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(c) crown copyright

Catalogue Reference:CAB/24/128 Image Reference:0076

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JUS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY TS GOVEBNMENT)*

i C R E T C A B I N E T .P.-33*77.

REPORT BY THE GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING-IN-CHIEF ON THE SITUATION IN IRELAND FOR WEEKENDING 1ST OCTOBER, 1921.Covering Note by the, Secretary of State for. War.

I would draw attention to the accompanying reportof the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief upon thesituation in Ireland for tho Week ending 1st October,particularly to certain episodes recorded inAppendix I. I do not understand how it was that on25th September in Dublin packages 5 feet long hiddenin hay were not searched, and how on the same date a squadof men were allowed openly to drill with a breech loadinggun and shells uninterfered witho

I am surprised also that on 28th Soptember HuntingtonCastle was commandeered by the I8R.A* and that 50 men areaccommodated there; in view of the instructions which Iunderstand wore issued that such requisitions were to stopI do not understand why steps have not been taken for thereturn of Huntington Castle to its rightful owners.

(Intd, ) L.W*E*

War Office, S.W.I.6th October, 1921.

\

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REPORT ON THE SITUATION IN IRELAND FOR WEEKENDING 1st October, 1921; ,.,

1. GENERAL MILITARY SITUATION,The event of importance during the past week h&s been thereply by Mr, de Valera tc the Prime Minister's invitation to aConference, on the 11th October; that this reply was iri theaffirmative has given considerable satisfaction throughout thecountry, though it is not unmixed with a feeling of\ anxiety-onthe part of loyalists. It is difficult to reconcile the acceptance of the invitation with the tone of the Speeches madeby many Sinn Pein leaders throughout the country, where they .have been telling their followers that nothing but a Republicwill be accepted.The I.R.A. is held up everywhere'as.the organisation throughwhich peace has been obtained, and although no one knows betterthan the members of the I.R.A. themselves, what their conditionwas 3 months ago, they are being gradually convinced by theboastful speeches of their leaders that the present, peace .offer is a result of their "victory"'.Throughout the country the I.R.A. have been collecting fundsand food for the upkeep of their organisation and their training,camps.. - Houses have been commandeered, loyalists have beenforced to subscribe; boycotting of English and Ulster goods isstill being carried out, and wherever possible efforts are madeto induce the public to believe in the power and Wisdom ofPail Eireann. . .As was to be expected a Press campaign for the release ofthe internees has been started by the "Freeman's Journal" andhas been energetically backed^up by the, "Daily NeWs" their

contention is^ that the retehtion of internees is a Source bfirritation and.provocation and likely to be a cause of a breachof the "truce". It might be urged On the other hand that thepossession of arms by illegal organisations such as the I.R.A..,the only object of whose existence is to fight against theBritish Crown, is a source of irritation and likely to cause abreach of the agreement.Luring the last week there were many rumours that there.would be an outbreak on the part of the I.R.A. in the event ofthe invitation of the Prime Minister being such that, in the

opinion cf the leaders of Bail Bireann, it could net be accepted.These rumours all pointed to the fact that no warning will begiven between the breakdown of negotiations, arid the actual,termination of the agreement in spite cf the arrangements, whichit is understood have been made between the Prime Minister andMr. de Valera, that a few days warning should be given.The number of cases reported of breaches of the truce isincreasing rapidly - the usual list is attached to this report,but it is understood that the number reported since the 11thJttly to the Civil Government by the Police (whose reports are

more detailed than those which come to the ears of the MilitaryAuthorities) has now reached a figure considerably in excess of500.The attached extract from the "Irish Times" of 4th October.

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fives an account of a visit by journalists to1 one of theI.R.A. training camps in the neighbourhood of Dublin.Their description of this camp may be taken as typical Ofwhat is going, on all over the country.. Advantage has beentaken or the truce to convert the I*RoAi which was 3 monthsago little mote than at disorganisod rabble into a well disc i p H n e d r well organised and well armed forcek This force,according to iheir oath, exists for one purpose onj.y3 theestablishment of a Republic- in Ireland,. The question isbeing asked oh all s,ides "How much- longer is.the organiuation and training of a rebel Army to be allowed to continuewithout let. or hindrance 5 under the- noses of those responsible

-for the maintenance, of the. aw-"?,.

