§ 43. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has received a letter from the Most Reverend Dr. O'Doherty, Bishop of Clonfert, in which he states that on the 27th October a lorry load of police passed through Loughrea firing shots; that they returned in the evening and, after drinking at a public house, broke several windows and fired shots down the street, wounding a child of an ex-service man 1187 and two small children, the sons of members of the local constabulary; what steps he proposes to take; and whether his representatives in Ireland will invite the Most Reverend Bishop to give evidence?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Lieut.-Colonel Sir Hamar Greenwood)I have received the letter to which the hon. and gallant Member refers, and I have also received a full police report of the incident in question. It appears that a party of police passing through Loughrea in two motor lorries noticed a republican flag flying from a telegraph pole. One of the constables climbed the pole, but failed to detach the flag, and the party thereupon fired several shots at the flagstaff and brought down the flag.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHA great British victory!
§ Sir H. GREENWOODWhile so engaged it is stated that shots from revolvers were fired at them by civilians in the town. Two children were very slightly injured by flying splinters of stone or mortar, and their wounds are described by the doctor who attended them as mere scratches. The windows of two shops are stated to have been broken in the firing, but in view of the fact that the police were being attacked I see no ground for attributing this damage to reckless or unjustifiable shooting on their part.
§ Lieut - Commander KENWORTHYMight I ask for an answer to the last part of my question, as to whether the representatives of the right hon. Gentleman will invite the Bishop of Clonfert to give evidence and prove whether he is a liar or not?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI should welcome the help of all the most reverend gentlemen I can get in Ireland in this or in any other matter.
§ Mr. DEVLINDocs the right hon. Gentleman think it is a profitable transaction to attack children, to indiscriminately fire in a peaceful town for the mere luxury of shooting down a flag?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI cannot admit that children were in any way attacked. I profoundly regret that these innocent children were in any way touched, but I 1188 am very glad, to say, from the report of the doctor who attended them, they were not wounded, but received mere scratches from splinters of mortar.
§ Mr. DEVLINWill the right hon. Gentleman answer my question? Does he think it desirable in the interests of peace and order to allow a number of policemen to engage in a transaction of this kind, pulling down a flag, the result of which might have been the loss of innocent lives, and the creation of the spirit which has been created on this occasion?
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYHave the police in Ireland nothing better to do than to go about pulling down flags, republican or any other?
§ Mr. MacVEAGHDoes not the conflict of evidence between the military officer and the Bishop of Clonfert point to the urgent necessity for an independent investigation?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThe Most Reverend the Bishop of Clonfert was not present. He was in his palace, and only heard the shots.
§ Mr. DEVLINAre we to understand the right hon. Gentleman was present? Is not the evidence of a Catholic Bishop of just as much or more importance as the evidence of the malefactors who carried on this disgraceful transaction?