The above will be confirmed in Dublin city centre on Saturday 2nd May 2015 at 2pm in O'Connell Street. Hope to see you there!
THE PRICE OF PEACE......
Mary Duffy, Elaine Bradley and Anne Barr were preparing to gather up belongings. There were about eight cars parked in the vicinity belonging to friends, husbands and relations of the arrested women and the men were helping with the packing. The three women were told by gardaí that under 'Section 9 of the Phoenix Park Act' the garda commissioner had signed an edict which made it illegal for "people like you" to be within a mile of the US Ambassador's residence.
The gardaí now said that walking, camping, sitting or loitering in that part of the Phoenix Park was illegal, and the women remarked that there were a number of joggers running past : was it illegal to jog? Why didn't the gardaí annoy those people? The gardaí said that jogging was not illegal, and the women then began to jog. And they were arrested as they jogged, with the gardaí jogging along behind them. This time the women refused to walk to the vans and had to be carried. It was these three women - Mary Duffy, Elaine Bradley and Anne Barr - that solicitor Heather Celmalis saw being taken into the Bridewell - one of them , Mary Duffy, was being dragged by the ankles.
The gardaí apparently had some trouble trying to lift Mary Duffy, as she is a thalidomide victim and has no arms. There were now 33 women detained in the Bridewell, and one in Cabra. Mary Duffy was put in a cell alone, and the other women were upset by her isolation and complained about it. Mary herself wasn't too upset, she was glad of the rest, and sang a few songs, pleased to find that the empty cell gave a terrific echo. She didn't know then that she was going to be in the Bridewell for over thirty hours. (MORE LATER).
But it is Charlie Haughey's tough police and legal moves against IRA operations in the Border counties which has done more to impair the IRA in the last year than the RUC and British Army combined in the last three. Cross border co-operation between the Garda and the RUC at Regional Commander and ground level combined with meticulous Task Force searches of Border farms, have seriously disrupted IRA logistics and produced a number of significant arms and explosives dumps. Those tactics are described by one IRA leader as 'devastating' and things could get worse for the Provos if Haughey's attempt to activate the dormant 'Criminal Law Jurisdiction Bill' for cross-border offences succeeds.
At the same time there are indications that the IRA could be conserving its resources for the 'long war' ; to hit when and where it hurts. "We could bomb all around us for three months and cause millions of commercial damage, but we'd lose 40 or 50 men and maybe kill 9 or 10 civilians in the process. What would be the point of that?", asks one Northern IRA leader.
Despite temporary or long term setbacks, the IRA remains essentially a product of an abnormal society in the North, what Tim Pat Coogan calls a 'faecal society'. The IRA is not the problem in the North, it is only a reflection of the problem. And as long as the problem remains unsolved, the IRA and its bloody campaign will persist. In that context, it's worth quoting General Glover's conclusion to his 1978 assessment of the IRA: "The Provisional's campaign of violence is likely to continue, while the British remain in Northern Ireland (sic) ". (MORE LATER).
ON THIS DATE (29TH APRIL) 99 YEARS AGO : "IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE FURTHER SLAUGHTER OF DUBLIN CIVILIANS...
The above document, signed by Patrick Pearse, James Connolly and Thomas MacDonagh , signalled the end of six days of fighting between approximately 20,000 British troops (including, in their ranks, Irish men) and a volunteer rebel force of about 1,500 Irish men and women (and other nationalities) . At about 3.45pm on Saturday, 29th April 1916, the Rising was brought to an end - Pádraig Pearse surrendered to British Brigadier-General Lowe, James Connolly surrendered on behalf of the 'Irish Citizens Army' and Ned Daly surrendered to British Major De Courcy Wheeler ; it is not mentioned as often as it should be, but before the surrender of Ned Daly and his forces, all of whom fought bravely in the North King Street area of Dublin, the British Officer who was in command of that particular engagement, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Taylor of the South Staffordshire Regiment, had lost 11 of his men with a further 28 having being wounded. Following the surrender of Daly and the Dublin 1st Battalion, Taylor - who was to claim later that he was acting under orders from his superior, Brigadier-General William Henry Muir Lowe - ordered his men, who were enraged over having lost so many of their number, to 'flush out' any remaining enemy forces. Taylor's troops began breaking into local houses and, before their bloodlust was satisfied, they shot and/or bayoneted 15 boys and men to death, all of whom were 'rebel fighters', according to the British.
