THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... the (pro-British) Unionists in the Six Occupied North-Eastern Counties of Ireland were threatening all manner of retribution on Westminster if the Boundary Commission ( Article 12 of the 1921 'Treaty of Surrender') was established as agreed in that 'Treaty' .......
On 2nd February 1922 , a meeting was held between Michael Collins and the Stormont 'Prime Minister' , 'Sir' James Craig . Voices were raised over the issue / structure / terms of reference of the Boundary Commission , and the meeting ended abruptly over the matter . However , 'spin' and 'PR' (media manipulation) was immediately employed by both sides -
- at a press conference following that failed meeting , 'Sir' James Craig (Stormont 'PM') claimed that the British Prime Minister , Lloyd George , had assured him that the Boundary Commission " ... would deal only with minor rectifications of the boundary ... " ; in effect , that the Boundary Commission was a useless 'talking-shop' which had only been set-up to help the Free Staters to 'sell' the 'Six County idea' to other Free Staters .
However - Michael Collins claimed that he had left that same meeting with a promise , from the Brits , " ... of almost half of Northern Ireland (sic) including the counties of Fermanagh and Tyrone , large parts of Antrim and Down , Derry City , Enniskillen and Newry . " !
Obviously , both men could not have been right ; it is straightforward to state that the Boundary Commission was a 'sweetener' , if you like , to be used by both sides to convince their respective 'flock' that the Brits were really on their side .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(6 of 11).
May 23rd , 1981 . Paul Fitzsimmons , 15 years of age , New Lodge , Belfast . Shot by RUC . Paul was hit on his eye and requires extensive skin grafts .
May 24th , 1981 . Thomas Torney , 17 years of age , Ballymurphy , Belfast . Shot by British soldiers . Thomas suffered a fractured left arm , bruising to his groin , and a torn muscle in the same area .
May 30th , 1981 . Sean Tumelty , 26 years of age , Divis Flats , Belfast . Shot at point-blank range by British soldiers . Sean was first shot in the stomach following which he was dragged into an alley-way and shot point-blank in the head . Sean is paralysed down his right side .
June 4th , 1981 . Desmond Linden , 50 years of age , Divis Flats , Belfast . Shot at point-blank range by British soldiers . He was struck just below his left ribs while standing outside his own flat . While on the ground he was kicked repeatedly . The ambulance which collected him was detained on two occasions by British troops leading to a complaint being lodged by the ambulance-mens trade union .
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(3 of 31).
The 'Irish Action Committee' already existed and could form the basis of the kind of organisation which Daithi O Conaill had in mind . O Conaill foresaw that as the IRA grew and became more active , it would lose more of its Volunteers to jail ; since traditionally the IRA supported the families of jailed IRA men , this would put a great financial strain on the organisation .
Irish-American money would help alleviate that strain . As they discussed the nature of the proposed organisation , it was decided that the name of the 'Irish Action Committee' would have to be changed . Michael Flannery was anxious that there be no connotations of violence associated with it - that is , it should be recognised as a benevolent organisation . They considered calling it " The Dependents Fund " , but this was rejected as too vague .
Finally they chose ' The Irish Northern Aid Committee ' (INAC) - or NORAID , as it has become popularly known . The founding members were Michael Flannery and two other old IRA men of that generation : Jack McGowan and Jack McCarthy . McGowan had fought in the IRA's Clare Brigade fifty years before , while McCarthy had been a member of the Cork Brigade . Like Michael Flannery , they had come to America in the 1920's after the Irish Republican cause suffered defeat in the Civil War .
And also like Michael Flannery , both men were active in the Irish-American community , with wide contacts in its various organisations and in the labour movement .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, December 16, 2004
THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... the British Prime Minister , Lloyd George , stated (in December 1921) that the Boundary Commission might very well find that two of the partitioned Six Counties in Ireland , Fermanagh and Tyrone , should join the Free State ; the Unionists were outraged . The brother of the Stormont 'Prime Minister' replied to Lloyd George .......
... " Our Northern area will be so cut-up and mutilated that we shall no longer be masters in our own house . The decision of that Commission may be a matter of life and death to us . I submit to the Prime Minister that he had no right to do that and that he was in honour-bound not to allow such a Commission to appear in this document by the promise he had given to the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland . "
The Stormont ' Minister for Education ' , British 'Lord' Londonderry , the 'Marquis of Londonderry' (a 'landowner', who was also involved with coal-mines [as an owner , not a worker!] in Durham , England : he was later to become 'Leader' of the British 'House of Lords') stated (in the 'House of Lords') -
- " All that I would say now is that it may be necessary for the government of Northern Ireland (sic) to refuse to nominate a representative on the proposed Boundary Commission and that , if by its findings any part of the territory transferred to us under the Act of 1920 is placed under the Free State , we may have to consider very carefully and very anxiously the measures which we shall have to adopt , as a government , for the purpose of assisting Loyalists whom your Commission may propose to transfer to the Free State but who may wish to remain with us , with Great Britain and the Empire . "
At a meeting between Michael Collins and the Stormont 'Prime Minister' , British 'Sir' James Craig , on 2nd February 1922 , voices were raised over this issue .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(5 of 11).
