IRISH AFFAIRS

Grey River Argus, 5 August 1922, Page 5

IRISH AFFAIRS

FREE STATE OUT FLANKING MOVE. , big FORCE LAND IN WEST. (Received August 4 at 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, August 3. The National troops have carried out a well-planned surprise landing from the sea at Fenit, in County Kerry. ' An attempt to frustrate the disem barkation of the Free State force completely failed. This coup takes the Irregulars loft flank in the rear, and the Irregulars arc retreating from Limerick, which now is open to both frontal and rear attacks. It is expected the result will be that a large portion of the Kerry County will be immediately freed from tin Irrogula rs. Hie Nationals in the south of Limerick are driving the Irregulars towards Clonmel. The Nationalists have captured CashDETAILS OF THE LANDING. (Rec. August 4, 9.50 p.m.) LONDON, August 3. The Free State troops have struck I dramatically at the rebels’ left flank, i in landing in the South-east. A large, specially-trained force was secretly | transported by a flotilla of ships from Dublin, and taken four hundred miles round southern Ireland, to the lonely station of Tenit, in the wilds of Dingle Bay. Rebel contingents opposed the landing, but they were unable to prevent the landing, which was effected under cover of machine gun and rifle barrage. Some of the troops leaped into the water and waded to the beach. The covering fire was most effective, with the result that the Rebels retreated in disorder. The landing force suffered only three slight casualties. Within a short period, the Free Staters were in possession of Tenit, and established a position which menaces the Rebels’ concentration. CHILDERS A REBEL COMMANDER (Rec. August 4, 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 3. The English Sinn Feiner, (Erskine Childers is in supreme command of the Rebels in the Limerick sector, where there is occasional heavy fighting. The Rebels made an attempt there to recapture Brurll, assisted by two improvised armoured cars, fitted with machine guns. The effort, however, ended in a precipitate flight to Kilmallock. FREE STATE REVERSE.

LONDON, August 3. A Nationalist force, engaged in clearing Irregulars from County Mayo, was ambushed between Ballina and Swinford. The commandant was among these killed. FREE STATE PAYS COMPENSATION. (Rec. August 4, 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 3. The Irish Provisional Government has begun paying compensation awarded by the Commissioner for damage done during hostilities. CASH EQUIVALENTS OF DAMAGE LONDON, August 3. It is estimated here that civil war has cost Ireland about seventy millions sterling; Dublin claims now totalling seven million, and damage in Tipperary being estimated at a million. The Irish Bar is seeking thirty thousand for the destruction of the Four Courts. ENGLISH INTERFERENCE. LONDON, August 3. In the House of Commons, Professor Butcher said he wanted to call attention to a grave situation in Ireland. He expressed it as his opinion that if it were allowed to continue, the country would be- reduced to a condition of primeval barbarism. He said that despite awful outrages and murders, no one had been brought to justice or executed.

Mr Churchill replied that the dominant fact was that the Irish Provisional Government was engaged in suppressing a rebellion which was set on foot against its authority, and against the will of the people, who felt that if they could not establish law and order, the great experiment of Irish self-Government would be defeated. Irish opinion was consolidated in support of the Provisional Government. The Imperial Government, he said, had nothing to regret in the course which events had taken. CHURCHILL’S CONFIDENCE. IN FREE STATERS SUCCESS. LONDON, August 4. In his speech on Ireland in the House of Commons, Mr W. Churchill stated that there has been no considerable exodus of loyalists from Ireland, and he did not anticipate any reign of terror as a result of the Rebels’ action. The Free State troops were being welcomed by the populace, and he believed that they would continue to advance with the ev(". ;• r >wing support of Irish people, until the Rebels were driven back to the hills. He would not, in the present circumstances, institute ft time limit within which the Provisional Government should restore order iff Ireland.