(Signed) J,. BRIKD,ooi. for

--AjommanddJig-^in^hief j. ire.Xand*'

GHQ.. Ireland,.4th. October, 19El,

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A P H B M U t.1..

R8BE& A C a g j y l i r ^ AGRffiZMBETrreported during the week ending 1st October.1921.

Derrybrien, Co. gal way. 2 workmen were fired' at and wounded byunknown persons. "Bray; Co.Dublin. -26 men were seen marching along a road.Kings-town; Co.Dublin, Two D .M . P . Constables, conducting awoman, arro-rrued for dieorderly conduct, along Adelaide Road,wereassaulted and knocked aown owing to their refusal to hand herover to the Volunteers, about 40 of whom, assisted by three'British Naval men in uniform, rescued the prisoner.

- - . . .Co.Dublin., 20 men were seen marching in file, headed by aleaaer, from Monks town to Blackrock.The I.B.-A., are reliably reported to have prepared an extensiveplan to release all prisoners, should negotiations break down.Dublin. 3 carts loaded with hay were driven to KingsbridgeStation, when the hay was removed, packages made up in sackingin 5 feet lengths were disclosed.Dublin.. A naval pensioner was.held up in York Street by

; armed men who stated he was wanted for being a Black and Tan.Dublin. Two military Foot Police proceeding to arrest & deserterin Dower Gardiner Street, were held up by armed men and takenunder escort to the address.They were informed that the man had been arrested, earlier bythe rebels and taken to an unknown destination.Dublin. A Charabano of armed men visited the neighbourhood ofGloucester Place and lower Gardiner St. searched ths area andpassers by.Dublin. Several shots were fired in the vicinity of CbarlemontBridge.Tull^gha-n, Co,Leitrim., 50-80 men of the I.R.A. assembled for'training, in an emptyliouse. Drilling is in progress.Dublin. 12 men were seen drilling :in the scalp.Dubliru Comat^McKaon in an I.R,A. Of f icer's unifork, "accompaniedbylliehael Collins, attended the Hurling Match-at Croke Park,A large number of I.R.A. marched from'the ground in Militaryformation.Magner, Queen's Co. ' R.I.C repori two hundred I.B.A. drilled &carried out signalling practice.Dublin Area, A squad of men were seen undergoing instructionswith a breach loading gun about 3*6" long, mounted on wheels,.A number of shells could be plainly seen and loading practicewas carried out. At the conclusion of the lesson, the gun wasdismounted aha placed in' a box; the wheels were put into a FordVan and the shells into a suit case. The whole being removedin a Fora Van.

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Shillelagh, CcWiokl ow. A strong rumour was current that theTruce had terminated. All members of the I.R.A. at once proceededto the Camp at Du ck et fs Grove where there was considerableactivity. This shows the attitude likely to he adopted inthis area.Drumcondra, Co. Dublin. Sinn Fein Pamphlets Were distributedstating "Collectors will call to raise subscriptions for a10,000 collection". This to embrace all Ireland.North Wall Dublin. Revolver firing was heard In a N.E.direction apparently about 300 yds. distant.Posseckstown, CoMeath..' A School teacher (May Reynolds) wasshot and died a few hours later. A young man, believed to.have been with her at the time, was forcibly removed in a motorcar by 3 unknown men shortly after.Dundrum, Co. Dublin. A cyclist sectionfef he I.R.A. has beenformed under local officers.Kjlliney, Co. Dublin. McManey 1 s farm is being used as atraining" ground.Dublin. 1 S,s."aX;go" was searched by Auxiliary Police and thefollowing, no t declared, was seized:4 rifles, 1000 rds. of *4J? Webley ammunition.Clones;gall,,, Co. Carlow. - Hunting ton Caetlw was commandeered bythe I . R 50 men are accommodated there.Recruiting for the I.R.A. continues in Wicklow, Rathnew &Rathdrum. -Drilling takes place regularly in the following districts

Between Glenealy & RathnewNear the Grave Yard on the Glenealy^-Ashford Road.In the old Birch Works at Rathnewun the Marlton Road (Main T o a d Wicklow to Arklow)

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APPENDIX II.

V CIVILIANS TRISD BY COURTS MARTIAL.

Two civilians have been tried by Courts-Martialand have been convicted and sentenced as under:- .

