Northern Ireland

Make Twelfth A Bank Holiday – On This Day in 1924

Despite concerns over drinking, July 12 was made a public holiday

The Orange Order's campaign during this year's Twelfth urging people to drink responsibly
The Orange Order's campaign for the Twelfth in 2016 urging people to drink responsibly
By Cormac Moore
August 13 1924

At a meeting of the Enniskillen Urban Council on Monday night, Mr George Whaley (chairman) presiding, a resolution was received from Dungannon Urban Council requesting the Ministry of Home Affairs to have the 12th July made a legal bank holiday.

Mr [James] Cooper, MP, moved that the resolution be adopted, and that they also recommend that the 12th July be a general holiday. This was seconded by Mr Algeo.

Mr TW Johnston moved, and Mr TE Kirkpatrick seconded, that a clause be added to the resolution stating that they were strongly in favour of having all licensed premises closed on the 12th July.

Mr WE Trimble said he was a strong temperance advocate, but he was opposed to this clause.

Mr D Reilly said it would be outrageous to interfere with the licensed traders on the 12th July.

Mr Kirkpatrick said one of the greatest disgraces that could befall the Orange Order would be to see men wearing colours on the 12th July under the influence of drink.

Mr Cooper, MP – The only difficulty I see is how would they drink the glorious, pious, and immortal memory.

Ultimately all the amendments were withdrawn, and the resolution requesting to have the 12th July made a bank holiday was unanimously adopted.

Despite some concerns over people drinking on the Twelfth, it became a public holiday in Northern Ireland in 1926.
Craig ‘Will Not Budge’
President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State W.T Cosgrave, British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald and Prime Minister of Northern Ireland Sir James Craig at Chequers in 1924. Picture from Press Association
Northern Ireland Prime Minister Sir James Craig pictured in 1924

Mr [WT] Cosgrave said: “I have met Sir James Craig time and time again in an effort to discover whether accommodation could not be secured. Time after time Sir James has maintained the same attitude. In his own words, he ‘will not budge an inch’.

“He has never budged an inch. He has never made the slightest advance towards accommodation. He has never made any practical accommodation to a solution of his difficulties.

“I see that in a recent statement he has reiterated his willingness to meet me. I have never been unwilling to meet him; but if his attitude remains unchanged, I can imagine no useful purpose which could be served by the meeting.”

Speaking in the Dáil, Cosgrave’s frustration shows at Craig blocking the convening of the Boundary Commission without offering any practical alternative.