On This Day / July 1, 1921
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
July 1, 2021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 1st July 1921, de Valera replied to Lloyd George, consulted imprisoned Sinn Féin leaders and invited unionist representatives to talks. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
De Valera Replies | On This Day – 1st July 1921
MR DE VALERA visited Mr Arthur Griffith at Mountjoy Gaol yesterday.
The visit was made for the special purpose of consultation over the letter from Mr Lloyd George.
Other prominent Sinn Feiners were also taken into Mr de Valera’s counsel during the day and late last evening, the following copy of the reply to Mr Lloyd George was issued with the official authority of Dail Eireann:
‘Sir – I have received your letter. I am in consultation with such of the principal representatives of our nation as are available.
‘We most earnestly desire to help in bringing about a lasting peace between the peoples of these two islands but we see no avenue by which it can be reached if you deny Ireland’s essential unity and set aside the principle of National Self- determination.
‘Before replying more fully to your letter I am seeking a conference with certain representatives of the political minority in this country.’
President Invites Unionists
MR DE VALERA also sent another letter to Sir James Craig, MP; the Earl of Midleton; Sir Maurice Dockrell, MP; Sir Robert H Woods, MP and Mr Andrew Jameson as follows:
‘A chara – The reply which I, as spokesman of the Irish nation shall make to Mr Lloyd George will affect the lives and fortunes of the political minority in this island no less than those of the majority.
‘Before sending that reply, therefore, I would like to confer with you and to learn from you at first hand the views of a certain section of our people of whom you are representative.
‘I am confident that you will not refuse this service to Ireland…
– Mise, Eamon de Valera’.
The five Irishmen thus invited to a preliminary conference are well-known representatives of the political faith called Unionism.
Sir James Craig stands for the Unionists of the Six Counties; the others are prominent Southern Unionists.
Craig’s for London
THE meeting of Sir James Craig’s Cabinet to consider Mr Lloyd George’s letter was held yesterday in Cabin Hill, Knock where Sir James resides.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Sir James referred to the King’s ‘gracious message on the opening of the Northern Parliament for peace throughout Ireland’, adding: ‘We cannot refuse to accept your invitation to a conference to discuss how best this can be accomplished.’
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: DE VALERA lost no time in consulting with the imprisoned Sinn Fein leaders regarding Lloyd George’s invitation.
His protest against partition cannot conceal the fact that Sinn Fein remained more concerned with ‘National Status’ than a united Ireland.
Predictably, Craig declined de Valera’s invitation to talks In Dublin.)
On This Day – 1st July 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.