Home Rule 

The Daily Mail interviewed a number of prominent Nationalists and Unionists from County Tyrone on the topic of should Tyrone be excluded from Home Rule.

The excerpts are taken from the Daily Mail, Monday July 21, 1914 .

Nationalist calls for unity continue under Home Rule banner

The fate of Tyrone

Moy - Dr E.C Thompson, ex Nationalist MP for South Monaghan:

"Ulster requires far more generous treatment than has yet been offered by

the government. The radical members at Westminster should come and see for

themselves the preperations being made to resist the Home Rule Bill in

Tyrone and Fermanagh."

Dungannon - Lord Northland and Mr Stevenson leaders of the Ulster Volunteers

"Civil war will be absolutely certain unless Ulster is excluded as a whole:

"The men here will never submit to a Parliament in Dublin. The possibility

of Tyrone being seperated from its Protestant neighbours is absolutely

abhorent to the Loyalists of this community."

Cookstown - Mr Gunning-Moore Vice Chairman of Tyrone County Council:

"If Tyrone is not excluded there will be an explosion. If Sir Edward Carson

and the Unionist council consented to the inclusion of Tyrone they would

lose all the control and influence among Unionists of the county and there

would certainly be fighting."

Mr T MacGregor-Greer, Commander of the Cookstown Battalion Ulster Volunteers:

"If Tyrone is not excluded the Volunteers are ready. They have the men and

weapons and will answer the call to arms."

Mr William Harbison, President of the East Tyrone Executive of the United Irish League:

"After 30 years in East Tyrone and knowing that in 10 elections the

constituency has declared itself for Home Rule, I do not think that in fair

play East Tyrone should be cut off from the many benefits of managing local

affairs, while at the same time giving its loyal support to the Imperial

parliament."

Mr James Mullan, Ex-President of the League:

"The exclusion of Tyrone is impossible. No county made such a fight for

national freedom.

"It is unthinkable that the Irish Party would agree to such a proposal.

"The exclusion of any part of Ulster would be bad policy, but if Tyrone were

excluded an agitation would arise that will shake the Irish Party to its

very foundations."

Strabane - Mr Edward Gallagher MP:

"Under no conditions whatever will we accept the exclusion of Tyrone.

"I do not believe that even Unionists of the county are in favour of the

absurd proposition.

"I have always lived on good terms with all creeds and classes and the best

feelings have always existed among all parties."

Prominent Nationalist James Tourish:

"The exclusion of Tyrone is ridiculous and unworkable.

"We will fight to the bitter end against any exclusion of our county.

"We are now armed and prepared to keep under a Home Rule Parliament."