THE GREAT HOME RULE MEETING

New Zealand Tablet, 23 May 1912, Page 11

THE GREAT HOME RULE MEETING

UNPARALLELED DEMONSTRATION IN DUBLIN A QUARTER OF MILLION PEOPLE PRESENT Dublin never held so large a gathering whose minds were concentrated on a single issue as that which on Sunday, March 31, answered the summons of the Irish Party to demonstrate its fealty to Home Rule. Only O’Connell’s great meeting at Tara affords a parallel for the huge gathering which crowded O’Connell street and its approaches on that memorable occasion. The promoters of the meeting miscalculated its size (says the Freeman’s Journal) O’Connell street has a surface area exceeding seven and a-half acres, and it was thought that a space so large would have held the vast assembly. It was a vain hope. The crowd packed O’Connell street — unable to find room thereand extended across O’Connell Bridge, up Westmorland street, and contingents were halted on the quays, from Falkiner’s lane, on one side, almost to Marlborough street, on the other. It overflowed into the two Abbey streets, into Prince’s street, Henry street, Earl street, and Sackville place. The press was greatest at the upper end, where No. 1 platform stood, at the base of the Parnell statue. The side of Rutland square, behind, and Parnell street and Britain street, at either side of the noble monument, were crowded for considerable distances with eager, pressing throngs. When the momentous "assembly had come together, the sight, looking up O’Connell street from the south side of the bridge, was an amazing one. It was a vast sea of heads, filling up all between the house lines, and relieved only by the five monuments and the four platforms, with their green decorations. No huge banners were borne in the crowd, so that there was little to obstruct the view of the most remarkable sight that the citizens of this generation have been privileged to witness. It was a momentous assembly, in every sense of the -word. This

Mighty Host Drawn from Every Part of the Country was composed, in the main, of men prominent in the public life of their districts, men representative of evei’y class in the country-landed proprietors, men engaged in the professions, in commerce, trade, agriculture, and industry—men engaged in local administration. Nine of the eleven Irish Corporations were represented in State, the Mayors at their heads with the insignia of their ancient offices and attended by the civic functionaries and, the members of the Corporations in their official robes, and members of the remaining two corporations attended also to demonstrate the faith that is in them. All the County Councils were represented, and the heads of the Municipal Bodies, of the Town Commissioners, the Urban and Rural District Councils, and the Poor Law Boards, of the various social bodies, National societies, the Gaelic Athletic Association, the Hibernians, the -Foresters, and similar bodies were present. ' Gaelic speakers, members of the Gaelic League, addressed the crowd in the native tongue from each platform. The students and a number of the professors of University College, who marched in procession from Earlsfort, terrace, were joined by some students of University at Trinity College, and included delegations of students from the Cork, Galway and the recognised Colleges, and students from Belfast University. >• The meeting came together in an incredibly short space of time. From about 9 o’clock the special trains from the country arrived crowded at the different termini, and the vast masses formed up quickly outside the stations. Twenty-five special trains arrived at Kingsbridge, five of them from Cork. Fifteen trains were run over the Midland line from the West. The Dublin and South-Eastern ran eighteen, and the Great Northern line As train after train arrived the crowds, which were splendidly marshalled, fell into their places - with marvellous rapidity and exactness, and the contingents, with bands playing National music, were soon in their appointed places. It was after noon

