SOME INCIDENTS, AND LARKIN'S DEPARTURE
“Slan as ceud on dtaoibh seo uaim,
Cois Maige na gcaor, na gcraobh, na gcruach,
Na staid, na send, na saor, na sluagh,
Na ndan, na ndreacha, na dtreun gan gruaim!"
-Magrath.
Events began to follow each other in rapid succession. The Citizen Army was watching anxiously the trend of revolutionary thought in the ranks of the Volunteers, and were delighted when the facts became known that the Provisional Committee were returning to first principles, and had overthrown their original acceptance of nomination to the Committee, and had determined to submit the election of the governing Executive to a democratically elected Convention, which it was proposed to hold in the near future.
The Irish Citizen Army had undergone a great change in the personnel of its Army Council, which now had a new Secretary, J. Connolly, and afterwards Sean Shelly, Michael Mallon, W. Halpin and M. Nolan were included on the Executive, and all the members were mentally disturbed by the rumours that were gathering fast about the contemplated departure of their Commandant, Jim Larkin, for America.
On Saturday, October the 1oth, a stop press edition of The Worker announced that the Parnell anniversary would be observed by the Volunteers the following day, and a procession would take place to Glasnevin, after which a public meeting would be held in Parnell Square.
Burning interest was manifested by the workers and the Citizen Army in this event, for it became generally known that Jim Larkin had received an invitation to speak at the meeting. This was something unprecedented in the history of the National and Labour Movement in Ireland. That the leaders of the National Movement should not only allow, but actually invite, the Labour Leader to participate in a meeting organised by them opened up a possibility of definite unity and progress undreamt of a few short months before. The Citizen Army jubilantly hailed this overture as a certain indication of a desire on the part of the Volunteers to recognise the aims and aspirations of the Irish working class.
There is still a good deal of mystery surrounding this invitation. Whence it came no one seemed to know. It was afterwards generally believed that Jim, through perhaps a natural misunderstanding, took a general invitation to Labour to participate for a particular invitation to himself to speak at the meeting on behalf of the Citizen Army and the Labour Movement generally.
Some thought that the invitation was purposely issued by the more militant section of the Irish Volunteer Executive with a view of fixing an unbreakable bond on militant Nationalism and Labour.
That Jim Larkin received some kind of an invitation is certain, and that he mistook the full tenour of its meaning is very probable.
However, when the meeting was opened in Parnell Square, under the chairmanship of Mr. John MacNeill, it became clearly evident, when the Labour Leader approached the platform, that his presence was undesirable.
A most uhhappy and embarrassing situation was immediately created, for an open and irremediable rupture between Labour and Nationalism was at once threatened. This unfortunate assurance was, happily, averted by the prompt and determined action of Torn Clarke and Scan MacDermott, who took measures to hold an independent meeting themselves, at which Jim Larkin and other Labour leaders spoke.
During the course of the meeting an exciting incident occurred which for a time threatened to have a tragic ending. A strong contingent of National Volunteers, returning from the march to Glasnevin, attempted to break through the crowd surrounding the speakers, and by Jim Larkin's orders, the members of the Citizen Army deployed across the road and prepared to resist the attempt. These were shortly after joined by a strong force of Irish Volunteers under the command of Captains Monteith and Fahy, and for more than half an hour it seemed inevitable that a serious collision would take place between the united forces of the Volunteer and Citizen Army and the National Volunteers, who appeared for a time to be determined to force an issue.
Fortunately wiser counsels prevailed, and the National Volunteers faced right about and marched away in the opposite direction, followed by a cheer from the opposing party, which was instantly suppressed by the various officers, who deprecated strongly any indication of triumph at the discomfiture of brother Irishmen.
This day was memorable for the fact that it was the first time that the Irish Citizen Army and the Irish Volunteers had officially united in action and had un
-mistakably demonstrated the affinity of thought and ideal that existed between the two organisations.
A short time after these exciting incidents happened,the time came for Jim Larkin to say farewell to the Citizen Army and to Ireland, to undertake a tour in America for the purpose, as he declared himself, of benefiting the Union of which he was Secretary, and to explain to American Labour the aims and aspirations of the Irish Proletariat.
In the Irish Worker of October the 24th, 1914, appeared Jim Larkin's farewell message to the members of the Citizen Army:
“To my Comrades of the Irish Citizen Army:
"In my absence Jim Connolly will take command. Bear yourselves before all men according to your past.
"Remember your constitution and your oath - Ireland first, last, and all the time. Sobriety, unquestioned obedience, and keenness for drill be your motto."
And then this fiery human comet passed from the orbit of Irish life, to be attracted back again by the power of its heat - when? Ah! who can say?
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CHAPTER X