IRA Part 1 of 7 · 61-7606 sect 1-5 · p.177

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President, Michael Collins, who came in a little late, and Kevin O'Higgins ;
of Terror was intensified until the world-wide horror it evoked brought
next them,along the other side of the table but well back also,ErnestBlythe,
sympathy and support for the Irish sufferers from all quarters, Pope
Benedict XV, even, sending a very generous subscription. Ultimately
whose figure alone has become somewhat obscure to my vision,Wiliam
it brought the blushof shame to callous England's cheeks, so that English
Cosgrave and Count Plunkett,between whom and thePresident sat the
Secretary, Diarmuid O'Hegarty.
prelates of all denominations, the press of all shades of opinion,professional
and public men, politicians of all partieseven the brothers Cecildenounced
Great part of the President's opening discourse relerred to rmy own
ifp
their Government's tyraimy,and clamoured for order.
attitude at Madame O'Rahilly's,which evidently had been fully reported
The Partition Act coming into operation early in May,elections were
and the draft reply. That done, he said he would ask everyone's opinion:
Deputies were returned unopposed.King George coming to open the Northern
Parliament,from which Republicans and Nationalists absented themselves,
"f*
hastenedback toEnglandin the alarm arousedbythedemonstration of
own."
armed force forhis protection inBelfast.InDublin the attempted opening
"" It represents my views fully, Arthur returned.
proved abortive, and the Custom House headquarters of the alien Local
1:
Government and Taxation departments,--wasburned down forthwith.
Joseph MacDonagh " could not, of course, give a considered opinion ""
Released about this time Iwas astonished at the effortsmade,mainly by
but his criticism, as far as it went, was keen.
clergymen, to get me into contact with Messrs. Cope, Smuts, and other
”
Austin Stack, evidently displeased that he had gone to London,said:
agents ofEngland,and even more astounded to find a Conference with
he was dissatisfied with the whole situation,and more than anxious that we
Unionists calledforthe 4thJulyin theMansionHouse,with everyindication
could get back to the old position.
thatitwouldeventuateinadelegationtoLondon.MissMacArdle emphasises
.atthatjuncture
where he had said the President could not be the bearer of such proposals
" The President made his headquarters at the Dublin Mansion House.There he was joined by Arthur
to Ireland : his dissatisfaction was very manifest and his criticism searching. 1
Griffith,released from Mountjoy.Presently RobertBarton was released.m
.'Eoin MacNeill,
EamonnDugganandMichaelStaineswere alsoreleased immediately,but34membersofDailEireann
Erskine Childers discussed the matter at‘considerable length in:
were prisoners still."
close detail, and was very hostile to the offer.
Gen.Smuts arrived from London on the morrow.Hisevasive
John MacNeill, on the other hand,welcomed it as a far better offer
movements on landing were worthy of his mission and its sponsors.
than he had ever hoped for:it would be short-sighted and unwise not to
While the Mansion House Conference was in progress we were summoned
give it the most sympathetic consideration.
toanafternoonmeetingcf theMinistryat thehouseofMadame O'Rahilly.
I,when my turn came, could not help feeling that the President's
After some time, the Secretary produced a note, a couple of lines of which
were written in ink by the President,who regretted he could not leave the
O'Rahilly's,I explained, to the departure from the decision unanimously
Conference,but Arthur Griffith would come in his stead!Arthur Griffith
taken before my arrest, and having stroug convictions on the matter, I owed
ittomyself and tothe cause to statethem.Irelandhadatraditional
Askingfor anexplanationof thedeparture fromtheearlierunanimous
decision not toattend aConferencein theenemy'shouse inLondon,-to
Brian Boru was one of many examples. We must be careful, above all,
which theMansion House Conference seemed apreliminary-and getting
not to let the enemy divide us when elements of friction were already manifest.
no satisfactory answer, I, although expected automatically to·preside,
Even, elections have caused lasting ill-feeling in the past, and I had
protested very emphatically and walked away from the meeting.
witnessed faction-fightingwith sticks and otherweaponsrecurring as aresult
of them.We were largely armed now, and a conflict would lead to bloodshed
been
stage. Our struggle had been going on for 750 years; and we must now
alone in London,and thePremier's proposals proved so utterly unsatisfactory
giveourselvesample timetoconsider ourposition,however eagerEnglandmay
that the Conference all butbroke down.On returning toDublin President
be for a reply. I therefore recommend that the documents be circuiated
deValera,addressing a multitude from the Mansion House said:As the
and that we‘re-assemble when in a position to offer considered opinions.
Lord Mayor has told you,this is not a time for talk.We have learned one
on them.
lesson in'lreland for the last couple of years, and that is that it is by acts
and not by talk a nation will achieve its freedom. I don't want, therefore,
The Countess on her way to the meeting had met the motherlof one
to set abad example by starting speech-making.
Ifweact in the future
of the boys killed in the fight and, having had a long talk with her, she
as we have acted for the last coupleof years.we will never have to talk

bring so much anguish on an Irish mother.
.However, I have already
later to Dublin Castle, and thence to the Mansion House, where a full meeting
of the Ministry was held the following Sunday afternoon.It was a meeting
tobe remembered.The President sat at theheadof a long table looking
-out on Dawson Street, Cathal Brugha at its foot. On the President's left,
Michael Collins said; and Kevin O'Higgins did not think it appropriate
at the head of the table,Arthur Griffith and Joe MacDonagh;along the side
of the table, but sitting well back on a long lounge,Austin Stack, Robert
Blythe I do not feel I can justly say anything.. Part of that side of the room
Barton and Erskine Childers; at the end of that lounge, on a seat partly
was obscure, and so remains : what emerges is the clouded figure of Blythe*
facing the President, John MacNeill, who was joined later by Richard
signifyinghis acquiescence in the attitude ofGriffith andMacNeill.
Mulcahyto sound the defeatist note in due time. Behind Cathal Brugha
n
on another lounge, myself and Countess Marckievicz directly facing the
a better offer than some of us ever expected!
President; on the left of the Countess on another seat, partly facing the