On This Day / May 7, 1921
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19210507
Reference Date
19210507
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 7th May 1921, James Craig reassured Unionists after meeting de Valera, insisting no concessions would be made while outlining a role for the Council of Ireland. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Craig on His Adventure | On This Day – 7th May 1921
THE fears which filled the hearts of Sir James Craig’s extreme supporters on Thursday night have been banished to some extent but doubts still remain embedded in many hearts.
Captain Herbert Dixon, MP [Unionist Chief Whip] met Sir James on his arrival from Dublin and told him what the extremists were saying.
Hence the haste with which a ‘Manifesto’ was issued to the public in yesterday morning’s press.
Having learned all that Sir James cared to tell, Captain Dixon hastened to an anxious Tory meeting and related a tale of his leader’s heroic daring which reads like a chapter from the Adventures of Buffalo Bill or an exploit of the heroes that figure in the novels of Mr Zane Grey.
A meeting of the Ascendancy party magnates was held yesterday morning and after two hours’ consultation the following statement was issued as coming from Sir James Craig:
‘My conversation with Mr de Valera having taken place and Ulster having already, with the acceptance of the provisions of the Government of Ireland Act, reached the limit of concession, no further discussion will be entered into.
‘When the Parliaments have been established and the Council of Ireland has been constituted, there will be the necessary constitutional link between Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland.’
He asked the candidates to carry this message to the Loyalist electors.
Sir James Craig told a Unionist meeting at Holywood last night: Regarding the meeting, ‘Ulster stands where she did. (Hear, hear).
‘Secondly, Mr de Valera and Sinn Fein are fully aware that Ulster stands where she did and are also fully aware that neither you nor I, nor indeed any Loyalist in Ulster, could for a moment consent to a Republic or to any weakening of the ties between Ulster and GB and the Empire.
‘No change has taken place, no single atom has been given up and won’t be given up – not one.’
He went on to say that the Act provided the machinery for setting up a Council and in that Council, with the consent of his colleagues, he proposed to sit and take part and if the South and West function its Parliament and return Mr de Valera as leader, he (Sir James) will be able to meet him there and talk matters over affecting the welfare of Ireland.’
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Significantly, in his efforts to calm unionist nerves following his meeting with the Sinn Fein president, Craig expressed a willingness to operate the Council of Ireland – the last fragile bridge between north and south under the Partition Act.)
On This Day – 7th May 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210507
Reference Date
19210507
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 7th May 1921, James Craig reassured Unionists after meeting de Valera, insisting no concessions would be made while outlining a role for the Council of Ireland. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Craig on His Adventure | On This Day – 7th May 1921
THE fears which filled the hearts of Sir James Craig’s extreme supporters on Thursday night have been banished to some extent but doubts still remain embedded in many hearts.
Captain Herbert Dixon, MP [Unionist Chief Whip] met Sir James on his arrival from Dublin and told him what the extremists were saying.
Hence the haste with which a ‘Manifesto’ was issued to the public in yesterday morning’s press.
Having learned all that Sir James cared to tell, Captain Dixon hastened to an anxious Tory meeting and related a tale of his leader’s heroic daring which reads like a chapter from the Adventures of Buffalo Bill or an exploit of the heroes that figure in the novels of Mr Zane Grey.
A meeting of the Ascendancy party magnates was held yesterday morning and after two hours’ consultation the following statement was issued as coming from Sir James Craig:
‘My conversation with Mr de Valera having taken place and Ulster having already, with the acceptance of the provisions of the Government of Ireland Act, reached the limit of concession, no further discussion will be entered into.
‘When the Parliaments have been established and the Council of Ireland has been constituted, there will be the necessary constitutional link between Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland.’
He asked the candidates to carry this message to the Loyalist electors.
Sir James Craig told a Unionist meeting at Holywood last night: Regarding the meeting, ‘Ulster stands where she did. (Hear, hear).
‘Secondly, Mr de Valera and Sinn Fein are fully aware that Ulster stands where she did and are also fully aware that neither you nor I, nor indeed any Loyalist in Ulster, could for a moment consent to a Republic or to any weakening of the ties between Ulster and GB and the Empire.
‘No change has taken place, no single atom has been given up and won’t be given up – not one.’
He went on to say that the Act provided the machinery for setting up a Council and in that Council, with the consent of his colleagues, he proposed to sit and take part and if the South and West function its Parliament and return Mr de Valera as leader, he (Sir James) will be able to meet him there and talk matters over affecting the welfare of Ireland.’
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Significantly, in his efforts to calm unionist nerves following his meeting with the Sinn Fein president, Craig expressed a willingness to operate the Council of Ireland – the last fragile bridge between north and south under the Partition Act.)
On This Day – 7th May 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210507
Reference Date
May 7, 2021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 7th May 1921, James Craig reassured Unionists after meeting de Valera, insisting no concessions would be made while outlining a role for the Council of Ireland. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Craig on His Adventure | On This Day – 7th May 1921
THE fears which filled the hearts of Sir James Craig’s extreme supporters on Thursday night have been banished to some extent but doubts still remain embedded in many hearts.
Captain Herbert Dixon, MP [Unionist Chief Whip] met Sir James on his arrival from Dublin and told him what the extremists were saying.
Hence the haste with which a ‘Manifesto’ was issued to the public in yesterday morning’s press.
Having learned all that Sir James cared to tell, Captain Dixon hastened to an anxious Tory meeting and related a tale of his leader’s heroic daring which reads like a chapter from the Adventures of Buffalo Bill or an exploit of the heroes that figure in the novels of Mr Zane Grey.
A meeting of the Ascendancy party magnates was held yesterday morning and after two hours’ consultation the following statement was issued as coming from Sir James Craig:
‘My conversation with Mr de Valera having taken place and Ulster having already, with the acceptance of the provisions of the Government of Ireland Act, reached the limit of concession, no further discussion will be entered into.
‘When the Parliaments have been established and the Council of Ireland has been constituted, there will be the necessary constitutional link between Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland.’
He asked the candidates to carry this message to the Loyalist electors.
Sir James Craig told a Unionist meeting at Holywood last night: Regarding the meeting, ‘Ulster stands where she did. (Hear, hear).
‘Secondly, Mr de Valera and Sinn Fein are fully aware that Ulster stands where she did and are also fully aware that neither you nor I, nor indeed any Loyalist in Ulster, could for a moment consent to a Republic or to any weakening of the ties between Ulster and GB and the Empire.
‘No change has taken place, no single atom has been given up and won’t be given up – not one.’
He went on to say that the Act provided the machinery for setting up a Council and in that Council, with the consent of his colleagues, he proposed to sit and take part and if the South and West function its Parliament and return Mr de Valera as leader, he (Sir James) will be able to meet him there and talk matters over affecting the welfare of Ireland.’
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Significantly, in his efforts to calm unionist nerves following his meeting with the Sinn Fein president, Craig expressed a willingness to operate the Council of Ireland – the last fragile bridge between north and south under the Partition Act.)
On This Day – 7th May 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
On This Day is a daily column in the Irish News looking back either 50 or 100 years. The column was compiled by Dr Éamon Phoenix from the mid 1980s until autumn, 2022. The Foundation is very grateful to the Irish News for giving permission to reproduce Eamon’s columns. Funding gratefully received from Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and the Magill Trust.
* The Foundation has worked hard to recreate Eamon’s distinctive voice through AI. Since this is an emerging technology, occasional imperfections may be audible.