WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......
.......As well as a prolific writer , William Rooney was involved with various Irish Nationalist organisations .......
He was known to the Gaelic League , the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) [founded in 1884 to promote Irish sport] , as he was with a similar organisation , the 'Irish Athletic Association' (IAA) [founded in 1885].
Although still only in his mid-twenties (ie in the early 1890's), William Rooney suffered from ill-health but insisted on supporting what were referred to then as the 'Irish Ireland Societies' ie the GAA , the Gaelic League , the IAA and the various Nationalist newspapers that he wrote for ; he travelled the country , night and day , attending meetings of those groups and delivering speeches.
He was known to encourage the use of political agitation in the hope of achieving his objectives , even though such encouragement was frowned upon by , for one , the leadership of the Gaelic League , which took a deliberate decision to stay away from politics - some of those in the 'Irish Ireland Societies' were forming the opinion that William Rooney was 'stirring things up' .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......Seven British Army lorries , led by a touring car , were coming at us - heavily-armed British Auxiliaries . Hughie , our Lewis-Gunner , adjusted the sights on his weapon . Two shots rang out ......."
" Hughie let fly - the 'glen serene' was now awake with a vengeance . The guns were pealing with a joyous abandon . It was a place of echoes , and one got the impression that other battles raged in the distance at every point of the compass . The sound struck the rocky face of Rahoona a mile away to the south-west and returned undiminished . An old man travelling a path along its side stooped in terror at the mouth of a beilic to get cover . A fox jumped from a rock on to his back and vanished into a cave . On Rahoona and away to the south on the hills of Kilnamartyra , people congregated to hear if not to see the battle .
A young man of military age remarked to my mother - " Is there not something inspiring in the crack of the rifle ? " " There is indeed , " she replied , " when one is a good distance away from it ! " The British Auxiliaries had heard of our trap ; there was plenty of evidence of that . As the British lorries approached our position , four hostages were ordered out to walk ahead of them - we saw them and realised what they were . Bullets passed them by to strike down Auxiliaries near them but the hostages remained unhurt . When the first burst of fire struck the British car and lorries , both Auxiliaries and hostages dived for shelter . One of the prisoners got in over a low fence , south of the road ...
... " Get out again , " shouted an Auxie to the prisoner , presenting a revolver ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(15 of 16).
Julie Livingstone's mother stated - " We decided to take the case to the High Court for damages - loss of years - not because we wanted the money , but because the publicity , we thought, would persuade the British Government to ban plastic bullets ." On the weekend before the court hearing , the family was offered £1,500 Sterling to settle out of court : " It was an insult to us and we refused to take the money , " said Mrs. Livingstone .
By the following Monday the offer had been upped to £17,500 Sterling : " At this stage we were all suffering from the pressure . Some of the witnesses were being harrassed and our solicitor advised us to take the money . He pointed out that the sum being offered would attract press attention of itself while on the other hand the verdict of the Coroner might be overturned , " said Mrs. Livingstone .......
(MORE LATER).
