FROM THE ARCHIVES:A week after the formal split in the Irish Party over Charles Steward Parnell's relationship with Katharine O'Shea both sides were busily addressing meetings throughout Ireland. This is an extract from a lengthy anti-Parnell speech in Cork by the administrator of the city's cathedral, Canon O'Mahony
He invited their attention to that statement by Mr. Parnell, that there was suppressed evidence which would release him from the verdict of the Divorce Court. It was strange that a man of his sagacity and his understanding did not observe the miserable and wretched condition to which he had reduced himself before the public by such a statement. He said he was able to vindicate Mrs. O’Shea, while he allowed her to be branded as an adulterous woman. He allowed both the fair fame [sic] of himself and herself to be discredited throughout England, and allowed their names to be a byeword in the music halls of London.
He allowed pictures of them to be sold in the flagway of English towns. He said he could vindicate her, and he had not done so. Could any one reveal a greater debt of infamy existing in his own character than that statement did? He (Canon O’Mahony) said that Mr. Parnell had placed himself in a worse position before the public than if he allowed the statement in the divorce court to go without remark at all. He had alluded to Mr. Parnell’s defence against the the charge of being absent so long from the conflict in that country and in Parliament. That carried back their minds to the time when he last did take part in the conflict in this country. Did they remember what that was? How long ago was it, and on what occasion was it? It was on the occasion of the never-to-be-forgotten Galway election [in 1886, when Katharine’s husband was elected MP].
The proceedings in the Divorce Court had cast a lurid light on the mystery that hung over that election. (Hear, hear.) At the time excuses were made, and in their attachment to Mr. Parnell they put a charitable construction on his acts, and said there was some secret reason that would justify the selection of the man O’Shea to hold the place of a representative of Ireland. It was stated that he had some power as a negotiator or diplomatist and go-between. The mystery had at last been revealed. (Hear, hear.) The divorce court showed that Mr. Parnell went there and deliberately betrayed Ireland owing to influence which this man, the husband of his paramour had over him. There would be persons in Cork would meet him (Canon O’Mahony) and defend him by such an argument as this – what had Mr. Parnell’s private sin to do with his public position as a leader? When any body said that to them in future they had only to utter the single sentence “Remember Galway”. (Applause.)
There the sin of his private life, led him to betray the trust reposed in him as leader of the Irish people at a time when the Home Rule Bill was almost under discussion, when every vote was worth gold to Ireland.
http://url.ie/dod3