20 March
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Five men tried in Westport courthouse for illegal drilling. William O’Malley (Kilmeena) was sentenced to one month in prison, while M J Ring, Thomas Kitterick, Charles Gavin and William Malone (all from Westport) were all sentenced to six months hard labour. None of the defendents recognised the authority of the court. The Connaught Telegraph (Saturday, March 23rd, 1918) reports that :- Both for their conduct in Westport [i.e. drilling] and their hooliganism in the court, the magistrates decided to impose an exemplary sentence.Read More →

19 March
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Thomas Ruane was sentenced to two months for unlawful assembly, for leading a company of men in military formation in Crossmolina on March 3rd. A large number of Sinn Fein supporters sang “A Soldier’s Song” outside the courtroom, and a large force of police and soldiers kept them at bay while the trial was in progress. When asked by the judge if he had any questions, the defendant replied¹ :- I am a soldier of the Irish Republican Army and I cannot put a question in this foreign court. A fire has been lighted that cannot be extinguished no matter what the oppression is used.Read More →

06 March
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John Redmond, pictured with his wife and daughter (via the National Library of Ireland) John Redmond, leader of Irish National Party, dies.Read More →

23 February
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Who can tell [..] what may happen if the Government permit itself to be deluded by some evil genius into the idea that it can enforce conscription on Ireland… …But should rulers act rashly or arbitrarily, the teaching of the Church did not allow subjects to rise against them of their own authority. Rebellion is absolutely unjustifiable in the circumstance of this country. Excerpt¹ from Lenten pastoral  of Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Dr. Brian FoleyRead More →

13 February
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The Freeman’s Journal¹ reports on an interview given by Frederick Edwin Smith to the Boston Post on January 14th, while in the United States. He is quoted in the newspaper :- Nothing ever me greater delight than the execution of the traitor Casement As Attorney General for the British government, he led the case for treason against Roger Casement in 1916. In the same interview he states:- It would be unwise at this time to try to enforce conscription in Ireland  since, unquestionably, it would precipitate riots.  Read More →