King George's Domhnall

Twenty-five years ago in Ireland you could be arrested for painting DOMHNALL UA BUACHALLA on the side of a grocery wagon. To the Sasan-nach (English-speaking foreigner) Domhnall Ua Buachalla is the Gaelic for Daniel Buckley. In Ireland in 1907 grocery wagons had to be registered in English. Domhnall Ua Buachalla, who ran a combined grocery, bicycle shop and pub in Maynooth, County Kildare, refused to register anything in English, was arrested for his Gaelic grocery wagon and had his groceries seized when he refused to pay the fine. Nine years later Domhnall Ua Buachalla took part in the seizure of the Dublin Post Office in the Easter Rebellion of 1916, was interned in Britain till the following Christmas. He shot men from many an ambush in the guerrilla warfare that preceded the foundation of the Free State, finally put away his rifle to serve in both the House of Commons and the Irish Dail.

Because he was one of the founders of the "Gaelic Revival," because he no longer speaks or writes English unless he has to, Domhnall Ua Buachalla spent recent months investigating conditions in Gaelic-speaking districts as a special commissioner for the Free State. Last week this 55-year-old veteran rebel took the oath of allegiance to King George and was sworn in as His Majesty's Governor General of the Irish Free State.

For four weeks the Free State has had no Governor General. After submitting to innumerable insults at the hands of Irish Republicans, unRepublican Governor General James McNeill was forced to resign, quit the vice-regal mansion, Oct. 31.

King George appoints as Governor General of the Irish Free State or any other dominion any man whom its premier may choose. Last week scrawny President Eamon de Valera, whose office is equivalent to premier, chose his old friend Daniel Buckley. The move was a surprise to Dublin, a tactical victory for the de Valera Republicans. One of their objects is to abolish the post of Governor General entirely. By appointing a man that all Ireland knows took the oath and will fill the office with his tongue in his Gaelic cheek, they are very near to success.

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