On This Day / October 29, 1920
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19201029
Reference Date
19201029
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On this day, 29th October 1920, reports show how Joseph Devlin challenged Bonar Law in the Commons over the conduct of the new Special Constables in Ulster, while an Irish News editorial condemned the British government’s treatment of Terence MacSwiney following his death on hunger strike. Edited by Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Bonar Law on ‘Specials’ | On This Day – 29th October 1920
IN THE House of Commons yesterday, Mr Bonar Law [leader of the House and Conservative leader] replying to Mr Joseph Devlin, said the House had already discussed the establishment of the Special Police Force in Belfast.
Mr Devlin – Is it a fact that of the Special Constables already appointed in North East Ulster, three had been arrested for looting in Lisburn and that, after they were arrested, 300 of the remaining men resigned; whether one was arrested for looting in Belfast and are the Government going to hand over the custody of law and order to men who are responsible for conduct of this kind?
Mr Bonar Law – The fact that the other Special Constables have resigned because of the looting is the best proof that they do not approve of looting.
Mr Devlin – Is the right hon. gentlemen aware that the Special Constables were drawn from a class who organised the mob to massacre the Minister of War [Winston Churchill] when he was last in the city of Belfast [8 February 1912] to address a Home Rule meeting? (Laughter.)
Mr Bonar Law – I can assure you that the selection is not based on that ground. (Laughter.)
Mr Devlin – I believe it is – by his colleagues in the Cabinet. (Laughter.)
Mr Bonar Law – It is not so. They [the Specials] are selected because they can be relied upon to deal with the special difficulties of the situation.
Mr Churchill, answering Mr Oswald Mosley [Conservative] said he had not sufficient information to answer the question as to whether a number of soldiers broke out of barracks at Bandon [County Cork] and destroyed considerable property.
Mr Croft – Is that not the district where recently five soldiers were murdered? (Hear, hear.)
Mr Churchill – I believe that is so.
Earl Winterton – Has any sympathy been expressed to the relatives of the murdered men by those asking questions in this House? (Cheers.)
Commander Kenworthy (Liberal) – Order out the Black and Tans at once!
Editorial
Vengeance on the Dead
‘THE Government must have been afraid of the Lord Mayor of Cork, while he was alive: otherwise they would not have imprisoned him five times without charge or trial.
He was then charged with the holding of a ‘Sinn Féin court’…Alderman MacSwiney went on hunger-strike. The Government held him in their jail until his soul was freed by the hand of God.’
(Eamon Phoenix editor’s note: In this editorial, Tim McCarthy, the Co Cork-born editor of the Irish News and a close friend of Joe Devlin, trenchantly condemned the British government’s treatment of MacSwiney and, in particular, the enforced removal of his body by military steamer to Cork.)
On This Day – 29th October 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201029
Reference Date
19201029
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On this day, 29th October 1920, reports show how Joseph Devlin challenged Bonar Law in the Commons over the conduct of the new Special Constables in Ulster, while an Irish News editorial condemned the British government’s treatment of Terence MacSwiney following his death on hunger strike. Edited by Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Bonar Law on ‘Specials’ | On This Day – 29th October 1920
IN THE House of Commons yesterday, Mr Bonar Law [leader of the House and Conservative leader] replying to Mr Joseph Devlin, said the House had already discussed the establishment of the Special Police Force in Belfast.
Mr Devlin – Is it a fact that of the Special Constables already appointed in North East Ulster, three had been arrested for looting in Lisburn and that, after they were arrested, 300 of the remaining men resigned; whether one was arrested for looting in Belfast and are the Government going to hand over the custody of law and order to men who are responsible for conduct of this kind?
Mr Bonar Law – The fact that the other Special Constables have resigned because of the looting is the best proof that they do not approve of looting.
Mr Devlin – Is the right hon. gentlemen aware that the Special Constables were drawn from a class who organised the mob to massacre the Minister of War [Winston Churchill] when he was last in the city of Belfast [8 February 1912] to address a Home Rule meeting? (Laughter.)
Mr Bonar Law – I can assure you that the selection is not based on that ground. (Laughter.)
