MINIATURE DONNYBROOK

Evening Star, Issue 18094, 9 October 1922, Page 7

MINIATURE DONNYBROOK

FIGHTIKG AT IRISH GALA. ! ■ A miniature Donnybrook Fair was tv it-, nested at Durham on. the occasion of an Irish gala in support of the Provisional Irish Government. A number of Republicans attended, and, though in a minority, they raised an opposition flag;, and an opposition meeting was held. One of the opposition speakers was seized by a supporter of the Provisional Government, and a free fight followed, in which both men and women were engaged. The Republican Flag was tom down ami trampled underfoot; the bannerbearers laid l lustily about them with the banner supports; missiles were thrown, and one man was seen using a concertina as a weapon. Some of the combatants swayed dangerously on the edge of a terrace, and narrowly escaped: falling several feet on tho concrete floor of a rink. Earlier similar scenes wore witnessed at processions which lasted about two hours. Almost every interruption of the speakers was followed by a fight, the pugilists rolling down terraces locked in a lierco'* combat. The cides of “ Traitor” greeted every new speaker, whose words were lost in shouts of “‘Up, Do Valera,” and the noise of persistent bugle-blowing. The stewards made an attack upon every new centre of disturbance, and tho Republicans were borne, kicking and struggling, down tho stairs and ejected from the meeting. The women were perhaps even more pugnacious than the men. Three women, after having been rejected, returned bearing tire Republican banner, which they spread out before them as they stood in a lino. A rush was made by the stewards, and the women were seized and again bundled out of the rink. Sticks and umbrellas -wore freely used on the heads and shoulders of tho order keepers. . ~ , , The most exciting incident occurred when someone threw a smoke bomb into a crowd assembled near the platform. A great cloud of smoke obscured the scene for a few moments, and, as it lifted, people were to be seen stampeding m all directions. One woman fainted, and was attended to by a nurse who was present No one seems to have been seriously injured in the many struggles, but there were numerous casualties. Mr Sean Milrov, member of the Dan, who was the principal speaker, declared that there was in Ireland a small minonty attempting to destroy the rights of tnc people. Ho did not say the treaty could bo regarded as a final settlement, but he did say that it gave Ireland the reality and substance of freedom, and there was no reason why it could not be revised if such was the wish of the Irish people. Mr Chris Byrne, member of the Da.il, remarked t!::tt the Irregulars were making the name Republican stink in the nostrils of all decent people, but in spite of then efforts to sink Ireland in degradation, a Gaelic State would yet bo built up that would be tho pride of civilisation. After the singing of tho soldiers’ song, the meeting ended with repeated cheeis toi Messrs Griffiths and Collins, and countercheers for Mr Do Valera.