On Saturday, 27th September 1958, the Irish republican POW's in the Curragh Internment Camp in County Kildare (of which there were about 150) had put together two football teams and had organised a football match between both sides.
That activity was a distraction for the prisoners and, more importantly, for the Free State Army guards and the other prison staff members, but two of the POW's were not involved in that distraction - they were taking advantgage of it instead!
Dáithí Ó Conaill and Ruairí Ó Brádaigh were lying under a roughly-made grass 'mat' at a less-noticeable section of the metal fence that kept them interned and were using a wire cutters to remove a section of it, which they did, successfully freeing themselves from State custody.
The two men were not only republican comrades and activists, but were to become related through Dáithí's marriage, in 1964, to a fine Donegal Lady, Deirdre Caffrey, who was Ruairí's maternal first cousin (and Deirdre was also sister-in-law to another strong Irish republican, Kevin Mallon).
The successful escape attempt had been authorised by the leadership of the Movement (including Tomás Óg MacCurtain, O/C of the IRA Internees) and meant that Ruairí, who was at the time a Sinn Féin TD (while incarcerated he was elected as a Sinn Féin TD, on an abstentionist ticket, obviously, for Longford–Westmeath in the 1957 State general election), was the first such republican TD to be 'on the run' since the 1920's and, the following month (October 1958) he was appointed as Chief of Staff of the IRA by the leadership (a position he held until May 1959).
In May, three POW's had got out through a window in the Curragh Military Hospital where they had been patients. Two of them – one from Armagh, the other from Portarlington – were recaptured near Kilcullen in County Meath and the third man, from Dublin, evaded capture for ten days until he was found at house in Gormanstown, in County Meath and, in the first week in December (1958) fourteen Irish republican internees escaped from the internment camp.
That Free State prison was closed on the 11th March 1959, as the Staters in Leinster House were comfortable within themselves that they had consolidated their position in the State.
And they still believe that to be the case...
'KEOGHBOYS OF THE 1950's...'
From 'The United Irishman' newspaper, April 1955.
The policy of 'The Irish Tenant League' was to form a political party pledged to independent opposition in parliament and it was based on a 'Union of Creeds'.
'The Restoration of the Hierarchy Act' and 'The Ecclesiastical Titles Act' started a controversy that threatened 'the Union' ; in Ireland, an ultra-catholic party was formed - 'The Catholic Defence Association' (aka 'Irish Brigade'/Pope's Brass Band').
The chief figures were William Keogh, a lawyer from Athlone, and John Sadlier, a hawker from Tipperary (...more about those two shysters here).
Nominally 'Tenant Righters', those two men caused ill-feeling inside the party, because they were so ferociously catholic. In the Westminster General Election of September, 1852, forty 'Tenant Right' members were returned, including William Keogh, John Sadlier, his brother, nephew and two cousins.
All took a solemn pledge that they would stand together in independent opposition and oppose every ministry that refused to introduce a 'Tenant Right Bill' but, when Lord Aberdeen's ministry was formed, he refused to adopt such a Bill... (MORE LATER.)
ON THIS DATE (27TH SEPTEMBER) 101 YEARS AGO : MORE REPRESSIVE LEGISLATION IMPOSED.
On the 9th June 1927 a general election was called in the Free State and Fianna Fail won 44 seats to Cosgrave's 47 : de Valera's policy was not to enter the Free State parliament until the Oath of Allegiance to the British monarch was removed but, in that same month, Kevin O' Higgins was assassinated and the Free State government passed a law which would force future Leinster House candidates to swear on their nomination that they would take the Oath of Allegiance.
In August 1927, de Valera led the Fianna Fail elected representatives, many of them with revolvers in their pockets, into Leinster House and signed the Oath of Allegiance document. A second general election was held in September 1927 and Fianna Fail increased its vote, winning 57 seats.
In short, Free Staters were once again in power in the Free State (!) but Irish republicans continued to fight back - on the 21st September 1927, six Free State soldiers were killed in a gun battle with the IRA near Ballina in Mayo and, on that same day, the Free State barracks in Drumshambo in Leitrim was attacked and taken by republicans, during which one Stater was killed.
On the 22nd September a FS soldier was killed and several others and three civilians injured in a gun and grenade attack by the IRA on enemy troops on Eden Quay in Dublin and, on the day that the 'Public Safety Act' was being voted on in Leinster House, several hundred IRA Volunteers attacked the town of Killorglin, in Kerry, and were only denied their victory, after 24 hours of fighting, when more Free State troops arrived in force, from Tralee.
