On This Day / December 7, 1920
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19201207
Reference Date
19201207
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 7yh December 1920, Lloyd George explored tentative peace contacts with Sinn Féin via Fr Michael O’Flanagan, while Devlin and Carson jointly backed Ulster linen workers’ claims. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
PM on Peace Moves | On This Day – 7th December 1920
IN THE Commons yesterday, Mr Lloyd George [the PM], replying to Mr Hogg who asked whether he could make a statement with regard to his negotiations with the Sinn Fein leaders, said he could make no statement beyond repeating what he had frequently stated: ‘that the Government were anxious to explore every avenue which might lead to a settlement of the Irish Question.’
Mr Devlin – Has the right hon. gentleman received and replied to the telegram from Fr [Michael] O’Flanagan who is at present the only spokesman for Sinn Fein left free?
Major H O’Neill [Ulster Unionist] asked whether the Government had any alternative Irish policy to the Government of Ireland Bill.
Commander Kenworthy – Does the PM consider that Fr O’Flanagan is able to speak for Sinn Fein and to negotiate?
Mr Lloyd George – That is what I want to find out. … The Government are willing to discuss with anybody who is authorised to speak on behalf of Irish opinion any question that will bring peace to Ireland.
The Press Association says: The PM duly received the telegram sent to him by Rev Michael O’Flanagan, Acting President of Sinn Fein, stating that Ireland is willing for peace.
This is the first definitive approach towards anything like relations between Sinn Fein, on the one side, and the Government on the other and is considered important.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: In the aftermath of Bloody Sunday 1920 there was a real chance of a truce between the British and the IRA.
The December peace moves centred on the shuttle diplomacy of the Irish-born Archbishop Clune of Perth.
Joe Devlin arranged for him to meet Lloyd George who provided him with a safe conduct to meet Griffith and Collins in Dublin.
The talks seemed to be going well but the British PM faced resistance from his Conservative colleagues and the military who argued that ‘Sinn Fein was desperate for peace’ and the war should continue.
By the new year the initiative had collapsed. As the historian, Michael Hopkinson notes: responsibility for its failure and violent consequences ‘lies squarely with Lloyd George himself. He had backed away… when faced with military and Conservative opposition’.
A truce would have to wait for a further six bloody months, by which time partition was a fait accompli.)
Devlin and Carson Unite
A DEPUTATION representing all branches of the linen workers in Ulster waited yesterday afternoon on Sir Montague Barlow who represented the Ministry of Labour, for the purpose of placing before the Ministry the claims of the workers for benefit under recent legislation.
The deputation was accompanied by Sir Edward Carson, Mr Joseph Devlin and other MPs.
On This Day – 7th December 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201207
Reference Date
19201207
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 7yh December 1920, Lloyd George explored tentative peace contacts with Sinn Féin via Fr Michael O’Flanagan, while Devlin and Carson jointly backed Ulster linen workers’ claims. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
PM on Peace Moves | On This Day – 7th December 1920
IN THE Commons yesterday, Mr Lloyd George [the PM], replying to Mr Hogg who asked whether he could make a statement with regard to his negotiations with the Sinn Fein leaders, said he could make no statement beyond repeating what he had frequently stated: ‘that the Government were anxious to explore every avenue which might lead to a settlement of the Irish Question.’
Mr Devlin – Has the right hon. gentleman received and replied to the telegram from Fr [Michael] O’Flanagan who is at present the only spokesman for Sinn Fein left free?
Major H O’Neill [Ulster Unionist] asked whether the Government had any alternative Irish policy to the Government of Ireland Bill.
Commander Kenworthy – Does the PM consider that Fr O’Flanagan is able to speak for Sinn Fein and to negotiate?
Mr Lloyd George – That is what I want to find out. … The Government are willing to discuss with anybody who is authorised to speak on behalf of Irish opinion any question that will bring peace to Ireland.
The Press Association says: The PM duly received the telegram sent to him by Rev Michael O’Flanagan, Acting President of Sinn Fein, stating that Ireland is willing for peace.
