THE IRISH STRUGGLE

Evening Star, Issue 18034, 31 July 1922, Page 9

THE IRISH STRUGGLE

REBEL TYRAHHY.

\ ~ - GANGS OF ROBBERS.

LONDON, July 28. An Irishman in Mayo writes _to the ‘Star’ as follows:—“We complained ol and fought the Black-and-Tans under Bntish rule, but our sufferings under Do Valera’s Greon-and-Tans is much greater. A train whistle has not been ■heard m Connaught for throe weeks. There is_ no telegrapmc or telephonic communication, the postal services aro suspended, and newspapers aro not allowed in from outside. The local newspapers aro controlled by the extremists. Tho roads have been made impassable by felled trees, trenches, and barricades, which tho population, under threats of murder, have been compelled to ‘construct. All motors, trucks, petrol, oil, bicycles, and even spades have been commandeered, and the shops have been looted. Thus the Irregulars amassed food, clothing, and other _ stores, leavine the population partially faminestricken. Nine-tenths of the people are opposed to De Valera's gunmen, but the gunmen alone ' opssess guns. It will be impossible to overthrow tho Dictatorship until the Regulars gradually liberate the oppressed counties. Fairs and markets have ceased. Our new masters have proclaimed martial law and the curfew. The plaid truth, is that these forces have degenerated into gangs .of robbers.” —A. and N.Z. Cable. . .

ARMISTICE REFUSED,

LONDON, Jnlv 28, The Free State Government lias rejected the armistice proposals, demanding unconditional surrender.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

The ’Daily Telegraph’s’ Dublin correspondent states that the masses of the Irish people, who are sick of blood shed and disorder, welcome the Free State Government’s decision to reject tho Cork Irrecrulard armistice proposal.—A. and N.Z. Cable. LEITRIM REBELS. "10-. DON, July 28. The Irregulars are tearing up the railway lines and cutting tho telegraphs in Leitrim. Armed gangs are preventing the railwaymen from repairing tho damage.— Reuter. A NATIONALIST CAPTURE. LONDON, Julv 29. The Nationalists have captured Glenveagh Castle, in Donegal, _ containing looted goods, arms, ammunition, and a printing plant, which was used to print the Irregulars’ war bulletins.—A. and N.Z. Cable. TIPPERARY’S SUFFERINGS. LONDON, July 29. .Messages state that the people in_ the town of Tipperary are in a terrible plight. The Irregulars control the town. All the railways, telegraphs, and telephones have been cut for weeks, the bridges destroyed, the newspapers suspended, and the factories are dosing. Unemployment is increasing daily. There is neither coal nor gas, and the people are on the brink of starvation, as food supplies are running short. They are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Free State,troops, who hitherto have been unable to penetrate the Irregulars’ lines.—A. and N.Z. Cable. GO VERNMENT- CONFIDENT. LONDON, Julv 28. The Government, -which is confident of success against the rebels, announces that the Dail Eireann will not be postponed beyond August 12. It is planning the establishment of a Commission to deal with all compensation matters arising from the Civil War, including the reconstruction of Dublin.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

ULSTER NIGHTS OF ALARM

" STICKING IT OUT.”

A WOMAN’S DIARY,

The following extracts from an Ulsterwoman’s diary describe the events of an exciting time 'in an Irish country house: Tuesday.—Tilings are moving. This morning at breakfast there was a rather strained sort of hush while the porridge was under way, and Bella, our Sinn Fein parlormaid, was uoing and coming. Father used to disapprove strongly of having Sinn ■Feiners about tho "place, but mother has always tried to make no distinctions. At this moment, I believe, she sees it’s no good in Ireland to try to be neutral. Now lor the news. A fresh body of “A” specials have arrived' at the police barracks, and, they have put up a lot more barbed wire. After breakfast mother sent Bella off on her bicycle to flo shopping in , and as soon as she was clear of the lodge gate we- packed all the old Irish silver away in the safe and carried out the best china bit by bit to the garden, where wo buried it here and there. It’s just as well we can’t afford to keep gardeners since the war.

