Roinn Cosanta. Bureau of Military
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ROINN COSANTA. BUREAU OF MILITARY HISTORY, 1913-21. STATEMENT BY WITNESS DOCUMENT NO. W.S. 651 Witness Diarmuid Lynch, Tracton, Ballyfeard, Co. Cork. Identity. Member of Supreme Council of I.R.B. 1916. Subject. The Countermanding Orders of Holy Week, 1916. Conditions, if any, Stipulated by Witness. Nil File No. S.3o Form B.S.M.2 The Countermanding Orders of Holy Week, 1916. The attached eight-page printed document entitled: "The Countermanding Orders of Holy Week 1916" by Diarmuid Lynch is a printer's proof. The article was written, by Diarmuid Lynch early in 1947 for publication in An Cosantoir. It was, it the first instance, submitted by the Editor of An Cosantoir to Mr. Bulmer Hobson for his comments. Mr. Hobson, who was intimately connected with the incidents covered by the article, and whose name is frequently mentioned therein, replied to the effect that "statements about myself and about certain other matters just do not happen to be true". In view of all the cicumstances, the Editor decided to postpone publication of the article and forwarded copies of it together with Mr. Hobson's original letter to the Bureau for inclusion in our archives. Mr. Hobson's letter is registered under No. W.S.652. D. Connolly KEEPER OF RECORDS 29 Feb 1952 The Countermanding Orders Of Holy Week 1916 by DIARMUID LYNCH. THAT part of the articleon Comman whereby they might he "secured." dant TomásMacCurtainpublishedin Somepeopleconstruedthem as meaning the February, is issue of AN defenceof the anticipated"Home Rule" COSANTÓIRwhich dealt with the failure position-to opposewhich the Carsonite of the.Cork Brigadeto participatein the Volunteershad beenorganisedpreviously Easter Week Rising suggests two in the North. The I.R.B., with an eye thoughts: First, that the conflicting not alone to the hostilityof the British ordersissuedfrom Dublin to the Irish Governmentto the establishmentin Ire-land Volunteersat Easter-time,1916,whichso of any organisation,national and mystified Commandants outside the military, in character, but also to the Metropolitan area, remain a mystery antagonismof the Irish peoplein general evento-dayto any onewhohasnot made at that time to any policy savouringof an intensivestudy of prior developments "extreme-ism"or opposedto that of the among the men who then controlledor Irish ParliamentaryParty, decidednot to soughtto controlthedestinyof the Volun-teers,opposeopenlysucha construction.For second, that a chronological itself, however,the I.R.B. true to the sketch showingthe sequenceof events Fenian tradition of the sixties,which it would help to elucidatethe situation. had ever fostered, definitely construed In October-November,1913, a Pro-visionalthe termsto mean: maintenanceof the CommitteeWasformed in Dub-lin right of Ireland to nationalindependence to bring into existencea Volunteer as a RepublicanState,and to securethat organisation.Eoin MacNeill was elected right throughan Insurrectionin arms. Chairman. The majority of the Com-mitteeThis differencein outlookon the aims weremembersof the Irish Repub-licanand objectsof the Volunteersexistedalso Brotherhood,a fact unknownto the among the membersof the governing minority (which includedthe Chairman) body of the Volunteerorganisation. To the I.R.B. being a. secretbody, the this can be tracedthe seriouscrux which continuedexistenceof which was un-knownarose in Holy Week, 1916. If the to the public. revolutionaryaims of the I.R.B. or its At a publicmeetingheld on November purposeto enlistthe Irish Volunteersas 25th in that year, the "Irish Volunteers" a fightingforce in an Insurrectionwere organisationwas formally established. to succeed,it necessarilyhad to keep Its objectsweredeclaredto be: them secretfrom men who held different 1. To secureand maintainthe rights views. to all the and libertiescommon In June, 1914, Tom Clarke and Seán peopleof Ireland. MacDiarmada-representingthe "Execu-tivè" 2. To train, discipline, arm and of the I.R.B.*-were definitely equip a body of Irish Volunteers opposedto Redmond'sdemandthat the for the abovepurpose. Provisional Committee should co-opt nomineesof which in 3. To unite for this purposeIrish-mentwenty-five his, of creedand of every every This "Executive" comprisedthe Presi-dent, party and class. TreasurerandSecretaryof the1Supreme mentioned Council,WhentheCouncilwasnotin session. The rightsand liberties" controlof the organisationvestedin the were never defined,nor were the means "Executive," 1 THE COUNTERMANDING ORDERS OF HOLY WEEK, 1916. 3 2 AN COSANTOIR. Volunteerscomprisedthe firing party at Realm have worked well inin secret the Pearse's oration that effect would him control Of that The Irish VolunteerConvention was graveside. (from and in the open. They think give which wasa clarioncall.to the have and of the Volunteer held on October25th, Its policy wuote) they pacifiedIreland, They body orgnisation. 