(a) Attempted escape from place of Internment..,Two to 1 year, with Hard Labour,''

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APP31TBIX III.,

1TOMBERS Off JSIg&RS- Off I^^A^HSCOMMElgaDiED .ffQR . JHTEIUllEHTv-

The following number of members of the I.R.A.- havebeen recomended for internment' :* -Igth,,Infantry Brigate 533l3th. Infantry Brigade (Athione)14-th... Infantry Brig ate (curragh)Galw&y.Brigade' *

557.530353l6th,.. Infantry Brigade (Permoy)17th....! tnfantry-'Brigate f Cork)l8th .Infantry Brigate (limerick).

4856-1.3201Dublin-District. -154-5 503 5

l5th. infantry-Brigade 5335th Division 14456th Division 1512-.Dublin-District 154 5 503 5

Members of I.R..A. recommended for internment"by. ranks.

Brigade:Commandants - 21Brigade Staff 59Battalion Commandants 94Company Officers 1733Battalion Staff 237Other ranks & Ranks unknown. 289I 5035

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IRISH TIMES.

4,10.21.

VISIT TO AN I.R,A.GAMP.

MOUNTAIN DRILL GROUND.

Trained Men and Recruits.

March Past In the Rain.

Volunteers of the Irish R epubli cm Array have beendrilling In various parts of the country for a long timepast, and it is obvious that there is no desire to concealthe fact.As proof of this a number of journalists en Sundayafternoon, by invitation, visited a camp not far from Dublin,while a cinematograph operator took a series of views, which will

no doubt, be shown in due course in the picture houses.Twenty minutes' ride in taxi-cabs brought the party Intothe mountainous region, where, in ft couple of fields remotefrom the highways, some 500 young men were engaged in variousmilitary exercises. A band played martial airs, and short,sharp words of command were heard on all sides.A field whose surface had anything but the evenness ofa barrack square was not the pleasantest place for suchexercises, but the men made the best of it. A steady down

potsr of rain emphasised the unpleasantness of the conditions.REMARKABLE SPECTACLE,

The spectacle which met the view of the visitors onarriving was certainly a stirring one. Batches of men invarious parts of the ground carried out their own particularmovements. Here a company was engaged in marching and countermarching, "forming fours" and so onj- there a detachment ofsignallers was being Initiated into the mysteries of theMorse codejothers were undergoing a musketry course, and alarger body showed themselves familiar with the use of therevolver. A small knot of youths lying on the ground were 'being shown the mechanism of a machine gun, the parts of whichwere taken asunder and assembled again, while several specimens of automatic pistols-some of them strange-looking weaponswere being examined and explained by an expert instructor. Atthe lower end of the field stretcher-bearers were instructed inthe various essential duties of the medical corps. In an adjoining meadow platoons were operating in extended formationand other evolutions.

After an hou r fs work a sharp command from the BrigadeCommandant brought nil the detachments together, and a marchpast took place, a band playing suitable marching music.Some Important officials from "G.H.Q." were present, and theChief of Staff (Mr.Richard Muloahy) took the salute, andafterwards, when the men were formed in a hollow square, dellvered a short address.

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HO PEAR OF A T T A C K .

Journalists asked whether outposts were posted inorder to advise as to an unexpected invasion, but thereply seemed to Indicate that no such disturbance wasapprehended. Neither- were these warlike preparationsregarded as-a breach of the truce.

Only comparatively few either of the rank and fileor officers wore uniform. The vast majority --ere incivilian attire, but quite a number wore belts andbandoliers, A few wore the ancient Irish costumo.It was stated that since the truce cane into force

recruiting had been quite brisk. The training takes placeseveral times weekly, Sundays included.The recruits on parade for the nost part residewithin a radius.of eight or nine miles of' the trainingground, but some had to travel as much as twelve or fourteenmiles,The Brigade Commandant -fis particularly proud ofhis medical detachment, which" he said,, had proved Itself"in action" to he quite equal to.the best of its class.

CHIEF OF STAFF rS SPEECH.-Addressing the 6th Battalion of the Irish RejmbltcanArray at an inspection on the Dublin mountains on Sunday(says the press Association), ^Ir,Richard Hulcahy, Chief ofStaff, said that the army was In rapid training for war,

1,The Government was negotiating.for peace, but the enemystill had his foot on their throats. The I.R.A. was afabric which would nerer be broken.