The New York herald., 1922-01-17
BRITISH HAND OVER
| Dublin CASTLE TO
\ irish GOVERNMENT
Michael Collins Gets Control
After His COuntry's 700
Year Fight.
RED CARPET IS SPREAD
Members Pass Over It to
Room of Privy
Council.
UNION JACK HAULED DOWN
Committee Named to Confer in
London While Dublin
Cabinet Rules.
UNION JACK HAULED DOWN

| Copyright, 1929. By THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Dublin, Jan. 16.
Dublin Castle surrendered at las
o'clock this afternoon for the first
time in nearly eight centuries. The
surrender was to Michael Collins. and
Dublin Castle is "now In the hands of
the Irish nation
It was more than a symbolic little
ceremony when Mr.. Collins and other
members of the Irish provisional Gov
ernment drove through the bullet
shattered gates of the lower castle
yard in four motor cars, swung up
through the archway to the upper
square and entered the doorway lead
! ing to the council chamber as pro-
r.rietors.
This is the first time Irishmen ever
exercised authority in these precincts
by choice of the Irish people alone.
Tradition ascribes the origin of one
part of the castle to a feudal prince
ling of the tenth century; another to
tury, and it was there in the thir-
teenth century that one Of the British
Edwards received the fealty of Irish
kings. Since then it has been the seat
of British authority in Ireland, even
in times when the Irish people exer-
cised their own legislative authority
in the Parliament House across the
way.
Irish Rule After 700 Years.
To-day after an exchange of ameni-
ties between Viscount Ftizalan of
Derwent his Majestys Lord Lieuten-
ant and Viceroy of ireland. and that
Mick" Collins who four years ago
was an obscure sorter in his Majesty's
post office, the heads of the various
departments in the castle were intro
duced to the members Of the pro-
visional Government as their bosses.
Technically the crown disappeared
that moment from every post box and
every policeman's helmet. and the royal
image and inscription lost their place on
every Irish postage stamp, coin. bill and
document. Actually. of course II will be
long process before that result is at
tanned. but tonight for the first time
in more than ZOO years executive au-
tbority in Ireland resides formally and
actually in the hands Of nine Irishmen,
chosen by Irishmen themselves.
A crowd which taxed the ability OF a
big detail Of the Dublin Metropolitan
and Republican police thronged the
streets in front of the castle gates and
cheered the party as it passed in and
those that went out. When the gates
swung open to admit four hired motor
cars. In which tho members OF the pro-
visional Government rode. tho police
good naturedly allowed big section Of
that crowd to throng in after them.
In Castle Under Arrest.
1t was the first time that many Of tho
members OF the provisional Government.
as well as many persons In the crowd
had ever been within the grim walls.
where soldiers. auxiliaries and other
workmen were still busy removing
barbed wire. camouflagc and cloth sand
bags Six months ago those soldiers
and auxiliaries would have given much
lins, dead or alive. within those walls
Others, like Desmond Fitzgerald, had
never been in the castle before except
under arrest and when they were facing
the stiffest kind of third degree
they called IL torture-long imprison-
ment and even death. And now "A red
carpet was spread for their feet to walk
on from the door to his Majesty's Privy
Council chamber.
Diagonally across the square could be
seen piled up and covered with sheets
gold and red plush furniture which had
been thrown from the rooms which were
used recently as war time offices. And
when they came out from that Privy
Council room the Union Jack no longer
flew from the battiementcd heights of
birmingham tower They might have
stopped there then and chosen and or
dered their own flag flown But instead
they hustled into "a motor car. hustled
their companions behind them and drove
off to the early Victorian stuffiness of
the Mansion House, where for the pres
ent the provisional Government contin-
ues 10 function.
Tomorrow night committee con-
sisting of Kevin OIIiggins and Eamon j.
Duggan, Foreign Minister In the Dail
Cabinet, will 40 10 London to confer
Continued on Pagc Four.