On This Day / October 2, 1920
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19201002
Reference Date
19201002
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 2nd October 1920, the body of RM Captain Lendrum was found in Clare, while Sinn Féin leader Arthur Griffith accused the British government of orchestrating reprisals. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Slain RM’s Body Found: On This Day – 2nd October 1920
The body of Captain Lendrum, the Resident Magistrate for West Claire, was found by the Royal Irish Constabulary in a coffin on the railway line near Kilmurray station.
It will be recalled that Captain Lendrum was held up while motoring from Ennistymon to Ennis on September 22 and removed from the car.
A few days later there were threats of burnings [i.e. Reprisals] unless the captain’s whereabouts were revealed within 48 hours. There are indications that the body had been dug up.
Captain Lendrum, who was a son of Mr George Lendrum, DL, Trillick, County Tyrone served with distinction in the war and was wounded five times and held the Military Cross.
It would appear that he had been held up and shot by armed man beyond Doonbeg.
The box containing the remains was labelled for Kilkee where Captain Lendrum resided with a statement in blue pencil that he ‘died for a foreign Hunnish government’ and that his body was given up regardless of the threatened reprisals.
Sinn Fein leader on official reprisals: On This Day – 2nd October 1920
Mr. Arthur Griffith, the acting president of Sinn Fein, yesterday received a number of Irish, American, French, Italian and English journalists to whom he made a remarkable statement on government’s policy.
‘In connection with what were called “Reprisals”, he said there was, first, the allegation made that these things were done without official approval or knowledge, done in hot blood, and, secondly, that not only did the government condemn them but were taking steps to put them down.
“I want to say,” Mr Griffith went on, “that these are not reprisals at all but a calculated political policy… directly organised by the English government in Ireland.
“On September 21 Balbriggan was burnt down and it was alleged it was done by men coming from Gormanston without official knowledge.”
Mr. Griffith quoted an official order dated 23 September: “There are indications that the measures recently taken by the government for the suppression of disorder in Ireland are beginning to bear fruit.
“At any rate the more moderate section of Sinn Fein are beginning to use their influence with a view to stopping the campaign of outrage…”
Mr. Griffith concluded: “Yesterday the chief secretary and the cabinet condemned reprisals, but while they were denying them this order was going around the military…”
He added that certain Sinn Fein leaders had been “marked out for assassination” including himself.
‘Editor’s note: If the IRA had intended to “disappear” the northern-born RM’s body, the threat of reprisals against the civilian population clearly forced a rethink. Griffith’s sensational allegations highlighted British reprisals policy in the international media and at Westminster.]
Further Reading:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201002
Reference Date
19201002
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 2nd October 1920, the body of RM Captain Lendrum was found in Clare, while Sinn Féin leader Arthur Griffith accused the British government of orchestrating reprisals. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Slain RM’s Body Found: On This Day – 2nd October 1920
The body of Captain Lendrum, the Resident Magistrate for West Claire, was found by the Royal Irish Constabulary in a coffin on the railway line near Kilmurray station.
It will be recalled that Captain Lendrum was held up while motoring from Ennistymon to Ennis on September 22 and removed from the car.
A few days later there were threats of burnings [i.e. Reprisals] unless the captain’s whereabouts were revealed within 48 hours. There are indications that the body had been dug up.
Captain Lendrum, who was a son of Mr George Lendrum, DL, Trillick, County Tyrone served with distinction in the war and was wounded five times and held the Military Cross.
It would appear that he had been held up and shot by armed man beyond Doonbeg.
The box containing the remains was labelled for Kilkee where Captain Lendrum resided with a statement in blue pencil that he ‘died for a foreign Hunnish government’ and that his body was given up regardless of the threatened reprisals.
Sinn Fein leader on official reprisals: On This Day – 2nd October 1920
Mr. Arthur Griffith, the acting president of Sinn Fein, yesterday received a number of Irish, American, French, Italian and English journalists to whom he made a remarkable statement on government’s policy.
‘In connection with what were called “Reprisals”, he said there was, first, the allegation made that these things were done without official approval or knowledge, done in hot blood, and, secondly, that not only did the government condemn them but were taking steps to put them down.
“I want to say,” Mr Griffith went on, “that these are not reprisals at all but a calculated political policy… directly organised by the English government in Ireland.
“On September 21 Balbriggan was burnt down and it was alleged it was done by men coming from Gormanston without official knowledge.”
Mr. Griffith quoted an official order dated 23 September: “There are indications that the measures recently taken by the government for the suppression of disorder in Ireland are beginning to bear fruit.
“At any rate the more moderate section of Sinn Fein are beginning to use their influence with a view to stopping the campaign of outrage…”
Mr. Griffith concluded: “Yesterday the chief secretary and the cabinet condemned reprisals, but while they were denying them this order was going around the military…”
He added that certain Sinn Fein leaders had been “marked out for assassination” including himself.
‘Editor’s note: If the IRA had intended to “disappear” the northern-born RM’s body, the threat of reprisals against the civilian population clearly forced a rethink. Griffith’s sensational allegations highlighted British reprisals policy in the international media and at Westminster.]
Further Reading:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201002
Reference Date
October 2, 2020
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 2nd October 1920, the body of RM Captain Lendrum was found in Clare, while Sinn Féin leader Arthur Griffith accused the British government of orchestrating reprisals. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Slain RM’s Body Found: On This Day – 2nd October 1920
The body of Captain Lendrum, the Resident Magistrate for West Claire, was found by the Royal Irish Constabulary in a coffin on the railway line near Kilmurray station.
It will be recalled that Captain Lendrum was held up while motoring from Ennistymon to Ennis on September 22 and removed from the car.
A few days later there were threats of burnings [i.e. Reprisals] unless the captain’s whereabouts were revealed within 48 hours. There are indications that the body had been dug up.
Captain Lendrum, who was a son of Mr George Lendrum, DL, Trillick, County Tyrone served with distinction in the war and was wounded five times and held the Military Cross.
It would appear that he had been held up and shot by armed man beyond Doonbeg.
The box containing the remains was labelled for Kilkee where Captain Lendrum resided with a statement in blue pencil that he ‘died for a foreign Hunnish government’ and that his body was given up regardless of the threatened reprisals.
Sinn Fein leader on official reprisals: On This Day – 2nd October 1920
Mr. Arthur Griffith, the acting president of Sinn Fein, yesterday received a number of Irish, American, French, Italian and English journalists to whom he made a remarkable statement on government’s policy.
‘In connection with what were called “Reprisals”, he said there was, first, the allegation made that these things were done without official approval or knowledge, done in hot blood, and, secondly, that not only did the government condemn them but were taking steps to put them down.
“I want to say,” Mr Griffith went on, “that these are not reprisals at all but a calculated political policy… directly organised by the English government in Ireland.
“On September 21 Balbriggan was burnt down and it was alleged it was done by men coming from Gormanston without official knowledge.”
Mr. Griffith quoted an official order dated 23 September: “There are indications that the measures recently taken by the government for the suppression of disorder in Ireland are beginning to bear fruit.
“At any rate the more moderate section of Sinn Fein are beginning to use their influence with a view to stopping the campaign of outrage…”
Mr. Griffith concluded: “Yesterday the chief secretary and the cabinet condemned reprisals, but while they were denying them this order was going around the military…”
He added that certain Sinn Fein leaders had been “marked out for assassination” including himself.
‘Editor’s note: If the IRA had intended to “disappear” the northern-born RM’s body, the threat of reprisals against the civilian population clearly forced a rethink. Griffith’s sensational allegations highlighted British reprisals policy in the international media and at Westminster.]
Further Reading:
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.