October
1919
|
Oct-1920/1 |
In early October, Mick McDonnell returns from
London (see Sep-19-19/1) with a negative assessment of the possibility of
eliminating the entire British cabinet.
His analysis was accepted by Collins and Mulcahy but not by
Brugha. Wiping out the British Cabinet
continued to be a goal of Brugha. |
Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pgs 124-125 |
|
Oct-01-19/1 |
In the United States, de Valera sets out on
another tour of major American cities – in eight states he was received by
the Governor and in 32 cities he was received by the major of the city. |
Macardle (1999), pg 312 |
|
Oct-02-19/1 |
A raid for arms on the summer residence of
Robert Anderson (Mayor of Derry) in Greencastle, Inishowen, Co. Donegal
yields little. Ernie O’Malley and Frank Aiken take part in this raid. |
Ó Duibhir (2009), pgs 111-112 |
|
Oct-03-19/1 |
The Sligo Nationalist is shut down by the British authorities for carrying an advertisement for the Dáil Loan. |
Farry (2012), pg 50 |
|
Oct-04-19/1 |
Reacting to Shaw’s
proposal for a special force of ex-BA soldiers to supplement the work of the
RIC and DMP (See Sep-19-19/2), the IG RIC Byrne, writes to the Under
Secretary of State in Dublin Castle says that such a force could not be
controlled by the constabulary code of discipline. Townshend notes that despite the “cogency and
prophetic accuracy” of Bryne’s and Johnstone’s (see Sep-30-19/1) objections
to a special force of ex-soldiers their “objections were to be
overruled”. |
Townshend (1975), pg 30 |
|
Oct-05-19/1 |
Strike by railwaymen in Britain comes to an
end. See Nov-12-19/1 for Wilson’s assessment. |
Roskill (1972), pgs 122-123 |
|
Oct-05-19/2 |
James Dolan TD is arrested in Drumshanbo, Co.
Leitrim for unlawful assembly and soliciting for the Dáil Loan. He is
sentenced to two months’ imprisonment. This was one of a number of arrests and
imprisonments around this time of Sinn Féin TDs and supporters for soliciting
for the Dáil Loan – particularly those who spoke at public meetings and
Aeridheactaí. See Oct-06-19/1. |
O’Sullivan Greene (2020), pg 34 |
|
Oct-06-19/1 |
Writing to de Valera in the States about the
Dáil Loan, Collins says that “Taking them all round, the repressions [See
Sep-10-19/1 and Sep-19-21/3] have been of benefits to us … For the moment,
they have had the effect of delaying things somewhat, but the circumstances
they produce – requiring as they will a house-to-house canvas – will
ultimately achieve better results”. See Oct-09-19/2. |
O’Sullivan Greene (2020), pg 34 |
|
Oct-07-19/1 |
British cabinet sets up a committee (under Walter Long, Secretary of State for the Colonies) to examine each of the possible Irish policies. (Phoenix says Long was First Lord of the Admiralty.) Along with Long, members of the committee are Birkenhead (F. E. Smith), Laming Worthington Evans, H. A. L. Fisher, Gordon Ewart, Richard Horne and Auckland Geddes with Viceroy French and Chief Secretary (for Ireland), MacPherson as ex officio members. Philip Kerr is appointed secretary to the committee. A key reason for setting up this committee was
that, with the conclusion of the post-WWI peace conferences, the Third Home
Rule Act (which had been on the statute book since 1914) would come into
effect. See Oct-09-19/1. There are no Irish nationalists on the
Committee and they are not consulted.
