Northern Ireland

A Boundary Time Limit? – On This Day in 1924

Border TD and northern MP Sean Milroy expresses concern about progress on a Boundary Commission

A map showing the Boundary Commission's proposed changes to the border, including areas marked for transfer to Northern Ireland and to the Free State
A map showing the Boundary Commission's proposed changes to the border, including areas marked for transfer to Northern Ireland and to the Free State
By Cormac Moore
June 14 1924

In Dáil Eireann yesterday, Mr Sean Milroy moved: “That Dáil Eireann expresses dissatisfaction with the course pursued in dealing with Article XII of the Treaty, and calls upon the Executive Council to cease participation in any further negotiations regarding the matter, pending the setting up of the Boundary Commission; and, further, calls upon the Executive Council to fix a limit to constituting of the commission.”

Disclaiming any intention that the motion should be regarded as one of censure, Mr Milroy said he thought it was high time that a protest should go forth from that assembly against the long series of evasions on the part of Britain in regard to Article XII of the Treaty, and a disclaimer of any responsibility for the continuance of the delays which these evasions had involved.

They had kept full faith with Britain in the matter of the Treaty, and he thought it was time they gave some indication that they intended, equally well, to keep full faith with those of their own people in the Six Counties, even at the expense of plain talking to the politicians and spokesmen of Britain.

Whether that fulfilment would involve graver steps than merely plain speech to the politicians was really contingent on the faith and honour of Britain in the matter.

He objected to the tact and courtesy expended on the negotiations in the meantime being utilised to wheedle the country out of a portion of its strategic advantage and so render them impotent to assert their rights under the Treaty.

“Once we relax our grip”, said Mr Milroy, “of the strategic position we hold under Article XII the diplomatic and tactful manner of those contending with us will cease, and we will be told abruptly and sharply if we don’t like the position we can do with the other thing.”

Every move in the game was practically to their disadvantage. The North-East of Ulster had been disputing the validity of the Treaty; they had been using the time to their political advantage and to the disadvantage of their political opponents, and creating a position which had acute difficulties which did not exist when the Treaty was signed in 1921.

Sean Milroy, who was a Dáil Éireann TD for Cavan and an abstentionist MP for Fermanagh and Tyrone to the Northern Ireland parliament, believed that constant negotiations that achieved nothing were doing immense harm to the nationalist cause, and should stop before the Boundary Commission convened.