March 1919
|
Mar-02 |
First meeting of
the brigade officers of the Cork No. 3 (West) Brigade Irish Volunteers since
its founding. The meeting takes place at Ballinvard, near Rossmore, Co.
Cork. |
Deasy (1973), pg 58 |
|
Mar-04 |
Irish-American
delegation meets with US President Woodrow Wilson in New York. Wilson
says that he accords with their aspirations but refuses to commit himself to
support the Irish position in Paris and them palms them off with the
possibility that the League of Nations might do something in the future. On
the same day, U.S. House of Representatives passes (by a majority of 261 to
41) a resolution which states that it is its hope that the Peace Conference
in Paris will “favourably consider the claims of Ireland to
self-determination”. |
Hopkinson (2002),
pg 167; Macardle (1999), pg 280 |
|
Mar-06 |
Rest on 'German
Plot' internees released (due to flu epidemic after death in Gloucester
prison of Pierce McCan, Tipperary TD).
Among those released are Arthur Griffith, William T Cosgrave, Darrell
Figgis and Constance Markievicz. |
Curran J M (1980),
pg25; O’Farrell (1997), pg 58 |
|
Mar-09 |
A revolution begins
in Egypt against British occupation.
Over 800 Egyptians are killed in two weeks of fighting. |
|
|
Mar-16 |
Robert Barton
escapes from Mountjoy Prison. He leaves a note for the Governor saying
that the accommodation was not up to his expectation. |
Coogan (1990), pg
98; Gallagher (1953), pg 64; Brennan (1950), pg 260 |
|
Mar-19 |
Irish Volunteers
raid (led by Patrick Holohan) on Collinstown aerodrome outside Dublin
resulting in the capture of 75 rifles and 4000 rounds of ammunition.
(Henderson says 20th March and that 75 rifles and 6000 rounds of
ammunition were captured.) |
Townshend 1975, pg
19; Figgis (1927), pg 262; O'Farrell P (1997), pg 46; Gallagher (1953), pg
66; Henderson WS 821, pg 55; Price (2017), pgs 72-74 |
|
Mar-22 |
Notice appears in
the press (signed by Harry Boland and Tom Kelly - Hon. Secs. of Sinn Féin)
that de Valera will arrive in Dublin on the 26th March and be met
at the gates by the Lord Mayor who will escort him to the Mansion
House. (De Valera had been in hiding since his escape from Lincoln
Jail.) The Castle issues a proclamation prohibiting all meetings and
processions in the city. |
Figgis (1927), pg
241 |
|
Mar-22 |
The Irish Weekly
reports that the Sinn Féin candidate (Patrick McGilligan) in a by-election in
Unionist North Londonderry increased his vote by 400 over the December 1918
election. (According to Walker, by-election was on the 4th March
and McGilligan increased his vote by 382.) |
Phoenix (1994), pgs
65 & 409; Walker (1992), pg 9 |
|
Mar-24 |
The old and new
Executives of Sinn Féin (i.e. Executive elected before German Plot and one
elected after arrest of most members of the Executive in wake of German Plot)
meet to discuss Castle prohibition of de Valera’s entry into City. More Detail |
Figgis (1927), pgs
242-244; Brennan (1950), pg 238; Hopkinson (2002), pg 40; Macardle (1999), pg
284; Townshend (2014), pgs 82-83 |
|
Mar-24 |
The Local
Government (Ireland) Bill tabled in Westminster with provisions to introduce
proportional representation in local government elections in Ireland. The introduction of proportional
representation was generally seen as an attempt by the British Government to
diminish the effect of support for Sinn Féin in Ireland. |
Ó Duibhir (2009),
pg 106 |
|
Mar-25 |
A notice appears in
the press, in de Valera's name, that the public reception planned for the
following day would be abandoned. |
Figgis (1927), pg
244-245 |
|
Mar-29 |
20 Irish Volunteer
prisoners escape from Mountjoy prison led by Piarais Béaslai, JJ Walsh and
Ted Fleming. |
Coogan (1990), pg
98; Murphy (2007), pg 439 |
|
Mar-31 |
Resident Magistrate
John Charles Milling shot dead in Westport, Co Mayo. Abbott says he was
unpopular as he had sent Volunteers to prison for unlawful assembly and
drilling. Price names two IRB men who had been in Frongoch as
possibly involved in the killing – Joe Ruddy and Charles Gavin. (Macardle,
Price and O'Farrell say it was the 29th
March) |
Hopkinson (2002),
pg 26; Abbott (2000), pg 43; Macardle (1999), pg 292; O'Farrell (1997),
page 69; Price (2012), pgs 25-37 |
|
Mar |
Ernie O’Malley sent
to Clare by GHQ of the Irish Volunteers. Three brigades had been set up
in Clare where there previously had only been one to the resentment of
Patrick Brennan the former O/C – he was replaced by his brother Michael (who
was later to be replaced by his other brother Austen). |
O’Malley (1990), pg
96 |