PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
....... Ireland 1849 - Philip Grey was surviving in tough times ; starvation , people hoping for death to relieve their suffering (and the rodents to feast on them , as the dead were left lying where they fell) . Those that could help were asked by their own people to do so .......
One of those not directly effected by 'The Great Hunger' and its accompanying diseases was a certain Protestant clergyman (name not known to this scribbler) who wrote to the then British Prime Minister , 'Lord' John Russell (Russell replaced Robert Peel in that position in June 1846)-
- " My Lord - I have a right to speak for I am a Minister of God . Let me then importune and implore you , my Lord , to stand in the breach between the living and the dead . Tell the assembled Parliament that the people must not any more be left to die . " The good Reverend got his answer from Mr. 'Lord' Russell (May 1849 , British House of 'Commons') -
- " I do not think any effort of this House would , in the present unfortunate state of Ireland , be capable of preventing the dreadful scenes of suffering and death that are now occurring in Ireland . I distinctly repeat that I do not believe it is in the power of this House to do so . I do not feel justified in asking the House for an additional advance of £100,000 which at least would be necessary if the House should say there should be no possible cause of starvation in Ireland . "
Callous bastard .
However , I digress - in September 1849 , Philip Grey , 22 years of age , arrived in Dublin following the collapse of the proposed Rising in the Tipperary / Waterford area , and settled in the town.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A DRIVE TO CORK CITY .......
"....... March 1921 ; we had been told that a British Army patrol would be on the river in two days time - a plan of attack was put together , and travel arrangements made ......."
" The Buick Tourer was a silent and powerful car that Jim Grey maintained at its original efficiency - we had no fears on that score . Neither had anyone any fears as regards the driving ; Jim himself always proclaimed that he was in mortal terror of coming events - " Glory be to God , lads ," he would exclaim piously , " I'm terribly windy . " This was treated as a standard joke , and now we waited for it as the finale to our preparations !
The car-hood was lowered and strapped down , the top half of the windscreen was removed and a rectangular piece of plate glass was cut and removed from the corner of the lower half , remote from the driver - this was done to provide a convenient rest for the Lewis-Gun when facing forward . Tea was announced , and we adjourned to the house . After grub , night had fallen , which was our best ally . Without its aid , the weak could hardly hope to fight or resist the strong . Now under its friendly cover , we were about to move nearer to the enemy .
Fully armed , we took our places in the Buick . Most of the IRA Column stood around to wish us God speed , and I also suspect , to listen to our drivers usual valedictory ......."
(MORE LATER).
BREAKAWAY PARTIES HAVE POOR RECORD .......
By Carol Coulter.
(First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper on Monday 22nd April 1985).
Reproduced here in 7 parts .
(4 of 7).
In 1954 , Clann na Poblachta won three seats , but a smaller share of the poll (3.8 per cent). In 1957 , the party got 1.7 per cent of the vote and one seat , and this remained its representation in the Dail (sic- Leinster House) until it was wound-up in 1965 .
The 1940's also saw a split in the Labour Party vote : in 1944 , the 'Irish Transport And General Workers Union' (ITGWU - now known as SIPTU) split from the Labour Party over the latter's relationship with Big Jim Larkin , bringing five TD's (sic- Leinster House members) with it to form the 'National Labour Party' .
The 'National Labour Party' won four seats in the 1944 election , and five in 1948 , when it too joined the first inter-party (Free State) government . In that Administration , it re-united with the Labour Party in 1950 . The split between Noel Browne and Sean MacBride in Clann na Poblachta brought with it the seeds of yet another political party , though these did not come to fruition until 1961 .
In that year (1961) Noel Browne , along with Jack McQuillan , formed the 'National Progressive Democrats' . They fought the General Election and got only 1 per cent of the vote , but it brought two seats . In 1963 , they joined the Labour Party .......
(MORE LATER).
