouldn’t trust the English in the dark.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:21 – November 21, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
22
An Associated Press cable from Belfast announced that William Coote ( MP Carsonite Party – South Tyrone ) and a party of six clergymen: Presbyterians Rev. Wylie Blue & Rev. William Corkery, Methodists, Rev F.E.Harte, Edward Hazleton and C.W.Maguire and the Episcopalian, Rev. Louis Crooks had sailed for New York with a telegram of support from Carson and seen off from the quayside by the Bishop of Down and Connor. Thomas Moles MP made a speech, remarking that while several American Presidents were of Ulster descent ‘ The people they were going to antagonise had left no better impress upon public life in America than that of Tamanay Hall’. Ernest Blythe, the only Ulster Protestant in the Dail pointed out that none of the them had been oficially appointed by their churches.
James Sexton, Labour MP for Liverpool wrote ‘The Labour party is in favour of granting full measure of freedom for Ireland. We see in the Irish movement, in whatever shpae it would take, so long as it is contitutional, a great benefit and a great assistance to the coming democracy of the world. Int hat respect, the views of the Labour party are in avour of supporting Ireland’s claim for freedom’
Letter to Daniel T’ O’Connell published by the Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:23 – December 5th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives
An Associated Press cable from Belfast announced that William Coote ( MP Carsonite Party – South Tyrone ) and a party of six clergymen: Presbyterians Rev. Wylie Blue & Rev. William Corkery, Methodists, Rev F.E.Harte, Edward Hazleton and C.W.Maguire and the Episcopalian, Rev. Louis Crooks had sailed for New York with a telegram of support from Carson and seen off from the quayside by the Bishop of Down and Connor. Thomas Moles MP made a speech, remarking that while several American Presidents were of Ulster descent ‘ The people they were going to antagonise had left no better impress upon public life in America than that of Tamanay Hall’. Ernest Blythe, the only Ulster Protestant in the Dail pointed out that none of the them had been oficially appointed by their churches.
James Sexton, Labour MP for Liverpool wrote ‘The Labour party is in favour of granting full measure of freedom for Ireland. We see in the Irish movement, in whatever shpae it would take, so long as it is contitutional, a great benefit and a great assistance to the coming democracy of the world. Int hat respect, the views of the Labour party are in avour of supporting Ireland’s claim for freedom’
Letter to Daniel T’ O’Connell published by the Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:23 – December 5th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives
1914: Some months after the lockout ended, Larkin left for the United States where he intended to recuperate from the strain of the lockout and raise funds for the union. Once there he became a member of the Socialist Party of America, and was involved in the Industrial Workers of the World union (the Wobblies). He became an enthusiastic supporter of the Soviet Union but was expelled from the Socialist Party of America in 1919 along with numerous other sympathisers of the Bolsheviks during the Red Scare. Larkin's speeches in support of the Soviet Union, his association with founding members of the American Communist Party, and his radical publications made him a target of the "First Red Scare" that was sweeping the US; he was jailed in 1920 for 'criminal anarchy' and was sentenced to five to ten years in Sing Sing prison. In 1923, he was pardoned and later deported back to Ireland by Al Smith, Governor of New York.
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23
British Parliament refused to release any Irish prisoners on hunger strike.
In the Dublin Municpal election, Kathleen Clarke was nominated for two wards by Sinn Fein – Wood Quay and Mountjoy and was elected Alderman for both along with W.T.Cosgrave. At the first meeting of the council, the Town Clerk ‘Henry Campbell called the roll as was the usual procedure. When he came to Mrs Wyse-Power’s name he stopped, and said she must leave the Council chamber as she had not been legally elected. Her name was on the register in Irish, and English was the legal language of the country, therefore she was disqualified. This was a bombshell, but Mrs Wyse-Power was equal to it. She refused to leave, and said that Irish was the national language of the cuntry; she dared him to prove that she was not properly elected….she made a agallant fight and won, the Town Clerk could not prove his claim..’
Kathleen Clarke. ‘Revoloutionary Woman’ O’Brien Press 1991. P170-171
De Valera and group returned to the Waldorf Astoria, New York from Washington. There, Patrick McCartan described what they found:
“ ..when we got back from San Franscisco, no progress had been made in the preparations. There seemed to be a studied effort to prove to Boland that the project was impossible. No bank would agree to accept the money, no lawyer could surmount the legal difficulties, and offices suitable for headquarters could not be rented.”
Patrick McCartan. “With de Valera in America” Bretano, New York. 1932. P.142
Tim Pat Coogan describes what followed:
“ On top of all this, Judge Cohalan advised that the proposed loan would be in contravention of American anti-fraud laws which prohibited the sale of bonds on behalf of countries not officially recognised by the USA. But again, McGarrity came to the rescue. A bank was found to accept the money, a headquarters to collect it established at 411 Fifth Avenue, and Cohalan prevailed on to serve alongside de Valera on a committee which worked out a scheme for Bond certificates.
The idea which seems to have originated with W.A.Maloney...was that these certificates could be exchanged for real bonds when the Irish Republic was recognised. A New York lawyer friend of McGarrity’s, Martin Conboy thought the idea was a good one, but suggested that an independent. non-Irish, opinion be obtained. Accordingly de Valera approached another rising politician, a partner in the NY Law Firm of Emmet, Marvin and Martin named Franklin Delano Roosevelt and sought his advice.
Roosevelt pronounced favourably on the scheme and the way was cleared for de Valera to launch a bond certificate drive, which in hindsight probably deserves to be regarded as the first “junk bond” flotation. Cohalan was not alone in his reservations. Senator John Sharp Williams felt that even the bond certificate device was illegal, condoned only because pro-Irish feeling was such that convictions were impossible. At Foggy Bottom, State Department officials were outraged. One diplomat’s verdict was “ To close our eyes and no nothing to prevent our territory being used to further rebellion against a friendly nation is not very creditable to our Government and makes us morally responsible for the situation in Ireland today”.
The Dail had decided that $1.25 million should be raised in the USA as part of the loan, but McGarrity advised de Valera to seek more. “Ask for $10 million and you’ll get $5 million” he advised. de Valera...did agree to increase to...$10 million. All he needed now was a businessman of ability and stature to organise the drive and keep its proceeds away from Cohalan and Co. This was easier said than done, given the situation in the Irish American world, so he solved the problem by sending to Ireland for James O’Mara.”
Tim Pat Coogan “De Valera, Long Fellow, Long Shadow” Hutchinson, London. 1993. p157-158.
James O’Mara the Limerick businessman had previously organised the successful 1918 Sin Fein elections. He was smuggled into the US using the same route and ship as de Valera had, the SS Lapland. This time however he had left his family of wife and seven children, a country that was facing imminent revolution to cross the Atlantic hidden between layers of life rafts.
De Valera asserted his personality on two occasions before the Bonds were issued.
“..Thousands of applications for these bonds...were presently ready for the public to sign. But before these could be sent out, President de Valera changed a word and a comma or two in the application to ensure greater definition of its purpose. The applications were then reprinted”
Patrick McCartan “ With De Valera in America” Brentano, New York. 1932.p143.
“..in the second incident, the pressure was the other way. Cohalan wanted de Valera to change a bond circular he had drafted in which de Valera used the words “peasant” and “steer”, for these terms were objectionable in American usage. But de Valera held that “peasant” had a poetic flavour and “steer” was expressive. He got his way, and emerged from the discussion voicing his satisfaction that he “had not given in to Judge Cohalan”. The argument had lasted for four hours.”
Tim Pat Coogan “De Valera, Long Fellow, Long Shadow” Hutchinson, London. 1993. p166
Rumours were by now abounding of the imminent formation of a rival Irish-American group to the Friends of Irish Freedom under control of the de Valera-McGarrity faction within Irish America.
British Parliament refused to release any Irish prisoners on hunger strike.
In the Dublin Municpal election, Kathleen Clarke was nominated for two wards by Sinn Fein – Wood Quay and Mountjoy and was elected Alderman for both along with W.T.Cosgrave. At the first meeting of the council, the Town Clerk ‘Henry Campbell called the roll as was the usual procedure. When he came to Mrs Wyse-Power’s name he stopped, and said she must leave the Council chamber as she had not been legally elected. Her name was on the register in Irish, and English was the legal language of the country, therefore she was disqualified. This was a bombshell, but Mrs Wyse-Power was equal to it. She refused to leave, and said that Irish was the national language of the cuntry; she dared him to prove that she was not properly elected….she made a agallant fight and won, the Town Clerk could not prove his claim..’
Kathleen Clarke. ‘Revoloutionary Woman’ O’Brien Press 1991. P170-171
De Valera and group returned to the Waldorf Astoria, New York from Washington. There, Patrick McCartan described what they found:
“ ..when we got back from San Franscisco, no progress had been made in the preparations. There seemed to be a studied effort to prove to Boland that the project was impossible. No bank would agree to accept the money, no lawyer could surmount the legal difficulties, and offices suitable for headquarters could not be rented.”
Patrick McCartan. “With de Valera in America” Bretano, New York. 1932. P.142
Tim Pat Coogan describes what followed:
“ On top of all this, Judge Cohalan advised that the proposed loan would be in contravention of American anti-fraud laws which prohibited the sale of bonds on behalf of countries not officially recognised by the USA. But again, McGarrity came to the rescue. A bank was found to accept the money, a headquarters to collect it established at 411 Fifth Avenue, and Cohalan prevailed on to serve alongside de Valera on a committee which worked out a scheme for Bond certificates.
The idea which seems to have originated with W.A.Maloney...was that these certificates could be exchanged for real bonds when the Irish Republic was recognised. A New York lawyer friend of McGarrity’s, Martin Conboy thought the idea was a good one, but suggested that an independent. non-Irish, opinion be obtained. Accordingly de Valera approached another rising politician, a partner in the NY Law Firm of Emmet, Marvin and Martin named Franklin Delano Roosevelt and sought his advice.
Roosevelt pronounced favourably on the scheme and the way was cleared for de Valera to launch a bond certificate drive, which in hindsight probably deserves to be regarded as the first “junk bond” flotation. Cohalan was not alone in his reservations. Senator John Sharp Williams felt that even the bond certificate device was illegal, condoned only because pro-Irish feeling was such that convictions were impossible. At Foggy Bottom, State Department officials were outraged. One diplomat’s verdict was “ To close our eyes and no nothing to prevent our territory being used to further rebellion against a friendly nation is not very creditable to our Government and makes us morally responsible for the situation in Ireland today”.
The Dail had decided that $1.25 million should be raised in the USA as part of the loan, but McGarrity advised de Valera to seek more. “Ask for $10 million and you’ll get $5 million” he advised. de Valera...did agree to increase to...$10 million. All he needed now was a businessman of ability and stature to organise the drive and keep its proceeds away from Cohalan and Co. This was easier said than done, given the situation in the Irish American world, so he solved the problem by sending to Ireland for James O’Mara.”
Tim Pat Coogan “De Valera, Long Fellow, Long Shadow” Hutchinson, London. 1993. p157-158.
James O’Mara the Limerick businessman had previously organised the successful 1918 Sin Fein elections. He was smuggled into the US using the same route and ship as de Valera had, the SS Lapland. This time however he had left his family of wife and seven children, a country that was facing imminent revolution to cross the Atlantic hidden between layers of life rafts.
De Valera asserted his personality on two occasions before the Bonds were issued.
“..Thousands of applications for these bonds...were presently ready for the public to sign. But before these could be sent out, President de Valera changed a word and a comma or two in the application to ensure greater definition of its purpose. The applications were then reprinted”
Patrick McCartan “ With De Valera in America” Brentano, New York. 1932.p143.
“..in the second incident, the pressure was the other way. Cohalan wanted de Valera to change a bond circular he had drafted in which de Valera used the words “peasant” and “steer”, for these terms were objectionable in American usage. But de Valera held that “peasant” had a poetic flavour and “steer” was expressive. He got his way, and emerged from the discussion voicing his satisfaction that he “had not given in to Judge Cohalan”. The argument had lasted for four hours.”
Tim Pat Coogan “De Valera, Long Fellow, Long Shadow” Hutchinson, London. 1993. p166
Rumours were by now abounding of the imminent formation of a rival Irish-American group to the Friends of Irish Freedom under control of the de Valera-McGarrity faction within Irish America.
25
New York: Lynch mailed a circular to all regular and associate branches of the Friends throughout the United States advising on a public hearing of the House Resolution 3404 - The Mason Bill - to be held on Friday, December 10th. Lynch urged all branches to send a delegate to attend the hearing.
New York: Lynch mailed a circular to all regular and associate branches of the Friends throughout the United States advising on a public hearing of the House Resolution 3404 - The Mason Bill - to be held on Friday, December 10th. Lynch urged all branches to send a delegate to attend the hearing.
The Friends of Irish Freedom National Executive met on November 25th:
26
The British Authorities supressed Sinn Fein, the Irish Volunteers, the Gaelic League and Cumman na mBan throughout Ireland.
There was a bit of a fuss in the Rutland, Vermont hospital when a Canadian nurse referred to the United States flag as ‘that darned old red, white and blue rag’. The American nurses demanded an apology which was not forthcoming and US papers reported that the Hospital administrator refused to compel the nurse to apologise. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter reported that the administrator was a Miss Aiken and ‘close relative of Lord Beaverbrook (Sir. Max Aiken…credited with being head of the propaganda department of the British Government’).
Miss Aiken was a sister of Lord Beaverbrook.
The British Authorities supressed Sinn Fein, the Irish Volunteers, the Gaelic League and Cumman na mBan throughout Ireland.
There was a bit of a fuss in the Rutland, Vermont hospital when a Canadian nurse referred to the United States flag as ‘that darned old red, white and blue rag’. The American nurses demanded an apology which was not forthcoming and US papers reported that the Hospital administrator refused to compel the nurse to apologise. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter reported that the administrator was a Miss Aiken and ‘close relative of Lord Beaverbrook (Sir. Max Aiken…credited with being head of the propaganda department of the British Government’).
Miss Aiken was a sister of Lord Beaverbrook.
27
Bulgaria signed the Treaty of Neuilly, ceding it’s Thracian province to Greece and loosing it’s access to the Agean Sea, reduced it’s army and pay reparations.
The London Times commented that the Government was playing for rebellion in Ireland: ‘…it seems inconcievable that any resposnile members of Parliament or politicains would deliberatley advocate the provocation of an outbreak in Ireland in the hope that Home Rule might thus be drowned in a sea of blood and repression; but we fear there are some who would contemplate a rebellion in Ireland at this time with thoughtless equanimity..’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P7
Bulgaria signed the Treaty of Neuilly, ceding it’s Thracian province to Greece and loosing it’s access to the Agean Sea, reduced it’s army and pay reparations.
The London Times commented that the Government was playing for rebellion in Ireland: ‘…it seems inconcievable that any resposnile members of Parliament or politicains would deliberatley advocate the provocation of an outbreak in Ireland in the hope that Home Rule might thus be drowned in a sea of blood and repression; but we fear there are some who would contemplate a rebellion in Ireland at this time with thoughtless equanimity..’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P7
28
The US born, Vicountess Nancy Astor became Britain’s first female MP to sit in the House of Commons, and the second to be elected. Mrs C.D.Gibson, Lady Astor’s sister made the mistake of declaring that ‘There will undoubtedly be in the future many other women elected to Parliament, but no greater honour could have come to my sister than that of being the first’ forgetting that the Countess Markievicz was the first female MP elected in 1918 but refused to take her seat in Westminster.
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter reminded its readers that on Friday, December 12th, the Mason Resoloution would be the subject of a hearing before the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. ‘In importance it will match up with the great hearing on August 30th before the Senate Committee. Former US Senator William E Mason of Chicago…is the father os the resoloution, which asks for the appropriation of funds to provide for salaries for a minister and consuls to the Republic of Ireland. No American of the present generation has done more to aid peoples of small nations than the distinguished former Senator, whose Cuban resoloution was the starting point in establishing freedom for Cuba. Every society and organisation that believs in freedom for Ireland should be represented at the hearing…Ireland’s enemies said her friends would never secure a hearing on the Mason resoloution. Again the aforesaid enemies have discovered that American statesmen are strongly favourble to affording all Americans who believe in the principle of ‘self determination for small nations’ full opportunity to be heard. British influence blocked a hearing at Paris, but fails in curbing American Congress.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:22 – November 28, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter bemoaned the fact the world war brought little permanent industry to Ireland other than aircraft manufacture in Belfast and Ford’s tractor manufacturing plant in Cork. ‘practicllay every new enterprise established during the war has already ceased to exist. Nor, with the the notable exception of shipbuilding and of margarine production, did the war occasion any considerable explansion of the chief pre-war manufacturing industries of Ireland. Government control of shipping and restriction on imports and exports repressed the flow of trade and commerce to and from the country…’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:22 – November 28, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Secretary of the Irish National Bureau, Katherine Hughes, continued her trip through the southern states of Tennesse and Georgia and reported on the level of interest and commitment to the Irish situation shown by ‘a considerable propostion of the population which can be classified as Protestant Irish….they are just as eager to help Ireland as are the Catholic Irish of the northern states..’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:22 – November 28, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The US born, Vicountess Nancy Astor became Britain’s first female MP to sit in the House of Commons, and the second to be elected. Mrs C.D.Gibson, Lady Astor’s sister made the mistake of declaring that ‘There will undoubtedly be in the future many other women elected to Parliament, but no greater honour could have come to my sister than that of being the first’ forgetting that the Countess Markievicz was the first female MP elected in 1918 but refused to take her seat in Westminster.
