Irish volunteers leaders, and events of national interest 1912-1916.

Preface. I HAVE, unworthily, to take the place of Madame de Markievicz in writing an Introduction to this First Volume of Ernest Kavanagh's Cartoons. She is at present a prisoner in Holloway Gaol, England, but I trust that when the three further volumes dealing with Labour, Women's Suffrage, and General Subjects are ready that she will be again at liberty and able to fulfil her kind promise as to the introductory matter. Ernest Kavanagh was a keen student of human nature. He gave less attention to those that he admired than to those that he despised. His heroes-such as James Larkin, his close personal friend-seldom figure in his cartoons: but men that he deemed hypocrites, cowards, tyrants, or liars, these he minutely dissected, and he gives us the result of his studies in a series of drawings, bold and original, and extremely subtle in their delineation not only of facial expression but of character. His technique may not be perfect, but his message in each case is clearly and forcibly told. Many of those whom Ernest Kavanagh lauded were despised when he depicted them most of those whom he despised were respected then. But times have changed, and opinions with them. In many of his pictures he was prophetic. I do not wish to single out any particular names as examples of his judgment of aim and character: he was at variance with Irish public opinion when he drew; readers can judge for themselves who was right- Ernest Kavanagh or the Irish public. THE ILLUSTRATIONS. Frontispiece-A Portrait of Ernest Kavanagh. From a snapshot taken on the Good Friday before Easter Week, 1916. He was killed by British soldiers on Easter Tuesday morning. Page 3. - The New Nationalism ("Irish Freedom.") Messrs. William O'Brien, John Redmond, and John Dillon, M.P's. Drawn in 1912. This foreshadowed the later attitude of these politicians towards Ireland and the British Empire. Bulmer Hobson, and Irish Volunteer, and John Bull (unpublished). The artist looked upon Eoin MacNeill and Bulmer Hobson as bluffers rather than fighters. The last cartoon in the book is also of Hobson. In another cartoon, unfortunately not available for publication, Larkin is represented as surprising a committee Meeting of Irish Volunteers, who look very frightened and demand Jim's expulsion as a "real" revolutionary. Hobson and McNeill are depicted among the Committee. Page 4. - Up Against a Stone Wall. The Volunteers' Temptation ("Irish Worker."). Note the Union Jack over a jail typifying British rule. Page 5. - The One Bright Spot ("Irish Worker."). Worker and Sweater ("Irish Worker.")