January 28th, 1916 The House of Commons was told that a raid had been conducted on the home of Countess Markievicz on January 22nd under a warrant issued by the officer commanding the troops in Dublin.
A printing press and a number of leaflets of an anti-British character were seized. No arrests were made. The Commons was told that Countess Markievicz's husband, Count Markievicz , was a Russian Pole who left Ireland at the outbreak of the war and was believed to be fighting in the Russian army.
Apart from the search of her home and that of four other houses on the same occasion, when a few rifles were seized, no raids for arms had recently been made in any part of Ireland.
Speaking in the absence of the prime minister, Herbert Asquith, David Lloyd George said the Home Rule Bill would not be implemented if the war did not end by March 1916.
Lloyd George was reminded by Irish Parliamentary Party MP Laurence Ginnell that the Home Rule Bill had been given the king's assent in September 1914, and that it was supposed to come into operation 18 months later.
However, Lloyd George reminded him that it would only come into operation if the war had ended.
He raised guffaws in the House of Commons by stating: “If the Hon Member will tell me when the war will end, it will be easier for me to answer.”
Dublin Metropolitan Police files:
I beg to report that on 27th the undermentioned extremists were observed moving about and associating with each other as follows:
With Thomas J Clarke, 75 Parnell Street, Francis Sheehy Skeffington for a quarter of an hour between 11am and 12pm, John McGarry for 20 minutes between 1pm and 2pm.
About 40 members of the Irish Volunteers, without rifles, in charge of Joseph McGuinness and John Milroy, assembled at 41 Parnell Square at 8.40pm and afterwards went route marching in the direction of Phibsborough.
EVENTS
The director of the Parnell School, Dr Felix Larkin , will give a lecture on Fr FX Martin and the 1916 Rising today at Haddington Road church at 7.15pm. In 1967 Martin challenged the traditional narrative of the Rising in a groundbreaking essay
Myth, Fact and Mystery
.
Glasnevin Trust is hosting a series of lectures on the events of 1916 over six weeks at the Milestone Gallery in Glasnevin Cemetery. The first takes place today at 7.15pm, and will be given by the chairman of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association, Tom Burke, entitled "Rebellion, War and Commemoration in Ireland". It will focus on how returning Irishmen who fought in the first World War were treated by Irish society.