The Irish standard., 1920-04-03
MAYOR OF CORK WAS ARDENT
SlNN FElNER.
{ 4 Sketch Of tho Martyred Maecurtain
BY the irish Consul General to
the United States.
BY J. l. Faws,tt.

lMr. Fawsitt is Consul General of
the republic of Ireland in the United
States]
Saturday. March 20. 1sse, was day
Of mourning tn Ireland. 1t was a day
Of woe in the annals of Cork City. 1t
VAS sorrow-laden day for the officers
and men of the Irish republican army.
For ON the morning of that fateful day
the citizens Of Cork had lost their
chief magistrate and the Cork battalion
Irish republican army its commanding
o6cer.
In the early hours Of that day. in his
own home. in tie presence OF his
young wife and With one OF his be-
loved children in his arms. Thomas
MacCurtain. nrst republican Lord
Mayor Of Cork and commandant Cork
battalion Irish republican army. was
toully done to death by hirelings of
the English government. Ar dheis De
60 raibh 'anam!
country. and in It's ignorance and pref
udice the New York Times could not
rise above the mean temptation to al
lege that the Sinn Fein Mayor Of Cork
was slain "by persons apparently be.
longing to one of the numerous secret
committees which are more Sim Fein
than the Sim Fein."
As one who some six weeks back in
Cork City stood by Thomas MacCur-
tain's side and grasped his honest hand
in a solemn farewell, and who for
close upon 20 years labored in the
same vineyard with him, brand that
statement as q falsehood deliberately
made to defame Sim Fein and to mis-
lead public opinion in this country for
its own ill-concealed pro-British ends.
But it is not of the malice Of the New
York Times that l wish to write; 1t Is
Of the manner of man Thomas Mac
Curtain was. 1t was with q sorrowful
heart that I sent the following cables
to Ireland on Saturday last:
Messages Of Sympathy.
"To the Lady Mayoress, Cork, Ire
land: Chief. colleagues and self offer
our heartfelt sympathy and prayers
for your martyred husband. ]. l.. Faw.
sitt."
ITO the Town Clerk, Cork, Ireland:
Sincere coincidence to corporation and
citizens on tragic death of your gallant
Lord Mayor. J. L. Fawsitt."
It was with feelings of inexpressi-
bic woe that I received and read today
the following letter addressed from
the Lord Mayors Room, City Hall,
Cork, and dated March 4, 1920,
"A Dhiarmuid A Chroide:
"Many thanks for your kind mes
sage. I may say Dhiarmuid, that did
all could to escape the job. but the
fates were against mo. It is really a
tough job, and We are getting through
fairly successful. was inQuiring a
few days ago Of Mrs. Fawsitt and
heard she is quite we'll and also the
children. OF course, If we can use
you over there we will do 1t, and ]
hope things will so improve that we
will absorb q good deal of your time
At present, anyway, Cork Is progress
ing and everybody hopes the effort
will be sustained.
"Best regards from everyone here
and heartiest wishes for success In
your very important work. Mise le
meas.
(signed) "Tomas MacCurtain."
It is in his own handwriting and was
written in acknowledgment of q mes
sage Of congratulation that sent hin
last month on his unanimous election tt
. the high Office of Lord Mayor of Cork
It IL q letter that will be cherished BY
me through the remaining years O
my life.
Visited Christian Brothers Schools
For some 20 years I had known
Tomas MacCurtain and had worked
with him in the Irish.Ireland move
nent. The field Of our labors wa
Cork City and county. Tomas was
n Christian Brothers boy, and one o
his flrst public acts as Lord Mayo
was to pay a state visit to the IA,
famed North Monastery Schools
where. according to report in tn
Cork Examiner Of February 3, "he pal
n tribute to the magnificent work a.
complished by the good Brothers i
Il the education and training Of th
youth Of that city for the battle Of LII
Addressing the assembled pupils /
"a Irish he impressed upon them th
" necessity for studying their nativ
language. It would, he said, be one {
& fhAir greatest assets In after life. The