On This Day / November 24, 1920
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19201124
Reference Date
19201124
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 24th November 1920, the Irish News records the House of Commons descending into chaos as Joseph Devlin is assaulted after demanding answers to the Croke Park shootings. Tory cries of “Kill him!” echoed across the chamber. Edited by Éamon Phoenix
‘Kill Him’: Devlin Assaulted | On This Day – 24th November 1920
IN THE House of Commons yesterday, Lieut.-Col. Allen [Ulster Unionist] asked the Chief Secretary whether he would give the House the latest information with regard to the attacks and casualties during the weekend in Ireland.
Sir H Greenwood – I shall read the latest telegram from Dublin in reference to the cruel and savage massacre and wounding of unarmed British officers in Dublin yesterday and, may I say that I hope that this series of cold-blooded and carefully-planned atrocities will bring vividly before the House the cruel reality of the Irish situation.
We are fighting an organised band of assassins…. Regarding the deaths of the British officers he stated that in the case of the murder of Captain Fitzgerald, the murderers’ leader rang the bell of the house and asked the maid the whereabouts of [his] bedroom….The police found Captain Fitzgerald in bed in a pool of blood.
Mr Joseph Devlin asked why it was necessary to recite all the horrible crimes in Dublin on Sunday while they had heard nothing of the shooting by the military forces at a football match.
A roar of indignation broke out and angry members shouted, ‘Sit down, sit down!’ to Mr Devlin who remained standing amidst an almost unequalled demonstration of hostility.
‘I want to know from the Prime Minister why the House has not been made acquainted in this recital with the entrance of the military into a football field of 15,000 people, the indiscriminate shooting and the ten men killed.’
While the disturbance was proceeding … Major Molson [Conservative] stood up, seized Mr Devlin around the neck and endeavoured to pull him over the back of the seat into the row below.
In a moment a violent scuffle was in progress. Mr Devlin was struck, and struck back, escaping from the hands of the members below who were endeavouring to pull him down.
Cries of ‘Kill him! Kill him!’ were raised. Members rushed up from all sides and with difficulty separate the combatants. [The session was then suspended and Major Molson apologised.]
Later, the Chief Secretary said: The authorities had reason to believe that Sinn Féin gunmen came to Dublin under the guise of attending a hurling match, but really to carry out Sunday morning’s murders.
A mixed force of military, RIC, etc surrounded the playing field to search for arms. This force was fired upon and fired back…
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Though he was popular at Westminster, Devlin’s fearless exposure of the Croke Park massacre angered the Tory backbenchers who dominated the Coalition.
The Falls MP’s speech would be reported across the world, placing Lloyd George’s government in the dock.)
On This Day – 24th November 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201124
Reference Date
19201124
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 24th November 1920, the Irish News records the House of Commons descending into chaos as Joseph Devlin is assaulted after demanding answers to the Croke Park shootings. Tory cries of “Kill him!” echoed across the chamber. Edited by Éamon Phoenix
‘Kill Him’: Devlin Assaulted | On This Day – 24th November 1920
IN THE House of Commons yesterday, Lieut.-Col. Allen [Ulster Unionist] asked the Chief Secretary whether he would give the House the latest information with regard to the attacks and casualties during the weekend in Ireland.
Sir H Greenwood – I shall read the latest telegram from Dublin in reference to the cruel and savage massacre and wounding of unarmed British officers in Dublin yesterday and, may I say that I hope that this series of cold-blooded and carefully-planned atrocities will bring vividly before the House the cruel reality of the Irish situation.
We are fighting an organised band of assassins…. Regarding the deaths of the British officers he stated that in the case of the murder of Captain Fitzgerald, the murderers’ leader rang the bell of the house and asked the maid the whereabouts of [his] bedroom….The police found Captain Fitzgerald in bed in a pool of blood.
Mr Joseph Devlin asked why it was necessary to recite all the horrible crimes in Dublin on Sunday while they had heard nothing of the shooting by the military forces at a football match.