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter reminded its readers that on Friday, December 12th, the Mason Resoloution would be the subject of a hearing before the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. ‘In importance it will match up with the great hearing on August 30th before the Senate Committee. Former US Senator William E Mason of Chicago…is the father os the resoloution, which asks for the appropriation of funds to provide for salaries for a minister and consuls to the Republic of Ireland. No American of the present generation has done more to aid peoples of small nations than the distinguished former Senator, whose Cuban resoloution was the starting point in establishing freedom for Cuba. Every society and organisation that believs in freedom for Ireland should be represented at the hearing…Ireland’s enemies said her friends would never secure a hearing on the Mason resoloution. Again the aforesaid enemies have discovered that American statesmen are strongly favourble to affording all Americans who believe in the principle of ‘self determination for small nations’ full opportunity to be heard. British influence blocked a hearing at Paris, but fails in curbing American Congress.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:22 – November 28, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter bemoaned the fact the world war brought little permanent industry to Ireland other than aircraft manufacture in Belfast and Ford’s tractor manufacturing plant in Cork. ‘practicllay every new enterprise established during the war has already ceased to exist. Nor, with the the notable exception of shipbuilding and of margarine production, did the war occasion any considerable explansion of the chief pre-war manufacturing industries of Ireland. Government control of shipping and restriction on imports and exports repressed the flow of trade and commerce to and from the country…’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:22 – November 28, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Secretary of the Irish National Bureau, Katherine Hughes, continued her trip through the southern states of Tennesse and Georgia and reported on the level of interest and commitment to the Irish situation shown by ‘a considerable propostion of the population which can be classified as Protestant Irish….they are just as eager to help Ireland as are the Catholic Irish of the northern states..’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:22 – November 28, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
29
British Authorities ordered the closure of Dail Eireann offices at 76 Harcourt Street. The order was ignored until early January when the police cleared the building and nailed up the doors.
Detective Sergeant John Barton (36) of the DMP was shot and wounded in College Street while en-route to the Central Police Station. In 1916, he had given evidence against Joseph Plunkett and is believed to have been shot personally by Sean Treacy.
Attending the International Industrial Labour Conference in Washington D.C. was James Sexton MP for Liverpool, in a letter to the director of the Irish National Bureau declared: ‘The Labour Party is in favour of granting full measure of freedom for Ireland. We see in the Irish movement, in whatever shape it would take, as long as it is constitutional, a great benefit and a great assistance to the coming democracy of the world. In that respect, the views of the Labour Party are in favor of supporting Ireland’s claims for freedom.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:23 – December 5th, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Former Congressman Michael Donohoe recalled in a letter to Diarmuid Lynch that the American Bishops were meeting in Washington during December where it was felt that some pronouncement favourable to Ireland might be made from the conclave. A committee comprising of ‘Michael J Ryan, Hugh McCaffrey and I were the committee. The Cardinal [ Gibbons ] suggested that a ‘representative’ committee composed of such men as Bourke Cockran and Morgan J O’Brien present the case of Ireland at the forthcoming meeting of the Hierarchy. Joe McGarritty and I carried the suggestion to New York and, fortunately, the matter went no further at the time..’
MichaelO’Donohoe to Diarmuid Lynch Friends of Irish Freedom manuscript notes. Lynch Family Archives Folder 8 – 00009
British Authorities ordered the closure of Dail Eireann offices at 76 Harcourt Street. The order was ignored until early January when the police cleared the building and nailed up the doors.
Detective Sergeant John Barton (36) of the DMP was shot and wounded in College Street while en-route to the Central Police Station. In 1916, he had given evidence against Joseph Plunkett and is believed to have been shot personally by Sean Treacy.
Attending the International Industrial Labour Conference in Washington D.C. was James Sexton MP for Liverpool, in a letter to the director of the Irish National Bureau declared: ‘The Labour Party is in favour of granting full measure of freedom for Ireland. We see in the Irish movement, in whatever shape it would take, as long as it is constitutional, a great benefit and a great assistance to the coming democracy of the world. In that respect, the views of the Labour Party are in favor of supporting Ireland’s claims for freedom.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:23 – December 5th, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Former Congressman Michael Donohoe recalled in a letter to Diarmuid Lynch that the American Bishops were meeting in Washington during December where it was felt that some pronouncement favourable to Ireland might be made from the conclave. A committee comprising of ‘Michael J Ryan, Hugh McCaffrey and I were the committee. The Cardinal [ Gibbons ] suggested that a ‘representative’ committee composed of such men as Bourke Cockran and Morgan J O’Brien present the case of Ireland at the forthcoming meeting of the Hierarchy. Joe McGarritty and I carried the suggestion to New York and, fortunately, the matter went no further at the time..’
MichaelO’Donohoe to Diarmuid Lynch Friends of Irish Freedom manuscript notes. Lynch Family Archives Folder 8 – 00009
30
US Health officials declare the global "Spanish" flu pandemic has ceased.
US Health officials declare the global "Spanish" flu pandemic has ceased.
Towards the end of 1919, a growing number of influential groups, individuals and newspapers were declaring themselves in favour of Irish independence. The British Labour party, growing numbers of British MP’s and leading newspapers as well as throughout the British Commonwealth with organisations in Canada and Australia supporting independence.
British Labour MP, B. Sexton in a Washington D.C. interview stated ‘the people of Ireland legitimately and constitutionally recorded themselves as favouring freedom and self-determination – the Labour Party supports today the position as constitutionally and legitimately expressed by the people of the land...'’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
British Labour MP, B. Sexton in a Washington D.C. interview stated ‘the people of Ireland legitimately and constitutionally recorded themselves as favouring freedom and self-determination – the Labour Party supports today the position as constitutionally and legitimately expressed by the people of the land...'’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
1
American-born Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor, becomes the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, having become the second woman to be elected on November 28.
XWA (modern-day CINW), in Montreal, becomes the first public radio station in North America to go on the air
American-born Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor, becomes the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, having become the second woman to be elected on November 28.
XWA (modern-day CINW), in Montreal, becomes the first public radio station in North America to go on the air
2
The American press carried this description on the Bond Drive:
“ ..a 10,000,000 dollar bond-certificate issue of the Republic of Ireland will be launched about January 15th on the general pattern of the American Liberty Loan and Red Cross drives. Frank P Walsh, Chairman of the American Commission on Irish Independence will be the National Director with Headquarters opened yesterday at 411 Fifth Street.”
De Valera added
“ I want to emphasise the fact that this will be a sentimental appeal and not an appeal to investors...it will be distinctly understood by each subscriber to the loan that he is making a free gift of the money. repayment of the amount is contingent wholly upon the recognition of the Irish Republic as an independent nation...the certificates will be exchangeable at par for gold bonds of the Republic at the treasury of the Republic, one month after the Republic has received international recognition and the British forces have been withdrawn from the territory of the Republic.”
Ireland
The Tuam Traders Association called for a general boycott of Belfast products and services ‘ which it believed would make for ‘a speedy soloution of the so called ‘Ulster Question’…Belfast was the commercial capital of the country and most consumer goods were distributed from there… if Belfast goods were boycotted, then the required goods would come from somewhere else, that other place being Dublin.’
Arthur Mitchell ‘Revolotionary Government in Ireland – Dail Eireann 1919-1922’. P169
The American press carried this description on the Bond Drive:
“ ..a 10,000,000 dollar bond-certificate issue of the Republic of Ireland will be launched about January 15th on the general pattern of the American Liberty Loan and Red Cross drives. Frank P Walsh, Chairman of the American Commission on Irish Independence will be the National Director with Headquarters opened yesterday at 411 Fifth Street.”
De Valera added
“ I want to emphasise the fact that this will be a sentimental appeal and not an appeal to investors...it will be distinctly understood by each subscriber to the loan that he is making a free gift of the money. repayment of the amount is contingent wholly upon the recognition of the Irish Republic as an independent nation...the certificates will be exchangeable at par for gold bonds of the Republic at the treasury of the Republic, one month after the Republic has received international recognition and the British forces have been withdrawn from the territory of the Republic.”
Ireland
The Tuam Traders Association called for a general boycott of Belfast products and services ‘ which it believed would make for ‘a speedy soloution of the so called ‘Ulster Question’…Belfast was the commercial capital of the country and most consumer goods were distributed from there… if Belfast goods were boycotted, then the required goods would come from somewhere else, that other place being Dublin.’
Arthur Mitchell ‘Revolotionary Government in Ireland – Dail Eireann 1919-1922’. P169
3
The Cabinet discussed the Walter Long Irish Committee report again, and meeting minutes summed up the discussion has having some views ‘expressed in favour of keepign Ulster, or at any rate the six counties, permanently separate from the remainder of Ireland…the ultimate aim…was a united Ireland with a separate Parliament of it's own, boudn by close ties to Great Britain, but that this must be achieved with the largest possible support and without offending the Protestants in Ulster’
Liz Curtis ‘The Cause of Ireland – from the United Irishmen to Partition’. Beyond the Pale, Belfast 1994. p318
The Cabinet discussed the Walter Long Irish Committee report again, and meeting minutes summed up the discussion has having some views ‘expressed in favour of keepign Ulster, or at any rate the six counties, permanently separate from the remainder of Ireland…the ultimate aim…was a united Ireland with a separate Parliament of it's own, boudn by close ties to Great Britain, but that this must be achieved with the largest possible support and without offending the Protestants in Ulster’
Liz Curtis ‘The Cause of Ireland – from the United Irishmen to Partition’. Beyond the Pale, Belfast 1994. p318
The Belfast delegation of William Coote MP and ministers arrived in New York and ‘at once began their attacks on President de Valera and the Irish Republic. It is to be regretted that these clergymen are to lend themselves to the prosecution of a political campaign and the effort to arous religious bigotry. The fair minded Protestant clergy of America and the fiar minded American Protestants of all denominations will resent Carson mehtolds. They will not overlook the fact that Emmet, Wolfe Tone, Grattan, Butt, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Parnell and other great Irish leaders of the past were Protestants’.
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:24 – December 12th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
When de Valera challeneged W.J.Coote to a public debate who issues would be judged by an all-American commission of inquiry, Coote declined to debate with a man ‘the hands of whose followers are dyed with the blood of my countrymen’. A similar stance would be repeated some 75 years later.
As the Coote delegation toured the country, they were followed by a group of Protestant Ministers and laymen organised by the Protestant Friends of Ireland. One of the delegation called this group ‘ a lot of renegade Protestants who are being financed, backed and supported by the Roman Catholic Church’ a charge that was repeated by Coote himself. The Rev. Louis Crooks told a Detroit audience that ‘ the cause of all the trouble and disatisfaction in Ireland was the dvision of authority between 2 powers…side by side with the civil powers, there is another which is dark and tortous in its workings – even when you are in your bed at night. I mean the Vatican. ( Applause from the audience ) When these two powers come into conflict, take it from me, the civil power always goes under.'
Lindsay Crawford of the Protestant Friends of Ireland Group responded with ‘ Could there be a more striking example of rampant clericalism that the spectacle presented by Mr. Coote’s troupe of clerical nomads in their visit to the US, as the apostles of sectarian hate and bigotry’
De Valera also began to appear before gatherings in Protestant churches and was accompanied on his speaking tour by the Rev. J Grattan Mythem, an Episcopal clergyman and descendant of Henry Grattan. The Rev. Dr J.A.H. Irwin, a Presbyterian minister from Killead, Co. Antrim travelled from Ireland to support de Valera. Harry Boland described him as being ‘just the type of man we require’
Published in San Fransisco and supported by the British Consul, ‘The British Californian’ edition for December appeared. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter took umbrage with the monthly, commenting that it contained ‘not less than fifty distinct references to Ireland, to the Sinn Fein Party, to President de Valera and the leaders of those Americans who are aiding Ireland’ and stated that ‘surely the British propagandists are pretty well demoralised when it is necessary, in oen issue, to make more than fifty separate attacks on the Irish cause.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 27, January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:24 – December 12th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
When de Valera challeneged W.J.Coote to a public debate who issues would be judged by an all-American commission of inquiry, Coote declined to debate with a man ‘the hands of whose followers are dyed with the blood of my countrymen’. A similar stance would be repeated some 75 years later.
As the Coote delegation toured the country, they were followed by a group of Protestant Ministers and laymen organised by the Protestant Friends of Ireland. One of the delegation called this group ‘ a lot of renegade Protestants who are being financed, backed and supported by the Roman Catholic Church’ a charge that was repeated by Coote himself. The Rev. Louis Crooks told a Detroit audience that ‘ the cause of all the trouble and disatisfaction in Ireland was the dvision of authority between 2 powers…side by side with the civil powers, there is another which is dark and tortous in its workings – even when you are in your bed at night. I mean the Vatican. ( Applause from the audience ) When these two powers come into conflict, take it from me, the civil power always goes under.'
Lindsay Crawford of the Protestant Friends of Ireland Group responded with ‘ Could there be a more striking example of rampant clericalism that the spectacle presented by Mr. Coote’s troupe of clerical nomads in their visit to the US, as the apostles of sectarian hate and bigotry’
De Valera also began to appear before gatherings in Protestant churches and was accompanied on his speaking tour by the Rev. J Grattan Mythem, an Episcopal clergyman and descendant of Henry Grattan. The Rev. Dr J.A.H. Irwin, a Presbyterian minister from Killead, Co. Antrim travelled from Ireland to support de Valera. Harry Boland described him as being ‘just the type of man we require’
Published in San Fransisco and supported by the British Consul, ‘The British Californian’ edition for December appeared. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter took umbrage with the monthly, commenting that it contained ‘not less than fifty distinct references to Ireland, to the Sinn Fein Party, to President de Valera and the leaders of those Americans who are aiding Ireland’ and stated that ‘surely the British propagandists are pretty well demoralised when it is necessary, in oen issue, to make more than fifty separate attacks on the Irish cause.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 27, January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
4
The Belfast delegation of William Coote MP and ministers arrived in New York and ‘at once began their attacks on President de Valera and the Irish Republic. It is to be regretted that these clergymen are to lend themselves to the prosecution of a political campaign and the effort to arous religious bigotry. The fair minded Protestant clergy of America and the fiar minded American Protestants of all denominations will resent Carson mehtolds. They will not overlook the fact that Emmet, Wolfe Tone, Grattan, Butt, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Parnell and other great Irish leaders of the past were Protestants’.
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:24 – December 12th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
When de Valera challeneged W.J.Coote to a public debate who issues would be judged by an all-American commission of inquiry, Coote declined to debate with a man ‘the hands of whose followers are dyed with the blood of my countrymen’. A similar stance would be repeated some 75 years later.
As the Coote delegation toured the country, they were followed by a group of Protestant Ministers and laymen organised by the Protestant Friends of Ireland. One of the delegation called this group ‘ a lot of renegade Protestants who are being financed, backed and supported by the Roman Catholic Church’ a charge that was repeated by Coote himself. The Rev. Louis Crooks told a Detroit audience that ‘ the cause of all the trouble and disatisfaction in Ireland was the dvision of authority between 2 powers…side by side with the civil powers, there is another which is dark and tortous in its workings – even when you are in your bed at night. I mean the Vatican. ( Applause from the audience ) When these two powers come into conflict, take it from me, the civil power always goes under.'
Lindsay Crawford of the Protestant Friends of Ireland Group responded with ‘ Could there be a more striking example of rampant clericalism that the spectacle presented by Mr. Coote’s troupe of clerical nomads in their visit to the US, as the apostles of sectarian hate and bigotry’
De Valera also began to appear before gatherings in Protestant churches and was accompanied on his speaking tour by the Rev. J Grattan Mythem, an Episcopal clergyman and descendant of Henry Grattan. The Rev. Dr J.A.H. Irwin, a Presbyterian minister from Killead, Co. Antrim travelled from Ireland to support de Valera. Harry Boland described him as being ‘just the type of man we require’
Published in San Fransisco and supported by the British Consul, ‘The British Californian’ edition for December appeared. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter took umbrage with the monthly, commenting that it contained ‘not less than fifty distinct references to Ireland, to the Sinn Fein Party, to President de Valera and the leaders of those Americans who are aiding Ireland’ and stated that ‘surely the British propagandists are pretty well demoralised when it is necessary, in oen issue, to make more than fifty separate attacks on the Irish cause.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 27, January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
The Belfast delegation of William Coote MP and ministers arrived in New York and ‘at once began their attacks on President de Valera and the Irish Republic. It is to be regretted that these clergymen are to lend themselves to the prosecution of a political campaign and the effort to arous religious bigotry. The fair minded Protestant clergy of America and the fiar minded American Protestants of all denominations will resent Carson mehtolds. They will not overlook the fact that Emmet, Wolfe Tone, Grattan, Butt, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Parnell and other great Irish leaders of the past were Protestants’.
