Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 14 July 2022

Journeys to a Free State: Calls for Peace

On 17 July 1922 at 12noon a peace conference was summoned at the request of the chairman Frank Daly of the Cork Harbour Commissioners. It was one of the most influential and representative meetings held in Cork for a considerable time. Resolutions were passed demanding a cessation of hostilities across the country and calling upon Dáil Éireann to meet.

Frank Daly, who presided over the meeting was joined by local members of urban district councils from Cobh to Bantry to Mallow, representatives of the city’s two chambers of commerce, from the city’s Corn Market, Board of Guardians and other influential figures from over 45 public bodies in Cork City and County. Frank Daly read a resolution; “Faced with the appalling prospect of a prolonged civil war, with all its moral, national and commercial consequences, and in view of the uncertainty of the political basis and constitutional implications of such strife, we hereby call upon the authorities in Dublin to arrange for an immediate armistice and a conference with their fellow-Irishmen in the South of Ireland”.

Frank outlined that the meeting was a thoroughly representative one. There was no doubt he observed that it was a love of country that brought people to the meeting. He noted: “The situation, as you know, is an extremely grave one, and the future presents an appalling prospect. The outlook is such that all good Irishmen are really heart-broken, and little wonder when they see their country in the actual process of self-destruction, and when they see their loyal comrades and brothers-in-arms of but yesterday engaged in deadly strife. And for what purpose?”

Frank continued to be fearful of the impact of destruction; “In plain, cold simple language the continuation of the fratricidal strife can only mean devastation, destruction and desolation. If this awful struggle continues our fair province of Munster will be, by Irishmen, ravaged, ruined and laid waste. Our own city of Cork, of which we are justly proud, will if this struggle continues, be undoubtedly reduced to ashes, and we may hear at any moment that Waterford is ablaze and that the ancient city of Limerick is by modern artillery blotted out, and the destruction of Clonmel, Tipperary and Tralee will be only a matter of time”.

Frank called for Dáil Éireann to assemble, to call for an armistice and for a stable government to be formed. His resolutions containing the latter calls were to be sent to the press, government, the Chief of Staff and every member of Dáil Éireann. In his conclusions he hoped that in the discussion each and every person would as far as possible, avoid taking the party view of the situation and deal with it from what was best for Ireland.

Mr George Nason, President of the Cork District Trade’s Council, spoke second and called for a truce immediately. He was interested in representing the most unfortunate people in the country, and noted: “What was going on between the contending parties was putting their women and children into a state of starvation. The Labour Party was trying to take similar steps to those suggested at that meeting. We are not saying that the Free Staters were right or that the Republicans were right, but we say both are wrong in acting as they are now. These men on both sides had fought loyally up to quite recently side by side. The greater portion of the armies are of the working class and it was sorrowful and deplorable that the city of Dublin was today almost reduced to ashes, the finest buildings being levelled to the ground, and who is going to pay for damage, which is being done by Irishmen to their own country”.

Sir John Scott, an elder councillor of Cork City Council called for the new government to meet; “We are all anxious that peace and prosperity should come to their land. Business was paralysed. Starvation was coming, and ruin would be soon amongst them”.

Cllr Barry Egan stood up and observed that there was truth and a certain amount of justice on both sides, and he wanted to call these people together. He noted; “let them not to forget once and for all the opinions were not principles. There were only the ten commandments. They were the only principles he knew of, and it was time that those principles should prevail”.

Liam De Róiste TD stood up to speak and noted that he was there is a listening capacity. He commented on the use of guns across the emerging civil war; “If this rule of men with guns against unarmed men continues, there is an end to all Christian civilisation in this day…if they were going to have liberty in the country, liberty of the individual to live his life as he can or may, if we are going to have political liberty in the country, or economic liberty it must be by the whole people of Ireland recognising, every section recognising that progress must be upon constitutional lines within Ireland itself. The fight against the armed aggression of England was justifiable and would be justifiable any time. But a war between Irishmen themselves is, in my view and conscience, not justifiable”.  

Seven other speakers spoke including Robert Day TD. There were minor amendments to Frank Daly’s original resolutions but all were sent to the agreed list of recipients. There was also a provisional committee for peace set up, which drew from interested attendees.

Caption:

1159a. National Army snipers, Henry Street Dublin, July 1922 (source: National Library, Dublin).

