THE SEEDS OF A POLICE STATE .......There is substantial evidence that a major crime was perpetrated within the Garda Siochana five years ago .
The evidence for this crime has certainly been available to senior Gardai ever since then , but no enquiry whatsoever has taken place , let alone any Garda being disciplined in connection with that crime .
By Vincent Browne and Derek Dunne .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1983 .
John Fitzpatrick , Brian McNally , Nicky Kelly and Michael Plunkett were in the Bridewell Garda Station in Dublin from 11.30am on Wednesday , April 7 , 1976 , following Nicky Kelly's return from the trip to Ballymore Eustace and Bray : thus the question arises why it took a further 11 hours to have them charged . No adequate explanation for this was forthcoming during the trial .
But there was a further suspicious twist to the case - the rules of the Bridewell specify that persons held on the same charge should not be placed in the same cell together - asked by Seamus Sorohan , State Counsel , if he believed that what was done to Nicky Kelly and Brian McNally was in contravention of the rules of the Bridewell , Detective Inspector Ned Ryan said in evidence - " I believe it does , my Lords , contravene those regulations . " However , later in the trial , Ryan contradicted his earlier testimony on that point : he said - " I am not aware of it (ie the rule in question) . I think if that is there it is a new one . "
Independent Evidence of Screaming in the Bridewell .
But before we leave the very persuasive evidence that Brian McNally , Osgur Breathnach and Nicky Kelly were beaten up in the Bridewell , there is further independent evidence that there was something untold going on in the Bridewell during the period in question.......
(MORE LATER).
Veteran Irish Republican , LILY MOFFATT , interviewed....... From 'IRIS' magazine , November 1982 .
By John Doyle .
IRIS magazine - " You have been active in support of the republican women in Armagh jail , and you have been in jail yourself . Can you tell us about that ? "
Lily Moffatt - " I was first in prison for two months in 1923 , but nothing was as bad as Armagh . I was arrested by Free State soldiers in March 1923 in Rooskey , County Roscommon . The night before , the local garda barracks had been soaked in petrol by the IRA , but the Staters arrived before it could be burned down . I was bundled off to Longford barracks and then taken to the Castle barracks in Athlone . The bed sheets were as black as your boots . We got two sheets and two blankets each , but that wasn't much for March . We pushed our beds together , two girls from Sligo and me , and shared our heat and covers .
My brother Michael was being held too in the same barracks , and we could see him passing each morning . One day when I was looking out , the soldiers fired at us . We couldn't get Mass either . One day we complained to the prison chaplain , but it made no difference . They wouldn't give us Sunday Mass , only Mass on the odd weekday . We had to kneel on rough cement , but one of our guards had a cushion to save his knees , which we robbed on him ! "
IRIS magazine - " You didn't take the Free State pension , given to republicans involved in the Tan war by the newly-elected Fianna Fail Administration ? "
Lily Moffatt - " No , why should I ? We were all Volunteers . " ('1169....' Comment - ...follow that link and judge for yourself the calibre of 'Volunteers' in the Provisional organisation now .)
(MORE LATER).
THE PROVOS AT THE BALLOT BOX .......By Michael Farrell .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , June 1983 .
SOUTH DOWN -
Patrick Forde (Alliance Party) : Patrick Fitzsimmons (SF) : Cecil Harvey (DUP) : Eddie McGrady (SDLP) : Margaret Magee (WP) : Enoch Powell (OUP) .
This has always been a fairly closely-balanced seat , religious wise , but the unionists have always held it up to this . It has lost the nationalist Newry area and the unionist Banbridge area to neighbouring seats , probably leaving a small unionist majority .
The split unionist vote gives the SDLP's Eddie McGrady a fair chance of winning , but only if he holds the lead the SDLP had over Sinn Fein in the Assembly election . It is one of Sinn Fein's weakest areas , however , so it looks as if Enoch Powell will have to go back to Birmingham .
Assembly Election 1982 : (First Preferences) SDLP 20,610 , three seats ; OUP 18,371 , two seats ; DUP 11,349 , two seats ; Alliance Party 3,646 ; Sinn Fein 3,393 ; Workers Party 1,676 .
(MORE LATER).
PLEASE NOTE : The '1169...' crew will be taking a wee break from operations soon - our last post this side of the new year will be on Friday 22 December next . We will return in early January to continue on from where we left off .
Go raibh maith agat .
John , Sharon and 'Junior' .
