PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
....... Philip Grey , in his early 20's , lived in a time when 2,466,414 Irish people emigrated or died because of 'The Great Hunger' of 1845-1849 .......
Philip Grey wanted justice ; his family had taken an active part in the 1798 Rising and now , he, too, wanted to play his part . He joined the Dublin Branch of 'The Irish Confederation' (which had its Offices in Queen Street , Dublin) and soon became Dublin Secretary for the organisation .
Not apparently inspired by politics (due perhaps to Daniel O'Connell's political failure to convince the British to change , or at least ease , its position re Ireland), Philip Grey studied military tactics and weapons use and , although by now working as a railway clerk in Drogheda , he could be found each night in the Queen Street Office in Dublin training other Rebels in all matters military.
In mid-1848 , while he was in County Meath , Philip Grey heard that 'The Young Ireland' Rising had began ; he tried to gather a fighting-force around him in that county (Meath) , but failed - he left for Tipperary , where he joined-up with William Smith O'Brien and James Stephens and took part in the 'Battle of Ballingarry'.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......We were outnumbered and outgunned - but we were also lucky. Three British Army soldiers were wounded in the engagement , as was one of our men ......."
" The Dunmanway Auxiliaries arrived at Kilnamartyra , a few miles south of Coolnacahera , early in the forenoon while fighting was in progress . From several hilltops they viewed the scene and listened to the gun-fire ; instead of going straight towards it by a very direct road which would have brought them out at Poul na Bro , just where they were wanted on the western flank of the Column , they continued westward to Renanirree , four miles away . Turning north , they went in the general direction of Ballyvourney , but by the most intricate network of bye roads .
They arrived there , of course in time to be late , but that does not appear to have depressed them unduly . Indeed , at one of their stops in Kilnamartyra , one of them was heard to remark that they would be there quite soon enough ! An unarmed man running away from them would perhaps have roused their enthusiasm ; like their comrades who waited on the Killarney Road , the noise of battle did not appeal to them ! Fifty-two lorries of British Army Regular and Auxiliary soldiers were present at or near the scene of battle at noon . Excepting the Brit troops that entered Coomnaclohy , the others did not show any great desire to follow up our IRA Column .
Instead , they choose a more congenial occupation - they burned the two cottages that had sheltered the Auxiliaries and saved their comrades lives , and burned a neighbouring hayshed and two farmhouses . North of Ballyvourney Village , they shot down an unarmed IRA Volunteer , severely wounding him . But the day was not without its humour ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
[9 of 9].
Ironically , the judge who finally ordered William Quinn's extradition in the United States' Ninth Circuit Court , had said - " Clearly the evidence...linking Quinn with the Tibble murder is not overwhelming . If that were all the evidence introduced at a murder trial , Quinn could not be cinvicted . "
That was before the details of the "secret" identification had come to light . Meanwhile , Gareth Peirce is also disturbed at the role played by the Gardai in setting up an identification which she claims denied William Quinn all the safeguards normally insisted on in such cases .
[END of 'THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'Breakaway Parties Have Poor Record ...' ; from 1985).
Friday, May 21, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
....... Ireland , mid-19th Century - in his early 20's , Philip Grey would have witnessed ' The Irish Confederation ' being established to challenge the Brits regarding their mis-rule in Ireland ; but another plague was stalking the land - ' The Great Hunger ' . A pro status-quo newspaper , ' The Freemans Journal ' , wrote the following Editorial in February 1849 ...
" We ask again - is it not possible to contrive some means of saving the people from this painful and lingering process of death from starvation ? Do we live under a regular or responsible government ? Is there justice or humanity in the world that such things could be , in the middle of the nineteenth century and within twelve hours' reach of the opulence , grandeur and power of a court and capital the first upon the earth ? "
As mentioned in '1169.....' recently , 'The Freemans Journal' newspaper was a 'Castle-Catholic' organ , fully constitutionally-minded , regardless of the suffering of the population . A tangent - In 1841 , the population of Ireland was 8,175,124 ; a (then) normal rate of population increase for a ten-year period should have seen , by 1851 , at least 9,018,799 people on this island : however , the 1851 census recorded only 6,552,385 people 'living' in Ireland .
Emigration and death , caused by 'The Great Hunger' of 1845-1849 took away 2,466,414 Irish people .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......I never got my mug of tea ; in the distance we could see the line of British Army lorries heading towards us - they were full of armed soldiers ......."
" Our men had lined a fence parallel to the road and back a few hundred yards . The lorries stopped on the road opposite them ; the Brits must have seen someone . I saw one of our men stand up just before they stopped . At any rate , they dismounted and deployed as if on field exercise . Rapidly advancing , they reached the middle of the field - our men opened fire , and the enemy fell flat and returned a volley . Then rising , they again rushed forward .
I noticed that they had yet no casualty ; their flanks were extended beyond our line and they greatly outnumbered our men , who began to withdraw and shoot in like manner . The shooting on both sides was equally bad . Now our men had to face the hill and were doing so in the worst possible way - here , my brother intervened and directed them into a cumar , or bed of a stream , which ran slantwise to the enemy and so gave shelter . With a few men he held back the enemy while the others escaped . The British soldiers continued to fire but did not attempt to follow up .
When they reached us , Corney asked why we had not fired over their heads with the Lewis-Gun ; we replied that we could have done little or no damage at that range to the extended enemy , and might have caused confusion among some of our own men coming uphill . Three British soldiers were wounded in this skirmish , and one of our men got a very slight wound in the hand . While the shooting lasted and for some time afterwards , British Army lorries stood a few miles south of us on the Killarney Road .
Had they had the will to do so , they could actually have driven up behind us ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(8 of 9).
William Quinn's U.S. lawyer , Ms. Carlene Rohan , who was in court for the trial , commented that no American court would have admitted the evidence of identification . Gareth Peirce says it is a deeply worrying case and she has lodged an appeal on the grounds that British Police Constable Blackledge's identification should never have been put to the jury .
The result will be watched closely in the U.S. where a new Extradition Treaty with Britain was passed in 1986 only on the understanding that extraditees would get a fair trial before British courts .......
(MORE LATER).
....... Ireland , mid-19th Century - in his early 20's , Philip Grey would have witnessed ' The Irish Confederation ' being established to challenge the Brits regarding their mis-rule in Ireland ; but another plague was stalking the land - ' The Great Hunger ' . A pro status-quo newspaper , ' The Freemans Journal ' , wrote the following Editorial in February 1849 ...
" We ask again - is it not possible to contrive some means of saving the people from this painful and lingering process of death from starvation ? Do we live under a regular or responsible government ? Is there justice or humanity in the world that such things could be , in the middle of the nineteenth century and within twelve hours' reach of the opulence , grandeur and power of a court and capital the first upon the earth ? "
As mentioned in '1169.....' recently , 'The Freemans Journal' newspaper was a 'Castle-Catholic' organ , fully constitutionally-minded , regardless of the suffering of the population . A tangent - In 1841 , the population of Ireland was 8,175,124 ; a (then) normal rate of population increase for a ten-year period should have seen , by 1851 , at least 9,018,799 people on this island : however , the 1851 census recorded only 6,552,385 people 'living' in Ireland .
Emigration and death , caused by 'The Great Hunger' of 1845-1849 took away 2,466,414 Irish people .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......I never got my mug of tea ; in the distance we could see the line of British Army lorries heading towards us - they were full of armed soldiers ......."
" Our men had lined a fence parallel to the road and back a few hundred yards . The lorries stopped on the road opposite them ; the Brits must have seen someone . I saw one of our men stand up just before they stopped . At any rate , they dismounted and deployed as if on field exercise . Rapidly advancing , they reached the middle of the field - our men opened fire , and the enemy fell flat and returned a volley . Then rising , they again rushed forward .
I noticed that they had yet no casualty ; their flanks were extended beyond our line and they greatly outnumbered our men , who began to withdraw and shoot in like manner . The shooting on both sides was equally bad . Now our men had to face the hill and were doing so in the worst possible way - here , my brother intervened and directed them into a cumar , or bed of a stream , which ran slantwise to the enemy and so gave shelter . With a few men he held back the enemy while the others escaped . The British soldiers continued to fire but did not attempt to follow up .
When they reached us , Corney asked why we had not fired over their heads with the Lewis-Gun ; we replied that we could have done little or no damage at that range to the extended enemy , and might have caused confusion among some of our own men coming uphill . Three British soldiers were wounded in this skirmish , and one of our men got a very slight wound in the hand . While the shooting lasted and for some time afterwards , British Army lorries stood a few miles south of us on the Killarney Road .
Had they had the will to do so , they could actually have driven up behind us ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(8 of 9).
William Quinn's U.S. lawyer , Ms. Carlene Rohan , who was in court for the trial , commented that no American court would have admitted the evidence of identification . Gareth Peirce says it is a deeply worrying case and she has lodged an appeal on the grounds that British Police Constable Blackledge's identification should never have been put to the jury .
The result will be watched closely in the U.S. where a new Extradition Treaty with Britain was passed in 1986 only on the understanding that extraditees would get a fair trial before British courts .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, May 20, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
.......When Philip Grey was one month away from his 20th birthday , William Smith O'Brien MP established a pro-Irish organisation - 'The Irish Confederation' ; that was in January 1847 .......
For all his "stiff and stilted mannerisms , his [posh English] accent " and his fine clothes , William Smith O'Brien was said to have traced his Irish ancestry back to the 11th Century - to Brian Boru , the High King of Ireland !
' The Irish Confederation' organisation was established with the intention of pushing harder against the British than Daniel O'Connell was prepared to do ; at that time in our History (ie between 1845 and 1849) the 'Great Hunger' [so-called 'Famine'] was upon the people .
The situation was that bad that one of the most prominent Dublin newspapers of the day , which was a pro-'Establishment' organ , 'The Freemans Journal' , was actually driven to publish an Editorial piece which , had same been published in another newspaper , it would in all probability have condemned .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... Ireland , 1921 - We were 'on-the-run' from the British Auxiliaries ; it was nine hours since we last had something to eat . Tired , hungry and thirsty , we stopped at a farmhouse for a bite and some tea . I was sitting , facing the window , about to put milk in my mug of tea ......."
" Away to the south-east , I could see a white ribbon of road ; I saw a speck appear on it , then another and another - they were coming , one behind the other ... " What do you think those are ? " I asked the girl of the house , indicating to her the road . With the teapot clasped between her hands , she regarded them : " I think they are bicycles, " she replied , still watching them . Then she said again - " No , they are lorries . " They were lorries , sure enough . We went outside , the better to investigate .
The lorries were on the Top Road which runs on high ground to the north of Ballyvourney Village , and parallel to the main road to Killarney . They were coming down to the junction with the mountain road to Millstreet - would they turn down to the Mills , Ballyvourney ? If they did we could return to our tea ; but they did not turn left for Ballyvourney , they turned right and came up the Millstreet Road . There was still a chance for us - would they turn right below Sean Hyde's place and go on to Millstreet ? They did not . They kept left and came on into Coomnaclohy .
We ran forward to a high meadow where we could be seen from the farmhouse below ; I whistled with my fingers , and one of the lads came out . We pointed down to the road . All the men came out of the farmhouse and we signalled them forward , and then to cover , behind a fence . They lined the fence , but my brother said he would go down to them . " If anything goes wrong , " he said , " the city lads may go the wrong way out of here - I'll have to talk to them . " Instructing us to keep an eye on the Killarney Road behind us , he ran downhill from us . Meanwhile , the British Army lorries kept coming , carrying soldiers from their regular army .......
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(7 of 9).
The only evidence against William Quinn was the fingerprints associating him with the Balcombe Street Four , who had the murder weapon , and the identification . The fingerprints of about a dozen other people had also been found in the house and Patrick Bishop and Eamonn Mallie in their recent book on the Provisional IRA name another associate of the Balcombe Street Group as having shot British PC Tibble .
Mr. Justice Rose told the jury that the circumstances of the identification were unsatisfactory but he refused to rule it out . The jury , by now aware from the details of the identification that William Quinn had been convicted of IRA membership in Ireland , convicted him of murder .......
(MORE LATER).
.......When Philip Grey was one month away from his 20th birthday , William Smith O'Brien MP established a pro-Irish organisation - 'The Irish Confederation' ; that was in January 1847 .......
For all his "stiff and stilted mannerisms , his [posh English] accent " and his fine clothes , William Smith O'Brien was said to have traced his Irish ancestry back to the 11th Century - to Brian Boru , the High King of Ireland !
' The Irish Confederation' organisation was established with the intention of pushing harder against the British than Daniel O'Connell was prepared to do ; at that time in our History (ie between 1845 and 1849) the 'Great Hunger' [so-called 'Famine'] was upon the people .
The situation was that bad that one of the most prominent Dublin newspapers of the day , which was a pro-'Establishment' organ , 'The Freemans Journal' , was actually driven to publish an Editorial piece which , had same been published in another newspaper , it would in all probability have condemned .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... Ireland , 1921 - We were 'on-the-run' from the British Auxiliaries ; it was nine hours since we last had something to eat . Tired , hungry and thirsty , we stopped at a farmhouse for a bite and some tea . I was sitting , facing the window , about to put milk in my mug of tea ......."
