Post by kj on Sept 18, 2017 10:56:45 GMT
Most people who've heard of Francis Stuart probably just think of "Black List Section H" and his broadcasts on German radio in WW2, but another intriguing episode of his life was his participation in a Monarchical restoration plot in the 1930s. The following excerpts are taken from the autobiography he precociously wrote in the early 30s, Things to Live For:
"The small man in the centre was an ex-officer. He was in the midst of formulating a plan for establishing an independent Irish Catholic Monarchy. He was a complete reactionary. As such he attracted me. He believed in the complete isolation of Ireland from Europe and all the so-called world tendencies and trends. The cause that he had at heart was of course a completely hopeless one"
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One element of the English media declared it ‘a piece of unpardonable impertinence to suggest that Ireland could become the saviour of Europe’
"I see the Church here in Ireland flourishing again under a truly Catholic monarch,’ he [the plot leader] went on, ‘unaffected by the ebb and flow of the new experiments in England and on the continent’"
From an English newspaper: ‘The movement for an Independent Catholic Monarchy has been revived in Ireland. Mr. Francis Stuart, the novelist, who is one of its staunchest supporters, was in consultation with others interested in the project when I interviewed him on Thursday. The scene of the meeting was a historic castle in Meath, which these romantic young Irishmen are hopeful of turning into the Irish Windsor. Several priests have given their blessing to the cause’.
‘The election to the throne must be in the hands of the religious orders,’ the priest said, apparently repeating something he had heard before. ‘Our aim is a Christian autocracy in which the ruler is but the regent of Our Lord.’
‘Excuse me, father,’ the ex-officer interrupted, ‘All that is pure mysticism. What we want now is a little clear thinking. We must interest the country people. We must publish an economic programme.’
‘This is not some revolutionary agitation,’ the priest said sadly, ‘it is a return to the spirit of Christ. Economic programmes are no part of it at all. Ours must be the labour of apostles, not the ranting of social reformers."
The only other thing I know about the plot is that one TD involved was Ormonde Esmonde, who had been a member of SF in the Revolutionary period.
"The small man in the centre was an ex-officer. He was in the midst of formulating a plan for establishing an independent Irish Catholic Monarchy. He was a complete reactionary. As such he attracted me. He believed in the complete isolation of Ireland from Europe and all the so-called world tendencies and trends. The cause that he had at heart was of course a completely hopeless one"
.
One element of the English media declared it ‘a piece of unpardonable impertinence to suggest that Ireland could become the saviour of Europe’
"I see the Church here in Ireland flourishing again under a truly Catholic monarch,’ he [the plot leader] went on, ‘unaffected by the ebb and flow of the new experiments in England and on the continent’"
From an English newspaper: ‘The movement for an Independent Catholic Monarchy has been revived in Ireland. Mr. Francis Stuart, the novelist, who is one of its staunchest supporters, was in consultation with others interested in the project when I interviewed him on Thursday. The scene of the meeting was a historic castle in Meath, which these romantic young Irishmen are hopeful of turning into the Irish Windsor. Several priests have given their blessing to the cause’.
‘The election to the throne must be in the hands of the religious orders,’ the priest said, apparently repeating something he had heard before. ‘Our aim is a Christian autocracy in which the ruler is but the regent of Our Lord.’
‘Excuse me, father,’ the ex-officer interrupted, ‘All that is pure mysticism. What we want now is a little clear thinking. We must interest the country people. We must publish an economic programme.’
‘This is not some revolutionary agitation,’ the priest said sadly, ‘it is a return to the spirit of Christ. Economic programmes are no part of it at all. Ours must be the labour of apostles, not the ranting of social reformers."
The only other thing I know about the plot is that one TD involved was Ormonde Esmonde, who had been a member of SF in the Revolutionary period.
