1 Ógláic na h-Eireann, longport: 2 sráid dásúin, át cliat. THE IRISH VOLUNTEERS headquarters: 2 DAWSON STREET, DUBLIN. The Lord Bishoops of Limerick 18th April, 1916. My Lord, I beg to enclose details of a plan in the hands of the
Government for the complete suppression of the Nationalist
Volunteer Movement in Ireland, both Irish Volunteers & National
Volunteers, by Military force. There are certain details of this plan to which I beg to
draw special attention. Only Military forces are to be used, the
police being withheld. The City of Dublin is to be placed in a
state of siege. The inhabitants are to be confined to their houses,
wholesale arrests, comprising several hundred persons in Dublin &
throughout the Country, are to be made. All persons who could
exercise disciplinary control over the Volunteers in general are to
be placed under arrest. Various places in the City belonging to the
Volunteers are to be seized by the Military, & in the measures
to be used for that purpose carte blanche is given to the Military
offficers, who are not merely empowered but directed to do whatever
they deem necessary 'without reference to Headquarters.' In order to secure a free hand for the Military as long
as these operations may last, the intervention of important citizens
is specially guarded against. The Archbishop of Dublin is to be
held a prisoner in his house, & forbidden all access to his clergy
& people. The Lord Mayor is to be isolated in like manner.
Any meeting of citizens, however few, is to be made impossible during 2 whatever time the operations may last. The enclosed document is a copy of the original plan of the
proceedings in the hands of the Government. I have the honour to be, my Lord,
Your Lordship's obedient servant, Eoin MacNeill I have just learned that preliminary steps
have been taken in pursuance of the plans
statee. E MacNeill. 3 The cipher from which this document is copied does not
indicate punctuation or capitals. the following precautionary measures have been sanctioned
by the irish office on the recommendation on the general officer
commanding the forces in ireland all preparations will be made
to put these measures in force immediately on receipt of an
order issued from the chief secretarys office dublin castle &
the forces in ireland first the following persons to be placed
under arrest all members of the sinn fein national council
the central executive irish sinn fein volunteeers general council
irish sinn fein volunteers county board irish sinn fein
volunteers executive committee national volunteers coisde gnota
committee gaelic league see list three & four & supplementary
list as two......................................................
............ ........... dublin metropolitan police & royal irish
constabulary forces in dublin city will be confined to barracks
under the direction of competent military authority an order
will be issued to inhabitants of city to remain in their houses
until such time a competent military authority may otherwise
direct or permit pickets chosen from units of territorial force
will be placed at all points marked on maps three & four
accompanying mounted patrols will continuously visit all points
& report every hour the following premises will be occupied by
adequate forces & all necessary measures used without need of
reference to headquarters first premises known as liberty hall
beresford place number six harcourt street sinn fein building
headquarters/ volunteeers number two dawson street number twelve dolier
street nationality office number twenty five rutland square
gaelic league office number forty one rutland square foresters
hall sinn fein volunteer premises in city all national
volunteer premises in city trade council premises capel street
surry house leinster road rathmines the following premises
will be isolated & all communication to or from prevented 4 premises known as archbishops house dromcondra mansion house
dawson street number forty herbert park larkfield kimmage road
woodtown part ballyboden saint endas college hermitage
rathfarnham &in addition/ premises in list five d see maps three &
four'.