On This Day / February 1, 1921
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19210201
Reference Date
19210201
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 1st February 1921, a court ruled District Inspector Thomas McGrath was murdered in Longford, British Liberals condemned Black and Tan reprisals, and Derry Unionists protested administrative changes under Partition. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
District Inspector’s Fate | On This Day – 1st February 1921
A MILITARY Court of Inquiry was held at Longford to inquire into the death of District Inspector Thomas McGrath of Ballinalee.
A witness, giving evidence on oath, said that he went on patrol with deceased on January 7.
As they approached the house of Miss Anne Martin, the district inspector was in front and when within a few feet of the door witness saw John McKeon [late known as Sean MacEoin] rush to the door from inside the house and fire at the deceased with a revolver. The inspector fell forward on his face.
The Court found that Thomas McGrath was wilfully murdered by John McKeon and that another man, unknown, was an accessory to the act.
Liberal Attack on ‘Tans’
SPEAKING in Sunderland [Sir Hamar Greenwood’s constituency], Sir John Simon [former Liberal Minister] said that the policy of ‘reprisals’ was one that could not be adopted without bringing the British name to shame.
The Black and Tans were allowed to have their way too much to the discredit of the British people.
Not only did the Black and Tans break open private houses, but public-houses and many of them got fuddled with drink.
Sir John spoke of the shooting of women and young people and said a system of vengeance had been established in Ireland and, after what happened there, he begged to hear no more talk about what the Germans did in Belgium. (Cheers.)
Derry Under Partition
A SPECIAL meeting of the Derry Number Two Rural District Council [County Donegal] was held in Derry to consider the question of the amalgamation of the rural district with Letterkenny rural district in view of the Home Rule Act.
Mr Joseph Mitchell (Unionist) said that the amalgamation with Letterkenny would be a very serious matter for the ratepayers in Derry.
Mr John O’Donnell (Nationalist) said that the portion of Donegal known as Derry Number Two District had been thrown into Derry.
The fat of Donegal was sent to help the rates of Derry while the people on the mountains and rocks in Donegal had to carry on as best they could.
A motion to send a deputation on the issue was passed by six Unionist for to two Nationalist votes.
(Eamon Phoenix editor’s note: As the IRA campaign continued, British Liberals denounced the Black and Tans.
Sean MacEoin (1893-1973) led a successful IRA attack on the Tans at Ballinalee, Co Longford in 1920.
Nicknamed ‘the Blacksmith of Ballinalee’, he was sentenced to death for the murder of DI McGrath and saved from certain execution by the Truce of 1921.
Meanwhile, Derry City Unionists protested the loss of loyalist East Donegal due to partition.)
On This Day – 1st February 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210201
Reference Date
19210201
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 1st February 1921, a court ruled District Inspector Thomas McGrath was murdered in Longford, British Liberals condemned Black and Tan reprisals, and Derry Unionists protested administrative changes under Partition. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
District Inspector’s Fate | On This Day – 1st February 1921
A MILITARY Court of Inquiry was held at Longford to inquire into the death of District Inspector Thomas McGrath of Ballinalee.
A witness, giving evidence on oath, said that he went on patrol with deceased on January 7.
As they approached the house of Miss Anne Martin, the district inspector was in front and when within a few feet of the door witness saw John McKeon [late known as Sean MacEoin] rush to the door from inside the house and fire at the deceased with a revolver. The inspector fell forward on his face.
The Court found that Thomas McGrath was wilfully murdered by John McKeon and that another man, unknown, was an accessory to the act.
Liberal Attack on ‘Tans’
SPEAKING in Sunderland [Sir Hamar Greenwood’s constituency], Sir John Simon [former Liberal Minister] said that the policy of ‘reprisals’ was one that could not be adopted without bringing the British name to shame.
The Black and Tans were allowed to have their way too much to the discredit of the British people.
Not only did the Black and Tans break open private houses, but public-houses and many of them got fuddled with drink.
