The country-side was apathetic; the towns were both for and against Redmond's policy.

In Galway, Sinn Fein had a strong hold on the college of the National University, but, on the other hand, the depot of the Connaught Rangers was just outside the city at Renmore, and that famous corps had many partisans; while in the fishing village of the Claddagh nearly every man was a naval reservist.
I came to Galway on the day the Home Rule Bill was signed and attended a couple of Volunteer drills, where I noted the activity of some young men going round with a password: "For whom will you serve ?" "For Ireland only." After the publication of the dissenting manifesto a Committee was called, and I obtained leave to be present.

There was a sharp discussion, and at the finish the vote was a tie, whether to support Redmond or the dissentients.

This did not at all please me or my friends, so we determined to have a big general meeting to see on which side public support really lay.

Everybody was invited, and a great many people could not get into the hall; this mattered the less because the Sinn Feiners cut the electric wires leading to the building and plunged us in darkness; luckily, it was a fine night, and we took the meeting outside with great success.