Approximately 590 people died during the six days of the 1916 Rising, of which 374 were civilians (including 38 children, aged 16 or younger) , 116 British soldiers, 77 Irish rebel soldiers and 23 members of the British 'police force' which operated in Ireland at that time. The objective has not yet being obtained, as not one of those rebel fighters took up arms to 'achieve' a so-called 'Free State' : the aim then, as now, is to secure a Free Ireland.
NOT A POUND'S WORTH - NO 'CRIME' COMMITTED.
Despite the fact that he should have known better if, that is, his cv is anything to judge by - 'Shadow Minister for Northern Ireland' and former member of the 'Northern Ireland (sic) Affairs Select Committee', and the fact that he has listed 'Ireland' as one of his "main political interests" - British Labour Party MP Stephen Pound apparently sees nothing wrong in inferring that the 1916 Rising was 'a crime against the British Empire'. How else to explain his announced intention to seek a "Royal Pardon" for those executed by the British military for their part in same, considering that such a 'Pardon' is '...an official order given by a king or queen to stop the punishment of a person accused of a crime..' ? In a statement in relation to Pound's propaganda, the 'National Graves Association' said -
'British Labour Party M.P Steve Pound has announced his intention to ask the next British Government to consider recommending a "Royal Pardon" for the executed leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. While I am sure that Mr. Pound is well intentioned his proposal present problems on a number of levels. The whole point of the Easter Rising was that Irish Republican Forces rejected the jurisdiction of the British Crown in Ireland.
That’s precisely what they were fighting against and what they died for. Any “Royal Pardon” now would therefore be both meaningless and an insult to the memory of the executed leaders. Secondly, those who reject the Sovereign objectives (i.e. an Independent Ireland) of the Easter Rising may think that the executed leaders have something to be pardoned for. The rest of us most certainly do not. The British Offence that the executed Men were convicted of was "Waging War against his majesty the King". For Ireland to accept this British Offence as a crime in Ireland would be to criminalise all those who fought for Irish Freedom throughout the centuries.
Should Britain now wish to apologise to Ireland for executing such a noble body of people as the 1916 leaders, well and good. But, a "Royal Pardon" would be just a modern British Government adding insult to the injury of a previous one.
Is Mise
Sean Whelan, Chairman
National Graves Association
P.O Box 7105
Dublin 2
A solid reply, which needs no explanation to anyone who genuinely understands what Stephen Pound and his colleagues would consider to be 'the Irish question'. Also, the 'NGA' graciously omitted any reference to Mr. Pound's past indiscretions , even though they did 'shoot from the hip', so to speak (...as opposed to speaking from "a well filled hipflask..."). I presume Stephen would understand my highlighting the above - in for a penny, in for a Pound and all that....
SIX-FOOT BILL BURNED IN THE BATH!
All those who attended this protest are to be congratulated for doing so, and all present confirmed (loudly!) that they will be taking part in the double-water-tax protest in Dublin city centre on 'Mayday', Friday 1st May 2015 : those attending are requested to assemble at the Garden of Remembrance from where the protest will be leaving at 6.30pm. And I'll be there, too, with other RSF supporters and members, hoping to 'burn bill' again!
ABOLISH THE 'OFFER', AND THE 'OFFICE'.
