On This Day / January 16, 1921
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19210116
Reference Date
19210116
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 16th January 1921, Ulster Unionists sought Edward Carson’s leadership for the new Northern Parliament, as inquiries examined killings in South Armagh and a prominent Fermanagh nationalist died. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Will Carson be Northern PM?| On This Day – 16th January 1921
A MEETING of the Standing Committee of the Ulster Unionist Council was held in the Old Town Hall [Victoria Street, Belfast] yesterday. The right hon. E M Archdale, DL, MP presided.
It was unanimously decided that the Standing Committee should proceed to London as a deputation representing the Ulster Unionist Council to confer with Sir Edward Carson regarding the political situation in Ulster and to urge that the Northern Parliament might have the benefit of his invaluable services.
It is generally understood that Sir Edward will visit Belfast towards the end of the present month and will make a statement dealing generally with the Ulster position.
(Eamon Phoenix editor’s note: There was never any chance that Carson (67) would agree to become premier of Northern Ireland. An ‘quintessential southern unionist’, he had never sought partition but hoped to use Ulster resistance to Home Rule to keep all Ireland under the union.
In that sense, the defiant statue at Stormont is more a tombstone to Carson’s failure rather than a monument to his political success. James Craig was arguably partition’s real architect.)
Inquiry into Murders of ‘Special’ and Postman
A MILITARY inquiry was held in Dundalk Military Barracks yesterday concerning the death of Constable William Compston, RIC -described as a Special Constable- in County Armagh.
A police constable said that he, along with Constable Compston and other police, volunteered to go out and bring in the postman who had been wounded earlier in the day [at Cullyhanna].
The relief party dismounted from the car at the gate of an occupied house and began firing. Almost immediately Constable Compston said, ‘I am hit.’ A doctor said that Constable Compston was brought in severely wounded in the groin.
The Court found that the deceased died from shock and haemorrhage due to gunshot wounds inflicted by some person or persons unknown and that these persons were guilty of murder.
Patrick Kirk, the postman, who was wounded on the occasion, died in Louth Hospital on Thursday night.
Fermanagh Nationalist Dead
THE death occurred at his residence, Drumcoo, Enniskillen of Mr John F Wray, LL.B., secretary of Fermanagh County Council. Mr Wray (66) attended his office as usual on Saturday.
He was the son of a former borough surveyor of Enniskillen and was admitted as a solicitor in 1884, taking his degree at TCD.
A devout Catholic, he worked on behalf of the Nationalist Party for many years.
On This Day – 16th January 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210116
Reference Date
19210116
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 16th January 1921, Ulster Unionists sought Edward Carson’s leadership for the new Northern Parliament, as inquiries examined killings in South Armagh and a prominent Fermanagh nationalist died. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Will Carson be Northern PM?| On This Day – 16th January 1921
A MEETING of the Standing Committee of the Ulster Unionist Council was held in the Old Town Hall [Victoria Street, Belfast] yesterday. The right hon. E M Archdale, DL, MP presided.
It was unanimously decided that the Standing Committee should proceed to London as a deputation representing the Ulster Unionist Council to confer with Sir Edward Carson regarding the political situation in Ulster and to urge that the Northern Parliament might have the benefit of his invaluable services.
It is generally understood that Sir Edward will visit Belfast towards the end of the present month and will make a statement dealing generally with the Ulster position.
(Eamon Phoenix editor’s note: There was never any chance that Carson (67) would agree to become premier of Northern Ireland. An ‘quintessential southern unionist’, he had never sought partition but hoped to use Ulster resistance to Home Rule to keep all Ireland under the union.
In that sense, the defiant statue at Stormont is more a tombstone to Carson’s failure rather than a monument to his political success. James Craig was arguably partition’s real architect.)
Inquiry into Murders of ‘Special’ and Postman
A MILITARY inquiry was held in Dundalk Military Barracks yesterday concerning the death of Constable William Compston, RIC -described as a Special Constable- in County Armagh.
A police constable said that he, along with Constable Compston and other police, volunteered to go out and bring in the postman who had been wounded earlier in the day [at Cullyhanna].
The relief party dismounted from the car at the gate of an occupied house and began firing. Almost immediately Constable Compston said, ‘I am hit.’ A doctor said that Constable Compston was brought in severely wounded in the groin.
The Court found that the deceased died from shock and haemorrhage due to gunshot wounds inflicted by some person or persons unknown and that these persons were guilty of murder.
Patrick Kirk, the postman, who was wounded on the occasion, died in Louth Hospital on Thursday night.
Fermanagh Nationalist Dead
THE death occurred at his residence, Drumcoo, Enniskillen of Mr John F Wray, LL.B., secretary of Fermanagh County Council. Mr Wray (66) attended his office as usual on Saturday.
He was the son of a former borough surveyor of Enniskillen and was admitted as a solicitor in 1884, taking his degree at TCD.
A devout Catholic, he worked on behalf of the Nationalist Party for many years.
On This Day – 16th January 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210116
Reference Date
January 16, 2021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 16th January 1921, Ulster Unionists sought Edward Carson’s leadership for the new Northern Parliament, as inquiries examined killings in South Armagh and a prominent Fermanagh nationalist died. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Will Carson be Northern PM?| On This Day – 16th January 1921
A MEETING of the Standing Committee of the Ulster Unionist Council was held in the Old Town Hall [Victoria Street, Belfast] yesterday. The right hon. E M Archdale, DL, MP presided.
It was unanimously decided that the Standing Committee should proceed to London as a deputation representing the Ulster Unionist Council to confer with Sir Edward Carson regarding the political situation in Ulster and to urge that the Northern Parliament might have the benefit of his invaluable services.
It is generally understood that Sir Edward will visit Belfast towards the end of the present month and will make a statement dealing generally with the Ulster position.
(Eamon Phoenix editor’s note: There was never any chance that Carson (67) would agree to become premier of Northern Ireland. An ‘quintessential southern unionist’, he had never sought partition but hoped to use Ulster resistance to Home Rule to keep all Ireland under the union.
In that sense, the defiant statue at Stormont is more a tombstone to Carson’s failure rather than a monument to his political success. James Craig was arguably partition’s real architect.)
Inquiry into Murders of ‘Special’ and Postman
A MILITARY inquiry was held in Dundalk Military Barracks yesterday concerning the death of Constable William Compston, RIC -described as a Special Constable- in County Armagh.
A police constable said that he, along with Constable Compston and other police, volunteered to go out and bring in the postman who had been wounded earlier in the day [at Cullyhanna].
The relief party dismounted from the car at the gate of an occupied house and began firing. Almost immediately Constable Compston said, ‘I am hit.’ A doctor said that Constable Compston was brought in severely wounded in the groin.
The Court found that the deceased died from shock and haemorrhage due to gunshot wounds inflicted by some person or persons unknown and that these persons were guilty of murder.
Patrick Kirk, the postman, who was wounded on the occasion, died in Louth Hospital on Thursday night.
Fermanagh Nationalist Dead
THE death occurred at his residence, Drumcoo, Enniskillen of Mr John F Wray, LL.B., secretary of Fermanagh County Council. Mr Wray (66) attended his office as usual on Saturday.
He was the son of a former borough surveyor of Enniskillen and was admitted as a solicitor in 1884, taking his degree at TCD.
A devout Catholic, he worked on behalf of the Nationalist Party for many years.
On This Day – 16th January 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.