On This Day / October 21, 1920
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19201021
Reference Date
19201021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 21st October 1920, Sinn Féin councillor Michael Walsh was murdered in Galway, while Hamar Greenwood defended reprisals in the Commons. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix
Greenwood Defends Reprisals | On This Day – 21st October 1920
IN THE House of Commons yesterday, Mr Arthur Henderson (Labour) moved: ‘That this House regrets the present state of lawlessness in Ireland and the lack of discipline in the armed forces of the Crown, resulting in the death or injury of innocent citizens and the destruction of property and is of opinion that an independent investigation should at once be instituted into the causes, nature and extent of Reprisals…’
The condition of things in Ireland were so appalling, he said, as to call for the most serious attention of the House.
The distressing and deplorable situation, now existing, constituted the most humiliating and damaging indictment of the administrative policy of the Government.
What stood out beyond question was that a policy of military terrorism had been inaugurated which was not only a betrayal of democratic principles for which they claimed to stand during the war, but was totally opposed to the best traditions of the British people.
Sir Hamar Greenwood [Chief Secretary for Ireland] said the information which Mr Henderson had given to the House came from the headquarters of the IRA …
He was glad to say that the terror was being broken by the forces of the Crown. They were fighting against a gang of terrorists – not ordinary, decent Irishmen.
Nobody regretted reprisals more than he did. He wanted them to be arrested but those who connived at such murders had no right to complain of reprisals.
(Editor’s note: Reading Greenwood’s comments, it was to hard to believe that this Canadian-born Liberal had supported all-Ireland Home rule on a platform in Newry in 1913.
It was clear that the Tory-dominated Coalition was determined to seek a military solution to the IRA campaign while using the Nationalist ‘vacuum’ at Westminster to fast-track the Partition Act through Parliament.
The result was the alienation of almost the entire Irish nationalist population.
At Westminster an offensive on Government policy was mounted by Asquith, the Labour Party and Joe Devlin.)
Savage Crime in West
A TERRIBLE tragedy was enacted in Galway on Monday night when Mr Michael S Walsh, urban councillor and publican was taken from his house shortly after ten o’clock, shot through the head and his body thrown into the river.
The horrifying discovery was made on Tuesday morning when a little girl saw a hand floating under the water and large patches of blood on the bank.
It was stated that a number of persons wearing waterproof coats were seen around Mr Walsh’s premises.
At a quarter past ten some men entered the shop and took Mr Walsh away. Mr Walsh was a well-known Sinn Féiner.
On This Day – 21st October 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201021
Reference Date
19201021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 21st October 1920, Sinn Féin councillor Michael Walsh was murdered in Galway, while Hamar Greenwood defended reprisals in the Commons. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix
Greenwood Defends Reprisals | On This Day – 21st October 1920
IN THE House of Commons yesterday, Mr Arthur Henderson (Labour) moved: ‘That this House regrets the present state of lawlessness in Ireland and the lack of discipline in the armed forces of the Crown, resulting in the death or injury of innocent citizens and the destruction of property and is of opinion that an independent investigation should at once be instituted into the causes, nature and extent of Reprisals…’
The condition of things in Ireland were so appalling, he said, as to call for the most serious attention of the House.
The distressing and deplorable situation, now existing, constituted the most humiliating and damaging indictment of the administrative policy of the Government.
What stood out beyond question was that a policy of military terrorism had been inaugurated which was not only a betrayal of democratic principles for which they claimed to stand during the war, but was totally opposed to the best traditions of the British people.
Sir Hamar Greenwood [Chief Secretary for Ireland] said the information which Mr Henderson had given to the House came from the headquarters of the IRA …
He was glad to say that the terror was being broken by the forces of the Crown. They were fighting against a gang of terrorists – not ordinary, decent Irishmen.
Nobody regretted reprisals more than he did. He wanted them to be arrested but those who connived at such murders had no right to complain of reprisals.
(Editor’s note: Reading Greenwood’s comments, it was to hard to believe that this Canadian-born Liberal had supported all-Ireland Home rule on a platform in Newry in 1913.
It was clear that the Tory-dominated Coalition was determined to seek a military solution to the IRA campaign while using the Nationalist ‘vacuum’ at Westminster to fast-track the Partition Act through Parliament.
The result was the alienation of almost the entire Irish nationalist population.
At Westminster an offensive on Government policy was mounted by Asquith, the Labour Party and Joe Devlin.)
Savage Crime in West
A TERRIBLE tragedy was enacted in Galway on Monday night when Mr Michael S Walsh, urban councillor and publican was taken from his house shortly after ten o’clock, shot through the head and his body thrown into the river.
The horrifying discovery was made on Tuesday morning when a little girl saw a hand floating under the water and large patches of blood on the bank.
It was stated that a number of persons wearing waterproof coats were seen around Mr Walsh’s premises.
At a quarter past ten some men entered the shop and took Mr Walsh away. Mr Walsh was a well-known Sinn Féiner.
On This Day – 21st October 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201021
Reference Date
October 21, 2020
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 21st October 1920, Sinn Féin councillor Michael Walsh was murdered in Galway, while Hamar Greenwood defended reprisals in the Commons. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix
Greenwood Defends Reprisals | On This Day – 21st October 1920
IN THE House of Commons yesterday, Mr Arthur Henderson (Labour) moved: ‘That this House regrets the present state of lawlessness in Ireland and the lack of discipline in the armed forces of the Crown, resulting in the death or injury of innocent citizens and the destruction of property and is of opinion that an independent investigation should at once be instituted into the causes, nature and extent of Reprisals…’
The condition of things in Ireland were so appalling, he said, as to call for the most serious attention of the House.
The distressing and deplorable situation, now existing, constituted the most humiliating and damaging indictment of the administrative policy of the Government.
What stood out beyond question was that a policy of military terrorism had been inaugurated which was not only a betrayal of democratic principles for which they claimed to stand during the war, but was totally opposed to the best traditions of the British people.
Sir Hamar Greenwood [Chief Secretary for Ireland] said the information which Mr Henderson had given to the House came from the headquarters of the IRA …
He was glad to say that the terror was being broken by the forces of the Crown. They were fighting against a gang of terrorists – not ordinary, decent Irishmen.
Nobody regretted reprisals more than he did. He wanted them to be arrested but those who connived at such murders had no right to complain of reprisals.
(Editor’s note: Reading Greenwood’s comments, it was to hard to believe that this Canadian-born Liberal had supported all-Ireland Home rule on a platform in Newry in 1913.
It was clear that the Tory-dominated Coalition was determined to seek a military solution to the IRA campaign while using the Nationalist ‘vacuum’ at Westminster to fast-track the Partition Act through Parliament.
The result was the alienation of almost the entire Irish nationalist population.
At Westminster an offensive on Government policy was mounted by Asquith, the Labour Party and Joe Devlin.)
Savage Crime in West
A TERRIBLE tragedy was enacted in Galway on Monday night when Mr Michael S Walsh, urban councillor and publican was taken from his house shortly after ten o’clock, shot through the head and his body thrown into the river.
The horrifying discovery was made on Tuesday morning when a little girl saw a hand floating under the water and large patches of blood on the bank.
It was stated that a number of persons wearing waterproof coats were seen around Mr Walsh’s premises.
At a quarter past ten some men entered the shop and took Mr Walsh away. Mr Walsh was a well-known Sinn Féiner.
On This Day – 21st October 1920
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.