However, the Unionists were consulted. See Nov-04-19/1. |
Townshend (1975), pg 34; Phoenix (1994), pg 70; Lawlor (2009) pgs 23-24; Fanning (2013), pg 205; Moore (2021), pg 38; Boyce (1972), pg 44; Roskill (1972), pg 133 |
|
Oct-07-19/2 |
First IRA companies since 1916 formed in
London. Reggie Dunne appointed O/C
London battalion soon afterwards. |
Hart (2003), pg 198 |
|
Oct-09-19/1 |
Writing to Balfour, Bonar Law reflected that
the Conservative members of the British cabinet wanted to postpone or repeal
the 1914 Home Rule Act (which had to enacted after the signing of the last
peace treaties) but that Llyod George and the Liberals preference was for a
new Home Rule measure. The problem
Bonar Law pointed out was devising a bill which would not lead to a break up
of the coalition government. See Oct-14-19/1. |
Matthews (2004), pg 16 |
|
Oct-09-19/2 |
Writing to Sean T. O’Kelly in Paris, Diarmuid
O’Hegarty (Secretary to the Irish cabinet) says “The British are out after
the [Dáil] Loan – neck or nothing. But
the loan goes merrily along. They appear to have got into a blue funk about
it, but they cannot stop its progress. Their activities so far have been an
asset.” See Oct-14-19/1. |
O’Sullivan Greene (2020), pgs 34-35 |
|
Oct-12-19/1 |
Three BA soldiers are disarmed at Carrigaloe
Railway Station in Cork Harbour. |
Sheehan (2017), pg 117 |
|
Oct-14-19/1 |
Again updating de Valera on the Dáil Loan (See
Oct-06-19/1), Collins says “You’ll be interested to hear that the enemy’s
chief offensive here at the moment is directed against the Loan”. See Oct-24-19/1. |
O’Sullivan Greene (2020), pg 35 |
|
Oct-14-19/2 |
The Irish Times reports that, under a DORA regulation, Dublin Castle orders all owners of motor vehicles to attend in person at a police barracks to obtain a new permit. The Inspector General of the RIC later said that the purpose was to stop “the employment of motorcars in attacks on police barracks and other acts of violence”. Another purpose was undoubtedly to impede the
collection of the Dáil Loan around the country. |
O’Sullivan Greene (2020), pg 38 |
|
Oct-15-19/1 |
Meeting between Cathal Brugha (Dáil Minister
of Defence); Richard Mulcahy (IRA Chief of Staff); Michael Collins (IRA
Director of Intelligence) and Liam Deasy (Adj West Cork Brigade IRA) to
discuss military preparedness of the West Cork Brigade. According to
Deasy, permission was given to West Cork Brigade to attack RIC barracks from
January. |
Deasy (1973), pg 81; Townshend (2014), pg 106 |
|
Oct-15-19/2 |
The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Larry O’Neill, receives a letter from Walter Edgeworth-Johnstone, Chief Commissioner of the DMP, saying that “I am directed by the Government to inform you that his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant has issued an Order prohibiting and suppressing the Sinn Féin Organisation, Sinn Féin Clubs, Irish Volunteers, Cumann na mBan and the Gaelic League and that any meeting of any of these organisations is illegal, and will be prevented, including the meeting of the Ard Fheis (National Convention) of Sinn Féin, which it is proposed to hold in the Mansion House on the 16th inst.”. O’Sullivan Greene notes that Sinn Féin was now
prohibited in Dublin to add to the existing prohibitions on Sinn Féin in
Tipperary (See Jul-04-19/1), Clare (See Aug-13-19/1) and Cork (See
Sep-08-19/1) See Oct-16-19/1. |
O’Sullivan Greene (2020), pg 39 |
|
Oct-16-19/1 |
Sinn Féin Ard Fheis takes place in secret
(between midnight and 3.00am). Dublin Castle tried to prevent the Ard Fheis taking place but Sinn Féin moved it from the daytime of October 16th to midnight. 500 delegates had gathered in the Mansion House in secret and the “full agenda was gone through”. |
Macardle (1999), pg 315; O’Sullivan Greene (2020), pgs 39-40 |
|
Oct-19-19/1 |
Constable Michael Downing DMP is shot dead while on patrol in High St, Dublin in the early morning. It would seem that he had come across IRA men moving explosives. |
Abbott (2000), pg 46; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 115; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pg 125; Sheehan (2007), pg 8 |