Kieran’s Upcoming July Tour:

Saturday 16 July 2022, The Battle of Douglas, An Irish Civil War Story, historical walking tour with Kieran, from carpark and entrance to Old Railway Line, Harty’s Quay, Rochestown; 2pm, (free, 2 hours, finishes near Rochestown Road).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 7 July 2022

Journeys to a Free State: The Munster Republic

In the midst of the shelling by the National Army of the Irish Provisional Government of the Four Courts in Dublin from 28 June to 5 July 1922, ani-treaty champion Eamon de Valera issued a hard hitting press statement. On 7 July, he noted that the “so-called Provisional Government is not the Government”. He observed that the legitimate Government of Ireland is Dáil Éireann, which is the Government of the Republic. However, he highlighted that “the Republic has not been disestablished”.

De Valera further articulated that since January 1922 the President and Ministry of Dáil Éireann, relied on “alien powers” – that of Westminister – and observed; “They have in their executive acts ignored the regular legal and constitutional procedure, and acted in an arbitrary manner – assuming dictatorial powers for which they should be held amenable, in the Supreme Court of the Republic. These irregularities have led directly to the present situation. The men who are fighting to uphold the Republic are soldiers who took an oath of allegiance to the Republic and are acting literally in accordance with its explicit terms and the intention with which they took it”.

On the same day as De Valera’s press statement Lord Mayor of Cork Donal Óg O’Callaghan moved to squash fears of food scarcity in Cork City as anti-treaty IRA soldiers numbering up to 100 commandeered of food and equipment for manoeuvres in Cork and wider afield in Munster.

In his statement the Lord Mayor hoped to assist in putting an end to what he called “wild and unfounded rumours” that have circulated locally. The Lord Mayor asserted that they constituted a danger to public peace and security, and would lead to “scares and ultimate panic”. One of these rumours was the alleged inadequacy of the city’s food supply. The Lord Mayor moved to inform citizens that there was no cause whatever for alarm or anxiety, as ample provision was being met for normal circumstance. He noted: “Local manufacturers, importers, traders, and wholesale merchants in food and provisions are to meet and be formed into a food committee to consider and safeguard the position of the local food supply”. The Lord Mayor also announced that arrangements were being made for the maintenance, as far as possible, of all public services, postal, transit, etc, to protect the city’s commercial life pending any war.

About the same time as the Lord Mayor’s commitments the anti-treaty IRA/ Republican publicity department took charge of censoring the Cork Examiner and Cork Constitution newspapers, initially to protect sensitive military matters being published. A half a page began to appear in the Cork Examiner everyday for a few weeks describing in brief manoeuvres that had occurred to take over control of Munster. The aim was that such control of local newspapers would offset harsh national press, which promoted government censorship and was deemed one sided in its approach.

For example, in a Republican official bulletin on 10 July in the Cork Examiner, manoeuvres were commented about in the southern division. The bulletin briefly notes that policing posts were attacked on 29 June 1922 in Listowel, Foynes, Newcastle West, Shanagolden, Abbeyfeale, and Broadford. The bulletin records that Listowel surrendered with 150 rifles and its men after a short engagement. In County Cork the Skibbereen military post surrendered on 1 July 1922. Owing to certain negotiations it was not attacked until the 3 July. The garrison surrendered 43 rifles and 60 me after a hard fight. This County Cork Republican column moved onto towards Limerick to help with the battle for that city, which held out for 10 days.

As the days progressed, market town military posts from the western seaboard such as Sligo to the middle of the country such as Kilkenny fell. Cork, Limerick and Waterford were captured very quickly as part of a self-styled independent “Munster Republic”.

By 17 July 1922, the anti-treaty IRA republican side stood at c.13,000 soldiers. Pro Treaty forces stood at 15,000, up from 10,000. The Anti-Treaty side were not equipped to wage conventional war, lacking artillery and armoured units, both of which the Provisional Government obtained from the British. Liam Lynch, the Chief of Staff of the Anti-Treaty IRA, hoped to act purely on the defensive, holding their so called “Munster Republic” long enough to prevent the foundation of the Irish Free State and forcing the re-negotiation of the Treaty.

Hence the destruction of regional infrastructure began. The Cork Examiner records that telegraphic communication was stopped between Dublin, Northern Ireland, the Midlands. East and West Limerick, Waterford, and Britain. There was considerable dislocation of the services on the Great Southern and Western Railway, which hampered the transit of goods and passenger traffic. On the main Dublin-Cork line, no trains ran beyond Limerick junction to Cork, and no trains connected Limerick and Waterford. The unsettled state of affairs is also reflected in the accounts of the Cork Harbour Board, and the returns of tonnage dues and harbour dues significantly fell.

