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Donoughmore's Role in the Fight for Irish Independence Captivates the World
Land War to Civil War 1900 - 1924 Donoughmore to Cork and Beyond, a story of conflict and perseverance leading to Irish Independence is continuing to attract great interest locally and internationally. It is available in local bookshops and retail outlets see www.donoughmore.ie for the list.
The following excerpt relates the disorder and confusion in Dublin at the AGM of the United Irish League (U.I.L.) in 1908
'John W. Honohan was a seasoned campaigner and ardent nationalist who spent time in prison during the Land League days. He was now a prominent member of the (U.I.L) being the Mid-Cork representative on the National Directory having attended their AGM in 1906 in that capacity. He travelled to Dublin in January 1908 for the eight annual meeting of the League despite not receiving an invitation. He had been mandated by the Macroom District Council, the previous week, to propose at the AGM, a national convention as a mechanism to achieve national unity among divided nationalists. As the directly elected representative of MidCork he felt he had a right to be present. Honohan had earned this right having displaced the outgoing representative Cornelius O’Callaghan of Millstreet in August 1907 by a large majority. When he attempted to enter the meeting at the ULI offices 39 Upper O’ Connell St., he was refused admission by the organiser who was standing guard at the door. The North Cork representative W. N. Barry had a similar experience. On insisting their right to be admitted they were told ‘I don’t care whom you represent, but out you go’.
Tellingly, two other delegates Thomas O’Donnell MP (North Kerry) and Eugene O’Sullivan (East Kerry) who had not received invitations and were accompanying the two Cork delegates were allowed in. Cornelius O’Callaghan according to the story of the week in The Irish People attended as well ‘on the strength of some little hole-and-corner meeting’ where he was ratified. This was contradicted in the Cork Examiner report of the meeting where it stated that, among others, Cornelius O’Callaghan had sent a letter of apology for his non-attendance. The UIL minutes of the meeting also confirms a letter of apology from O’Callaghan was received. Both of the representatives Barry and Honohan were pounced on by a band of chucker’s-out who were hiding behind a door. A violent physical encounter took place, the two men determined that they would not be put out by these hired roughs without a struggle. Being two powerful men, they maintained their ground for a considerable time. A large crowd has at that stage congregated including local Cork MP, Mr Gilhooly who ‘protested against such scandalous treatment of men whose claim to a place in the councils of the Directory was far more incontestable than that of three-fourths of those admitted without question.’ They made another attempt to enter when another delegate arrived, but the security pushed them out again. This time they had the satisfaction of forcing the organiser on to the street with them.
