Cork St Patrick’s Day Committee rejects offer from military authorities to send 6,000 troops to its parade

March 9th, 1916 The Cork St Patrick's Day Committee, consisting of representatives from various societies, rejects an offer from the military authorities to send about 6,000 troops to participate in the parade – these would have included a naval battalion, including marines, a battery of field artillery, a squadron of the South Irish Horse, contingents from the Royal Munster Fusiliers, the Leinster Regiment, the Dublin Fusiliers, with their bands, a pontoon section of the Royal Engineers, and some Red Cross motor ambulances .

One leading Sinn Féin representative remarked that the "English Army in Ireland was simply an army of occupation and it would be just as rational for the Belgians to invite the German invaders to join them in celebrating a Belgian festival as to ask British soldiers to join them in the St Patrick's Day demonstration". After the vote several societies, including the Church of Ireland's Young Men's Christian Association, indicated they would not now participate either.The Sinn Féin Volunteers expect to be represented by some 2,000 marchers, the Redmondite National Volunteers by 1,000.

Editorial – "This afternoon's news from Verdun is the best that we have had for some time. The German attacks on both sides of the Meuse appear to have been delivered with great violence, but to have been stopped with comparative ease by the French artillery.

“It is particularly satisfactory to note that the enemy did not succeed in preventing our Allies’ front consolidating their positions in The Crows’ Wood which they recently recaptured.

“The consumption of shells in the battle of Verdun, which has now been going on for a full fortnight, must exceed anything previously known even in this war. The estimate of the number fired by the Germans varies between two millions and six millions, and, as the French have replied vigorously throughout, and now claim that their artillery dominates that of the enemy, it is probable that they have used an almost equal number.”

According to the Associated Press correspondent at Columbus, New Mexico, 500 bandits of the party of General Pancho Villa attacked the town yesterday, killing a number of civilians. They were driven out by American cavalry, and retreated, leaving part of the town in flames and a large number of Mexicans killed. Some 18 American troopers were killed in the fighting. President Woodrow Wilson (pictured) responds by ordering General John J "Black Jack" Pershing to "pursue and disperse" the bandits.

2016

Howth Yacht Club's Pat Murphy will talk on the landing of weapons in Howth at the Howth Sutton Baldoyle Commemorative Committee tonight. The Marine Hotel, Sutton Cross, 8pm. Admission free.