Most noticeably Cork’s Summer Show, hosted by the Munster Agricultural Society, was postponed. The Cork Examiner reported that the holding of shows in which cattle figured prominently as exhibits served to emphasise the importance of the Irish cattle industry, which in exports at the time represented something over £20m per annum.

In detailed research UCC’s Dr John Borgonova book entitled The Battle of Cork, July-August 1922 (and soon to be republished by Mercier Press), he comments that a series of manoeuvres were pursued to keep the City of Cork under some Republican control. Roadblocks were set up on thoroughfares entering and exiting Cork, and boat passengers were also searched and interrogated. Republican police ordered public houses to close promptly at 10pm. However, the anti-treaty IRA occupied very little structures beyond the Customs House, Cork Men’s Gaol, Victoria military barracks, and Union Quay RIC barracks.

To be continued…

Kieran’s July Tours:

Friday evening, 8 July 2022, The Lough and its Curiosities; historical walking tour; meet at green area at northern green of The Lough, entrance of Lough Road to The Lough, Lough Church end; 6.45pm (free, duration: two hours).

Saturday 16 July 2022, The Battle of Douglas, An Irish Civil War Story, historical walking tour with Kieran, from carpark and entrance to Old Railway Line, Harty’s Quay, Rochestown; 2pm, (free, 2 hours, finishes near Rochestown Road).

Caption:

1158a. A National Army soldier brings a wounded anti-treaty fighter out of the Four Courts in Dublin, early July 1922 (source: National Library, Dublin).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 30 June 2022

Launch of Shandon Heritage Audio Trail

A self-guided audio tour of the Shandon historic quarter has been launched by Shandon Area Renewal Association (SARA) SARA is an advocacy group representing the residents and businesses in the Shandon Area. Their Tidy Towns committee does Trojan work keeping the area not only tidy but welcoming to all who live in and visit the area.

The new audio tour takes approximately an hour. Through it you will learn about the history and the life of the area and see where the many historical characters, born and reared in the area, lived. You will also hear the voices of locals who speak about the area’s history and their relationship to it. The tour is comprised of twenty three audio tracks, with associated waypoints. Each track is specific to each waypoint. Log onto walkingshandon.ie to access the tour. The project is supported By Cork City Council and Cathedral Credit Union.

One could do the tour from your sofa but the Shandon area makes for a great area for walking and exploring. The starting point is at the Cornmarket Street side of the Shandon Footbridge. Then one climbs the hill to one of the first stops – Maldron Hotel, formerly the North Infirmary.

            There are conflicting historical reports of the infirmary’s origins sometime between 1720 and 1744. Cork historians have argued that that the first infirmary was constructed in 1720 and then a rebooting of sorts of the infirmary in 1744. The latter reboot was supported by a musical society who appropriated their surplus funds for its support.By the 1840s the original infirmary had been considerably enlarged. In 1842, there were admitted 558 patients, and 17,630 externs. It was attended by two physicians and two surgeons.  From 1867 onwards the Daughters of Charity cared for thousands and thousands of patients.

The infirmary’s history is peppered with tales of hardship and examples of perseverance to maintain a place of care for the sick in the impoverished northside of Cork during the 1700s and 1800s. The battles to fend off threats of closure were faced, and won. Crises were overcome because the management committees could depend on voluntary funding. Indeed, the hospital flourished and expanded, thanks to the pennies of the people of Cork. However, in 1987 due to National Health Cuts the hospital closed resulting in 205 redundancies. Despite vocal and physical protests from far and wide, there was to be no last minute reprieve. The doors were finally closed on 27 November 1987. Ten years later the building’s next host was the Shandon Court Hotel (now the Maldron Hotel).

Close by is the next stop on the audio trail, which is the Mother Jones plaque. The Cork Mother Jones Commemorative committee was established in 2012 to mark the 175^th anniversary of the birth of Mary Harris / Mother Jones in Cork. After a highly successful festival marking that anniversary it was decided to make the festival an annual event marking the life and legacy of Mother Jones. The Commemorative Committee, in conjunction with Cork City Council also commissioned Cork Sculptor Mike Wilkins to create a limestone plaque to honour Mother Jones in the Shandon area of the city, near her birthplace.  This plaque was erected near the famous Cork Butter Market and was unveiled on 1 August 2012.

            Although famous in other parts of the world, especially in the United States of America where she was once labelled “the most dangerous woman in America”, Cork born Mary Jones (née Harris) – or Mother Jones as she is perhaps more widely known – was virtually unknown and not recognised yet in her native city.  The festivals and activities of the commemoration committee have changed that and now the name of Mother Jones is better known in Cork and beyond.

