January 16 1925
MR and Mrs [WT and Louise] Cosgrave have paid a visit to Lisieux, for the purpose of presenting a Free State flag to a chapel there.
He left for England this morning on the conclusion of his visit.
It is learned that Mr Cosgrave, who is sailing direct from Cherbourg to Queenstown in the liner Republic, is now in excellent health, and according to the Free State representative in Paris, is returning to Ireland full of optimism to carry on the work of the Government. There is no question of his resignation.
Instead of his rumoured resignation taking place, Cosgrave remained as president of the Free State Executive Council until 1932.
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Firearms Act 1925 Introduced
A case recalling some stirring incidents in connection with the Irish Volunteers prior to and during the Anglo-Irish trouble was investigated at Edenderry District Sessions.
Michael Malone, Wellsbrook, Rhode, was charged at the instance of Superintendent Woods, Tullamore, with being illegally in possession of firearms, etc.
Mr White appeared for defendant.
Sergt O’Riordan, Rhode, deposed that on December 13 he went to search the defendant’s house on a warrant. He found one shot-gun, one pistol, two swords, one bandolier, one flask of powder, and a small tin of powder. He seized these articles and arrested Malone. The latter when charged stated he did not know how they came into his house, and that he was not the owner of the articles.
“Mr White – Did you know the defendant?”
“I did not know him personally.”
“Do you know was Michael Malone in the old Volunteers?”
“I do not know. I was not here at the time.”
Mr White said his defence was that when the Volunteers started in 1916, or 1917, Michael Malone and his brother, Joseph, were more or less in command of the Volunteers in Croghan district. Joseph Malone was a carpenter, and his job was, apparently, to repair stocks of guns. He repaired all the guns for the Volunteers and made new stocks, with the result that the guns were always left in his house.
“I think his brother was second in command”, added Mr White.
Then when the Black-and-Tan regime came on the guns were distributed. One of the old guns, the swords, and bandoliers were buried and were not taken up till the Truce. Then when the split came in the time of the Irregulars, both of the Malones dropped out.
With a glut of weapons in Ireland following the revolutionary years, in April 1925, the Free State government introduced legislation, the Firearms Act, 1925, to regulate and control the use of firearms.
