CHAOS IN IRELAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18545, 4 May 1922, Page 7

CHAOS IN IRELAND

REBEL ACTIVITY. KILKENNY CITY INVADED. BREE STATERS OCCUPY GALWAY. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, May 2. Early to-day large forces of irregulars invaded Kilkenny city. They occupied all the strategic positions and took numerous buildings, including Kilkenny Castle, the City Hall, the Bank of Ireland, and the Cathedral Workhouse, using the last as' headquarters.. The Free State troops seized all the Republican positions in Galway, including the barracks and Government offices. The opposition was slight. Irregulars in Kinnegad (Westmeath) and Greensbridge surrendered their barracks under a threat of attack by the Free Staters, who were cheerej on taking possession.—A. and N.Z. Cable. OUTRAGE IN ARMAGH, s A POSTMAN MURDERED. LONDON, May 2. „ The police found a postman's body riddled with bullets in Keady (Armagh). His son, aged' 16, was also shot,-and is in a critical condition.—A. and N.Z. Cable. IRREGULARS IN DUBLIN. IMPORTANT POSITION SEIZED. LONDON, May 2. . Irregulars in Dublin seized and I caded premises" commanding another important Liffey bridge.—A. and N.Z. Cable. SOUTHERN IRELAND. RAIDS ON BANKS. . BIG SUMS SECURED. THE PEOPLE • PANIC-STRICKEN. ' LONDON, May 3. (Received Mav 3, at 5.5 p.m.) Rebel troops continue to hold up banks, seize buildings, and cut railways in all parts of Southern Ireland, and the people are becoming panic-stricken, not knowing where the trouble will break out next. The latest bank raids include the Charleville branch of the Bank of Ireland, where £9OOO was stolen, the Tuam branch. £7OOO and the Boyle branch £6OOO. CRISIS IN KILKENNY. Events are moving to crisis in Kilkenny. The ' buildings which the rebels occupied include tRe Protestant Cathedral of Kilkenny. The Southern Protestants angrily denounce the helplessness of the Provisional Government in the face of this gross outrage. The Free State troops in the district, however, are ' unwilling to leave the rebels unmolested in Kilkenny. A small force of pro-treatv troops under Colonel Proul occupied the military barracks and gaol after an exchange of shots. The Free Staters have also captured tw.o rebel posts with J 8 prisoners. The rebels' are now attempting to recapture the prison. FREE STATERS ROUSED. • The Free Staters' success at Galway, MullingarJ and other centres was due to the; adoption of uncompromising methods. In each case the Tebels were given a few minutes to clear the towns. The rebels' opposition immediately collapsed: PORT OF DUBLIN PARALYSED. The' whole business of the Port of Dublin is paralysed owing to the seizure .of the dock ohices .and the fact that the rebels are using the books for fortification purposes.—A. and N.Z. Cable.