De Valera bows out

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33261, 26 June 1973, Page 15

De Valera bows out

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright)

DUBLIN, June 25.

For six days, the fiery Irish leader and his beleaguered garrison clung to Boland’s Mill during the Easter Rising of 1916. Only a written order from his commander forced him to surrender the key building to surrounding British troops.

a written order from his ij commander forced him to : surrender the key building I to surrounding British troops. “You can shoot me, but ’ spare my men,” he told his ' British captors defiantly. His ’ green uniform was caked in . white flour, his hair was uni kempt, his face was lined and drawn. i There were still a few oldtimers around who remem•ibered, as the former Presi--1 dent of Ireland, Mr Eamon de . Valera, now aged 91 and ■ almost blind, made a sentii mental farewell pilgrimage: yesterday to the Dublin landI mark where he defied the !i firepower of the British f Armv. I "I want to thank all those : who stood behind me in diffficult times,” Mr de Valera 1 said. “I have always tried to I do my best.” #

, Then, to the cheers and tear of his followers, Mr de Valera was driven to his new residence, Linden’s Nursing Home for old folk, where he will live out his retirement with his wife, Sinead.

“I feel proud of what has! been achieved since those days,” Mr de Valera said in his final farewell to the nation he served as soldier, Prime Minister and President for more than 50 years. Mr de Valera, the last surviving leader of the 1916 Rising against British rule, has completed his 14 years as President of Ireland. His successor, Mr Erskine Childers, a Protestant, aged 68, who was bom in England, will be formally inaugurated today. But yesterday was Mr de Valera’s day. Thousands of flag-waving supporters gathered outside the Presidential residence in Phoenix Park and escorted him in a triumphant procession through the city centre. “Up Dev,” they shouted as they pressed around his blue Rolls-Royce limousine "God 1 bless you, chief ”;