The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......Members of both the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' and the 'Clan na Gael' organisations dis-agreed on the amount of pressure which should be applied to those running in the U.S. Presidential elections in relation to Ireland ; plus , there was 'bad blood' between U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and the 'Clan' leadership .......
At the National Convention of the U.S. Republican Party , the delegates were being canvassed by Judge Daniel Cohalan (a U.S. Democrat) and his people when Eamon de Valera arrived with his team to canvass the same crowd - Judge Cohalan had previously requested that de Valera and his team stay away , and a verbal row between both camps ensued , in full view of those they were trying to canvass !
By June 1920 , however , both the (U.S.) Republican and Democratic candidates had accepted the 'gentle prodding' approach towards the situation in Ireland , as recommended by John Devoy , Judge Cohalan and others in the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' - the other resolution (ie 'put-it-in-writing-or loose-the-Irish-vote'), which was supported by Eamon de Valera , Harry Boland and Clan na Gael , was rejected by both U.S. camps .
However - the dispute between the Clan and the FOIF had been closely monitored by the Irish Republican Brotherhood leadership in Ireland ; they were not at all pleased with either group.......
(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.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......We were dug-in on the Slippery Rock , where children usually played ; Paddy Donncha Eoin and three men with shotguns would be the nearest to the British soldiers when the action started ......."
" Paddy had often slid down the Slippery Rock on his way home from school , and knew the lay-out of the area well . The road straightened out again for one hundred yards ; along its southern side there was no fence at that time . Along the northern side was a low fence and a few low little rocks . Behind these were disposed the remainder of the shotgun men and two with revolvers . At the extreme western end , and on the southern side , was a little hillock facing the approach road ; behind it were stationed Mick the Soldier and myself , with our two rifles .
We had plenty of men besides , but had no guns for them . 'Free' Kelleher put his eye on my Smith-and-Wesson revolver - I gave it to him . Then we settled down to another period of waiting . Sometime about four p.m. , the scout on the hill above us signalled the approach of the patrol . We watched the bend at the Slippery Rock for any movement ...
Riding their push-bikes at a steady pace they came , one by one, their British Army Officer in the lead . They were like beads on a string set apart at the same intervals , and they fitted exactly into the trap laid for them : as their last man rounded the bend , their Officer was within thirty yards of us . Then we saw Paddy Donncha Eoin standing upright , his revolver in his hand ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(3 of 12).
The RUC said they had seen a man with a gun go into the shed ; that they had heard a rifle mechanism and muffled voices ; that an RUC Sergeant had shouted - "Police , throw out your weapons " ; that the warning was repeated ; that through a space in the door they saw Martin McCauley pointing a rifle at them ; that two RUC men opened fire ; that they saw Michael Tighe point a rifle at them ; that they fired at him ; that McCauley re-appeared and they fired again .
They found no ammunition in the shed . The electronic bug had picked up everything that had happened . There was a tape , and it was when John Stalker got close to this tape in his investigation of the killings that he was removed . The tape could have proved that the RUC were lying . Martin McCauley was charged with possession of a firearm , found guilty , and given a two-year suspended sentence . The RUC admitted they had lied about a man with a gun near the scene . They admitted they had been staking the place out .
Michael Tighe had no connections with any paramilitary organisations . He was seventeen years old . Of this shooting , John Stalker had the following to say --
-- " As an individual I also passionately believe that if a police force of the United Kingdom could , in cold blood ,kill a seventeen-year-old youth with no terrorist or criminal convictions , and then plot to hide the evidence from a senior policeman deputed to investigate it , then the shame belonged to us all . This is the act of a Central American assassination squad - truly of a police force out of control " .
(MORE LATER).
Friday, April 09, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
....... U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and the leader of Clan na Gael , Judge Daniel Cohalan , were old enemies - they had 'fallen-out' with each other over the 'League of Nations' , which Judge Cohalan was set against .......
Also , while U.S. President Woodrow Wilson was travelling America on a speaking tour during the last few months of 1919 , he was closely shadowed by Clan na Gael operatives and , in every town and city that Wilson spoke in (and indeed towns and cities neighbouring same !) , full-page advertisements were placed in newspapers attacking him for not taking a stronger stand against the British . Wilson was aware that Cohalan and the Clan were responsible for same .
Judge Daniel Cohalan was known to be serious about his involvement with the Irish Rebel cause but , occasionally , he would put domestic issues first - he was known to be of the opinion that the 'League of Nations' was a ploy by the British to integrate themselves into American society . Irish supporters were being pulled in many different directions ...
However - I digress (again ; another tangent , I know ....!) : within both the 'Clan na Gael' and 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' groups there were those who supported the 'FOIF' 'gentle prodding' approach and those who supported the 'Clan' option of 'put-it-in-your-manifesto-or-loose-the-Irish-vote' position - indeed , (another tangent....)
(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.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......We were now in position to carry-out the ambush ; the waiting was the worse - knowing that we would soon have to inflict suffering on other men ......."
" But we knew , in our case , it was an effort to counter a long established terror . Every other means had been tried . But still the tragedy persisted . The ordinary British soldier , whom we would meet that day , was but the unwilling tool of the war-monger . There was nothing left for us to do but fight the tools , since we could not meet the masters . We would fight them as fairly as possible , but they would not have the advantage of the morning , their firearms versus our sticks .
The British lorries passed by at two p.m. on their return journey to Macroom . With regret we let them go . With the garrison only a mile and a half away to the west , and the patrol the same distance east of us , and with our poor armament , we could not do otherwise . We descended to the road and each group took the place allotted to them . The road from Clondrohid , hardly the width of two cars , bent sharply around the Slippery Rock which sloped upwards from its southern side . It was called 'The Slippery Rock' by children coming home from school , who , seating themselves on flat stones , used to slide down its sloping face .
