Catalogue description Colonial Office: Ireland, Confidential Print

This series contains confidential print on Ireland. Comprises reports of criminal and political activities in Ireland during the period 1885-1919. The first two volumes deal mainly with disturbances arising out of religious intolerance. The remaining volumes contain comprehensive reports on the activities of members of the United Irish League from the date of its foundation in 1898, and of the Sinn Fein movement which became prominent in 1905 when the League's influence began to wane, and one volume of returns of Land or National League members convicted of agrarian offences.

The prints contain numerous extracts from police reports on such outrages including the boycotting of farmers and on the protection afforded to the successors of evicted tenants. Also included are the proceedings of assizes, judges' addresses to juries, crime returns, and strength returns of militant organisations such as the Ulster Volunteers and the Irish Volunteers.

For further records see CO 904