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:24 – December 12th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
When de Valera challeneged W.J.Coote to a public debate who issues would be judged by an all-American commission of inquiry, Coote declined to debate with a man ‘the hands of whose followers are dyed with the blood of my countrymen’. A similar stance would be repeated some 75 years later.
As the Coote delegation toured the country, they were followed by a group of Protestant Ministers and laymen organised by the Protestant Friends of Ireland. One of the delegation called this group ‘ a lot of renegade Protestants who are being financed, backed and supported by the Roman Catholic Church’ a charge that was repeated by Coote himself. The Rev. Louis Crooks told a Detroit audience that ‘ the cause of all the trouble and disatisfaction in Ireland was the dvision of authority between 2 powers…side by side with the civil powers, there is another which is dark and tortous in its workings – even when you are in your bed at night. I mean the Vatican. ( Applause from the audience ) When these two powers come into conflict, take it from me, the civil power always goes under.'
Lindsay Crawford of the Protestant Friends of Ireland Group responded with ‘ Could there be a more striking example of rampant clericalism that the spectacle presented by Mr. Coote’s troupe of clerical nomads in their visit to the US, as the apostles of sectarian hate and bigotry’
De Valera also began to appear before gatherings in Protestant churches and was accompanied on his speaking tour by the Rev. J Grattan Mythem, an Episcopal clergyman and descendant of Henry Grattan. The Rev. Dr J.A.H. Irwin, a Presbyterian minister from Killead, Co. Antrim travelled from Ireland to support de Valera. Harry Boland described him as being ‘just the type of man we require’
Published in San Fransisco and supported by the British Consul, ‘The British Californian’ edition for December appeared. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter took umbrage with the monthly, commenting that it contained ‘not less than fifty distinct references to Ireland, to the Sinn Fein Party, to President de Valera and the leaders of those Americans who are aiding Ireland’ and stated that ‘surely the British propagandists are pretty well demoralised when it is necessary, in oen issue, to make more than fifty separate attacks on the Irish cause.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 27, January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
5
Dr. Fogarty, Bishop of Killaloe wrote to de Valera for Christmas and described conditions in Ireland: ‘Oprression is now piled on oppression. The whole country is proclaimed – result, general public confusion bordering on anarchy – so much so that French is beginning to see double, and does not know his bearings. The latest is motor-drivers and owners must have permits. The chauffeurs, like sterlign men have struck, and a universal strike is threatened unless this stupid Government receeds…tell the chief the spirit of the people is not broken. Their teeth are set.’’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 28, January 9, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
Archbishop Walsh of Dublin contributed ‘100 guineas (£105) to be applied to the American fund which was being raised under the direction of President de Valera and the American Commission on Irish Independence. Archbishop Walsh in a letter to Cardinal O’Connell [Boston] wrote ‘ as matters now stand in Ireland, none of our newspapers dare publish the fact that I had subscribed. We are living under martial law and among the numeorus devices to which our present government had had recourse in its foolish attempts to crush the National spirit of our people is the issuing of sundry military orders. In one of these they have given notice to the editors or managers of our popular newspapers to the effect that the fate of any newspaper venturing to publish the name of any contributors to the fund, or the ammount contributed, will be immediate suppression…’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:23 – December 5th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Newsletter also raised a comparison in salaries between Irish and US Government officials. The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland received a salary equivalent of $97,400 aside from household and personal expenses wheras the President of the US received only $75,000. The Chief Secretary for Ireland: $21,550 and his opposite number in the US , the Secretary of State was paid $12,000.
The Irish National Bureau’s opposite number in New York, the British Bureau of Information ceased operations in late November 1919 which had front page prominence with ‘Checking British Propaganda’ and citing it as a ‘very considerable victory’ but that while the Bureau may be closing, ‘the operations will not cease. The glare of publicity has been too strong and the British propagandists find it necessary to retreat and locate elesewhere…the entire country is being awakened to the British metholds.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:23 – December 5th, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
As the Ulster Delegation made it’s way through the US, various full page advertisments sponsored by the Friends of Irish Freedom appeared in local press. ‘Men of Ulster, you are welcome…Americans believe in fair play, and always desire to hear both sides of every question…Wolfe Tone, an Irish Protestant was sent to his death for striving to bring freedom to his native land…Lord Edward Fitzgerald, an Irish Protestant – shot to death by a British soldier for asserting the American principle that governments dervived justpowers from the consent of the governed…for a century and a quarter the Irish Protestant showed his Catholic brother the road to freedom. Call the roll if you will: Answer Grattan…Davis…Smith O’Brien…Mitchel..Grattan’.
The advertisment closed with this‘Practical suggestion – that the issues involved may be made clear to America, we respectfully urge that both sides of the Irish question be submitted from the same platform. Our committee will agree to any arrangements which suit your convience and will delegate one or more speakers to meet the same number of our Ulster friends at any time and before any forum of American opinion’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
With the departure of the Prince of Wales from the US at the end of his tour, the Irish National Bureau Newsletter commented on how some predicted that ‘the American-Irish would make life miserable for the Prince. The final interview given…stated with emphasis that he had not received one disagreeable letter. The American police detectives, our secret service agents, also, doubtless the British agents can testify that there was not a single disturbance or outcry. It will be admitted that the Americans of Irish blood are numerous enough to have recorded their displeasure, had they so desired. Is it not further proof of how willing Americans of Irish blood are to be fair and how ill-founded are the aspertions of the enemies of Ireland in seeking to create antagonism to Ireland?…the Irish President has drawn thousands, the English Prince drew hundreds….the Prince has departed; the Irish President remains…’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:23 – December 5th, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Dr. Fogarty, Bishop of Killaloe wrote to de Valera for Christmas and described conditions in Ireland: ‘Oprression is now piled on oppression. The whole country is proclaimed – result, general public confusion bordering on anarchy – so much so that French is beginning to see double, and does not know his bearings. The latest is motor-drivers and owners must have permits. The chauffeurs, like sterlign men have struck, and a universal strike is threatened unless this stupid Government receeds…tell the chief the spirit of the people is not broken. Their teeth are set.’’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 28, January 9, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
Archbishop Walsh of Dublin contributed ‘100 guineas (£105) to be applied to the American fund which was being raised under the direction of President de Valera and the American Commission on Irish Independence. Archbishop Walsh in a letter to Cardinal O’Connell [Boston] wrote ‘ as matters now stand in Ireland, none of our newspapers dare publish the fact that I had subscribed. We are living under martial law and among the numeorus devices to which our present government had had recourse in its foolish attempts to crush the National spirit of our people is the issuing of sundry military orders. In one of these they have given notice to the editors or managers of our popular newspapers to the effect that the fate of any newspaper venturing to publish the name of any contributors to the fund, or the ammount contributed, will be immediate suppression…’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:23 – December 5th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Newsletter also raised a comparison in salaries between Irish and US Government officials. The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland received a salary equivalent of $97,400 aside from household and personal expenses wheras the President of the US received only $75,000. The Chief Secretary for Ireland: $21,550 and his opposite number in the US , the Secretary of State was paid $12,000.
The Irish National Bureau’s opposite number in New York, the British Bureau of Information ceased operations in late November 1919 which had front page prominence with ‘Checking British Propaganda’ and citing it as a ‘very considerable victory’ but that while the Bureau may be closing, ‘the operations will not cease. The glare of publicity has been too strong and the British propagandists find it necessary to retreat and locate elesewhere…the entire country is being awakened to the British metholds.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:23 – December 5th, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
As the Ulster Delegation made it’s way through the US, various full page advertisments sponsored by the Friends of Irish Freedom appeared in local press. ‘Men of Ulster, you are welcome…Americans believe in fair play, and always desire to hear both sides of every question…Wolfe Tone, an Irish Protestant was sent to his death for striving to bring freedom to his native land…Lord Edward Fitzgerald, an Irish Protestant – shot to death by a British soldier for asserting the American principle that governments dervived justpowers from the consent of the governed…for a century and a quarter the Irish Protestant showed his Catholic brother the road to freedom. Call the roll if you will: Answer Grattan…Davis…Smith O’Brien…Mitchel..Grattan’.
The advertisment closed with this‘Practical suggestion – that the issues involved may be made clear to America, we respectfully urge that both sides of the Irish question be submitted from the same platform. Our committee will agree to any arrangements which suit your convience and will delegate one or more speakers to meet the same number of our Ulster friends at any time and before any forum of American opinion’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
With the departure of the Prince of Wales from the US at the end of his tour, the Irish National Bureau Newsletter commented on how some predicted that ‘the American-Irish would make life miserable for the Prince. The final interview given…stated with emphasis that he had not received one disagreeable letter. The American police detectives, our secret service agents, also, doubtless the British agents can testify that there was not a single disturbance or outcry. It will be admitted that the Americans of Irish blood are numerous enough to have recorded their displeasure, had they so desired. Is it not further proof of how willing Americans of Irish blood are to be fair and how ill-founded are the aspertions of the enemies of Ireland in seeking to create antagonism to Ireland?…the Irish President has drawn thousands, the English Prince drew hundreds….the Prince has departed; the Irish President remains…’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:23 – December 5th, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
6
The Dearborn Michigan Independent newspaper in a letter from Cork dealing with industrial opportunities available in Ireland commented: ‘Ireland in 1917 bought from England $16,277,055 worth of boots, shoes and saddlery and $3,840,600 worth of leather. There is no reason why this twenty odd million dollars should nto go direct to American manufacturers.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Terence McSwiney wrote to Diarmuid Lynch from Cork
(part transcription below & copy of original letter follows)
’18 Sunday’s Well
Cork
Ireland
6th Dec 1919
A Diarmuid a chara.
Just after I returned home last March, I [ Word illegible ] on the Xmas card you sent last Xmas. It has been in my mind to send you a line since. And now Xmas is on us again so I can't let this occasion slip.
Though I wouldn’t leave Ireland at this moment for anything – I envy you all the exciting times & doings you can enjoy uninterupted in America. In Ireland, the IR [ Irish Republic] is proclaimed, in America you seem to have it pretty well established. Of course we shall reach that point in time. Anyway ye can claim a monopoly of free speech & meetings. Just now we can claim a monopoly of [ Word illegible ]threatening eruptions. One can't have it both ways for the whole [ Word illegible ] is the most exciting....
[transcription ongoing but proving difficult due to McSwiney's writing style - if you can assist with deciphering, get in touch!]
Lynch Family Archives. Folder 5/19
The Dearborn Michigan Independent newspaper in a letter from Cork dealing with industrial opportunities available in Ireland commented: ‘Ireland in 1917 bought from England $16,277,055 worth of boots, shoes and saddlery and $3,840,600 worth of leather. There is no reason why this twenty odd million dollars should nto go direct to American manufacturers.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Terence McSwiney wrote to Diarmuid Lynch from Cork
(part transcription below & copy of original letter follows)
’18 Sunday’s Well
Cork
Ireland
6th Dec 1919
A Diarmuid a chara.
Just after I returned home last March, I [ Word illegible ] on the Xmas card you sent last Xmas. It has been in my mind to send you a line since. And now Xmas is on us again so I can't let this occasion slip.
Though I wouldn’t leave Ireland at this moment for anything – I envy you all the exciting times & doings you can enjoy uninterupted in America. In Ireland, the IR [ Irish Republic] is proclaimed, in America you seem to have it pretty well established. Of course we shall reach that point in time. Anyway ye can claim a monopoly of free speech & meetings. Just now we can claim a monopoly of [ Word illegible ]threatening eruptions. One can't have it both ways for the whole [ Word illegible ] is the most exciting....
[transcription ongoing but proving difficult due to McSwiney's writing style - if you can assist with deciphering, get in touch!]
Lynch Family Archives. Folder 5/19
8
Sir Herbert Samuel, the former Cabinet minister said at St-Albans ‘if what is now going on in Ireland had been going on in the Austrian Empire, all England would be ringing with denunciation of the tyranny of the Hapsburgs and of denying people the right to rule themselves’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom pamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P5
The British Government issued the 1920 Civil Service estimates for Ireland: ‘the cost of police in Ireland for the coming year will be £3,387,233. The expenditure under this head for last year was £1,702,500, so that the increase is 99%. The total revenue collected in Ireland last year was £37,275,000 and the total expenditure (exclusive of naval and military operations ) was £13,537,000. So that for evey £100 collected from the Irish people, England spends £36 on Irish services and of this latter sum, £9 goes to the upkeep of the armed police who are used as portion of the permanent army of occupation.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 27, January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
In Dublin, Civil Servants were asked to serve as special constables to help shore up dwindling RIC numbers in Dublin. Not surprisingly, there were very few volunteers steping forward from their ledgers and so the idea was quietly dropped. The Freemans Journal however was silenced temporarily for speaking out against the concept of Ministry of Finance clerks stepping out as part time RIC men. In turn the Irish Statesman responded with ‘it has come to this – that in the eyes of the law under which we live, any criticsm of the Executive Government is an offence’. The London Daily News reported:
‘Both the official Sinn Fein party and the unofficial groups of gunmen have their spy service in the very heart of the Government machine. The old position, where there was always a traitor among the Irish revoloutionaries, has been completely reversed. The conspirators are now well informed and the Government utterly in the dark’
Arthur Mitchell ‘Revoloutionary Government in Ireland – Dail Eireann 1919-22’ Gill & McMillan 1996. P70
Arthur Griffith wrote to de Valera with a formal order ‘ at its last meeting the ministry unanimously decided to request you to remain for the present in the United States and consolidate the great work you are performing’
Longford & O’Neill. “Eamon de Valera “ Hutchinson, London.1970. p112
Sir Herbert Samuel, the former Cabinet minister said at St-Albans ‘if what is now going on in Ireland had been going on in the Austrian Empire, all England would be ringing with denunciation of the tyranny of the Hapsburgs and of denying people the right to rule themselves’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom pamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P5
The British Government issued the 1920 Civil Service estimates for Ireland: ‘the cost of police in Ireland for the coming year will be £3,387,233. The expenditure under this head for last year was £1,702,500, so that the increase is 99%. The total revenue collected in Ireland last year was £37,275,000 and the total expenditure (exclusive of naval and military operations ) was £13,537,000. So that for evey £100 collected from the Irish people, England spends £36 on Irish services and of this latter sum, £9 goes to the upkeep of the armed police who are used as portion of the permanent army of occupation.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 27, January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
In Dublin, Civil Servants were asked to serve as special constables to help shore up dwindling RIC numbers in Dublin. Not surprisingly, there were very few volunteers steping forward from their ledgers and so the idea was quietly dropped. The Freemans Journal however was silenced temporarily for speaking out against the concept of Ministry of Finance clerks stepping out as part time RIC men. In turn the Irish Statesman responded with ‘it has come to this – that in the eyes of the law under which we live, any criticsm of the Executive Government is an offence’. The London Daily News reported:
‘Both the official Sinn Fein party and the unofficial groups of gunmen have their spy service in the very heart of the Government machine. The old position, where there was always a traitor among the Irish revoloutionaries, has been completely reversed. The conspirators are now well informed and the Government utterly in the dark’
Arthur Mitchell ‘Revoloutionary Government in Ireland – Dail Eireann 1919-22’ Gill & McMillan 1996. P70
Arthur Griffith wrote to de Valera with a formal order ‘ at its last meeting the ministry unanimously decided to request you to remain for the present in the United States and consolidate the great work you are performing’
Longford & O’Neill. “Eamon de Valera “ Hutchinson, London.1970. p112
9
New York: Diarmuid Lynch was approached by De Valera and James O’Mara to resign his position as National Secretary of the Friends of Irish Freedom and join the staff in the Bond-Certificates Headquarters. He refused the offer but: ‘ he co-operated loyally in pushing the Bond Drive. He turned over to the Headquarters all the data that would be of service in preparing their campaign, and he furnished the addresses of 70,000 members of the Friends of Irish Freedom ..’
Tansill. ‘America and the fight for Irish Freedom 1866-1922’. Devin-Adair. New York 1957. P.351
Judge Goff reached the age of 70 and mandatory retirement age for a New York Justice.
The Friends of Irish Freedom branch in Bridgeport, Connecticut met with the Superintendant of Schools and Board of Education of Connecticut to show that a book titled ‘The Spirit of Democracy’ beign used in schools as a supplementary reader held insulting references to the Irish. It was promptly removed from schools.
Captain Wedgewood Benn MP in the House of Commons: ‘Everybody knows that Ireland is a singularly crimeless country in the ordinary sense. It is a matter of surprise that step by step with every piece of represson there has been a new outburst of disorder? Of course there is. The figures of arrests that I have collected from the newspapers are roughly as follows:
1917: 719 arrests..
1918: 2,600 arrests. Mor force, more tanks, more aeroplans, more troops; result, 1919 – 7,600 arrests…’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom pamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P6
New York: Diarmuid Lynch was approached by De Valera and James O’Mara to resign his position as National Secretary of the Friends of Irish Freedom and join the staff in the Bond-Certificates Headquarters. He refused the offer but: ‘ he co-operated loyally in pushing the Bond Drive. He turned over to the Headquarters all the data that would be of service in preparing their campaign, and he furnished the addresses of 70,000 members of the Friends of Irish Freedom ..’
Tansill. ‘America and the fight for Irish Freedom 1866-1922’. Devin-Adair. New York 1957. P.351
Judge Goff reached the age of 70 and mandatory retirement age for a New York Justice.
