HC Deb 11 March 1901 vol 90 cc1171-2
MR. J. P. FARRELL

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland will he explain by whose order County Inspector M'Dermott, with District Inspectors Rodwell and Millar, attended by 100 policemen armed with rifles, proceeded to Ballinalee on Sunday last to prevent the East Collumbkille fife and drum band from playing outside the League rooms in Ballinalee, in which the North Longford executive of the United Irish League was holding its monthly meeting; is he aware that these policemen kept following the band up and down the village of Ballinalee, and refused to allow them to stand for a moment at any house; can he explain what was the meaning of such conduct considering that the band had come a long distance merely to exercise; whether he is aware that no public meeting of any kind was intended or attempted, and no person or persons were boycotted or in any way interfered with in the neighbourhood; and whether the County Inspector ordered this display contrary to the advice and wish of his subordinate officers; and will an inquiry be made into all the circumstances of the case.

MR. WYNDHAM

Fifty, not 100, police were assembled at Ballinalee on the occasion referred to; none of these men were armed with rifles. No attempt was made to prevent the two bands present from playing outside the place of meeting or from parading the streets. A few police only accompanied the bands through * See pages 392 and 824. the village, which is the course adopted on all such occasions; the greater number of the police were confined to barracks. The force attended by the express order of Government in view of the fact that a large concourse of people was expected to be present and that proper precautions had to be taken.

MR. J. P. FARRELL

Was any information sworn that would lead the Government to believe a breach of the peace was expected on that occasion?

MR. WYNDHAM

No, Sir. No in formation was sworn. The precautions taken were proper police precautions, which would be taken anywhere in Ireland or elsewhere when a large crowd was expected to assemble.

MR. FARRELL

Will the cost of this police display fall on the county?

MR. WYNDHAM

I cannot say without notice, but I should say the mere concentration of police would not involve any charge.