It was now occupied by Paddy Donncha Eoin and three men with shotguns ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(2 of 12).
The next killing was thirteen days later and was related to a previous incident . MI5 bugged a hayshed belonging to the widow of a Republican at Ballyneery Road , outside Lurgan . The hayshed was constructed of breeze blocks and corrugated iron , and the electronic bug was placed in the rafters . The IRA moved explosives into the building and the British Army and RUC monitored all of this . The entire area around there and Kinnego was on high alert . This was 27th October 1982 .
The RUC had been instructed not to enter the area ; RUC Sergeant Sean Quinn and Constables Paul Hamilton and Alan McCloy asked for permission to go into the area . Checks were carried out and they were given permission to proceed . They were also told that the explosives were still in the shed . They were'nt ....
The IRA had managed to take them out despite the surveillance . The three RUC men were killed in an explosion of those same explosives . An informer allegedly came forward and gave the names of four men who were involved . On 11th November 1982 , three of those named were killed in the above-mentioned ambush (see '1 of 12') . But the RUC and the British Army still had the shed under surveillance , and by now the RUC had also planted three sixty-year-old rifles in the shed .
The owner of the shed was away , and Martin McCauley had been asked to look after it . With his friend Michael Tighe , he noticed that the window of the shed was open - both entered and spotted the weapons ; as they moved closer to them , two shots rang out and Michael Tighe disappeared . Then there was a shout - " Right , come on out " , followed by a burst of gunfire . Martin McCauley was hit and could'nt move . He was dragged from the shed and an RUC man threatened to finish him off , and put a gun to his head .
The RUC story was much different.......
(MORE LATER).
....... U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and the leader of Clan na Gael , Judge Daniel Cohalan , were old enemies - they had 'fallen-out' with each other over the 'League of Nations' , which Judge Cohalan was set against .......
Also , while U.S. President Woodrow Wilson was travelling America on a speaking tour during the last few months of 1919 , he was closely shadowed by Clan na Gael operatives and , in every town and city that Wilson spoke in (and indeed towns and cities neighbouring same !) , full-page advertisements were placed in newspapers attacking him for not taking a stronger stand against the British . Wilson was aware that Cohalan and the Clan were responsible for same .
Judge Daniel Cohalan was known to be serious about his involvement with the Irish Rebel cause but , occasionally , he would put domestic issues first - he was known to be of the opinion that the 'League of Nations' was a ploy by the British to integrate themselves into American society . Irish supporters were being pulled in many different directions ...
However - I digress (again ; another tangent , I know ....!) : within both the 'Clan na Gael' and 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' groups there were those who supported the 'FOIF' 'gentle prodding' approach and those who supported the 'Clan' option of 'put-it-in-your-manifesto-or-loose-the-Irish-vote' position - indeed , (another tangent....)
(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.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......We were now in position to carry-out the ambush ; the waiting was the worse - knowing that we would soon have to inflict suffering on other men ......."
" But we knew , in our case , it was an effort to counter a long established terror . Every other means had been tried . But still the tragedy persisted . The ordinary British soldier , whom we would meet that day , was but the unwilling tool of the war-monger . There was nothing left for us to do but fight the tools , since we could not meet the masters . We would fight them as fairly as possible , but they would not have the advantage of the morning , their firearms versus our sticks .
The British lorries passed by at two p.m. on their return journey to Macroom . With regret we let them go . With the garrison only a mile and a half away to the west , and the patrol the same distance east of us , and with our poor armament , we could not do otherwise . We descended to the road and each group took the place allotted to them . The road from Clondrohid , hardly the width of two cars , bent sharply around the Slippery Rock which sloped upwards from its southern side . It was called 'The Slippery Rock' by children coming home from school , who , seating themselves on flat stones , used to slide down its sloping face .
It was now occupied by Paddy Donncha Eoin and three men with shotguns ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(2 of 12).
The next killing was thirteen days later and was related to a previous incident . MI5 bugged a hayshed belonging to the widow of a Republican at Ballyneery Road , outside Lurgan . The hayshed was constructed of breeze blocks and corrugated iron , and the electronic bug was placed in the rafters . The IRA moved explosives into the building and the British Army and RUC monitored all of this . The entire area around there and Kinnego was on high alert . This was 27th October 1982 .
The RUC had been instructed not to enter the area ; RUC Sergeant Sean Quinn and Constables Paul Hamilton and Alan McCloy asked for permission to go into the area . Checks were carried out and they were given permission to proceed . They were also told that the explosives were still in the shed . They were'nt ....
The IRA had managed to take them out despite the surveillance . The three RUC men were killed in an explosion of those same explosives . An informer allegedly came forward and gave the names of four men who were involved . On 11th November 1982 , three of those named were killed in the above-mentioned ambush (see '1 of 12') . But the RUC and the British Army still had the shed under surveillance , and by now the RUC had also planted three sixty-year-old rifles in the shed .
The owner of the shed was away , and Martin McCauley had been asked to look after it . With his friend Michael Tighe , he noticed that the window of the shed was open - both entered and spotted the weapons ; as they moved closer to them , two shots rang out and Michael Tighe disappeared . Then there was a shout - " Right , come on out " , followed by a burst of gunfire . Martin McCauley was hit and could'nt move . He was dragged from the shed and an RUC man threatened to finish him off , and put a gun to his head .