The Friends of Irish Freedom branch in Bridgeport, Connecticut met with the Superintendant of Schools and Board of Education of Connecticut to show that a book titled ‘The Spirit of Democracy’ beign used in schools as a supplementary reader held insulting references to the Irish. It was promptly removed from schools.
Captain Wedgewood Benn MP in the House of Commons: ‘Everybody knows that Ireland is a singularly crimeless country in the ordinary sense. It is a matter of surprise that step by step with every piece of represson there has been a new outburst of disorder? Of course there is. The figures of arrests that I have collected from the newspapers are roughly as follows:
1917: 719 arrests..
1918: 2,600 arrests. Mor force, more tanks, more aeroplans, more troops; result, 1919 – 7,600 arrests…’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom pamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P6
10
Dublin: The offices of Sinn Fein were raided and members of Dail Eireann arrested & deported to British Jails. Offices closed.
London: The Cabinet heard reports on Ulster opinion to the Long Irish Committee report. While Ulster Unionists accepted the concept of two separate Parliaments, the idea of governing the three Ulster counties ( Monaghan, Cavan & Donegal ) which had a Nationalist majority was not relished and ‘responsible’ Ulster politicians favoured limiting the scheme to six counties.
New York: Aware of growing rumours of an opposing Irish-American group with the backing of De Valera, John Devoy at a meeting of the National Council of the Friends of Irish Freedom demanded that De Valera ‘state to the National Council the exact truth of the situation in New York ‘.
De Valera addressed the Council saying that ‘ As far as himself and his colleagues were concerned, any accusation as regards lack of support were false; Judge Cohalan and John Devoy had given him every assistance in their power, that he had had several conferences with them and always found them ready with advice and help’ that ‘nobody had tried to trip him up’ and he hoped that there would be an end to all such mischievous statements’
Minutes of the Meeting of the National Council of the Friends of Irish Freedom . Lynch Family Archives.
After the meeting, Diarmuid supplied to James O’Meara a complete list of Friends of Irish Freedom Branches complete with names and addresses of their secretaries. Soon afterwards he mailed 70,000 sets of Bond Certificate Literature to individual members of the organisation.
Dublin: The offices of Sinn Fein were raided and members of Dail Eireann arrested & deported to British Jails. Offices closed.
London: The Cabinet heard reports on Ulster opinion to the Long Irish Committee report. While Ulster Unionists accepted the concept of two separate Parliaments, the idea of governing the three Ulster counties ( Monaghan, Cavan & Donegal ) which had a Nationalist majority was not relished and ‘responsible’ Ulster politicians favoured limiting the scheme to six counties.
New York: Aware of growing rumours of an opposing Irish-American group with the backing of De Valera, John Devoy at a meeting of the National Council of the Friends of Irish Freedom demanded that De Valera ‘state to the National Council the exact truth of the situation in New York ‘.
De Valera addressed the Council saying that ‘ As far as himself and his colleagues were concerned, any accusation as regards lack of support were false; Judge Cohalan and John Devoy had given him every assistance in their power, that he had had several conferences with them and always found them ready with advice and help’ that ‘nobody had tried to trip him up’ and he hoped that there would be an end to all such mischievous statements’
Minutes of the Meeting of the National Council of the Friends of Irish Freedom . Lynch Family Archives.
After the meeting, Diarmuid supplied to James O’Meara a complete list of Friends of Irish Freedom Branches complete with names and addresses of their secretaries. Soon afterwards he mailed 70,000 sets of Bond Certificate Literature to individual members of the organisation.
Liam O’Brian wote to Diarmuid from Belfast:
The Royal Arms Hotel
Belfast.
10/12/’19
A Diarmuid a cairde.
I got a Christmas card from you and your wife last year and I am trying after a years delay to answer it now. I don’t know if this will reach you ever, but if it does, heres to wish you, right at the start, all the luck in life in the New Year both for yourselves personally and for the objects that we all cherish in our hearts.
I saw a very fine photo of you lately along with the other ‘members’ who are in America and the Sean Fhear* ] and very well you looked and I hope you will continue so. I met your wife on a Clontarf tram one day immediately before she sailed away to avoid these terrible German airmen who showered so many attentions on her in London. Please give her my kindest regards.
* 'the Sean Fhear' the ‘Old Man – John Devoy.
As you may see from my address, I am taking a rest from my work in Galway University in this salubrious seaside resort. I am thinking of stopping here just about three months when I think a change will do me no harm. It was after some heavy exertions of mine at a meeting dealing with certain complicated financial schemes in which both we and you over there are interested, that some friends of mine ( and yours ) invited and even pressed me to stay a while here for my health. I really couldn’t refuse them. There are seven or eight of the guests here in our party in the hotel ( we have a special wing of the house with all modern conviences to ourselves ) at present but we are expecting others any day. Some are making a long stay. Paddy Brennan of Clare who I think you must have met, likes it so well that he says he will stay two years here. We spend our time between handball, chess, cards, floor sweeping (just for fun you know) clothes washing (for the novelty of it ) and discussing the intricacies of American domestic politics. None of us are very sure of our ground as regards the latter not are we exactly certain as to how they are going to develop. We wish we had you here to give us a lecture on the precise differences between an Anti-Wilson Democrat and an anti-League of Nations Republican or to tell us what the Board of Aldermen of New York City said to the Prince of Wales. Anyway, this country is I believe, none that satisfied with the efforts that our friend, the lanky Dago [de Valera] is leading and whatever the outcome it will say ‘Ye did your best, God bless ye’. What I personally say to my friends is ‘Hope for nothing and you won't be disappointed’.We all know that the odds are enormous and we know also that good will come of it someway or other.
Ireland is blooming and it's mind is made up, I believe, for as long as anyone can see. We are passing through stormy weather at present but that always strenghtens the old craft. You would see a number of new faces around the table in Dublin, if you came back now, but in general you would recognise all the old hands at their old job. There haven't come up many new hands who showed themselves superior. Mick of South Cork [ Michael Collins ] is still the greatest pusher of us all ( he had me there and he says he will have more ) and he does 10 mens work. There are certain people & those who recommended you to the States – who for a very long time back would like to have him as their guest but it's marvellous how he manage to dodge their enthuasiasm [reference to British attempts to capture Collins].
I was a candidate for a Unionist seat in Armagh last general election and enjoyed myself considerably. I expect to be at it again next time. But we haven't begun to do anything with the North of Ireland yet. A pity, I think.
I don’t get the opportunity of being at Mary Kate Ryan-O’Kelly’s place so often now as in the old days. They are nearly all married off now and consequently things have altered greatly. Do you remember the morning after the big dance when you and I and San T [O’Kelly] and poor Sean [MacDiarmada] met at Magees and drank your whiskey after various taxi-rides in which only myself had managed to draw off the goods satisfactorily? Those were the days. But hush! I was forgetting for the moment that you are married now. But I still cannot get used to Dublin being bereft of poor Sean’s stick tapping down O’Connell Street and turning around the corner into the little shop to see old Tom [Clarke’s shop in Parnell Street ]. I have never been in there since. I wonder will we ever have such men again?
I had a letter from Kit yesterday in which she told me she is going over to Paris next week to guide Sean T’s erring offtsteps back to the straight path of duty and Parnell Square. It seems Frank Walsh corrupted all these people when he was in France and neither Sean T nor Gavan Duffy have been the same men since. It is time they were back anyway.
We had a wonderful Oireachtas in Cork this summer, the biggest, the most Gaelic, the most talented and the most successful the G.L. [ Gaelic League ] ever had. There were many of your constituents there. I would have like to run down there and hear what they thought of you but I couldn’t. Of course there wasn’t the excitement there was at the never to be forgotten gathering in Dundalk. [ Gaelic League meeting in 1915 when the IRB took control of the Executive ]. Nobody asked the Chairman in angry tones ‘Bhfuil tu an Ard-Fheis?’ [‘Are you the Gathering?’] There was nothing half as good.
I see O’Mara has joined you lately. Has he started sending our wines all over the States yet? Such was his habit last year at the election. Cardinal Logue complained to me that he had to neglect the business of looking after the salvation of the whole Irish race at home and abroad in order to get through Mr O’Mara’s telegrams. But I must stop.
I won't be expecting a reply to this effusion as I know you must be very busy but I do hope you are not lost to us over there and that someday or other we will meet on the streets of Dublin again. My warmest greetings and those of all the men here to De Valera himself, to McCartan, Mellows, Burke, O’Mara, Harry Boland (another hustler!) and all other friends – also respectfully to old John D, although none of us have ever seen him – and lastly to Mrs Lynch and yourself. Until we meet again.
Mise, do sean chara [your old friend]
Liam O’Briain
Lynch Family Archives – Folder 5/20
Liam O’Briain (1889-1974) Scholar & Repubklican. Assistant of the French Department - UCD 1910. Received a travelling scholarship in Celtic Studies, he worked in Berlin and Bonn Universities. Returned to Ireland in 1914 to resume his position in the French Department at UCD. Member of the Irish Volunteers & Gaelic League Executive, he fought in the Easter Rising and imprisoned. Became Professor of Romance Languages at UCG (1917-58) Again imprisoned during the War of Independence, he later became a member of the Governing Body of UCG, served on the Censorship Appeals Board, the Board of the Abbey Theatre and the Military History Society of Ireland.
11
A despatch from the London Times-Public Ledger Cable service printed in the Boston Evening Transcript says ’Broadly speaking, Ireland presents the spectacle of a community on strike against its government. The government in Dublin is completely bereft of either moral or material support from the Irish people at large.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The London Daily Mail commented: ‘Nearly all the police barracks in Ireland are now fortified forts. Barbed wire entrnechments and sandbag barricades are dotted over the country; tanks and armoured cars patrol their roads. Soldiers in full fighting kit are concentrated in disturbed areas – and young Ireland is not dismayed..’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P6
RIC patrol tactics were now changing. Smaller parties of RIC or groups of soldiers led by an RIC constable began to go on patrol.
Lord French, writing to former Chief Secretary MacPherson commented on James MacMahon, the Under-Secretary for Ireland and his Assistant, Sir John Taylor: ‘The anomalous position of MacMahon and Taylor is causing me a great deal of worry. Efficient Government is quite impossible as things are at present and steps must be taken at once to cut MacMahon off from any access to papers or documents which really matter. I am sure that the man whom he is empoying as private secretary is utterly unreliable…the place seems to be honeycombed with spies and informers’
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p32
Lord French began to remove any security responsibilities from MacMahon. MacMahon was Catholic.
A despatch from the London Times-Public Ledger Cable service printed in the Boston Evening Transcript says ’Broadly speaking, Ireland presents the spectacle of a community on strike against its government. The government in Dublin is completely bereft of either moral or material support from the Irish people at large.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The London Daily Mail commented: ‘Nearly all the police barracks in Ireland are now fortified forts. Barbed wire entrnechments and sandbag barricades are dotted over the country; tanks and armoured cars patrol their roads. Soldiers in full fighting kit are concentrated in disturbed areas – and young Ireland is not dismayed..’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P6
RIC patrol tactics were now changing. Smaller parties of RIC or groups of soldiers led by an RIC constable began to go on patrol.
Lord French, writing to former Chief Secretary MacPherson commented on James MacMahon, the Under-Secretary for Ireland and his Assistant, Sir John Taylor: ‘The anomalous position of MacMahon and Taylor is causing me a great deal of worry. Efficient Government is quite impossible as things are at present and steps must be taken at once to cut MacMahon off from any access to papers or documents which really matter. I am sure that the man whom he is empoying as private secretary is utterly unreliable…the place seems to be honeycombed with spies and informers’
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p32
Lord French began to remove any security responsibilities from MacMahon. MacMahon was Catholic.
12
The London Daily News wrote of the Naked Sword ..’..not since the black years that preceeded the Union has Ireland been ruled so nakedly by the sword or have wielders of the sword encountered so fierce a resistance to their will’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P6
Elsewhere in the same issue ‘Sinn Fein it is true, has not stopped at demands. It has set up its own Parliament under the title of Dail Eireann, selected Cabinet Ministers and Heads of Departments, appointed ambassadors to act in its name at Washington and Paris, moninated consults some of whom are already at work in European countries, arrange to float a State Loan and established Arbitration Boards which throughout the greater part of Ireland are supersseding British courts of law. The Castle meets each new development in the orthodox Castle way by proclamations, arrests and the Jedburg justice of Military Courts..’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P8
While the Daily Mail wryly commented: ‘Dublin Castle is turning prosperous ploughshares into swords’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P6
The Congressman William E Mason Bill, proposed earlier in May for appropriation of funds (a modest $14,000 ) for a Minister and consuls to the Republic of Ireland, had its public hearings under the House Foreign Affairs committee. Mason’s incentive for pushing this Bill through was to make it plain to President Wilson that the people of the US desired complete recognition of the Irish Republic both as a de-facto and de-jure Government. It was supported by Judge Cohalan, Frank Walsh, Mrs Mary McWhorter ( National President of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians ), the Protestant Friends of Ireland and some 500 other public figures and delegates from throughout the US were present for the hearings.
In his opening speech, Mason argued that Congress has equal power with the President in taking the ‘first step’ in recognition of a new State’. The Bill ran into strong opposition on the grounds that no action should be taken with regard to Ireland until President Wilson had taken steps in favour of Irish recognition. One such advocate was Senator Thomas Connally of Texas who commented that the risk to America’s loyal ally, Britain, should Irish independence be conceded, anti British Ireland might rank herself alongside Britain's enemies. Representative Flood, believing that the US President held sole power on iniating the process of national recognition, proposed and alternative resoloution. This in turn prompted a series of conferences amongst Irish American leaders and de Valera, who favoured the Flood Resoloution wheras Cohalan favoured Mason. Debates continued through to late Spring 1920 with alternative resolutions proposed. The process became a legislative quagmire.
Attending among the pro-Irish witnesses were the Friends of Irish Freedom represented by Judge Daniel Cohalan ( New York Supreme Court ), Frank P. Walsh ( former joint chairman of the National War Labor Board ), W. Bourke Cochran, James Maguire and Major Eugene Kinkhead. The Protestant Friends of Ireland and Inter-Church League were represented by Lindsay Crawford, John E. Milholland and Rev. James Grattan Mythen. The Ancient Order of Hibernians were represented by its national president, James E Deery of Indianoplis and the AOH Auxilliary by Mrs Mary F. McWhorter. The Irish National Bureau, Washington D.C. was represented by Daniel T.O’Connell and Katherine Hughes. Fr. F.X.McCabe, Shaemus O’Sheel, Jospeh McGarrity and John J. Splain.
For the hearings, Geroge L. Fox organised an anti-Irish delegation, largely of Protestant clergymen, who argued that no Irish Republic existed and that the Irish question was a British domestic matter. In addition there was also a substantial amount of American opposition to the Mason resoloution.
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter began to reveal the exisiting tensions and differences between the Irish American groups as it commented that de Valera “ upon his return to New York …underwent a physcial strain in many respects more taxing upon one’s vitality thant he speakign tour which resulted in the breakdown in health of President Wilson. When President de Valera arrived in America, he had not fully recovered from the effects of confinement in a British prison, and from the moment of his arrival last June…the Irish Chief Executive has been continiously living up to speakign schedules which the average experienced public speaker would view with serious apprehension…de Valera never had those comforts resulting from travel in private cars and the assistance accruing from the services of a large staff of secretaries etc. He has travelled night and day as would a commerical salesman… Upon his arrial at New York from the Pacific Coast, President de Valera at once plunged into the huge accumulation of work awaiting his attention, and it is difficult to comprehend that the man who had gone through such a hard schedule of publci speaking could have withstood its hardships and be prepared to start anew upon other important work. President de Valera is 38 years of age, yet in the past several years of his life has been filled with activities which invariably would spread over a decade in the life of the ordinariliy busy man’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:24 – December 12th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Primary importance continued to be placed on promoting independent industrial development. The Newsletter writes ‘ Henry Ford has proved himself a real friend of Ireland. His confidence in Ireland’s industrial possibilities influence him to lead American inteersts in using Ireland as a market supplying Europe with tractors…others will meet with similar success in following Henry Ford to Ireland. The Irish National Bureau will gladly supply industrial data to those who would like to follow Ford’s example.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:24 – December 12th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
With Christmas 1919 looming, the Irish National Bureau Newsletter took an opportunity to promote books and organise reading clubs for the study of Irish history and litterature. It also advised that ‘judgement should be exercised’ when presenting a program of Irish concerts, lectures and entertainments to avoid ‘the poison of British ridicule [that] has been cleverly injected into many literary contributions labelled ‘Irish’.’
