asked the Minister for Defence to state for the information of the Dáil whether he has any knowledge which would disclose the identity of the writer of the letter signed C. O'M., and read by the President in his reply on the debate at the adjournment on Thursday, May 10th; if so, who is the writer, and what is his position in the armed opposition to the Government; and further what reasons are there for attaching importance to that document as an authoritative expression of an intention to continue hostilities, in view of the declarations to the contrary effect made by the chief opponent of the Government, in the course of his conversations with Senators Douglas and Jameson.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. [ORAL ANSWERS.] - CAPTURED LETTER—WRITER'S IDENTITY.
My knowledge as to the identity of the writer of the letter signed "C. O'M.," who wrote:
There are Peace negotiations going on at present, and a Truce has been arranged temporarily. The Truce only applies to the I.R.A., the Free Staters are not recognising it, as they are raiding wholesale. The Peace negotiations will be a great success. The Free State Government cannot accept it as the terms are a breach of the Free State Constitution, but the Irish people will accept it, as at present they would take anything for Peace. The truce will not last long, as we are expecting a reply from the Free State, a negative answer of course. The war will then start again.
is confined to the knowledge that it was written by a person having access to the home of Mr. Ernie O'Malley, interested in the Prisoners' Dependents' Fund, the activities of Mr. J.J. O'Kelly and Father O'Flanagan in Australia, the correspondence between Dr. Sheehan and the Freeman's Journal; the fact that there is a military guard on certain newspaper offices, interested generally in the aspect of Irish matters as reflected in Australian newspapers, and the spreading of news of atrocities there, and old enough to be “very busy” at present, and to realise that times are “very dangerous” and that it would be folly for him to go into any newspaper office.
I am not aware that there is attached to this letter, the particular importance suggested. It is a comparatively infinitesimal addition to the knowledge upon which the Government base their appreciation of the position.
Could the Minister not make a shrewd guess at the identity of the writer from the initials on it?
I have stated all the knowledge I have that might lead to establishing the identity of the writer of this letter.