j Wednesday.—There are signs of trouble. ; Fleets of Ford cars on the roads and strings of youths walking into the village. There is to be an entertainment in the sdhoolhouse, and the maids have asked leave to go. Thursday.—We have had a night of it! The mater and I, after packing the small fry off to bed, sat up till 11 o'clock. Still no maids, so we gave them up, and I at any rate was soon fast asleep. ' I was awakened suddenly about an hour later by a loud crashing of rifle fire quite close to the house, followed! by the noise , of a violent explosion from the direction of the village. For two hours wo sat with the children on the floor of the nursery, where mother and I had flown the moment we woke. All that time the racket of battle went on, nothing wanting but heavy guns, while the night was wearing itself out in utter stillness. Now and then through tho ‘ darkness we saw Yej’oy lights shooting up from the barracks. - Once we fancied' we : heard footsteps on- the gravel walk, and I several times we braced ourselves to open * the nursery door and peer down the passage. It would he so easy for a party of • fighting, mad ” Sinn Fein ere to break ; in a window or force the hall door. And then, why should we come off better than ; others? Towards dawn we were all four dozing on the pillows and rugs we had collected,, when crack I , went a shot just under the window, and then I could have sworn ,1 heard a dbor open and shut ■ on (■the floor below. Mother and I struggled fiercely for the privilege of exploring the j passage, and finally went together as far ,aa the landing overlooking the hall. But it was dead silence, and from then till (7 o’clock (a-.m.), when the maids arrived., with the 'Protestant cook ■ shaking like a jelly, nothing more happened. Friday.—A party of soldiers have come into tho village this-morning. We shall sleep more peacefully. Three tins of petrol have been found) in the shrubbery, and there is a bullet hole in the front door. We heard the story of the fight from the postman yesterday evening. When the firing began a handful of “ B ” and “ 0 ” specials happened to be motoring at a snort distance from the village on their ■ wa y to . Finding every road blocked, they Jeff, their motor with the driver and ran to the help of our police, who were then strong enough to beat off their assailants and even chaise them as they fled. Saturday.-—The soldiers have gone again, but parties of specials are scouring the countryside. Mr : - has just been to offer to ask. for a guard of “B ” .specials for ua from the nearest headquarters. The mater has, thank goodness, accepted. Sunday.—At about 11.30 last night we hoard four rifle shots coming from different directions, and as if in answer (o one another. Mother packed a suit case, and ] filled a bag with her favorite ornaments and my own special treasures and! put it on my window ledge ready to drop over among the bushes underneath. We son together on the mat outside the nursery door. The 1 children were fast asleep. About 3 o’clock flash signalling began from a hill behind the house; but nothing else

happened. Our Sinn Fein maid) has been seen talking to home young men in a lane a mile away, when we thought she was at mass. The cook is in hysterics. The specials have not come. Saturday.—They are hero. They did not'turn up till half-past T(p.m.). We began to fear they had) been ambushed on the road, lb blew - hard) in the night, and one couldn’t ■■ hear anything in my room but the wind, so I stole’down to the hall and! waited—and waited. A,t last I was just giving up hope when there suddenly appeared the dazzling. Hash of the headlights of Crossley tenders, and their buzzing rose above the woosh of the wind. For the first few minutes the confusion was indescribable. One bumped into rifles and revolvers every moment. The men in the dark swarmed like a regiment. But the cars were soon emptied, and the ammunition tucked away, and it wasn’t such a big party after all when the lamps were lit. They were good sort of lads, and had three old soldiers with them. They don’t wear collars, but they are wonderfully orderly, and civil and clean, though I don’t like their taste in tobacco! Sunday.—The sergeant tells me there has been “groat correspondence ” in the night, meaning signalling. The Protestants about here are so frightened they will not go to work. There are bloodstains still to be seen' in the village from the fighting on Wednesday night. Eve 17 day we get fresh news ol attacks on Northern cottages and! castles; but wo mean to stick it out. An officer has just been, The windtows are to bo sandbagged and the shrubbery is to be icut down. The poor mater is almost in tears. The drawing room windowsills and) casements have just been repainted I When he (the officer'). loft he said to me on the doom top that the best he could wish me was a whole skin. Nice cheery young man! Monday.—They banged at us “ all out for an hour and a-hclf last night. Hit a window and bombed a laburnum; but that was all the damage, barring a few splinters. Our “B” bop replied in great style till the Crossley tenders came. We are now securely fenced round with barbed! wire, and even the postman is a rare bird.