‘Buy your bond certificates early. Give to President de Valera the encouragement that is the best appreciation possible, for the great services he is rendering the people and the nation which elected him Chief Executive’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:24 – December 12th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The London Daily News wrote of the Naked Sword ..’..not since the black years that preceeded the Union has Ireland been ruled so nakedly by the sword or have wielders of the sword encountered so fierce a resistance to their will’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P6
Elsewhere in the same issue ‘Sinn Fein it is true, has not stopped at demands. It has set up its own Parliament under the title of Dail Eireann, selected Cabinet Ministers and Heads of Departments, appointed ambassadors to act in its name at Washington and Paris, moninated consults some of whom are already at work in European countries, arrange to float a State Loan and established Arbitration Boards which throughout the greater part of Ireland are supersseding British courts of law. The Castle meets each new development in the orthodox Castle way by proclamations, arrests and the Jedburg justice of Military Courts..’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P8
While the Daily Mail wryly commented: ‘Dublin Castle is turning prosperous ploughshares into swords’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P6
The Congressman William E Mason Bill, proposed earlier in May for appropriation of funds (a modest $14,000 ) for a Minister and consuls to the Republic of Ireland, had its public hearings under the House Foreign Affairs committee. Mason’s incentive for pushing this Bill through was to make it plain to President Wilson that the people of the US desired complete recognition of the Irish Republic both as a de-facto and de-jure Government. It was supported by Judge Cohalan, Frank Walsh, Mrs Mary McWhorter ( National President of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians ), the Protestant Friends of Ireland and some 500 other public figures and delegates from throughout the US were present for the hearings.
In his opening speech, Mason argued that Congress has equal power with the President in taking the ‘first step’ in recognition of a new State’. The Bill ran into strong opposition on the grounds that no action should be taken with regard to Ireland until President Wilson had taken steps in favour of Irish recognition. One such advocate was Senator Thomas Connally of Texas who commented that the risk to America’s loyal ally, Britain, should Irish independence be conceded, anti British Ireland might rank herself alongside Britain's enemies. Representative Flood, believing that the US President held sole power on iniating the process of national recognition, proposed and alternative resoloution. This in turn prompted a series of conferences amongst Irish American leaders and de Valera, who favoured the Flood Resoloution wheras Cohalan favoured Mason. Debates continued through to late Spring 1920 with alternative resolutions proposed. The process became a legislative quagmire.
Attending among the pro-Irish witnesses were the Friends of Irish Freedom represented by Judge Daniel Cohalan ( New York Supreme Court ), Frank P. Walsh ( former joint chairman of the National War Labor Board ), W. Bourke Cochran, James Maguire and Major Eugene Kinkhead. The Protestant Friends of Ireland and Inter-Church League were represented by Lindsay Crawford, John E. Milholland and Rev. James Grattan Mythen. The Ancient Order of Hibernians were represented by its national president, James E Deery of Indianoplis and the AOH Auxilliary by Mrs Mary F. McWhorter. The Irish National Bureau, Washington D.C. was represented by Daniel T.O’Connell and Katherine Hughes. Fr. F.X.McCabe, Shaemus O’Sheel, Jospeh McGarrity and John J. Splain.
For the hearings, Geroge L. Fox organised an anti-Irish delegation, largely of Protestant clergymen, who argued that no Irish Republic existed and that the Irish question was a British domestic matter. In addition there was also a substantial amount of American opposition to the Mason resoloution.
The Irish National Bureau Newsletter began to reveal the exisiting tensions and differences between the Irish American groups as it commented that de Valera “ upon his return to New York …underwent a physcial strain in many respects more taxing upon one’s vitality thant he speakign tour which resulted in the breakdown in health of President Wilson. When President de Valera arrived in America, he had not fully recovered from the effects of confinement in a British prison, and from the moment of his arrival last June…the Irish Chief Executive has been continiously living up to speakign schedules which the average experienced public speaker would view with serious apprehension…de Valera never had those comforts resulting from travel in private cars and the assistance accruing from the services of a large staff of secretaries etc. He has travelled night and day as would a commerical salesman… Upon his arrial at New York from the Pacific Coast, President de Valera at once plunged into the huge accumulation of work awaiting his attention, and it is difficult to comprehend that the man who had gone through such a hard schedule of publci speaking could have withstood its hardships and be prepared to start anew upon other important work. President de Valera is 38 years of age, yet in the past several years of his life has been filled with activities which invariably would spread over a decade in the life of the ordinariliy busy man’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:24 – December 12th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Primary importance continued to be placed on promoting independent industrial development. The Newsletter writes ‘ Henry Ford has proved himself a real friend of Ireland. His confidence in Ireland’s industrial possibilities influence him to lead American inteersts in using Ireland as a market supplying Europe with tractors…others will meet with similar success in following Henry Ford to Ireland. The Irish National Bureau will gladly supply industrial data to those who would like to follow Ford’s example.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:24 – December 12th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
With Christmas 1919 looming, the Irish National Bureau Newsletter took an opportunity to promote books and organise reading clubs for the study of Irish history and litterature. It also advised that ‘judgement should be exercised’ when presenting a program of Irish concerts, lectures and entertainments to avoid ‘the poison of British ridicule [that] has been cleverly injected into many literary contributions labelled ‘Irish’.’
‘Buy your bond certificates early. Give to President de Valera the encouragement that is the best appreciation possible, for the great services he is rendering the people and the nation which elected him Chief Executive’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:24 – December 12th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
13
The London Times reported ‘the citadel of Sinn Fein is in the minds of the young, the prospect of dying for Ireland haunts the dreams of thousands of youths today...you can neither terrify or bribe Sinn Fein.’
The Knoxville, Tennessee Journal-Tribune newspaper asked ‘what reason is there to refuse the people of Ireland the privlidge of self-Government, if such a thing is asked? In area, Ireland is larger than either Belgium, Holland, Denmark or Switzerland. Ireland has a larger population than either Belgium, Denmark or Switzerland. With these countries before her eyes, it is no more than human for Ireland to decide that she can do as well as they.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Grand Lodge Knights of Pythias in New Jersey held their annual convention in Plainfield where they adopted a resoloution that ‘wheras we have watched the struggle and great efforts of Ireland to gain full freedom and self-Government and wheras we believe that Ireland’s fight for freedom and justice is right, therefore be it Resolved that we go on record as demanding right and justice for Ireland and for all men regardless of race, religion, creed or color and be it further Resolved that we pray to God that this great wrong be righted and Ireland be given her freedom, and we appeal to all of our friends to use their influcne to the above end.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The London Times reported ‘the citadel of Sinn Fein is in the minds of the young, the prospect of dying for Ireland haunts the dreams of thousands of youths today...you can neither terrify or bribe Sinn Fein.’
The Knoxville, Tennessee Journal-Tribune newspaper asked ‘what reason is there to refuse the people of Ireland the privlidge of self-Government, if such a thing is asked? In area, Ireland is larger than either Belgium, Holland, Denmark or Switzerland. Ireland has a larger population than either Belgium, Denmark or Switzerland. With these countries before her eyes, it is no more than human for Ireland to decide that she can do as well as they.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Grand Lodge Knights of Pythias in New Jersey held their annual convention in Plainfield where they adopted a resoloution that ‘wheras we have watched the struggle and great efforts of Ireland to gain full freedom and self-Government and wheras we believe that Ireland’s fight for freedom and justice is right, therefore be it Resolved that we go on record as demanding right and justice for Ireland and for all men regardless of race, religion, creed or color and be it further Resolved that we pray to God that this great wrong be righted and Ireland be given her freedom, and we appeal to all of our friends to use their influcne to the above end.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
14
The London Observer commented: ‘day by day the news from Ireland adds to the apprehensions of all who realise that Irish affairs are Rising to a danger point...the gravest duty that lies on the Government is to make possible the liquidation of this unreal and threatening phase..’
RIC constable Edward Bolger (47) was shot dead as he walked from his home to barracks in Kilbrittain, Co. Cork. The first RIC policeman to be killed in Cork during the War of Independence, Bolger has been targeted for his ‘zeal in supressing the republican movement in his district…he had gained a reputation as a ‘political’ and a brutal officer; a declared enemy of the Volunteers. Most recently he had arrested seven Volunteers in October and he had been the principal witness at their trial in November, the occasion for a serious riot at the courthouse.’
Peter Hart ‘The IRA & It's Enemies – Violence and Community in Cork 1916-1923’ Oxford University Press 1998. p70
First public meetings of Commission of Inquiry into the Industry and Resources of Ireland set up by the Dáil held in City Hall in Dublin. Many gave evidence (some opposed to Sinn Fein) and reporters from around the world present. Irish newspapers not permitted to publish reports on meetings.
Both Lord Lieutenant French and former Chief Secretary Macpherson had decided it was appropriate to remove the RIC Inspector-General Byrne from office by sending him on leave with Mcpherson suggesting that he be given a colonial governership. However some difficulties on his pension rights prevented Byrne from being sacked outright and this brought the Head of the Civil Service and Permananet Secretary at HM Treasury, Sir Warren Fisher into problems facing the Irish Administration. Fisher became a strong supporter of Byrne, describing the actions taken against him as ‘one of the most tragic instances on record of injustice to a public servant’
The principal speaker at a large meeting held in Newport, Rhode Island was the Rev. John Patrick Brushingham, pastor of the South Park Methodist Episcopal Church of Chicago who said ‘ I would not have been here were it not for the fact that an embassy of three Methodist and one Episcopalian ministers has just arrived to stir up religious bigotry in America and thus befog the Irish issue…it is a great pity that the religious question has been injected..’ He declared that it is a great mistake to think that the movement for Irish independence is limited to the Roman Catholic faith, as all but three of the great leaders in the past have been of the Protestant denomination’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Nebraska State Federation of Labor at it’s Convention adopted unanimously a resolution calling for the independence of Ireland urging Congress to formally recognise the Government of the people of Ireland.
The London Observer commented: ‘day by day the news from Ireland adds to the apprehensions of all who realise that Irish affairs are Rising to a danger point...the gravest duty that lies on the Government is to make possible the liquidation of this unreal and threatening phase..’
RIC constable Edward Bolger (47) was shot dead as he walked from his home to barracks in Kilbrittain, Co. Cork. The first RIC policeman to be killed in Cork during the War of Independence, Bolger has been targeted for his ‘zeal in supressing the republican movement in his district…he had gained a reputation as a ‘political’ and a brutal officer; a declared enemy of the Volunteers. Most recently he had arrested seven Volunteers in October and he had been the principal witness at their trial in November, the occasion for a serious riot at the courthouse.’
Peter Hart ‘The IRA & It's Enemies – Violence and Community in Cork 1916-1923’ Oxford University Press 1998. p70
First public meetings of Commission of Inquiry into the Industry and Resources of Ireland set up by the Dáil held in City Hall in Dublin. Many gave evidence (some opposed to Sinn Fein) and reporters from around the world present. Irish newspapers not permitted to publish reports on meetings.
Both Lord Lieutenant French and former Chief Secretary Macpherson had decided it was appropriate to remove the RIC Inspector-General Byrne from office by sending him on leave with Mcpherson suggesting that he be given a colonial governership. However some difficulties on his pension rights prevented Byrne from being sacked outright and this brought the Head of the Civil Service and Permananet Secretary at HM Treasury, Sir Warren Fisher into problems facing the Irish Administration. Fisher became a strong supporter of Byrne, describing the actions taken against him as ‘one of the most tragic instances on record of injustice to a public servant’
The principal speaker at a large meeting held in Newport, Rhode Island was the Rev. John Patrick Brushingham, pastor of the South Park Methodist Episcopal Church of Chicago who said ‘ I would not have been here were it not for the fact that an embassy of three Methodist and one Episcopalian ministers has just arrived to stir up religious bigotry in America and thus befog the Irish issue…it is a great pity that the religious question has been injected..’ He declared that it is a great mistake to think that the movement for Irish independence is limited to the Roman Catholic faith, as all but three of the great leaders in the past have been of the Protestant denomination’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Nebraska State Federation of Labor at it’s Convention adopted unanimously a resolution calling for the independence of Ireland urging Congress to formally recognise the Government of the people of Ireland.
15
London: The Cabinet heard that Sir James Craig had proposed a boundary commission that would take a vote in the areas along the six counties border to assess whether or not the inhabitants would prefer to be in the North or South Parliamentary area.
The Daily Mail reported that the Irish unrest was ‘mature, determined, national, disciplined, and above all, intelligent revolt’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P9
The Freeman’s Journal, once the official organ of John Redmond’s Irish Parliamentary Party was supressed and it’s printing plant destroyed. One of it’s last editorials before supression was ‘ as far as support of the civilian poulation is concerned, the [English] government exists in vacuum, it is steadily dying for want of ozygen, but as it dies, it becomes like the wasp, more posionouly active. The police have been diverted from their ordinary duties to support an unsupportable political regime…a government reduced to such straits cannot long survive. Crime is the greatest asset of the English Government in Ireland. It is cherished, nurtured, fostered and protected under the shadow of Castle rule.’
Drawing parallels between the Amritsar massacre in India,and British rule in Ireland, the London Daily Herald on December 15th commented:
“as it is in India, so it is in Ireland. It is quite ideal to talk about a Home Rule bill when at the time coercion of the most desperate and contemptible sort is being employed. The problem to live in liberty is becoming daily more difficult for the small and proud nation. It will never consent to live in subjection, but it is being governed by a system of open coercion where fradulent meanness is as consicious as brutal folly”
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:26 – December 26th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
London: The Cabinet heard that Sir James Craig had proposed a boundary commission that would take a vote in the areas along the six counties border to assess whether or not the inhabitants would prefer to be in the North or South Parliamentary area.
The Daily Mail reported that the Irish unrest was ‘mature, determined, national, disciplined, and above all, intelligent revolt’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P9
The Freeman’s Journal, once the official organ of John Redmond’s Irish Parliamentary Party was supressed and it’s printing plant destroyed. One of it’s last editorials before supression was ‘ as far as support of the civilian poulation is concerned, the [English] government exists in vacuum, it is steadily dying for want of ozygen, but as it dies, it becomes like the wasp, more posionouly active. The police have been diverted from their ordinary duties to support an unsupportable political regime…a government reduced to such straits cannot long survive. Crime is the greatest asset of the English Government in Ireland. It is cherished, nurtured, fostered and protected under the shadow of Castle rule.’
Drawing parallels between the Amritsar massacre in India,and British rule in Ireland, the London Daily Herald on December 15th commented:
“as it is in India, so it is in Ireland. It is quite ideal to talk about a Home Rule bill when at the time coercion of the most desperate and contemptible sort is being employed. The problem to live in liberty is becoming daily more difficult for the small and proud nation. It will never consent to live in subjection, but it is being governed by a system of open coercion where fradulent meanness is as consicious as brutal folly”
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:26 – December 26th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
16
The Westminster Gazette reported that ‘ a system of coercion such as there has not been within living memory’ is being administered by Lord French.
The British Ambassador to the US, Lord Grey and his secretary, Sir William Tyrell were recalled to London and replaced. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter was exultant on Grey’s resignation: ‘What a failure he has proved. And Sir William Tyrell, the right arm to Grey, who, because a Catholic, was expected to alienate or divide Catholic support of Ireland returns with Grey. Tyrell is also chalked down as a failure…Grey discovered the American Irish in their appeals to pure American traditions had blocked him everywhere. The sinister influences of the social gatherings, the indirect machinations of diplomatic wiles, and other customary British metholds, were of little effect. Grey and Tyrell very truly blame the American Irish for their joint failure.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Ever vigilant, the Newsletter reported that ‘when Sir Edward Grey returned to England, twenty young lads – Rhodes scholars – from twenty States sailed on the same vessel with him.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 29, January 16, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
Cardinal O’Connell of Boston speaking at a meeting said ‘Until we of the Celtic race, by liberating Ireland, prove before the world that we can stand alone, we will always be slurred…in working for Ireland we are working for the welfare of our own people in America. How in the world can we hope to escape the slur which is cast over all our people as being an inferior race unless we prove to the world…that we are not only not inferior – as races go…but that certainly in nobility of age, in intensity of faith and in persistence of execution, the Irish race is certainly a very superior race?
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Westminster Gazette reported that ‘ a system of coercion such as there has not been within living memory’ is being administered by Lord French.
The British Ambassador to the US, Lord Grey and his secretary, Sir William Tyrell were recalled to London and replaced. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter was exultant on Grey’s resignation: ‘What a failure he has proved. And Sir William Tyrell, the right arm to Grey, who, because a Catholic, was expected to alienate or divide Catholic support of Ireland returns with Grey. Tyrell is also chalked down as a failure…Grey discovered the American Irish in their appeals to pure American traditions had blocked him everywhere. The sinister influences of the social gatherings, the indirect machinations of diplomatic wiles, and other customary British metholds, were of little effect. Grey and Tyrell very truly blame the American Irish for their joint failure.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
Ever vigilant, the Newsletter reported that ‘when Sir Edward Grey returned to England, twenty young lads – Rhodes scholars – from twenty States sailed on the same vessel with him.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 29, January 16, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
Cardinal O’Connell of Boston speaking at a meeting said ‘Until we of the Celtic race, by liberating Ireland, prove before the world that we can stand alone, we will always be slurred…in working for Ireland we are working for the welfare of our own people in America. How in the world can we hope to escape the slur which is cast over all our people as being an inferior race unless we prove to the world…that we are not only not inferior – as races go…but that certainly in nobility of age, in intensity of faith and in persistence of execution, the Irish race is certainly a very superior race?
