Cobh Commemorates Return of the Treaty Ports to Irish Government

Members of O.N.E. who carried out the ceremonial element for the handing over of the ‘Treaty Ports’ commemoration ceremony in Cobh on 11th. July 2016. Among those in photograph are; Lt./Cdr. Pat Doherty Naval Service; Comdt. Eddie Ó Halloran 1st. Southern Brigade; President Cobh Branch O.N.E., Diarmuid Higgins; President Commander George Crosbie Branch O.N.E., Paddy Kinsella; O.N.E. Director, Peter Byrne; Parade Marshal, John Walsh.

Every year, for a number of years, the town of Cobh has held a ceremony to commemorate the handing back of the ‘Treaty Ports ‘ by the British Government to the Irish Government 1938. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 6th.of December 1921 allowed Britain to retain three deep water ports and their defence facilities. It was agreed that for five years, pending the establishment of Irish costal defence forces, or for such other period as the Governments of the two countries may later agree upon, facilities for the costal defence of Ireland shall be given to the British Government. The main reason for the retention of the ports was the U-boat Campaign around Irish coasts during World War 1 and the concern of the British Government that it might happen again. The three important ‘Treaty Ports in the ‘Free State’ ( twenty-six counties ). Were Cobh, Berehaven, and Lough Swilly.

The position of the ‘Treaty Ports’ was raised by An Taoiseach, Mr. Eamon De Valera in correspondence with the British Government in 1932 shortly before the beginning of the Economic War, where he noted: Our costal defence is still retained in British hands. Britain claims the right in times of war or strained relations with a foreign Power to make demands upon the Irish Free State which if granted will make our right to neutrality a mockery.

By 1938 the Governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom had been involved in a long-running Anglo – Irish Trade War. Negotiations to settle the matters in dispute took place in 1938. One of the items the Irish side pushed for was the transfer of the Treaty Ports to the Government of Éire ( Now and still is, the official name for the twenty-six counties State, following Mr. Eamon de Valera’s 1937 Constitution). An agreement was signed on the 25th of April, 1938 which stated that the Government of the United Kingdom will transfer to the Government of Éire the Admiralty property and rights at Berehaven and the harbour defences at Berehaven, Cobh and Lough Swilly. The transfer will take place not later than the 31st. December, 1938. It was subsequently agreed that the harbour defences in Cobh would be transferred on 11th. July 1938, Berehaven 29th. September 1938 and Lough Swilly 3rd. October 1938.

On the 11th. July 1938 approximately 300 Irish troops under Major Maher arrived by rail in Cobh and a tender carried them to Spike Island, where only a small party of British troops remained, they, were under the command of a Captain Ó Halloran, who handed over the forts to Major Maher on behalf of the Éire Government at 18.20 hours and the Union Jack was lowered. The British soldiers then went aboard the m.v. Innisfallen and left for Fishguard, a salute being fired as the vessel departed.
The British had already departed Spike Island when An Taoiseach, Mr. Eamon de Valera and Mr. Frank Aiken, the Minister for Defence, arrived in a launch, being greeted by a salute of 19 guns. The troops were formed up around the flagstaff and Mr. Eamon de Valera hoisted the the national flag of Éire over Fort Westmoreland to the accompaniment of a 21 gun salute. As the flag was broken there were cheers, re-echoed by the thousands gathered on the mainland. Simultaneously the flag was saluted at barracks in Dublin, the Curragh, Athlone and other military centres.

The three forts in Cork harbour, Carisle, Camden and Westmoreland, which were transferred to the Government of Éire, were quickly renamed in honour of three ‘Young Irelanders’ ( Nationalist Activists ); Thomas Davis, Thomas Francis Meagher, and John Mitchel.

This year’s commemoration ceremony, as in previous years, commenced with a re-enactment of the parade by the Irish troops from the railway station to Cobh town centre. This is done by members of veterans’ organisations, like the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel ( O.N.E. ).Personnel from the Cobh Branch, the Commander George Crosbie Branch and the Ballincollig Branch of O.N.E., under Parade Marshal, John Walsh , of the Cóbh Branch, marched to the music of two pipers from Carrigaline Pipe Band, Finbarr Foley and Stephen Nugent, to Cobh Town Promenade, where the Chairman of Cóbh Municipal District Council, Cllr. Cathal Rasmussen, was waiting to receive the National Flag which would be hoisted in the Promenade. When the chimes at St. Colman’s Cathedral struck 20.00 hours, Councillor Cathal Rasmussen began to hoist the National Flag , simultaneously, on Spike Island , the heritage site manager, Tom Ó Neill, began to hoist the National Flag. When both flags had been hoisted to Full Mast, the Commodore Male Voice Choir, already assembled in the Town Promenade, gave a wonderful rendition of our National Anthem, accompanied by all present.
The m.c. for the occasion, Domhnall Mac Cárthaigh of Cobh Branch O.N.E., Thanked all who had assembled for the occasion, especially the following; Chairman of Cobh Municipal District Council, Councillor Cathal Rasmussen and his fellow District Councillors, Claire Culnane and Sinéad Sheppard, President Cobh and Harbour Chamber of Commerce, John Sweeney, Lt./Cdr. Pat Doherty, representing the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service; Comdt. Eddie Ó Halloran, representing the General Officer Commanding 1st. Southern Brigade; Vice Chairman Cobh Tourism, Jim Ó Rourke; President Cobh Branch O.N.E., Diarmuid Higgins; President Commander George Crosbie Branch O.N.E., Paddy Kinsella; O.N.E. Director, Peter Byrne; He had a special word of thanks for the following who had a part to play in the ceremony; Chairman of Cobh Municipal District Council, Cllr. Cathal Rasmussen; Manager of Spike Island Heritage Site, Mr. Tom Ó Neill; Parade Marshal, John Walsh of Cobh Branch O.N.E., The Commodore Male Voice Choir; Cobh Animation Group; Pipers from Carrigaline Pipe Band, Finbarr Foley and Stephen Nugent; O.N.E. Personnel; Last but not least, Mr. Tony Nolan of Cobh Tourism ,who put the commemoration programme together.
Refreshments, for those who took part in the commemoration ceremony, were provided in the Commodore Hotel ,courtesy of Cobh Tourism.

Domhnall Mac Cárthaigh FS.
( P.R.O. Cobh Branch O.N.E. )