§ 71. Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Chief Secretary whether he will state the findings of the Court of Inquiry into the affray between two parties of police at Castleconnell, during which two policemen and one civilian were killed?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI will circulate in the Official Report the findings of the Court, which, I may add, were given by my Noble Friend the Lord Chancellor in another place on the 5th ultimo.
§ The findings of the Court were as follow:
- "(1) That the detachment of G Company, Auxiliary Division, Royal Irish Constabulary, was engaged in a legitimate and properly organised operation.
- (2) That the orders issued by Captain and 2/D.I. W. P. Wood were so framed as to show the intention of avoiding unnecessary bloodshed.
- (3) That the firts shot was fired by the police.
- (4) That the two civilians who were first captured and also Constable Talbot were not ill-treated.
- (5) That considerable excitement prevailed; that the fact that Constable Talbot, who remained with the party in the passage who had accepted his surrender, was not injured shows that there was no intention of any unauthorised shooting. That there were other Auxiliaries in the yard who had not seen what had occurred in the passage and who fired not knowing the circumstances, and that Mr. O'Donovan and Constable Morrison were wounded by this firing.
- (6) That Captain and 2/D.I. Wood gave the orders to cease fire as soon as he knew that Constable Talbot had surrendered, and that this order was obeyed.
- (7) That proper precautions were taken to protect Mr. and Miss O'Donovan and the female employés of the hotel.
- (8) That the Court are of opinion that whilst the evidence of Miss Margaret Wade was given in good faith she can only have had a partial view of what occurred and was mistaken in saying that she saw Mr. O'Donovan and Constable Talbot together. On this point the evidence of the two constables is conclusive.
- (9) That the statement which appeared in the Press to the effect that 'the Auxiliaries returned, accused Mr. O'Donovan of har bouring rebels,' took him out, and shot him, was incorrect and was entirely unjustified, and is further disproved by the position of the wounds.
- (10) The Court find—
- (a) That the deceased Denis O'Donovan, male, aged 46, married, agent for Murphy's Brewery, was residing at the Shannon Hotel, Castleconnell, at the time of his death. That the deceased Donald Pringle, male, aged 31, single, cadet, Auxiliary Division, Royal Irish Constabulary, was residing at Lakeside Hotel, Killaloe, at the time of his death. That the deceased William John Hughes, male, aged about 45, married, Sergeant, Royal Irish Constabulary, was residing at the police barracks, Newport, at the time of his death.
- (b) That all the deceased died at about 20.00 hours on the 17th April, 1921, at Castleconnell, County Limerick.
- (c) That the cause of death in each case was shock and hæmorrhage following gunshot wounds. That the deceased died after receiving the wounds.
- (d)That the shots which caused the wounds were fired in the case of Denis O'Donovan and William John Hughes by a party of 'G' Company, Auxiliary Division, Royal Irish Constabulary, and in the case of Donald Pringle, by a party of Royal Irish Constabulary; that the shots were fired during an encounter between two parties of Crown forces at Castleconnell, County Limerick, on 17th April, 1921. That the encounter occurred through each party mistaking the others for armed civilians."
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThe hon. and gallant Gentleman can judge of the Court from its findings.