IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... after the 15th January 1920 elections , the Unionists lost political control in Derry , which was the 'jewel in the crown' for them .......
The new Nationalist-controlled City Corporation and Mayor of Derry voted to give their allegiance to the 32-County Republican Dail Eireann : the Unionists objected strongly and the 'war of words' turned for the worse when Westminster sent armed RIC men , and British soldiers with bayonets attached to their rifles , into the Nationalist parts of Derry to 'put manners' back on the locals .
Speaking at an 'Orange' (a pro-Brit sectarian organisation) rally at Finaghy , Belfast , Unionist leader Edward Carson ('Lord' Carson of Duncairn) stated -
- " We must proclaim today clearly that , come what will and be the consequences what they may , we in Ulster will tolerate no Sinn Fein - no Sinn Fein organisation , no Sinn Fein methods . But we tell you [the British Government] this : that if , having offered you our help , you are yourselves unable to protect us from the machinations of Sinn Fein , and you won't take our help ; well then , we tell you that we will take the matter into our own hands . We will reorganise , as we feel bound to do in our our defence , throughout the province , the Ulster Volunteers . And those are not mere words . I hate words without action . "
British 'Lord' Edward Carson of Duncairn had an interesting past - and future.......
(MORE LATER).
Why We Ended The Hunger-Strike .
The full text of the H-Block Blanket Men's statement announcing the end of the 1981 Hunger-Strike .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2, November 1981 , pages 23 , 24 , 25 and 26 .
Re-published here in 18 parts .
(15 of 18).
" Well may they (the Dublin Establishment) hang their heads in shame , for they are a pathetic reflection of republicanism and the spirit that traditionally earmarked the Irish patriot's pursuit of nationhood and justice , and by their cowardly collaborationist and quisling stand on the H-Block issue they have debased the memory of generations of Irish freedom fighters who fought for a separatist Ireland .
If John Bull does'nt actually rule the twenty-six counties physically , he still rules in spirit ; and it must not be forgotten that Garret FitzGerald's concept of democracy parallels with Maggie Thatcher's .
There was only one positively injurious action available to the SDLP which would help to save lives in the H-Blocks and that was to isolate the British administration by withdrawing from the council chambers - this they consistently refused to do , preferring instead to cling tenaciously to their role of imperialist lickspittle ....... "
(MORE LATER).
A CASE OF IRISH JUSTICE .......
By Maureen Armstrong .
First published in ' The Spirit of Freedom ' magazine ; An Independent Journal of Irish News and Opinion ' .
Volume 2 , Number 5 , May 1987 , page 3 .
Re-published here in six parts .
(5 of 6).
The Gibsons drove without incident through Dundalk to the Customs Post at Carrickarnon ; the Gardai told him that they would accompany him right to the border but he said that the RUC were waiting for him on the other side . But the RUC were not there - they were waiting a quarter mile from the border as they were reluctant to drive right up there ; they were afraid that the IRA might be waiting for them .
Two minutes before Diplock Judge Gibson's car came across the border , a car had been parked by the roadside ; it was packed with explosives detonated by remote control . Judge Gibson had let off his last murderer of the Irish Republican community .
He went to meet the 'Final Judge' to whom he was so fond of sending young Irish men , women and children .......
(MORE LATER).