HC Deb 30 November 1888 vol 331 cc600-1
THE LORD MAYOR OF DUBLIN (Mr. SEXTON)(for Mr. JORDAN) (Clare, W.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, on Sunday the 11th instant, at Cooraclare, County Clare, the following notice, which was posted on the Roman Catholic Church, namely—

"Kilmacduane G. A. A.

A meeting of the above Association will be held at Cooraclare after last mass. Gaels come forward and join.

S. Mescal, hon. sec."

was torn down and carried off by the police, who also tore down two other similar notices; whether the police pursued the Gaels to a private house in which they held their meeting, and, on the door being closed to prevent their entry, kept watch at the house till the meeting ended; whether the Gaelic Association is an illegal Association; and, if not, by what authority the police are authorized to tear down such notices, or to interfere with or prevent the Gaels from holding their meeting; and, will he inquire into this matter, and take steps to prevent similar action in future?

THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN)(who replied) said (Dublin University)

I may say that the police had reason to believe that an attempt would be made to hold a meeting of the National League, which has been declared an illegal Association in the district, and that the meeting would be subsequently reported in the newspapers as such. They, therefore, watched the house in which the National League rooms are situated, and remained outside until the people had dispersed.

Replying to further Questions,

MR. MADDEN

said, the Government had not the slightest intention of interfering with legal Associations; but the ground on which the police watched the proceedings was that they were of opinion, from what had occurred previously, that the meeting was to be, in substance and reality, a meeting of the National League. The former meeting was convened in the same manner, without any open reference to the National League. Of course, the police in such cases must act to the best of their judgment on the facts before them.