|
Oct-20-19/1 |
IRA jailbreak of six prisoners from Strangeways Prison, Manchester including Austin Stack and Piaras Béaslaí. |
Coogan (1990), pg 99; Molyneux and Kelly (2020), pgs 124-127 |
|
Oct-24-19/1 |
Again updating de Valera on the progress of
the Dáil Loan, Collins says “It will, of course, take a much longer time [to
collect the loan] than if we had been able to proceed uninterruptedly with
the public campaign”. It went on to say that the pressure from Dublin Castle
was mounting “the arrests of people who have been active in Loan work have
now reached quite a respectable figure”. |
O’Sullivan Greene (2020), pgs 42-43 |
|
Oct-25-19/1 |
Michael Collins has a narrow escape when there
is an RIC raid on the Standard Hotel in Harcourt St in Dublin. |
McDermott (2001), pg 23 |
|
Oct-27-19/1 |
The War Cabinet model of the British cabinet
comes to an end and replaced by a cabinet of twenty members. |
Roskill (1972), pg 127 |
|
Oct-27-19/2 |
Seventh Session of First Dáil. Dáil Éireann meets for the first time since it was declared illegal by the British authorities. The meeting was held in secret in the Oak Room of the Mansion House in Dublin. Only 28 of the 69 TDs were able to attend. The proceedings of the Dáil for October 27th can be found at: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1919-10-27/ See Jan-21-21/2 for the
Eight Session of the First Dáil. |
Mitchell (1995), pgs 57 and 139; O’Sullivan
Greene (2020), pgs 45-48 |
|
Oct-28-19/1 |
Lord French, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, is
made a member of the British Cabinet. |
Townshend (1975), pg 34 |
|
Oct-29-19/1 |
BA soldier, John Kavanagh, dies from a gunshot
wound in Dublin. |
O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 552 |
|
Oct-30-19/1 |
Lance-Corporal Edward Perry of the BA’s Welsh
Regiment accidently kills himself in the North Dublin Union in Dublin. |
O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 115 |
|
Oct-31-19/1 |
In an attack on Ballivor RIC barracks in Co. Meath, one RIC man is killed (Constable William Agar). Attack is led by Pat Mooney (O/C 2nd (Trim) Battalion, Meath Brigade, IRA) assisted by Pat Fay and Stephen Sherry. IRA get away with a revolver, 5 rifles and some ammunition. |
Abbott (2000), pg 46; O’Farrell (1997), pg 70; O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pgs 115-116 |
|
Oct-31-19/2 |
In a statement of accounts for the period up to October 31st, it says that £41,054 had been raised for the Self-Determination Fund and the Dáil Loan had raised £10,160. |
O’Sullivan Greene (2020), pgs 3 & 209 |
|
Oct-31-19/3 |
BA soldier, William Dehnehy, drowns at Lesson
St. Bridge in Dublin. |
O’Halpin and Ó Corráin (2020), pg 552 |
|
Oct-1919/1 |
There are a number of raids for arms in this
period by South Derry battalion of the IRA.
(Grant notes that the IRA faced opposition from local Hibernians as
well as Unionists.) |
Grant (2018), pgs 89-90 |
|
Oct-1919/2 |
In an attack on the Coastguard Station in
Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare, the local IRA (led by Andrew O’Donoghue) capture a
rifle. |
Ó Ruairc (2009), pg 101-101 |
|
Oct-1919/3 |
The Chief Secretary’s Office in Dublin Castle
asks the Commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP) for a list of
those known to be responsible for the “murders of police, military and
civilians … within the past twelve months”.
He returns a list of 35 names with Michael Collins name the first on
the list. |
Dolan and Murphy (2018), pg 95 |
|
Oct-1919/4 |
Twenty-two Irish journals which carried
adverts for the Dáil Loan are suppressed by the British. |
Macardle (1999), pg 317 |
|
Oct-1919/5 |
On-going protests by Republican prisoners in
Mountjoy Jail. |
Gallagher (1953), pgs 134-142 |
|
Oct-1919/6 |
Strike by miners in Britain. The miners are bought off by a temporary
solution and strike ends. See Apr-01-21/9. |
Jeffrey (2006), pgs 245-246 |
|
Oct-1919/7 |
The Essex Regiment of the BA arrives in Kinsale. |
Hart (1998), pg 63 |