The Grand Parade was the stage for two large rallies in early 1922. It was on Sunday afternoon, February 19th 1922 when an Anti-Treaty rally drew a large crowd to two platforms, one erected near the National Monument and the other next to the Berwick Fountain.
Special trains were put on to bring people in from the country while companies of IRA Volunteers lined the South Mall, Washington Street and the Grand Parade. THe Working Mans Brass Band, The Volunteer Pipe Band and the McCurtain Memorial Band among many others provided the musical entertainment.
Dev at the platform near the National Monument.
The platform at the Berwick Fountain was the setting for the first part of the rally. Lord Mayor Donal O'Callaghan opened the rally with an address in Irish before introducing Eamon De Valera who started his speech with "Up The Republic!" It sent the Cork crowd wild and after the cheering died down Dev unleashed a tirade against the Anglo Irish Treaty.
Dev on the platform near the Berwick Fountain.
The party then proceeded to the second platform at the far end of the street for another wave of speeches against the treaty. Also speaking that day were Liam Mellows, Cathal Brugha , Sean MacSwiney and Countess Markievicz. The rally ended peacefully with a band playing the Soldiers Song and everyone went on their way. The same could not be said of the Pro Treaty rally in the same place a month later.
On Sunday March 12th 1922 over 50,000 people crammed into the Grand Parade to hear Michael Collins speak in favour of the treaty he had signed in London months before. He had arrived into the city the night before and was greeted at the train station by large crowds before he and his entourage were escorted through the streets by torch bearers and a brass band to his lodgings in the Turner Hotel at 64 George's Street (today Oliver Plunket Street.)
Then and now - 64 Oliver Plunkett Street
On the morning of the rally, Collins and his entourage attended 10;15 mass at St Francis Church on Liberty Street. After that they travelled to St Finbarrs Cemetery to visit the Republican Plot but, they were met at the gates by armed men.
Collins outside St Francis Church with, from L-R, Diarmuid Fawsitt, Commandant Cooney, Padraig O'Keeffe TD, Fr Sheehan, Rev. Walsh, General Sean MacEoin.
Collins and co met up to 30 armed ani-treaty IRA volunteers at the gates of St Finbarrs Cemetery and a heated argument erupted. They were preventing Collins and the rest from entering the cemetery to the the Republican plot and it enraged the Big Fella.
De Valera paid a visit to the Republican Plot just a month previously with Liam Mellows, Cathal Brugha and Maire Mac Swiney.
The standoff lasted for almost half an hour as both factions exchanged words and almost came to blows when finally Patrick Barry, brother of Tadhg Barry, pushed his way past the men at the gate and visited his brothers grave. General Sean McEoin also tried to push his way past but he was pulled back by Collins who then agreed to leave the scene for fear gun fire might erupt.
The St Finbarrs Republican Plot 1922.
Before taking to the platform for the Pro Treaty rally on that Sunday afternoon, Collins was presented with a bunch of lily flowers by a girl and boy from the tenement buildings near Grattan Street. Barry Egan presided over the rally and Liam de Roiste spoke first.
After de Roiste finished his speech in Irish he introduced Collins and the large crowd erupted into frenzied cheering which went on for several minutes. The Galway Observer of March 18th 1922 reported "Not since the days of Parnell has the city witnessed a meeting so enthusiastic.....in dimensions the gathering was larger than Mr de Valera's recent gathering....."
As Collins finished his speech a ruckus kicked off at the rear of the platform when a number of men began pushing each other and shouting insults.
One man drew his pistol while another flung his fists in the face of another. People scattered in all directions as the charged atmosphere grew out of control. When shots were fired in the air the rally came to an abrupt end.
People, including children, running away from the trouble.
The violent end to the Pro Treaty rally showed the deep division which had already been cut into Irish society early in 1922. It was just the begining of more bloodier scenes to play out on the rebel streets of Cork in the coming months.
*Newsreel footage of the pro treaty rally can be seen on YouTube or the Irish Film Institute Player*
https://youtu.be/mPqLISbpzUE
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