FIVE DAYS IN AN IRA TRAINING CAMP .......
From the moment a new recruit enters the Irish Republican Army he or she undergoes a rigorous and intensive training to assess the individual Volunteer's level of commitment , general ability and particular aptitudes . After the initial recruitment lectures , this period includes training in personal security and anti-interrogation , basic intelligence work , political education - and of course training in the use of weapons . In this supplied article , a Volunteer in the IRA's Belfast Brigade describes his experience of taking part in an IRA training camp .
From 'IRIS' magazine , November 1983 , pages 39 , 40 , 41 , 42, 43 , 44 and 45 .
... day 5 ..
It's now early evening - time to get ready to leave . A lengthy process which involves once again stripping , cleaning and oiling the weapons before they're taken away to be buried in an arms dump . Once we leave there'll be little evidence that the farmhouse has been occupied recently , until the next training camp begins .
We all strip and clean too ( no oiling for us , just a bit of frog spawn in the shampoo rinse !) ; we don't anticipate any problems on our way back from the IRA training camp but we want to get rid of forensic evidence that we've been in contact with firearms .
A car pulls up outside , its lights switched off as it approaches , and we're ready to go . Hurried goodbyes - " See you again ." "Good luck ." Squashed up on the floor of the car (again !) , this time unarmed and in civilian clothes . Another series of cars and detours . Back in the draughy bedroom waiting for the morning and the return journey .......
(MORE LATER).
THE ARMALITE AND THE BALLOT BOX .......
" We have now established a sort of Republican veto . ......"
Michael Farrell interviews Gerry Adams MP , vice-president of Sinn Fein .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , July 1983 , pages 13 , 14 , and 17 .
MICHAEL FARRELL : " What are your short and medium-term objectives in the North ? "
GERRY ADAMS MP : " We want to consolidate and strengthen our organisation . The Westminster election took us into some completely new areas and showed up other areas where we were weak . We want to build up our organisation there . We are planning for the next local elections in 1985 when we can probably win the balance of power on a number of councils , certainly Derry City Council , and we will contest by-elections which may be coming up .
We have not yet decided our attitude to the EEC elections - whether to stand and whether to say we would take seats - but I think our vote could be increased there . We found , especially in the rural areas , that we can eat into the SDLP vote . Our longer term objective is to become the majority nationalist party as well as , of course, making considerable inroads in the 26 counties . "
MICHAEL FARRELL : " Even if you do replace the SDLP as the majority nationalist party you will still be left with the Protestant population . What is your attitude to them ? Do you accept that you have to win the consent of at least some of them to a united Ireland ? "
GERRY ADAMS MP : " The Unionist working class have no great reason to move away from their present position . The sectarian divisions are caused and maintained by the British ; they have marginal privileges and the Unionist ruling class have significant privileges . You have to get rid of the prop which causes the sectarianism and in that new situation working class unity can be built . It would be preferable , but I don't think it is possible , to win Unionist consent to break the British connection .
We have to break the loyalist veto . But I don't think it would be possible to build a democratic socialist republic without the consent of all the people , including what would then be ex-Unionists ....... "
(MORE LATER).
SEPARATIST MOVEMENT GROWS IN STRENGTH : analysis of recent General Election in the 26-Counties .......
From 'The United Irishman' newspaper , Aibrean [April] 1957 , page 7.
(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.
Had all 40 Constituencies been contested by our candidates it seems reasonable to assume that the over-all average reached in the 19 contested constituencies would also have been secured in all of the 40 constituencies . This would have given a result of approximately 140,000 which , coupled with the vote of over 152,000 obtained by candidates of the Republican Movement within the Six Counties in the last General Election to Westminster indicates a very practical and satisfactory demonstration of a national resurgence that gives hope for the ultimate success of the Cause of Ireland's liberation from English aggression .
There are several aspects of the election results to which attention could be drawn in the analysis of the first preference figures ; the purpose of this brief survey is not an attempt to examine those figures in detail . From an electorate of 1,738,278 the party forming the Government received a total of 591,994 first preference votes . In view of this piquant situation it will be particularly pointless for spokesmen of the Government to harp about a minority seeking to impose its will on the people of Ireland .
From past experience it may be anticipated that this minority Government will use the resources at its disposal to impose its will on the citizens of the 26 Counties ; that it will continue to use military and police forces of the State in alignment with the British occupation forces in the Six Counties in a combined attempt to prevent Irishmen and Irishwomen from continuing the struggle for Ireland's independence is also to be expected .......
(MORE LATER).
(Re the 'Lyons/Hathaway' query : I can only suggest you enter those names in the 'GOOGLE' searchbox on this blog ; other than that , I can only wish you 'Good Luck' in your search . Sorry ! - Sharon .)
