Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 9 September 2021

Journeys to a Truce: Fawsitt and Opportunities in the US

One hundred years ago this week, Corkman Diarmuid Fawsitt outlined his work to the Irish general public as Ireland’s American consul. He had just stepped down from the role and had begun working with Éamon de Valera on creating an economic set of requirements to be bedded into the early negotiations on the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

 An obituary on 5 April 1967, published in the Cork Examiner records, Diarmuid was born near Blarney Street in Cork’s northside in 1884. Diarmuid was active in cultural, industrial and nationalist circles, including the Celtic Literary Society, Sinn Féin, the Gaelic League, Cork National Theatre Society, and especially the Cork Industrial Development Association (IDA). Diarmuid established the Cork IDA in 1903.

Coinciding with Diarmuid’s strong lobbying of the British government, in November 1913 Diarmuid attended the inaugural meeting of the Irish Volunteers in Dublin and was inducted into the Irish Republican Brotherhood. In December 1913 he was one of the co-founders of the Cork Corps of the Irish Volunteers at Cork City Hall, later becoming Chairperson of the Executive. In November 1919, Arthur Griffith sent Diarmuid to the United States as consul and trade commissioner of the Irish Republic. He was based in New York until late August 1921 and built up a staff of nine.

In what looks like a carefully-crafted type standard press release and then a series of follow-up interviews in early September 1921 with Ireland’s regional newspapers, Diarmuid outlines his near two-year work as American consul. On arrival in the US, Diarmuid formally notified the American government of his presence and commission. Diarmuid was regularly in touch with and helped by the US government departments and was never interfered with in this work of enlightening American businesses that Ireland was a land of great possibilities.

Diarmuid highlights that one of the early difficulties encountered by the consulate was that interested American houses in direct Irish trading included Ireland in the territory of British commerce – apparently thinking it, as Diarmuid quote, “was just like an English Shire” and that those interested had not heard of existing and emerging industries in Ireland.

The educational work carried on by the consulate such as advertising Ireland’s markets in American trade journals was crucial to correct any misunderstanding and to create opportunities. Presentations were made before chambers of commerce and trade organisations in different US cities and personal contact was made with exporters in the United States. The Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce in the US regularly corresponded with Diarmuid and placed the facilities of their Daily Bulletin at his disposal to advertise the specific requirements of Irish firms. Diarmuid notes: “If America offers better prices we will sell to her rather than England”.

Diarmuid cites that several United States banks availed of the services of the consulate to obtain reliable data on the financial condition of Irish industries – especially those seeking connections to American chambers of commerce and merchant associations.

Diarmuid was also instrumental in securing a direct freight service and having cargo facilities on the passenger boats made available for the transport of high-class freight requiring refrigeration in transit. The latter was of huge importance in connection with the shipping of perishable produce such as butter and eggs in the absence of such facilities.

With regard to Irish produce Diarmuid outlines that he sat in conference with the horticultural board in Washington on one occasion. There he made a successful application to lift an embargo which the Department of Agriculture had placed in 1912 on Irish potatoes entering the United States markets. Up to that year Ireland had pursued a large trade in potatoes with the US. Since that year no Irish potatoes had been admitted into the American markets.

Dealing specifically with the interest of the fish trade Diarmuid notes that in February 1921 it was proposed to put a tariff on cured fish entering the US. He appeared personally before the relevant committee of the House of Congress to set out fully the position of Irish fish exports. As a result of the emergency tariff passed by Congress on that occasion it did not contain any tariffs on cured fish.

In numerous incidences the consulate secured direct representation in Ireland for American business houses. The consequence had been that the non-direct trade between the two countries had shown an increase of upwards of 50% in 1921 year compared to the preceding one of 1920. A great deal of trade and money that otherwise would have passed to England and English agents was diverted directly to Irish businesses.

Diarmuid notes that the consulate was in receipt of numerous applications from firms throughout America desirous of securing supplies of Irish products – describing – “I am satisfied that the work of the consulate will bear results that will greatly strengthen the commercial and sentimental ties that at present bind the Irish and American peoples”.

Diarmuid in speaking on some of his general consular work in the US said it also included the suitable protection of the interest of Irish Nationals in America and attending to the interest of Irish immigrants arriving at American ports. Immigrants with the permit or passport of Dáil Éireann who sought assistance of the consulate were helped to find employment. The consulate was also regularly consulted by Americans as well as Irish nationals on questions concerning properties and disputes in Ireland. In addition, the consulate also validated legal documents for submission to the Irish courts and formulated passports for Americans about to travel in Ireland. 

Captions:

1116a. Diarmuid Fawsitt, c.1921 (picture: Department of Foreign Affairs, Dublin).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 2 September 2021

Journeys to a Truce: Imprisoning the Nation

The year 2021 marks the centenary of the use of Spike Island as a British military run prison for Republican prisoners and internees between February and November 1921. Almost 1200 Republicans were imprisoned on the island.

