In the Six Counties it was declared, both in the press and at public meetings, that ” Ulster ” would not yield an inch of her territory. On the other hand, the Nationalists of the South considered that the counties of Tyrone and Fermanagh, in both of which there were small Nationalist majorities, or at least considerable parts of them, should be ceded to the Free State. That, if this were done, ” Northern Ireland ” would be reduced to such small proportions that its successful adminis¬tration would become an economic impossibility was a consideration which did not move them. On November 19th (1925), the ” Morning Post,” a London daily paper, published an alleged forecast of the decision of the Boundary Commission.

Above: Map of Southern Ireland

According to this, a considerable part of East Donegal was to be cut off from the Free State, which should receive in compensation a part of Fermanagh. This forecast, which appeared to be based on reliable information, and of which indeed the general accuracy was subsequently admitted, excited in “Southern Ireland” the utmost alarm and indignation. The day after its appearance, Dr. McNeill formally withdrew from the Boundary Commission and returned to Dublin, where he tendered his resignation of the Ministership of Education. To Dail Eireann he gave an explanation of the action of the Commission and of his own share in it (November 24th). According to this, a decision, substantially the same as that outlined by the “Morning Post,” had been arrived at in October. To this decision he had been willing to agree, although he did not approve of it. He held that Judge Feetham and Mr. Fisher had allowed themselves to be swayed by political considerations, instead of fixing the boundaries ” in accordance with the wishes of the inhabitants so far as may be compatible with economic and geographic conditions,” as laid down by Article 12 of the Treaty.

Above. A picture of the civil war scene in London

This explanation did not in any way improve the situation. lo President Cosgrave and his colleagues it was sufficiently evident that any attempt to carry out the scheme indicated would be a signal for the renewal of civil war in London to negotiate with the British Ministers. As a result of the negotiation it was decided to ignore completely the word of the Commission, and to allow the boundary between Northern Ireland and the Free State to remain as they had been laid down by the Act of 1920.