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
17
The Westminster Gazette reported that ‘Ireland was being administered like a country invaded in time of war’
The London Morning Post, never known as being friendly towards the Irish or Ireland wrote ‘ the Sinn Fein frame of mind is as open as a book to anyone who can read. The leaders are absolutely uncompromising. In a sense this is the most honest movement of the kind the country has experienced. It says what it means and sticks to it’
The London Times spoke of drastic repression: ‘Those who have followed the course of events in Ireland during the past few months cannot fail to note the steady development with which the Executive have had recourse to drastic measures of represssion’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P5
Lord Lieutenant French in an analysis of the Irish situation wrote in a memo to Cabinet: ‘The real feeling in this country was never in favour of a Republic, or indeed any form of complete seperation. The mass of the people voted as they did for fear of what would happen to them if they acted otherwise’ and went on to criticise the ‘weak and vacillitating stand’ of the British Government and that the Irish were ‘not a deep thinking people’.
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p31
French, in the same memo also argued that the IRA attacks on the RIC and inteligence ‘G’ Division were ‘the result of weakness, want of foresight and incapacity on the part of our own officials who signally failed to make instant and proper use of the powers which the Cabinet freely gave us’
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p48
Cork Railway Station was searched by the I.R.A and as the London Times reported, it was surrounded by over 200 men, the employees gathered into a room and held there while the station, freight sheds, trains and offices were searched. ‘Less than 200 feet away was the military barracks of the constabulary.’
The Westminster Gazette reported that ‘Ireland was being administered like a country invaded in time of war’
The London Morning Post, never known as being friendly towards the Irish or Ireland wrote ‘ the Sinn Fein frame of mind is as open as a book to anyone who can read. The leaders are absolutely uncompromising. In a sense this is the most honest movement of the kind the country has experienced. It says what it means and sticks to it’
The London Times spoke of drastic repression: ‘Those who have followed the course of events in Ireland during the past few months cannot fail to note the steady development with which the Executive have had recourse to drastic measures of represssion’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P5
Lord Lieutenant French in an analysis of the Irish situation wrote in a memo to Cabinet: ‘The real feeling in this country was never in favour of a Republic, or indeed any form of complete seperation. The mass of the people voted as they did for fear of what would happen to them if they acted otherwise’ and went on to criticise the ‘weak and vacillitating stand’ of the British Government and that the Irish were ‘not a deep thinking people’.
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p31
French, in the same memo also argued that the IRA attacks on the RIC and inteligence ‘G’ Division were ‘the result of weakness, want of foresight and incapacity on the part of our own officials who signally failed to make instant and proper use of the powers which the Cabinet freely gave us’
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p48
Cork Railway Station was searched by the I.R.A and as the London Times reported, it was surrounded by over 200 men, the employees gathered into a room and held there while the station, freight sheds, trains and offices were searched. ‘Less than 200 feet away was the military barracks of the constabulary.’
18
‘answering Wedgewood Benn in the English House of Commons...Winston Churchill said ‘The number of troops at present employed in Ireland is 43,000, and their monthly cost on the basis shown on page 9 of the Army Estimates is £860,000.’
Macardle. ‘The Irish Republic’ Irish Press, Dublin 19151. p315
The Boston Globe Newspaper commented ‘It is quite evident that the doctrine of force did not receive its quietus when the Germans laid downt heir arms on the Western Front. British imperialism is now discovered using the same metholds which a hopeful world was intent upon outlawing.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 28, January 9, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
‘answering Wedgewood Benn in the English House of Commons...Winston Churchill said ‘The number of troops at present employed in Ireland is 43,000, and their monthly cost on the basis shown on page 9 of the Army Estimates is £860,000.’
Macardle. ‘The Irish Republic’ Irish Press, Dublin 19151. p315
The Boston Globe Newspaper commented ‘It is quite evident that the doctrine of force did not receive its quietus when the Germans laid downt heir arms on the Western Front. British imperialism is now discovered using the same metholds which a hopeful world was intent upon outlawing.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 28, January 9, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
19
The first high profile assassination attempt was made by the Irish Volunteers. Their target was the 68 year old failed general and current Lord Lieutenant, Lord French. Copies of some indiscreet love letters between himself and a lady friend had been captured and circulated by pamphlet and he remained too good a target for the Republicans to pass on and so was ambushed while driving with an armed guard through Ashtown, Co Meath. Returning from his country home in Sligo, the hastily organised attack failed as French was travelling in the first rather than the second car of four. French and his guards escaped un-injured but a young Volunteer, a grocer’s assistant from Sligo, Martin Savage was shot dead. There were five other suspects but no witnesses could be ‘induced to give evidence against them’.
That same day in Liverpool, Lord Birkenhead brought to task those who were hoping that a redistribution of constituencies in Ireland would show a move away from the Republic in the local elections in January: ‘Don't talk nonsense. If you are prepared to allow Ireland have a Republic, then you give her self-determination. If you don't, you must deal with it some other way.
Sir James Craig met with Lloyd George and expressed his strong opinion to confine the Northern Parliament to the six Unionist majority counties. Discussed later at Cabinet, the Unionist preferences began to take centre-stage.
Issue 25 of the Irish National Bureau Newsletter announced on it’s first page that ‘The Republic is the only true Government in Ireland…. The elected Government of the Republic of Ireland is functioning…its will is recognised in Ireland as the will of the majority of the people of Ireland. Its Parliament is a representative one, meeting in regular session and performing all the ordinary duties of an elected assembly. Its authority is recognised. Its courts are sitting throughout Ireland, despite the presence of a vast English army of occupation. It is the only real Government of Ireland. The so called English Government is virtually suspended. It is not recognised by the people…its appointed officials, their authority denied by the citizenry, carry out their decrees only be physical force, exerted through the military, armed with rifle, bayonet and grenade, and supported by armoured cars and bombing planes. Such is not Government but sheer anarchy.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The ongoing controversy of the Admiral Simms article in November’s ‘World’s Work’ resulted in the Middleton, Co. Cork Urban Council registering an official complaint with the US Secretary of the Navy, J. Daniels against the charges made.
‘The relationship between the people of Middleton and the US Navy forces were at all times of the most friendly nature. The Irish people were never ‘pro-German’ – they were simply and solely ‘pro-Irish’…the pther allegations we regard as too ridiculous for refutation and we feel sorry to think that a man of Admiral Simms standing should allow himself to be used for British propaganda purposes.’ The Irish National Bureau Newsletter comments that this was of significance as Middleton was the nearest town to the US air base in Aghada and both the local community and the military enjoyed ‘the most cordial relations’. The Newsletter also made reference to an occurrence that the Admiral made no reference: ‘in the dead of night, a Sergeant and Constable of the English Police Force, while attempting to break into the storeroom at the [Aghada Air ] Station, were discovered by United States officers. They were placed under arrest, tried, convicted, and sentenced to imprisonment. It was not the friendly Sinn Feiners but the cocky, hostile and arrogant British military police authorities that our American sailors had to fear in Ireland. ‘
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Newsletter ever vigilant against British propaganda in the US, now called on its readers to assist in its ‘work of bringing to the attention of American Citizens the truth about the Irish situation and of offsetting the influence of English propaganda, which is at work in this country with ever-increasing vigour. The Irish National Bureau desires particularly to be kept informed of all local activities of an unusual nature, and , above all, to be informed of anything having a bearing upon British propaganda. In the past, it has been found that sometimes the very slightest suggestion – perhaps merely that Mr. So and So, in the course of a speech had lauded England – has given us a key for which the Irish National Bureau had long been looking. The Bureau is doing its utmost to watch the development of un-American English propaganda. It asks the assistance of every loyal American in this work.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Newsletter drew parralels between General Felipe Angeles of Mexico, who following execution for treason, his body was released to family for burial. ‘what a contrast with English civilisation! The English denied to the fmaiels of Patrick Pearse, Joseph Plunkett and other patriots the right to a Christian burial. The bodies were placed in quicklime in unconsecrated ground and everything possible was done to set aside the customs of modern civilisation.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Newsletter trumpeted a warning on a 16 page phamphlet ‘The Irish Question’ by W.R.Moody. ‘it does not give the address of ‘Moody’ or the name of the printer…the phamphlet is misleading, grossly unfair and bears all the ear-marks of ‘dark cellar’ propaganda. See that it is exposed when appearing..’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The US Republican Senator from Idaho, William Borah typified the isolationst stance taken by many during this period. He was equal to all, opposing the war and opposing the peace but succesfully merged his stand against the Versailles Treaty with that of Irish American groups, particularly the Friends of Irish Freedom. Judge Cohalan strongly supported his actions and on the 19th wrote supporting the Senator on one of his recent anti-League of Nations statements and warning from experience those leading the anti-League stance, that ‘searching investigations will be made of their activities’
Tansill. ‘America and the fight for Irish Freedom 1866-1922’. Devin-Adair. New York 1957. P.369
Sir James Craig met with Lloyd George and expressed his strong opinion to confine the Northern Parliament to the six Unionist majority counties. Discussed later at Cabinet, the Unionist preferences began to take centre-stage.
Issue 25 of the Irish National Bureau Newsletter announced on it’s first page that ‘The Republic is the only true Government in Ireland…. The elected Government of the Republic of Ireland is functioning…its will is recognised in Ireland as the will of the majority of the people of Ireland. Its Parliament is a representative one, meeting in regular session and performing all the ordinary duties of an elected assembly. Its authority is recognised. Its courts are sitting throughout Ireland, despite the presence of a vast English army of occupation. It is the only real Government of Ireland. The so called English Government is virtually suspended. It is not recognised by the people…its appointed officials, their authority denied by the citizenry, carry out their decrees only be physical force, exerted through the military, armed with rifle, bayonet and grenade, and supported by armoured cars and bombing planes. Such is not Government but sheer anarchy.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The ongoing controversy of the Admiral Simms article in November’s ‘World’s Work’ resulted in the Middleton, Co. Cork Urban Council registering an official complaint with the US Secretary of the Navy, J. Daniels against the charges made.
‘The relationship between the people of Middleton and the US Navy forces were at all times of the most friendly nature. The Irish people were never ‘pro-German’ – they were simply and solely ‘pro-Irish’…the pther allegations we regard as too ridiculous for refutation and we feel sorry to think that a man of Admiral Simms standing should allow himself to be used for British propaganda purposes.’ The Irish National Bureau Newsletter comments that this was of significance as Middleton was the nearest town to the US air base in Aghada and both the local community and the military enjoyed ‘the most cordial relations’. The Newsletter also made reference to an occurrence that the Admiral made no reference: ‘in the dead of night, a Sergeant and Constable of the English Police Force, while attempting to break into the storeroom at the [Aghada Air ] Station, were discovered by United States officers. They were placed under arrest, tried, convicted, and sentenced to imprisonment. It was not the friendly Sinn Feiners but the cocky, hostile and arrogant British military police authorities that our American sailors had to fear in Ireland. ‘
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Newsletter ever vigilant against British propaganda in the US, now called on its readers to assist in its ‘work of bringing to the attention of American Citizens the truth about the Irish situation and of offsetting the influence of English propaganda, which is at work in this country with ever-increasing vigour. The Irish National Bureau desires particularly to be kept informed of all local activities of an unusual nature, and , above all, to be informed of anything having a bearing upon British propaganda. In the past, it has been found that sometimes the very slightest suggestion – perhaps merely that Mr. So and So, in the course of a speech had lauded England – has given us a key for which the Irish National Bureau had long been looking. The Bureau is doing its utmost to watch the development of un-American English propaganda. It asks the assistance of every loyal American in this work.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Newsletter drew parralels between General Felipe Angeles of Mexico, who following execution for treason, his body was released to family for burial. ‘what a contrast with English civilisation! The English denied to the fmaiels of Patrick Pearse, Joseph Plunkett and other patriots the right to a Christian burial. The bodies were placed in quicklime in unconsecrated ground and everything possible was done to set aside the customs of modern civilisation.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Newsletter trumpeted a warning on a 16 page phamphlet ‘The Irish Question’ by W.R.Moody. ‘it does not give the address of ‘Moody’ or the name of the printer…the phamphlet is misleading, grossly unfair and bears all the ear-marks of ‘dark cellar’ propaganda. See that it is exposed when appearing..’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:25 – December 19th , 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The US Republican Senator from Idaho, William Borah typified the isolationst stance taken by many during this period. He was equal to all, opposing the war and opposing the peace but succesfully merged his stand against the Versailles Treaty with that of Irish American groups, particularly the Friends of Irish Freedom. Judge Cohalan strongly supported his actions and on the 19th wrote supporting the Senator on one of his recent anti-League of Nations statements and warning from experience those leading the anti-League stance, that ‘searching investigations will be made of their activities’
Tansill. ‘America and the fight for Irish Freedom 1866-1922’. Devin-Adair. New York 1957. P.369
20
Bryan Cooper, ‘a perceptive Unionist observer of the Irish scene, commented that the gunmen had transformed the situation: ‘ six months ago Sinn Fein was a loosing game, its leaders having staked their reputation on the recognition of Ireland’s independence by the Peace Conference. The Government wisely turned a blind eye to the doings of Dail Eireann, with the result that Ireland was amused rather than impressed by its somewhat farcical proccedings. Seeing the danger, the most extreme section of the Republican party determined to force the Government hand by a campaign of assination, and from that time, the Irish Government has done precisely what the extremists wished them to do’
Arthur Mitchell ‘Revoloutionary Government in Ireland – Dail Eireann 1919-22’ Gill & McMillan 1996. P74-75
Lloyd George in a comment to Macpherson on the Lord French assaination attempt ‘they are bad shots’. The end result however was a ‘profoundly unsettling effect on British police and military morale.’
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p71
Hopkinson also believes that if the IRA had been succesful in the assasination: ‘the whole British attitude to the War would surely have changed and an enormous amount of pressure would have been put on an ill-prepared IRA.’
Bryan Cooper, ‘a perceptive Unionist observer of the Irish scene, commented that the gunmen had transformed the situation: ‘ six months ago Sinn Fein was a loosing game, its leaders having staked their reputation on the recognition of Ireland’s independence by the Peace Conference. The Government wisely turned a blind eye to the doings of Dail Eireann, with the result that Ireland was amused rather than impressed by its somewhat farcical proccedings. Seeing the danger, the most extreme section of the Republican party determined to force the Government hand by a campaign of assination, and from that time, the Irish Government has done precisely what the extremists wished them to do’
Arthur Mitchell ‘Revoloutionary Government in Ireland – Dail Eireann 1919-22’ Gill & McMillan 1996. P74-75
Lloyd George in a comment to Macpherson on the Lord French assaination attempt ‘they are bad shots’. The end result however was a ‘profoundly unsettling effect on British police and military morale.’
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p71
Hopkinson also believes that if the IRA had been succesful in the assasination: ‘the whole British attitude to the War would surely have changed and an enormous amount of pressure would have been put on an ill-prepared IRA.’
21
The Irish Independent newspaper condemned the killings of people in the cause of Irish Freedom, describing Martin Savage who died during the assassination attempt on Lord French as ‘a would be assassin’. Later the same day, their offices were raided by armed, masked men led by Paddy Clancy who proceeded to smash printing machinery.
The London Sunday Times commented on the vicious circle evident in Ireland: ‘The Government of Ireland has left no folly undone. It is alleged that Dublin Castle is deliberately fanning the embers of revolt…if the authorities had designed to provoke disorder, they would not now have needed to act differently. Military repression always gives crime its opportunity, and crime makes sterner measures necessary. The circle must be broken somehow…’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P6
Elsewhere, the London Times Australia correspondent wrote ‘ and the strongly dominant Domminion view is that this ( Ireland’s quarrel with England ) should be ended by granting Ireland that to which she has always had a just claim. This view becomes all the stronger as Dominion politics become more and more enmeshed in Ireland, and the Dominion elector becomes more and more preturbed about its local effects…it is becoming clear to the Dominion leaders that a settlement is essential to the unity of the empire…in no part of the British Empire can it be said that the Anglo-Irish quarrel is less than a seriously disturbing factor’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 27, January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
United States deports 249 people, including Emma Goldman to Russia, during the Red Scare.
The Irish Independent newspaper condemned the killings of people in the cause of Irish Freedom, describing Martin Savage who died during the assassination attempt on Lord French as ‘a would be assassin’. Later the same day, their offices were raided by armed, masked men led by Paddy Clancy who proceeded to smash printing machinery.
The London Sunday Times commented on the vicious circle evident in Ireland: ‘The Government of Ireland has left no folly undone. It is alleged that Dublin Castle is deliberately fanning the embers of revolt…if the authorities had designed to provoke disorder, they would not now have needed to act differently. Military repression always gives crime its opportunity, and crime makes sterner measures necessary. The circle must be broken somehow…’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P6
Elsewhere, the London Times Australia correspondent wrote ‘ and the strongly dominant Domminion view is that this ( Ireland’s quarrel with England ) should be ended by granting Ireland that to which she has always had a just claim. This view becomes all the stronger as Dominion politics become more and more enmeshed in Ireland, and the Dominion elector becomes more and more preturbed about its local effects…it is becoming clear to the Dominion leaders that a settlement is essential to the unity of the empire…in no part of the British Empire can it be said that the Anglo-Irish quarrel is less than a seriously disturbing factor’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 27, January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
United States deports 249 people, including Emma Goldman to Russia, during the Red Scare.