Mary’s parents were Ellen Cotter, a native of Inchigeela and Richard Harris from Cork city. Few details of her early life in Cork have been uncovered to date, though it is thought by some that she was born on Blarney Street and may have attended the North Presentation Schools nearby.  She and her family emigrated to Canada soon after the Famine, probably in the early 1850s. Later in the United States, after tragic deaths of her husband George Jones and their four children, she became involved in the struggle for basic rights for workers and children’s rights, leading from the front, often in a militant fashion.

Mary is best known for her fiery speeches against the exploitation of miners; she was utterly fearless, travelling all over America to defend workers and their families.  Mother Jones was one of the best and most active union organizers ever seen in America. She became a legend among the coalminers of West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Nearby to the plaque to Mary Jones plaque is the historic façade of the Cork Butter Market. By the mid 1800s, the Cork butter market had enlarged to such an extent that there was a large need for expansion of the premises. In 1849, an elaborate roman temple style portico, designed by Sir John Benson, was added to the front of the butter market. In the late 1800s, there was a distinct decline in the economic fortunes of the city. The profits of the export provision trade of agricultural products such as butter and beef declined.

In 1858, 428,000 firkins of butter were being exported per annum and by 1891, this was reduced to 170,000 firkins. Competitive European prices out-competed the prices set by the butter market at Cork. Eventually, the Cork butter Market closed in 1924.  In recent decades, a butter museum, which is well worth visiting has opened up next to the craft centre in the Tony O’Reilly Centre. The old Butter Exchange is currently the subject of a planning application proposal for its interior conversion into an innovation/ start up hub.

To celebrate and mark the stories above and the multitude of other stories including the 300^th anniversary of St Anne’s Church Shandon, and the launch of the self-guided walking tour, one of my walking tours for July takes on the local history of Shandon. See all the information on my three tours for July below.

Kieran’s July Tours:

Saturday 2 July 2022, Shandon Historical Walking Tour; explore Cork’s most historic quarter; meet at North Main Street/ Adelaide Street Square, opp Cork Volunteer Centre, 2pm (free, duration: two hours, no booking required).  

Friday evening, 8 July 2022, The Lough and its Curiosities; historical walking tour; meet at green area at northern green of The Lough, entrance of Lough Road to The Lough, Lough Church end; 6.45pm (free, duration: two hours)

Saturday 16 July 2022, The Battle of Douglas, An Irish Civil War Story, historical walking tour with Kieran, from carpark and entrance to Old Railway Line, Harty’s Quay, Rochestown; 2pm, (free, 2 hours, finishes near Rochestown Road).

Caption:

1157a. St Anne’s Church Shandon with members of the Shandon Area Renewal Association 14 June 2022 (picture: Kieran McCarthy).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 23 June 2022

Journeys to a Free State: General Election Fall Out

On Friday 16 June 1922, the 1922 Irish general election took place. The result of the election in Cork City was announced shortly before midnight on Saturday 17 June 1922. Some thousands of people waited to the hear the end result outside Cork City Courthouse. The first step was reached at 7.30pm, when businessman Mr Robert Day, having secured 6,836 votes, the quota being 6,070, was declared elected. At intervals afterwards Alderman De Róiste and Alderman JJ Walsh, having received the quota, were also safe.

Later Mary MacSwiney TD, though four short of the quota, secured the fourth place. The defeated candidates, next in order, were – Alderman Beamish, Mr Frank Daly, and the shock defeat of Lord Mayor of Cork, TD and Cllr Donal Óg O’Callaghan.

Poll topper Robert Day said that he was in the happy position of having to propose a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer and also to his staff. Mary MacSwiney said on behalf of the Republican candidates she wished to express her sincere thanks for the way the election had been carried out. At this stage cheers were raised for Mary by members outside the door of the Court house and another group called for cheers for ”the senior member for Cork” i.e Donal Óg O’Callaghan  

In the days that followed, the 128 seats up for grabs in Dáil Éireann were filled. Out of a valid poll of 621,587 votes, the pro-Treaty faction of Sinn Féin won 239,195 votes and the anti-Treaty faction won 135,310 votes. The other parties and independents all supported the Treaty and secured a further 247,080 votes. The vote was seen as considerable in many ways but in essence the pro-Treaty parties had secured support from over 75% of the electorate.

On 21 June 1922 Éamon de Valera gave a formal statement on the election to the press such as the Cork Examiner: “These results seem indeed a triumph for the Imperial methods of pacification, outrage and murder and massacre, and then a threat with a concession – the policy of the kick and caress, with a kick in reserve. By the threat of immediate renewal of an infamous war our people harassed and weary, and fearful of chaos, have in a majority voted as England wanted, but their hearts and their aspirations are unchanged, and Ireland unfree will never be at rest or genuinely reconciled with England. England’s gain is for the moment only, and England’s difficulty will still be prayed for as Ireland’s opportunity”.