The RUC story was much different.......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, April 08, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......dis-agreement in the Irish camp ; some wanted to gently persuade the U.S. Presidential candidates to remember the Irish situation , others wanted a more forceful approach - circumstances , grudges and in-fighting were by now joining the fray .......
A few years previously (ie around 1916), the Clan na Gael group (as powerful then as it was now in 1920) had brought pressure to bear on U.S. President Wilson to demand from the British that they get out of Ireland . Wilson was not overtly concerned about the Irish situation , but was damned if he was going to support any proposals /requests /demands from a man he dis-liked ; U.S. Democrat (and Irish Fenian) Judge Daniel Cohalan !
It was Cohalan and the Clan organisation that financed the opposition to U.S. President Wilson's ' League of Nations ' proposal - indeed , of the estimated $900,000 dollar 'war fund' that the Clan had , only $115,000 dollars was spent in Ireland ; the other $785,000 dollars was spent in attacking the 'League of Nations ' , or "Britains League" , as Judge Daniel Cohalan and John Devoy called it .
The 'Big Guns' of the day - Henry Cabot Lodge and William Borah , for instance - addressed huge rallies against Wilson's /'Britains' League organised and financed by Clan na Geal .....
(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.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......On our way to ambush a British Army patrol on the Clondrohid Road , we walked across Paddy Beag's field ; there was about twenty of us , including Paddy's son , Jer ......."
" We told Paddy that it was a shame to be working on that fine day . Were it not that we had so much to do we would now make up the hay for him . Did he not know that we were all coming back in the near future , perhaps that very evening , to give him a hand ? It would be advisable for him , therefore , to sit down and take things easy until we returned . This provoked his ironic laughter , and the last I heard of his satire as we streamed over the hill was something about " idle cadays ".
From the northern slope of Cnoc an Uir we looked down on the Clondrohid Road . The Vice-Commandant of our Battalion , Paddy O'Sullivan (Paddy Donncha Eoin), was with us , and the IRA Company Area Captain , Patsy Lynch . They held a council of war to which we were all admitted - no IRA Volunteer was debarred from making a suggestion . That was one of the ways in which we differed from a regular army . From our height , we looked down on the positions we were to occupy . Each man , or group , was directed where to go .
In the meantime , we would have to wait until the two British Army military lorries which had gone on to Ballyvourney returned . While we would be hidden from the British patrol coming from the east , we could not remain unseen by anyone coming from the west . We had to wait a long time for the return of the lorries . Waiting was always a strain . The thought inevitably recurred to the mind of the normal man of the tragedy of lying across the path of his fellow man , to cut short his life , or more or less maim him and cause him suffering . It did not require much intelligence to visualise that .
The mind then asked why such a savage procedure was necessary ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(1 of 12).
The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) shot dead six men in three separate incidents around Armagh towards the end of 1982 . Here's how they did it --
-- It was shortly before 7pm on 11th November , 1982 . Eugene Toman and Sean Burns returned to Lurgan , having just returned to active service with the IRA . Burns had been identified on an IRA operation and had been advised to leave Lurgan . He refused . And so , on this Thursday evening , both men slipped quietly back into the town .
The night was dark as they drove towards Gervaise McKerr's house . They were going to wait there for another car to take them to a safe-house for the night . Eugene Toman ate tea and toast and Sean Burns had cornflakes . Both men were cracking jokes with a girl in the house . Gervaise McKerr left the house in his green Ford Escort (reg UPF 77S). By 9.30pm he had returned and he drove both men away .
At Tullygally Road East , the RUC were waiting . McKerr's car was well known and they had the men under surveillance . Three RUC men ambushed the car , fired 108 bullets into it from a Sterling sub-machinegun , Rurer rifles and a handgun . All of the men in the car , unarmed, died instantly . The killing area extended to five hundred yards . The RUC told lies about what happened . They said there was a roadblock ; that McKerr had driven through , injuring one of their men .
They said they believed they were being fired on , that they returned fire and the Escort left the road . The RUC claimed that when they got to the car all three men were dead . All the RUC men were instructed to leave the scene at once and they took their cars and guns . They were de-briefed by Special Branch men . About twenty empty cartridges were removed deliberately from the scene .
McKerr's house was raided by the RUC after the killings , but his wife was never told that he was dead ; a Catholic Priest told her more than six hours later . None of the relatives of the three dead men was ever contacted by the RUC officers investigating the killings .......
(MORE LATER).
.......dis-agreement in the Irish camp ; some wanted to gently persuade the U.S. Presidential candidates to remember the Irish situation , others wanted a more forceful approach - circumstances , grudges and in-fighting were by now joining the fray .......
A few years previously (ie around 1916), the Clan na Gael group (as powerful then as it was now in 1920) had brought pressure to bear on U.S. President Wilson to demand from the British that they get out of Ireland . Wilson was not overtly concerned about the Irish situation , but was damned if he was going to support any proposals /requests /demands from a man he dis-liked ; U.S. Democrat (and Irish Fenian) Judge Daniel Cohalan !
It was Cohalan and the Clan organisation that financed the opposition to U.S. President Wilson's ' League of Nations ' proposal - indeed , of the estimated $900,000 dollar 'war fund' that the Clan had , only $115,000 dollars was spent in Ireland ; the other $785,000 dollars was spent in attacking the 'League of Nations ' , or "Britains League" , as Judge Daniel Cohalan and John Devoy called it .
The 'Big Guns' of the day - Henry Cabot Lodge and William Borah , for instance - addressed huge rallies against Wilson's /'Britains' League organised and financed by Clan na Geal .....