" Away to the south-east , I could see a white ribbon of road ; I saw a speck appear on it , then another and another - they were coming , one behind the other ... " What do you think those are ? " I asked the girl of the house , indicating to her the road . With the teapot clasped between her hands , she regarded them : " I think they are bicycles, " she replied , still watching them . Then she said again - " No , they are lorries . " They were lorries , sure enough . We went outside , the better to investigate .
The lorries were on the Top Road which runs on high ground to the north of Ballyvourney Village , and parallel to the main road to Killarney . They were coming down to the junction with the mountain road to Millstreet - would they turn down to the Mills , Ballyvourney ? If they did we could return to our tea ; but they did not turn left for Ballyvourney , they turned right and came up the Millstreet Road . There was still a chance for us - would they turn right below Sean Hyde's place and go on to Millstreet ? They did not . They kept left and came on into Coomnaclohy .
We ran forward to a high meadow where we could be seen from the farmhouse below ; I whistled with my fingers , and one of the lads came out . We pointed down to the road . All the men came out of the farmhouse and we signalled them forward , and then to cover , behind a fence . They lined the fence , but my brother said he would go down to them . " If anything goes wrong , " he said , " the city lads may go the wrong way out of here - I'll have to talk to them . " Instructing us to keep an eye on the Killarney Road behind us , he ran downhill from us . Meanwhile , the British Army lorries kept coming , carrying soldiers from their regular army .......
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(7 of 9).
The only evidence against William Quinn was the fingerprints associating him with the Balcombe Street Four , who had the murder weapon , and the identification . The fingerprints of about a dozen other people had also been found in the house and Patrick Bishop and Eamonn Mallie in their recent book on the Provisional IRA name another associate of the Balcombe Street Group as having shot British PC Tibble .
Mr. Justice Rose told the jury that the circumstances of the identification were unsatisfactory but he refused to rule it out . The jury , by now aware from the details of the identification that William Quinn had been convicted of IRA membership in Ireland , convicted him of murder .......
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
....... Ireland in the early 19th Century ; Catholics banned from sitting in the English Parliament , Daniel O'Connell striding the Nationalist stage - and a baby born , in February 1827 , in Dublin : Philip Grey .......
Philip Grey was born 24 years after Robert Emmets Rising and 21 years before the 'Young Irelanders' were themselves to rise-up in arms against the British ; the pro-British 'Orange Order' was 32 years on the go (formed in 1795) and , five years before the birth of Philip Grey (ie in 1822), an Ulster (ie- the Nine Counties) Presbyterian Clergyman , a Rev. James Law , was born ; he was later to become the father of a child , whom he christened 'Andrew Bonar' , a then-future leader of the British Conservative Party ... . Interesting times .
When Philip Grey was a young man of almost 20 years of age (in 1847), a Harrow-educated upper-class Protestant (and member of the British Parliament), a William Smith O'Brien (intially a supporter of Daniel O'Connell) established 'The Irish Confederation' organisation (in January 1847). Philip Grey was one month away from his 20th birthday at that time .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... Thirty-six lorry loads of British reinforcements were on their way to save their comrades in the cottages ; we had to retreat , which we did reluctantly - but we were due another clash with the Brits within the next two hours ......."
" We had no reserve forces to come to our relief . Our only hope lay in a speedy action , and a retreat in the right direction , before the net could be closed . Nevertheless , before we left , the British Auxiliaries were quiet boys ; fourteen had been killed and twenty-six wounded . Half of them , roughly, were out of action and it was only the certainty of relief that caused the remainder to hang on . We had no casualties and had , therefore , much to be thankful for .
We crossed over Cnoc an Uir and descended to Ullanes Valley ; turning west , we ascended Ullanes Hill and kept along its ridge until we came down to cross the mountain road from Ballyvourney to Millstreet . A branch of this road runs into the glen of Coomnaclohy - here , in the cul-de-sac from a military point of view , the city men of our IRA Column insisted on stopping for a cup of tea at Dinneen's Farmhouse . My brother Pat strongly opposed that proposal , pointing out to the men that , while we were safe from attack from behind us , a sudden invasion by lorry-borne British troops would compel us to ascend the steep sides of the glen where there was difficult footing and little cover .
Taking the Lewis-Gun Section with him , Pat went up to Muing Lia where , from a height , he could look down from the west on the valley we had just crossed . We went into the farmhouse and soon we were seated at a table , very much at our ease and about to enjoy a cup of tea which a young girl had just poured for each of us . Nine hours had passed since we had anything to eat - over forty years have passed since I saw that cup of tea poured out , and I have forgotten many things , but I can still see that cup of tea : I put sugar in it and I had the jug in my hand to put milk in it , but that was as far as I got . I had been looking through the window which was straight in front of me ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(6 of 9).
The British police did not apply for William Quinn's extradition while he was in Portlaoise Prison or after his release in early 1976 , although the Gardai kept them informed about his whereabouts during 1976 and 1977 . A British Crown lawyer told Quinn's trial that they did not want to get involved in complex extradition proceedings and they hoped he might return to Britain , where he might lead them to his accomplices and then be picked-up .
The Balcombe Street group had already been arrested by then , however - the hope that William Quinn might return to Britain was also given as a reason for not informing him about the identification . The British finally applied for Quinn's extradition in 1979 but by then he had retured to America , where he was working quite openly in his uncle's shop in San Francisco where he was arrested two years later .......
(MORE LATER).
....... Ireland in the early 19th Century ; Catholics banned from sitting in the English Parliament , Daniel O'Connell striding the Nationalist stage - and a baby born , in February 1827 , in Dublin : Philip Grey .......
Philip Grey was born 24 years after Robert Emmets Rising and 21 years before the 'Young Irelanders' were themselves to rise-up in arms against the British ; the pro-British 'Orange Order' was 32 years on the go (formed in 1795) and , five years before the birth of Philip Grey (ie in 1822), an Ulster (ie- the Nine Counties) Presbyterian Clergyman , a Rev. James Law , was born ; he was later to become the father of a child , whom he christened 'Andrew Bonar' , a then-future leader of the British Conservative Party ... . Interesting times .
When Philip Grey was a young man of almost 20 years of age (in 1847), a Harrow-educated upper-class Protestant (and member of the British Parliament), a William Smith O'Brien (intially a supporter of Daniel O'Connell) established 'The Irish Confederation' organisation (in January 1847). Philip Grey was one month away from his 20th birthday at that time .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... Thirty-six lorry loads of British reinforcements were on their way to save their comrades in the cottages ; we had to retreat , which we did reluctantly - but we were due another clash with the Brits within the next two hours ......."
" We had no reserve forces to come to our relief . Our only hope lay in a speedy action , and a retreat in the right direction , before the net could be closed . Nevertheless , before we left , the British Auxiliaries were quiet boys ; fourteen had been killed and twenty-six wounded . Half of them , roughly, were out of action and it was only the certainty of relief that caused the remainder to hang on . We had no casualties and had , therefore , much to be thankful for .
We crossed over Cnoc an Uir and descended to Ullanes Valley ; turning west , we ascended Ullanes Hill and kept along its ridge until we came down to cross the mountain road from Ballyvourney to Millstreet . A branch of this road runs into the glen of Coomnaclohy - here , in the cul-de-sac from a military point of view , the city men of our IRA Column insisted on stopping for a cup of tea at Dinneen's Farmhouse . My brother Pat strongly opposed that proposal , pointing out to the men that , while we were safe from attack from behind us , a sudden invasion by lorry-borne British troops would compel us to ascend the steep sides of the glen where there was difficult footing and little cover .
Taking the Lewis-Gun Section with him , Pat went up to Muing Lia where , from a height , he could look down from the west on the valley we had just crossed . We went into the farmhouse and soon we were seated at a table , very much at our ease and about to enjoy a cup of tea which a young girl had just poured for each of us . Nine hours had passed since we had anything to eat - over forty years have passed since I saw that cup of tea poured out , and I have forgotten many things , but I can still see that cup of tea : I put sugar in it and I had the jug in my hand to put milk in it , but that was as far as I got . I had been looking through the window which was straight in front of me ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(6 of 9).
The British police did not apply for William Quinn's extradition while he was in Portlaoise Prison or after his release in early 1976 , although the Gardai kept them informed about his whereabouts during 1976 and 1977 . A British Crown lawyer told Quinn's trial that they did not want to get involved in complex extradition proceedings and they hoped he might return to Britain , where he might lead them to his accomplices and then be picked-up .
The Balcombe Street group had already been arrested by then , however - the hope that William Quinn might return to Britain was also given as a reason for not informing him about the identification . The British finally applied for Quinn's extradition in 1979 but by then he had retured to America , where he was working quite openly in his uncle's shop in San Francisco where he was arrested two years later .......
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
....... Ireland in 1827 - Daniel O'Connell was the 'name of the day ' ; his 'Catholic Association' was supported by the majority of the Catholic population .......
However , what Daniel O'Connell often referred too as "the horror of popular violence" (that which this scribbler , amongst others , would view as "self-defence") was not part of the agenda as far as O'Connell and his 'Association' were concerned . The SDLP / Provisional Sinn Fein of its day ...
With that huge support-base in place , Daniel O'Connell contested a seat in Clare (for the British Parliament - incidentally , Catholics were at that time banned from sitting in that Parliament unless they took an oath abjuring their Catholic beliefs !) in 1828 and won the seat . (Another tangent - Commenting on O'Connell's win , the then British Home Secretary , Robert Peel , spoke about "the fearful exhibition of sobered and desperate enthusiasm" with which 'The Catholic Association' ran their campaign ; Peel must have been glad that O'Connell was not a military man ...)
Philip Grey was born into this atmosphere , in February 1827 , in Dublin .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... The British Auxiliaries , all ninty of them , were now easy targets ; those in the cottages were stationary and confined , and those wanting in had no cover worth talking about ......."
" Our IRA Column stood in a line along a fence . Every grenade we had was in a man's hand . We were ready for the final dash at them ; then suddenly we heard an exclamation from Sean O'Hegarty - " Look , lads , look ...! " He raised his Parabellum pistol and fired in the direction of an unbroken line of British lorries extended far to the east . The new enemy , thirty-six lorries strong , had come in time to save the Auxiliaries in the cottages . For a little time while they were massed together we fired at them in their hiding-place , then slowly we drew away to the high ground north of us . It was midday when we left them - the action had started at 7.45 a.m...
As we moved uphill we felt very disappointed - we had been very near victory despite many agencies working against us . First , the enemy had been forewarned , and arrangements had been made to send reinforcements from all quarters , then someone had blundered in the handing over of a vital position and a powerful weapon , to the incompetent and wretched "X" . Again there was the case of an IRA Section Leader who , though highly efficient in a town , could not understand the prolonged action and , thinking they were being encircled , withdrew a large number of the best men of the IRA Column . Thus was our striking-force much weakened and valuable time lost .
Looking at the bright side of the picture , the small number of us who engaged the British Auxiliaries had proved more than a match for those 'warriors' ; only six miles from their base , the strong Castle of Macroom , they had that day the heartening assurance of reinforcements converging on us from Cork and Ballincollig , Bandon , Dunmanaway , Bantry , Killarney , Millstreet and Macroom . We had fired on those reinforcements before we broke off the fight , and were destined to clash with more within two hours ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(5 of 9).
The lawyer Gareth Peirce says British Police Constable Adrian Blackledge literally had tunnel vision that day . He was brought into court along a corridor which left him facing the dock ; " The whole arrangements were so suggestive as to effectively point William Quinn out to him ," she says . She also notes that none of the other eye witnesses of the shooting were ever asked to identify William Quinn .
Quinn first learnt about the identification when he was arrested in America in 1981 . Chief Superintendent Patrick Doocey , who was in charge of William Quinn's case in the 'Special Criminal Court' that day , told the Old Bailey trial that no records were kept of the description of the two other men who were in the court or what any of the three were wearing . William Quinn himself cannot remember any details of an event which he dd not know was happening .......
(MORE LATER).
....... Ireland in 1827 - Daniel O'Connell was the 'name of the day ' ; his 'Catholic Association' was supported by the majority of the Catholic population .......
However , what Daniel O'Connell often referred too as "the horror of popular violence" (that which this scribbler , amongst others , would view as "self-defence") was not part of the agenda as far as O'Connell and his 'Association' were concerned . The SDLP / Provisional Sinn Fein of its day ...
With that huge support-base in place , Daniel O'Connell contested a seat in Clare (for the British Parliament - incidentally , Catholics were at that time banned from sitting in that Parliament unless they took an oath abjuring their Catholic beliefs !) in 1828 and won the seat . (Another tangent - Commenting on O'Connell's win , the then British Home Secretary , Robert Peel , spoke about "the fearful exhibition of sobered and desperate enthusiasm" with which 'The Catholic Association' ran their campaign ; Peel must have been glad that O'Connell was not a military man ...)