De Valera further articulated about patriotism and dying for Ireland; “The men and women who have been rejected by the electorate have gone down with their flag flying, untouched by prospect of place or power, true to their principles, true to every pledge and promise they gave, true to the dead who died for Ireland—with those hallowed names, theirs will forever be coupled in honourable mention, in one of the most glorious chapters in their nation’s story”.

As for the published Dáil Éireann Constitution, he said, it was still only a draft, and he felt confident Dáil would not pass it as it good. He claimed that as it stood it would exclude from the public services, and practically disfranchise every honest Republican. He noted: “It isa test code as comprehensive against Republicans as the last acts of the Clarendon-Shaftesbury code against Catholics and dissenters in the reign of Charles II. It is as Burke described the Irish Penal Code, a machine of wise and elaborate contrivance, a complete system well digested and well composed in all its parts, and particularly fitted to the end in view – the degradation of a people – directed not against the few but against the many. Dáil Éireann will not dishonour itself by passing it”.

Michael Collins remained quiet in the press up to after his election in his West Cork constituency. He did not formally respond to De Valera’s comments. However, the immediate aftermath of the general election result was that despite the pre-election coalition pact, the division between pro-treaty Sinn Fein members and anti-treaty members intensified.

On 28 June 1922, the Irish Civil War began, when the Irish Provisional Government’s troops began a shelling of the Anti-Treaty IRA’s ongoing take over of the Four Courts in Dublin. The Cork Examiner reported that there had been many casualties. Armoured cars, trench mortars, and machine guns were in action. Graphic accounts of the fighting were printed. The Provisional Government forces also seized the Fowler Hall. The building was besieged, and eventually set on fire. Telegraphic communication with Dublin continued, though irregularly, but the telephone service to the capital ceased A striking fact was that with the exception of the districts in which actual hostilities were taking place, business proceeded as usual.

At 6.30pm the Press Association stated that the Provisional Government had imposed a censorship on telegraphic messages. By 8pm breaches had been made in the river frontage of the Courts, and the Chancery Section and Library have been damaged by shells. During the evening there were a series of attacks on Provisional Government troops, who suffered six casualties in Oriel House, the headquarters of the attacked. Sniping operations extended throughout the city.

The shelling continued until 5 July 1922. At that point at least fifteen individuals were killed on the Republican side, with an unknown number wounded and over 450 individuals taken prisoner. On the Provisional Government National Army side, at least 29 were killed and over 150 were wounded.

Caption:

1156a. Fire and explosions – the shelling of Four Courts Dublin, late June 1922 (source: National Library of Ireland, Dublin).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 16 June 2022

Journeys to a Free State: Collins Comes Back to Cork

In last week’s column I wrote about, the general election, which was called on 19 May 1922 by a resolution of Dáil Éireann by an order of the Irish Provisional Government. The treaty had split the Sinn Féin party. To diminish losses due to contesting other parties, Éamon de Valera and Michael Collins created a pact, which was approved on 20 May 1922. They decided that the pro-treaty and anti-treaty factions would fight the general election jointly and shape a coalition government afterwards. On Saturday 10 June 1922, Éamon de Valera arrived in Cork by train at 9.15pm for a series of election rallies across the county.

Four days later on 14 June 1922 Michael Collins arrived to rally support for his election cause. He arrived with Cork TD J J Walsh. The general public had not more than a couple of hours’ notice of the arrival of the distinguished visitors. The train was due to arrive at 9.15 pm, but long before that hour the station premises and yard were crowded with people while immediately outside there was a vast gathering.

Inside the station when the train was signalled there was a tussle for points of vantage. Several men climbed on to the railings of the subway. and perched themselves on windowsill and lamp post. As the train emerged from the tunnel rousing cheers were given and frequently repeated to the cry “Up the Treaty”, “Up Collins”. With difficulty the party made their way to the waiting motor cars.

Preceded by the Lee Pipers Hand and Fair Lane Fife and Drum, the cars slowly emerged to the highway. Along the broad stretch of the Lower Road there was a sea of people, and the “stands” made by the tunnel steps and the terraces of houses along to and including St Patrick’s Church, were densely packed. The streets along the route to Turner’s Hotel on Oliver Plunkett Street were packed with people.

