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 .
(6 of 17).
Billy Wright denied having had anything to do with the death of Lurgan taxi driver Eddie McGoldrick ; he said that he had been " ... arrested for public consumption .. " and knew of no loyalist involvement in the killing . The UVF and the UDA also denied any involvement , and Wright offered the completely unfounded suggestion that it may have been a drug-related killing .
That killing is said to have added to the rift between Billy Wright and the 'Combined Loyalist Military Command' , who were backing the cease-fire ; there had been growing unease among Wright and his supporters , and the UVF , which was said to be angry about the violence at Drumcree , the McGoldrick killing and the moving further away from any dialogue . As a result , in August 1996 , after Drumcree , the UVF issued a statement saying it had stood down one of its Units in Portadown .......
(MORE LATER).
WOMEN IN IRELAND'S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM .......
By the late Cork Republican , Gearoid MacCarthaigh .
" Eamonn de Valera was due to visit Cork ; security was tight . Passes were issued by the Free State authorities , six of which ended up with the local IRA . The Brits , of course , did not know this . Six members of Cumann na mBan were selected , a prepared speech was drawn up and each of the six women had to learn it off by heart .
de Valera was visiting Cork to open the new City Hall ; on the opening day , the six women presented themselves at the entrance to the City Hall one or two at a time and were admitted when they produced their passes . When they entered the Hall they took up widely scattered positions around the stage . When de Valera got up and started his speech , the first woman got up and started her speech ; Dev sat down and remained sitting until the Broy Harriers had removed the woman protestor from the room .
When de Valera got to his feet again , the second woman got up and continued from where the first woman was forced to leave off ; six times this happened that day . The women , when they were dragged from the main room , were held for a number of hours in a separate room in the building and questioned as to how they had gained admission .
Needless to say they did not tell ....... "
(MORE LATER).
SURVIVORS , SERVERS , AND SAVIOURS.......
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.
' After the British butchery of 1798 , the Orangeman was made to fear the Catholic and , fearing him , to oppress him . The Catholic was taught that he needed a friend to defend him against Protestant oppression and Orange violence .
The maintenance of a so-called United Kingdom necessitated the dis-union of Ireland , and a new 'pale' was formed around Belfast . We must teach our Northern brethren that they have lost much in the last 150 years ; and that it is in London and not in Dublin that they will eventually recognise their enemies .
The first duty of Irishmen , then , is to unite and save our country ; our second duty is to make it reasonably prosperous , provide full employment and stop emigration . The key to these economic problems is monetary reform - the State must assume the responsibility of controlling the supply of credit , or money , and of feeding a sufficiency of this into our economy for real wealth to be produced and all people to be employed ....... '
(MORE LATER).
Beannachtai na Casca oraibh ; Tiocfaidh Ar La ! Happy Easter ; Our Day Will Come !
