On This Day / July 27, 1921
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
July 27, 2021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 27th July 1921, Éamon de Valera returned to Dublin after London talks as the British peace proposals were considered by leaders on both sides. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
De Valera Returns | On This Day – 27th July 1921
MR DE Valera and the other members of the Irish delegation are back again in Dublin.
It is understood that the Republican President will consult with the Sinn Fein Cabinet today.
The return journey was emphasised by a great sweep of enthusiasm from London to Dublin.
At Dun Laoghaire the delegates were received and welcomed back by a very influential deputation who were accompanied by cheering multitudes.
Repeatedly at Houston and again back in Ireland, the Republican leader expressed unqualified assurance of the success of the Irish cause.
‘It may take some little time, but it will come.
For though the immediate future is uncertain, we have perfect confidence in the ultimate success of our cause.’
A feature of the gathering at the Mansion House in Dublin was the sudden appearance of Michael Collins, Republican Minister of Finance.
He was not known by the crowd and passed almost unnoticed into the Mansion House.
Northern Cabinet Informed
A COPY of Mr Lloyd George’s proposals to de Valera was received by Sir James Craig yesterday at Cabin Hill.
The ‘Cabinet’ had been summoned for an ordinary meeting when the communication from London was delivered.
It was read to the meeting and discussed but no action was taken.
Mr Lloyd George and Mr de Valera both agreed that the terms of the Government offer should not be publicly divulged.
Significance of the Truce
DEALING with the operation of the Truce, the [London journal] The Nation says:
‘The officers of the IRA and the officers of the British Army collaborate in carrying out the terms of the Truce and they salute one another.
The legend of the ‘murder gang’ has disappeared.
The events of the last fortnight have closed once and for all the chapter of history represented by the hanging of ‘rebels’.
We recognise the army and the rulers of the Irish people.
We have taken a step of which the moral significance cannot be recanted or recalled and whatever happens, we cannot slip back into the shameful world in which we were living a month ago…’
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: DESPITE de Valera’s optimism, he was determined to reject Lloyd George’s offer of limited dominion status with partition intact as falling short of the Republic.
In this view he would be supported by cabinet colleagues ‘with varying degrees of disfavour’.
For the moderate Griffith, the British offer approximated his favoured solution, ‘dual monarchy’.
The truce enabled the emergence of Michael Collins, the architect of the IRA campaign.
Meanwhile Craig was determined to place his new state beyond peril.)
On This Day – 27th July 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.