Volume 2 1922~1926


Doc No.
Date
Subject

No. 9 NAI DT S1753

Memorandum by Michael McDunphy for the Executive Council

Dublin, 1 January 1923

IRREGULAR ACTIVITY IN GREAT BRITAIN
POSITION OF BRITISH GOVERNMENT.

  • In a letter dated the 15th December1 addressed to the Governor General, the Duke of Devonshire furnishes particulars of a Meeting held in London on the 6th December under the auspices of the I.[rish] S.[elf] D.[etermination] L.[eague] as typical of the propagandist activities of irregular sympathisers in Great Britain.

    While anxious apparently to assist the Irish Government in coping with this phase of the irregular movement, he states that as at present advised, so long as these activities are not directed against order and good Government of Great Britain and do not involve any actual breach of the peace, his Majesty’s Government do not propose to take any action except on the initiative of the Irish Government.

    Should the Irish Government so desire however, they are prepared to consider action on the lines indicated in a memorandum submitted by the Home Office (copy of which is attached).2 Briefly this memorandum advises that persons who by their overt acts or speeches in England show that they are acting in furtherance of seditious or rebellious objects in Ireland, could on warrants issued on proper information in Ireland be arrested in England and conveyed to Ireland for trial on charges of seditious conspiracy &c.

    The matter is submitted for consideration by the Irish Government.

  •  The continued production in Great Britain of Irregular publications, such as ‘The Republic of Ireland’ and the ‘Workers Republic’ is a similar problem on which his Grace would like to have the views of the Irish Minister.

[initialled] M. MacD

1 Not Printed

2 Not Printed