A chara, - The unfortunate soldiers of the Connaught Rangers suffered appalling casualties in the first World War (An Irishman's Diary, September 6th) in a conflict that was no concern of theirs. This Irish regiment was one of many that served the Empire and it was a horrible tragedy that Irishmen were used to suppress the freedom of other races throughout the world.
James Connolly was correct when he stated: "When the Boer has to be robbed of his freedom, the Egyptian has to be hurled back under the heel of his taskmaster, the Zulu to be dynamited in his caves, the Matabele slaughtered beside the ruins of his smoking village, or Afridi to be hunted from his desolated homestead, wheresoever, in short, the bloody standard of the oppressors of Ireland is to be found over some unusually atrocious piece of scoundrelism, look then for the sons of our Emerald Isle and under the coats of the hired assassin army you will find them."
There is, however, another side to the Connaught Rangers and it does them much credit. In June 1920 men of the Connaught Rangers stationed at Jullundur and Solon, as occupation forces in the Punjab, mutinied as a protest against British atrocities in Ireland, raised the Tricolour and declared their loyalty to the Irish Republic. Far away from their native land they showed themselves to be true Irishmen.
Two of the mutineers were killed by British officers and a total of 69 were arrested and tried by court martial. James Daly of Co Offaly, deemed to be the ringleader, was executed by firing squad and many others received long terms of imprisonment. Fortunately they were released following the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the setting up of the Free State in 1922.
I do hope that the Connaught Rangers Association will at some stage organise a trip to the Punjab to honour these heroic men or maybe organise a wreath-laying ceremony at the grave of James Daly at Tyrellspass, Co Westmeath where his remains, having been brought from India about 20 years ago, are now interred. - Is mise,
PADRAIG Ó CUANACHÁIN, Dún an Ór, Corcaigh.