§ 5. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Chief Secretary whether, following the assassination of two police-constables at Clifden, in Connemara, on 16th March last, nine houses, including the house of the father of ex-Sergeant-major M'Donnell, were burnt by the Crown forces; whether ex-Sergeant-major M'Donnell was shot while trying to extinguish the flames in his father's house; whether this was an official or unofficial reprisal; and whether Connemara is in the martial-law area?
§ Mr. HENRYThe facts of the case are as follow. At 10 p.m. on 16th March two policemen, Constable Reynolds and Constable Sweeney, on patrol with others at Clifden were shot down in cold blood at point-blank range by a party of civilians, some of whom were masked. Reynolds, who had been living with his wife and young family in Clifden for some years and bore an excellent character, was instantly killed. Sweeney, who was also an Irishman and had served with distinction in the Irish Guards, was severely wounded in three places and did not survive 48 hours. News of this abominable outrage was conveyed to Galway 50 miles away by wireless, the telegraph wires having been cut. A party of Royal Irish Constabulary under three experienced 424 officers was at once despatched by special train to the scene of the outrage in the hope of apprehending the murderers. This party, which included men who knew the locality well, arrived in Clifden between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on the morning of the 17th. As they approached certain houses which they intended to search fire was immediately opened from the houses on them. In the course of the encounter which ensued, twelve houses were burned and four others damaged. A man named John McDonnell, who escaped from one of the houses, was shot dead after running some distance. Another man named Peter Clancy, pensioner from the Royal Irish Constabulary, was wounded by a stray bullet. The statement that McDonnell was shot while endeavouring to extinguish the flames is untrue. As will be clear from what I have said this was not a case of reprisal. The district is not in the martial-law area.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the inhabitants of Clifden, who are not Sinn Feiners, deny the statement that any fire was opened, and state further that Clancy the ex-constable was put up against a wall, and shot?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs it not the usual excuse for acts of arson by Crown forces that they are fired on, and will the right hon. Gentleman have inquiries made into this case, as there seems to be a conflict of evidence?
§ Mr. LYNNIs it not a fact that any ex-soldier who is in the South of Ireland goes about with his life in his hands, owing to Sinn Fein?
§ Mr. MacVEAGHIf these houses were not burnt as reprisals, how does it happen that they were burnt accidentally?
§ Mr. HENRYI have already dealt with that in my answer. You cannot have an encounter of that kind without something of this sort.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHDoes the right hon. Gentleman suggest that the burning of these houses was an accidental result of the encounter?
§ Mr. HENRYI suggest that it was a result of the encounter that arose in consequence of the firing.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHWill the right hon. Gentleman explain to the House how the firing of rifles could possibly set nine houses on fire?
59. Major MALONEasked the Chief Secretary whether he can give any information with regard to the recent shooting and burning of houses in Clifden, county Galway, by forces of the Crown; whether the Reverend Canon M'Alpine, the parish priest, was insulted and threatened to be, shot by one of the party in the presence of a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary; and if any arrest has been made?
§ Mr. HENRYAs regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply I gave to a similar question asked by the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull to-day (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy). As regards the latter part of the question, I am informed that, although an altercation took place between certain members of the party and the reverend gentleman, it is not true that his life was threatened or that he has been, or is now, in any personal danger.
Major MALONEIs not the reverend gentleman prepared to make a statement that he was threatened with being shot if he did not clear out?
§ Mr. HENRYI have given the hon. Gentleman all the information in my possession. There are two sides to every quarrel.
Major MALONEI am afraid, having heard the answer of the right hon. and learned Gentleman, that his information is entirely at fault.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHThat is nothing new.