Philip Grey was born into this atmosphere , in February 1827 , in Dublin .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... The British Auxiliaries , all ninty of them , were now easy targets ; those in the cottages were stationary and confined , and those wanting in had no cover worth talking about ......."
" Our IRA Column stood in a line along a fence . Every grenade we had was in a man's hand . We were ready for the final dash at them ; then suddenly we heard an exclamation from Sean O'Hegarty - " Look , lads , look ...! " He raised his Parabellum pistol and fired in the direction of an unbroken line of British lorries extended far to the east . The new enemy , thirty-six lorries strong , had come in time to save the Auxiliaries in the cottages . For a little time while they were massed together we fired at them in their hiding-place , then slowly we drew away to the high ground north of us . It was midday when we left them - the action had started at 7.45 a.m...
As we moved uphill we felt very disappointed - we had been very near victory despite many agencies working against us . First , the enemy had been forewarned , and arrangements had been made to send reinforcements from all quarters , then someone had blundered in the handing over of a vital position and a powerful weapon , to the incompetent and wretched "X" . Again there was the case of an IRA Section Leader who , though highly efficient in a town , could not understand the prolonged action and , thinking they were being encircled , withdrew a large number of the best men of the IRA Column . Thus was our striking-force much weakened and valuable time lost .
Looking at the bright side of the picture , the small number of us who engaged the British Auxiliaries had proved more than a match for those 'warriors' ; only six miles from their base , the strong Castle of Macroom , they had that day the heartening assurance of reinforcements converging on us from Cork and Ballincollig , Bandon , Dunmanaway , Bantry , Killarney , Millstreet and Macroom . We had fired on those reinforcements before we broke off the fight , and were destined to clash with more within two hours ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(5 of 9).
The lawyer Gareth Peirce says British Police Constable Adrian Blackledge literally had tunnel vision that day . He was brought into court along a corridor which left him facing the dock ; " The whole arrangements were so suggestive as to effectively point William Quinn out to him ," she says . She also notes that none of the other eye witnesses of the shooting were ever asked to identify William Quinn .
Quinn first learnt about the identification when he was arrested in America in 1981 . Chief Superintendent Patrick Doocey , who was in charge of William Quinn's case in the 'Special Criminal Court' that day , told the Old Bailey trial that no records were kept of the description of the two other men who were in the court or what any of the three were wearing . William Quinn himself cannot remember any details of an event which he dd not know was happening .......
(MORE LATER).
Monday, May 17, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.
Ireland , 1827 : The 'Catholic Association' , led by Daniel O'Connell (known as 'The Liberator' - not because he liberated this country from English 'rule' [which has still to be done] but because the majority of the country's population at that time considered O'Connell to be liberating them from political irrelevance), was a huge organisation ; 'associate membership' of 'The Catholic Association' cost one penny a month and , with the tens of thousands of members and associate members, the funds mounted-up ...
The small land-owners , those that worked for them , the many who had no jobs or land , the so-called 'middle class' and even the Catholic Clergy - all either joined or strongly supported 'The Catholic Association .......'
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......We had the British Auxiliaries 'on the run' - except they had no safe exit ! One of their drivers was attempting to turn his lorry around......."
" A fierce fire was opened on the man and the lorry ; but it got away , and went off at a high speed towards Macroom . The driver was a stout fellow and made skilful use of available cover while he quickly completed the manoeuvre . We could now expect their reinforcements - it transpired that they were on the way in any case . Meanwhile , the Auxies were crowding into the cottages . To make more firing positions , they started to break loopholes in the cottage walls . For this they used every kind of tool available , including their bayonets . The loopholes were to prove , for them, very unprofitable...
...for , immediately the outer plaster was broken , the hole in the wall became the target for every marksman who fancied himself ; several British Auxiliaries were mortally wounded inside these breaches . We were now called on to follow up the enemy and move with the Lewis-Gun to a point due north of the cottages - this we did easily . The windows and doors were now under Lewis-Gun fire and that of about fifteen riflemen . The Auxiliaries were in a bad way ; their total strength of the morning must have been nearly ninty men . Apart from those strewn around the road and further afield as casualties , the remainder were packed into the two cottages and lying close to cover around outside them .
Now and again a man would rise and dash for the door - but none succeeded in getting in to the cottage . We saw an Auxie fall on the doorstop , wounded , yet not one of his own attempted to drag him in . To do so would have entailed no risk for those inside since our fire was parallel to that particular doorway , yet there the wounded man was allowed to remain ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(4 of 9).
Once in Dublin , the Gardai told British Police Officer Adrian Blackledge that William Quinn had refused to take part in an identification parade and he would have to identify him in court ; Quinn claims he had never been asked to participate in a parade . PC Blackledge was secretly brought into Green Street Courthouse in Dublin where William Quinn was in the centrally positioned dock , flanked by two prison officers . The Gardai had put two other men nearby , one of whom had a moustache . The man who killed British Police Officer Stephen Tibble was clean-shaven ; so was William Quinn .
PC Blackledge identified the man in the dock as the killer , although it seems his appearance did not tally with the description Blackledge had given at the time.......
(MORE LATER).
Ireland , 1827 : The 'Catholic Association' , led by Daniel O'Connell (known as 'The Liberator' - not because he liberated this country from English 'rule' [which has still to be done] but because the majority of the country's population at that time considered O'Connell to be liberating them from political irrelevance), was a huge organisation ; 'associate membership' of 'The Catholic Association' cost one penny a month and , with the tens of thousands of members and associate members, the funds mounted-up ...
The small land-owners , those that worked for them , the many who had no jobs or land , the so-called 'middle class' and even the Catholic Clergy - all either joined or strongly supported 'The Catholic Association .......'
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......We had the British Auxiliaries 'on the run' - except they had no safe exit ! One of their drivers was attempting to turn his lorry around......."
" A fierce fire was opened on the man and the lorry ; but it got away , and went off at a high speed towards Macroom . The driver was a stout fellow and made skilful use of available cover while he quickly completed the manoeuvre . We could now expect their reinforcements - it transpired that they were on the way in any case . Meanwhile , the Auxies were crowding into the cottages . To make more firing positions , they started to break loopholes in the cottage walls . For this they used every kind of tool available , including their bayonets . The loopholes were to prove , for them, very unprofitable...
...for , immediately the outer plaster was broken , the hole in the wall became the target for every marksman who fancied himself ; several British Auxiliaries were mortally wounded inside these breaches . We were now called on to follow up the enemy and move with the Lewis-Gun to a point due north of the cottages - this we did easily . The windows and doors were now under Lewis-Gun fire and that of about fifteen riflemen . The Auxiliaries were in a bad way ; their total strength of the morning must have been nearly ninty men . Apart from those strewn around the road and further afield as casualties , the remainder were packed into the two cottages and lying close to cover around outside them .
Now and again a man would rise and dash for the door - but none succeeded in getting in to the cottage . We saw an Auxie fall on the doorstop , wounded , yet not one of his own attempted to drag him in . To do so would have entailed no risk for those inside since our fire was parallel to that particular doorway , yet there the wounded man was allowed to remain ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(4 of 9).
Once in Dublin , the Gardai told British Police Officer Adrian Blackledge that William Quinn had refused to take part in an identification parade and he would have to identify him in court ; Quinn claims he had never been asked to participate in a parade . PC Blackledge was secretly brought into Green Street Courthouse in Dublin where William Quinn was in the centrally positioned dock , flanked by two prison officers . The Gardai had put two other men nearby , one of whom had a moustache . The man who killed British Police Officer Stephen Tibble was clean-shaven ; so was William Quinn .
PC Blackledge identified the man in the dock as the killer , although it seems his appearance did not tally with the description Blackledge had given at the time.......
(MORE LATER).
Sunday, May 16, 2004
WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......
.......Are William Rooney and the countless others who were born into political conflict , common criminals? Are those same people guilty of keeping a criminal conspiracy going for over 800 years ...?
William Rooney dedicated at least ten full years of his 29 years on this earth campaigning against the British onslaught on Irish ways and culture , and went to an early grave because of those colonisers . If this small article , on this small weblog , inspires just one person to support the Irish Cause then William Rooney will still be fighting the British...
Be green upon their graves O happy Spring,
for they were young and eager who are dead.
With all things that are young and quivering with eager life be they remembered ,
for they move not here - they are gone to the clay .
They cannot die again for liberty ; be they remembered in their land , for aye ...
...green be their graves , green be their memory .
-- James Stephens.
Leabe i measc na bhFininni go raibh acu.
[END of ' WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......'].
(Tomorrow - Philip Grey ; 1827-1857 - An Irish Military Man).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......We were well spread-out , and had the British Auxiliaries pinned-down from all angles......."
" I believe the first two shots were fired by John Riordan ('Jack The Rookery') and Jer Casey ('Strac') - they had no other option since the two British Auxiliaries rushed up to their positions . The Lewis-Gun and about twenty rifles opened fire on the Auxies while most of them were still on the lorries , and though they quickly sought cover , many fell dead on the road and along the dykes . Seafield Grant , the British Officer Commanding of the Macroom Auxiliaries , escaped the first burst of gunfire ; standing on a patch of green, south of the road , he gazed north-west towards the rocks . Two bullets scored tracks in the sod in front of him and , stooping , he examined the scars . Straightening up , he looked back along the direction indicated by the bullets , but just then a third bullet came which killed him .
His fall must have disheartened the enemy very much ; at first their fire was vigorous - bullets struck the flat surface of vertical rocks with a loud thud , or curved high into the air with a wailing note when a sloping rockface was hit. A Hotchkiss gunner appeared to have an idea of the location of our Lewis , as his shooting was getting better - it cracked over our heads for a while , prompting Hughie to shout at me - " Keep a look out for that fellow ." At length we located him - " ...just below Diarmaid na gComharsan's cottage ": one sharp burst from the Lewis and the Brit gunner , frightened or hit , dragged his gun backwards . We did not hear any more from him ...
The Auxiliaries' fire weakened and now and then a man or two made a dash for the cottages . We also saw other indications that they were hard-pressed ; one of the lorries was being turned about on the road by its driver ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(3 of 9).
In February 1975 , British Police Constable Stephen Tibble was shot dead on a West-London street ; in a follow-up search , British police discovered bomb-making equipment in a nearby house . William Quinn's fingerprints and those of an IRA Unit (later known as 'The Balcombe Street Four') were found in the house and , later that year, when the IRA Unit was captured after a siege in Balcombe Street , one of them was found to have the gun that killed British Police Constable Stephen Tibble .
None of this connected William Quinn all that directly with the Tibble shooting but , a few hours before Quinn was due to appear in the 'Special Criminal Court' on the assualt and IRA membership charges , PC Blackledge was ordered to fly to Dublin . He was told a man suspected of the killing was being held there and he was to see if he could identify him ; he was not told why the man was suspected .......
(MORE LATER).
.......Are William Rooney and the countless others who were born into political conflict , common criminals? Are those same people guilty of keeping a criminal conspiracy going for over 800 years ...?
William Rooney dedicated at least ten full years of his 29 years on this earth campaigning against the British onslaught on Irish ways and culture , and went to an early grave because of those colonisers . If this small article , on this small weblog , inspires just one person to support the Irish Cause then William Rooney will still be fighting the British...
Be green upon their graves O happy Spring,
for they were young and eager who are dead.
With all things that are young and quivering with eager life be they remembered ,
for they move not here - they are gone to the clay .
They cannot die again for liberty ; be they remembered in their land , for aye ...
...green be their graves , green be their memory .
-- James Stephens.
Leabe i measc na bhFininni go raibh acu.
[END of ' WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......'].
(Tomorrow - Philip Grey ; 1827-1857 - An Irish Military Man).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......We were well spread-out , and had the British Auxiliaries pinned-down from all angles......."
" I believe the first two shots were fired by John Riordan ('Jack The Rookery') and Jer Casey ('Strac') - they had no other option since the two British Auxiliaries rushed up to their positions . The Lewis-Gun and about twenty rifles opened fire on the Auxies while most of them were still on the lorries , and though they quickly sought cover , many fell dead on the road and along the dykes . Seafield Grant , the British Officer Commanding of the Macroom Auxiliaries , escaped the first burst of gunfire ; standing on a patch of green, south of the road , he gazed north-west towards the rocks . Two bullets scored tracks in the sod in front of him and , stooping , he examined the scars . Straightening up , he looked back along the direction indicated by the bullets , but just then a third bullet came which killed him .
His fall must have disheartened the enemy very much ; at first their fire was vigorous - bullets struck the flat surface of vertical rocks with a loud thud , or curved high into the air with a wailing note when a sloping rockface was hit. A Hotchkiss gunner appeared to have an idea of the location of our Lewis , as his shooting was getting better - it cracked over our heads for a while , prompting Hughie to shout at me - " Keep a look out for that fellow ." At length we located him - " ...just below Diarmaid na gComharsan's cottage ": one sharp burst from the Lewis and the Brit gunner , frightened or hit , dragged his gun backwards . We did not hear any more from him ...
The Auxiliaries' fire weakened and now and then a man or two made a dash for the cottages . We also saw other indications that they were hard-pressed ; one of the lorries was being turned about on the road by its driver ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(3 of 9).
