Dublin Riots , Saturday , February 25 , 2006 .RIOT SQUAD RESPONSIBLE FOR STARTING THE TROUBLE-
I was there from 11 AM untill 2.15 PM : this is what actually happened , as witnessed by myself and that other writer , amongst others , who was obviously in the same vicinity of O' Connell Street/Parnell Street as myself . Sharon.
NOTE - readers may be asking why the 'spark' that set the whole incident off was not shown on television news reports and/or in the pictures and reports that were published in the newspapers : on Monday , 27 February last , in 'The Evening Herald' newspaper , the following was published (on page 5) , by that organs 'Crime Editor' -
" A number of photographers , and myself , were taking pictures of the confrontation and we were surrounded by gardai who demanded that we stop and forcibly stood in front of us to prevent snaps . "
It appears that State agents were , even then , preparing an alibi for themselves and their paymasters . (Thanks , again , to the 'IRBB' for the 'heads-up' on that newspaper article).
Belfast solicitor Pádraigín Drinan was accompanying an official observer from Washington DC when riots broke out - Ms Drinan said that, contrary to many media reports, much of the fighting had erupted after local Dubliners were forced off O’Connell Street and down adjoining side streets by gardaí.
“ I saw hundreds of middle-aged local people jostle aggressively with Garda officers after being forced down side streets. They weren’t the type you would associate with a riot, ” she said. (Sourced from 'Daily Ireland' newspaper , February 28 last. )
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND THE IRISH STRUGGLE .......This article is based on a lecture delivered by Sean O Bradaigh in Dublin on January 21 , 1989 , marking the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the First (All-Ireland) Dail Eireann in the Mansion House on January 21 , 1919 , and the links between Irish and French Republicans - 'Partners in Revolution' 200 years ago .
Published in 1989 by Sean Lynch , Cleenrath , Aughnacliffe , County Longford , on behalf of the County Longford Branch of the National Graves Association .
By Sean O Bradaigh .
Liberte ! Egalite ! Fraternite ! Ou La Mort ! ( (Freedom ! Equality ! Brotherhood ! or Death!).
Unite Indivisibilite De La Republique !
Not since he surrendered the United States of America to General George Washington at Yorktown (1781) had Marquis Cornwallis faced such a superb tactician as General Humbert ; his strategy was a simple one - he refused to let General Lake counter-attack until they had together assembled an immense army .
With 30,000 English troops massed in South Leitrim and North Longford , they stopped Humbert's advance on Granard , at Ballinamuck on 8th September 1798 . Fatigue had slowed the march of Humbert's army ; had they reached Granard their campaign would have taken on a new character , with Dublin as their next objective : the capital was virtually defenceless as almost all of the garrison had been moved to Connacht .
" The life of a Lord Lieutenant of Ireland " , said Cornwallis , " comes up to my idea of perfect misery . I wish I were back in Bengal " . With the Rising suppressed , he set about constructing the Act of Union of 1800 , "...with the great object of consolidating the British Empire " .
[END of 'THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND THE IRISH STRUGGLE'].
(Monday , 6th - 'Fianna Fail : The Mask of de Valera' ; from 1989.)
THE UNBROKEN LINKS IN THE IRISH REPUBLICAN CHAIN ....... ByMartin Calligan.
(No year of publication.)
This new 'law' (by de Valera) , that verbal statements be accepted in the Free State Military Courts even if the people who were supposed to have made them were dead or insane (!) was only passed for the purpose of convicting and killing George Plant , a man who fought with distinction against the Black and Tans and the Staters : Sean McBride was defending for Plant - the Free State's 'Solicitor's Office' told McBride that the only way George Plant could save his life would be by 'a plea of insanity' : Plant told McBride to tell the Staters that in no way would they be allowed to downgrade him . That he would have death before dishonour . Plant and Joe O' Connor were then taken before the Military Court .
The Garda Superintendent involved in the case made a slip , which led to the acquittal of Joe O' Connor : but George Plant was sentenced to death . He was placed in the back of a Military truck , with his coffin , and within 48 hours was executed by a drunken firing squad in Portlaoise Prison : there was no right of appeal . These are the people who talk about justice , terrorists and men of violence .
I would ask the reader to note that in my comments (in this article) I am not defending or condemning Michael Collins , just recording facts to show that Britain only used her friends when useful and will drop them when a problem arises .
(MORE LATER).
BUTCHERS DOZEN .......
A poem by Thomas Kinsella , written after Bloody Sunday .
From 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .
We must forget , and look ahead ,
nurse the living , not the dead -
my words died out . But a phantom said :
'Here lies one who breathed his last
firmly reminded of the past ; a trooper did it , on one knee ,
in tones of brute authority. '
That harsher spirit , who before
had flushed with anger - spoke once more :
'Simple lessons cut most deep - this lesson in our hearts we keep ;
persuasion , protest , arguments ,
the milder forms of violence , earn nothing but polite neglect.'
England , the way to your respect
is via murderous force , it seems ;
you push us to your own extremes -
you condescend to hear us speak
only when we slap your cheek .
and yet we lack the last technique : we rap for order with a gun ,
the issues simplify to one .
(MORE LATER).
