IRISH NEWS

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XLIX, Issue 21, 1 June 1922, Page 35

IRISH NEWS

rrr-rr—, THE LIE DIRECT: LORD MAYO TO SIR HENRY WILSON. The Earl of Mayo on March 21' wrote to Sir Henry Wilson (recently appointed by the Craig Government to restore order in Ulster) from Palmerstown, Co. Kildare, as follows: —• “Dear Sir Henry Wilson, —I have read your letter of March 17 to Sir James Craig, Prime Minister of the Northern Parliament, in which letter you state that “Owing to the action of Mr. Lloyd George the 26 counties of the South and West of Ireland are reduced to a welter of chaos and murder difficult to believe, impossible to describe. “This is not true, and requires ait my hand instant refutation. “In the South and West the plough and the harrow are at work, and the agriculturists, rich and poor, are taking every advantage of a fine and dry spring. The season of fox-hunting, hare-hunting, and stag-hunting is drawing to a closeone of the best season’s sport we have experienced in the South and West. Racing is being carried on in the South and West. I read of successful meetings of sportsmen and point-to-point races; in fact, high and low are taking their pleasure in a legitimate manner. “History tells us that when a revolution is ending there is always an aftermath of crime and disorder but to state in the Press that the 26 counties of tho South and West of Ireland £ are reduced to a welter of chaos and murder ’ is not correct. “Let me say, in conclusion, that I also read in the Irish, as well as the English, Press of ‘ bad work ’ going on in Belfast. I would humbly suggest that with your great military knowledge this ‘ bad work ’ should be dealt with at once, and by yourself, remembering the words in the New Testament, ‘ Physician, heal thyself.’ I am sending this letter to the Irish Press by the same post as carries my letter to you, and remain, yours sincerely, “Mayo.” ST. PATRICK’S DAY IN PARIS. A very largo congregation attended St. Joseph’s Church in the Avenue Hoche, on Friday, March 17. At 10 o’clock Mass was celebrated in honor of St. Patrick for the unity and prosperity of Ireland. Before Mass shamrocks were blessed and distributed to the congregation. At 3 p.m. the rosary was recited in Gaelic. The panegyric of St. Patrick was eloquently preached by the Very Rev. Dr. Crehan. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was given by Monsignor Ceretti, Apostolic Nuncio in Paris. After the ceremony Mgr. Ceretti received in the presbytery many members of the Irish-American residents in Paris. Dr. Crehan, towards the close of his sermon said,. “Everything was done to destroy the nationality of the Irish and force them to abandon their Faith. So great was the influence of St. Patrick’s teaching, so deeply had it sunk into the minds and hearts o'f his children and their descendants, that every such attempt has failed. After * centuries of persecution and oppression Ireland is still Catholic, and still a nation, more to be admired for her constancy in suffering than for the glory she achieved during her golden age. “To-day the dark, cold night seems to be at an end. . The dawn seems, at last, to be about to break, and the lights of freedom and learning and religion to shine in all their glory over the land. It is the duty of the children of St. Patrick all the world over to pray that God may guide the barque of Ireland’s destiny safely through the present political storms into the harbor of peace and liberty and progress. Every son of Erin has every reason to be proud of his Motherland, especially because she has been ready to sacrifice ©very material advantage, and undergo every suffering rather than barter her spiritual birthright. She has been true to the Faith. If we are her true sons we shall follow her example, and'one day join the countless multitudes , of happy souls whose Faith has won for them a place with St. Patrick in the heavenly kingdom.” , '. -

TRUTH ABOUT THE BORDER RAIDS: ORGANISED IN CARSONIA. Towards the latter end of March the daily papers were making great capital out of the raids on the Ulster border by "Free Staters." The following extract from a Home paper of March 25, shows that most of the border raids came from the Carsoiiia side: In addition to the blowing up by the "Northern" forces of buildings along tho "Ulster" border, hundreds of roads have been trenched a,nd traffic over them otherwise stopped by trees being felled across them. A significant silence is observed by Sir James Craig's Government on. the various happenings at the week-end. Mr. Churchill stated, in reply to Colonel Gretton, that the Provisional Government informed him that they had ascertained that no forces from the 26 counties took part

in either of the raids into Northern Ireland last Sunday. General Macready’s report confirmed that. He had not yet received details of any kind from the “Government” / tfT v ' Northern Ireland.

The Provisional Government added that firing across the border was reported to them as having occurred from the Northern side, following the destruction of bridges by “Ulster” Specials.

Undoubtedly the general condition of the boundary was one of serious tension. The Liaison Commission were not consulted, as they should be, by either side, but General M acready considered the newspaper accounts exaggerated the situation.

In response to further questions, Mr. Churchill said these outrages occurred within the jurisdiction of the Government of Northern Ireland,, who have at their disposal 13 battalions of troops to. assist in maintaining law and order. In addition to that they have 2000 constabulary, nearly 5000 armed “A” Specials, 20,000 “B” Specials, all armed with rifles, and further forces of “C Specials, not in all cases armed. Mr. Churchill added that he had no reason to doubt that they would not be able to maintain order in their territory.

Mr. T. P. O’Connor inquired whether these incidents on the frontiers were not largely due to the pogrom against the lives and property of Catholics in Belfast, which had now gone on for several weeks, apparently without any interruption on the part of the “Northern” Government,

Mr. Churchill answered that considerably more Catholics had been killed and wounded than Protestants, but Sir James Craig and his Ministers were determined to do everything in their power to bring about a peaceful and orderly state of affairs. Replying to another query, he gave it as his opinion that the Free State was doing its utmost to carry on in a proper manner.

Mr. Collins has issued a statement in which he emphasises the fact that no Free State forces had crossed into the area of the “Northern”’ Government, and points to the long distances that would have to be traversed by bodies of troops in order to do anything of the kind. He proceeds:

“At any time it would be difficult for armed men outside the border to penetrate so far into the area without being detected, but how grotesque the insinuation is will ho realised when it is pointed out that at present all bridges and roads at the border have been completely destroyed by gangs of armed Specials, who are stationed along the border, in great concentrations, holding up everyone who attempts to enter their side at any hour of the night or day.”