The 'Public Safety Act' had been passed in the Free State assembly by 41 votes to 18 on this date, 27th September (1922), 101 years ago, allowing for the State to execute those captured bearing arms against it and permitting State agents 'to punish anyone aiding and abetting attacks on the National (sic) Forces', and/or anyone having possession of arms or explosives 'without the proper authority' or anyone 'disobeying an Army General Order'.
'Section 5' of the Act declared that "..every person who is a member of an unlawful association at any time after it has become by virtue of this Act an unlawful association shall be guilty of a misdemeanour and shall be liable on conviction thereof to suffer penal servitude for any term not less than three years and not exceeding five years or imprisonment with or without hard labour for any term not exceeding two years..." .
'Section 28' stated that "..any person found guilty by a special court of the offence under the Firearms Act, 1925 (No. 17 of 1925) of having possession of or using or carrying a firearm without holding a firearm certificate therefor, shall if the offence was committed while this Part of this Act is in force be liable to suffer death or penal servitude for life, or any term of years not less than three years, or to imprisonment with or without hard labour for any term not exceeding two years, and shall be sentenced by such court accordingly.."
That 'Act' represented politically and morally corrupt legislation and was enacted by the then, and now, politically and morally corrupt political assembly in Leinster House.
IRELAND ON THE COUCH...
A Psychiatrist Writes.
'Magill' commissioned Professor Patricia Casey to compile an assessment of Irish society at what may emerge as the end of a period of unprecedented growth and change.
This is her report.
From 'Magill Magazine' Annual, 2002.
The worst culprits are the new estates that have been built around developing industries or the trendy apartment blocks designed to improve our inner cities.
Many of the inhabitants are mobile young people who see these houses not as homes but as temporary receptacles. Add to this the emptiness that comes from the absence of people during the day as couples go out to work, and the lack of amenities such as shops, bars or post-offices, and they become bleak places indeed. In such an environment, it is possible to be sick for days and have no callers - or to die and lie decaying without being missed.
If our sense of community is under pressure, so too is the traditional family. This is showing itself not so much in the divorce courts yet as in other more nebulous ways.
A recently published international study on depression in the community (in which I was one of the investigators) showed that one of the significant factors associated with the high rate of this condition in urban Ireland is the absence of supports, whilst the very low rate in Spain was equally linked to the protective role that strong ties, especially to the family, can have in ameliorating our stress... (MORE LATER.)
ON THIS DATE (27TH SEPTEMBER) 374 YEARS AGO : A WAR CRIMINAL AND "THE REDUCING OF CARLINGFORD".
On the 29th April, 1599, a baby boy, Oliver Cromwell, who had been born on the 25th, was christened in Saint John the Baptish church in Huntingdon, England.
Decades later, when someone was trawling through the birth records for that period, they came across an unofficial addendum to that particular entry : it read - "England's plague for five years.." Cromwell should need no introduction to readers of this blog, but some readers may not be aware of the significance of a particular date in this month - the 3rd September - in that creature's life : on that date in 1649, Cromwell began his nine-day siege of Drogheda after which thousands of its inhabitants were butchered, the infamous 'Death March' he forced on his enemy after the battle of Dunbar on the 3rd September 1650 and, one year later on that same date - the 3rd September - he wallowed in more blood and guts, this time in his own country, at the battle of Worcester.
And, somewhere in between wrecking havoc and stealing and selling Irish children, he found the time - on the 27th September in 1649, 374 years ago on this date - to write to his political bosses in London :
'FOR THE HONOURABLE WILLIAM LENTHALL, ESQUIRE, SPEAKER OF THE PARLIAMENT OF ENGLAND :
Dublin, 27th September 1649.
Mr. Speaker - I had not received any account from Colonel Venables - whom I sent from Tredah to endeavour the reducing of Carlingford, and so to march Northward towards a conjunction with Sir Charles Coote - until the last night.
After he came to Carlingford, having summoned the place, both the three Castles and the Fort commanding the Harbour were rendered to him. Wherein were about Forty Barrels of Powder, Seven Pieces of Cannon ; about a Thousand Muskets, and Five-hundred Pikes wanting twenty. In the entrance into the Harbour, Captain Fern, aboard your man-of-war, had some danger ; being much shot at from the Sea Fort, a bullet shooting through his main-mast. The Captain's entrance into that Harbour was a considerable adventure, and a good service ; as also was that of Captain Brandly, who, with Forty seamen, stormed a very strong Tenalia at Treda, and helped to take it ; for which he deserves an owning by you.
