Transcriber's Note:

Inconsistent hyphenation in the original document has been preserved.

Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.For a complete list, please see the end of this document.

THE IRISH ON THE SOMME

THE IRISH
ON THE SOMME

BEING THE SECOND SERIES OF
"THE IRISH AT THE FRONT"

By MICHAEL MacDONAGH

Author of "Irish Life and Character"

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY

JOHN REDMOND, M.P.

HODDER AND STOUGHTON
LONDON NEW YORK TORONTO
MCMXVII

TO
THE MEMORY OF

MAJOR WILLIAM REDMOND, M.P.
ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT (IRISH BRIGADE)

WHO DIED OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION
JUNE 7, 1917
LEADING HIS MEN IN THE ATTACK
ON WYTSCHAETE WOOD

INTRODUCTIONToC

By John Redmond, M.P.

THE RESPONSE OF THE IRISH RACE

This war is a war of liberation, and its battle-cry is the rights andliberties of humanity. From the very beginning of the conflict mycolleagues of the Irish Party, and I myself, have availed of everyopportunity in Parliament, on the platform, and in the Press, topresent this view of it to the Irish race at home and abroad; anddespite the tragic mistakes made in regard to Ireland by thesuccessive Governments which have held office since war broke out, weare still unshaken in our opinion that Ireland's highest interests liein the speedy and overwhelming victory of England and the Allies.

The response of the Irish race the world over to our appeal to rise indefence of civilisation and freedom has been really wonderful. Theexample was set by Ireland herself.

At the outbreak of the war I asked the Irish people, and especiallythe young men of Ireland, to mark the profound change which has beenbrought about in the relations of Ireland to the Empire bywholeheartedly supporting the Allies in the field. I pointed out thatat long last, after centuries of misunderstanding, the democracy ofGreat Britain had finally and irrevocably decided to trust Irelandwith self-government; and I called upon Ireland to prove that thisconcession of liberty would have the same effect in our country as ithas had in every other portion of the Empire, and that henceforthIreland would be a strength instead of a weakness. I further pointedout that the war was provoked by the intolerable military despotism ofGermany, that it was a war in defence of small nationalities, and thatIreland would be false to her own history and traditions, as well asto honour, good faith and self-interest, if she did not respond to myappeal.

The answer to that appeal is one of the most astonishing facts inhistory. At the moment, fraught with the most terrible consequences tothe whole Empire, this Kingdom found for the first time in the historyof the relations between Great Britain and Ireland that the IrishNationalist members, representing the overwhelming mass of the peopleof Ireland, were enabled to declare

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