IRELAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3595, 6 February 1923, Page 18

IRELAND.

SENSATIONAL STORIES. LONDON, January 28. Two men have been executed at Maryborough (Queen’s County) for being in the unlawful possession of arms. Sensational stories of floggings in Galway are current. Armed men, wearing the Free State uniform, accused young men of complicity in recent robberies. They stripped them naked and flogged them unmercifully. ARMY REORGANISATION. LONDON, January 28. The reorganisation of the Irish Tree State army has begun. The air service will be developed as rapidly as possible under General M'Sweeney, who has been appointed Director of Aviation. REBEL CAMPAIGN UNABATED. LONDON, January 28, For half an hour men concealed in shrubberies fired revolvers at the Gover-nor-General’s residence in Dublin. Simultaneously a shower of bullets was poured into Marlborough Barracks. There were no casualties. A well-known rebel leader, Patrick Cahill, with a number of his followers, was captured near Tralee, their whereabouts being located by an aeroplane. Sabotage on railway buildings continues at various points. January 29. Free State troops arrested a youth possessing complete plans for blowing up the Broadstone railway terminus in Dublin, which is now closely guarded. While a woman was addressing' a meeting in O'Connell street, Dublin, on Sunday afternoon three men discharged' their revolvers. A wild stamoede followed, men, women, and children being trampled upon. The Wexford-Dublin mail tram was held up at Ennisborthy. One Free State officer was severely wounded and others were deprived of their uniforms. The train was emptied and set on fire. Two other trains were then set running into the burning train, piling up an indescribable mass of wreckage. The Midland and Great Western Companies have limited their services to the daytime in order to minimise the wreckings. Dublin reports that one night’s damage to the trains in County Wexford amounted to £30,000. January 30. A grave outbreak by Irregulars occurred on Monday rfight, when the houses of State officials and their relatives, Ministers, and members of the Dublin press were attacked. The residence of Mr Corrigan, the chief State Solicitor, was blown to atoms, after Mrs Corrigan and her children and a maid had been evicted. The explosion shook the neighbourhood, and the furniture was littered over a space of 100 yards. The house adjoining, the home of Mr Robert Donovan, a leader writer on Freeman’s Journal, for whom it is presumed the attack was intended, was entered by Irregulars, who evicted the occupants, and destroyed the building by a mine. Armed men visited the residence of Mr Brewster, manager of the Independent newspaper, wrecked the furniture, and ignited the premises. The fire brigade extinguished the flames after three rooms had been seriously damaged. Armed men destroyed 500 tons of hay xt the home of Mr Joseph Mooney, a director of the Independent newspaper. The . approach of a detective patrol alarmed the men, who dropped a parcel outside the home of Sir John Arnott, chairman of the Irish Times. The parcel contained a land mine. The home of Mr Lawrence Flanagan (Mr Cosgrave’s brother-in-law) was ignited, but the flames were extinguished before the building was gutted. Bombing attacks were made on patrols and military posts as a feint. A train was held up at Killiney. It was ignited arid destroved. NEW YORK, January 31 According to a Madison (Wisconsin) message Sir Horace Plunkett, who w leaving to-day en route for Ireland, declared that he was glad his house was destroyed rather than some poor man’s one-room dwelling, and he expressed satisfaction that no one was injured. He could not see any political significance in the destruction of his home. REBEL LEADER ARRESTED. LONDON, January 30. The Free Staters arrested Liam Seasy, who is supposed to share with Liam Lynch the supreme control of the Irregulars.