A roar of indignation broke out and angry members shouted, ‘Sit down, sit down!’ to Mr Devlin who remained standing amidst an almost unequalled demonstration of hostility.
‘I want to know from the Prime Minister why the House has not been made acquainted in this recital with the entrance of the military into a football field of 15,000 people, the indiscriminate shooting and the ten men killed.’
While the disturbance was proceeding … Major Molson [Conservative] stood up, seized Mr Devlin around the neck and endeavoured to pull him over the back of the seat into the row below.
In a moment a violent scuffle was in progress. Mr Devlin was struck, and struck back, escaping from the hands of the members below who were endeavouring to pull him down.
Cries of ‘Kill him! Kill him!’ were raised. Members rushed up from all sides and with difficulty separate the combatants. [The session was then suspended and Major Molson apologised.]
Later, the Chief Secretary said: The authorities had reason to believe that Sinn Féin gunmen came to Dublin under the guise of attending a hurling match, but really to carry out Sunday morning’s murders.
A mixed force of military, RIC, etc surrounded the playing field to search for arms. This force was fired upon and fired back…
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Though he was popular at Westminster, Devlin’s fearless exposure of the Croke Park massacre angered the Tory backbenchers who dominated the Coalition.
The Falls MP’s speech would be reported across the world, placing Lloyd George’s government in the dock.)
On This Day – 24th November 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201124
Reference Date
November 24, 2020
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 24th November 1920, the Irish News records the House of Commons descending into chaos as Joseph Devlin is assaulted after demanding answers to the Croke Park shootings. Tory cries of “Kill him!” echoed across the chamber. Edited by Éamon Phoenix
‘Kill Him’: Devlin Assaulted | On This Day – 24th November 1920
IN THE House of Commons yesterday, Lieut.-Col. Allen [Ulster Unionist] asked the Chief Secretary whether he would give the House the latest information with regard to the attacks and casualties during the weekend in Ireland.
Sir H Greenwood – I shall read the latest telegram from Dublin in reference to the cruel and savage massacre and wounding of unarmed British officers in Dublin yesterday and, may I say that I hope that this series of cold-blooded and carefully-planned atrocities will bring vividly before the House the cruel reality of the Irish situation.
We are fighting an organised band of assassins…. Regarding the deaths of the British officers he stated that in the case of the murder of Captain Fitzgerald, the murderers’ leader rang the bell of the house and asked the maid the whereabouts of [his] bedroom….The police found Captain Fitzgerald in bed in a pool of blood.
Mr Joseph Devlin asked why it was necessary to recite all the horrible crimes in Dublin on Sunday while they had heard nothing of the shooting by the military forces at a football match.
A roar of indignation broke out and angry members shouted, ‘Sit down, sit down!’ to Mr Devlin who remained standing amidst an almost unequalled demonstration of hostility.
‘I want to know from the Prime Minister why the House has not been made acquainted in this recital with the entrance of the military into a football field of 15,000 people, the indiscriminate shooting and the ten men killed.’
While the disturbance was proceeding … Major Molson [Conservative] stood up, seized Mr Devlin around the neck and endeavoured to pull him over the back of the seat into the row below.
In a moment a violent scuffle was in progress. Mr Devlin was struck, and struck back, escaping from the hands of the members below who were endeavouring to pull him down.
Cries of ‘Kill him! Kill him!’ were raised. Members rushed up from all sides and with difficulty separate the combatants. [The session was then suspended and Major Molson apologised.]
Later, the Chief Secretary said: The authorities had reason to believe that Sinn Féin gunmen came to Dublin under the guise of attending a hurling match, but really to carry out Sunday morning’s murders.
A mixed force of military, RIC, etc surrounded the playing field to search for arms. This force was fired upon and fired back…
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Though he was popular at Westminster, Devlin’s fearless exposure of the Croke Park massacre angered the Tory backbenchers who dominated the Coalition.
The Falls MP’s speech would be reported across the world, placing Lloyd George’s government in the dock.)
On This Day – 24th November 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.