14/07/2021
From our War of Independence Exhibition;
Postcard depicting Éamon de Valera & the Irish Delegation leaving Dun Laoighaire ahead of the Peace Conference with British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, this week one hundred years ago.
Following a Truce ending 131 weeks of hostilities between the IRA & Crown Forces, de Valera & his delegation set sail for London, to meet face to face with Lloyd George- nicknamed ‘The Welsh Wizard’ , at 10 Downing Street.
Crowds of well-wishers had gathered at Downing Street, eager to show support for De Valera. A chorus of hopeful prayers & songs rang out as ‘The Long Fellow’ arrived at the first meeting a century ago, described as Lloyd George as ‘ a moment in history’ .
Four intense meetings took place over seven days. Ahead of the final meeting, Lloyd George sent a document to the Irish delegation, who were staying at the Grosvenor Hotel. It was entitled ‘Proposals of the British Government for an Irish Settlement'.
The proposal offered dominion status within the British Empire to Ireland, with provisions for Irish autonomy in relation to areas such as the judicatory, policing, the army & education. However, Ireland would
remain subject to the British Crown.
De Valera met with Lloyd George and told him that the proposal would be “totally unacceptable” to the Irish people.
The Welsh Wizard & The Long Fellow were at an impasse.
The Irish delegation traveled home & on 20th July, Lloyd George’s proposals was put to a vote in the Dáil. It was unanimously rejected.
In the weeks & months which followed, De Valera & Lloyd George continued to correspond via a series of highly charged letters ( available to read online at www. dfa.ie).
De Valera invoked Ireland’s long & troubled history under British rule & asserted her right to complete sovereignty. Lloyd George stressed that Britain would never allow Ireland to become ‘a foreign power’ & threatened that the Truce would end.
Eventually, in September 1921, plans for a second peace conference were put in place, paving the way for the historic Anglo- Irish negotiations of December that same year.
On that occasion, de Valera did not attend - a decision which remains the subject of much scrutiny & debate still to this day.
Pictured below from left to right are
Arthur Griffith, Robert Barton, Eamon de Valera, Count Plunkett and Lord Mayor Laurence O'Neill.
To learn more about the Irish War of Independence & to see unique materials & artefacts from the period, visit our Exhibition currently on display.
Mayo County Library
Mayo.ie
Decade of Centenaries