(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.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......On our way to ambush a British Army patrol on the Clondrohid Road , we walked across Paddy Beag's field ; there was about twenty of us , including Paddy's son , Jer ......."
" We told Paddy that it was a shame to be working on that fine day . Were it not that we had so much to do we would now make up the hay for him . Did he not know that we were all coming back in the near future , perhaps that very evening , to give him a hand ? It would be advisable for him , therefore , to sit down and take things easy until we returned . This provoked his ironic laughter , and the last I heard of his satire as we streamed over the hill was something about " idle cadays ".
From the northern slope of Cnoc an Uir we looked down on the Clondrohid Road . The Vice-Commandant of our Battalion , Paddy O'Sullivan (Paddy Donncha Eoin), was with us , and the IRA Company Area Captain , Patsy Lynch . They held a council of war to which we were all admitted - no IRA Volunteer was debarred from making a suggestion . That was one of the ways in which we differed from a regular army . From our height , we looked down on the positions we were to occupy . Each man , or group , was directed where to go .
In the meantime , we would have to wait until the two British Army military lorries which had gone on to Ballyvourney returned . While we would be hidden from the British patrol coming from the east , we could not remain unseen by anyone coming from the west . We had to wait a long time for the return of the lorries . Waiting was always a strain . The thought inevitably recurred to the mind of the normal man of the tragedy of lying across the path of his fellow man , to cut short his life , or more or less maim him and cause him suffering . It did not require much intelligence to visualise that .
The mind then asked why such a savage procedure was necessary ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(1 of 12).
The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) shot dead six men in three separate incidents around Armagh towards the end of 1982 . Here's how they did it --
-- It was shortly before 7pm on 11th November , 1982 . Eugene Toman and Sean Burns returned to Lurgan , having just returned to active service with the IRA . Burns had been identified on an IRA operation and had been advised to leave Lurgan . He refused . And so , on this Thursday evening , both men slipped quietly back into the town .
The night was dark as they drove towards Gervaise McKerr's house . They were going to wait there for another car to take them to a safe-house for the night . Eugene Toman ate tea and toast and Sean Burns had cornflakes . Both men were cracking jokes with a girl in the house . Gervaise McKerr left the house in his green Ford Escort (reg UPF 77S). By 9.30pm he had returned and he drove both men away .
At Tullygally Road East , the RUC were waiting . McKerr's car was well known and they had the men under surveillance . Three RUC men ambushed the car , fired 108 bullets into it from a Sterling sub-machinegun , Rurer rifles and a handgun . All of the men in the car , unarmed, died instantly . The killing area extended to five hundred yards . The RUC told lies about what happened . They said there was a roadblock ; that McKerr had driven through , injuring one of their men .
They said they believed they were being fired on , that they returned fire and the Escort left the road . The RUC claimed that when they got to the car all three men were dead . All the RUC men were instructed to leave the scene at once and they took their cars and guns . They were de-briefed by Special Branch men . About twenty empty cartridges were removed deliberately from the scene .
McKerr's house was raided by the RUC after the killings , but his wife was never told that he was dead ; a Catholic Priest told her more than six hours later . None of the relatives of the three dead men was ever contacted by the RUC officers investigating the killings .......
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......The Irish-American support group , the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' , was 'gently-prodding' the candidates in the November 1920 U. S. Presidential Election not to forget the Irish situation - the candidates were gently , but firmly , reminded that the Irish vote could be of assistance to them in their bid to be elected .......
However , others in the Irish camp did not agree that 'gentle-prodding' was the way to go ; de Valera had support in the Clan na Gael organisation (and some support in the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' organisation as well) for his opinion that , using the huge Irish vote as leverage , both U.S. Presidential candidates could and should be convinced to take a stronger line re the Irish (ie British) problem -
- that is , that if they wanted the Irish vote , then both candidates would have to have it included in their manifesto's that the Irish situation would be a priority for them (ie a 'Brits Out' policy). However , some members of the Clan na Gael were more , or also , supportive of the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' 'gentle-prodding' route ....confusion reigned .
Circumstances , grudges and in-fighting were by now joining the fray .......
(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.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......Myself and 'Mick the Soldier' were to be the first to make a move against the British Army patrol - we were to disarm the Brit Officer while the rest of the IRA Unit took-on the Brit soldiers . One of our scouts arrived and told us the enemy was on its way ......."
" The scout cycled back towards Ballyvourney village and again returned with the news that they had left the main road and were now travelling on the road to Clondrohid , roughly parallel to ours and behind our backs . The scout remarked that we must wait for another day ; we did not think so at all , as we knew that a mile or less across country would bring us to the Clondrohid Road , where we could intercept them on their way back to Ballyvourney . The ' patrons of the cudgel' claimed that the proposed ground was unsuitable for the use of their weapon , due to open spaces along the road . Here , some wag remarked that the day was not suitable either , that we should wait until next Fair-Day ! Eventually , it was decided to send for seven or eight shotguns , and to man the nearest suitable stretch of road .
On our way over the hill we passed through Paddy Beag's meadow ; Paddy and another old man were at the hay . We must have numbered about twenty , between armed and un-armed men . It was a strange sight , in the middle of a fine harvest day , to see this body of young men pass through the field where two old men worked hard . Paddy thought so too , and told us so emphatically in Irish and English . His son Jer was with us . Under the lee of a group of us , Jer passed by his father , unseen , while we replied cheerfully to Paddy's commentary . The fine day and the waste of labour seemed to be his principal trouble ......."
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part Four).
Yitzhak Shamir , a man of few words who served for a decade as 'Chief of Operations' for the Mossad , Israel's Central Intelligence Agency , has been reticent to respond publicly to questions about his Irgun and Lehi activities .