May 21st , 1981 . Day of deaths of Patsy O'Hara and Ray McCreesh ; Margaret McElorum , 15 years of age , New Lodge , Belfast . Shot by British soldier . Wounded in small of back . Margaret was just approaching an open-air prayer meeting when shot .
May 21st , 1981 . Marie McKernan , 15 years of age , Markets , Belfast , and Kathleen Hanna , 24 years of age , mother of two - both shot by British soldiers in same incident . Marie suffered bruising to her chest , Kathleen received twelve stitches to her head .
May 21st , 1981 * . Harry Duffy , 45 years of age , Creggan , Derry . Hit by two bullets fired by British soldiers while coming home from local bar . His skull was split wide open by the second bullet . He suffered a massive coronary due to the loss of most of his blood . Harry was buried on the day his three youngest children made their holy communion .
May 22nd , 1981 . Tommy Cupples , 32 years of age , Short Strand , Belfast . Shot three times by RUC . Wounded in eyes , arms , thighs and buttocks . Thirty stitches in head . Suffered subsequent epileptic fits .
May 22nd , 1981 . Rosaleen McGee , mother of three , Grosvenor Road , Belfast . Shot by RUC . Her right arm was shattered . Rosaleen was taking part in a peaceful protest when shot .
May 22nd , 1981 . Margaret McDonald , Falls , Belfast . Shot from two yards by RUC . She was wounded in her stomach and will require a skin graft .
May 22nd , 1981 . Brendan McNally , Markets , Belfast . Arrested after bullets were fired through the door of his home . The next night his wife and children were threatened by British Army soldiers armed with riot guns .
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(2 of 31).
Daithi O Conaill arrived in New York in late 1969 / early 1970 ; his history of IRA involvement went back to 1955 , when , at the age of fifteen , he first joined the Republican Movement . As with Joe Cahill , there was no doubt about which course O Conaill would take when the choice had to be made between preparing for an active military campaign or following the political road .
The aims of building a support network and re-activating the arms supply were kept separate ; they had to be - fund-raising is a public activity , for it needs to appeal to as broad a base of support as possible . The IRA men had in mind an organisation rather like the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' , which had collected money and gathered support for the IRA during its war against the British from 1919 to 1921 . When Daithi O Conaill came to New York in the spring of 1970 he wanted to meet Irish Americans who would be able to help build such an organisation .
One of the first he spoke with was Michael Flannery .......
(MORE LATER).
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... the British Prime Minister , Lloyd George , stated (in December 1921) that the Boundary Commission might very well find that two of the partitioned Six Counties in Ireland , Fermanagh and Tyrone , should join the Free State ; the Unionists were outraged . The brother of the Stormont 'Prime Minister' replied to Lloyd George .......
... " Our Northern area will be so cut-up and mutilated that we shall no longer be masters in our own house . The decision of that Commission may be a matter of life and death to us . I submit to the Prime Minister that he had no right to do that and that he was in honour-bound not to allow such a Commission to appear in this document by the promise he had given to the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland . "
The Stormont ' Minister for Education ' , British 'Lord' Londonderry , the 'Marquis of Londonderry' (a 'landowner', who was also involved with coal-mines [as an owner , not a worker!] in Durham , England : he was later to become 'Leader' of the British 'House of Lords') stated (in the 'House of Lords') -
- " All that I would say now is that it may be necessary for the government of Northern Ireland (sic) to refuse to nominate a representative on the proposed Boundary Commission and that , if by its findings any part of the territory transferred to us under the Act of 1920 is placed under the Free State , we may have to consider very carefully and very anxiously the measures which we shall have to adopt , as a government , for the purpose of assisting Loyalists whom your Commission may propose to transfer to the Free State but who may wish to remain with us , with Great Britain and the Empire . "
At a meeting between Michael Collins and the Stormont 'Prime Minister' , British 'Sir' James Craig , on 2nd February 1922 , voices were raised over this issue .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(5 of 11).
May 21st , 1981 . Day of deaths of Patsy O'Hara and Ray McCreesh ; Margaret McElorum , 15 years of age , New Lodge , Belfast . Shot by British soldier . Wounded in small of back . Margaret was just approaching an open-air prayer meeting when shot .
May 21st , 1981 . Marie McKernan , 15 years of age , Markets , Belfast , and Kathleen Hanna , 24 years of age , mother of two - both shot by British soldiers in same incident . Marie suffered bruising to her chest , Kathleen received twelve stitches to her head .
May 21st , 1981 * . Harry Duffy , 45 years of age , Creggan , Derry . Hit by two bullets fired by British soldiers while coming home from local bar . His skull was split wide open by the second bullet . He suffered a massive coronary due to the loss of most of his blood . Harry was buried on the day his three youngest children made their holy communion .
May 22nd , 1981 . Tommy Cupples , 32 years of age , Short Strand , Belfast . Shot three times by RUC . Wounded in eyes , arms , thighs and buttocks . Thirty stitches in head . Suffered subsequent epileptic fits .
May 22nd , 1981 . Rosaleen McGee , mother of three , Grosvenor Road , Belfast . Shot by RUC . Her right arm was shattered . Rosaleen was taking part in a peaceful protest when shot .