Sir John spoke of the shooting of women and young people and said a system of vengeance had been established in Ireland and, after what happened there, he begged to hear no more talk about what the Germans did in Belgium. (Cheers.)
Derry Under Partition
A SPECIAL meeting of the Derry Number Two Rural District Council [County Donegal] was held in Derry to consider the question of the amalgamation of the rural district with Letterkenny rural district in view of the Home Rule Act.
Mr Joseph Mitchell (Unionist) said that the amalgamation with Letterkenny would be a very serious matter for the ratepayers in Derry.
Mr John O’Donnell (Nationalist) said that the portion of Donegal known as Derry Number Two District had been thrown into Derry.
The fat of Donegal was sent to help the rates of Derry while the people on the mountains and rocks in Donegal had to carry on as best they could.
A motion to send a deputation on the issue was passed by six Unionist for to two Nationalist votes.
(Eamon Phoenix editor’s note: As the IRA campaign continued, British Liberals denounced the Black and Tans.
Sean MacEoin (1893-1973) led a successful IRA attack on the Tans at Ballinalee, Co Longford in 1920.
Nicknamed ‘the Blacksmith of Ballinalee’, he was sentenced to death for the murder of DI McGrath and saved from certain execution by the Truce of 1921.
Meanwhile, Derry City Unionists protested the loss of loyalist East Donegal due to partition.)
On This Day – 1st February 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210201
Reference Date
February 1, 2021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 1st February 1921, a court ruled District Inspector Thomas McGrath was murdered in Longford, British Liberals condemned Black and Tan reprisals, and Derry Unionists protested administrative changes under Partition. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
District Inspector’s Fate | On This Day – 1st February 1921
A MILITARY Court of Inquiry was held at Longford to inquire into the death of District Inspector Thomas McGrath of Ballinalee.
A witness, giving evidence on oath, said that he went on patrol with deceased on January 7.
As they approached the house of Miss Anne Martin, the district inspector was in front and when within a few feet of the door witness saw John McKeon [late known as Sean MacEoin] rush to the door from inside the house and fire at the deceased with a revolver. The inspector fell forward on his face.
The Court found that Thomas McGrath was wilfully murdered by John McKeon and that another man, unknown, was an accessory to the act.
Liberal Attack on ‘Tans’
SPEAKING in Sunderland [Sir Hamar Greenwood’s constituency], Sir John Simon [former Liberal Minister] said that the policy of ‘reprisals’ was one that could not be adopted without bringing the British name to shame.
The Black and Tans were allowed to have their way too much to the discredit of the British people.
Not only did the Black and Tans break open private houses, but public-houses and many of them got fuddled with drink.
Sir John spoke of the shooting of women and young people and said a system of vengeance had been established in Ireland and, after what happened there, he begged to hear no more talk about what the Germans did in Belgium. (Cheers.)
Derry Under Partition
A SPECIAL meeting of the Derry Number Two Rural District Council [County Donegal] was held in Derry to consider the question of the amalgamation of the rural district with Letterkenny rural district in view of the Home Rule Act.
Mr Joseph Mitchell (Unionist) said that the amalgamation with Letterkenny would be a very serious matter for the ratepayers in Derry.
Mr John O’Donnell (Nationalist) said that the portion of Donegal known as Derry Number Two District had been thrown into Derry.
The fat of Donegal was sent to help the rates of Derry while the people on the mountains and rocks in Donegal had to carry on as best they could.
A motion to send a deputation on the issue was passed by six Unionist for to two Nationalist votes.
(Eamon Phoenix editor’s note: As the IRA campaign continued, British Liberals denounced the Black and Tans.
Sean MacEoin (1893-1973) led a successful IRA attack on the Tans at Ballinalee, Co Longford in 1920.
Nicknamed ‘the Blacksmith of Ballinalee’, he was sentenced to death for the murder of DI McGrath and saved from certain execution by the Truce of 1921.
Meanwhile, Derry City Unionists protested the loss of loyalist East Donegal due to partition.)
On This Day – 1st February 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.