when they began to make for. O’Connell. street, where the bands played' at intervals, and by half-past 2, when the processions from the Mansion House and Earlsfort terrace arrived,. O’Connell street seemed already wellfull. The enthusiasm, it is needless to say, was great, but the crowd was too large for more enthusiastic displays. Level-headed earnestness and determination were more its expression. Men felt they had come near to the reality, and while the crowd throbbed with life and movement it was easy to see that they had come more with the air of men who emerged in triumph from a struggle into which they had entered with enthusiasm, and sustained with courage and tenacity, than as men still in the early days of advance, when the blood is hot in a young movement which calls for strong, and heroic action. Manv of them, as will be seen from the list, are men of responsibility in the public work of the country. In that respect the meeting was far ahead of any of O’Connell’s. We had, here the elect of local boards long engaged in the work that has helped to raise their country and to prepare her for much higher things. No such popular franchise existed in O’Connell’s day as would give his vast crowds the right to say that by election they represented more than themselves. The crowd was remarkable for Its Perfect Discipline. 1 There’ was no confusion in the arrangement of the contingents, the several bodies taking up their r positions with a precision that could not be excelled if they 1 had been drilled into it for weeks. . % Way was kept at the left side of O’Connell street for the procession from the Mansion House, and as the Irish Leaders passed they were welcomed with ringing cheers from all parts of the stupendous assembly. This procession included the representative bodies of the cities and the country, and when they had reached their places the noble thoroughfare was filled in every part. The windows of all the houses in O’Connell street were crowded with ladies, who . waved handkerchiefs as the procession passed. It was noticed that ladies were seated at most of the windows of the Hibernian Bible Society Building and the Sackville Hall, and though they made no demonstration they followed the proceeding with apparent interest. The speeches from the platforms voiced the representative character of this mighty massing of men. Mr. J. C. Browner sang Davis’s ‘ A nation once again ’ at No. 1 platform, and it was then sung by the whole crowd to the accompaniments of the bands, and after that the speaking was begun. The Lord Mayor of Dublin and Mr. John Redmond reached No. 1 platform, erected in front of the Parnell Statue, a few minutes before 3, and the Lord Mayor, having taken the chair, spoke a dozen sentences —a brief and dignified introduction to the business of the great assembly. • . ( ■ ' Mr. John Redmond

received a wonderful ovation, being cheered loudly and iong ; many expressions of gratitude that he was himself again rose all round. Mr. Redmond snoke of the great gathering, its vastness, its good order, its enthusiasm, and it unity, unparalleled in the -modern history of Ireland,’ he described it. In point of numbers it resembled the monster meeting of O’Connell ‘ but never, at the best of his days, did he assemble a gathering so representative of all Ireland.’ Every city every county, I think I may also truly say every parish fi Ireland ™ represented in the capital of Ireland to-day. And then almost every representative body is here. Every religion is here.’ ‘ It is no exaggeration to say that this meeting is Ireland.’ All this was loudly cheered. But it is impossible to describe the enthusiasm which his words in a few sentences later T v p f- , I , ®L re t 0 Say thafc 1 entertain a confident belief, .hat the Home Rule Bill will be a great measure, and will be adequate for the purposes of those who promote it It seemed as if in some miraculous way his words had penetrated throughout all the vast assembly. The cheer with which it was greeted was taken up from end to end of that vast mass, and from Rut-

Und square to Westmorland street a large volume of sound went up that with a gigantic voice proclaimed the unity of the nation. The purposes of the Irish people were the purposes of the framers of the Bill, and in stating this Mr. Redmond defined it as ‘ National Self-government in Ireland by a Parliament fully representative of all creeds.and classes : a Parliament with power to . govern all purely , local affairs in accordance with the dictates of Irish public opinion ; power with adequate financial resources for the development of Ireland, so that they may be able to turn her in the near future into a prosperous land, which will be well, able to support herself, and which in the future will, I believe, be well able to bear her fair share of Imperial obligations.’ Then he went on to dispose, in a few words, of the prophets of disaster, and began his peroration with the assurance —‘ Go back after this meeting to your homes with high and confident hearts.’ Mr. John O’Callaghan, of Boston, joined the voice of the Irish in America to that of Ireland. Mr. Patrick Brady, M.P., delivered a telling speech, admirable in tone and temper and perfectly heard, and the High Sheriff of Dublin, and' Mr. Patrick Dempsey, J.P., Belfast, proposed and seconded the resolution. At No. 2 platform the Mayor of Limerick, in t a few brief sentences, introduced the proposer ■ and seconder of the resolution. Mr. Dillon’s tones rang out with great clearness over much of the vast mass concentrated round the platform. His reception was one of marked warmth. He said that the purpose of the meeting was not to anticipate the opinions )f the Convention on the Home Rule Bill, but to give :o all Ireland through her representative men an opportunity of declaring in the face of the world whether die is for national self-government or for the rule of the stranger. Ireland to-day was prosperous coihpared vith thirty years ago. She had won that prosperity by i long, bitter and disciplined agitation with imprisonnent and suffering. I No thanks,’ he declared, to the tranger for our emancipation. We won it ourselves.’ Iries of - And we are ready still ’ punctured the pro-