May 22nd , 1981 . Margaret McDonald , Falls , Belfast . Shot from two yards by RUC . She was wounded in her stomach and will require a skin graft .
May 22nd , 1981 . Brendan McNally , Markets , Belfast . Arrested after bullets were fired through the door of his home . The next night his wife and children were threatened by British Army soldiers armed with riot guns .
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(2 of 31).
Daithi O Conaill arrived in New York in late 1969 / early 1970 ; his history of IRA involvement went back to 1955 , when , at the age of fifteen , he first joined the Republican Movement . As with Joe Cahill , there was no doubt about which course O Conaill would take when the choice had to be made between preparing for an active military campaign or following the political road .
The aims of building a support network and re-activating the arms supply were kept separate ; they had to be - fund-raising is a public activity , for it needs to appeal to as broad a base of support as possible . The IRA men had in mind an organisation rather like the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' , which had collected money and gathered support for the IRA during its war against the British from 1919 to 1921 . When Daithi O Conaill came to New York in the spring of 1970 he wanted to meet Irish Americans who would be able to help build such an organisation .
One of the first he spoke with was Michael Flannery .......
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... the Boundary Commission was to consist of three members - one from each Administration ; Dublin , Stormont and Westminster .......
The Westminster representative was to be the Chairperson of the Boundary Commission and , because of this and its circumscribed ' terms of reference ' it was a 'toothless' body but , even so , the Unionists were incensed - the (pro-British) Stormont 'Prime Minister' , 'Sir' James Craig (a 'landowner' and shareholder in the family whiskey business , ' Dunvilles Distillery ') wrote to the British Prime Minister , Lloyd George , on 14th December 1921 , completely rejecting any notion of a Boundary Commission as said body might judge that two of the Six partitioned Counties , Fermanagh and Tyrone " ... might be lost to the North.." due to a strong 'headcount' of Republicans / Nationalists in those two counties .
Lloyd George defended the Boundary Commission , saying - " There is no doubt , certainly since the Act of 1920 [ ie the so-called 'Government of Ireland Act' - two 'Home Rule Parliaments' for Ireland] that the majority of the people of the two counties prefer being with their Southern neighbours to being in the Northern parliament . Take it either by constituency or by poor law union or , if you like , by counting heads , and you will find that the majority in these two counties prefer to be with their Southern neighbours .
If Ulster (sic) is to remain a separate community , you can only by means of coercion keep them there and , although I am against the coercion of Ulster , (sic) I do not believe in Ulster (sic) coercing other units . "
That set 'the cat among the pigeons' ; the Unionist leadership were outraged at Lloyd Georges' comments , no doubt seeing them as Westminster preparing to 'wash its hands' of the 'troublesome Irish' or at least sending a signal (to the Free Staters) that it was of a mind to do so : the brother of the Stormont 'Prime Minister' was first with a reply to that statement by Lloyd George -
- and , in his reply , he spoke of a " matter of life and death " and challenged the authority of Westminster to do as it apparently intended to do .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(4 of 11).
May 15th , 1981 . Paul Lavelle , 15 years of age , Ardoyne , Belfast . Shot at point-blank range in the head after being dragged up a side street by British soldiers . Serious head injuries .
May 15th , 1981 . Joseph Mullan , 11 years of age , Ballymurphy , Belfast . Shot from rear of British armoured car .
May 15th , 1981 . Damien McKenna , 19 years of age , Beechmount , Belfast . Shot by British soldier , received ten stitches in right ear . No riot was going on in the area .
May 17th , 1981 . Sarah Wildy , grandmother , St. James , Belfast . Shot by British soldier from armoured car . Severe bruising to stomach .
May 19th , 1981 . Kevin McLoughlin , 13 years of age , Whiterock , Belfast . Shot from British armoured car . Suffered severe head injuries . Kevin was sitting on a fence near his home when shot .
May 19th , 1981 * . Carol-Ann Kelly , 12 years of age , Twinbrook , Belfast . Shot by British soldiers from rear of jeeps . Carol-Ann was knocked unconscious by the plastic bullet . The British Army delayed the arrival of an ambulance for fifteen minutes ; due to the resultant loss of blood Carol-Ann died three days later in hospital . She was shot while carrying messages home for her mother . A neighbour , Kathleen Robinson , said - " This young child was shot for absolutely no reason . There was no trouble in the area at the time . "
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(1 of 31).
The only hint of vanity about Michael Flannery is the rather incongruous slick of sandy hair that curls above his forehead . He is set very much in the mould of a Catholic stoic . He neither drinks nor smokes , and he attends mass every morning at eight in his local church in Jackson Heights , Queens , in New York .
A former life-insurance salesman , Michael Flannery goes about his business in a quiet and undemonstrative way ; when ideological troubles shook James Heaney's organisation , the 'American Congress for Irish Freedom ' in the late 1960's , Flannery left to form his own organisation , the ' Irish Action Committee ' . Like many similar Irish-American organisations preceding it , this committee set out to raise support for the increasingly embattled Irish nationalists .
