October 14 1924
In an interview with the Venerable Archdeacon [John] Tierney, PP, VG, Enniskillen, on Monday night our Enniskillen correspondent asked him what was his view of the decision of [Éamon] De Valera to put forward candidates for the Fermanagh-Tyrone constituency at the coming election.
Archdeacon Tierney replied: “I have no doubt that the result of De Valera’s decision will mean the return of two partitionist members.
“Should De Valera and his party persist in this decision, it is my opinion that the supporters of the Treaty and the Boundary Commission should have nothing to do with the contest.
“After the two contests of 1922 and 1923, everybody show know what are ‘the wishes of the inhabitants’ of this area. Should any doubt arise on the matter, when the Boundary Commission sits, it can easily be settled by holding a plebiscite, as is provided for in Article 12 of the Treaty.”
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Take No Part in Contest?
The prevailing opinion here is that should De Valera nominate a candidate or candidates for Fermanagh-Tyrone, the supporters of the Treaty should take no part whatever in the contest, and should not go to the polls, and let the responsibility for handing over the two seats to the partitionists be placed on the shoulders of the Republican Party.
On the other hand a prominent south Fermanagh nationalist thinks that the supporters of the Treaty should contest the constituency, regardless of what De Valera’s party may do, and that they should not allow themselves to be influenced in their policy by any suggestions from the Republican Party.
“This,” he said, “may be an attempt by De Valera’s party to have one of their candidates ‘squeezed in’ as a result of what would be called a ‘compromise’, but no necessity exists for compromise or haggling of any kind. The issue is clear; we know our strength; we know our supporters; we know our business, and we shall do it in our own way. We shall put forward the candidates of our own choice, or none at all.”
The incumbent nationalist MPs for Fermanagh and Tyrone, TJ Harbison and Cahir Healy, decided not to run, and with most nationalists boycotting the election, republican candidates Michael McCartan and Thomas Corrigan lost out to Ulster Unionists Charles Falls and James Pringle. It was a devastating blow for nationalists so close to the convening of the Boundary Commission.