Spike Island’s newest exhibition entitled “Imprisoning a Nation”, and sponsored by Cork County Council, is set in the Mitchell Hall space. The exhibitionprovides another insight and angle into studying the Irish War of Independence era. It features original letters, newspaper clippings as well as handwritten correspondence between the prisoners and internees and other family members as well as official documentation by the British forces in 1921. Approximately 140 photographs have been collected over a period of ten years. The autograph books containing signatures of those in prison and Spike Island during 1921 are especially remarkable. Accompanying the exhibition is historian Tom O’Neil’s newest book – Spike Island’s Republican Prisoners 1921 – which is a tour-de-force piece of research and which inspired the exhibition.

The exhibition outlines that because the Royal Irish Constabulary and British Army held a large number of Republicans in prison during 1920 there was an pressing need for extra prison places. This influenced the opening of a British military prisons for prisoners and internees on Spike Island and on Bere Island in early 1921.

Prisoners on Spike Island were those sentenced to imprisonment by military courts. Internees were in prison without trial. There were approximately 900 internees and 300 prisoners detained in Spike Island during 1921. The vast majority were from the Martial Law areas. There were no female prisoners imprisoned on Spike Island.

Republican prisoners and internees were sent to Spike Island from the civilian jails in Cork Kilkenny Waterford in Limerick and from the military barracks and camps in Bere Island, Buttevant, Cork, Fermoy, Kilkenny, Kilworth, Moore Park, Tralee and Waterford. There were regular transfers both ways, between Spike Island, Bere Island and Cork County or Male Gaol.

The formidable fortress on Spike Island is sunk almost 20 feet deep in the middle of the island, and occupies about half of its 150 acres. The fortress is surrounded by a deep moat, and high walls on either side. In 1921 the interior of the fortress contained a number of two-storied blocks of barrack rooms, offices and stores, spacious parade grounds and a sizable building used for religious services and other purposes. Internees were housed in old nineteenth century prison blocks or within specially created wooden camp blocks within the fortress.

James Duggan of 2^nd Battalion, 2^nd Tipperary Brigade in his Bureau of Military History witness statement (WS1510) recalls arriving at the Spike Island camp in Spring 1921 and being introduced to his camp commandant, Henry O’Mahoney, of Passage, Cork, and the vice-commandant, Bill Quirke, and assigned to his quarters. James notes of the quarters; “Each barrack room contained 20 to 25 men and we had all to assemble at about 10 a.m. every morning on the parade ground to be checked and counted, and we were again counted in our quarters at night. We were allowed out on the parade ground for a time each day where we played hurling or football for exercise. This ground was completely surrounded by a dense barbed wire entanglement and while we were out there was always a number of armed sentries outside the barbed wire”.

The exhibition recalls a number of instances of note in the spring and summer months of 1921. On 9 April 1921 three prisoners escaped by board from Spike Island they were Seán McSwiney (brother of Terence McSwiney), Cornelius Twomey and Tom Malone. None of them were recaptured.

On the evening of 31 May 1921, Patrick White from Meelick, County Clare, was fatally shot when he was playing hurling on the parade ground. A British army sentry shot him when he went to retrieve the ball, after it rolled under the barbwire fence that was around the interment compound. He died shortly afterwards in the prison hospital.

On 30 August 1921, two hunger strikes began – the prisoners for improved conditions and the internees for unconditional release. This led Tom Barry to visit Spike Island. He was by now one of the Chief Liaison Officers of the Martial Law Areas, which were established by Éamon de Valera – to make sure that the ceasefire and peace was kept. On 31 August 1921, an account is published in Cork Examiner stating that Tom attempted to visit and enter the camp for the purpose of trying to gather information regarding the hunger strike of the internees. In his press interview he noted that he was informed by the Governor that permission from the Sixth Division of the British Army was necessary before entrance of the camp could be obtained. Permission was not granted.

Tom Barry made the following statement condemning the members of the British Army present and their reading of the Truce conditions: “The action of the COG sixth division in refusing me an opportunity to arrange matters is evidently one calculated to prevent a settlement without the drastic step of a hunger strike by the internees. It is apparent that he has followed the precedents set up by himself at the beginning of a truce placing difficulties in the way of the smooth working of the conditions agreed to between the Irish Republican army and the British Army. Such action is to be deployed at the present juncture when clearer thinking and a more intelligent grasp of actualities is so much needed”.

The hunger strikes lasted four days and were halted due to a request by Sinn Féin General Head Quarters as it may upset delicate ongoing Truce negotiations. However, the conditions at the prison became a regular topic amongst remaining Republicans in the city especially those members of Cork Corporation. There are a number of their detailed criticisms on crowded conditions published in local newspapers such as the Cork Examiner in the autumn and winter of 1921.

The “Imprisoning the Nation” exhibition is currently open on Spike Island. Tom O’Neil’s new book is in any good bookshop at present.

Captions:

1115a. Former nineteenth century prison block, which held internees on Spike Island in 1921, which includes a memorial to shot internee Patrick White, present day (picture: Kieran McCarthy).

1115b. Part of the “Imprisoning the Nation” exhibition on Spike Island, showcasing 140 photographs of individual internees, present day (picture: Kieran McCarthy).