On This Day / October 27, 1921

Summary: On This Day – 27th October 1921, Lloyd George faced pressure from Tory ‘diehards’ over de Valera’s stance on Irish independence as sensitive questions of allegiance and partition entered the London negotiations. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.

‘Diehards’ Confront PM | On This Day – 27th October 1921

IN THE House of Commons yesterday, Sir J Butcher asked the Prime Minister whether he would give instructions that the letters and telegrams which recently passed between him and the member for East Clare [Mr de Valera] on the subject of Ireland should be published as a White Paper.

Mr Lloyd George said earlier correspondence on an Irish settlement has been published.

Sir W Davison asked the PM whether his attention had been called to the telegram sent to the Pope by Mr de Valera which had been published in the Sinn Fein Irish Bulletin in which Mr de Valera repudiated allegiance to his Majesty the King whom he described as ‘the British King’ and reiterated that the independence of Ireland had been formally proclaimed by its elected representatives and ratified by subsequent plebiscites and whether, in these circumstances, the Government intended to proceed with a Conference with the delegates of Southern Ireland who had themselves taken the oath of allegiance to an Irish Republic. (Cheers.)

Mr Lloyd George – I have read the telegram referred to and its publication – especially in the middle of peace negotiations – constitutes a grave challenge.

Mr Rupert Gwynne asked the PM whether it was under the terms of the Truce that the Sinn Fein delegates display the colours of the Sinn Fein Republic over the house occupied by them in London.

The Prime Minister – I am assured – and I have made some inquiries – that Sinn Fein colours are not displayed over the house occupied by the delegates in London.

Sir Thomas Bennett said Sinn Fein colours had been displayed on number 22 Hans Place for the last ten days and asked whether that was not great provocation to the people living in the neighbourhood. The PM agreed.

Coffin Clare Church

WHEN the parish clerk at Sixmilebridge [Co Clare] went into the Catholic church on Saturday he discovered a coffin place in the aisle facing the High Altar.

On the lid was a breastplate indicating the coffin contained the body of Constable Murphy who, it is stated, was kidnapped last March while conveying dispatches and was not since heard of. The police took charge of the coffin.

(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: As the London conference began to touch on the sensitive questions of allegiance and Partition, Lloyd George – effectively ‘a prime minister without a party’, reliant on the support of the Tories who dominated the Coalition – came under increasing pressure from the right-wing diehards.

Like the Tory leader and co-prime minister, Bonar Law, they were determined to protect the ‘rights and privileges’ granted to the Ulster Unionists under the 1920 Partition Act.)

On This Day – 27th October 1921

Further Reading on Irish History:

List of other On This Day columns

Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive

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