IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
.......7th May , 1918 - 73 people , comprising the leadership of the then Sinn Fein organisation , were 'arrested' by the British , in what Westminster promoted as the 'German Plot' arrests . But the Irish Republican leadership had been told that that would happen .......
The Sinn Fein leadership was aware of the impending 7th May 1918 'arrests' but did not leave their usual haunts for 'safe houses' (except for Michael Collins , who decided that his time would be better spent 'outside' , stirring things up over the 'arrests' , rather than 'inside') - they (correctly) assumed that the Irish people would be incensed by the British action , thus helping the Rebel cause .
Then , as mentioned previously , on 3rd July 1918 , Sinn Fein , the Irish Volunteers and the Gaelic League were 'outlawed' by Westminster . A good indicator of anti-conscription feeling in Ireland can be gauged by the actions of that most anti-Republican institution , the Catholic Church Hierarchy , and a certain Cardinal Logue in particular : this man had previously joined forces with the British to assist them in their recruitment campaign in Ireland .......
(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.
AISLINGI .......
" ....... when we think of the past , we think of places like Tara and Clonmacnois , the two most famous in Ireland ... "
" Tara , seat of the Kings of Ireland , was old when Christ was born ; it was abandoned in the second half of the sixth century but , because of its ancient glories , is still an inspiration . One hundred and fifty-three Irish Kings had reigned there before A.D. 563 . Its traces alone , without the written word , give ample testimony of its former greatness ; four hundred pikemen of 1798 lie buried there - their dust further sanctifies the soil of Tara .
Clonmacnois , founded by Saint Ciaran on 23rd January A.D. 544 , quickly became a seat of piety and learning and a city grew up around it . Students from every country in Europe attended its schools ; now it is a vast graveyard where rest the greatest and noblest of the land . T. W. Rolleston writes of it -
- " In a quiet watered land , a land of roses ,
Stands Saint Ciaran's city fair ;
And the warriors of Erin , in their famous generations ,
Slumber there . "
Other old places , Pagan and Christian , next in renown to Tara and Clonmacnois , pass in review before us ....... "
(MORE LATER).
Communication from BOBBY SANDS , Long Kesh H-Blocks , early December 1978 .......
As published in 'IRIS' magazine , November 1981 .
Re-published here in 6 parts .
(3 of 6).
" Within the past nine months we have seen outbreaks of jaundice , ringworm , dermatitis , disentry and severe diarrihoea - as well as dozens of minor and serious rashes . Never have the medical staff here blinked an eye or even handed out a painkiller to a sick man . We have suffered until men have collapsed and had to be taken out to hospital .
Our resistance to the daily brutalities has been token , in that, when the screws come to drag us out to be forcibly bathed or subjected to a degrading body search , we have sat on the floor of the cell and refused to move ......."
(MORE LATER).
(...and its great to be back ! Our 'Junior' enjoyed his time with the girlfriend , while the rest of us here at '1169...' had a break in County Waterford - it rained [all day !] Friday , on our way down , 'monsooned' with more rain on Saturday and Sunday ... but the sun finally broke through on the Monday , as we were heading home to Dublin ! Ah , sure , we still have our health ...).