In late 1969 , both factions of the IRA wanted to win support in America ; it was the leaders of the Provisional wing which made the greatest inroads , however , and utilised the potential energy beginning to emerge among Irish Americans anxious and angry at the course of events . In late 1969 and early 1970 two leading IRA men came to America - they had two aims : to meet with influential Irish Americans who were sympathetic to the Cause and who would help raise money for it , and to re-activate the arms network that had atrophied since the 1950's . Daithi O'Conaill and Joe Cahill were veterans of the IRA's struggle ; Cahill , a Belfast man , was the older , with an IRA record going back to the late 1930's .......
(MORE LATER).
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... the Boundary Commission was to consist of three members - one from each Administration ; Dublin , Stormont and Westminster .......
The Westminster representative was to be the Chairperson of the Boundary Commission and , because of this and its circumscribed ' terms of reference ' it was a 'toothless' body but , even so , the Unionists were incensed - the (pro-British) Stormont 'Prime Minister' , 'Sir' James Craig (a 'landowner' and shareholder in the family whiskey business , ' Dunvilles Distillery ') wrote to the British Prime Minister , Lloyd George , on 14th December 1921 , completely rejecting any notion of a Boundary Commission as said body might judge that two of the Six partitioned Counties , Fermanagh and Tyrone " ... might be lost to the North.." due to a strong 'headcount' of Republicans / Nationalists in those two counties .
Lloyd George defended the Boundary Commission , saying - " There is no doubt , certainly since the Act of 1920 [ ie the so-called 'Government of Ireland Act' - two 'Home Rule Parliaments' for Ireland] that the majority of the people of the two counties prefer being with their Southern neighbours to being in the Northern parliament . Take it either by constituency or by poor law union or , if you like , by counting heads , and you will find that the majority in these two counties prefer to be with their Southern neighbours .
If Ulster (sic) is to remain a separate community , you can only by means of coercion keep them there and , although I am against the coercion of Ulster , (sic) I do not believe in Ulster (sic) coercing other units . "
That set 'the cat among the pigeons' ; the Unionist leadership were outraged at Lloyd Georges' comments , no doubt seeing them as Westminster preparing to 'wash its hands' of the 'troublesome Irish' or at least sending a signal (to the Free Staters) that it was of a mind to do so : the brother of the Stormont 'Prime Minister' was first with a reply to that statement by Lloyd George -
- and , in his reply , he spoke of a " matter of life and death " and challenged the authority of Westminster to do as it apparently intended to do .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(4 of 11).
May 15th , 1981 . Paul Lavelle , 15 years of age , Ardoyne , Belfast . Shot at point-blank range in the head after being dragged up a side street by British soldiers . Serious head injuries .
May 15th , 1981 . Joseph Mullan , 11 years of age , Ballymurphy , Belfast . Shot from rear of British armoured car .
May 15th , 1981 . Damien McKenna , 19 years of age , Beechmount , Belfast . Shot by British soldier , received ten stitches in right ear . No riot was going on in the area .
May 17th , 1981 . Sarah Wildy , grandmother , St. James , Belfast . Shot by British soldier from armoured car . Severe bruising to stomach .
May 19th , 1981 . Kevin McLoughlin , 13 years of age , Whiterock , Belfast . Shot from British armoured car . Suffered severe head injuries . Kevin was sitting on a fence near his home when shot .
May 19th , 1981 * . Carol-Ann Kelly , 12 years of age , Twinbrook , Belfast . Shot by British soldiers from rear of jeeps . Carol-Ann was knocked unconscious by the plastic bullet . The British Army delayed the arrival of an ambulance for fifteen minutes ; due to the resultant loss of blood Carol-Ann died three days later in hospital . She was shot while carrying messages home for her mother . A neighbour , Kathleen Robinson , said - " This young child was shot for absolutely no reason . There was no trouble in the area at the time . "
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(1 of 31).
The only hint of vanity about Michael Flannery is the rather incongruous slick of sandy hair that curls above his forehead . He is set very much in the mould of a Catholic stoic . He neither drinks nor smokes , and he attends mass every morning at eight in his local church in Jackson Heights , Queens , in New York .
A former life-insurance salesman , Michael Flannery goes about his business in a quiet and undemonstrative way ; when ideological troubles shook James Heaney's organisation , the 'American Congress for Irish Freedom ' in the late 1960's , Flannery left to form his own organisation , the ' Irish Action Committee ' . Like many similar Irish-American organisations preceding it , this committee set out to raise support for the increasingly embattled Irish nationalists .
In late 1969 , both factions of the IRA wanted to win support in America ; it was the leaders of the Provisional wing which made the greatest inroads , however , and utilised the potential energy beginning to emerge among Irish Americans anxious and angry at the course of events . In late 1969 and early 1970 two leading IRA men came to America - they had two aims : to meet with influential Irish Americans who were sympathetic to the Cause and who would help raise money for it , and to re-activate the arms network that had atrophied since the 1950's . Daithi O'Conaill and Joe Cahill were veterans of the IRA's struggle ; Cahill , a Belfast man , was the older , with an IRA record going back to the late 1930's .......
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.
On 6th December 1921 , the 'Treaty of Surrender' was signed in London ; included in that 'Treaty' was the establishment of a 'Boundary Commission' (Article 12 of said Treaty) to determine the boundaries between the partitioned 6 and 26-County 'States' .
