In a fervent address at the Kingstown Town Hall, Mr D. M. Wilson, K.C., a native of Limerick, vehemently repudiated allegations of intolerance levelled against the city. The accusations were made during a meeting supporting Unionist candidate Captain Bryan Cooper for South Dublin.
Wilson, speaking passionately to the gathered audience, conveyed his deep roots in Limerick and emphasized the importance of electors in South County Dublin supporting Captain Bryan Cooper. He asserted, “I am a native of Limerick. I was brought up there, and I knew what toleration meant there. It meant that unless you became members of the United Irish League, you were simply foreigners even in your native city.”
The meeting served as a platform for rallying support for Cooper, and Wilson urged the electors to ensure every vote favoured the Unionist candidate. The atmosphere resonated with cheers as the call for unity reverberated in the hall.
Meanwhile, in Limerick, a Special Meeting of the Corporation convened to install the new High Sheriff, Mr Wm. Stokes, J.P., a Protestant and Conservative, who is entering his second year in office. The Town Clerk, Mr Wm. M. Nolan, J.P., read the Commission from the Lord Lieutenant, officially reappointing Mr Stokes as the High Sheriff of Limerick for the year.
In his response, Mr Stokes expressed his satisfaction with Limerick’s crime-free status, praising the citizens for maintaining the city’s distinction. The Mayor re-invested Mr Stokes with the chain of office amid enthusiastic applause.
Seizing the moment, High Sheriff Stokes addressed the accusations of intolerance against Limerick. He vehemently declared, “I have merely to repeat now, as I have done on former occasions, that these statements were Absolutely False, Utterly Groundless, and without the Slightest Foundation.” Stokes went on to dismiss the charges made by a certain individual, stating that the person, being a long-time resident of Limerick, should have known better than to make unfounded accusations.
Stokes drew on the memory of his esteemed father, the late Mr Wilson, a clergyman in Limerick, expressing confidence that if he were alive, he would be the first to repudiate any charges of intolerance in connection with the city. The High Sheriff emphasized the unity among citizens and communities in Limerick, vowing to maintain the dignity of his office throughout his term.
“I express the hope that during my term, no action of mine will in any way sully the office of High Sheriff of the city. Or mar the good feeling that has existed between me and my fellow-citizens, stated Mr Stokes. He concluded by thanking the Corporation and the citizens of Limerick for the honour bestowed upon him.
As the controversy surrounding allegations of intolerance unfolds, the citizens of Limerick await further developments, standing united in the face of divisive claims. The High Sheriff’s resolute response has added a new chapter to the ongoing discourse on the city’s reputation, leaving the electorate to ponder the implications as they approach the upcoming elections.
Weekly Freeman’s Journal – Saturday 05 March 1910