22
London: Lloyd George introduced for it’s first reading in the House of Commons, his Partition Plan “The Government of Ireland Act” varied with the original pre-war Home Rule Bill by providing for a separate parliament for the six Ulster counties and a Parliament for the twenty six counties with powers to create a council of representatives of both Irish Parliaments as a Constitutional link. Their powers would be restricted and the supremacy of the mother Parliament preserved. Seventeen sections of the Act referred to finance, an oath swearing ‘faithful and true allegiance to His Majesty, King George, his heirs and successors according to law’ , and provided that within 14 days of the opening of either Parliament, if the majority of the members elected had not taken the oath, the Parliament in question would be dissolved and the part of Ireland represented by it would be administered as a crown colony by the Lord Lieutenant and a committee of the Irish Privy Council appointed by the King. The area of the Northern Parliament was left open pending further discussion.
This constitutional legislation was iniated by Lloyd George to circumvent the implementation of the Third Home Rule Bill of 1914 which would become due on the conclusion of the Paris Peace Talks in the spring of 1920. According to many, this amounted to little more than appeasment to Northern Unionism.
Lloyd George, obviously aware of American opinion included a tailored opinion on the possibility of secession and how his Government was prepared to deal with it: ‘ any attempt at secession will be fought with the same determination, with the same resources, with the same resolve as the Northern States of America put into the fight against the Southern States It is important that this should be known not merely throughout the world, but in Ireland itself.’
Conor O’Clery ‘Ireland in Quotes’ The O’Brien Press Dublin 1999 p.47
Erskine Childers challenged Lloyd George on the ‘secession’ theory:
‘we do not attempt secession. Nations cannot secede from a rule they have never accepted...Lincoln’s reputation is safe from your comparison. He fought to abolish slavery, you fight to maintain it...we have no armaments nor any prospect of obtaining them. Nevertheless we accept your challenge and will fight you ‘with the same determination, with the same resolve’ as the American States, North and South, put into their fight for freedom against your Empire.’
Tansill. ‘America and the fight for Irish Freedom 1866-1922’. Devin-Adair. New York 1957. P.400
The reaction to the Lloyd George proposal, understandably, was poor. By years end what became known as the War of Independence, was fought on numerous fronts at the same time. A constant round of shootings, raids, executions, burnings and looting, leading to a reign of terror by both sides during which the civilian population suffered heavily. The new year and new decade brought only further violence.
The London Catholic Herald, part of a 35 weekly newspaper empire operated by Charles Diamond, was suppressed in Ireland. Reasons given were the publication of an article ‘Killing is no Murder’ in which the assasination attempt on Lord French was justified. When interviewed by the London representative of the Chicago Tribune, Diamond said: ‘I published the editiorial deliberately and sent a copy to the Prime Minister in the hope he would suppress my papers here, thus drawing the attention of the English people to the Prussian and Bolshevist Government in Ireland…. I don’t believe the people of Great Britain know or approve what is going on in Ireland…I believe in the British Empire as a free federation of free peoples, but not as a slave empire…If Lord French were Field Marshall Von Der Goltz*, if he were representing Germany in occupied England, doing here what the English are doing in Ireland, wouldn’t there be thousands of patriotic englishmen ready to shoot him down and millions more ready to applaud the deed.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 28, January 9, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
*Field Marshall Von Der Goltz (1843-1916) reorganised the Turkish Army 1883-96 and at age 71 was appointed Govenor-General of German occupied Belgium. Despite his advancing age, he became Commander of the Turkish 1st Army in Mesopotamia and laid a suvccesful 143 day seige to the British occupied city of Kut, repulsing a British relief force. However, 10 days before the surrender of General Townsend and the city, Von Der Goltz died, believed poisoned.
However Diamond may have been confusing Field Marshall Von Der Goltz with a General Van Der Goltz ( 1865-1946) who was prominent throughout 1919. The General attempted unsuccesfully to build a German controlled sattelite state in Latvia ostnesibly to prevent domination by Soviet Russia. Latvian and Estonian forces combined to overthrow the German Government where following battles in June 1919, German forces were forced to abandon Riga. Goltz was ordered home to Germany by British General Gough, but refused to leave, claiming his troops were White Russians fighting the Bolshevika before finally returning to Germany on December 18th.
C.S. Macpherson’s Education Bill was withdrawn following objection of Catholic hierarchy.
Despite some influential supporters, the Inspector-General of the RIC, Byrne, was replaced by Chief Commisioner Smyth from Belfast.
De Valera arrived in Buffalo from New York and escorted to his hotel by two marching bands and over 8,000 gathered to hear him speak in the Broadway Auditorium. ‘When the President was intorduced with these words ‘As O’Connell won emancipation, let us hope to God that Eamon de Valera wins independence for Ireland!” the assemblage rose and chered continiously for eleven minutes, ceasing only when the President raised his arms and called upon them to subside. Speakign with him were Bishop William Turner of Buffalo, Lindsay Crawford, founder and former President of the Indpendent Orange Lodges, Rev James Grattan Mythen of Christ Episcopal Church, Norfolk, Virginia and Congressman James M. Mead. Congressman Mead presented resoloutions…pledging allegiance to America and American traditions, opposing the League of Nations, recogniseing a state of war between the British Empire and Ireland and calling upon Congress and the President to recognise the Irish Republic.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 27, January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
Judge Cohalan wrote again to Senator Borah protesting against a growing movement within the United States to have the nation absorb British and other Allied war debts.
‘He thought that ‘regard for our own country should require us to be just before we are generous and make us think of America before we think of foreign countries.’
Tansill. ‘America and the fight for Irish Freedom 1866-1922’. Devin-Adair. New York 1957. P.370
Aware of the extent of American support for the Treaty, Borah and Coahalan realised that a strong fight would be made to push the Treaty through the Senate. Lodge recognising the growing level of anti-league feeling within the Senate agreed to hold a series of bi-partisan meetings on certain issues of the League of Nations. These were attended by Senators of both parties but broke down on basic issues.
London: Lloyd George introduced for it’s first reading in the House of Commons, his Partition Plan “The Government of Ireland Act” varied with the original pre-war Home Rule Bill by providing for a separate parliament for the six Ulster counties and a Parliament for the twenty six counties with powers to create a council of representatives of both Irish Parliaments as a Constitutional link. Their powers would be restricted and the supremacy of the mother Parliament preserved. Seventeen sections of the Act referred to finance, an oath swearing ‘faithful and true allegiance to His Majesty, King George, his heirs and successors according to law’ , and provided that within 14 days of the opening of either Parliament, if the majority of the members elected had not taken the oath, the Parliament in question would be dissolved and the part of Ireland represented by it would be administered as a crown colony by the Lord Lieutenant and a committee of the Irish Privy Council appointed by the King. The area of the Northern Parliament was left open pending further discussion.
This constitutional legislation was iniated by Lloyd George to circumvent the implementation of the Third Home Rule Bill of 1914 which would become due on the conclusion of the Paris Peace Talks in the spring of 1920. According to many, this amounted to little more than appeasment to Northern Unionism.
Lloyd George, obviously aware of American opinion included a tailored opinion on the possibility of secession and how his Government was prepared to deal with it: ‘ any attempt at secession will be fought with the same determination, with the same resources, with the same resolve as the Northern States of America put into the fight against the Southern States It is important that this should be known not merely throughout the world, but in Ireland itself.’
Conor O’Clery ‘Ireland in Quotes’ The O’Brien Press Dublin 1999 p.47
Erskine Childers challenged Lloyd George on the ‘secession’ theory:
‘we do not attempt secession. Nations cannot secede from a rule they have never accepted...Lincoln’s reputation is safe from your comparison. He fought to abolish slavery, you fight to maintain it...we have no armaments nor any prospect of obtaining them. Nevertheless we accept your challenge and will fight you ‘with the same determination, with the same resolve’ as the American States, North and South, put into their fight for freedom against your Empire.’
Tansill. ‘America and the fight for Irish Freedom 1866-1922’. Devin-Adair. New York 1957. P.400
The reaction to the Lloyd George proposal, understandably, was poor. By years end what became known as the War of Independence, was fought on numerous fronts at the same time. A constant round of shootings, raids, executions, burnings and looting, leading to a reign of terror by both sides during which the civilian population suffered heavily. The new year and new decade brought only further violence.
The London Catholic Herald, part of a 35 weekly newspaper empire operated by Charles Diamond, was suppressed in Ireland. Reasons given were the publication of an article ‘Killing is no Murder’ in which the assasination attempt on Lord French was justified. When interviewed by the London representative of the Chicago Tribune, Diamond said: ‘I published the editiorial deliberately and sent a copy to the Prime Minister in the hope he would suppress my papers here, thus drawing the attention of the English people to the Prussian and Bolshevist Government in Ireland…. I don’t believe the people of Great Britain know or approve what is going on in Ireland…I believe in the British Empire as a free federation of free peoples, but not as a slave empire…If Lord French were Field Marshall Von Der Goltz*, if he were representing Germany in occupied England, doing here what the English are doing in Ireland, wouldn’t there be thousands of patriotic englishmen ready to shoot him down and millions more ready to applaud the deed.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 28, January 9, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
*Field Marshall Von Der Goltz (1843-1916) reorganised the Turkish Army 1883-96 and at age 71 was appointed Govenor-General of German occupied Belgium. Despite his advancing age, he became Commander of the Turkish 1st Army in Mesopotamia and laid a suvccesful 143 day seige to the British occupied city of Kut, repulsing a British relief force. However, 10 days before the surrender of General Townsend and the city, Von Der Goltz died, believed poisoned.
However Diamond may have been confusing Field Marshall Von Der Goltz with a General Van Der Goltz ( 1865-1946) who was prominent throughout 1919. The General attempted unsuccesfully to build a German controlled sattelite state in Latvia ostnesibly to prevent domination by Soviet Russia. Latvian and Estonian forces combined to overthrow the German Government where following battles in June 1919, German forces were forced to abandon Riga. Goltz was ordered home to Germany by British General Gough, but refused to leave, claiming his troops were White Russians fighting the Bolshevika before finally returning to Germany on December 18th.
C.S. Macpherson’s Education Bill was withdrawn following objection of Catholic hierarchy.
Despite some influential supporters, the Inspector-General of the RIC, Byrne, was replaced by Chief Commisioner Smyth from Belfast.
De Valera arrived in Buffalo from New York and escorted to his hotel by two marching bands and over 8,000 gathered to hear him speak in the Broadway Auditorium. ‘When the President was intorduced with these words ‘As O’Connell won emancipation, let us hope to God that Eamon de Valera wins independence for Ireland!” the assemblage rose and chered continiously for eleven minutes, ceasing only when the President raised his arms and called upon them to subside. Speakign with him were Bishop William Turner of Buffalo, Lindsay Crawford, founder and former President of the Indpendent Orange Lodges, Rev James Grattan Mythen of Christ Episcopal Church, Norfolk, Virginia and Congressman James M. Mead. Congressman Mead presented resoloutions…pledging allegiance to America and American traditions, opposing the League of Nations, recogniseing a state of war between the British Empire and Ireland and calling upon Congress and the President to recognise the Irish Republic.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 27, January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
Judge Cohalan wrote again to Senator Borah protesting against a growing movement within the United States to have the nation absorb British and other Allied war debts.
‘He thought that ‘regard for our own country should require us to be just before we are generous and make us think of America before we think of foreign countries.’
Tansill. ‘America and the fight for Irish Freedom 1866-1922’. Devin-Adair. New York 1957. P.370
Aware of the extent of American support for the Treaty, Borah and Coahalan realised that a strong fight would be made to push the Treaty through the Senate. Lodge recognising the growing level of anti-league feeling within the Senate agreed to hold a series of bi-partisan meetings on certain issues of the League of Nations. These were attended by Senators of both parties but broke down on basic issues.
23
Arthur Griffith commenting on the Lloyd George ‘Better Government of Ireland Bill’ said:
‘there is nothing for Irishmen in the English Premier’s proposals. They are not intended to be operative. They are made to affect and mislead opinion in America...the English premier is again today in need of American aid... in the whole year 1917, there was a total of 719 acts of aggression against the Irish people; in the past six weeks of the present year there was a total of 3,187 such acts. These included 2,829 militaristic raids on private houses; 162 arrests, 126 sentences of imprisonment by paid magistrates and courts martial, 27 armed militaristic attacks on peaceful gatherings, 39 proclamations and suppressions, and 4 deportations without trial. This shows the intensified provocative manner in which Mr. Lloyd George’s Government is treating the country and which it seeks to make America believe it is anxious to conciliate..’
Arthur Griffith’s comments were sufficient for the US Consul in Dublin, F.T.F.Dumont, to include in a report to the US Secretary of State, Lansing, which was sent by courier on the same day.
East-Clare IRA O/C Brennan led 20 volunteers and raided the Limerick GPO, taking some £1,500. For this GHQ removed him from his rank as O/C and replaced him with his brother, Austin. The group was allowed keep the money.
24
26
Never a publication to support Wilson, the Irish National Bureau Newslettetter did remind it’s readers of the President’s earlier quotes and leaving them without comment to compare with his resulting actions:
‘Any man who stands in the way of the right and progress which makes for human freedom cannot call himself our friend.’ Woodrow Wilson, May 16th 1914.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Newsletter did allow itself to dream of ‘in the renewed Ireland…a new capital rising on the historic ruins of the ancient capital, royal Tara, which antedates the Christian era.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Ulster Delegation led by Coote continued through the US and on a number of occasions, Irish Americans in the audience, angered at comments and ‘mis-statements made by the Ulster speakers have led [them] to make hostile demonstrations’.
This led de Valera to issue a statement that the Newsletter recommended ‘every American citizen should carefully read..’
‘The reported disturbance at the Coote meeting represents the Sinn Fein attitude neither in America nor in Ireland. We stand for freedom of speech and freedom of the press everywhere. We welcome the advent of these men from the north-eastern corner. We asked them to debate the points at issue between us before the American public. The Protestant Friends of Ireland also invited them to public debate. It is true they refused – an indication that they have little confidence in their cause – but those who feel they cannot trust themselves to sit quietly and listen patiently to what they know to be misstatements should not go to these meetings. Apart from the principle of free speech involved, it is stupid not to let these men talk freely. The hollowness of their pleas will be apparent to every thinking American and their misstatements will be answered by the Protestant Friends of Ireland in a manner worthy of the truth and dignity of Ireland’s cause.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 27, January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives. Underline is by Diarmuid Lynch .
Babe Ruth is sold by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees for $125,000, the largest sum ever paid for a player at that time
Never a publication to support Wilson, the Irish National Bureau Newslettetter did remind it’s readers of the President’s earlier quotes and leaving them without comment to compare with his resulting actions:
‘Any man who stands in the way of the right and progress which makes for human freedom cannot call himself our friend.’ Woodrow Wilson, May 16th 1914.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Newsletter did allow itself to dream of ‘in the renewed Ireland…a new capital rising on the historic ruins of the ancient capital, royal Tara, which antedates the Christian era.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 26, December 26, 1919. Lynch Family Archives.
The Ulster Delegation led by Coote continued through the US and on a number of occasions, Irish Americans in the audience, angered at comments and ‘mis-statements made by the Ulster speakers have led [them] to make hostile demonstrations’.
This led de Valera to issue a statement that the Newsletter recommended ‘every American citizen should carefully read..’
‘The reported disturbance at the Coote meeting represents the Sinn Fein attitude neither in America nor in Ireland. We stand for freedom of speech and freedom of the press everywhere. We welcome the advent of these men from the north-eastern corner. We asked them to debate the points at issue between us before the American public. The Protestant Friends of Ireland also invited them to public debate. It is true they refused – an indication that they have little confidence in their cause – but those who feel they cannot trust themselves to sit quietly and listen patiently to what they know to be misstatements should not go to these meetings. Apart from the principle of free speech involved, it is stupid not to let these men talk freely. The hollowness of their pleas will be apparent to every thinking American and their misstatements will be answered by the Protestant Friends of Ireland in a manner worthy of the truth and dignity of Ireland’s cause.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 27, January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives. Underline is by Diarmuid Lynch .
Babe Ruth is sold by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees for $125,000, the largest sum ever paid for a player at that time
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Above: Minutes of Meeting of Board of National Trustees. Friends of Irish Freedom held at 280 Broadway, New York on December 29th, 1919. Present were Mr. John A. Murphy. Chairman, Mr. Thomas P. Cooney, Mr. Thomas J. Maloney and Diarmuid Lynch.
"Mr. Richard F. Dalton telephoned that it was not possible for him to attend but that he could be consulted by telephone on any important matter."
After routine meeting procedures and approval of Audit report, it appeared that some funds collected by various local or State Finance Commitees remained outstanding, possibly being held over pending the release of the Irish Republic Bonds.
"The Secretary [Lynch] read a letter from Mr. James O'Mara in which he referred to a further loan of $100,000 from the Friends of Irish Freedom towards the expenses of the Irish Bond Certificate campaign. The Board felt that it should have a definite request from President de Valera for this additional loan and the chairman conveyed the opinion of the Board to Mr. James O'Mara by telephone. Mr. Murphy reported that the latter assured him said letter would be forthcoming from President de Valera. The Board unanimously agreed that it would recommend the granting of the additional loan stated on the assumption that the..."
