Irish politicians visit Paris

Paris, 3 May 1915 - A delegation of leading Irish politicians has travelled to Paris in a show of solidarity with the French nation.

The delegation includes Irish Parliamentary Party MPs, T.P. O'Connor and Joseph Devlin, the secretary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians J.D. Nugent and the Lord Mayor of Dublin, J.M. Gallagher. They were received by President of France Raymond Poincaré and the Archbishop of Paris, Cardinal Amette, and the trip involved visits to the French Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.

The speeches

T.P. O'Connor read an address to the President noting that the two countries were involved in the 'same battles against the same enemies, and for the same cause of honour and freedom'. The Irish people, he said, had been called to the 'principle of nationality and the rights of small nations'.

In his speech, Cardinal Amette, the Archbishop of Paris, drew attention to the similarities between Ireland and France: 'You are Catholic Ireland and we are Catholic France.' (Image: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington D.C. 20540 USA)

Cardinal Amette replied: ‘Ireland and France are united in sympathies which have existed for centuries, which are indeed as ancient as their history. The reasons for this sympathy are easy to understand. There is a certain resemblance in character, in chivalrous spirit, curiosity and bravery... You are Catholic Ireland and we are Catholic France.’

[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.]