Polling for South Mayo to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. Michael Davitt’s resignation will take place today. The candidates are Mr. John O’Donnell (Nationalist) and John McBride, who is currently leading the Transvaal Irish Brigade.
The contest is being fought vigorously, and political feelings are running high. Mr. William O’Brien spoke at a meeting in Ballinrobe yesterday in support of Mr. O’Donnell, and his hotel is being guarded by the police, with a large force deployed in the town. The Mayor of Limerick, while advocating for Major McBride’s candidacy at a Ballinrobe meeting last night, was surrounded by a group of United Irish Leaguers. The platform from which he was speaking was bombarded with a hail of stones, resulting in several people narrowly escaping injury.
Manchester Courier – Tuesday 27 February 1900
