Letter from R. Furise to Arethusa Leigh-White, 13 July 1916 Letters 1916-1923 R. Furise

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Letter from R. Furise to Arethusa Leigh-White describing his concern about the public mood in Bantry, Co. Cork following the Easter Rising or as he calls it 'the Rebellion'. He describes one event from a Sunday morning in Bantry, when 'there were Republican flags at all the street corners, tied on the top of the electric light standards and a large banner from the Town Hall'. He postulates that 'this feeling of discontent, this high excitement, the recognition of their power must find expression in violence' and talks about the need for a 'stronger and better selected force in Bantry'. He complains to Leigh-White about the fact that he has repeatedly asked for more men but has had no response and he is seeking her counsel about whether it would be feasible to approach General Maxwell about the matter, on behalf of the people of Bantry 'whose sympathies are with the Empire' and who feel as he does. This is a letter from the extensive Bantry Estate Collection, held in the Boole Library of University College Cork. The collection, which covers a period of 300 years, contains the formal records regarding the legal, financial and general administration of this large house and estate in County Cork.

 UCC Library Special Collections and Archives The Bantry Estate Collection, BL_EP_B_2554 https://letters1916.ie/item/896 English R. Furise 1916-07-13 Bantry, Co. Cork Arethusa Leigh-White Male Easter Rising Ireland 1916 Politics Country and City Life

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 (1) Confidential Bantry 13.VII.1916. My dear Mr Leigh-White, We had a public meeting in Bantry outside the Chapel after last Mass on Sunday in support of the National Aid Society. Canon Cohalan P.P. was in the chair & spoke as also did Messrs. Cotter, Gilhooly INP., Robert Kelly, Father O'Connell. Father O'Connell struck the key note when he described it as a 'recruiting meeting' — it has proved one for Sinn Feinism. Fortunately he could not resist attacking Gilhooly & they had some 'words' which took some of the 'edge' off the meeting. Canon Colahan said the Irish people would as soon take down the pictures of the leaders as those of Wolfe Tone or Emmet — he denied that it was a lawless outbreak & described it as a 'push' towards National Independence. The acts of the English Statesmen was the best test that they too recognized that the 'push' was a legitimate one. Gilhooly & Cotter were on the same lines & Fr O'Connell's speech was very inflammatory. Referring to Belgium he said ' change the name of Von Bissing & Von Fluck for Carew & you have a page of Irish history.' I am glad to say he referred contemptuously to entrusting powers of arrest to Jack a dandy Police Officers! (And my tailor knows me not since August 1914!) Such shortly was the meeting — but as a prelude our astonished eyes in Bantry that Sunday morning were met by Republican flags at all the street corners tied on the top of the electric light standards and a large banner from the Town Hall floating across the road with this 'we love them yet, we cant forget The felons of our land' & republican Streamers. I had to wait until the people were at Mass & I removed these & saw the leaders & the band and told them if any such flags were carried in their procession I would remove them forcibly. Fortunately they obeyed. I say fortunately because my force consisted of one Head Constable one Sergeant and 3 Constables. This is the 'nub' of my letter. I want more men & I can't get them. The Co: Inspector assures me he is satisfied that Bantry is perfectly normal & that it is the most peaceful part of this County. The thing is almost comic — he does not know six people in Bantry and here am I living here and meeting all classes as you know and I have reported a dozen times since Easter that the state of the public mind is causing me grave uneasiness. As an answer he takes away two of my men who have local knowledge and replaces them by that Constable Batt Riordan who cross examined you & another poor man who has been 120 days in hospital this year ( & is there still.) I secured a verbatim report of the speeches & and sent them on & again handed an applica drew attention to the state of the public mind and applied for more men. I did not get them nor even a polite refusal. No one has ever accused me of being an alarmist before & I should have thought the authorities would have learned a lesson from the rebellion. It may be that as a matter of high policy they want to hand over Redmond something to occupy his time but I think the people of any given locality are entitled to see that the forces of the Crown are either withdrawn or in adequate numbers. I do not apprehend a fresh rebellion but this shortly is my view. The people in the remote parts such as Bantry have now had time to talk over the happenings in Dublin — they have made heroes of those who tried to establish a Republic. Their courage has grown as Home Rule has again become a matter of practical politics. The younger generation are out to strike a blow for Ireland. The Sinn Feiners are no longer to be laughed at as a small power & their numbers have so grown that I scarcely know in my district where to put my hand on one who is not imbued with their doctrines. Even the Canon has come out of his shell.... Well who is to say where this leads? This feeling of discontent, this high excitement, the recognition of their power must find expression in violence. It is all very well for Lord Lansdowne to say in the House of Lords that General Maxwell has 40,000 troops & controls the R.I.C. The local people are quick to see that nothing is being done to see that the Forces of the Crown are adequate in their part of the country. The local D.I is (or ought to be !) wise enough to let matters drift. And then when some striking event comes along — a British reverse, the fall of Verdun, a Naval disaster, a landing in England or Ireland you may find the French revolution re enacted in Bantry or in Cork. A sympathetic report from a Royal Commission in 1917 would be a poor plaster. I cannot do any more than I have done through my authorities to represent this growth & the necessity for a stronger & better selected force in Bantry. Would it be feasible to have General Maxwell directly approached on behalf of those in Bantry or Cork Co. whose sympathies are with the Empire & who feel as I do? You will I know pardon this long letter — it is your own fault if your friends turn to you for counsel in their difficulties. Yours very Sincerely 'Chief' Bantry, Co. Cork Letter from Richard Cruise to Arethusa Leigh-White, 14 May 1916Letter from R. Furise to Arethusa Leigh-White, 13 July 1916 R. Furise Letter from R. Furise to Arethusa Leigh-White, 13 July 1916