In February 1975 , British Police Constable Stephen Tibble was shot dead on a West-London street ; in a follow-up search , British police discovered bomb-making equipment in a nearby house . William Quinn's fingerprints and those of an IRA Unit (later known as 'The Balcombe Street Four') were found in the house and , later that year, when the IRA Unit was captured after a siege in Balcombe Street , one of them was found to have the gun that killed British Police Constable Stephen Tibble .
None of this connected William Quinn all that directly with the Tibble shooting but , a few hours before Quinn was due to appear in the 'Special Criminal Court' on the assualt and IRA membership charges , PC Blackledge was ordered to fly to Dublin . He was told a man suspected of the killing was being held there and he was to see if he could identify him ; he was not told why the man was suspected .......
(MORE LATER).
Saturday, May 15, 2004
WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......
....... William Rooney died , aged 29 , on 6th May 1901 , in Dublin - he had wore himself out . His friend , Arthur Griffith later published material that William Rooney had left behind .......
The name ' William Rooney ' means little , if, indeed, anything , to most people today , as unfortunately is the case with so many other unsung hero's , who would , or could (and should) have lived completely different and possibly longer , more comfortable lives were it not for the political situation they were born into .
And that same political situation (ie British interference in Irish affairs) exists today ; how many more Irish men and women must endure the same fate as William Rooney and the countless others like him ? What is the potential being lost to this Irish Nation due to the continuing British military and political presence here ?
Whatever the loss , however it is judged or calculated - it is a crime against this proud country . If it is , as the Free Staters and their friends in the 'Establishment' tell us - "...over 800 years of crime , " then it is the Brits and the Free Staters that are the criminals , not Irish Republicans .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... Jim Grey and myself had fitted-out a second Lewis-Gun , which our Column Officer then handed to "X" , whom most of us suspected to be an informer ; during the ambush , he had the opportunity to use the weapon ......."
" But , leaving the Lewis-Gun , "X" ran and demoralised others around him . A young lad , Dick Kingston from Ballyvourney , picked-up the Lewis and brought it away . I used it afterwards and found it excellent - "X" alleged that it failed to work for him at the ambush . Across the road from his position were two labourer's cottages , which stood about forty yards apart and were screened from the road by a stone fence . Their acre plots were also enclosed by a similar fence . The cottages and plots were on a hillock which sloped to the south and west .
The British Auxiliaries had no option but to retire into and defend this ground when they were driven off the road ; the Macroom men were admirably posted to prevent them escaping or fighting their way to the south or west , and admirably well they did their task . Not alone did our lads hold the Brits in the plots , but finally their steady and accurate fire drove them uphill to the immediate environs of the cottage . A few men with Ned Neville of Rusheen occupied a hillock , the most easterly point of the Macroom men's positions . Once the Auxiliaries contemplated taking some of our lads on from behind them ; keeping away to the east , the Brits started to creep south . Ned shot down the leader and that finished that project for them .......
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(2 of 9).
William Quinn was born into an Irish-American family in California . Moved by the events in the North of Ireland in 1969 - 1971 , he threw up his job in the U.S. post office and flew to Ireland to join the IRA . In April 1975 , he was arrested in Dublin and charged with assaulting a garda and with membership of the IRA ; he appeared at the 'Special Crimial' Court in May 1975 and was acquitted of the assault charge but convicted of IRA membership and jailed for a year .
Before Quinns imprisonment , in February 1975 , a British policeman , PC Adrian Blackledge , stopped a man in a West London street and was about to search him - the man ran away and when PC Stephen Tibble , who was off duty and passing the scene at the time , tried to stop him , the man shot PC Tibble dead .......
(MORE LATER).
....... William Rooney died , aged 29 , on 6th May 1901 , in Dublin - he had wore himself out . His friend , Arthur Griffith later published material that William Rooney had left behind .......
The name ' William Rooney ' means little , if, indeed, anything , to most people today , as unfortunately is the case with so many other unsung hero's , who would , or could (and should) have lived completely different and possibly longer , more comfortable lives were it not for the political situation they were born into .
And that same political situation (ie British interference in Irish affairs) exists today ; how many more Irish men and women must endure the same fate as William Rooney and the countless others like him ? What is the potential being lost to this Irish Nation due to the continuing British military and political presence here ?
Whatever the loss , however it is judged or calculated - it is a crime against this proud country . If it is , as the Free Staters and their friends in the 'Establishment' tell us - "...over 800 years of crime , " then it is the Brits and the Free Staters that are the criminals , not Irish Republicans .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... Jim Grey and myself had fitted-out a second Lewis-Gun , which our Column Officer then handed to "X" , whom most of us suspected to be an informer ; during the ambush , he had the opportunity to use the weapon ......."
" But , leaving the Lewis-Gun , "X" ran and demoralised others around him . A young lad , Dick Kingston from Ballyvourney , picked-up the Lewis and brought it away . I used it afterwards and found it excellent - "X" alleged that it failed to work for him at the ambush . Across the road from his position were two labourer's cottages , which stood about forty yards apart and were screened from the road by a stone fence . Their acre plots were also enclosed by a similar fence . The cottages and plots were on a hillock which sloped to the south and west .
The British Auxiliaries had no option but to retire into and defend this ground when they were driven off the road ; the Macroom men were admirably posted to prevent them escaping or fighting their way to the south or west , and admirably well they did their task . Not alone did our lads hold the Brits in the plots , but finally their steady and accurate fire drove them uphill to the immediate environs of the cottage . A few men with Ned Neville of Rusheen occupied a hillock , the most easterly point of the Macroom men's positions . Once the Auxiliaries contemplated taking some of our lads on from behind them ; keeping away to the east , the Brits started to creep south . Ned shot down the leader and that finished that project for them .......
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(2 of 9).
William Quinn was born into an Irish-American family in California . Moved by the events in the North of Ireland in 1969 - 1971 , he threw up his job in the U.S. post office and flew to Ireland to join the IRA . In April 1975 , he was arrested in Dublin and charged with assaulting a garda and with membership of the IRA ; he appeared at the 'Special Crimial' Court in May 1975 and was acquitted of the assault charge but convicted of IRA membership and jailed for a year .
Before Quinns imprisonment , in February 1975 , a British policeman , PC Adrian Blackledge , stopped a man in a West London street and was about to search him - the man ran away and when PC Stephen Tibble , who was off duty and passing the scene at the time , tried to stop him , the man shot PC Tibble dead .......
(MORE LATER).
Friday, May 14, 2004
WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......
....... William Rooney was mixing in Irish Republican 'dissident' circles (ie with the Fenians , IRB etc) , hoping to increase membership to the 'Gaelic League' , GAA and other similar organisations . He could understand where those 'dissidents' were coming from .......
When he was 28 years of age , William Rooney was in chronic bad health , but still politically active - he was openly condemning the very-limited 'offer' of so-called 'Home Rule' with which the British hoped to placate those opposed to their interference in this country and , both verbally and in his writing , took every opportunity to argue his point with those who would settle for 'Home Rule' or less . He was still travelling the country even though he was weak and sick...
...but the workload proved too much for him ; on the 6th May , 1901 , at only 29 years of age , William Rooney died in Dublin - he was physically and mentally worn out . Had he chosen a different path , he could have lived longer - but it was not in his structure to do so . His friend Arthur Griffith was later to collate un-seen material left behind by William Rooney , some of which were published in the year following his death (ie 1902).
Seven years later (1909) , the last of his material was published under the title 'Prose Writings'.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......It was obvious to us that the force of British Auxiliaries had been 'tipped-off' about our intention to ambush them ; a member of our IRA Column , "X" , was thought to be responsible ......."
" "X" was involved , a few weeks later , in an incident which led to the murder of six of his comrades at Clogheen . That the creature who brought the murder-and-torture-gang to fall on his sleeping comrades did so to save himself is the most just and charitable thing I can say about him . For some argue that he had already started on his fiendish work as an informer . Certainly he had been over inquisitive about the names of people and places while with this IRA Column , but that proves nothing .
The poor wretch has enough to his account anyway , without adding to it , and I pray God that his like may not be there again . A few weeks before this day , Jim Grey and I , after considerable labour with indifferent tools , had fitted out and tested another Lewis-Gun . We had hoped to be allowed to use it in action against the enemy , and were astonished when "X" got charge of it ; nearly all of us doubted his integrity . So it was that , when the first shots were fired , "X" , stationed near the extreme end , was in a position to wreak the utmost destruction on the enemy massed under him ........
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(1 of 9).
" It must have been the worst ever identification anywhere in the whole world , " London lawyer Gareth Peirce says about the evidence that convicted American-born IRA supporter William Quinn of the murder of a London policeman in 1975 . Quinn was jailed for life at the Old Bailey .
William Quinn made legal history in October 1986 when he was extradited from the U.S. to face a charge of murdering British Police Constable Stephen Tibble in West London in February 1975 - a charge he denies . He was the first person ever extradited from the U.S. on an IRA-related charge .
Quinn also set something of a record for pre-trial detention . He had spent five years in jail in California fighting extradition and another seventeen months in custody in England before his trial .......
(MORE LATER).
....... William Rooney was mixing in Irish Republican 'dissident' circles (ie with the Fenians , IRB etc) , hoping to increase membership to the 'Gaelic League' , GAA and other similar organisations . He could understand where those 'dissidents' were coming from .......
When he was 28 years of age , William Rooney was in chronic bad health , but still politically active - he was openly condemning the very-limited 'offer' of so-called 'Home Rule' with which the British hoped to placate those opposed to their interference in this country and , both verbally and in his writing , took every opportunity to argue his point with those who would settle for 'Home Rule' or less . He was still travelling the country even though he was weak and sick...
...but the workload proved too much for him ; on the 6th May , 1901 , at only 29 years of age , William Rooney died in Dublin - he was physically and mentally worn out . Had he chosen a different path , he could have lived longer - but it was not in his structure to do so . His friend Arthur Griffith was later to collate un-seen material left behind by William Rooney , some of which were published in the year following his death (ie 1902).
Seven years later (1909) , the last of his material was published under the title 'Prose Writings'.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......It was obvious to us that the force of British Auxiliaries had been 'tipped-off' about our intention to ambush them ; a member of our IRA Column , "X" , was thought to be responsible ......."
" "X" was involved , a few weeks later , in an incident which led to the murder of six of his comrades at Clogheen . That the creature who brought the murder-and-torture-gang to fall on his sleeping comrades did so to save himself is the most just and charitable thing I can say about him . For some argue that he had already started on his fiendish work as an informer . Certainly he had been over inquisitive about the names of people and places while with this IRA Column , but that proves nothing .
The poor wretch has enough to his account anyway , without adding to it , and I pray God that his like may not be there again . A few weeks before this day , Jim Grey and I , after considerable labour with indifferent tools , had fitted out and tested another Lewis-Gun . We had hoped to be allowed to use it in action against the enemy , and were astonished when "X" got charge of it ; nearly all of us doubted his integrity . So it was that , when the first shots were fired , "X" , stationed near the extreme end , was in a position to wreak the utmost destruction on the enemy massed under him ........
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(1 of 9).
" It must have been the worst ever identification anywhere in the whole world , " London lawyer Gareth Peirce says about the evidence that convicted American-born IRA supporter William Quinn of the murder of a London policeman in 1975 . Quinn was jailed for life at the Old Bailey .
William Quinn made legal history in October 1986 when he was extradited from the U.S. to face a charge of murdering British Police Constable Stephen Tibble in West London in February 1975 - a charge he denies . He was the first person ever extradited from the U.S. on an IRA-related charge .
Quinn also set something of a record for pre-trial detention . He had spent five years in jail in California fighting extradition and another seventeen months in custody in England before his trial .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, May 13, 2004
WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......
....... William Rooney was 'on thin ice' in regards to speaking in favour of using political agitation to achieve an 'Irish Ireland' ; the sporting bodies he was affiliated too were politically 'shy' .......
William Rooney was not fully convinced by the arguments put forward by the various leaderships within the broad-based 'Irish Ireland Society' groupings that certain other organisations were either too militant , too Republican , and/or too anti-British for them , and should be worked 'around' , as opposed to being worked 'with' .
But William Rooney seemed to have a better understanding of where the Fenians , the IRB and the Invincibles , amongst others , were coming from , and recognised in those groups a 'kindred spirit' of sorts . He saw nothing wrong in promoting the objectives of the GAA , the IAA ('Irish Athletic Association'), the 'Gaelic League' etc through those 'kindred spirits' (ie at their meetings , in their literature and newspapers and in any other 'vehicle' associated with the 'militants/dissidents').
To do so was not encouraged , to put it mildly , by others within the 'Irish Ireland Societies' .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......During the ambush , one of the hostages held by the British troops dived for cover behind a fence ; a British Auxiliary stood over him , gun drawn , and shouted at the hostage to get up ......."
" Then the Brit standing over the hostage fell dead , shot by one of our riflemen . "Come over here" , shouted another Auxie to the hostage , "Lie down there" , he said , "don't go out . We'll get those fellows after a while . They only have rifles and revolvers ." Just then the Lewis-Gun spoke ... "By God !", shouted the Auxie, "the bastards have got the quick-firing gun !"
