§ MR. J. JORDAN (Fermanagh, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that on the 2nd July last a number of Orangemen and Protestant Unionists, about 300, assembled in the village of Lisbellaw, county Fermanagh, with the avowed intention of attacking the members of a Roman Catholic temperance partyon their return from a holiday excursion to Warrenpoint; that, during the day, Unionist scouts collected their friends from the country districts into the village; that from 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 that evening, the bell of the Protestant Episcopal Church at Lisbellaw was rung to collect a crowd; that, whilst this mob were waiting for the return excursion, they inarched up and down the village to the tune of "No Popery" and "No Surrender," using offensive party expressions, and conducting themselves in such a manner as was calculated to terrorise and intimidate Her Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects; that, as the hour 549 approached for the arrival of the train, they massed themselves at the station; and that several of the mob were armed; and, whether any steps have been taken by the authorities to bring the leaders of this armed mob to justice; and, if not, will he have the matter fully investigated?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI understand that, prior to the date mentioned, the Roman Catholic party announced its intention of marching through Lisbellaw, which is a Protestant district, and a contingent of the Catholic party did, as a matter of fact, take the train there unmolested. A crowd of Protestants assembled during the day, but I have no information to show that they assembled with the avowed intention, as alleged, of attacking this Roman Catholic excursion party on the return journey. It is quite true that the former paraded the village, which, I am informed, is a Protestant village, but the police who were present heard no offensive party expressions used, nor did the people conduct themselves in a riotous manner. The police saw no firearms in the possesion of the Protestant party, and no shots were fired. No breach of the peace occurred, and everything passed off peaceably.
§ MR. JORDANThe Chief Secretary says he has no information that the Orangemen assembled with the avowed intention of attacking the excursion party. Will he ascertain why no breach the peace occurred? [Loud laughter.]
§ [No answer was given.]