Those who favoured the Six County 'Ulster' (sic) remaining as " part of the United Kingdom " were outraged - the British Administration in the Six Counties , which operated from Stormont , dis-agreed with the 'terms of reference' of the Boundary Commission , which were -
- " To determine in accordance with the wishes of the inhabitants so far as may be compatible with economic and geographic conditions , the boundaries between Northern Ireland (sic) and the rest of Ireland ....... " .
This was later 'tweaked' to prevent any of the Administrations (ie Dublin , Stormont or Westminster) from giving ' privileges to , or imposing disabilities on , anyone because of religion ....' . This Boundary Commission was to consist of three members .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(3 of 11).
May 9th , 1981 . Dominic Marron , 15 years of age , Falls , Belfast . Shot by RUC , severely injured , many days in intensive care , suffered brain damage .
May 11th , 1981 . * (Day of Francis Hughes' death.) Julie Livingstone , 14 years of age , Lenadoon , Belfast . Shot from rear of British armoured car : Julie had two brothers in H-Block . She died in hospital May 13th , 1981 . Julie was walking home with a bottle of milk from a local shop - there was no riot in the area .
May 12th , 1981 . Pauline Donnelly , 21 years of age , Falls , Belfast . Mother of five-month-old child . Shot at point-blank range from rear of RUC landrover . Badly bruised behind left ear . Two men , Frankie Short and Victor Angels , who came to her assistance , were also hit .
May 13th , 1981 . David Madden , four-and-a-half years of age , Turf Lodge , Belfast . Shot by RUC while leaving school . Other children were fired at but not hit . David received six stitches to his head .
May 13th , 1981 . Neil Lynash , 5 years of age , Grosvenor Road , Belfast . Shot by RUC . A skin graft over serious burn wounds was ripped-off by the bullet . He was sitting outside Lappin's sweet shop when shot .
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
[13 of 13].
Then came the case of Seamus Shannon , wanted for killing eighty-six year-old 'Sir' Norman Stronge and his son , James ; it is felt that these were particularly "emotive" cases , not likely to benefit from the political exception from extradition . Philip McMahon's extradition was turned down ; one of the reasons for this was that four of McMahon's co-accused had appeared in court in the Republic (sic) nine years previously , had asserted that the offence of escaping from Newry Courthouse was political , and were not extradited .
The latter case of John Patrick Quinn turned completely on its head the traditional assumption of a " political offence " . Senior Counsel and President of the Irish Bar Council , Paddy MacEntee , says that the case of John Patrick Quinn " presents a most disquieting set of facts " and that " it needs to be looked into in all its aspects as a matter of urgency . " John Patrick Quinn faced three years of High and Supreme Court battles without any legal aid .
Both the Irish Attorney General , John Rodgers , and his British counterpart , Michael Havers , have refused to comment .
[END of ' THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .....' ].
(Tomorrow - 'Noraid's Untold Millions' ; from 1987.)
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.
On 6th December 1921 , the 'Treaty of Surrender' was signed in London ; included in that 'Treaty' was the establishment of a 'Boundary Commission' (Article 12 of said Treaty) to determine the boundaries between the partitioned 6 and 26-County 'States' .
Those who favoured the Six County 'Ulster' (sic) remaining as " part of the United Kingdom " were outraged - the British Administration in the Six Counties , which operated from Stormont , dis-agreed with the 'terms of reference' of the Boundary Commission , which were -
- " To determine in accordance with the wishes of the inhabitants so far as may be compatible with economic and geographic conditions , the boundaries between Northern Ireland (sic) and the rest of Ireland ....... " .
This was later 'tweaked' to prevent any of the Administrations (ie Dublin , Stormont or Westminster) from giving ' privileges to , or imposing disabilities on , anyone because of religion ....' . This Boundary Commission was to consist of three members .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(3 of 11).
May 9th , 1981 . Dominic Marron , 15 years of age , Falls , Belfast . Shot by RUC , severely injured , many days in intensive care , suffered brain damage .
May 11th , 1981 . * (Day of Francis Hughes' death.) Julie Livingstone , 14 years of age , Lenadoon , Belfast . Shot from rear of British armoured car : Julie had two brothers in H-Block . She died in hospital May 13th , 1981 . Julie was walking home with a bottle of milk from a local shop - there was no riot in the area .
May 12th , 1981 . Pauline Donnelly , 21 years of age , Falls , Belfast . Mother of five-month-old child . Shot at point-blank range from rear of RUC landrover . Badly bruised behind left ear . Two men , Frankie Short and Victor Angels , who came to her assistance , were also hit .
May 13th , 1981 . David Madden , four-and-a-half years of age , Turf Lodge , Belfast . Shot by RUC while leaving school . Other children were fired at but not hit . David received six stitches to his head .
May 13th , 1981 . Neil Lynash , 5 years of age , Grosvenor Road , Belfast . Shot by RUC . A skin graft over serious burn wounds was ripped-off by the bullet . He was sitting outside Lappin's sweet shop when shot .
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
[13 of 13].
Then came the case of Seamus Shannon , wanted for killing eighty-six year-old 'Sir' Norman Stronge and his son , James ; it is felt that these were particularly "emotive" cases , not likely to benefit from the political exception from extradition . Philip McMahon's extradition was turned down ; one of the reasons for this was that four of McMahon's co-accused had appeared in court in the Republic (sic) nine years previously , had asserted that the offence of escaping from Newry Courthouse was political , and were not extradited .