Everyone who saw the enemy coming could see that they knew they were nearing the spot where we were . Whether they actually saw something or someone near the extreme eastern or Macroom end of our position is a matter of doubt . At any rate two of them jumped off one of the slow-moving lorries and rushed up a heather-covered rock on the northern side . They were shot dead . Those two shots , of course, set the ball rolling . Had they crept forward another two-hundred yards , they would have been under fire from the whole IRA Column . As it happened , less than twenty men were engaged with the British troops , north of the road , while south of the road the Macroom men were fewer .
The fact that the enemy slowed down did much to rob us of speedy and complete victory ; that was but the fortune of war and we cannot blame the British Auxiliaries for acting on the information they had got that we were waiting for them . But the frailty of a member of our Column did far more that day to weaken our blows and at the same time strengthen the enemy - I am referring to the unspeakable "X" ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
[16 of 16].
The Livingstone Family had been offered £1,500 then , days later , £17,500 , by the British Government to settle their case out of court ...
" We could'nt believe this , " said Mrs. Livingstone , " I did'nt understand how one judge could say our Julie was innocent and another judge say that she was'nt , but we were assured it could very easily happen . " The family took what was at the time the highest amount of compensation paid out for such an incident , but it was'nt a total victory ...
...No one was charged with Julie Livingstone's murder and the British Government has now indicated that it will be stopping the unemployment benefit the Livingstone family receive . There are five unemployed adults in the Livingstone household , which is normal for that area where there is fifty-per-cent unemployment .
" You can't win ," said Mrs. Livingstone looking out on her beautifully kept garden - her one joy in the strife-torn Lenadoon Estate .......
[END of ' PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'The Conviction of William Quinn' ; from 'Magill' magazine , 1988).
....... William Rooney was 'on thin ice' in regards to speaking in favour of using political agitation to achieve an 'Irish Ireland' ; the sporting bodies he was affiliated too were politically 'shy' .......
William Rooney was not fully convinced by the arguments put forward by the various leaderships within the broad-based 'Irish Ireland Society' groupings that certain other organisations were either too militant , too Republican , and/or too anti-British for them , and should be worked 'around' , as opposed to being worked 'with' .
But William Rooney seemed to have a better understanding of where the Fenians , the IRB and the Invincibles , amongst others , were coming from , and recognised in those groups a 'kindred spirit' of sorts . He saw nothing wrong in promoting the objectives of the GAA , the IAA ('Irish Athletic Association'), the 'Gaelic League' etc through those 'kindred spirits' (ie at their meetings , in their literature and newspapers and in any other 'vehicle' associated with the 'militants/dissidents').
To do so was not encouraged , to put it mildly , by others within the 'Irish Ireland Societies' .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......During the ambush , one of the hostages held by the British troops dived for cover behind a fence ; a British Auxiliary stood over him , gun drawn , and shouted at the hostage to get up ......."
" Then the Brit standing over the hostage fell dead , shot by one of our riflemen . "Come over here" , shouted another Auxie to the hostage , "Lie down there" , he said , "don't go out . We'll get those fellows after a while . They only have rifles and revolvers ." Just then the Lewis-Gun spoke ... "By God !", shouted the Auxie, "the bastards have got the quick-firing gun !"
Everyone who saw the enemy coming could see that they knew they were nearing the spot where we were . Whether they actually saw something or someone near the extreme eastern or Macroom end of our position is a matter of doubt . At any rate two of them jumped off one of the slow-moving lorries and rushed up a heather-covered rock on the northern side . They were shot dead . Those two shots , of course, set the ball rolling . Had they crept forward another two-hundred yards , they would have been under fire from the whole IRA Column . As it happened , less than twenty men were engaged with the British troops , north of the road , while south of the road the Macroom men were fewer .
The fact that the enemy slowed down did much to rob us of speedy and complete victory ; that was but the fortune of war and we cannot blame the British Auxiliaries for acting on the information they had got that we were waiting for them . But the frailty of a member of our Column did far more that day to weaken our blows and at the same time strengthen the enemy - I am referring to the unspeakable "X" ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
[16 of 16].
The Livingstone Family had been offered £1,500 then , days later , £17,500 , by the British Government to settle their case out of court ...
" We could'nt believe this , " said Mrs. Livingstone , " I did'nt understand how one judge could say our Julie was innocent and another judge say that she was'nt , but we were assured it could very easily happen . " The family took what was at the time the highest amount of compensation paid out for such an incident , but it was'nt a total victory ...
...No one was charged with Julie Livingstone's murder and the British Government has now indicated that it will be stopping the unemployment benefit the Livingstone family receive . There are five unemployed adults in the Livingstone household , which is normal for that area where there is fifty-per-cent unemployment .
" You can't win ," said Mrs. Livingstone looking out on her beautifully kept garden - her one joy in the strife-torn Lenadoon Estate .......
[END of ' PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'The Conviction of William Quinn' ; from 'Magill' magazine , 1988).
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......
.......As well as a prolific writer , William Rooney was involved with various Irish Nationalist organisations .......
He was known to the Gaelic League , the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) [founded in 1884 to promote Irish sport] , as he was with a similar organisation , the 'Irish Athletic Association' (IAA) [founded in 1885].
Although still only in his mid-twenties (ie in the early 1890's), William Rooney suffered from ill-health but insisted on supporting what were referred to then as the 'Irish Ireland Societies' ie the GAA , the Gaelic League , the IAA and the various Nationalist newspapers that he wrote for ; he travelled the country , night and day , attending meetings of those groups and delivering speeches.
He was known to encourage the use of political agitation in the hope of achieving his objectives , even though such encouragement was frowned upon by , for one , the leadership of the Gaelic League , which took a deliberate decision to stay away from politics - some of those in the 'Irish Ireland Societies' were forming the opinion that William Rooney was 'stirring things up' .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......Seven British Army lorries , led by a touring car , were coming at us - heavily-armed British Auxiliaries . Hughie , our Lewis-Gunner , adjusted the sights on his weapon . Two shots rang out ......."
" Hughie let fly - the 'glen serene' was now awake with a vengeance . The guns were pealing with a joyous abandon . It was a place of echoes , and one got the impression that other battles raged in the distance at every point of the compass . The sound struck the rocky face of Rahoona a mile away to the south-west and returned undiminished . An old man travelling a path along its side stooped in terror at the mouth of a beilic to get cover . A fox jumped from a rock on to his back and vanished into a cave . On Rahoona and away to the south on the hills of Kilnamartyra , people congregated to hear if not to see the battle .
A young man of military age remarked to my mother - " Is there not something inspiring in the crack of the rifle ? " " There is indeed , " she replied , " when one is a good distance away from it ! " The British Auxiliaries had heard of our trap ; there was plenty of evidence of that . As the British lorries approached our position , four hostages were ordered out to walk ahead of them - we saw them and realised what they were . Bullets passed them by to strike down Auxiliaries near them but the hostages remained unhurt . When the first burst of fire struck the British car and lorries , both Auxiliaries and hostages dived for shelter . One of the prisoners got in over a low fence , south of the road ...
... " Get out again , " shouted an Auxie to the prisoner , presenting a revolver ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(15 of 16).
Julie Livingstone's mother stated - " We decided to take the case to the High Court for damages - loss of years - not because we wanted the money , but because the publicity , we thought, would persuade the British Government to ban plastic bullets ." On the weekend before the court hearing , the family was offered £1,500 Sterling to settle out of court : " It was an insult to us and we refused to take the money , " said Mrs. Livingstone .
By the following Monday the offer had been upped to £17,500 Sterling : " At this stage we were all suffering from the pressure . Some of the witnesses were being harrassed and our solicitor advised us to take the money . He pointed out that the sum being offered would attract press attention of itself while on the other hand the verdict of the Coroner might be overturned , " said Mrs. Livingstone .......
(MORE LATER).
.......As well as a prolific writer , William Rooney was involved with various Irish Nationalist organisations .......
He was known to the Gaelic League , the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) [founded in 1884 to promote Irish sport] , as he was with a similar organisation , the 'Irish Athletic Association' (IAA) [founded in 1885].
Although still only in his mid-twenties (ie in the early 1890's), William Rooney suffered from ill-health but insisted on supporting what were referred to then as the 'Irish Ireland Societies' ie the GAA , the Gaelic League , the IAA and the various Nationalist newspapers that he wrote for ; he travelled the country , night and day , attending meetings of those groups and delivering speeches.
He was known to encourage the use of political agitation in the hope of achieving his objectives , even though such encouragement was frowned upon by , for one , the leadership of the Gaelic League , which took a deliberate decision to stay away from politics - some of those in the 'Irish Ireland Societies' were forming the opinion that William Rooney was 'stirring things up' .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......Seven British Army lorries , led by a touring car , were coming at us - heavily-armed British Auxiliaries . Hughie , our Lewis-Gunner , adjusted the sights on his weapon . Two shots rang out ......."
" Hughie let fly - the 'glen serene' was now awake with a vengeance . The guns were pealing with a joyous abandon . It was a place of echoes , and one got the impression that other battles raged in the distance at every point of the compass . The sound struck the rocky face of Rahoona a mile away to the south-west and returned undiminished . An old man travelling a path along its side stooped in terror at the mouth of a beilic to get cover . A fox jumped from a rock on to his back and vanished into a cave . On Rahoona and away to the south on the hills of Kilnamartyra , people congregated to hear if not to see the battle .
A young man of military age remarked to my mother - " Is there not something inspiring in the crack of the rifle ? " " There is indeed , " she replied , " when one is a good distance away from it ! " The British Auxiliaries had heard of our trap ; there was plenty of evidence of that . As the British lorries approached our position , four hostages were ordered out to walk ahead of them - we saw them and realised what they were . Bullets passed them by to strike down Auxiliaries near them but the hostages remained unhurt . When the first burst of fire struck the British car and lorries , both Auxiliaries and hostages dived for shelter . One of the prisoners got in over a low fence , south of the road ...
... " Get out again , " shouted an Auxie to the prisoner , presenting a revolver ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(15 of 16).
Julie Livingstone's mother stated - " We decided to take the case to the High Court for damages - loss of years - not because we wanted the money , but because the publicity , we thought, would persuade the British Government to ban plastic bullets ." On the weekend before the court hearing , the family was offered £1,500 Sterling to settle out of court : " It was an insult to us and we refused to take the money , " said Mrs. Livingstone .
By the following Monday the offer had been upped to £17,500 Sterling : " At this stage we were all suffering from the pressure . Some of the witnesses were being harrassed and our solicitor advised us to take the money . He pointed out that the sum being offered would attract press attention of itself while on the other hand the verdict of the Coroner might be overturned , " said Mrs. Livingstone .......
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......
.......Although only in his twenties , William Rooney was well-known to Dublin newspaper Editors as a solid , reliable contributor of articles .......
His material was published in 'The Weekly Freeman's Journal' (1817 - 1924), 'The Dublin Times Pictorial' [which began publication as 'The Weekly Irish Times'] (1875 - 1941) and 'The United Irishman' newspaper , which he helped to establish with Arthur Griffith in early 1899 .
His name could also be found on poems and articles published in 'The Shamrock ' , 'The Northern Patriot' , 'Shan Van Vocht' , and 'The General Advertiser ' (1837 - 1923). Incidentally , the 'one-hit-wonders' of the day included 'The National Press' (1891 - 1892), 'The Sunday Herald' (1898), and 'The Evening News' (1887 - 1888).
William Rooney was a member and/or supporter of various Irish Nationalist organisations , such as the 'Gaelic League' (founded by Douglas Hyde in 1893 , to combat "the awful idea of complete Anglicization" of Irish society ; a tangent ! - Hyde was later to abandon the 'League' because he felt it was effectively coming-under the control of the IRB )- the 'Gaelic League' was established as a non-political organisation which concentrated on promoting the Irish language , Irish clothes, dancing , poetry , song and culture .
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......Men from Macroom and Ballingeary laid in wait with us at the ambush site ; we had riflemen and a Lewis-Gun . Then we got the word - " They are coming .......""
" I relayed the warning across the road to Dan Corkery and his men , and also to Number Four Section behind my back . My eyes ran along the straight to where the surface of the road disappeared at the bend , then across a 'loop' to where it appeared again - and there they were ...
...I counted as they passed ; a touring car with seven British Army lorries behind it , close together . But they were coming - very , very slowly . There was something wrong - I lay down behind the Lewis-Gun , and brought the butt of it to my shoulder . I glanced along the sights to the corner of the road , and took off the safety-catch .
The touring car appeared from around the corner , at little more than a snail's pace ; then the leading British Army lorry came into sight . They must be suspicious , but nevertheless they edged forward . The second lorry was now in view and its occupants , British Auxiliaries , were standing as if ready to jump off the while they scrutinized the ground ahead of them . The third lorry appeared , and I heard a noise behind me ; it was Hughie , our Lewis-Gunner .
" Take the Lewis , " I said to him . " Were'nt you doing all right with it ! " he replied . He put the butt of it to his shoulder and sighted it up for himself ; just then two shots rang-out at the eastern end of our position : Hughie pressed the trigger ....... "
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(14 of 16).
