Working within British 'law' with a vow NOT to use force against the British....... :
DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;
THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .
....... the 'Monster Meeting' held on 15th August 1843 (161 years ago , almost to the date) on the Hill of Tara was the biggest since they began ; approximately one million people attended .......
.... On that day in Irish history , Daniel O'Connell addressed a sea of people -
- " We are at Tara of the Kings - the spot from which emanated the social power , the legal authority , the right to dominion over the furthest extremes of the land .... the strength and majority of the National Movement was never exhibited so imposingly as at this great meeting . The numbers exceed any that ever before congregated in Ireland in peace or war . It is a sight not grand alone but appalling - not exciting merely pride , but fear . Step by step , we are approaching the great goal of Repeal of the Union , but it is at length with the strides of a giant . "
Again , it must be stressed that Daniel O'Connell would use only "moral force" to achieve what he termed "...Repeal of the Union " and, even then , favoured the island of Ireland remaining as a unit governed by the British 'Monarchy' - a 'new' coat of varnish on rotten timber . O'Connell could 'talk the talk...' but .......
However - the 'Monster Meetings' were a great success ; even if the Brits did'nt think so .......
(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.
BURNINGS.......
"....... 2nd June 1920 - the proposed new enemy barracks in Inchigeela , the 'Glebe House' , was burned down by us ; on 5th June that year , we burned down Ballingeary Barracks . Our next target , on 9th June 1920 , was the 'Great House' in Ballyvourney ......."
" Once again , the Brits were forestalled in Ballyvourney ; the 'Great House' , fully furnished , had stood unoccupied for some time . It had ceased to function as of yore , and had lately passed into the hands of a man of the people ; it was regrettable, therefore , to have to burn it , since it was now his property . But it was absolutely necessary to do so . In a war one does not present the enemy with fully furnished barracks where he wants them .
So on the night of 9th June 1920 , the 'Great House' ceased to exist ; its very walls have disappeared and the 'Lawn Gate' gives access now to the Lawn . Here you may enter at your pleasure and sit and dream in the shade of the big chestnut tree . If a ghostly servitor , in knee breeches and claw-hammer coat , approaches and asks you if you have brought the rent , you'll know you have been dozing ! If the vision persists , tell him that despite the streamlined tails of his coat , he is out of date ; he will then sadly depart and you may watch his progress around the drive to the gravelled walk . Here he turns right and , walking up into the air , disappears - he has just climbed the ghostly steps of the 'Great House' to acquaint his lord and master that a mere Irishman without the 'rent' in his pocket exists under the chestnut tree ...
If you do not wake up a swarm of minions may surround you and bear you to the dungeon under the courthouse , a be-wigged judge on the bench , and an RIC man or two on either side of you . You will note the 'needle-point' moustaches of the latter as sentence is passed and you wake up with a start ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......
Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .
Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .
First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.
Re-produced here in 21 parts .
(9 of 21).
In 1951 , the CIA launched 'Operation Ajex' to remove Muhammad Mossadeq , the leader of Iran . They choose General Fazlollah Zahedi to be the new leader of Iran , pending the return of the Shah , and organised a coup against Mossadeq . General Zahedi had been interned by the British during the war because of his pro-Nazi sympathies . After the coup , the British - who up to 1951 controlled all of Iran's oil - were reduced to a 40 per cent share . Now the Americans also had a 40 per cent share ....
In 1952 , the CIA had prepared a coup against the Arbenz government in Guatemala ; the coup was aborted . In 1953 Arbenz nationalised the United Fruit Company (who had been involved in transporting arms for the abortive coup).......
(MORE LATER).
