On This Day / September 21, 1920
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19200921
Reference Date
19200921
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 21st September 1920, Banbridge Courthouse heard charges over the Gilford Mill murder-robbery; the British press condemned the Specials; and Harland & Wolff met vigilance committees amid pogrom expulsions. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Banbridge Murder
In Banbridge Courthouse yesterday, Mr George McElroy, RM continued the investigations regarding the recent dastardly murder of Mr William McDowell of Gilford at Knocknagor, near Banbridge.
The prisoners, William Conlon of Gilford and William McConville of Ballynagarrick [a wages clerk at Gilford Mill] were brought from Dundalk Jail under a strong military escort.
They were subsequently removed to the Courthouse and charged with the murder and robbery of £1308, the property of Dunbar McMaster and Co. Limited of Gilford on the 3rd September. Mr H H Mussen, Crown Solicitor, prosecuted.
The two other prisoners gave their names as Frank O’Boyle, Beragh and Hugh Rodgers, Sixmilecross, County Tyrone.
Head Constable Stokes confirmed their arrest in Tyrone. Subsequently the four prisoners were removed to Dundalk Jail.
Rodgers, who is well-known all over Tyrone, was interned in Frongoch [in Wales] after the Rebellion in 1916.
British Press on Specials
THE London Times says: The disregard of British public opinion which the Government exhibits in their dealings with Southern Ireland is paralleled by their handling of the situation in Ulster.
A few days ago it was officially announced that they intend to enrol well-disposed citizens in Ireland to assist the authorities.
In Ulster, Unionists have pressed for such action but in the remainder of Ireland men of all parties have been loud in protest against it.
Southern Irishmen assume that the Government decision is equivalent to an official recognition of the UVF.
If they are Nationalists, they see it as a flagrant declaration of partisanship and a menace to the Ulster minority; if they are Unionists, they regard it as the establishment of a condition precedent to civil and religious warfare.
Talks on Pogrom
NO definite information was available yesterday evening regarding the conference which took place at Messrs Harland and Wolff’s offices between representatives of the firm and the local ‘Vigilance Committee’.
The Trade Unions were not officially represented. It is understood that a statement was made on behalf of the firm covering the expulsion situation and its effects on the work of the firm generally.
[Editor’s note: By this time, arrangements to establish the Ulster Special Constabulary were well under way despite concerns in the British press at the establishment of a deeply sectarian force.
Meanwhile, the loyalist ‘vigilance committees’ in the shipyard and elsewhere had effectively usurped the role of the official trade unions as the lock-out of Catholics and Labourites continued.]
Further Reading:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19200921
Reference Date
19200921
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 21st September 1920, Banbridge Courthouse heard charges over the Gilford Mill murder-robbery; the British press condemned the Specials; and Harland & Wolff met vigilance committees amid pogrom expulsions. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Banbridge Murder
In Banbridge Courthouse yesterday, Mr George McElroy, RM continued the investigations regarding the recent dastardly murder of Mr William McDowell of Gilford at Knocknagor, near Banbridge.
The prisoners, William Conlon of Gilford and William McConville of Ballynagarrick [a wages clerk at Gilford Mill] were brought from Dundalk Jail under a strong military escort.
They were subsequently removed to the Courthouse and charged with the murder and robbery of £1308, the property of Dunbar McMaster and Co. Limited of Gilford on the 3rd September. Mr H H Mussen, Crown Solicitor, prosecuted.
The two other prisoners gave their names as Frank O’Boyle, Beragh and Hugh Rodgers, Sixmilecross, County Tyrone.
Head Constable Stokes confirmed their arrest in Tyrone. Subsequently the four prisoners were removed to Dundalk Jail.
Rodgers, who is well-known all over Tyrone, was interned in Frongoch [in Wales] after the Rebellion in 1916.
British Press on Specials
THE London Times says: The disregard of British public opinion which the Government exhibits in their dealings with Southern Ireland is paralleled by their handling of the situation in Ulster.
