British Prime Minister attends Dublin recruitment rally

Huge crowd at Mansion House to hear Herbert Asquith speak

The Prime Minister, Herbert Asquith, tonight made a special appeal to the people of Ireland to join the British army.

‘Ireland is,’ he said, ‘a loyal country. She would, I know respond with alacrity to any summons which called upon her to take her share in the assertion and defence of our common interests.’

Mr. Asquith was addressing a vast recruitment meeting at the Mansion House in Dublin at which the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party John Redmond and others were also present. He told the meeting: ‘I come here to summon Ireland, loyal and patriotic Ireland, to take her place in the defence of our common cause.’

Herbert Henry Asquith arriving at Dublin's Mansion House for the recruitment rally. (Image: Irish Life, 2 Oct 1914. Full collection of Irish Life is available from the National Library of Ireland) 

Making a particular appeal to the Irish Volunteers to enlist, Mr. Asquith said: ‘I am going to ask them all over Ireland, not only them but I make an appeal to them particularly, to contribute with promptitude and enthusiasm, a large contingent of recruits.’ He continued: ‘I should like to see, and we all want to see, an Irish Brigade, or, better still, an Irish army corps.’

The Prime Minister’s words were echoed by the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, John Redmond, who said: ‘Ireland is in full and heartfelt sympathy with the objects of the war and she will bear her share of the burdens and sufferings entailed by that war with gallantry.’

The meeting took place under a heavy security presence as rumours swirled around Dublin that it was to be attacked by nationalists, the labour movement and suffragettes. Handbills distributed in the city advertised a counter-meeting on St. Stephen’s Green, with Jim Larkin slated to speak. It is reported that Francis Sheehy-Skeffington was arrested for his part in the protest meeting.

DMP reports, from late August and early September 1914, relating to other anti-enlistment addresses delivered by Francis Sheehy-Skeffington to crowds gathered at Beresford Place. (Image: National Archives of Ireland, CSO/RP 1914, 15055 (L) & 15421 (R))

All the roads around Dawson Street were closed off by the police, with cordons of armed constables on duty. Also present were 400 fully armed members of the Volunteers. The only people allowed on Dawson Street through the evening were those with admission tickets to the meeting in the Mansion House.

The Prime Minister is staying at the Viceregal Lodge in the Phoenix Park and when he left the Mansion House his route was kept a secret, for fear that he would be attacked.