Michael was technically on route to Skibbereen for a rally in his own constituency. However, in response to repeated calls for a speech, he appeared at a window of Turner’s Hotel and was received with rounds of cheers. He thanked the crowd for their welcome. He noted that it was his second time since February 1922 to address the Cork city public. He remarked of his personal perspective; “My position is fairly well known to you, and to everyone in Ireland. You here are facing an election on Friday, and I am not hampered now by being on a platform where there are Coalitionists. I can make a straight appeal to you citizens of Cork to vote for the candidates you think best of – to vote for candidates whom the electors of Cork will think will carry on best in the future the work that the citizens of Cork want carried on”.

Michael continued; “When I spoke in Dublin, I put it that the country was facing a very serious situation, and if that situation was to be met, as it should be met, the country must have the representatives that it needs. He concluded by noting to the public: “You understand fully what you have to do and I will depend on you to do it”.

There were also repeated demands for JJ Walsh to address the crowds from his window in Turner’s Hotel. Opening his short speech that it would be unfair of him “to his old friends, the citizens of Cork, those of them who marched with him for the last 10 or 12 years in an Irish Ireland movement”, if he failed on that occasion to thank them for their loyalty and their goodwill through trying times.

JJ Walsh responded to the cheers that Michael got by observing; “It was a fitting answer and offset to the unfortunate circumstances, which occurred in this neighbourhood a few months ago [during the War of Independence], and demonstrated fully the fact that the people of Cork correctly interpreted the Gaelic spirit which operated in and animated Michael Collins and men of his type in the immediate and distant past on behalf of the people”.

JJ Walsh also articulated that he was not going to say anything in connection with the pending election. That was a matter for the people in their discretion in casting their votes. He remarked; “It was simply a case of voting in whatever direction they thought best for the Irish nation. In that spirit and with that intention alone I voted for the Treaty six months ago. The discretion and intelligence necessary to direct that vote on my part are equally available with you, and it is entirely a matter for yourselves to do what you think is right in the circumstances.

 Concluding, JJ Walsh expressed the hope that Michael Collins and those associated with him – those who were returned on Friday and who the nation would return in its wise discretion would save this poor nation and bring it to the goal of destiny which you and I, and every sincere Irish man and woman has honed for in the past”. Once JJ ended his few words, the crowds dispersed shortly after from Oliver Plunkett Street.

Kieran’s June Tours:

Saturday 18 June 2022, The Workhouse and St Finbarr’s Hospital; meet at entrance to St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 2pm (free, 2 hours). 

Caption:

1155a. Michael Collins in London, July 1921, by John Lavery (source: The Hugh Lane Gallery).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 9 June 2022

Journeys to a Free State: DeValera Comes Back to Cork

On 19 May 1922, a general election was called by a resolution of Dáil Éireann by an order of the Irish Provisional Government. The treaty had split the Sinn Féin party between 65 pro-treaty candidates, 57 anti-treaty and 1 nominally on both sides.

To diminish losses due to contesting other parties, Éamon de Valera and Michael Collins created a pact, which was approved on 20 May 1922. They decided that the pro-treaty and anti-treaty factions would fight the general election jointly and shape a coalition government afterwards. The sitting members would not be opposed by the other faction. This pact prevented voters giving their opinions on the treaty itself, especially in uncontested seats. 

 On Saturday 10 June 1922, Éamon de Valera arrived in Cork by train at 9.15pm for a series of election rallies across the county. The Cork Examiner records that he was accompanied by Messrs Austin Stack TD, Padraig O’Keeffe TD, Seán Hayes TD, and David Kent TD. The party was met at the platform by many prominent citizens, including the Lord Mayor Donal Óg O’Callaghan, and supportive members of Cork Corporation. Ten motor cars were in waiting, and the party having taken their seats a procession was formed headed up by three bands – the Lee Piper’s Band, the MacCurtain Memorial Piper’s Band, and a fife and drum band.

There were considerable numbers of the general public along MacCurtain Street, St Patrick’s Street, and the Grand Parade. The party were making Turner’s Hotel on Oliver Plunkett Street their headquarters during their visit to Cork. For more than an hour after their arrival at the hotel, a large crowd waited outside, possibly under the impression that one of the leaders might address a few remarks to them, but no speeches were delivered and before 10.30pm the crowd had melted away. A tricolour flag was floating from one of the windows of the hotel.

Following an extensive tour of the county, a successful meeting in support of DeValera’s election candidates was held on the Grand Parade on Sunday 11 June, Speeches were delivered from two platforms, no.1 was situated near the National Monument and no. 2 was located above the Berwick Fountain. Two local bands were in attendance.