I intend to vote 'No' on the same-sex marriage State referendum because, in a nutshell, it's a bridge too far for me, morally, and I won't pretend to be neutral or a 'Yes' voter and/or supporter in an attempt to try and present myself as what some would see as being 'progressive' on the issue, as it's not a subject matter which I want to see 'progressed' in that particular direction. This society is fast losing and/or has lost its value system and its sense of honour, decency, respect and responsibility, replacing same with a carefree 'if-it's-good-enough-for-the-British/Europeans/Americans-then-it's-the-path-to-follow' type of attitude which will, in time, culturally destroy any remnants of 'neighbourliness' that have not already been destroyed. I have no religious or financial reasons which would encourage me to vote 'No', just a moral reason, and that's all I need. A 'Yes' vote would, I believe, add to the already-rampant societal apathy that allows a laissez faire attitude to thrive.
THE LOTTERY : WHERE A PICTURE IS WORTH $4,997,000.00 CENTS!
Like all other internet users, I receive spam emails on a fairly regular basis and have filters set-up to stop it from getting into my 'Inbox' but, even so - such is the sheer volume of them - a few get through now and again. Between my 'Trash' and 'Inbox' collection this past week alone I have been contacted regarding my electric usage (statement/bill included!), have received notification from the 'British Tobacco Mega Jackpot United Kingdom' re a small fortune that they are holding for me, been told that the World Bank/IMF wishes to reimburse me, that the Office of the President, Rue De Bureau Presidentielle of the FBI wish to compensate me to the tune of US$650,000.00 which, thankfully, is a sum of money which I will have , apparently, just in time to pay for the international drivers license and the university diplomas that I owe for. And, on top of that win, I also won a fortune in the 'Afro Asian Sweepstake Lottery'....
Anyway, after sorting through the above chaff, I discovered a sliver of wheat, from my new friend Fabian, from Lagos (the formatting is his, not mine!) -
UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA NIGERIA
HEAD OFFICE ADDRESS UBA HOUSE
57 MARINA P.O. BOX 2406 LAGOS
NIGERIA
PHONE: +234 8189850958
Hello,
Am FABIAN CHUKWUthe new, director cash processing unit, united bank for Africa [UBA the only bank appointed by the O.AU. Members lead by President John Kuffor.
Because of the frauds going on in West Africa countries where some innocent beneficiaries were asked to pay in advance before receiving their money owed to them. The above Africa union held meeting in Nigeria and resolve to pay all beneficiaries in cash through means of diplomatic courier service. We receive your files from international monetary fund (I.M.F.) as one of the beneficiaries.
Take note; three thousand united state dollars (us$3,000) have been mapped out for all expenses in taxes and other documents that matters. Therefore,
I want you to bear it in mind that your total fund will be no more five million
($5,000.000,00) but four million and nine hundred and ninety seven thousand united state dollars ($4,997,000.00).
If anybody tells you that he is paying you in bank draft or telegraphic money transfer both western union and money gram, do not listen to him or her because due to this frauds no international bank honors our remittance instruction any more that is why we settled to pay in cash through courier
We also received a security report that you paid the fraudsters who have been deceiving you, telling you that they are going to send this money to you. Dear as a senior banker, controlling this cash payment now, I advise you not to waste your money by paying any body in advance again, and if you just follow my instruction, you will receive your money in three days time.
Your fund will now be packaged in box and take to the diplomatic courier service for immediate shipment, I will also send the picture of the box by attachment to you to see how the money is packed, and I will send you more mails to give you more information for you to know the genuineness of this transaction.
Therefore, do forward your home address and direct phone number to me for quick delivery because time is not in our side. All the documents will be sent to you if I am assured that you have stopped sending money to those fraudsters.
Am waiting to hear from you with the required information of yours.
FABIAN CHUKWU
Director cash processing unit
united bank for Africa. (U. B.A).Email: fabianchukwu@aol.com
I'm thinking that the above must be genuine, as Fabian knows that I have already been contacted by the IMF in regards to a reimbursement they owe me and he couldn't possibly know that unless he really is the 'director of the cash processing unit' of a large financial organisation. So I'm going to send him all my details, ask him to marry me and hope that I can move in with him to look after his sick dog and/or aged parents. 'Cause that's how stupid I am.
Thanks for reading, Sharon.