The latter case of John Patrick Quinn turned completely on its head the traditional assumption of a " political offence " . Senior Counsel and President of the Irish Bar Council , Paddy MacEntee , says that the case of John Patrick Quinn " presents a most disquieting set of facts " and that " it needs to be looked into in all its aspects as a matter of urgency . " John Patrick Quinn faced three years of High and Supreme Court battles without any legal aid .
Both the Irish Attorney General , John Rodgers , and his British counterpart , Michael Havers , have refused to comment .
[END of ' THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .....' ].
(Tomorrow - 'Noraid's Untold Millions' ; from 1987.)
Monday, December 13, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... on 24th May 1921 , British General 'Sir' Nevil Macready informed Westminster that the IRA could not be militarily defeated ; on 22nd June 1921 , British 'King' George V , in coded language , offered the Irish Rebels the opportunity to talk and , on 9th July 1921 , Eamon de Valera led an Irish Republican delegation to meet the Brits .......
On 11th July 1921 , in Dublin , a 'Truce' was signed between the Crown Forces and the IRA and then , in London on 6th December 1921 , the 'Treaty of Surrender' was signed , bringing this cursed Free State into being .
We have had other 'Treaty's ' since then : 1973 (Sunningdale) , 1985 (Hillsborough) and 1998 (Stormont) - and no doubt we will suffer more of them in the future . But until such time as a Treaty contains a date for British military and political withdrawal from Ireland , it will not 'solve the Irish problem' ; we have not endured an 835-years long struggle for freedom only to now say to Westminster , as the Provos and others in the Free State 'parliament' , and system , have said - ' Stay if you want , just treat us better .....' .
Likewise , we have had dozens of elections (both 'local' and 'general') since that election of 15th January 1920 , and the Provisional political party have done well out of them ; they went in to local Councils , Leinster House , Stormont , Westminster (currently abstaining from their seats in the latter institution) and Brussels , to " change the system ..." ; but the system changed them .
In order to keep their seats (and win new ones) they will have to "look after things" ie acquire / inquire after medical cards , street lighting , grass verges to be cut , representation re social welfare claims etc etc - all laudable pursuits , right enough , but ... .. what about that which we Irish Republicans consider to be 'the big picture' ? - the British political and military presence in our country , and their continuing claim of jurisdiction over part of this island ?
No votes in it for the Provisionals . For Irish Republicans there does'nt have to be .......
[END of ' IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921 - 1925 : A BRITISH 'SLEIGHT-OF-HAND' WHICH CAUSED A MUTINY WITHIN BRITISH FORCES IN IRELAND .' )
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(2 of 11).
May 6th , 1981 . Bridget Maguire , mother of six , Belfast . Shot by RUC . Received twenty-six stitches to face . She was kneeling at an open-air prayer meeting when shot .
May 7th , 1981 . Paul Logue , 16 years of age , Waterside , Derry . Shot by RUC . Received six stitches to forehead .
May 8th , 1981 . Patrick Doherty , 68 years of age , Shantallow , Derry . Shot at close range by British soldier . Kicked on ground after shooting , suffered fractured skull . Shot near home , no rioting in area .
May 8th , 1981 . Derry man , 21 years of age , Creggan , Derry . Shot at point-blank range by RUC . Lost an eye , which was completely shattered , despite two-and-a-half hours in surgery . He was returning home from a night out with two friends . No rioting in area .
May 8th , 1981 . John Wasson , 22 years of age , Ardoyne , Belfast . Shot with two bullets . Injured in head and chest . Paralysed down one side . No riot in area .
May 8th , 1981 . Alfred Parker , 36 years of age , Whiterock , Belfast . Shot in head , received sixteen stitches .
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(12 of 13).
The second case coming before the High Court is that of Brendan Burns ; he was arrested on foot of fifteen warrants from the North , five relating to the killing of five British soldiers at Camlough , County Down , in May 1981 . Another warrant relates to the killing of a British soldier at Crossmaglen in October 1982 .
The remaining nine warrants relate to explosions , possession and control of explosives and conspiracy ; it is claimed that the offences are political and thus exempt from extradition . What is significant about both the Robert Russell and Brendan Burns cases is that no evidence need ever be produced in a court in the Republic ( ie the Free State) linking either of the men to the alleged offences .
The normally conservative senior and junior counsel who work the High and Supreme Courts are now saying that the entire Extradition issue was carefully engineered from the start . First , there was Dominic McGlinchey , extradited for the killing of a sixty-seven year-old woman , Hester McMullan ; it later emerged that there was much more evidence linking him with other killings than there was with Hester McMullan .......
(MORE LATER).
....... on 24th May 1921 , British General 'Sir' Nevil Macready informed Westminster that the IRA could not be militarily defeated ; on 22nd June 1921 , British 'King' George V , in coded language , offered the Irish Rebels the opportunity to talk and , on 9th July 1921 , Eamon de Valera led an Irish Republican delegation to meet the Brits .......
