DYING BY THE SWORD .......
By Emer Woodful .
The murder of LVF leader BILLY WRIGHT has ignited the most violent spell in the North's recent history and threatened the peace process . He may well have considered it an appropriate legacy .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , February 1998 , pages 30,31,34 and 35 .
Re-published here in 17 parts .
(2 of 17).
At a press conference announcing the Progressive Unionist Party's return to the talks process , its leader , David Ervine , said that "... a fine young man has lost his life , caused by some obscure group of headcases receiving political direction from anonymous but respectable politicians . "
Whatever about the long-term implications of the killing of Billy Wright , what we do know is that he was , for some , the working-class hero who represented the fear and alienation that many unionists feel about what they see as the threat to their culture , and a situation where the union would not be the same .
On New Year's Day , even the Church of Ireland primate , Robin Eames , spoke of the deep feeling of resentment among Protestants over the British government's handling of the peace process .......
(MORE LATER).
WOMEN IN IRELAND'S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM .......
By the late Cork Republican , Gearoid MacCarthaigh .
" The Constitution of Cumann na mBan declares that they are an autonomous organisation and declares that the first of its aims is " ... to assist Oglaigh na hEireann by every means available to them in the fight for the Freedom of Ireland . "
When founded , Cumann na mBan were trained in military drill , first aid , communications , coding and de-coding . On Easter Monday 1916 , members of Cumann na mBan reported for duty at all positions held by Oglaigh na hEireann in Dublin . They were welcomed everywhere except at Boland's Mills where they were ordered to go home by de Valera .
They did not "go home " but reported to Padraig Pearse at the GPO ; they were welcome here and given plenty to do for the week . Nurse Eileen O'Farrell , on Pearse's orders , negotiated the surrender with British General Lowe at a British barricade in Parnell Street and when it had been signed , carried Pearse's order to surrender to all posts which were occupied in Dublin .
I had the honour to meet Nurse Eileen O'Farrell on a platform in Middle Abbey Street in Dublin in December 1956 ....... "
(MORE LATER).
A POTENT WEAPON OF AGRESSION .......
From 'The United Irishman' newspaper , Aibrean [April] 1957 , page 1.
(IML. IX. UIMHIR 4 - price Tri Pingin [Three Pennies].
Thanks to my late friends Christy and Theresa L. for giving me this 48-year-old newspaper ; this thread published in memory of those two old Fenians ! - John.
' Part of Crumlin Road Prison in Belfast has been converted into a concentration camp and young men from all over the Six Counties are being rounded up and incarcerated there without trial .
In addition , Republicans who have completed terms of imprisonment are not given their release but are immediately 'lodged' in the camp - one of the latter is Leo McCormack of Dublin who has just completed a sentence of four years imprisonment in Belfast Jail . '
[END of ' A POTENT WEAPON OF AGRESSION .......'].
(TOMORROW : ' SURVIVORS , SERVERS, AND SAVIOURS ....' - from the same source .)
