On This Day / November 5, 1921

Summary: On This Day – 5th November 1921, uniformed Specials caused outrage by singing sectarian songs on Belfast trams, while poet Joseph Campbell alleged corruption in Wicklow and Frances Kyle excelled at the Irish Bar. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.

‘Singing Policemen’ | On This Day – 5th November 1921

A GREAT deal of attention was attracted in the streets leading to Cliftonville football grounds yesterday by the conduct of large bodies of uniformed Specials who monopolised several tramcars on their way to the scene of a match between the Newtownards Camp ‘Specials’ team and Bangor.

The men were packed in the cars and they gave expression to their feelings by shouting familiar Orange ‘war cries’ and singing party songs on which a legal ban has been placed in Belfast. The public regarded their conduct with amazement.

[One eye-witness writes:] ‘I was both astonished and disgusted when walking in the street on Tuesday.

I saw a tramcar filled with men wearing the King’s uniform of the RIC come towards me while each of these guardians of the public peace in a rather inflammable city were bellowing at the top of their voices:

“The tune we played was Kick the Pope right over Dolly’s Brae” and the end of the familiar chorus was emphasised by bloodcurdling whoops.’

Belfast Poet Alleges Corruption

A DÁIL Eireann inquiry was held yesterday at Wicklow into allegations made by Mr Joseph Campbell, Enniskerry, against Wicklow County Council. Mr Campbell was formerly a Sinn Fein member of the body.

He said when he became a member of the County Council he went there for the purpose of meeting men who were prepared to carry out the duties in the furtherance of Ireland’s prosperity. Instead he found that he had met men of graft and nepotism.

Brilliant Belfast Lady Barrister

AT THE Four Courts, Dublin yesterday two Irish ladies were called to the Bar. Among them was Miss Frances Christian Kyle, BA, LL.B from Belfast.

After her came Mr John Clarke MacDermott, LL.B (QUB). He was a lieutenant in the Machine-gun Corps and won the MC.

He is the third son of Rev Dr J MacDermott of Belmont Manse, Strandtown, Belfast. Miss Kyle and Mr MacDermott had taken first and second places.

(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: THOUGH the USC had been officially suspended as a condition of the Truce, this armed, sectarian force would shortly assume responsibility for law and order in the new state.

One of the last Northerners called to the Irish Bar was John MacDermott, later a Unionist Cabinet Minister and Lord Chief Justice though he was deprived of first place by Miss Kyle, BL.

Meanwhile, in Wicklow Joseph Campbell (1879-1944), the Belfast poet and Sinn Fein activist, accused his fellow county councillors of nepotism.

Later imprisoned by the Free State for opposing the Treaty, he would emigrate to the USA to teach Irish studies in Fordham University. He died in Glencree, Co Wicklow, in 1944.)

On This Day – 5th November 1921

Further Reading on Irish History:

List of other On This Day columns

Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive

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