Mr Devlin – I believe it is – by his colleagues in the Cabinet. (Laughter.)
Mr Bonar Law – It is not so. They [the Specials] are selected because they can be relied upon to deal with the special difficulties of the situation.
Mr Churchill, answering Mr Oswald Mosley [Conservative] said he had not sufficient information to answer the question as to whether a number of soldiers broke out of barracks at Bandon [County Cork] and destroyed considerable property.
Mr Croft – Is that not the district where recently five soldiers were murdered? (Hear, hear.)
Mr Churchill – I believe that is so.
Earl Winterton – Has any sympathy been expressed to the relatives of the murdered men by those asking questions in this House? (Cheers.)
Commander Kenworthy (Liberal) – Order out the Black and Tans at once!
Editorial
Vengeance on the Dead
‘THE Government must have been afraid of the Lord Mayor of Cork, while he was alive: otherwise they would not have imprisoned him five times without charge or trial.
He was then charged with the holding of a ‘Sinn Féin court’…Alderman MacSwiney went on hunger-strike. The Government held him in their jail until his soul was freed by the hand of God.’
(Eamon Phoenix editor’s note: In this editorial, Tim McCarthy, the Co Cork-born editor of the Irish News and a close friend of Joe Devlin, trenchantly condemned the British government’s treatment of MacSwiney and, in particular, the enforced removal of his body by military steamer to Cork.)
On This Day – 29th October 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201029
Reference Date
October 29, 2020
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On this day, 29th October 1920, reports show how Joseph Devlin challenged Bonar Law in the Commons over the conduct of the new Special Constables in Ulster, while an Irish News editorial condemned the British government’s treatment of Terence MacSwiney following his death on hunger strike. Edited by Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Bonar Law on ‘Specials’ | On This Day – 29th October 1920
IN THE House of Commons yesterday, Mr Bonar Law [leader of the House and Conservative leader] replying to Mr Joseph Devlin, said the House had already discussed the establishment of the Special Police Force in Belfast.
Mr Devlin – Is it a fact that of the Special Constables already appointed in North East Ulster, three had been arrested for looting in Lisburn and that, after they were arrested, 300 of the remaining men resigned; whether one was arrested for looting in Belfast and are the Government going to hand over the custody of law and order to men who are responsible for conduct of this kind?
Mr Bonar Law – The fact that the other Special Constables have resigned because of the looting is the best proof that they do not approve of looting.
Mr Devlin – Is the right hon. gentlemen aware that the Special Constables were drawn from a class who organised the mob to massacre the Minister of War [Winston Churchill] when he was last in the city of Belfast [8 February 1912] to address a Home Rule meeting? (Laughter.)
Mr Bonar Law – I can assure you that the selection is not based on that ground. (Laughter.)
Mr Devlin – I believe it is – by his colleagues in the Cabinet. (Laughter.)
Mr Bonar Law – It is not so. They [the Specials] are selected because they can be relied upon to deal with the special difficulties of the situation.
Mr Churchill, answering Mr Oswald Mosley [Conservative] said he had not sufficient information to answer the question as to whether a number of soldiers broke out of barracks at Bandon [County Cork] and destroyed considerable property.
Mr Croft – Is that not the district where recently five soldiers were murdered? (Hear, hear.)
Mr Churchill – I believe that is so.
Earl Winterton – Has any sympathy been expressed to the relatives of the murdered men by those asking questions in this House? (Cheers.)
Commander Kenworthy (Liberal) – Order out the Black and Tans at once!
Editorial
Vengeance on the Dead
‘THE Government must have been afraid of the Lord Mayor of Cork, while he was alive: otherwise they would not have imprisoned him five times without charge or trial.
He was then charged with the holding of a ‘Sinn Féin court’…Alderman MacSwiney went on hunger-strike. The Government held him in their jail until his soul was freed by the hand of God.’
(Eamon Phoenix editor’s note: In this editorial, Tim McCarthy, the Co Cork-born editor of the Irish News and a close friend of Joe Devlin, trenchantly condemned the British government’s treatment of MacSwiney and, in particular, the enforced removal of his body by military steamer to Cork.)
On This Day – 29th October 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.