Beschreibung:

Lot 351/0289 Excessively Rare Limerick Civil War Journal A Complete File Co. Limerick: Sgeala Chatha Luimnighe (Limerick War News), later Sgeala Chatha (South-Western Command War News). Vol. 1 No. 1, Friday 14th July 1922, to Vol. III NO. XVI, 7th October 1922. Altogether 73 issues, apparently a complete file, small quarto and folio, as follows: Vol. 1 Nos. 1 – 27, (with two issues of no. 27); Vol. 2 Nos. 1 – 25, with first and second editions of Nos. 4, 9 & 19; Vol. 3 Nos. 1 – 16, with an unnumbered edition (dated ‘October’) between Nos. 13 and 14. Early issues 2pp (single sheet printed both sides); later issues 4pp. Bound in 2 vols. green boards, sm. quarto and folio. One issue loosely inserted in Vol. 1. * This is probably the rarest of all Civil War Journals. We have found no record of anything approaching a complete file in any major library, and even single copies are extremely rare. No printer is recorded. The journal was issued by the Free State military authorities, and the content reflects their views. It includes issues marking the deaths of Arthur Griffith (Vol. 2 No. 7) and Michael Collins (Vol. 2 No. 9 and succeeding issues), and includes many arresting poster-type pages, evidently intended to be posted in public. Vol. 1 No. 26 reproduced a photograph of Erskine Childers, in British uniform ‘in his Imperial phase,’ accusing him of ‘a great deal of responsibility for the present tragic events.’ The next issues (12 August, Vol. 1 No. 27) records the taking of Clonmel. There are two copies of this issue, one evidently a second edition which also records that Cork has fallen. These issues allow us to follow the progress of the Civil War in the South in great detail. Vol. 1 No. 17 records that Tipperary. Kilrush and Kilkee have been captured (by the Free State); Vol. 1 No. 18 accuses the Irregulars of a ‘Shoot, loot & scoot: policy;’ Vol. 1 No. 19 states we are ‘Nearing the End;’ Vol. 1 No. 20 includes General O’Duffy’s Proclamation ordering troops to fire on anyone destroying public or private property; Vol. 1 No. 23 claims ‘Nine Towns Fall, Big Dublin Coup’; Vol. 1 No. 26 profiles Collins as an Irish hero; Vol. 2 No. 3 says ‘Ireland today a mourning nation’ (for Griffith), and records ‘Kerry clear, Killarney Captured by the Troops.’ Collins’ death is in a Stop Press column in a second edition of Vol. 2 No. 9, and the next six issues have much about him. Vol. 2 No. 17 says No: to ‘an armed junta, led by Englishmen, and the sons of Englishmen.’ which ‘threatens the very life of the Irish Nation.’ Vol. 2 No. 23 claims there is mutiny among the irregulars; Vol. 3 No. 6 records the capture of Sean Moylan, and accuses the ‘Four Courts Camarilla’ of being ‘bombers of children.’ Vol. 2 No. 8 describes events in Macroom as ‘The work of friends.’ An unnumbered issue after Vol. 3 No. 13 contains a Call to Arms; and the final issue present here, Vol. 3 No. 16, contains President Cosgrave’s offer of amnesty to rebels giving up their arms. * A collection of great importance and interest, almost certainly a unique file, with the second and variant editions. Sold as a periodical, w.a.f. (1)