IRELAND IS DOING ITS DUTY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2461, 14 May 1915, Page 8

IRELAND IS DOING ITS DUTY

A FINE . RECORD. In the course of a recruiting speech in the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, Mr. John Redmond said that every Irish soldier who gave his life on the battlefields of Flanders died for Ireland as truly as did any of the heroes of the race in the past. Up to March nearly 100,000 Irishmen from Ireland were with the Army, and, taking Great Britain and the colonies, the Irish race had at least a quarter of a million sons with the colours.

"I make no claim for Ireland, except that Ireland is doing its duty," added Mr. Redmond. "Our record is one of which we can be proud. If we turn for a moment to the record of performances at the front I think we Irishmen _oan hold up our heads. "Sir John Fronc'h is an Irishman; he springs from good old Irish stock. Admiral Beatty is an Irishman, from the County Wexford.

Admiral Carden, who is bombarding the Dardanelles, is ail Irishman from Tipperary. "The lieutenant-commander of the destroyer that sank the Ul2 t'he other day is a Creagh from County Claro. "And if we leave the high in rank and go down to the rank and file I think the name of Michael Lcarv will bo for ever associated with the history of this war.

"If you look at the performances at the front from another point of view, and look at the casualty lists, jnd sec how whole regiments of Irish troops have been almost wi|>od out, I do not think any man will ho found in this country to deny that Ireland is doing its duty."