longed cheering that accompanied this declaration, they had now to face a campaign of calumny unparalleled since the opening days of the campaign. It was said that Ireland was indilferent to Home Rule. That meeting was the answer to that charge. One of the reasons alleged as the ground for assuming this indifference was that in this City of Dublin the Protestants and Unionists are allowed to hold meetings. * 1 say/ said Mr. Dillon, all honor to Dublin for that.’ hi either in Limerick nor in Dublin would they imitate the tactics of Lord Londonderry. ML. Dillon poured scorn and contempt on the Ulster Unionist threats and the audience responded with laughter 'and cheers to his scathing irony. ‘ The Unionists say that they must be governed by England. Well, they have an Englishman governing them now, and I do not notice that they are very fond of him.’ ‘ What they meant is' an Orange Englishman who will do their bidding and be their slave.’ That was not what the Irish people wanted. ‘ We want/ he declared, ‘a Government that will give equal fair play to every Irishman, and the voice of Ireland here in this unparalleled meeting goes forth to the whole world to say' that Ireland is determined to have it.’ Mr. William H. K. Redmond, M.P., who was introduced by the Mayor of Limerick as the idol of the Irish people/ followed Mr. Nannetti, M.P., with a rousing speech which was cheered to the echo! Mr Linnane Joyce, M.P. ; Mr. Briscoe, and others spoke. : - . Mr. Devlin. ' The orator of the day at Ho. 3 platform was Mr. Devlin, M.P., and when he ascended the platform a rousrng cheer went up. The Mayor of Sligo, Alderman U Donnell, was quickly moved to the chair, and in a few succinct sentences opened the proceedings. Mr. Devlin’s rousing words moved the audience to the highest enthusiasm at the first sentence. This meeting he declared, represented every section of Irish life and every interest. ‘ In presence of this mighty array, of Irishmen are we not entitled to say that not only the unbribed intellect but the unbribed manhood of Ireland demands Home Rule?’ He could not continue for some time with the rousing cheers, and the next sen-

tence was the signal for a . renewal of the cheering. ■ We want Home Rule,’ he declared with emphasis, and 'straightening up, with head thrown back, he announced in stentorian tones, 4 Yes, and we mean to get it.’ Cheer followed cheer. The member for West Belfast then dealt with the situation in Ulster. What, he asked, had the Ascendancy gang to offer. There were shouts of laughter and cries of The big drum.’ It can offer only a so-called loyalty which is conditional on the repression of Irish Nationality and the maintenance of Orange ascendancy. The Irish nation, on the other hand, can offer in return for Home Rule peace, the first peace for eight centuries that these countries have knownpeace founded not on conquest or illwill but on justice and liberty and the warm consent of a free, self-respecting people. Mr. J. D. Nugent, Mr. M. J. O’Lehane, the Mayor of Drogheda, the Chairman of.the Limerick County Council spoke from this platform. Dr. D. J. Coffey’s brief but effective speech from No. 4, ‘the Students’ platform, opened the proceedings, at which Mr. Swift Mac Neil, the Right Hon. M. F. Cox, M.D., Professor Kettle, Mr. Field, M.P., Mr. J. J. Clancy, M.P., Mr. Michael M. Davitt, B.Sc., and Mr. T. Arkins, M.A., delivered admirable speeches. By arrangement the resolution was at a given signal put simultaneously from the four platforms and was carried amid deafening cheers. Just as the President of the National University -College, Dublin, stepped to the front of the Students’ platform a pencil of light penetrated the mist, and falling on the drum of the O’Connell pedestal, towering behind him, bathed in golden sunlight the figure of Erin trampling on her fetters. Looking from the bridge up the length of O’Connell street, to where the Lord Mayor of Dublin was known . to be standing at the time though his figure could not be distinguished in the distance, a gleam, as of fire, was seen in the air above him. It was the sun through the mist, shining with a ruddy glow on the pyre that crowns the Parnell monument. At the same moment the crowd was stirred to action, hundreds of thousands of green bannerettes waved in the air, signifying assent to the Home'Rule declaration. The grey of evening had begun to descend on the noble thoroughfare, but these two points of light continued to'glow for a full minute. The phenomenon has a simple explanation in words, but. it was dramatic in the appropriateness, both of the moment of the illumination and of the objects illuminated ; and many must have asked themselves whether this display from above the skies was without design. The crowd dispersed rapidly, and a little later rain began to fall. ..........