Venables marched from Carlingford, with a party of Horse and Dragoons, to the Newry ; leaving the place, and it was yielded before his Foot came up to him. Some other informations I have received from him, which promise well towards your Northern Interest ; which, if well prosecuted, will, I trust God, render you a good account of those parts. I have sent those things to be presented to the Council of State for their consideration. I pray God, as these mercies flow in upon you, He will give you an heart to improve them to His glory alone ; because He alone is the author of them, and of all the goodness, patience and long-suffering extending towards you. Your army has marched ; and, I believe, this night lieth at Arklow, in the County of Wicklow, by the Sea-side, between thirty and forty miles from this place. I am this day, by God’s blessing, going towards it.
I crave your pardon for this trouble; and rest, your most humble servant, OLIVER CROMWELL.
P.S. I desire the Supplies moved for may be hastened. I am verily persuaded, though the burden be great, yet it is for your service. If the Garrisons we take swallow-up your men, how shall we be able to keep the field? Who knows but the Lord may pity England's sufferings, and make a short work of this? It is in His hand to do it, and therein only your servants rejoice. I humbly present the condition of Captain George Jenkin's Widow. He died presently after Tredah Storm. His Widow is in great want.
The following Officers and Soldiers were slain at the storming of Tredah: Sir Arthur Ashton, Governor; Sir Edmund Varney, Lieutenant-Colonel to Ormond’s Regiment; Colonel Fleming, Lieutenant-Colonel Finglass, Major Fitzgerald, with eight Captains, eight Lieutenants, and eight Cornets, all of Horse; Colonels Warren, Wall, and Byrn, of Foot, with their Lieutenants, Majors, etc; the Lord Taaff’s Brother, an Augustine Friar; forty-four Captains, and all their Lieutenants, Ensigns, etc; 220 Reformadoes and Troopers; 2,500 Foot-soldiers, besides the Staff-Officers, Surgeons, etc.'
This misfit had another meeting with his lucky date - 3rd September - in 1658, when he was collected from this Earth by his maker.
A pity he was spawned at all.
'IN ANSWER TO CHURCH AND STATE AND IN DEFENCE OF IRISH REPUBLICANISM...'
Address to the Annual General Meeting of Comhairle Uladh (Ulster Executive) in Cootehill, County Cavan, on Sunday, November 22nd, 1987, by Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, Uachtarán, Sinn Féin Poblachtach.
Comhaírle Uladh AGM, November 22nd, 1987.
But this country of ours can never be put to right until Britain withdraws her armed forces and administration from Ireland and recognises the right of the Irish people acting as a unit to determine their own future. Such is the recognised right of all peoples and the Irish have fought for it longer than most.
Irish republicanism has a high and honourable tradition. For close on two centuries it has called forth unstinting and unselfish service for the freedom of Ireland and the complete social, economic and cultural emancipation of the Irish people.
It still represents the only realistic alternative to the present colonial and neo-colonial morass which engulfs the Irish people.
It seeks to put the people, individually and collectively, in control of their own affairs in their own country. Republican Sinn Féin is confident that such an ideal will yet triumph.
(END of 'In Answer To Church And State And In Defence Of Irish Republicanism' : NEXT - 'Beir Bua', from 1998.)
Our families are taking a winter break in a few days time and heading off for a multi-trip 10-day-or-so 'staycation' ('staycaution', more like it..!) and meself and the Girl Gang are doing the same ; altogether, including the children and grandchildren and the '1169' team and the Girls, there'll be twenty-eight of us, in a large, colourful and noisey convoy and, I'm told, we'll be
Scheduled stops, that is, but sure it's a long road that has no turnin', and we might happen across a little lay-by or two on the way!
Anyway. What has this got to do with you? Feck all, really, 'cepting for the fact that if the '1169' team are there (wherever "there" turns out to be!), we can't be here!
We don't expect to be back in Dublin (...most of them/us [that's my trans moment over..], hopefully!) until maybe between the tenth and twelfth of October, so we probably won't be in a position to post anything on the blog until at least Wednesday 18th October 2023.
I'll maybe still be a-rantin'-and-a-ravin' on Facebook and 'X', so ya could catch me there!
Thanks for the visit, and for reading : hope to see ye all on the 18th October 2023!
Sharon and the team.
