Dividing Ireland: World War I and Partition

IRELAND IN 1914 51
Unionist Governments, and the realisation that personal safety and
property rights were secure under the aegis of the British Empire
and Union Jack. 38 The Kilkenny Moderator described Ireland’s
attitude as ‘phenomenal’, indicating a unity and purpose among
all classes which had never existed at any previous period; ‘There
was in fact, but one mind and one heart in regard to England in
her present conflict with Germany It is not merely an indifferent or
apathetic assent to this English war policy. The Irishman is
earnest, determined, enthusiastic—it may be said fanatically loyal
to England in this gigantic struggle’, based upon an intelligent
understanding of German domination, the paper concluded; 39 the
war had done this with ‘magic celebrity’. 40
The Church of Ireland Gazette interpreted Nationalist loyalty as
similar to the Unionist definition of Irishness, within a primary
Britannic framework, emphasising how the United Kingdom,
composed of English, Scots, Irish and Welsh nationalities, was
evidence of how four historical entities acted as members of one
body, their ‘essential unity the work of centuries, which forged the
parts into a working whole’. 41 Indeed, this interpretation of
Irishness enabled some Southern Unionists, such as Samuel
Howard, while writing to the Irish Times, to refer to Redmond as a
‘great British statesman’. Howard based this assessment upon
Redmond’s loyalty to the Crown, stressing that ‘Loyalty to King
and country in this rugged and awful crisis is either above or
below price. It is either purchasable or it is not worth purchase’. 42
Similarly, the Bishop of Ossory thanked Redmond for his
deliverance of British national unity:
We are all in the same peril, we who are the King’s subjects.
We are concerned with our duty to our common country.
Englishmen, Irishmen, Scotchmen—Roman Catholic and
Protestant—Churchmen and Dissenter—Unionist and
Nationalist—North and South—we are all in the same peril.
And, thank God, we are all united in our determination to play
our part in the defence of home and fatherland. We do not
agree on many large questions, but all our differences must
be laid aside in the presence of a common danger and a
common opportunity. The man who prefers his party to his
country at this crisis, whatever be his political creed is no
patriot…. I speak as a Unionist and as a bishop of the Irish
Church when I say that the leader of the Nationalist Party,
who represents the Roman Catholics of Ireland, has acted as a
true patriot and a wise statesman in his efforts to bring
Irishmen together…. Please God, the association of brave