HC Deb 25 November 1920 vol 135 cc646-9W
Mr. A. T. DAVIES

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether there has been any diminution of cases of reprisals in Ireland during the past 14 days as compared with the number in the preceding fortnight; and whether he is able to give returns on the present position as regards reprisals in Ireland?

Sir H. GREENWOOD

Pending the result of the enquiries which are still proceeding into the various allegations of indiscipline on the part of the Forces of the Crown, I am not in a position to add to the information I have already given on this subject.

Mr. DEVLIN

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to the action of the Forces of the Crown on Friday, 5th November, in Mountrath, Queen's County; whether a party of these men, armed and partly uniformed, arrived in the town about five o'clock in the evening, singing, shouting, and discharging their firearms; whether they then visited the business place of Mr. McCullough, saying they had bombs for him; whether Mrs. McCullough immediately came to the door and, on inquiring their business, was informed that they wanted her husband, at the same time one of them tore a scarf from round her neck and, putting a revolver to her breast, threatened to shoot her and her children if her husband was not produced in five minutes; whether three of them then, in the presence of Mrs. McCullough, held a discussion as to which of them should shoot this woman, who was saved only by the intervention of the local sergeant of police who came on the scene; whether he is aware that this took place in a town where only recently a judge of assize congratulated the residents on the peaceful state of their district; and whether he will take any action to bring these offenders to justice and save Irish wives and mothers from these indignities at the hands of the Forces of the Crown.

Sir H. GREENWOOD

I have called for a report with reference to the allegations made by the hon. Member and would be glad if he would repeat his question on Thursday next, when I hope to be in a position to furnish him with a reply.

Mr. MacVEAGH

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that on 15th October some Black and Tans entered private houses at Clogheen, County Tipperary, and threatened to cut off the hair of three young girls, and that they returned later and cropped the hair of a girl of 18 years; that Miss Glynn was fired upon and wounded on 17th October at Annabally-Cummer, County Galway; that at Tubbercurry, County Sligo, on 17th October, the police attacked the residence of Mr. P. J. M'Covey, an ex-policeman, wounding his sister-in-law and a child in the head; that on 18th October Mrs. Brennan, wife of a county councillor, and two sisters were dragged from the house, refused permission to dress, were struck with rifle butts, and that the house and hay barn were then burned to the ground; that on 21st October at Coolanagh, County Cork, Miss Lorden was struck in the face and knocked down, and that the police then sprinkled the house with petrol and burned it down; that on 22nd October 12 police raided the home of Miss Hogan, Milltown Malbay, County Clare, and that three of them held her whilst a fourth was cutting her hair; that on 23rd October two soldiers broke into the licensed premises of Mrs. Whelan, in Galway, turned her into the street in her nightdress, broke into the bedroom of Miss Keane, the barmaid, who in terror jumped from a window seven feet high; that on 24th October at Lixnaw, County Kerry, policemen dragged Miss Grady from her bed, brought her along the road in her night attire, compelled her to kneel in a channel of water, and then cut off her hair; that on 27th October Miss Mina Gibson, organist of a Protestant Church in Cavan, was fired at and wounded by constabulary passing in a lorry; that on 28th October a bomb was thrown into the house of a widow, Mrs. Kearney, Shannon Street, Bandon, she and her children being the only occupants; that on 27th October at Loughrea, County Galway, policemen presented a revolver at the head of Mrs. Barrett and knocked down her young son by the blow of a rifle butt; that on 28th October at Shrule, County Mayo, Mrs. Kelleghan was dragged from the house, that after shooting her husband they ordered her to point out the houses of local Sinn Feiners, and that when she refused they endeavoured to murder her son; that on 30th October at Ennis Road, Limerick, policemen attacked Mrs. Daly's house, knocked down her daughter, Miss Agnes Daly, dragged her out by her hair, and then cut off her hair with a razor; that on 1st November four military officers broke into a house on North Circular Road, Dublin, the only occupants being three ladies; that on 1st November at Inch, Listowel, County Kerry, police dragged Miss O'Sullivan in her nightdress into the roadway and then forced her on her knees while they cut off her hair; that on 3rd November the business premises of three widows in Tralee, Mrs. Brosnan, Mrs. Dunne, and Mrs. O'Rourke, were destroyed by the forces of the Crown, and that two shops owned and managed by women were similarly destroyed at Ballymote, County Sligo; that on 5th November Miss O'Connell, aged 15 years, was shot dead by occupants of a police lorry at Ardfert, County Kerry, whilst standing at her father's door; that Miss Annie O'Neill, aged 12 years, was shot dead in Charlemont Avenue and another child wounded whilst playing on the street; and that Mrs. Ellen Quinn, who was nearing childbirth, was shot at her own door in Gort; how many arrests have been made in connection with these occurrences; how many convictions have taken place; in how many cases courts of inquiry have been held; and what steps he took to prevent the Government reprisals from degenerating into a war on women and children?

Sir H. GREENWOOD

Perhaps the hon. and learned Member will be good enough to repeat on Thursday next this question, of which I received notice only yesterday. The question contains 23 interrogatories containing allegations against the police, and I must protest at once against the monstrous allegation that the forces of the Crown are making war on women and children in Ireland.

Mr. MacVEAGH

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland with regard to the charges of torturing two prisoners named Hales and Harte, whether he can state the present condition of Patrick Harte and where he is at present detained?

Sir H. GREENWOOD

Patrick Harte is detained in the Criminal Lunatic Asylum at Broadmoor. Any question regarding his condition should, therefore, be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

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