A few days ago it was officially announced that they intend to enrol well-disposed citizens in Ireland to assist the authorities.
In Ulster, Unionists have pressed for such action but in the remainder of Ireland men of all parties have been loud in protest against it.
Southern Irishmen assume that the Government decision is equivalent to an official recognition of the UVF.
If they are Nationalists, they see it as a flagrant declaration of partisanship and a menace to the Ulster minority; if they are Unionists, they regard it as the establishment of a condition precedent to civil and religious warfare.
Talks on Pogrom
NO definite information was available yesterday evening regarding the conference which took place at Messrs Harland and Wolff’s offices between representatives of the firm and the local ‘Vigilance Committee’.
The Trade Unions were not officially represented. It is understood that a statement was made on behalf of the firm covering the expulsion situation and its effects on the work of the firm generally.
[Editor’s note: By this time, arrangements to establish the Ulster Special Constabulary were well under way despite concerns in the British press at the establishment of a deeply sectarian force.
Meanwhile, the loyalist ‘vigilance committees’ in the shipyard and elsewhere had effectively usurped the role of the official trade unions as the lock-out of Catholics and Labourites continued.]
Further Reading:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19200921
Reference Date
September 21, 2020
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 21st September 1920, Banbridge Courthouse heard charges over the Gilford Mill murder-robbery; the British press condemned the Specials; and Harland & Wolff met vigilance committees amid pogrom expulsions. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Banbridge Murder
In Banbridge Courthouse yesterday, Mr George McElroy, RM continued the investigations regarding the recent dastardly murder of Mr William McDowell of Gilford at Knocknagor, near Banbridge.
The prisoners, William Conlon of Gilford and William McConville of Ballynagarrick [a wages clerk at Gilford Mill] were brought from Dundalk Jail under a strong military escort.
They were subsequently removed to the Courthouse and charged with the murder and robbery of £1308, the property of Dunbar McMaster and Co. Limited of Gilford on the 3rd September. Mr H H Mussen, Crown Solicitor, prosecuted.
The two other prisoners gave their names as Frank O’Boyle, Beragh and Hugh Rodgers, Sixmilecross, County Tyrone.
Head Constable Stokes confirmed their arrest in Tyrone. Subsequently the four prisoners were removed to Dundalk Jail.
Rodgers, who is well-known all over Tyrone, was interned in Frongoch [in Wales] after the Rebellion in 1916.
British Press on Specials
THE London Times says: The disregard of British public opinion which the Government exhibits in their dealings with Southern Ireland is paralleled by their handling of the situation in Ulster.
A few days ago it was officially announced that they intend to enrol well-disposed citizens in Ireland to assist the authorities.
In Ulster, Unionists have pressed for such action but in the remainder of Ireland men of all parties have been loud in protest against it.
Southern Irishmen assume that the Government decision is equivalent to an official recognition of the UVF.
If they are Nationalists, they see it as a flagrant declaration of partisanship and a menace to the Ulster minority; if they are Unionists, they regard it as the establishment of a condition precedent to civil and religious warfare.
Talks on Pogrom
NO definite information was available yesterday evening regarding the conference which took place at Messrs Harland and Wolff’s offices between representatives of the firm and the local ‘Vigilance Committee’.
The Trade Unions were not officially represented. It is understood that a statement was made on behalf of the firm covering the expulsion situation and its effects on the work of the firm generally.
[Editor’s note: By this time, arrangements to establish the Ulster Special Constabulary were well under way despite concerns in the British press at the establishment of a deeply sectarian force.
Meanwhile, the loyalist ‘vigilance committees’ in the shipyard and elsewhere had effectively usurped the role of the official trade unions as the lock-out of Catholics and Labourites continued.]
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.
* The Foundation has worked hard to recreate Eamon’s distinctive voice through AI. Since this is an emerging technology, occasional imperfections may be audible.