The Livingstone family were 'totally at sea' at the inquest into Julie's death , but fortunately the eldest girl in the family , Elizabeth , plucked up the courage to ask the Coroner for an adjournment and the hearing was re-held . Each time the family appeared in court , the Livingstone girls were treated with abuse by the British Army personnell present -
- " They jeered , made smart remarks and blew kisses at us and nobody tried to stop them . It was a farce and a joke, " is how Kathleen Livingstone terms the event . But Julie Livingstone's case was to make legal history in the North ; the Coroner decided that she was an innocent victim .......
(MORE LATER).
.......Although only in his twenties , William Rooney was well-known to Dublin newspaper Editors as a solid , reliable contributor of articles .......
His material was published in 'The Weekly Freeman's Journal' (1817 - 1924), 'The Dublin Times Pictorial' [which began publication as 'The Weekly Irish Times'] (1875 - 1941) and 'The United Irishman' newspaper , which he helped to establish with Arthur Griffith in early 1899 .
His name could also be found on poems and articles published in 'The Shamrock ' , 'The Northern Patriot' , 'Shan Van Vocht' , and 'The General Advertiser ' (1837 - 1923). Incidentally , the 'one-hit-wonders' of the day included 'The National Press' (1891 - 1892), 'The Sunday Herald' (1898), and 'The Evening News' (1887 - 1888).
William Rooney was a member and/or supporter of various Irish Nationalist organisations , such as the 'Gaelic League' (founded by Douglas Hyde in 1893 , to combat "the awful idea of complete Anglicization" of Irish society ; a tangent ! - Hyde was later to abandon the 'League' because he felt it was effectively coming-under the control of the IRB )- the 'Gaelic League' was established as a non-political organisation which concentrated on promoting the Irish language , Irish clothes, dancing , poetry , song and culture .
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......Men from Macroom and Ballingeary laid in wait with us at the ambush site ; we had riflemen and a Lewis-Gun . Then we got the word - " They are coming .......""
" I relayed the warning across the road to Dan Corkery and his men , and also to Number Four Section behind my back . My eyes ran along the straight to where the surface of the road disappeared at the bend , then across a 'loop' to where it appeared again - and there they were ...
...I counted as they passed ; a touring car with seven British Army lorries behind it , close together . But they were coming - very , very slowly . There was something wrong - I lay down behind the Lewis-Gun , and brought the butt of it to my shoulder . I glanced along the sights to the corner of the road , and took off the safety-catch .
The touring car appeared from around the corner , at little more than a snail's pace ; then the leading British Army lorry came into sight . They must be suspicious , but nevertheless they edged forward . The second lorry was now in view and its occupants , British Auxiliaries , were standing as if ready to jump off the while they scrutinized the ground ahead of them . The third lorry appeared , and I heard a noise behind me ; it was Hughie , our Lewis-Gunner .
" Take the Lewis , " I said to him . " Were'nt you doing all right with it ! " he replied . He put the butt of it to his shoulder and sighted it up for himself ; just then two shots rang-out at the eastern end of our position : Hughie pressed the trigger ....... "
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(14 of 16).
The Livingstone family were 'totally at sea' at the inquest into Julie's death , but fortunately the eldest girl in the family , Elizabeth , plucked up the courage to ask the Coroner for an adjournment and the hearing was re-held . Each time the family appeared in court , the Livingstone girls were treated with abuse by the British Army personnell present -
- " They jeered , made smart remarks and blew kisses at us and nobody tried to stop them . It was a farce and a joke, " is how Kathleen Livingstone terms the event . But Julie Livingstone's case was to make legal history in the North ; the Coroner decided that she was an innocent victim .......
(MORE LATER).
Monday, May 10, 2004
WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......
.......As a child in the CBS School in Great Strand Street in Dublin , in the late 19th Century , William Rooney became friends with a class-mate - Arthur Griffith .......
William Rooney left the CBS School and got a job as a solicitors clerk ; he and Arthur Griffith were regulars at the various societies and clubs in Dublin at that time , most of which had a Nationalist / Republican slant , such as the Leinster Literary Society and the Celtic Literary Society . These groups held meetings at which Irish culture , history , literature and music , were discussed .
As well as studying those subjects , and although by now only in his twenties , William Rooney was writing articles for newspapers and periodicals as well ; his writings were prominently featured in some of the then estimated 200 different titles which were in circulation in Dublin , alone , at the time (ie late 18th /early 19th Century), but some of these newspapers and periodicals were ephemeral (ie 'one-hit-wonders') and have left no known trace behind .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... 25th February , 1921 - our IRA Column left the farmhouse to establish an ambush position at Coolnacahera . I was in temporary charge of the Lewis-Gun ....... "
" Our Lewis-Gunner , Hughie , was due to join us any minute now . However , I laid the gun ready for action , and then had a look about me ; I was alone in a natural depression on top of a rock that commanded a wide field and a long stretch of road . On my left was John Patrick (Cronin) , number three in our Lewis-Gun section , next to him was Pat Mary Walsh (Cronin) , and next to Pat was John McCann MacSweeney , all sharp-shooting riflemen from Ballingeary . On my left front I could see Corney O'Sullivan , Jim Grey , Sean Murray , Patsy Lynch , my brother Pat , 'Sandow' and Jack Culhane .
I could see that the Macroom men were in their positions across the road ; it was a morning of bright sunshine and clear air with a little frost , and a stillness which made sound audible at a great distance . Suddenly I became aware of a complete silence - everyone I could see appeared to be listening intently . At first I could hear nothing , then I thought I heard a very faint singing noise . Soon I heard it distinctly but thought it came from a great distance . I wondered whether our signaller was yet at his post - we were hardly ten minutes in position at that stage . Then I heard a voice -
" Mick , Mick ! " : it came from my brother Pat's group . They also motioned me to cover , and the same voice added : " They are coming ......." "
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(13 of 16).
Julie Livingstone was in hospital with head wounds caused by a plastic bullet ; her mother was told that Julie was in good condition , but she was not convinced that that was so ...
" I had such a terrible feeling that things were not right . I did'nt sleep a wink all night , " she recalled . The following day Julie Livingstone died as a result of complications . A heartbroken Mrs. Livingstone could'nt bear to attend the inquest on her daughter's death , but for her husband Archie and her daughters it was almost as traumatic as Julie's death itself - " We were kept standing in the corridor outside the court-room by a member of the RUC . He told us the hearing was'nt on yet ; by the time he let us in it was half over - most of the British soldiers had been questioned , " said Julie's sister , Kathleen .......
(MORE LATER).
.......As a child in the CBS School in Great Strand Street in Dublin , in the late 19th Century , William Rooney became friends with a class-mate - Arthur Griffith .......
William Rooney left the CBS School and got a job as a solicitors clerk ; he and Arthur Griffith were regulars at the various societies and clubs in Dublin at that time , most of which had a Nationalist / Republican slant , such as the Leinster Literary Society and the Celtic Literary Society . These groups held meetings at which Irish culture , history , literature and music , were discussed .
As well as studying those subjects , and although by now only in his twenties , William Rooney was writing articles for newspapers and periodicals as well ; his writings were prominently featured in some of the then estimated 200 different titles which were in circulation in Dublin , alone , at the time (ie late 18th /early 19th Century), but some of these newspapers and periodicals were ephemeral (ie 'one-hit-wonders') and have left no known trace behind .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... 25th February , 1921 - our IRA Column left the farmhouse to establish an ambush position at Coolnacahera . I was in temporary charge of the Lewis-Gun ....... "
" Our Lewis-Gunner , Hughie , was due to join us any minute now . However , I laid the gun ready for action , and then had a look about me ; I was alone in a natural depression on top of a rock that commanded a wide field and a long stretch of road . On my left was John Patrick (Cronin) , number three in our Lewis-Gun section , next to him was Pat Mary Walsh (Cronin) , and next to Pat was John McCann MacSweeney , all sharp-shooting riflemen from Ballingeary . On my left front I could see Corney O'Sullivan , Jim Grey , Sean Murray , Patsy Lynch , my brother Pat , 'Sandow' and Jack Culhane .
I could see that the Macroom men were in their positions across the road ; it was a morning of bright sunshine and clear air with a little frost , and a stillness which made sound audible at a great distance . Suddenly I became aware of a complete silence - everyone I could see appeared to be listening intently . At first I could hear nothing , then I thought I heard a very faint singing noise . Soon I heard it distinctly but thought it came from a great distance . I wondered whether our signaller was yet at his post - we were hardly ten minutes in position at that stage . Then I heard a voice -
" Mick , Mick ! " : it came from my brother Pat's group . They also motioned me to cover , and the same voice added : " They are coming ......." "
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(13 of 16).
Julie Livingstone was in hospital with head wounds caused by a plastic bullet ; her mother was told that Julie was in good condition , but she was not convinced that that was so ...
" I had such a terrible feeling that things were not right . I did'nt sleep a wink all night , " she recalled . The following day Julie Livingstone died as a result of complications . A heartbroken Mrs. Livingstone could'nt bear to attend the inquest on her daughter's death , but for her husband Archie and her daughters it was almost as traumatic as Julie's death itself - " We were kept standing in the corridor outside the court-room by a member of the RUC . He told us the hearing was'nt on yet ; by the time he let us in it was half over - most of the British soldiers had been questioned , " said Julie's sister , Kathleen .......
(MORE LATER).
Sunday, May 09, 2004
WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......
....... Ireland , 1872 ; bad times - low wages , shortage of work , sectarian riots .......
In that year (ie 1872), a baby was born in Dublin , and went to school at the CBS ('Christian Brothers School') in Great Strand Street ; as a child , William Rooney became best-friends with another young boy in his class - Arthur Griffith , who , in 1905 , was to establish the Sinn Fein organisation ....
.....a tangent - Griffith himself was an unlikely Irish Republican , and was perhaps better known in his day as , if not an actual capitalist , then an aspiring one ! He was a follower of Deak , the Hungarian author ; Griffith was of the opinion that Irish members of the British Parliament should withdraw from that institution , as he was opposed to the British legislating for internal Irish affairs .
However , Arthur Griffith was known to favour a dual monarchy system (ie as with Hungary and Austria) which would leave the British monarch as 'King of Ireland and England' , but with separate parliaments in both Countries . (...end of [this!] tangent ..)
Arthur Griffith died on 12th August , 1922 ; two weeks later , Michael Collins was killed in an IRA ambush .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .
" The IRA Column left the old house at Clountycarty at an early hour , sometime about six a.m. It was the morning of 25th February 1921 . The Column had left about the same time every morning for the past fortnight , and returned at the same time when night fell . But the old house would be lonely again tonight without their songs and merry laughter , for they were destined not to return...
Their route was the same as that of the previous mornings , north-east across country , first through the bogs of Gurtanedin , across the Renanirree Road , upwards through Clohina of the stunted oak and holly groves , down Cappanahilla , along a boreen , past a disused farmhouse , along by hedges to cross the inches to the Sullane . Across the Sullane by Tom Murray's Steps , and cautiously upwards and fanning outwards to occupy a quarter-mile stretch of the Macroom-Ballyvourney Road , at Coolnacahera .
The Column crossed the road to the northern side and occupied the full length of the ambush position . A small IRA Column from the Seventh / Macroom Battalion occupied the only suitable positions on the southern side . I was in charge of the Lewis-Gun for the time being , Hughie having gone home the night before ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(12 of 16).
The British soldiers opened fire because word had come through to the Lenadoon Estate that hunger-striker Francis Hughes had died and the women were out banging their bin lids . Witnesses swore that there was no riot in progress ; the banging of bin-lids is a perfectly normal reaction from the women when something happens that they don't like . It's regarded as a peaceful form of protest .
After being taken to hospital with head wounds , Julie Livingstone's parents were told that she was in good condition , but Mrs. Livingstone was not covinced .......
(MORE LATER).
....... Ireland , 1872 ; bad times - low wages , shortage of work , sectarian riots .......
In that year (ie 1872), a baby was born in Dublin , and went to school at the CBS ('Christian Brothers School') in Great Strand Street ; as a child , William Rooney became best-friends with another young boy in his class - Arthur Griffith , who , in 1905 , was to establish the Sinn Fein organisation ....
.....a tangent - Griffith himself was an unlikely Irish Republican , and was perhaps better known in his day as , if not an actual capitalist , then an aspiring one ! He was a follower of Deak , the Hungarian author ; Griffith was of the opinion that Irish members of the British Parliament should withdraw from that institution , as he was opposed to the British legislating for internal Irish affairs .
However , Arthur Griffith was known to favour a dual monarchy system (ie as with Hungary and Austria) which would leave the British monarch as 'King of Ireland and England' , but with separate parliaments in both Countries . (...end of [this!] tangent ..)
Arthur Griffith died on 12th August , 1922 ; two weeks later , Michael Collins was killed in an IRA ambush .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .
