INCENDIARISM IN IRELAND

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16739, 22 May 1922, Page 6

INCENDIARISM IN IRELAND

Destruction of Castles in Down and Antrim. Fierce Fight Between Police and Rebels United Service. (Received May 22, 8.55 a.m.) LONDON, May 20. Details of the incendiarism in Ireland show that Shane’s Castle, Lord O’Neill’s country seat, was attacked in military style. A large force, crossing Lough Neagh in the small hours, surrounded the castle, surprised the watchman, and then forced their way into the petrol store. The steward and a carpenter rushed out, but were promptly captured. The latter was shot in a leg. They and the other servants were confined in the kitchen, and the pantry boy was forced at the revolver point to carry the petrol with which the attackers saturated the woodwork. Before setting fire to the house they placed Lord O’Neill on a stretcher, and ordered the servants to carry him to the land agent’s house. Lady O’Neill, a pathetic weeping figure, followed her husband. The raiders retired when the castle was well ablaze. The burning of the Old Court Castle, at Strangford (County Down), which was filled with priceless heirlooms, was similarly carried out. Lady De Ros was suddenly awakened, and she watched the conflagration from the lawn in her night clothes. Another fine residence, Craigbally House, near Ballymena, was burned in the same manner. It was the seat of the Hon. W. R. Young, brother of General Young, Sergeant-at-Arms in the Northern Parliament. In this case the incendiarists took the precaution to entirely isolate the place, cutting the telegraph wires and destroying the telegraph office. There was fierce fighting in the village of Cushendal (County Antrim), where the summer residence of Mr. Ronald M’Neill, Unionist Member of the British House of Commons, was burned. A large band of armed men took possession of the village at midnight, and fought the police for hours. The police building was badly damaged. The police refused to surrender.

Drumnasole House, the residence of the Turnleys, was also burned. When the police mustered after the retreat they found one constable killed and four wounded, which number constituted exactly half of the garrison. So far as is known four raiders were killed, seven wounded, and ten captured.