Ireland’s unhappy new year – 1920 begins in violence and disorder

Longford, 12 January 1920 - 1920 has begun with a wave of violence and disorder throughout Ireland.

The trouble is widespread and has involved attacks on Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) barracks, policemen and public figures, while police and military have responded with raids on Sinn Féin offices and associated businesses.

In Longford, shots were exchanged during an attack by armed and masked men on Drumlish RIC barracks. The skirmish, described as vigorous but bloodless, ended with the police retaining control of the building. The level of planning involved in the attack became apparent when trees were found felled and lying across roads in the districts surrounding the town.

In Cork, five young men were arrested in Midleton in connection with their involvement with a raid on Carrigtwohill barracks on 3 January.

In Co. Clare, Dr Keane from Ennistymon sustained an injury to his arm when he was shot after being caught up in an exchange of gunfire involving police and an ambush party while travelling in his motor car in Ballyvaughan.

In Tralee, barrister Serjeant Alexander Martin Sullivan, had a narrow escape when he was attacked by armed and masked men last weekend. The attempted murder of Serjeant Sullivan has been attributed to his reputation for being, in the words of the Irish Times, a ‘fearless and outspoken opponent of crime.’

Sullivan gave evidence last week at the Tralee Quarter Session where he characterised the state of affairs in parts of County Kerry as ‘an absolute negation of Christianity, and an absolute reversion to the savagery of Paganism’. He has nevertheless claimed that the outrage committed against him was unconnected to Sinn Féin activities, but was rather the work of a band of criminals who had been hunted out of Castleisland by the Sinn Féiners.

Scenes from the raid on the offices of New Ireland Assurance. Left: soldiers on Bachelors Walk preparing to leave after the search (Image: Evening Telegraph, 3 January 1920) Right: a gathered crowd cheering outside the offices (Image: Cork Examiner, 9 January 1920)

On 2 December, police and military raided the premises of the New Ireland Assurance Society on Lower O’Connell Street. They carried out an extensive search but removed nothing. Michael Staines, Sinn Féin MP for Dublin St Michan’s, is chairman and treasurer of the company. He was taking cash at the counter from an agent when a police inspector, accompanied by detectives, entered the building. The arrival of the authorities in such large numbers and in mid-afternoon attracted a large crowd of onlookers to the O’Connell Bridge and Bachelor’s Walk area and the troops were booed when they eventually drove away. The society was established in 1918 with the aim of stopping the flow of Irish money to England and creating a purely Irish assurance company.

Police also raided the Sinn Féin headquarters and bank at 6 Harcourt Street and issued order for both. The Sinn Féin bank was established 10 years ago to assist the development of Irish industries and to promote popular credit.

Surveying the Irish social and political landscape the Irish Times has called for the establishment of strong vigilance committees to help rouse Ireland from its apathy. It has stated that ‘Ireland is at the mercy of a terror. That terror must be exterminated. In every county and town in Ireland... The overwhelming mass of the Irish people abominates crime, but its moral courage is in abeyance and needs the galvanising stimulus of vigorous example.’

The article continues: ‘Without popular action, however, nothing can be done. Crime will flourish; the creeping paralysis of intimidation will spread over every ordered activity of our country’s being... While there is still time... Ireland must arise in her greatness and vindicate her proud name. The sands of her opportunity are sinking.’ 

Brian Hanley, Heather Laird, Daithí Ó Corráin and John Gibney join Myles Dungan on the RTÉ History Show to discuss how the War of Independence began, and how Dáil Eireann built and financed a new Irish republic

[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]