IRELAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 August 1921, Page 5

IRELAND.

RELEASE OF SINN FEINERS. INCLUDING McKEON. London, August 8. Eleven members of the Dail Eireann were released to-day. and proceeded immediately to Dublin to see Mr. De Valera. McKeon has been released. McKEON’S CASE EXPLAINED. London, August 8. It is understood that the decision to detain McKeon (who has now been released) was originally taken pending the reference of hie case to the higher authorities, legal technicalities requiring consideration. In' deciding to release McKeon it is believed the authorities were influenced by his chivalrous conduct towards two cadets who fell wounded into his hands when in charge of an ambush. Mr. De Valera to-night, before he knew the above decision, said that if his detention was persisted in he could not accept responsibility for proceeding further with the negotiations. ‘McKeon typifies everything for which we fought. The whole Irish people are proud of him and regard him as a soldier patriot.” STATEMENT BY McKEOWN. Received August 9, 5.5 p.m. London, August 9. McKeown says: “It is now clear that my release by the English Government is an admission that I am not only a representative of the people, but an officer of the Irish Republican Army. The release is an acceptance that my act was an act of war; therefore it is clear that my release is the final abandonment of any claim by the enemy that the Irish war is murder. It is clear all fellow soldiers in gaols and camps must be similarly recognised.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. A REPORT DENIED. London, August 8. The Sinn Fein organisation denies the report that unless McKeon is releecefl {Sinn F,ein will end the truce or the Dail Eireann will not meet to discuss the proposals made since the armistice.