FIERCE WEEK-END ENCOUNTER. LONDON, January 30. Details of a fierce week-end engagement in Limerick show that two separate parties of Free Staters were ambushed by 100 Republicans, armed with machine and Lewis guns. The firing lasted for five hours. The body of a Free State officer who was killed was stripped naked and left lying on the roadside. DUBLIN CORPORATION WARNED. LONDON, January 30. The Dublin correspondent of The Times states: “The Dublin Corporation is reconsidering its decision to pay half wages to its employees who are in military custody. General Mulcahy intimated that if this decision were carried out the persons responsible would be arrested.” GIRLS ASSIST GUNMEN. LONDON, January 30. The -Daily Express correspondent in Cork reports: “Terror holds increased sway in Cork. The rebels in' many of the rural districts practically dictate terms to the populace. The recent executions have disturbed the district, and some public bodies have shown Republican sympathy by motions of sympathy with the relatives of those who were executed. Raids on post offices are of daily occurrence. A number of peaceable and influential citizens have been held up, beaten, and robbed, and left half dead on the roadside. Theatre and kinema proprietor's are between the devil and the deep sea, as the rebels have ordered them afll to close on every execution day, while the Free State authorities say tliat they must be kept open. “ The dockers and carters are striking, and many unemployed girls are playing an increasing part in tire gunmen’s campaign. Each gunman is accompanied by a girl carrying revolvers under her skirts. When the moment for action arrives she hands over the weapons, and receives them back again immediately after the firing, and walks quietly away while ai.nmen are being searched. The railway to Crosshaven was almost entirely destroyed during this weekend, as the result of the simultaneous burning of nearly every station. The rebels are now concentrating on the Youghal line.” COMPENSATION FOR DAMAGES. LONDON, January 30. Advices from Dublin state that :t is believed that the Government intends introducing a Bill to deal adequately with civilian claims for damages, thus enabling compensation to be paid from the national exchequer. It is estimated that claims will amount to £30,000,000, which is equal to about a year’s revenue. VALUABLE MANSIONS DESTROYED. LONDON, January 30. Irregulars burnt Milestown House, a valuable Louth mansion with valuable contents. The occupants were ordered out by the raiders. After ordering a family and the servants to leave “Palmerston,” a beautiful residence in Straffion, Comity Kildare, rebels completely destroyed the building byfire, only allowing the family pictures and art treasures to be removed. PUNITIVE MEASURES THREATENED. LONDON, January 31. While walking with his wife in Sutton (Mayo) Senator Bagwell was kidnapped by armed men and driven away in a taxi. The Free State authorities issued a proclamation stating that if Mr Bagwell is not safely returned within 48 hours punitive measures will be taken against the kidnappers’ associates. This is generally interpreted to mean executions. February 2. The Republicans deny that Bagwell was released. It is understood that he escaped and is now in England. ULSTER’S ATTITUDE. LONDON, January 31. Sir James Craig, in addressing the Ulster Unionist Council, said that the people of Ulster were more determined than ever not to enter the Free State. That being so what was the use of Lord Glenavy or anyone else writing secret confidential letters which got into the press? Any offer must come from the Constituted Government in a form that could be laid before Parliament and the people for decision. OUTRAGES CONTINUE. LONDON, January 31. The Balbriggan coastguard station was destroyed by the explosion of three land mines. A woman with a revolver held up a policeman at Trinity College and kept nim covered while several women painted inscriptions on the walls of the college relating to the hunger strike in Mountjoy. The recently-established Free State-army post in Ballyinore, County Leitrim, was attacked by a large body of Republicans, and a garrison of 30 was captured. A, railway train was seized and a post office and bank raided. Simultaneously the roads leading to the town were blocked. The prisoners were removed by train to Drumshamhe. A large band of armed rebels damaged the residence of Mr Stephen Gwynn (ex. member of the House of Commons) m Dublin by means of a land mine, alter forcing the occupants to leave the house. FREE STATE GARRISON CAPTURED. LONDON, February 1. Irregulars forced the Free State garrison at Balliuamore (Leitrim) to surrender the barracks, and commandeered a train, m which they removed their prisoners, who were taken to the mountains. The rebels afterwards blew up the terminus and locomotive works of the Cavan-Leitrim railway.

HOSTILITIES CONTINUED. LONDON, February 3. By means of arson, bombs, and mines the Republicans continue to fight the Free State Government. Ten armed men, laden with petrol, smashed the door of an historic mansion at Artane, near Dublin. They said they were going to burn it, as a reprisal for the execution of Republicans, and the building was coon in ruins. The House of Senator Maurice Moore, a brother of Mr George Moore (novelist), was similarly destroyed, including some rare furniture, which was in the house where the independence of Connaught was signed in 1793. Senator Lineham’s house at Whitechurch (Cork) was also destroyed, and several houses at Dundalk, as a reprisal for the death of the Dundalk rebels. Six death sentences of Republicans have been confirmed, and the executions are expected during the week-end. EFFORT TO SECURE PEACE. LONDON, February 4. The Irish people are weary of strife, and are looking hopefully to a meeting in Dublin to-day of 200 delegates, representing 50,000 former soldiers of the Irish republican army who fought the British before the truce, but who did not participate in the civil strife over the treaty. Delegates are coming from all parts of the Free State, and will endeavour to bridge the gulf between the Free Staters and the Republicans. February 2. Liam Lynch announces that any " senators and deputies seized in future will be held as hostages in view of the execution of republicans.