Lehi gunmen assassinated Lord Moyne , the British Minister of State for the Middle East , in Cairo in 1944 because he favoured halting further Jewish immigration to Palestine in the face of increasing violent Arab opposition .
Shamir was also suspected , in the 1940's , of plotting to launch a letter-bomb campaign against officials in London to sap Britain's determination to remain in Palestine . In Lehi's most egregious act of 'terrorism' , its gunmen assassinated Count Bernadotte , who had been trying to mediate the future of Jerusalem .
Bernadotte was killed on 16th September , 1948 - five months AFTER Israel's independence !
[END of - 'EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER.....'].
(Tomorrow - Armagh , Ireland , 1982 ; six men shot dead by the RUC - in May 1984 , a British Chief Constable , JOHN STALKER , was appointed to 'investigate' the killings : 'THE STALKER AFFAIR').
.......The Irish-American support group , the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' , was 'gently-prodding' the candidates in the November 1920 U. S. Presidential Election not to forget the Irish situation - the candidates were gently , but firmly , reminded that the Irish vote could be of assistance to them in their bid to be elected .......
However , others in the Irish camp did not agree that 'gentle-prodding' was the way to go ; de Valera had support in the Clan na Gael organisation (and some support in the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' organisation as well) for his opinion that , using the huge Irish vote as leverage , both U.S. Presidential candidates could and should be convinced to take a stronger line re the Irish (ie British) problem -
- that is , that if they wanted the Irish vote , then both candidates would have to have it included in their manifesto's that the Irish situation would be a priority for them (ie a 'Brits Out' policy). However , some members of the Clan na Gael were more , or also , supportive of the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' 'gentle-prodding' route ....confusion reigned .
Circumstances , grudges and in-fighting were by now joining the fray .......
(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.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......Myself and 'Mick the Soldier' were to be the first to make a move against the British Army patrol - we were to disarm the Brit Officer while the rest of the IRA Unit took-on the Brit soldiers . One of our scouts arrived and told us the enemy was on its way ......."
" The scout cycled back towards Ballyvourney village and again returned with the news that they had left the main road and were now travelling on the road to Clondrohid , roughly parallel to ours and behind our backs . The scout remarked that we must wait for another day ; we did not think so at all , as we knew that a mile or less across country would bring us to the Clondrohid Road , where we could intercept them on their way back to Ballyvourney . The ' patrons of the cudgel' claimed that the proposed ground was unsuitable for the use of their weapon , due to open spaces along the road . Here , some wag remarked that the day was not suitable either , that we should wait until next Fair-Day ! Eventually , it was decided to send for seven or eight shotguns , and to man the nearest suitable stretch of road .
On our way over the hill we passed through Paddy Beag's meadow ; Paddy and another old man were at the hay . We must have numbered about twenty , between armed and un-armed men . It was a strange sight , in the middle of a fine harvest day , to see this body of young men pass through the field where two old men worked hard . Paddy thought so too , and told us so emphatically in Irish and English . His son Jer was with us . Under the lee of a group of us , Jer passed by his father , unseen , while we replied cheerfully to Paddy's commentary . The fine day and the waste of labour seemed to be his principal trouble ......."
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part Four).
Yitzhak Shamir , a man of few words who served for a decade as 'Chief of Operations' for the Mossad , Israel's Central Intelligence Agency , has been reticent to respond publicly to questions about his Irgun and Lehi activities .
Lehi gunmen assassinated Lord Moyne , the British Minister of State for the Middle East , in Cairo in 1944 because he favoured halting further Jewish immigration to Palestine in the face of increasing violent Arab opposition .
Shamir was also suspected , in the 1940's , of plotting to launch a letter-bomb campaign against officials in London to sap Britain's determination to remain in Palestine . In Lehi's most egregious act of 'terrorism' , its gunmen assassinated Count Bernadotte , who had been trying to mediate the future of Jerusalem .
Bernadotte was killed on 16th September , 1948 - five months AFTER Israel's independence !
[END of - 'EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER.....'].
(Tomorrow - Armagh , Ireland , 1982 ; six men shot dead by the RUC - in May 1984 , a British Chief Constable , JOHN STALKER , was appointed to 'investigate' the killings : 'THE STALKER AFFAIR').
Tuesday, April 06, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......Both Irish-American support groups in the United States , 'Clan na Gael' and the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' , were well-organised and played their part well .......
In the months following the 1916 Rising , the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' group (then only a few weeks in existence) raised $350,000 dollars for the dependents of Irish Republican prisoners . As well as fund-raising in America in 1920 , Eamon de Valera was there to lobby both of the main political parties which were contesting the U S Presidential Election due to be held in November that year (1920).
The 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' group were gently , but firmly , talking to both the (American) Republican and Democratic candidates , telling them that it would be appreciated by the 'FOIF' (and , by extension , the Irish voters in the election campaign) if both politicians could see their way to voice sympathy for Ireland's position (ie re the British presence) and perhaps express goodwill towards a (hopefully) soon-to-be (re)established United Ireland . Leading members of the 'FOIF' , such as John Devoy and Judge Daniel Cohalan , (a U S Democratic) considered such 'gentle-prodding' to be the best way forward .
Others did not agree .......
(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.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
"....... the IRA Unit in Ballyvourney had set-up an ambush-point at the eastern end of their village , but had to disperse when a crowd of old Rebel ladies objected , loudly , to someone else having a go at the Brits from their patch ......."
