Redmond moves to take control of Irish Volunteers
John Redmond has moved to take control of the Irish Volunteers.
In a letter published in the press today, Mr. Redmond says that it is vital that the Volunteers - whose membership has now reached 140,000 since its foundation in November 1913 and is estimated to be growing at more than 5,000 per week and - fall into step with the Irish Parliamentary Party.
He writes: ‘Any attempts to create discord between the Volunteer Movement and the Irish Party are calculated, in my opinion, to ruin the Volunteer Movement, which, if properly directed, may be of incalculable service to the national cause.’
An indication of the growing militarisation of the country: a list of individuals authorised by the King to conduct drilling in Ireland. Click image to view in full. (Image: National Archives of Ireland, CSO/RP 1914, 8508)
Mr. Redmond acknowledges that he was initially hostile to the establishment of the Volunteers, noting that up to two months ago he felt that its establishment was ‘premature’.
This was no longer the case: ‘The effect of Sir Edward Carson’s threats upon public opinion in England, the House of Commons and the government; the occurrence at the Curragh Camp; and the successful gun-running in Ulster vitally altered the position.’
Mr. Redmond said that at that point the Irish Party took steps to inform its supporters to join the Volunteers and the result was the movement had spread ‘like a prairie fire’ and would soon include all the nationalists of Ireland.
The result of this, he continued, was that the leadership of the organisation now needed to be reconstituted. He noted that the present leadership committee was ‘Provisional’, with all of its 25 members residing in Dublin.
Mr. Redmond advised that this should be changed: ‘In deference to the representations made to me, and in the best interests of the Home Rule cause, which the Volunteer movement has been called into existence to vindicate and safeguard, I suggest that the present Provisional Committee should be immediately strengthened by the addition of 25 representative men from different parts of the country nominated at the instance of the Irish Party and in sympathy with its policy and aims.’
The letter finishes with a scarcely veiled threat: ‘If this suggestion is accepted the National Party and myself will be in a position to give our fullest support to the Volunteer Movement, but, failing the acceptance of some such arrangement as that above suggested, I fear it will be necessary to fall back on county control and government.’