On 11th July 1921 , in Dublin , a 'Truce' was signed between the Crown Forces and the IRA and then , in London on 6th December 1921 , the 'Treaty of Surrender' was signed , bringing this cursed Free State into being .
We have had other 'Treaty's ' since then : 1973 (Sunningdale) , 1985 (Hillsborough) and 1998 (Stormont) - and no doubt we will suffer more of them in the future . But until such time as a Treaty contains a date for British military and political withdrawal from Ireland , it will not 'solve the Irish problem' ; we have not endured an 835-years long struggle for freedom only to now say to Westminster , as the Provos and others in the Free State 'parliament' , and system , have said - ' Stay if you want , just treat us better .....' .
Likewise , we have had dozens of elections (both 'local' and 'general') since that election of 15th January 1920 , and the Provisional political party have done well out of them ; they went in to local Councils , Leinster House , Stormont , Westminster (currently abstaining from their seats in the latter institution) and Brussels , to " change the system ..." ; but the system changed them .
In order to keep their seats (and win new ones) they will have to "look after things" ie acquire / inquire after medical cards , street lighting , grass verges to be cut , representation re social welfare claims etc etc - all laudable pursuits , right enough , but ... .. what about that which we Irish Republicans consider to be 'the big picture' ? - the British political and military presence in our country , and their continuing claim of jurisdiction over part of this island ?
No votes in it for the Provisionals . For Irish Republicans there does'nt have to be .......
[END of ' IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921 - 1925 : A BRITISH 'SLEIGHT-OF-HAND' WHICH CAUSED A MUTINY WITHIN BRITISH FORCES IN IRELAND .' )
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(2 of 11).
May 6th , 1981 . Bridget Maguire , mother of six , Belfast . Shot by RUC . Received twenty-six stitches to face . She was kneeling at an open-air prayer meeting when shot .
May 7th , 1981 . Paul Logue , 16 years of age , Waterside , Derry . Shot by RUC . Received six stitches to forehead .
May 8th , 1981 . Patrick Doherty , 68 years of age , Shantallow , Derry . Shot at close range by British soldier . Kicked on ground after shooting , suffered fractured skull . Shot near home , no rioting in area .
May 8th , 1981 . Derry man , 21 years of age , Creggan , Derry . Shot at point-blank range by RUC . Lost an eye , which was completely shattered , despite two-and-a-half hours in surgery . He was returning home from a night out with two friends . No rioting in area .
May 8th , 1981 . John Wasson , 22 years of age , Ardoyne , Belfast . Shot with two bullets . Injured in head and chest . Paralysed down one side . No riot in area .
May 8th , 1981 . Alfred Parker , 36 years of age , Whiterock , Belfast . Shot in head , received sixteen stitches .
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(12 of 13).
The second case coming before the High Court is that of Brendan Burns ; he was arrested on foot of fifteen warrants from the North , five relating to the killing of five British soldiers at Camlough , County Down , in May 1981 . Another warrant relates to the killing of a British soldier at Crossmaglen in October 1982 .
The remaining nine warrants relate to explosions , possession and control of explosives and conspiracy ; it is claimed that the offences are political and thus exempt from extradition . What is significant about both the Robert Russell and Brendan Burns cases is that no evidence need ever be produced in a court in the Republic ( ie the Free State) linking either of the men to the alleged offences .
The normally conservative senior and junior counsel who work the High and Supreme Courts are now saying that the entire Extradition issue was carefully engineered from the start . First , there was Dominic McGlinchey , extradited for the killing of a sixty-seven year-old woman , Hester McMullan ; it later emerged that there was much more evidence linking him with other killings than there was with Hester McMullan .......
(MORE LATER).
Friday, December 10, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... it took a few months before British General 'Sir' Nevil Macready realised that Westminster had given him a ' poisoned chalice ' by appointing him as the 'Commander-in-Chief' of the British Forces in Ireland .......
On 24th May 1921 , Macready sent his political boss in London a memorandum in which he stated that a full British military victory in Ireland , against the guerilla troops of the IRA " was almost an impossibility ... " . The Brits were apparently of the opinion that if 'Sir' Nevile could'nt do it , then it could'nt be done .
So , on 22nd June 1921 , British 'King' George V , who was in Belfast to open the new 'Home Rule Parliament' at Stormont , issued the following statement -
- " I speak from a full heart when I pray that my coming to Ireland today may prove to be the first step towards an end of strife amongst her peoples , whatever their race or creed . In that hope , I appeal to all Irishmen to pause , to stretch out the hand of forebearance and conciliation , to forgive and forget and to join in making for the land which they love a new era of peace , contentment and goodwill . "
Things moved quickly after that signal from the Brits - on 9th July 1921 , Eamon de Valera led an Irish Republican delegation in a pre-arranged meeting with , amongst others , British General Macready and his Under-Secretary , Andy Cope .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(1 of 11).
APRIL 22nd , 1981 . * Paul Withers , 15 years of age , Derry . Shot from three yards by British soldier . Suffered massive fracture of skull and died later . Paul was shot near the scene of a minor riot .
April 23rd , 1981 . Brendan Kelly , 21 years of age , Dungiven , Co. Derry . Shot at close range by RUC . Lost his right eye , seventeen stitches to head , teeth loosened by impact . No riot was going on at the time .