" The IRA Column left the old house at Clountycarty at an early hour , sometime about six a.m. It was the morning of 25th February 1921 . The Column had left about the same time every morning for the past fortnight , and returned at the same time when night fell . But the old house would be lonely again tonight without their songs and merry laughter , for they were destined not to return...
Their route was the same as that of the previous mornings , north-east across country , first through the bogs of Gurtanedin , across the Renanirree Road , upwards through Clohina of the stunted oak and holly groves , down Cappanahilla , along a boreen , past a disused farmhouse , along by hedges to cross the inches to the Sullane . Across the Sullane by Tom Murray's Steps , and cautiously upwards and fanning outwards to occupy a quarter-mile stretch of the Macroom-Ballyvourney Road , at Coolnacahera .
The Column crossed the road to the northern side and occupied the full length of the ambush position . A small IRA Column from the Seventh / Macroom Battalion occupied the only suitable positions on the southern side . I was in charge of the Lewis-Gun for the time being , Hughie having gone home the night before ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(12 of 16).
The British soldiers opened fire because word had come through to the Lenadoon Estate that hunger-striker Francis Hughes had died and the women were out banging their bin lids . Witnesses swore that there was no riot in progress ; the banging of bin-lids is a perfectly normal reaction from the women when something happens that they don't like . It's regarded as a peaceful form of protest .
After being taken to hospital with head wounds , Julie Livingstone's parents were told that she was in good condition , but Mrs. Livingstone was not covinced .......
(MORE LATER).
Saturday, May 08, 2004
WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .
Ireland , 1872 ; five years after the Fenian Rising of 1867 , and five years before the 'Manchester Martyrs' were to be described as the ' Manchester Murderers ' in the British House of 'Commons' . In that year (ie 1872) two Protestant fundamentalist preachers were 'making a name' for themselves in and around the county of Antrim -
- Rev. Thomas Drew and Rev. Hugh ('Roaring') Hanna ; these two gentlemen were of the opinion that " the Catholic minority" was a threat to the well-being of , amongst other things , Protestant workers . Low wages and a shortage of work , combined with vocal encouragement from the two preachers , and 'the fuse was lit' - serious sectarian riots surfaced in 1872 , with the Catholics blamed for all the ills of the day (as indeed they had been in 1857 and 1864 , other years when the Catholics were to bear the brunt of Protestant dis-satisfaction ).
A baby was born into that political situation , in 1872 , in Dublin city centre .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......A well-known 'Holy-Joe' was the prayer-leader at this particular wake ; my friend 'Old John' , 80 years of age , was uneasy at the length of the proceedings ......."
" 'Old John' tried , by various movements of his limbs and body , to ease his cramped position . But he got no respite . Another prayer was said , and yet another . By then the youngest amongst us was feeling badly , and what must 'Old John' have been suffering ! At last the end came , and that violently - we had hoped that the finish of the last prayer would be the end of all , but alas ....
" We will now say five 'Our Fathers' and five 'Hail Marys' for the suffering souls in Purgatory , " said our 'Holy Joe' . But he never said them ; there were other "poor souls" suffering on earth who thought that the people in Purgatory were relatively well off ! I heard the screech of the chair legs as 'Old John' thrust it forward to make room for himself . Pressing downwards with both his hands on the seat , he struggled to his feet -
- His eyes blazing with fury , he faced 'Holy Joe' , his persecutor ; " In the Name of God and stop ," he shouted , " when they'll be tired of having them inside , they'll let them out ! "
[END of - 'THE FLYING COLUMN .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'Coolnacahera and Coomnaclohy').
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(11 of 16).
" If I don't have Brian's name cleared legally how can I tell my children to obey the law and stay out of trouble ? I'm doing this as much for them as for Brian ; what hope have they otherwise ? " asked Mrs. Stewart .
On May 12th , 1981 , 14-year-old Julie Livingstone , youngest in a family of thirteen , went on an errand with her friend ; it was the last time her family was to see her in a conscious state ...
" She was never in trouble and never strayed far from the house - the farthest she used go in the evenings was down to her friend Nuala's house , " said Mrs. Bernie Livingstone , who is'nt yet over the death of her daughter .
Julie was shot with a plastic bullet as she lay huddled in a ditch with Nuala - the girls were seeking shelter from a British Army Saracen from which British soldiers were firing plastic baton rounds .......
(MORE LATER).
Ireland , 1872 ; five years after the Fenian Rising of 1867 , and five years before the 'Manchester Martyrs' were to be described as the ' Manchester Murderers ' in the British House of 'Commons' . In that year (ie 1872) two Protestant fundamentalist preachers were 'making a name' for themselves in and around the county of Antrim -
- Rev. Thomas Drew and Rev. Hugh ('Roaring') Hanna ; these two gentlemen were of the opinion that " the Catholic minority" was a threat to the well-being of , amongst other things , Protestant workers . Low wages and a shortage of work , combined with vocal encouragement from the two preachers , and 'the fuse was lit' - serious sectarian riots surfaced in 1872 , with the Catholics blamed for all the ills of the day (as indeed they had been in 1857 and 1864 , other years when the Catholics were to bear the brunt of Protestant dis-satisfaction ).
A baby was born into that political situation , in 1872 , in Dublin city centre .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......A well-known 'Holy-Joe' was the prayer-leader at this particular wake ; my friend 'Old John' , 80 years of age , was uneasy at the length of the proceedings ......."
" 'Old John' tried , by various movements of his limbs and body , to ease his cramped position . But he got no respite . Another prayer was said , and yet another . By then the youngest amongst us was feeling badly , and what must 'Old John' have been suffering ! At last the end came , and that violently - we had hoped that the finish of the last prayer would be the end of all , but alas ....
" We will now say five 'Our Fathers' and five 'Hail Marys' for the suffering souls in Purgatory , " said our 'Holy Joe' . But he never said them ; there were other "poor souls" suffering on earth who thought that the people in Purgatory were relatively well off ! I heard the screech of the chair legs as 'Old John' thrust it forward to make room for himself . Pressing downwards with both his hands on the seat , he struggled to his feet -
- His eyes blazing with fury , he faced 'Holy Joe' , his persecutor ; " In the Name of God and stop ," he shouted , " when they'll be tired of having them inside , they'll let them out ! "
[END of - 'THE FLYING COLUMN .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'Coolnacahera and Coomnaclohy').
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(11 of 16).
" If I don't have Brian's name cleared legally how can I tell my children to obey the law and stay out of trouble ? I'm doing this as much for them as for Brian ; what hope have they otherwise ? " asked Mrs. Stewart .
On May 12th , 1981 , 14-year-old Julie Livingstone , youngest in a family of thirteen , went on an errand with her friend ; it was the last time her family was to see her in a conscious state ...
" She was never in trouble and never strayed far from the house - the farthest she used go in the evenings was down to her friend Nuala's house , " said Mrs. Bernie Livingstone , who is'nt yet over the death of her daughter .
Julie was shot with a plastic bullet as she lay huddled in a ditch with Nuala - the girls were seeking shelter from a British Army Saracen from which British soldiers were firing plastic baton rounds .......
(MORE LATER).
Friday, May 07, 2004
WILLIAM PUTNAM McCABE : 1775 - 1821 ; A Determined Irish Rebel .......
.......In the early 18th Century , the British named William Putnam McCabe under their 'Banishment Act' of 1697 / 1698.......
The penalty for breaking the 'Banishment Act' was to be hung , drawn and quartered . The name of 'William Putnam McCabe' was added to those on the 'Banishment Act' list but , it being an English 'law' and McCabe being an Irish Rebel , he ignored it ; in 1841 he was 'arrested' in Ireland by the Brits but was lucky - he was simply deported back to France .
Again , in 1817 , William Putnam McCabe was 'arrested' in Ireland and put in Kilmainham Jail in Dublin while the Brits decided what to do with him ; and again , he was lucky - after 18 months in Kilmainham Jail , they let him go - and , once more , deported him back to France ! He was later to be 'arrested' , for the third time , in Scotland , and , for the third time , put on a boat for France ...
At only 46 years of age , William Putnam McCabe died in Paris , France , on 6th January 1821 ; he gave 30 years of his short live to the Cause of Irish Freedom , joining the struggle when he was only 16 years young . Today , you would be hard-pressed to find any mention of the man in our history books : but the Irish Republican Movement remembers its own.......
[END of - 'WILLIAM PUTNAM McCABE : 1775 - 1821 ; A Determined Irish Rebel .......'].
(Tomorrow - a baby born five years after the Fenian Rising of 1867 , and five years before 'The Manchester Martyrs' were to be described by the British as "the Manchester Murderers ...." : WILLIAM ROONEY ..)
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......Sometimes at the wakes and funerals we attended , 'local politics' (ie neighbours in dispute) would have a bearing on procedure ; the man leading the prayers now was known by some as a bit of a tyrant , like Cromwell ....!"
" Hard words , no doubt ! Others held that the man was a mere sufferer of human failings , that, once set in motion , his own volition was insufficient to bring him to rest within a reasonable period of time . In any case , he had now started ...
I noticed that he prayed in the English language , although such prayers were invariably said in Irish in that district . To my left and in front of me knelt my friend Old John - he gave the responses in Irish ; Old John was nearly eighty years of age , and nobody would dream of calling him a 'humbug' . He was well known and respected as an upright man , honest and outspoken . I was soon to see his patience tested ...
Our prayer-leader started off with a prayer of his own which immediately awoke in me a sense of irritation ; I suspected , perhaps wrongly , that he wished to impress us with his superior knowledge and greater rectitude . He then recited the Apostle's Creed , after which he proceeded with the regular Rosary , the Salve Regina , and the Litany . These beautiful prayers were responded to with reverent attention , as was the long Prayer for the Dead .
The usual number of prayers had by this time been exceeded , but as yet the people showed no signs of weariness ; I pitied Old John who still knelt unmoved on the hard sandstone . Another Litany started and was completed in due course , which to us appeared a long time . I noticed Old John showing signs of disomfort ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(10 of 16).
The British soldier hit fifteen-year-old Gerald Stewart across the face with his gun ; " Gerald started to bleed badly and he turned pale . I thought he was going to faint , so I put my arms around him to give him support , " said the diminutive Mrs. Stewart . As she stood there trying to help her son , the British soldier beat her round the face ...
Gerald Stewart had to be taken to hospital to be X-rayed and the following day Mrs. Stewart , who had'nt bothered to have her own injuries attended to , was in so much pain that she too had to be taken to hospital .
" They told me that the bone supporting my teeth had been broken so I had to have my teeth extracted - all twenty-four of them ," she said . But no amount of harrassment can dissuade Mrs. Stewart from pushing her dead son's case .......
(MORE LATER).
.......In the early 18th Century , the British named William Putnam McCabe under their 'Banishment Act' of 1697 / 1698.......
The penalty for breaking the 'Banishment Act' was to be hung , drawn and quartered . The name of 'William Putnam McCabe' was added to those on the 'Banishment Act' list but , it being an English 'law' and McCabe being an Irish Rebel , he ignored it ; in 1841 he was 'arrested' in Ireland by the Brits but was lucky - he was simply deported back to France .
Again , in 1817 , William Putnam McCabe was 'arrested' in Ireland and put in Kilmainham Jail in Dublin while the Brits decided what to do with him ; and again , he was lucky - after 18 months in Kilmainham Jail , they let him go - and , once more , deported him back to France ! He was later to be 'arrested' , for the third time , in Scotland , and , for the third time , put on a boat for France ...
At only 46 years of age , William Putnam McCabe died in Paris , France , on 6th January 1821 ; he gave 30 years of his short live to the Cause of Irish Freedom , joining the struggle when he was only 16 years young . Today , you would be hard-pressed to find any mention of the man in our history books : but the Irish Republican Movement remembers its own.......
[END of - 'WILLIAM PUTNAM McCABE : 1775 - 1821 ; A Determined Irish Rebel .......'].
(Tomorrow - a baby born five years after the Fenian Rising of 1867 , and five years before 'The Manchester Martyrs' were to be described by the British as "the Manchester Murderers ...." : WILLIAM ROONEY ..)
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......Sometimes at the wakes and funerals we attended , 'local politics' (ie neighbours in dispute) would have a bearing on procedure ; the man leading the prayers now was known by some as a bit of a tyrant , like Cromwell ....!"
" Hard words , no doubt ! Others held that the man was a mere sufferer of human failings , that, once set in motion , his own volition was insufficient to bring him to rest within a reasonable period of time . In any case , he had now started ...
I noticed that he prayed in the English language , although such prayers were invariably said in Irish in that district . To my left and in front of me knelt my friend Old John - he gave the responses in Irish ; Old John was nearly eighty years of age , and nobody would dream of calling him a 'humbug' . He was well known and respected as an upright man , honest and outspoken . I was soon to see his patience tested ...
Our prayer-leader started off with a prayer of his own which immediately awoke in me a sense of irritation ; I suspected , perhaps wrongly , that he wished to impress us with his superior knowledge and greater rectitude . He then recited the Apostle's Creed , after which he proceeded with the regular Rosary , the Salve Regina , and the Litany . These beautiful prayers were responded to with reverent attention , as was the long Prayer for the Dead .
