April 21st, 1911: MP forced out for dirty tricks campaign

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ELECTION PETITIONS – court hearings of questionable election expenses, accusations of bribery and intimidation…

FROM THE ARCHIVES:ELECTION PETITIONS – court hearings of questionable election expenses, accusations of bribery and intimidation – were common after elections in the 19th century and early 20th century. Capt Anthony Donelan of the Irish Parliamentary Party defeated another prominent nationalist, William O'Brien, in an election in east Cork in 1910 and was accused of returning false expenses, hiring and bribing supporters and intimidation. He was found guilty and had to stand down as MP. The barrister representing his accusers was Tim Healy, sometime member of the same party but then supporting O'Brien, whose opening court statement included this passage. –

EVERY INFAMY perpetrated by the agent, Murphy, was an infamy perpetrated by Donelan . . . In some cases the chapel bell was rung as a death-bell for the unfortunate people. This was no case of Orange and Green, Liberal and Tory; it was a case of men united in a common object, and only divided as to method.

As regards the question of intimidation connected with Mr. James Power, who was nominated by Captain Donelan, Mr. Power left the boys’ school polling booth and proceeded to the girls’ school polling booth at Cloyne, and openly said to Captain Donelan’s agent – “Keep the name of every Ballycotton man who votes for O’Brien, as Father Rea wants.” There was no charge whatever brought against Father Rea, who is one of the curates of the division. On the day of the declaration of the poll, a mock funeral was organised, with a coffin containing an effigy of Mr. O’Brien. Besides this, an humble supporter of Mr. O’Brien’s, a tailor named Day, was savagely assaulted. Later, at a meeting of the new body of Town Commissioners, a motion was made by Mr. Fitzgerald, a prominent supporter of Captain Donelan, that Mr. Barry, solicitor, who was Mr. O’Brien’s election agent, should be deprived of his post as solicitor to the Midleton Town Commissioners, though no fault had been found with him or accusation levelled against him, except that he discharged his duties as a solicitor for Mr O’Brien. At Queenstown a most unfortunate state of things was provoked by Sir James Long. Any man who did not wear a green and white badge was marked out for outrage and insult. Even the Fair lane boys were not safe until they were decorated with green and white ribbons. On the day of the poll, Mr. O’Brien sent down to Queenstown thirty men to protect his friends. Two days before the poll Mr. O’Briens principal supporter in Queenstown – Frank Oakley, a carpenter – was set upon in the streets at night; his house was attacked, and he was told to quit the town. On the day of the polling the mob . . . booed and assailed every O’Brienite voter, or, at least, every man who did not wear the colours of the Ribbon Society. The country voters voted at the Presentation Schools’ booth. Sir James Long attempted to force himself into the booth, and, when he was told that he had no business there, he threatened to bring in some of the Cork mob.

The mob during the Polling day at Queenstown was led by Sir James Long, and he (counsel) was instructed that he brandished a whiskey bottle in the crowd, and poured out whiskey and gave it to persons engaged in the riot. Sir James Long was able to boast that Mr. O’Brien could not get a nomination paper filled in Queenstown, and that he did not get 30 votes in the whole of the town. It was represented to the Haulbowline workers that Queenstown would be ruined if Mr O’Brien were returned, but if Captain Donelan were returned their wages would be raised, as it was represented that he had got a grant from the [British] Government for a further extension of the docks.

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