At platform no.1 Lord Mayor O’Callaghan commented to the public that they were “absolutely free to vote for whom they pleased and as they pleased”. But in the light of their knowledge of the national position, and its dangers on all sides, he asked the people for their assistance. He noted, “It was they who were going to shoulder the responsibility of steering this country in the period, which was about to open. They asked them to return to the Dáil the same people who had worked up to now…it was necessary to entrust the country into the hands of those who had been the strength of the movement for the past few years…that was to have a solid working entity in the new parliament”.

On rising to the platform Éamon de Valera was received with cheers and said that he was there as President of the Sinn Féin organisation under the auspices of which the panel candidates were going forward in the general national interest. “Up to last December they had a common policy in Dáil Éireann on a mandate that they got from the people. Since December they differed on a question and on that question, they still differered, and were likely to go down to their graves differing on. They felt that it would not be in the best interests of the nation to try and get a decision on that question at the present time”.

Éamon deValera noted that there was agreement on many things. They agreed that their nation had a right to be as free, as any other nation on the earth, and that the people had a right and duty to struggle to secure that freedom, and that the nation should never rest until it achieved it.

Secondly, they agreed that they not only wanted a free Ireland, but a distinctively Irish nation, and not to have Ireland become a West Briton. He noted: “They agreed that an Irish Ireland could not be got unless they started upon a Gaelic foundation, and the fundamental foundation was to restore as the common spoken their own ancient national language”.

They also agreed that any legislation that affected different classes should be based upon justice, and that every Irish citizen who accepted the responsibility of Irish citizenship had a right to have his life and property. his interests, defended by the nation.

They found agreement as to international policy—they desired, while maintaining their own right to independence a policy of friendliness with all nations. He highlighted; “They did not want to wage a war of aggression on any country, but when attacked to defend themselves, and he hoped they would never see the day the Irish nation was not ready to defend itself when attacked”.

Amidst cheers Éamon de Valera declared that a national Government that should be able to get the support, of the whole people. He observed; “The two parties coming together would get a wider measure of support from the people of the country than any Government that could be chosen would get. The next eight or ten months would be critical months. They believed that if there was to be a united army it was only such a Coalition as agreed upon, could get it, and that also was a reason for their coining together and giving the people a chance to give them back authority once more”.

To be continued…

Kieran’s June Tours:

Saturday 11 June 2022, Cork and the River Lee, An Introduction to the Historical Development of Cork City; meet at the National Monument, Grand Parade, 2pm, in association with Cork Harbour Festival (free, 2 hours, no booking required for all tours).

Sunday 12 June 2022, Stories from Blackrock and Mahon, Historical Walking Tour; meet in the courtyard of outside Blackrock Castle, 2pm, in association with Cork Harbour Festival (free, 2 hours, finishes at old railway line walk).

Saturday 18 June 2022, The Workhouse and St Finbarr’s Hospital; meet at entrance to St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 2pm (free, 2 hours). 

Caption:

1154a. Éamon de Valera in London, July 1921, by John Lavery (source: The Hugh Lane Gallery).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 2 June 2022

Journeys to a Free State: The Shaw Commission Arrives

The Compensation (Ireland) Commission for the Irish War of Independence arrived in Cork on 31 May 1922. The Commission was set up jointly by the Irish Provisional and British Governments in 1922. It would sit in Ireland under the presidency of, originally, Lord Shaw of Dunfermline, and later, Sir Alexander Wood-Renton. The Commission’s terms of reference were limited to the deliberation of claims in respect of damage or injury incurred between 21 January 1919 and 11 July 1921. Representatives of the the Provisional Government, some weeks before hand already has been to Cork to go through how the physical financing structure would work.

The three-person group known as the Shaw Commission comprised two representatives from the British Government and one from the Irish Provisional Government. Lord Shaw of Dumfermline (Chairman) who was a prominent Scottish Liberal Peer and Lawyer chaired the group. Mr C J Howell Thomas was Deputy Chief Valuer to Westminster’s Board of Inland Revenue. Mr James Dowdall was a representative of the Provisional Government and a prominent merchant from Cork city, and Mr Norman MacPherson was Secretary and Mr Michael Ryan was Assistant Secretary.

The sittings at Cork were opened in in the County Court. Mr Tim M Healy, and Mr J Byrne (instructed by Mr M Corrigan, solicitor) appeared for the Irish Provisional Government at the sitting of the Court.

Mr H Exham, solicitor on behalf of Ireland’s Southern Law Association, welcomed the Commission to Cork, and assured them of every assistance, from the Association. They wanted to know whether the Commission would sit in Cork to hear all the County Cork cases and whether a list would be drawn up on the order in which each case would be taken.

