On This Day / July 2, 1921

Summary: On This Day – 2nd July 1921, Churchill spoke hopefully of an Irish settlement, while violence and boycott actions continued across Ireland with the alleged Cork IRA leader Walter Leo Murphy gunned down. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.

Churchill on Ireland | On This Day – 2nd July 1921

ONE grave impediment to the growing unity of the English- speaking peoples has long been the condition of affairs in Ireland, said Mr Winston Churchill in London yesterday.

‘It is a hope we have at the present time that there will be a reconciliation of the interests and sentiments of this great island and of the Irish people whose fortunes are indelibly intermingled with our affairs, but with whom we have had so many long and bitter disagreements.

‘What the course of events may be, no-one can tell. Once more unreason may dash away the cup and, once more, the sinister fortune which has dogged the relations of the two peoples may intervene.

‘But this I will say: the British peoples in their relations with Ireland must not only consider Ireland as Irishmen, but they must consider the very much larger considerations which lie outside beyond the compass of this United Kingdom’.

Cork IRA Commander Shot

A PARTY of military on Monday night proceeded to Waterfall, six miles from Cork, for the purpose of arresting Walter Leo Murphy, reported to be Commandant of C Battalion, Mid Cork Brigade, IRA, who was wanted by the authorities in connection with the deaths of Captain Thompson, Manchester Regiment, and Sergeant Bloxham, RIC.

The military surrounded the house in which Murphy was staying.

Murphy rushed out and was seen to throw away a Mauser automatic. He was shot dead while running away.

Belfast Bread Van Burned

A BREAD van, the property of a Belfast firm, was burned on Saturday evening at Kilduff, Belturbet, County Cavan.

The horse was shot and the driver relieved of about £10 in cash.

It appears the driver was held up by four masked and armed men. They ordered him to drive to a field close by where they had tins of petrol ready.

PM Proposes Carson’s Health

LORD Carson was entertained at a dinner last night at the House of Commons by a number of parliamentary friends on his recent appointment of Lord of Appeal and in recognition of his distinguished career as a parliamentarian.

The Prime Minister was in the chair and proposed the health of the guest of the evening.

(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: AS BOTH crown forces and the IRA continued to settle accounts and the IRA enforced the ‘Belfast Boycott’, Churchill seemed hopeful of a settlement.

The son of the Tory Lord Randolph of ‘Ulster will fight’ fame, Winston had shifted from all-lreland Home Rule in 1912 to support for Craig and the Unionists by 1920.

An early advocate of reprisals, he would play a key role in the Treaty negotiations.)

On This Day – 2nd July 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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