" Paddy Donncha Eoin ordered an immediate retreat . Most of the IRA Unit favoured that decision , but a few maintained that he should have stood his ground . But they were 'highbrows' in the language movement . The old ladies' technique was , they declared , obsolete . Besides , they spoke only English and Irish . That limited their fire power . They , the 'highbrows' , had studied American and other foreign languages , thus vastly increasing their effective volume ! Nevertheless , they were prepared to admit that the 'Old Guard' had done very well .
Now we appeared on the scene . I must say we got a very mixed reception . Excepting my soldier comrade , few of us had as yet much experience of war . I noticed that it was those with the least experience who were the most vociferous - they were also the most parochial minded . They asserted that they were quite capable of dealing with any situation without any help foreign to the parish . We mildly replied that we were born three miles away on that hill to the south , which not so long ago was part of their parish . They gave us the assurance , many times reiterated , that no British soldier was to be shot that day ...
They were to take the rifles from them without bloodshed ; now my comrade was , alas , a 'hard man' , and I cannot therefore record his comments on this pronouncement ! They further intimated that no firearms were to be used in the action - making no reply , we leaned our rifles against a convenient rock and , unbuckling our revolvers and ammunition slings , laid them down . We picked up two cudgels instead and , making ourselves comfortable on improvised seats inside the fence of the road , we waited....
Presently , a Ballyvourney IRA Officer arrived and asked us to recover our revolvers and go to the extreme end of the ambush site , to halt and disarm the British Army Officer leading the Brit patrol . We took up these positions . Soon , an IRA scout on a bicycle arrived with the news that the British Army patrol was on its way ....... "
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part Three).
Retaliating for Arab attacks on Jewish civilians , both the Irgun and Lehi groups machine-gunned passing Arab busses and bombed restaurants and open-air markets , killing more than 300 civilians between 1937 and 1939 .
Pressuring London to surrender its United Nations mandate over Palestine , they assassinated more than 300 British policemen and soldiers and one Government Minister in the 1940's , 'terrorism expert' Maurius Schattner said .
According to Schattner - " They used blind terrorism against Arabs and personal terrorism against the British , " said the French-Jewish author , who is writing a book on the ideological history of the Irgun and Lehi .
(MORE LATER).
.......Both Irish-American support groups in the United States , 'Clan na Gael' and the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' , were well-organised and played their part well .......
In the months following the 1916 Rising , the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' group (then only a few weeks in existence) raised $350,000 dollars for the dependents of Irish Republican prisoners . As well as fund-raising in America in 1920 , Eamon de Valera was there to lobby both of the main political parties which were contesting the U S Presidential Election due to be held in November that year (1920).
The 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' group were gently , but firmly , talking to both the (American) Republican and Democratic candidates , telling them that it would be appreciated by the 'FOIF' (and , by extension , the Irish voters in the election campaign) if both politicians could see their way to voice sympathy for Ireland's position (ie re the British presence) and perhaps express goodwill towards a (hopefully) soon-to-be (re)established United Ireland . Leading members of the 'FOIF' , such as John Devoy and Judge Daniel Cohalan , (a U S Democratic) considered such 'gentle-prodding' to be the best way forward .
Others did not agree .......
(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.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
"....... the IRA Unit in Ballyvourney had set-up an ambush-point at the eastern end of their village , but had to disperse when a crowd of old Rebel ladies objected , loudly , to someone else having a go at the Brits from their patch ......."
" Paddy Donncha Eoin ordered an immediate retreat . Most of the IRA Unit favoured that decision , but a few maintained that he should have stood his ground . But they were 'highbrows' in the language movement . The old ladies' technique was , they declared , obsolete . Besides , they spoke only English and Irish . That limited their fire power . They , the 'highbrows' , had studied American and other foreign languages , thus vastly increasing their effective volume ! Nevertheless , they were prepared to admit that the 'Old Guard' had done very well .
Now we appeared on the scene . I must say we got a very mixed reception . Excepting my soldier comrade , few of us had as yet much experience of war . I noticed that it was those with the least experience who were the most vociferous - they were also the most parochial minded . They asserted that they were quite capable of dealing with any situation without any help foreign to the parish . We mildly replied that we were born three miles away on that hill to the south , which not so long ago was part of their parish . They gave us the assurance , many times reiterated , that no British soldier was to be shot that day ...
They were to take the rifles from them without bloodshed ; now my comrade was , alas , a 'hard man' , and I cannot therefore record his comments on this pronouncement ! They further intimated that no firearms were to be used in the action - making no reply , we leaned our rifles against a convenient rock and , unbuckling our revolvers and ammunition slings , laid them down . We picked up two cudgels instead and , making ourselves comfortable on improvised seats inside the fence of the road , we waited....
Presently , a Ballyvourney IRA Officer arrived and asked us to recover our revolvers and go to the extreme end of the ambush site , to halt and disarm the British Army Officer leading the Brit patrol . We took up these positions . Soon , an IRA scout on a bicycle arrived with the news that the British Army patrol was on its way ....... "
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part Three).
Retaliating for Arab attacks on Jewish civilians , both the Irgun and Lehi groups machine-gunned passing Arab busses and bombed restaurants and open-air markets , killing more than 300 civilians between 1937 and 1939 .
Pressuring London to surrender its United Nations mandate over Palestine , they assassinated more than 300 British policemen and soldiers and one Government Minister in the 1940's , 'terrorism expert' Maurius Schattner said .
According to Schattner - " They used blind terrorism against Arabs and personal terrorism against the British , " said the French-Jewish author , who is writing a book on the ideological history of the Irgun and Lehi .
(MORE LATER).
