IRISH NEWS

New Zealand Tablet, 8 September 1921, Page 35

IRISH NEWS

BRITISH BRUTALITY. The following testimonies of prisoners show by what means Lloyd George tried to conquer Ireland: “On the 2nd February, 1921, I was arrested by a military officer and a policeman and taken to the military barracks at Enniscorthy. When I was about half an hour in the barracks ,my hair was cut off completely.' About nine days later I was brought to a dark cell where I was beaten by a soldier. I was then ordered to strip for a bath. When I had stripped I was brought to a yard where several buckets of cold water were thrown over me. I was bleeding from the nose all the time. About four days after I was discharged, without any charge being preferred against me.

("Signed) William Quirk."

"I, the undersigned, was arrested on 3rd February, 1921, by military, and brought to Enniscorthy Barracks. I had to put up with the indignity of having my hair cropped close. Next morning at 6.30 a.m. I was taken down to the yard and left naked while several buckets of cold water from the tap were thrown over me, and then I was roughly scrubbdd all over the body with a coarse brush. On the 11th February, I was again taken to the yard by Lieut. Yeo of the Devons, and most brutally beaten and kicked. After that I was forced to strip several times, and water was thrown over me and again roughly scrubbed all over the body.

"(Signed) John Dwyer.,

"Enniscorthy.'

"I was arrested by military at 1.30 a.m. on February 8, 1921. I was taken about two miles to a military lorry and then brought to Enniscorthy Courthouse, and thrown into a cell without bedding or clothes of any kind whatever. Next morning four or five soldiers came in and cropped my hair skin bare. I was then taken to the yard for a bath, having to stand naked while they filled buckets of cold water to throw over me. I also had to lie naked on a cement floor. This occurred 19 or 20 times. When going back to, my cell I was ordered to 'double' while four or five soldiers followed me, striking me with their fists. After every bath I Avas scrubbed with a very coarse brush until I. bled. On several occasions I was struck by Lieut. Yeo. I was forced at the point of tho bayonet to do all classes of manual labor.

"I am prepared to swear to every word of this statement.

"(Signed) Patrick Dillon,

"Ballycarney, Ferns."

"I, the undersigned, beg to make the following statement of my treatment while a prisoner under military at Enniscorthy. On March 21, 1921, I received a ' cold bath ' which consisted of 16 buckets of cold water thrown over me, after which I was scrubbed with a coarse brush. On March 22 a similar 'cold bath.' was given to me at 6.20 a.m., after which, while I was still naked, the military punched me around the barracks yard. Those cold baths and beatings were, continued every day while I Mas a prisoner, which was from March 21 to March 29.

"I am prepared to swear by every word of the above before any impartial court of inquiry at any time.

"(Signed) William F. Leary,

"8 Main St., Enniscorthy."

MODERATOR’S TRIBUTE TO CATHOLIC TOLERANCE.

In the House of .Commons recently, Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy asked if the Chief Secretary's attention had been called to the speech of the retiring Moderator, Rev. H. P. Glen, at the first sitting of the General Assembly, of the Presbyterian Church in Belfast on June 6, in which he stated that in all his visits to the North, as well as to the South and West of Ireland, he had never been moles-

ted, nor had he found one of his churches wantonly or maliciously injured, and that no case of a religious war in Ireland was manifesting itself, and whether he would consult this gentleman as to the above facts with a view to bringing about a settlement in the disturbed parts of Ireland.

Mr. Denis Henry—l have seen the statement referred to by the lion, and gallant member, but I am afraid I do not see in what way a consultation between the rev. gentleman and my right hon. friend the Chief Secretary would advance the cause of an Irish settlement.

SCATHING PROTESTANT PRESS COMMENTS ON PREMIER.

Referring to Mr. Lloyd George's recent speech, the Christian World says:

"There was an audacity that takes one's breath away in this master of political compromise going down to Portmadoc the other day to lecture religious leaders on their moral and religious duties. He complained of the bishops for discussing the Christian ethics of the coal stoppage, yet the chief points they insisted on were that the men should have a decent minimum wage, and that the cut in Mages was too drastic. On both points the masters have now admitted the justice of the bishops' plea. Mr. Lloyd George demands that religious leaders should not "interfere " with Governmentin Ireland in particular. If anything our religions were too patient and reticent in this matter. It was only when the Christian conscience of the country was outraged by reprisals that meant authorised murderoften of innocent personsby the deliberate covering up of the facts and the truth, by subterfuge, prevarication, and subsequently exposed falsehood on the part of officials, and by a general system of government that could not be reconciled with elementary Christian principles that they spoke out, as those who stood for Christianity have in the past spoken out, even at the risk of their lives.

In an article headed "Big Seat or Penitent. Form?" the Methodist Times speaks very plainly.

We understand (it says) that in Welsh Nonconformist churches it is customary for the deacons to sit within the Communion rail in the Set Fawr, or Big Seat. Mr. Lloyd George, when he is not playing Sunday golf, is sometimes given an honored place within this sacred enclosure. Is there still room for the Prime Minister in the Big Seat?

Mr. Lloyd George's brilliant gifts, seizing the opportunity of self-assertion, have gained for him the position of the leading citizen in the British Empire. The price he has paid is blindness to the vision of the Kingdom of God. We think that even yet the blindness is not incurable. It is part of the Church's function to declare its Gospel, "despairing of no man." There is still a place for Mr. Lloyd George in Nonconformity. But it is not fitting that he should be found in the Big Seat of the Welsh Churches or in the counsels of the Free Churches until ho has been to the penitent form.

BLESSED OLIVER PLUNKET: CELEBRATIONS IN ARMAGH AND DROGHEDA.

The Feast of Blessed Oliver Plunket, which is fixed by the Holy See to be kept on July 11, the day of his death, Mas celebrated with special devotions in Drogheda. Solemn High Mass was sung at 10 o'clock in his Memorial Church, and in the morning Mass was offered up at his shrine by Mgr. Segrave for peace in Ireland.

During the day hundreds came to join their prayers at the shrine of the Martyr? and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was given in the evening.

The first feast of Ireland's martyred Primate, Blessed Oliver Plunket, as celebrated in Armagh.

In the evening a large congregation assembled in St. Patrick's Cathedral to do honor to the martyr's memory, and to offer up special prayers that the negotiations so auspiciously began may bring peace to Ireland.

The Rosary and Litany of the Blessed Virgin were recited by Rev. P. Finnegan, C.C.

His Eminence Cardinal Logue presided at the devotions, and gave Solemn Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. . A '