He was ill--physically ill, probably with the beginnings of his fatal disease--and morally sick at heart and out of hope.

Another Irish election in South Longford had been strenuously fought by the party and had been won by the Sinn Feiner; a decisive factor in the election was the issue of a letter from Archbishop Walsh which grossly misrepresented Redmond's whole policy and action.

He was in no humour for banquetings, and at this moment the Irish party was nearly back at its old attitude, which dictated a refusal to have part or lot with the House on such ceremonial occasions.[9] But Redmond's feeling for South Africa was specially strong, his feeling about the war was unchanged; and this was a recognition of a great South African statesman's services in the war.

He let himself be persuaded into accepting.
At the dinner he sat next to a Liberal peer, a member of the late Government, who talked with him of Irish possibilities.

Redmond did not know what the Government intended.