Monday, April 05, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......The Irish were well-organised in America and assisted Eamon de Valera in raising approximately five-and-a-half million dollars for the Irish struggle ; there were two main Irish-American support groups ; 'Clan na Gael' and the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' group (FOIF) , which was itself controlled by 'Clan na Gael'...... .
Members of the 'Clan' were militant , and openly supported the physical force element in the struggle for Irish Freedom - they supported the Irish Republican Brotherhood and recognised the Brotherhood " as the Government of the Irish Republic virtually established . " They had no second-thoughts about the use of force in removing the British presence from Ireland .
On the other hand , the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' group (although guided by the 'Clan') stated that its aim was "to encourage and assist any movement that will tend to bring about the National Independence of Ireland ." Both groups , while perhaps not seeing eye-to-eye on every issue , played their parts well .......
(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.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......We discussed the proposed ambush on the Brits , and myself and 'Mick the Soldier decided to help out on the operation . We walked the four miles to Ballyvourney ......."
" As we approached Poul na Bro Bridge , we noticed some activity along the far side of the main road . Men appeared to be lining a stretch of it . We wondered at this , as Seainin had told us that the village , nearly a mile to the west , would be the scene of the venture . We sent Seainin ahead to investigate ; in a short time he returned with the news - as he approached we could tell that something amusing had happened . So it had ...
The lads had , as they thought , unobtrusively occupied the eastern half of the village . Certainly , from the military point of view , it appears that they did it well - there were small disused houses , sheds , laneways and corners that could fairly be described as no-man's land . These they had quietly garrisoned , but they reckoned without another enemy worse than the foreign one ; a number of active old ladies also occupied that zone at that particular period of history . If there was a war to be waged in their terrority , they were well able to cope with their own end of it .
Already , the old Rebel ladies had , on many occasions and from time immemorial , triumphed over enemies , both foreign and domestic . They now appeared , in battle array , before Paddy Donncha Eoin and his men . Simultaneously with their ultimatum for the instant evacution of all occupied buildings and terrain , they demonstrated the morale-shaking effect of vocal warfare ......."
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part Two).
Yitzhak Shamir's 'IRGUN' organisation , and the activities of the 'LEHI' group , have been recounted in several books and articles . But as he began his third term as Prime Minister last month (ie December 1988) , Shamir's past was raised again by Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) officials anxious to neutralise their own image as 'terrorists' .
" Americans deny Yasser Arafat a visa because he's a 'terrorist' but make Shamir their best friend . Is that justice ? " asked Bassam Abu Sharif , a top aide to the PLO chairman , in an interview in Geneva .
There is no doubt that many of the attacks that Irgun and Lehi staged in fighting both Arabs and British to make a Jewish state out of Palestine fall within any generally accepted definition of 'terrorism' .....
(MORE LATER).
.......The Irish were well-organised in America and assisted Eamon de Valera in raising approximately five-and-a-half million dollars for the Irish struggle ; there were two main Irish-American support groups ; 'Clan na Gael' and the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' group (FOIF) , which was itself controlled by 'Clan na Gael'...... .
Members of the 'Clan' were militant , and openly supported the physical force element in the struggle for Irish Freedom - they supported the Irish Republican Brotherhood and recognised the Brotherhood " as the Government of the Irish Republic virtually established . " They had no second-thoughts about the use of force in removing the British presence from Ireland .
On the other hand , the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' group (although guided by the 'Clan') stated that its aim was "to encourage and assist any movement that will tend to bring about the National Independence of Ireland ." Both groups , while perhaps not seeing eye-to-eye on every issue , played their parts well .......
(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.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......We discussed the proposed ambush on the Brits , and myself and 'Mick the Soldier decided to help out on the operation . We walked the four miles to Ballyvourney ......."
" As we approached Poul na Bro Bridge , we noticed some activity along the far side of the main road . Men appeared to be lining a stretch of it . We wondered at this , as Seainin had told us that the village , nearly a mile to the west , would be the scene of the venture . We sent Seainin ahead to investigate ; in a short time he returned with the news - as he approached we could tell that something amusing had happened . So it had ...
The lads had , as they thought , unobtrusively occupied the eastern half of the village . Certainly , from the military point of view , it appears that they did it well - there were small disused houses , sheds , laneways and corners that could fairly be described as no-man's land . These they had quietly garrisoned , but they reckoned without another enemy worse than the foreign one ; a number of active old ladies also occupied that zone at that particular period of history . If there was a war to be waged in their terrority , they were well able to cope with their own end of it .
Already , the old Rebel ladies had , on many occasions and from time immemorial , triumphed over enemies , both foreign and domestic . They now appeared , in battle array , before Paddy Donncha Eoin and his men . Simultaneously with their ultimatum for the instant evacution of all occupied buildings and terrain , they demonstrated the morale-shaking effect of vocal warfare ......."
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part Two).
Yitzhak Shamir's 'IRGUN' organisation , and the activities of the 'LEHI' group , have been recounted in several books and articles . But as he began his third term as Prime Minister last month (ie December 1988) , Shamir's past was raised again by Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) officials anxious to neutralise their own image as 'terrorists' .
" Americans deny Yasser Arafat a visa because he's a 'terrorist' but make Shamir their best friend . Is that justice ? " asked Bassam Abu Sharif , a top aide to the PLO chairman , in an interview in Geneva .
There is no doubt that many of the attacks that Irgun and Lehi staged in fighting both Arabs and British to make a Jewish state out of Palestine fall within any generally accepted definition of 'terrorism' .....
(MORE LATER).
Sunday, April 04, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......As President of the (32-County) Irish Republic , Eamon de Valera was in America - it was early in 1920 .......