This is the first definitive approach towards anything like relations between Sinn Fein, on the one side, and the Government on the other and is considered important.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: In the aftermath of Bloody Sunday 1920 there was a real chance of a truce between the British and the IRA.
The December peace moves centred on the shuttle diplomacy of the Irish-born Archbishop Clune of Perth.
Joe Devlin arranged for him to meet Lloyd George who provided him with a safe conduct to meet Griffith and Collins in Dublin.
The talks seemed to be going well but the British PM faced resistance from his Conservative colleagues and the military who argued that ‘Sinn Fein was desperate for peace’ and the war should continue.
By the new year the initiative had collapsed. As the historian, Michael Hopkinson notes: responsibility for its failure and violent consequences ‘lies squarely with Lloyd George himself. He had backed away… when faced with military and Conservative opposition’.
A truce would have to wait for a further six bloody months, by which time partition was a fait accompli.)
Devlin and Carson Unite
A DEPUTATION representing all branches of the linen workers in Ulster waited yesterday afternoon on Sir Montague Barlow who represented the Ministry of Labour, for the purpose of placing before the Ministry the claims of the workers for benefit under recent legislation.
The deputation was accompanied by Sir Edward Carson, Mr Joseph Devlin and other MPs.
On This Day – 7th December 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201207
Reference Date
December 7, 2020
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 7yh December 1920, Lloyd George explored tentative peace contacts with Sinn Féin via Fr Michael O’Flanagan, while Devlin and Carson jointly backed Ulster linen workers’ claims. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
PM on Peace Moves | On This Day – 7th December 1920
IN THE Commons yesterday, Mr Lloyd George [the PM], replying to Mr Hogg who asked whether he could make a statement with regard to his negotiations with the Sinn Fein leaders, said he could make no statement beyond repeating what he had frequently stated: ‘that the Government were anxious to explore every avenue which might lead to a settlement of the Irish Question.’
Mr Devlin – Has the right hon. gentleman received and replied to the telegram from Fr [Michael] O’Flanagan who is at present the only spokesman for Sinn Fein left free?
Major H O’Neill [Ulster Unionist] asked whether the Government had any alternative Irish policy to the Government of Ireland Bill.
Commander Kenworthy – Does the PM consider that Fr O’Flanagan is able to speak for Sinn Fein and to negotiate?
Mr Lloyd George – That is what I want to find out. … The Government are willing to discuss with anybody who is authorised to speak on behalf of Irish opinion any question that will bring peace to Ireland.
The Press Association says: The PM duly received the telegram sent to him by Rev Michael O’Flanagan, Acting President of Sinn Fein, stating that Ireland is willing for peace.
This is the first definitive approach towards anything like relations between Sinn Fein, on the one side, and the Government on the other and is considered important.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: In the aftermath of Bloody Sunday 1920 there was a real chance of a truce between the British and the IRA.
The December peace moves centred on the shuttle diplomacy of the Irish-born Archbishop Clune of Perth.
Joe Devlin arranged for him to meet Lloyd George who provided him with a safe conduct to meet Griffith and Collins in Dublin.
The talks seemed to be going well but the British PM faced resistance from his Conservative colleagues and the military who argued that ‘Sinn Fein was desperate for peace’ and the war should continue.
By the new year the initiative had collapsed. As the historian, Michael Hopkinson notes: responsibility for its failure and violent consequences ‘lies squarely with Lloyd George himself. He had backed away… when faced with military and Conservative opposition’.
A truce would have to wait for a further six bloody months, by which time partition was a fait accompli.)
Devlin and Carson Unite
A DEPUTATION representing all branches of the linen workers in Ulster waited yesterday afternoon on Sir Montague Barlow who represented the Ministry of Labour, for the purpose of placing before the Ministry the claims of the workers for benefit under recent legislation.
The deputation was accompanied by Sir Edward Carson, Mr Joseph Devlin and other MPs.
On This Day – 7th December 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.