On This Day / October 1, 1920

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Reproduced with permission from The Irish News.

19201001

Reference Date

19201001

Publication Date

Summary: On This Day – 1st October 1920, The Times of London branded reprisals at Mallow, Co Cork a ‘national disgrace’ after soldiers burned and destroyed the town in revenge for a Sinn Féin raid. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.

Reprisals a Disgrace

THE Times of London, under the heading ‘A National Disgrace’ says: ‘Day by day the tidings from Ireland grow worse.

‘The accounts of the arson and destruction by the military at Mallow in County Cork as revenge for a Sinn Féin raid which caught the 17th Lancers napping must fill English readers with a sense of shame.

‘Despite the efforts of the local police force whose members spared no efforts to try to check the soldiers in their mad orgy of destruction, the population were driven to seek safety in flight…

‘The authorities would have been truly entitled after the raid on the military barracks which cost the life of a British sergeant to arrest on suspicion of complicity any townsfolk against whom a prima facie case could be established.

‘No complaint could have been made had they dealt summarily with any insurgents caught in possession of arms.

‘But they were not entitled to reduce to ruins the chief buildings of the township and to destroy the property of the inhabitants merely as an act of terrorism.

‘The name of England is being sullied throughout the Empire and throughout the world by this savagery, for which the Government can no longer escape, however much they may seek to disclaim, responsibility.’

Chief Secretary Rejects ‘Reprisals’

THE following telegram has been issued from Dublin Castle by the Chief Secretary for Ireland [Sir Hamar Greenwood MP]: ‘There is no truth in the allegations that the Government connive at or support reprisals.

‘The Government condemn reprisals…and have taken steps to prevent them. The number of alleged reprisals is few and the damage done exaggerated.’

[Editor’s note: When such a leading pro-government newspaper as the London Times could stigmatise the Reprisals policy as ‘a national disgrace’ and mock the hollow denials of ministers, it was clear that the Lloyd George government was losing the propaganda war. But the worst had yet to come.]

Further Reading:

List of other On This Day columns

Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive

19201001

Reference Date

19201001

Publication Date

Summary: On This Day – 1st October 1920, The Times of London branded reprisals at Mallow, Co Cork a ‘national disgrace’ after soldiers burned and destroyed the town in revenge for a Sinn Féin raid. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.

Reprisals a Disgrace

THE Times of London, under the heading ‘A National Disgrace’ says: ‘Day by day the tidings from Ireland grow worse.

‘The accounts of the arson and destruction by the military at Mallow in County Cork as revenge for a Sinn Féin raid which caught the 17th Lancers napping must fill English readers with a sense of shame.

‘Despite the efforts of the local police force whose members spared no efforts to try to check the soldiers in their mad orgy of destruction, the population were driven to seek safety in flight…

‘The authorities would have been truly entitled after the raid on the military barracks which cost the life of a British sergeant to arrest on suspicion of complicity any townsfolk against whom a prima facie case could be established.

‘No complaint could have been made had they dealt summarily with any insurgents caught in possession of arms.

‘But they were not entitled to reduce to ruins the chief buildings of the township and to destroy the property of the inhabitants merely as an act of terrorism.

‘The name of England is being sullied throughout the Empire and throughout the world by this savagery, for which the Government can no longer escape, however much they may seek to disclaim, responsibility.’

Chief Secretary Rejects ‘Reprisals’

THE following telegram has been issued from Dublin Castle by the Chief Secretary for Ireland [Sir Hamar Greenwood MP]: ‘There is no truth in the allegations that the Government connive at or support reprisals.

‘The Government condemn reprisals…and have taken steps to prevent them. The number of alleged reprisals is few and the damage done exaggerated.’

[Editor’s note: When such a leading pro-government newspaper as the London Times could stigmatise the Reprisals policy as ‘a national disgrace’ and mock the hollow denials of ministers, it was clear that the Lloyd George government was losing the propaganda war. But the worst had yet to come.]

Further Reading:

List of other On This Day columns

Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive

19201001

Reference Date

October 1, 2020

Publication Date

Thumbnail of Irish News Eamon Phoenix On This Day column dated 01.10.20

Summary: On This Day – 1st October 1920, The Times of London branded reprisals at Mallow, Co Cork a ‘national disgrace’ after soldiers burned and destroyed the town in revenge for a Sinn Féin raid. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.

Reprisals a Disgrace

THE Times of London, under the heading ‘A National Disgrace’ says: ‘Day by day the tidings from Ireland grow worse.

‘The accounts of the arson and destruction by the military at Mallow in County Cork as revenge for a Sinn Féin raid which caught the 17th Lancers napping must fill English readers with a sense of shame.

‘Despite the efforts of the local police force whose members spared no efforts to try to check the soldiers in their mad orgy of destruction, the population were driven to seek safety in flight…

‘The authorities would have been truly entitled after the raid on the military barracks which cost the life of a British sergeant to arrest on suspicion of complicity any townsfolk against whom a prima facie case could be established.

‘No complaint could have been made had they dealt summarily with any insurgents caught in possession of arms.

‘But they were not entitled to reduce to ruins the chief buildings of the township and to destroy the property of the inhabitants merely as an act of terrorism.

‘The name of England is being sullied throughout the Empire and throughout the world by this savagery, for which the Government can no longer escape, however much they may seek to disclaim, responsibility.’

Chief Secretary Rejects ‘Reprisals’

THE following telegram has been issued from Dublin Castle by the Chief Secretary for Ireland [Sir Hamar Greenwood MP]: ‘There is no truth in the allegations that the Government connive at or support reprisals.

‘The Government condemn reprisals…and have taken steps to prevent them. The number of alleged reprisals is few and the damage done exaggerated.’

[Editor’s note: When such a leading pro-government newspaper as the London Times could stigmatise the Reprisals policy as ‘a national disgrace’ and mock the hollow denials of ministers, it was clear that the Lloyd George government was losing the propaganda war. But the worst had yet to come.]

Further Reading:

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.

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* The Foundation has worked hard to recreate Eamon’s distinctive voice through AI. Since this is an emerging technology, occasional imperfections may be audible.