In January 1920 , de Valera launched a 'Bond Drive' - printed certificates were sold with a guarantee that same could be exchanged for an Irish Republican Bond after British dis-engagement had occured and an (all-island) Irish Republic had been declared .
It was apparently envisaged that 'Bond Holders' would be in a financial position to assist with the development of industry in the New Ireland ; approximately five-and-a-half million dollars was raised in this way , out of which over four million dollars was sent back to Ireland . At that time , there were two main Irish support groups in America - 'Clan na Gael' (founded in June 1867 by Jerome J. Collins) and the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' (FOIF) organisation , founded in March 1916 by different Irish groups collectively known as the ' Irish Race Convention '.......
(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.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......One of the IRA Volunteers from Ballyvourney , Seainin Donncha Eoin , told myself and 'Mick the Soldier' of a plan his men were putting together to ambush a British Army patrol . It was not much of a plan......."
" The time for such a job was past . My ex-soldier comrade thought less of it . Seainin did not fancy it either , but would do exactly as he was directed . " Well , Seainin ," I said , " we will give you our revolvers now , but if you have no objection we will go with you since we are leisurely and we would like to see the fun in any case . " " I have no objection ," replied Seainin . " I was told to bring two revolvers , and if I turn up with two men armed with rifles and revolvers so much the better . "
Here I must explain that IRA Company areas were in reality parish or half-parish areas , and that between them there was a certain rivalry , the same rivalry that spurred the youth of one parish in hurling or other games against the neighbouring parishes . The arms of the enemy were now the goal of all , but who would be the first to reach it ?
Ballyvourney was four miles distant , due north . A road led us straight down steep Caherdaha (Cathair Daithi) across the little bridge at Atha Tiompain over the Sulainin Beag , up Ceann Droma , past Clohina , down Ceapach na Coille , by the foot of Rahoona Hill , to cross the Sullane at Poul na Bro Bridge , a hundred yards from the Macroom-Ballyvourney Road ....... "
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part One).
On a hot July morning in 1938 , Jewish 'terrorists' retaliating against Arab 'terrorist' attacks on Jews rolled an explosive-laden drum into a bus stop in the city of Haifa and killed 25 Arab civilians .
Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir was then a 23-year-old member of the group that carried out the attack , the National Military Organisation , known as the 'IRGUN' . On September 16 , 1948 , 'terrorists' from an Irgun splinter group assassinated the United Nations mediator for Palestine , Sweden's Count Folk Bernadotte , in a Jewish suburb .
Shamir was then 'Chief of Operations' for the splinter group , which was known as the 'Israel Freedom Fighters' or 'LEHI' , by its Hebrew acronym - but called The Stern Gang by the British military policemen who were the targets of its attacks ....
(MORE LATER).
.......As President of the (32-County) Irish Republic , Eamon de Valera was in America - it was early in 1920 .......
In January 1920 , de Valera launched a 'Bond Drive' - printed certificates were sold with a guarantee that same could be exchanged for an Irish Republican Bond after British dis-engagement had occured and an (all-island) Irish Republic had been declared .
It was apparently envisaged that 'Bond Holders' would be in a financial position to assist with the development of industry in the New Ireland ; approximately five-and-a-half million dollars was raised in this way , out of which over four million dollars was sent back to Ireland . At that time , there were two main Irish support groups in America - 'Clan na Gael' (founded in June 1867 by Jerome J. Collins) and the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' (FOIF) organisation , founded in March 1916 by different Irish groups collectively known as the ' Irish Race Convention '.......
(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.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......One of the IRA Volunteers from Ballyvourney , Seainin Donncha Eoin , told myself and 'Mick the Soldier' of a plan his men were putting together to ambush a British Army patrol . It was not much of a plan......."
" The time for such a job was past . My ex-soldier comrade thought less of it . Seainin did not fancy it either , but would do exactly as he was directed . " Well , Seainin ," I said , " we will give you our revolvers now , but if you have no objection we will go with you since we are leisurely and we would like to see the fun in any case . " " I have no objection ," replied Seainin . " I was told to bring two revolvers , and if I turn up with two men armed with rifles and revolvers so much the better . "
Here I must explain that IRA Company areas were in reality parish or half-parish areas , and that between them there was a certain rivalry , the same rivalry that spurred the youth of one parish in hurling or other games against the neighbouring parishes . The arms of the enemy were now the goal of all , but who would be the first to reach it ?
Ballyvourney was four miles distant , due north . A road led us straight down steep Caherdaha (Cathair Daithi) across the little bridge at Atha Tiompain over the Sulainin Beag , up Ceann Droma , past Clohina , down Ceapach na Coille , by the foot of Rahoona Hill , to cross the Sullane at Poul na Bro Bridge , a hundred yards from the Macroom-Ballyvourney Road ....... "
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part One).
On a hot July morning in 1938 , Jewish 'terrorists' retaliating against Arab 'terrorist' attacks on Jews rolled an explosive-laden drum into a bus stop in the city of Haifa and killed 25 Arab civilians .
Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir was then a 23-year-old member of the group that carried out the attack , the National Military Organisation , known as the 'IRGUN' . On September 16 , 1948 , 'terrorists' from an Irgun splinter group assassinated the United Nations mediator for Palestine , Sweden's Count Folk Bernadotte , in a Jewish suburb .
Shamir was then 'Chief of Operations' for the splinter group , which was known as the 'Israel Freedom Fighters' or 'LEHI' , by its Hebrew acronym - but called The Stern Gang by the British military policemen who were the targets of its attacks ....
(MORE LATER).
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