An election flier produced for Dr Patrick McCartan (1878-1963), the Sinn Féin candidate, during the South Armagh by-election which was held on 2 February 1918. The flier features a satirical illustration of Sir Edward Carson, the leading Irish Unionist, depicted as a stereotypical Irish peasant with a shillelagh under his arm, talking to a woman, most likely a representation of John Redmond, the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party. The woman wears a hat adorned with ‘Home Rule’ and has a bag hanging from her waist which reads ‘Conscription Dowry’ superimposed over the pound (£) symbol. Underneath the image, the caption reads ‘Sir Edward Carson: “Frankly, I'm not all round your neck but everybody wants me to marry you for your Conscription Dowry”’. The illustration is credited to Wilton Williams.
A handbill with the text of Reginald Dunn’s final statement at his trial for the murder of Sir Henry Hughes Wilson. He was subsequently found guilty along with Joseph O’Sullivan and both were executed. The text was ‘Reprinted from the Irish Independent, Friday, July 21, 1922’. The text reads ‘We came back from France to find that self-determination had been given to some nations we had never heard of, but that it had been denied to Ireland. We found on the contrary that our country was being divided into two countries ... and that under that [Belfast] government outrages were being perpetrated that are a disgrace to civilisation …’.
A handbill with extracts from a speech by Éamon de Valera in the Mansion House outlining (through quotes by Fintan Lalor) the Sinn Féin manifesto for the realisation of a sovereign Irish state. Printed in Manchester by Whiteley and Wright.
A manifesto issued by Sinn Féin during the general election for the Fourth Dáil (27 August 1923). The first line of the text reads ‘The Sinn Féin candidates in this Election stand as they have stood in every election since 1917, for the unity and untrammelled independence of Ireland. Like Padraig Pearse they know but one definition of freedom ...’.
A clipping of images showing the presentation of regimental colours to the Irish National Volunteers. The images show William Redmond MP and are taken from the ‘Daily Mail’ (25 September 1914).
An anti-Treaty republican handbill. The text reads ‘Mr. [William T.] Cosgrave stated on Sunday in Dublin, that the Republican Hunger-strikers are in jail because life and property were not safe while they were at large. … During the past six months, sixteen Free State Soldiers have been convicted in the criminal courts for robbery under arms and murder. .. Not even one Republican soldier has been charged with any of these offences. Who then are the robbers?’.
A clipping of a report on various Sinn Féin meetings and demonstrations in the country. Reference is made to speeches made by Darrel Figgis and George Noble Plunkett. The report was published in the ‘Irish Independent’ (20 September 1917).