"Mr. Richard F. Dalton telephoned that it was not possible for him to attend but that he could be consulted by telephone on any important matter."
After routine meeting procedures and approval of Audit report, it appeared that some funds collected by various local or State Finance Commitees remained outstanding, possibly being held over pending the release of the Irish Republic Bonds.
"The Secretary [Lynch] read a letter from Mr. James O'Mara in which he referred to a further loan of $100,000 from the Friends of Irish Freedom towards the expenses of the Irish Bond Certificate campaign. The Board felt that it should have a definite request from President de Valera for this additional loan and the chairman conveyed the opinion of the Board to Mr. James O'Mara by telephone. Mr. Murphy reported that the latter assured him said letter would be forthcoming from President de Valera. The Board unanimously agreed that it would recommend the granting of the additional loan stated on the assumption that the..."
30
The League of Nations Supreme Council adopted the suggestion from the British members that after the peace treaty became effective, American troops in the German occupied zones would be placed under the interallied Rhine Commission, of which, incidentally, the US was not represented.
Lloyd George, in a letter to French, made clear his support to remove Byrne from office as Inspector-General of the RIC:
‘as to Byrne, I am afraid you are right. He is an able and intelligent man but has always given the impression of an official who is overwhelmed with the hopelessness of his task. That is not the spirit in which you can face a conspiracy like that with which you have to deal with in Ireland’
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p33
Bonar Law in a letter to French commented: ‘I am very glad that you are making this effort to improve the police for am sure that the more you can preserve order by a civil rather than a military force, the better’
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p48
The League of Nations Supreme Council adopted the suggestion from the British members that after the peace treaty became effective, American troops in the German occupied zones would be placed under the interallied Rhine Commission, of which, incidentally, the US was not represented.
Lloyd George, in a letter to French, made clear his support to remove Byrne from office as Inspector-General of the RIC:
‘as to Byrne, I am afraid you are right. He is an able and intelligent man but has always given the impression of an official who is overwhelmed with the hopelessness of his task. That is not the spirit in which you can face a conspiracy like that with which you have to deal with in Ireland’
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p33
Bonar Law in a letter to French commented: ‘I am very glad that you are making this effort to improve the police for am sure that the more you can preserve order by a civil rather than a military force, the better’
Michael Hopkinson ’The Irish War of Independence’ Gill & MacMillan, Dublin 2002. p48
31
John Maynard Keynes, the 36 year old economist wrote the best-selling economics book of the year called ‘The Economic Consequences of the Peace’. Keynes made sharp comments on President Wilson and the other Big Four colleagues, but saved most of his bite for the analysis that the Paris Treaty only settles old political grudges and will create future chaos by depressing German and other European economies to starvation point. ‘There are a lot of hard faced men who look as if they have done rather well out of the war’.
One of the main topics at years end in the US was the growing awareness of a form of re-union between the US and Britain. The World Trade Club in San Francisco offered a prize of $1,000 for the person submitting the best name for the proposed state – up to the end of 1919, the best name was ‘Unitania’. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter perceived a real threat: ‘Reunion of America – the lost colonies – with England is the governing thought of English Diplomacy today…Cecil Rhodes bemoaned America’s loss to the Imperial Crown and advocated a federation with a joint Parliament sitting part time at Westminster and part time at Washington. He proposed secret organisations to bring about such a reunion.’. The article comments that such a proposal to would solve what was a major difficulty, the inequality of war debt distribution. A reunion would allow war debts to be consolidated and spread throughout the ‘whole of the English speaking peoples’…one can understand why this reunion of the United States with England would be a fine thing – for England. America could then pay England’s debts – debts inccurred in part by military operations, not against the Germans, but against freedom-loving Egyptians, Persians, Indians, Afghans and Irish.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 27, January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
In the US, Lithuania was planning to float a loan of $100,000,000 in the United States. ‘Good luck Lithuania! Now, everybody support the Irish Republic loan. Let Ireland’s appeal for only $10,000,000 be oversubscribed.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:27 – January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
At years end, Diarmuid ‘ deplored the differences which were accumulating between the leaders, but he never allowed them to influence his work for the Republic, nor did he ever contribute to the inflammation of partisan sentiments. Later when Devoy set no bounds to his irascible wrath in denouncing De Valera, Diarmuid resigned his position as Director on the board of the Gaelic American as a protest. In Diarmuid’s own view, an opinion he held consistently and which was well known to the leaders ‘ President De Valera had not departed, and would not depart, from the position of fighting for the recognition of the established Irish Republic.’
Florence O'Donoghue on Diarmuid Lynch "The I.R.B. and the 1916 Rising" Mercier Press. 1957. p209
By years end, Michael Collins had achieved a great deal. Though ‘on the run’, never sleeping in the same house twice in a row, using friends houses for meetings and work, he had perfected a system of intelligence with contacts in almost every level within the Civil Service, Post Office, Local Government, the G-Division, The R.I.C. He was so well informed he could move around freely even though he was a wanted man. The assassination of two of the ten senior detectives of the G-Division along with the wounding of a third had been completed by ‘The Squad’ and Government informers had been ferreted out of many parts of the Republic’s administration. Collins had effectively neutralised the entire police system within the country. The Republic was achieving a high level of independent administrative success, had its own Parliament operating, law courts and Republican police, a Dail loan was floated and De Valera was campaigning in the US.
On the other hand the British Government had achieved little other than alienating most of the moderates through a strong handed military occupation. The reason for this was more because Lloyd George was subject to a coalition of Liberals, Tories and Unionists than any arrogance from the defeat of the Central Powers in 1918 or from an attempt at peace making.
‘Lloyd George was no longer the master in his own house; he was more like a court magician, he must either produce an acceptable repertoire, or be cast out; and his production schedule, in Unionist eyes, did not include Ireland.’
George Dangerfield “ The Damnable Question - a study in Anglo-Irish relations” Constable, London. 1977. p314
The I.R.A however had not given it’s local units cleareance as yet to attack British Government & RIC targets. 1920 was going to be a different story.
15 police officers had been killed in 1919 as a result of political violence. While attacks on RIC members and barracks had been small and sporadic up to June 1919, the remaining six months saw the IRA embark on ‘a deliberate and systematic guerilla campaign to neutralise the police. These physcial attacks and ongoing local ostracism, petty persecution and intimidation of RIC members, their familes and relations…ensured that morale within the police was low…the RIC could not cope and was beginning to show signs of collapse, which was exacerbated by the RIC’s archaic administrative procedures..’
Richard Abbott ‘Police Casualties in Ireland 1919-1922’ Mercier Press, Cork. 2000 p.48-49
In the US, the growing differences between Irish-American groups as Clan na Gael and the Friends of Irish Freedom would erupt in early 1920.
Dublin Castle maintained its control over the country and had forced its ’impudent rival’ underground. The Insurgents on the other hands had brought about the inaugaration of a new assembly and fledgling Government, through there was disapointment in Paris, there were successes including the loan campaign and de Valera’s activities in the US, the RIC was being destroyed as a police and intelligence gathering body.
Finally, the Irish National Bureau Newsletter reported on an article in the Arizona Republican and spirit messages received by an unnamed Phoenix medium: ‘Not content with mustering the dark forces of the earth to bolster up the campaig against Irish independence, the opponents of liberty are now calling in the spooks to aid them. The Arizona Republican devoted more than a column of its space to spirit messages…part of the rot was a ‘message’ from Wolfe Tone denouncing the Republic and advocating imprisonment for all Sinn Feiners.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:27 – January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
Diarmuid Lynch recalled some 21 years later, that 1919 was a pivotal year both for the Friends of Irish Freedom and himself: ‘During this period…services, the value of which could not be measured in terms of money or armament, were rendered to the Irish cause by our friends in the United States. And, to me it was a source of deep satisfaction that I was not then merely one additioal prisoner in some English jail, but free to take – as I did – an active part in those all important Anerican activities on which the future success of the Forces in Ireland so largely depended.’
Application for Military Service Pension Certificate ( Diarmuid Lynch) - Department of Defence Files. Lynch Archives. March 9, 1938.
The Manchester Guardian wrote of Ireland:’..there are as many soldiers to be seen any night in Dublin as in a British base like Calais, at the height of the war’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P6
By the end of 1919, all the ingreidents for guerilla warfare were in place. ‘The civil law had broken down and the overextended and demoralised police force had lost much of it's legitimacy and authority. The revoloutionaries, forced underground, were rapidly arming themselves and now posed a threat to every small post or patrol. Neither side’s leaders had a coherent policy or any real control over the drift of events. In this vacuum the direction of events devolved to those who were willing to act ruthlessly, the emerging players of the new politics of violence. In their hands, the shooting wa began to acquire it's own momentum’
Peter Hart ‘The IRA & It's Enemies – Violence and Community in Cork 1916-1923’ Oxford University Press 1998. p71
1920 was going to be very different to 1919. 1920 was to be the Year of Revoloution in Ireland.
Hits of the Year: ‘Don't dilly dally on the way’ ‘I’m forever blowing bubbles’ and ‘Dardanella’.
John Maynard Keynes, the 36 year old economist wrote the best-selling economics book of the year called ‘The Economic Consequences of the Peace’. Keynes made sharp comments on President Wilson and the other Big Four colleagues, but saved most of his bite for the analysis that the Paris Treaty only settles old political grudges and will create future chaos by depressing German and other European economies to starvation point. ‘There are a lot of hard faced men who look as if they have done rather well out of the war’.
One of the main topics at years end in the US was the growing awareness of a form of re-union between the US and Britain. The World Trade Club in San Francisco offered a prize of $1,000 for the person submitting the best name for the proposed state – up to the end of 1919, the best name was ‘Unitania’. The Irish National Bureau Newsletter perceived a real threat: ‘Reunion of America – the lost colonies – with England is the governing thought of English Diplomacy today…Cecil Rhodes bemoaned America’s loss to the Imperial Crown and advocated a federation with a joint Parliament sitting part time at Westminster and part time at Washington. He proposed secret organisations to bring about such a reunion.’. The article comments that such a proposal to would solve what was a major difficulty, the inequality of war debt distribution. A reunion would allow war debts to be consolidated and spread throughout the ‘whole of the English speaking peoples’…one can understand why this reunion of the United States with England would be a fine thing – for England. America could then pay England’s debts – debts inccurred in part by military operations, not against the Germans, but against freedom-loving Egyptians, Persians, Indians, Afghans and Irish.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter – No. 27, January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
In the US, Lithuania was planning to float a loan of $100,000,000 in the United States. ‘Good luck Lithuania! Now, everybody support the Irish Republic loan. Let Ireland’s appeal for only $10,000,000 be oversubscribed.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:27 – January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
At years end, Diarmuid ‘ deplored the differences which were accumulating between the leaders, but he never allowed them to influence his work for the Republic, nor did he ever contribute to the inflammation of partisan sentiments. Later when Devoy set no bounds to his irascible wrath in denouncing De Valera, Diarmuid resigned his position as Director on the board of the Gaelic American as a protest. In Diarmuid’s own view, an opinion he held consistently and which was well known to the leaders ‘ President De Valera had not departed, and would not depart, from the position of fighting for the recognition of the established Irish Republic.’
Florence O'Donoghue on Diarmuid Lynch "The I.R.B. and the 1916 Rising" Mercier Press. 1957. p209
By years end, Michael Collins had achieved a great deal. Though ‘on the run’, never sleeping in the same house twice in a row, using friends houses for meetings and work, he had perfected a system of intelligence with contacts in almost every level within the Civil Service, Post Office, Local Government, the G-Division, The R.I.C. He was so well informed he could move around freely even though he was a wanted man. The assassination of two of the ten senior detectives of the G-Division along with the wounding of a third had been completed by ‘The Squad’ and Government informers had been ferreted out of many parts of the Republic’s administration. Collins had effectively neutralised the entire police system within the country. The Republic was achieving a high level of independent administrative success, had its own Parliament operating, law courts and Republican police, a Dail loan was floated and De Valera was campaigning in the US.
On the other hand the British Government had achieved little other than alienating most of the moderates through a strong handed military occupation. The reason for this was more because Lloyd George was subject to a coalition of Liberals, Tories and Unionists than any arrogance from the defeat of the Central Powers in 1918 or from an attempt at peace making.
‘Lloyd George was no longer the master in his own house; he was more like a court magician, he must either produce an acceptable repertoire, or be cast out; and his production schedule, in Unionist eyes, did not include Ireland.’
George Dangerfield “ The Damnable Question - a study in Anglo-Irish relations” Constable, London. 1977. p314
The I.R.A however had not given it’s local units cleareance as yet to attack British Government & RIC targets. 1920 was going to be a different story.
15 police officers had been killed in 1919 as a result of political violence. While attacks on RIC members and barracks had been small and sporadic up to June 1919, the remaining six months saw the IRA embark on ‘a deliberate and systematic guerilla campaign to neutralise the police. These physcial attacks and ongoing local ostracism, petty persecution and intimidation of RIC members, their familes and relations…ensured that morale within the police was low…the RIC could not cope and was beginning to show signs of collapse, which was exacerbated by the RIC’s archaic administrative procedures..’
Richard Abbott ‘Police Casualties in Ireland 1919-1922’ Mercier Press, Cork. 2000 p.48-49
In the US, the growing differences between Irish-American groups as Clan na Gael and the Friends of Irish Freedom would erupt in early 1920.
Dublin Castle maintained its control over the country and had forced its ’impudent rival’ underground. The Insurgents on the other hands had brought about the inaugaration of a new assembly and fledgling Government, through there was disapointment in Paris, there were successes including the loan campaign and de Valera’s activities in the US, the RIC was being destroyed as a police and intelligence gathering body.
Finally, the Irish National Bureau Newsletter reported on an article in the Arizona Republican and spirit messages received by an unnamed Phoenix medium: ‘Not content with mustering the dark forces of the earth to bolster up the campaig against Irish independence, the opponents of liberty are now calling in the spooks to aid them. The Arizona Republican devoted more than a column of its space to spirit messages…part of the rot was a ‘message’ from Wolfe Tone denouncing the Republic and advocating imprisonment for all Sinn Feiners.’
Irish National Bureau Newsletter Washington DC. Issue no:27 – January 2, 1920. Lynch Family Archives.
Diarmuid Lynch recalled some 21 years later, that 1919 was a pivotal year both for the Friends of Irish Freedom and himself: ‘During this period…services, the value of which could not be measured in terms of money or armament, were rendered to the Irish cause by our friends in the United States. And, to me it was a source of deep satisfaction that I was not then merely one additioal prisoner in some English jail, but free to take – as I did – an active part in those all important Anerican activities on which the future success of the Forces in Ireland so largely depended.’
Application for Military Service Pension Certificate ( Diarmuid Lynch) - Department of Defence Files. Lynch Archives. March 9, 1938.
The Manchester Guardian wrote of Ireland:’..there are as many soldiers to be seen any night in Dublin as in a British base like Calais, at the height of the war’
English Atrocities in Ireland – Katherine Hughes. Friends of Irish Freedom phamphlet. Lynch Family Archives. P6
By the end of 1919, all the ingreidents for guerilla warfare were in place. ‘The civil law had broken down and the overextended and demoralised police force had lost much of it's legitimacy and authority. The revoloutionaries, forced underground, were rapidly arming themselves and now posed a threat to every small post or patrol. Neither side’s leaders had a coherent policy or any real control over the drift of events. In this vacuum the direction of events devolved to those who were willing to act ruthlessly, the emerging players of the new politics of violence. In their hands, the shooting wa began to acquire it's own momentum’
Peter Hart ‘The IRA & It's Enemies – Violence and Community in Cork 1916-1923’ Oxford University Press 1998. p71
1920 was going to be very different to 1919. 1920 was to be the Year of Revoloution in Ireland.
Hits of the Year: ‘Don't dilly dally on the way’ ‘I’m forever blowing bubbles’ and ‘Dardanella’.
Below: "Money Remitted Directly and Indirectly to Ireland" 1919-1920 by the Friends of Irish Freedom.
Friends of Irish Freedom Archives, New York. Image courtesy of Eileen McGough
Friends of Irish Freedom Archives, New York. Image courtesy of Eileen McGough
The Friends of Irish Freedom Balance Sheet account for 1919:
1920 - dates required:
Diarmuid Lynch wrote that the McGarrity contention to the Victory Fund became a court issue.
“The first action was in relation to the legal ownership of the funds by the Friends of Irish Freedom and the claim that the funds had been raised for only one purpose, i.e. transmission to Ireland. Over 100 exhibits were produced in evidence. The result of the trial in the Supreme Court of New York in which 5 judges sat, ruled in favour of the Friends of Irish Freedom.
Followed a counter appeal and at the State Court of Appeals in Albany, New York at which 7 judges sat, the verdict was once again in favour of the Friends of Irish Freedom.
Another lawsuit was instigated later, but approach was from a different angle but the question regarding the funds remained the same. At this trial, the original document of text of the Resolution as read to the Second Irish Race Convention by M.J.Ryan of Pennsylvania, was produced from his personal file and verified by him and presented in evidence by the Friends of Irish Freedom. Also numerous collection cards, newspaper adverts published by respective committees throughout the country, all of which set forth the various purposes for which the fund was being raised in 1919.”
Lynch Family Archives.