Lord Shaw thanked the Association for its welcome, and said he hoped that Mr Exham and his colleagues “would have the same worthy opinion of them at the close of their sittings as they had at the beginning”. He detailed that the claims from various parts of Ireland were very large in number. Many had already been initially deliberated on by a local Court Recorder, as in the Cork City context, but needed to be further critiqued. In particular, he noted the impact of the war on the the City and County of Cork owing to circumstances he wished not to get into during his chairmanship.

Continuing his introduction, Lord Shaw outlined that it was almost impossible at their point in time to form any opinion or forecast as to the particular order in which certain cases would be taken. He did wish though to give those people involved in the cases sufficient time for preparation.

Lord Shaw also wished to say that there was an inclination to make Cork acentre of their deliberations in the immediate south of the country. He was going to notify publicly all County Councils in the South of Ireland and local authorities that the Commission relied on their co-operation to send them all the claims, which had been lodged. The Commission had also delegated certain functions to a local investigator who would go to the localities and conduct the local investigation before the case came before the Commission.

The case of Messrs William Egan and Sons, 32 and 33 Patrick’s Street, was the first case taken. Mr James Rearden and Mr George Daly appeared for the business.

There were two claims – one in respect of the damage caused on the night of the 29 November 1920, when a bomb was thrown into the premises – and the second for the burning of the premises on the night of 11 December. The total claim for the former was £2,858 16s 6d, and the decree by the Recorder of Cork on foot of it was £2,413.

In respect of the December burning the claim totalled £58,544 13s 9d, made up as follows – fittings and plants, £21,670 11s 9d; stock-in-trade, £22,578 11s 9d; furniture and plant in workshops, £6.576 2s , and resulting loss and cost of temporary premises, £1,608 8s 3d. The Recorder on foot of this claim gave a decree for £51,367 with costs and expenses.

Evidence substantiating the claims was given by Mr R M Egan, managing director at the firm. He emphasised that the business was most anxious to start rebuilding immediately once their claim was decided. They did intend to extend their business and had acquired premises adjoining; he noted “We believe in the future of Cork and it is a matter of indifference to us how the money is made payable, whether on architect’s certificates, or direct personally, or through the Government. Personally, he would prefer that the payments be made through the Government”.

Mr Healy, on rising to put some questions to the witness relative to the Company’s balance sheet and to insurance, said: “We are here not to oppose any claim; we are not opponents of the applicants; we are critics and no more. Mr B O’Flynn (architect), estimated the cost of rebuilding at £12,904 15s. 3d., and of replacing the fittings £5,846.

Mr. John Hayes, manager of the ecclesiastical department of Messrs. Egan, gave evidence as to the quantity of goods in stock in his department at the time of the time and similar testimony was given with reference to the jewellery department and shop by the manager of these, Mr James O’Connell.

After legal arguments on the question as to whether the goods looted came within the scope of the Malicious Injuries Act, the Court adjourned until 11.15am the following day on 1 June, when the decision of the Commission was announced. The total awarded was £34,606 plus £14,000 to be expended in connection with the re-erection of the buildings. This was less than the original recorder’s assessment.

Mr Egan on receiving the news wished to intervene to express his disappointment. He noted: “I have no feelings of anger or heart, and nothing but thanks for the courteous way you have carried out the in inquiry, but I must say this court appears to me in its decision as nothing but a mockery, a delusion, and a snare”. Lord Shaw noted that he was sympathetic but highlighted: “I think you would he very well-advised Mr Egan, not to make that statement”. The statement stood though. However, Egan’s was not the only damaged premises who saw their original recorder’s claim reduced. A large majority of reductions occurred right across the Shaw Commission’s work in the ensuing months.

Kieran’s June Tours:

Saturday 11 June 2022, Cork and the River Lee, An Introduction to the Historical Development of Cork City; meet at the National Monument, Grand Parade, 2pm, in association with Cork Harbour Festival (free, 2 hours, no booking required for all tours).

Sunday 12 June 2022, Stories from Blackrock and Mahon, Historical Walking Tour; meet in the courtyard of outside Blackrock Castle, 2pm, in association with Cork Harbour Festival (free, 2 hours, finishes at old railway line walk).

Saturday 18 June 2022, The Workhouse and St Finbarr’s Hospital; meet at entrance to St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 2pm (free, 2 hours). 

Caption:

1153a. James C Dowdall, Irish Provisional Government Representative on the Shaw Commission 1922 (source: Dowdall Family).