An article describing clashes at a Sinn Féin-organised aeridhacht held in Cullen, County Cork on 26 May 1918

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On Sunday, May 26th, 1918, an Aeridhacht was held in Co. Cork, at Cullen -- that is, a meeting for children's singing, and dancing, for adults' bagpipe playing and singing; together with speeches to support the use of the Irish language, and to faster national feeling, strengthen national resistance to consorption from without, and to make towards national unity by self-reliance. For, the meeting was organised by Sinn Fein; that is, trust yourselves alone, be what you are yourselves, look to your own country first. Some 1,000 or more were there; villagers, school children, young men of clubs with banners, members of the Irish volunteers lately organised in the district; farmers and farmers' sons making up the majority. A priest of the parish was there; the parish priest had sent his wish to be present, had not a funeral called him away. There were a few speakers from Cork. The police were of course were on the field. Soldiers, for the first time, had been sent into the village, and were quartered at the police carrack. Five aeroplanes were also sent. They whizzed among the people in the village street, dropped one flaming 'rocket' into the crowd, set one thatched roof on fire with another, and, leaving some crying children, and many others who hurried into the village church, they flew backwards and forwards for an hour over the field meeting and its platform, coming esse close enough almost for a raised hand to touch, thus, perfectly managed, drowning all other sound of speech and song, and sailing away for another charge; all to excite wondering ave (as by the shouts of the aeroplanes' occupants one might judge), and to excite fears by their 'bombs', of which a few score perhaps were thrown throughout the hour of the visits - looking as they did at first like fireworks, but proving to be what seemed to be called lighter bombs, falling, in flame, with a thud to be heard half the field off, then leaping up, often, some twenty or thirty feet, into the next field, or into a hedge, everything going on fire where they settled. As it seemed, a blow from one falling would have killed; those standing close enough would have been burned. But the 'bombs' did not fall nearer to the people than a few yards. One little girl flinched, but soon stepped forward again in line, and clasped the hand of the next child, while they sang; all holding in their hands little objects of religious devotion or memory; not without trembling, indeed, as those seated behind them could see. Yet that trembling was not much. Perhaps those who could reflect more, trembled more; thinking that worse might be intended upon us; or that some youth might fire or throw, and give cause for killing; or thinking of England and Ireland in 1918. 'Swine!' the exclamation on one side. And probably on the other. Whether equally deserved, readers may judge. The object appeared to be to disperse the gathering, to drive the people into their houses, to terrify. Terrified, some may have been. Terror…