On This Day / February 25, 1921
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19210225
Reference Date
19210225
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 25th February 1921, Nationalists in Dungannon secured a Dublin High Court victory overturning disputed Unionist co-options, reclaiming control of the Rural Council and Board of Guardians. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Nationalist Rights Asserted in Dungannon | On This Day – 25th February 1921
A SPECIAL meeting of Dungannon Rural Council was held yesterday at which the Clerk reported the receipt of orders from the High Court [in Dublin] declaring that the cooptions of three Unionist members were null and void and directing a fresh election.
It will be remembered that at the statutory meeting held on 12th June last, the Council, which is composed of 9 Nationalists and 8 Unionists, was presided over by Mr William Bennett as outgoing chairman.
Mr Bennett had not been returned as Councillor and the Nationalists handed in an objection to his right to give a casting vote in connection with co-option of councillors and the election of a chairman.
However, Mr Bennett declared his intention of giving both and duly declared himself and two Unionists elected.
The proceedings were challenged in the High Court and, after lengthy legal arguments, the King’s Bench unanimously decided that Mr Bennett had no right to give an original casting vote and they, therefore, declared the election null and void and directed another meeting to be held.
At that meeting yesterday all the members were present along with their solicitors. The Nationalists proposed the co-option of Mr Joseph Daly.
The proposal was challenged by the Unionists and Mr Daly was declared co-opted by 9 votes to 8. Messrs James McSorley and James Campbell (Nationalists) were also co-opted without a division.
Mr Doris proposed Mr Daly as chairman of the Rural Council and this was agreed to.
Subsequently at the annual meeting of the Board of Guardians, the Nationalists proposed Mr John Doris, JP for the position of chairman of the Board of Guardians.
Mr Irwin [Unionist] moved the election of Mr Jackson Erskine, JR He pointed out that the political parties were equal on the Guardians but the Nationalists had a majority of only one on the Council.
He thought it was only right that a Unionist should be appointed chairman and appealed to the Nationalists to be broad-minded.
On a poll being taken, the 13 Nationalists voted for Mr Doris and the 9 Unionists for Mr Erskine.
On taking the chair, Mr Doris said that the Board met eight months ago and the air was charged with electricity.
He referred to the ‘trick’ which was attempted last June to deprive the Nationalists of their rights.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: The use of PR in the 1920 local elections resulted in the ‘greening of the West’ as anti-partitionists wrested control of Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry and Dungannon.
In Dungannon the UVF occupied the Town Hall to thwart the Nationalist victory. The result was a successful High Court challenge in Dublin by the Nationalists.)
On This Day – 25th February 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210225
Reference Date
19210225
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 25th February 1921, Nationalists in Dungannon secured a Dublin High Court victory overturning disputed Unionist co-options, reclaiming control of the Rural Council and Board of Guardians. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Nationalist Rights Asserted in Dungannon | On This Day – 25th February 1921
A SPECIAL meeting of Dungannon Rural Council was held yesterday at which the Clerk reported the receipt of orders from the High Court [in Dublin] declaring that the cooptions of three Unionist members were null and void and directing a fresh election.
It will be remembered that at the statutory meeting held on 12th June last, the Council, which is composed of 9 Nationalists and 8 Unionists, was presided over by Mr William Bennett as outgoing chairman.
Mr Bennett had not been returned as Councillor and the Nationalists handed in an objection to his right to give a casting vote in connection with co-option of councillors and the election of a chairman.
However, Mr Bennett declared his intention of giving both and duly declared himself and two Unionists elected.
The proceedings were challenged in the High Court and, after lengthy legal arguments, the King’s Bench unanimously decided that Mr Bennett had no right to give an original casting vote and they, therefore, declared the election null and void and directed another meeting to be held.
At that meeting yesterday all the members were present along with their solicitors. The Nationalists proposed the co-option of Mr Joseph Daly.
The proposal was challenged by the Unionists and Mr Daly was declared co-opted by 9 votes to 8. Messrs James McSorley and James Campbell (Nationalists) were also co-opted without a division.
Mr Doris proposed Mr Daly as chairman of the Rural Council and this was agreed to.
Subsequently at the annual meeting of the Board of Guardians, the Nationalists proposed Mr John Doris, JP for the position of chairman of the Board of Guardians.
Mr Irwin [Unionist] moved the election of Mr Jackson Erskine, JR He pointed out that the political parties were equal on the Guardians but the Nationalists had a majority of only one on the Council.
He thought it was only right that a Unionist should be appointed chairman and appealed to the Nationalists to be broad-minded.
On a poll being taken, the 13 Nationalists voted for Mr Doris and the 9 Unionists for Mr Erskine.
On taking the chair, Mr Doris said that the Board met eight months ago and the air was charged with electricity.
He referred to the ‘trick’ which was attempted last June to deprive the Nationalists of their rights.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: The use of PR in the 1920 local elections resulted in the ‘greening of the West’ as anti-partitionists wrested control of Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry and Dungannon.
In Dungannon the UVF occupied the Town Hall to thwart the Nationalist victory. The result was a successful High Court challenge in Dublin by the Nationalists.)
On This Day – 25th February 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210225
Reference Date
February 25, 2021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 25th February 1921, Nationalists in Dungannon secured a Dublin High Court victory overturning disputed Unionist co-options, reclaiming control of the Rural Council and Board of Guardians. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Nationalist Rights Asserted in Dungannon | On This Day – 25th February 1921
A SPECIAL meeting of Dungannon Rural Council was held yesterday at which the Clerk reported the receipt of orders from the High Court [in Dublin] declaring that the cooptions of three Unionist members were null and void and directing a fresh election.
It will be remembered that at the statutory meeting held on 12th June last, the Council, which is composed of 9 Nationalists and 8 Unionists, was presided over by Mr William Bennett as outgoing chairman.
Mr Bennett had not been returned as Councillor and the Nationalists handed in an objection to his right to give a casting vote in connection with co-option of councillors and the election of a chairman.
However, Mr Bennett declared his intention of giving both and duly declared himself and two Unionists elected.
The proceedings were challenged in the High Court and, after lengthy legal arguments, the King’s Bench unanimously decided that Mr Bennett had no right to give an original casting vote and they, therefore, declared the election null and void and directed another meeting to be held.
At that meeting yesterday all the members were present along with their solicitors. The Nationalists proposed the co-option of Mr Joseph Daly.
The proposal was challenged by the Unionists and Mr Daly was declared co-opted by 9 votes to 8. Messrs James McSorley and James Campbell (Nationalists) were also co-opted without a division.
Mr Doris proposed Mr Daly as chairman of the Rural Council and this was agreed to.
Subsequently at the annual meeting of the Board of Guardians, the Nationalists proposed Mr John Doris, JP for the position of chairman of the Board of Guardians.
Mr Irwin [Unionist] moved the election of Mr Jackson Erskine, JR He pointed out that the political parties were equal on the Guardians but the Nationalists had a majority of only one on the Council.
He thought it was only right that a Unionist should be appointed chairman and appealed to the Nationalists to be broad-minded.
On a poll being taken, the 13 Nationalists voted for Mr Doris and the 9 Unionists for Mr Erskine.
On taking the chair, Mr Doris said that the Board met eight months ago and the air was charged with electricity.
He referred to the ‘trick’ which was attempted last June to deprive the Nationalists of their rights.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: The use of PR in the 1920 local elections resulted in the ‘greening of the West’ as anti-partitionists wrested control of Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry and Dungannon.
In Dungannon the UVF occupied the Town Hall to thwart the Nationalist victory. The result was a successful High Court challenge in Dublin by the Nationalists.)
On This Day – 25th 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.