1914. nation, and to the Irish think that have half Bulmer Hobson, of the Com-mitteewas, a reiteration of particularly they purchased Secretary generallyspeaking, Volunteers: of us the other and a member of the declarations. It elected an and intimidated half. Supreme previous think that have foreseen. Council1.R.B., not alonedecidedto vote "Executive Committee" if. there is anythingthat They, they Capitulation think that have for to Redmond, but induced to to Red-mond, makes it fitting that I, rather than everything, they Subsequent provided everything; but capitulationothermembersof the Committeete sup-port the differencein outlookbetween some'other,I, rather,than oneof the against men who were the fools,the fools,the fools! they his view. Redmondthus won con-trolwhat may be termed the "moderate" grey-haired young with him and sharedin labour have left us our Fenian dead and of the Volunteers. Hobson was element and that of the revolutionary his and in. his should, while Ireland holds these graves, compelledthereuponto resignall offices wing of the VolunteerExecutiveCom-mittee suffering, speak it is that I be Ireland unfree shall never be at held by 'in the I.R.B., but wasper-mitted wasnotemphasisedto any appre-ciable here; perhaps may .hil?1 takenas on behalfof a new peace:" to retain membershipin that appreciableextent until Holy Week, 1916. speaking that has been That the Volunteerswho heard, and organisation. Over this periodHobsondidoccasionally generation re-baptised: in Fenian and that has read, these• words felt them-selves, In the followingSeptember,Redmond stressthe purposeof t-heIrish Volunteers the faith, inspiring of selves"re-baptised in the FenianFaith," attemptedto throw the strengthof the as a defensiveone, and he, dueto accepted responsibility carrying purely and were.confirmed.in the determination Volunteersbehind Britain's war effort. his former in the councilsofthe out the Fenian programme. I pro-pose positions to the Fenian The Split in -the Volunteersensued. I.R.B., had a into the to you then that, here by the "carry out. programme," deeper insight cannot Ninety-five per cent. of those enrolled attitudeof MacDiarmadaand Pearsethan graveof this unrepentantFenian we be doubted. that pearse Redmond under the that his "moderate" col-leagues. renew our baptismal vows; that, Few, however,realised and followed title possessedby his wereatthat moment 'National Volunteers." Approximately Pearseand MacDiarmada did here by the grave of this uncon-conqueredI.R.B. colleagues the achievementof Io;000 "Irish Volunteers" remained not force an issueon this question; it and unconquerableman, perfectingplans askof eachonefor the freedom.of Ireland" as defined loyal to the original Committee; these wot1d not suittheir purposeto do so. we. God, himself, by such such Tone and Mitcheland,Rossa. retained,the originaltitle, But, so well had they guardedthe secret unshakablepurpose, high and unbreak-able Twenty membersof the re-organised of theirinsurrectionarypreparations,that gallant courage,such, in the summer of that year (1915). of soul as to Provisional Committee of the "Irish notuntil Week, 1916(andthenonly strength belonged the then "Executive" of the, Supreme Holy O'DonovanRossa. which I Volunteers" (includingMacNeill-Chair-man,by chance),did Hobson realisethat a Council, I.R.B. (on substituted Hobson-Secretary, Pearse, Rising was actuallyimminent. He then Deliberatelyhere we now avow for MacDiarmada)appointed,a "Military frustrate MacDiarmada,etc.) issueda call for a did his utmostto the planswhich ourselves;as he avowed himselfin Committee." The original membersof Convention,rand proposed(among other/points)they and their colleaguesof the Military the dock, Irishmenof one allegiance the latter were Padraic Pearse, Joseph to Council hadperfectedfor it. only. We of the Irish Volunteers; Plunkett and EamonnCeannt. Later, and others,who are associated Tom Clarkeand SeánMacDiarmada "2. Re-affirm without qualification From the very inception of the Irish you- (the in task and two membersof the I.R.B. "Executive" the manifesto proposed and Volunteers,men prominentin the I.R.B. with to-day's duty, are bound and must stand residentin adopted at the inaugural throughoutthe country,especiallyin the together Dublin) active1 co-operated. henceforth in Henceforth, the be termed meeting. mostpopulous centres,took a leading together: brotherly body may forthe of thefree-dom"THE MILITARY COUNCIL" by diminution of the in andtrainingthe various union achievement "3. Opposeany part organising known measure of Irish and Battalions. What with of Ireland And we know only which title it became in after Companies was now exists as a this