BACK PAGES: MAY 12th, 1917:THE SOUTH Longford by-election in 1917, when Sinn Féin narrowly defeated the Irish Party – by some 37 votes, after a recount – was a significant milestone in the progress from 1916 to Independence. A report two days later, on this day in 1917, gave a snapshot of the reaction around the country to the victory of Sinn Féin's Joseph McGuinness, illustrating the youth of the party's supporters and the opposition of the women relatives of those fighting in the first World War:
South Longford Sinn Féin and the result
The result of the South Longford election was celebrated by Sinn Féiners in many towns in all parts of Ireland on Thursday night and yesterday. The celebrations generally took the form of processions and the lighting of bonfires. No serious disturbances have been reported, but there was a good deal of excitement in some places. In Navan between 200 and 300 young people paraded the streets at night, cheering and singing.
At Enniscorthy the local Sinn Féiners lighted tar barrels on the Market square, the Turret Rocks, and Vinegar Hill, between 10 o’clock and midnight. A procession of 1,000 young people paraded the streets, and placed a Republican flag on the Father John Murphy 98 Monument.
When a Co Galway motor car carrying a large Republican flag passed through the town of Roscommon from Longford the car was stoned by a number of women. A procession was formed, and, headed by a Republican flag that had done duty in Longford, the crowd marched through the town, singing. In Wexford town tar barrels blazed, and a big flag was hoisted on the ballast bank in the harbour. A large black flag, with a white border, was flown from the courthouse in Moate. While the police were removing it a crowd collected and cheered for South Longford and McGuinness.
Portions of the town of Athlone were illuminated, and tar barrels blazed on the surrounding hills. At midnight a procession headed by pipers marched through the streets. In the Irishtown district, where songs were sung, stones were thrown at the crowd. Many put photographs of relatives who are at the war in their windows, and others displayed Rolls of Honour. During the night there was a good deal of excitement, as the wives and mothers of the large numbers of the men of the town who are at the front resented the Sinn Féin display.
There was great rejoicing in Carrick-on-Shannon. Tar barrels were lighted on the hills, and the Drumlin A.O.H. Band, with a crowd of young people paraded the streets, and cheered Joseph McGuinness, Archbishop Walsh, the bishops who signed the anti-partition petition, Count Plunkett, Bishop O’Dwyer of Limerick and Father OFlanagan.
The result of the election was received with mixed feelings in Naas. The older generation of Nationalists were disappointed, but the younger people were jubilant. The Republican colours were flown from several houses, and a tar barrel was lighted on the Fair Green.
The Sinn Féin element in Mullingar organised a procession, which was largely composed of young people and shop assistants. A representation of a coffin was carried at the head of the crowd, bearing the words: “The Irish Party died in Longford, 10th May, 1917. R.I.P.” Several Republican flags were carried by the processionists. At Austin Friars some women displayed the flags of the Allies. The crowd rushed the women, sized the flags, and burned them, amid great cheering. A meeting was held at the Market House, and one of the speakers declared that John Redmond’s day was done in Ireland.”
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1917/0512/Pg006.html#Ar00601