The usual number of prayers had by this time been exceeded , but as yet the people showed no signs of weariness ; I pitied Old John who still knelt unmoved on the hard sandstone . Another Litany started and was completed in due course , which to us appeared a long time . I noticed Old John showing signs of disomfort ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(10 of 16).
The British soldier hit fifteen-year-old Gerald Stewart across the face with his gun ; " Gerald started to bleed badly and he turned pale . I thought he was going to faint , so I put my arms around him to give him support , " said the diminutive Mrs. Stewart . As she stood there trying to help her son , the British soldier beat her round the face ...
Gerald Stewart had to be taken to hospital to be X-rayed and the following day Mrs. Stewart , who had'nt bothered to have her own injuries attended to , was in so much pain that she too had to be taken to hospital .
" They told me that the bone supporting my teeth had been broken so I had to have my teeth extracted - all twenty-four of them ," she said . But no amount of harrassment can dissuade Mrs. Stewart from pushing her dead son's case .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, May 06, 2004
WILLIAM PUTNAM McCABE : 1775 - 1821 ; A Determined Irish Rebel .......
.......After the 'Battle of Ballinamuck' on 8th September 1798 , and having escaped the slaughter of the Irish Rebel Army after their surrender , William Putnam McCabe made his way to Wales.......
William Putnam McCabe laid low in Wales for a number of years and , in 1801 , made his way to France ; he settled there for a while , took a wife , and became involved in the cotton trade in Rouen . But the British were wise to him and , although unable to arrest and/or confine him at that time , they done the next 'best' thing ...
...they extended their ' Banishment Act ' (of 1697), better-known at the time as ' The Bishops Banishment Act '. The 'Act' was introduced in Ireland in 1697 , its intention being - " to banish all Papists (ie Catholics) exercising any ecclesiastical jurisdiction , and regulars of the Popish Clergy , out of this Kingdom (ie the British 'Empire' , in which they included Ireland)......." , and which came into operation on 1st May , 1698.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......When travelling our area as an IRA Column , we often attended funerals and wakes for those in the neighbourhood we were in ; they were our people ......."
" We attended a wake one night , having posted sentries . We entered the house of mourning an hour before midnight , said our prayers and sympathised with the people of the house . The old man who had died had lived to a fine old age , so, while his people and the neighbours regretted his passing , there was none of the sorrow associated with the loss of youth . We sat down among the neighbours and , in low voice , we discussed the old man's struggle with life , his triumphs and his virtues .
Soon the hour of midnight was upon us , the signal for the recitation of the Rosary . The head of the household came into the kitchen and , meeting a near neighbour , asked him to lead in the recital of the prayers ; he at once agreed to do so , and dropped on his knees . People gathered from all over the house to the kitchen or its immediate vicinity . They knelt on the floor which was covered with immense flag-stones , hard and fairly uneven . Truly a floor from which one's knees could hope for little mercy . Chairs were given to the old upon which they could rest their forearms and thus afford themselves some relief .
I had noticed that , when the leader of the prayers had accepted that position , something like a sigh of resignation had arisen from the people . It had never occured to me , at the time , that it could possibly have been a sigh of disapproval or even of despair ; for the individual selected was well known in the district as a hard taskmaster in the matter of public prayer ! Moreover , some of the more outspoken alleged that he was a mere 'humbug' , a petty dictator , a tyrant who , like Cromwell , used his long prayers as a medium of persecution......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(9 of 16).
Brian Stewart's brother Gerald was injured in an incident from which their mother did not come out unscathed -
" I was coming out of a neighbour's house when I saw Gerald standing at the corner and noticed a British Army unit walking backwards , coming from the opposite direction , " Mrs. Stewart recalls - " One of the British soldiers and Gerald collided ; next thing I saw him put his gun to Gerald's chest and he put his head up against my son's forehead . "
Terrified of what might happen , Mrs. Stewart rushed foreward and explained that what had happened was an accident . " I was told to mind my own fu**ing business , but I replied that it was very much my business , one of my sons had already been killed and I did'nt want to see another injured . " (At the time , Gerald was fifteen.) The British soldier's answer to Mrs. Stewart was - " We did'nt kill half enough of them " and with that he hit Gerald across the face with his gun .......
(MORE LATER).
.......After the 'Battle of Ballinamuck' on 8th September 1798 , and having escaped the slaughter of the Irish Rebel Army after their surrender , William Putnam McCabe made his way to Wales.......
William Putnam McCabe laid low in Wales for a number of years and , in 1801 , made his way to France ; he settled there for a while , took a wife , and became involved in the cotton trade in Rouen . But the British were wise to him and , although unable to arrest and/or confine him at that time , they done the next 'best' thing ...
...they extended their ' Banishment Act ' (of 1697), better-known at the time as ' The Bishops Banishment Act '. The 'Act' was introduced in Ireland in 1697 , its intention being - " to banish all Papists (ie Catholics) exercising any ecclesiastical jurisdiction , and regulars of the Popish Clergy , out of this Kingdom (ie the British 'Empire' , in which they included Ireland)......." , and which came into operation on 1st May , 1698.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......When travelling our area as an IRA Column , we often attended funerals and wakes for those in the neighbourhood we were in ; they were our people ......."
" We attended a wake one night , having posted sentries . We entered the house of mourning an hour before midnight , said our prayers and sympathised with the people of the house . The old man who had died had lived to a fine old age , so, while his people and the neighbours regretted his passing , there was none of the sorrow associated with the loss of youth . We sat down among the neighbours and , in low voice , we discussed the old man's struggle with life , his triumphs and his virtues .
Soon the hour of midnight was upon us , the signal for the recitation of the Rosary . The head of the household came into the kitchen and , meeting a near neighbour , asked him to lead in the recital of the prayers ; he at once agreed to do so , and dropped on his knees . People gathered from all over the house to the kitchen or its immediate vicinity . They knelt on the floor which was covered with immense flag-stones , hard and fairly uneven . Truly a floor from which one's knees could hope for little mercy . Chairs were given to the old upon which they could rest their forearms and thus afford themselves some relief .
I had noticed that , when the leader of the prayers had accepted that position , something like a sigh of resignation had arisen from the people . It had never occured to me , at the time , that it could possibly have been a sigh of disapproval or even of despair ; for the individual selected was well known in the district as a hard taskmaster in the matter of public prayer ! Moreover , some of the more outspoken alleged that he was a mere 'humbug' , a petty dictator , a tyrant who , like Cromwell , used his long prayers as a medium of persecution......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(9 of 16).
Brian Stewart's brother Gerald was injured in an incident from which their mother did not come out unscathed -
" I was coming out of a neighbour's house when I saw Gerald standing at the corner and noticed a British Army unit walking backwards , coming from the opposite direction , " Mrs. Stewart recalls - " One of the British soldiers and Gerald collided ; next thing I saw him put his gun to Gerald's chest and he put his head up against my son's forehead . "
Terrified of what might happen , Mrs. Stewart rushed foreward and explained that what had happened was an accident . " I was told to mind my own fu**ing business , but I replied that it was very much my business , one of my sons had already been killed and I did'nt want to see another injured . " (At the time , Gerald was fifteen.) The British soldier's answer to Mrs. Stewart was - " We did'nt kill half enough of them " and with that he hit Gerald across the face with his gun .......
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
WILLIAM PUTNAM McCABE : 1775 - 1821 ; A Determined Irish Rebel .......
....... 8th September , 1798 ; William Putnam McCabe was in County Longford with General Joseph Amable Humbert and an Irish Rebel Army , several-hundred strong : the 'Battle of Ballinamuck' was on .......
In Ballinamuck , the estimated 800-strong Irish Rebel Army were attacked three times by the militarily superior British troops , and each time turned them back . However , when the Brits re-grouped and charged for a fourth time , they gained the upper-hand ; Humbert , thirty-one years of age , ordered his fighters to retreat , while he prepared to surrender .
The British Officer he conversed with , British General Lake (who was actually Second-in-Command to British Viceroy and Commander-in-Chief , 'Lord' Cornwallis), accepted General Humbert's surrender , but sent his British troops on horse-back at full gallop through the ranks of the exhausted Irish Rebel Army , cutting them down with swords .
The remnants of Humbert's Army fled into nearby fields and bogs to escape the butchery but , over the following few days , they were hunted down in their hiding places and put to the sword .......
Once again , William Putnam McCabe made good his escape , and made his way to Wales .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......On his way home from his neighbours house , Johnny Lynch was again stopped by the Brits and questioned . He told them that their Major had let him go a few hours earlier , but they said they did'nt care about that ......."
" They told Johnny to follow them ; he did so , and after a time they released him . He again faced for home but was taken hostage again , by a new group . This particular British Company did not display any interest in his movements up to that time , but were deeply concerned about the welfare of the big handsome dog ! They said the "poor blighter" was hungry and should be fed , and set about doing so with generous portions of their rations . Some of the Brits said the dog was not fat enough for his size , and should be fattened up immediately , while others alleged that he was too fat ....
When the dog could eat no more , they released Johnny and , with great reluctance , the dog .
One's thoughts travel back along the roads and paths we used to know so well as we moved here and there among the people . In reality it meant only moving from one home to another ; very often , the people we stayed with had sons in our Column , or in the Volunteers in general , or daughters in Cumann na mBan . But in any case we were always welcome , and they gave us what they often denied themselves . If we happened to stay in a glen or valley for even three or four days , the young people , boys and girls , organised a dance or concert in our honour . If there was a wake or funeral we always attended , if the opportunity was favourable . In short , we belonged to the people .
One night a group of us attended a wake in one of our favourite glens ; sentries had been posted for the night , and the danger of surprise was very little ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(8 of 16).
17-years-young Mairead Stewart was arrested by the British Army - " She was taken to Castlereagh Station where she was told that a member of the Maguire family had been hanged and the same would be done to her . " ( Officially , the prisoner committed suicide , but others were also told that the hanging was not done by the persons own hand ...) " Other dreadful things were said and done to her , but she was so upset that she could'nt even tell us about it , " said Mrs. Stewart .
As a consequence of her arrest , Mairead Stewart attempted to commit suicide ; four years after Brian died , Mrs. Stewart's son , Gerald , was injured in an incident from which the mother did not come out unscathed .......
(MORE LATER).
....... 8th September , 1798 ; William Putnam McCabe was in County Longford with General Joseph Amable Humbert and an Irish Rebel Army , several-hundred strong : the 'Battle of Ballinamuck' was on .......
In Ballinamuck , the estimated 800-strong Irish Rebel Army were attacked three times by the militarily superior British troops , and each time turned them back . However , when the Brits re-grouped and charged for a fourth time , they gained the upper-hand ; Humbert , thirty-one years of age , ordered his fighters to retreat , while he prepared to surrender .
The British Officer he conversed with , British General Lake (who was actually Second-in-Command to British Viceroy and Commander-in-Chief , 'Lord' Cornwallis), accepted General Humbert's surrender , but sent his British troops on horse-back at full gallop through the ranks of the exhausted Irish Rebel Army , cutting them down with swords .
The remnants of Humbert's Army fled into nearby fields and bogs to escape the butchery but , over the following few days , they were hunted down in their hiding places and put to the sword .......
Once again , William Putnam McCabe made good his escape , and made his way to Wales .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......On his way home from his neighbours house , Johnny Lynch was again stopped by the Brits and questioned . He told them that their Major had let him go a few hours earlier , but they said they did'nt care about that ......."
" They told Johnny to follow them ; he did so , and after a time they released him . He again faced for home but was taken hostage again , by a new group . This particular British Company did not display any interest in his movements up to that time , but were deeply concerned about the welfare of the big handsome dog ! They said the "poor blighter" was hungry and should be fed , and set about doing so with generous portions of their rations . Some of the Brits said the dog was not fat enough for his size , and should be fattened up immediately , while others alleged that he was too fat ....
When the dog could eat no more , they released Johnny and , with great reluctance , the dog .
One's thoughts travel back along the roads and paths we used to know so well as we moved here and there among the people . In reality it meant only moving from one home to another ; very often , the people we stayed with had sons in our Column , or in the Volunteers in general , or daughters in Cumann na mBan . But in any case we were always welcome , and they gave us what they often denied themselves . If we happened to stay in a glen or valley for even three or four days , the young people , boys and girls , organised a dance or concert in our honour . If there was a wake or funeral we always attended , if the opportunity was favourable . In short , we belonged to the people .
One night a group of us attended a wake in one of our favourite glens ; sentries had been posted for the night , and the danger of surprise was very little ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(8 of 16).
17-years-young Mairead Stewart was arrested by the British Army - " She was taken to Castlereagh Station where she was told that a member of the Maguire family had been hanged and the same would be done to her . " ( Officially , the prisoner committed suicide , but others were also told that the hanging was not done by the persons own hand ...) " Other dreadful things were said and done to her , but she was so upset that she could'nt even tell us about it , " said Mrs. Stewart .
As a consequence of her arrest , Mairead Stewart attempted to commit suicide ; four years after Brian died , Mrs. Stewart's son , Gerald , was injured in an incident from which the mother did not come out unscathed .......
(MORE LATER).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)