May 5th , 1981 - day of Bobby Sands death ; Martin Hamill , 15 years of age , Turf Lodge , Belfast . shot at close range by British soldier . Hit by two bullets . Severe damage to face . He was walking home with a friend when shot . No rioting in area .
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(11 of 13).
Those wishing to claim the " political " exception from extradition , must first therefore admit to the 'crime' ; this poses a particularly acute problem for those who are completely innocent . There guilt or innocence cannot be an issue in extradition proceedings as the law now stands . And in order to have even an opportunity of exempting themselves from extradition , they must incriminate themselves and plead guilty .
Dominic McGlinchey , Seamus Shannon and John Patrick Quinn could all have been charged in the 'Republic' with the 'offences' they were wanted for in the North and Britain under the Criminal Law Jurisdiction Act 1976 ; however , the British authorities chose not to proceed along those lines .
Robert Russell is wanted by the RUC in the North for " escape from lawful custody " ; he was one of the 38 Maze escapees in September 1983 . Russell , 27 , was interned when he was 16 . In 1976 , he was arrested and charged with a killing but the charges were later dropped . In 1982 , he was sentenced to 20 years for the attempted murder of Superintendent Drew in Belfast ; he was also convicted of wounding with intent , and having firearms and ammunition .
He was granted a retrial but the conviction was upheld . In 1984 , another escapee , Philip McMahon , was granted an order by the Supreme Court restraining his extradition .......
(MORE LATER).
( To the " descendant of P.McG " : thank you for the comments - much appreciated . / Annabel ; that site is 'down' for now , but keep checking - I'm sure they will be able to help you - Sharon . ).
....... it took a few months before British General 'Sir' Nevil Macready realised that Westminster had given him a ' poisoned chalice ' by appointing him as the 'Commander-in-Chief' of the British Forces in Ireland .......
On 24th May 1921 , Macready sent his political boss in London a memorandum in which he stated that a full British military victory in Ireland , against the guerilla troops of the IRA " was almost an impossibility ... " . The Brits were apparently of the opinion that if 'Sir' Nevile could'nt do it , then it could'nt be done .
So , on 22nd June 1921 , British 'King' George V , who was in Belfast to open the new 'Home Rule Parliament' at Stormont , issued the following statement -
- " I speak from a full heart when I pray that my coming to Ireland today may prove to be the first step towards an end of strife amongst her peoples , whatever their race or creed . In that hope , I appeal to all Irishmen to pause , to stretch out the hand of forebearance and conciliation , to forgive and forget and to join in making for the land which they love a new era of peace , contentment and goodwill . "
Things moved quickly after that signal from the Brits - on 9th July 1921 , Eamon de Valera led an Irish Republican delegation in a pre-arranged meeting with , amongst others , British General Macready and his Under-Secretary , Andy Cope .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(1 of 11).
APRIL 22nd , 1981 . * Paul Withers , 15 years of age , Derry . Shot from three yards by British soldier . Suffered massive fracture of skull and died later . Paul was shot near the scene of a minor riot .
April 23rd , 1981 . Brendan Kelly , 21 years of age , Dungiven , Co. Derry . Shot at close range by RUC . Lost his right eye , seventeen stitches to head , teeth loosened by impact . No riot was going on at the time .
May 5th , 1981 - day of Bobby Sands death ; Martin Hamill , 15 years of age , Turf Lodge , Belfast . shot at close range by British soldier . Hit by two bullets . Severe damage to face . He was walking home with a friend when shot . No rioting in area .
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(11 of 13).
Those wishing to claim the " political " exception from extradition , must first therefore admit to the 'crime' ; this poses a particularly acute problem for those who are completely innocent . There guilt or innocence cannot be an issue in extradition proceedings as the law now stands . And in order to have even an opportunity of exempting themselves from extradition , they must incriminate themselves and plead guilty .
Dominic McGlinchey , Seamus Shannon and John Patrick Quinn could all have been charged in the 'Republic' with the 'offences' they were wanted for in the North and Britain under the Criminal Law Jurisdiction Act 1976 ; however , the British authorities chose not to proceed along those lines .
Robert Russell is wanted by the RUC in the North for " escape from lawful custody " ; he was one of the 38 Maze escapees in September 1983 . Russell , 27 , was interned when he was 16 . In 1976 , he was arrested and charged with a killing but the charges were later dropped . In 1982 , he was sentenced to 20 years for the attempted murder of Superintendent Drew in Belfast ; he was also convicted of wounding with intent , and having firearms and ammunition .
He was granted a retrial but the conviction was upheld . In 1984 , another escapee , Philip McMahon , was granted an order by the Supreme Court restraining his extradition .......
(MORE LATER).
( To the " descendant of P.McG " : thank you for the comments - much appreciated . / Annabel ; that site is 'down' for now , but keep checking - I'm sure they will be able to help you - Sharon . ).
Thursday, December 09, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... in 1980 , a Black and Tan member spoke about why he and thousands like him joined that group ; political motivation had nothing to do with it .......
" ... the pay in the [French] Foreign Legion was only ten centimes a day for a five-year period . On going back to my room - where I lived - I happened to pick-up a current edition of ' The Daily Mail ' newspaper and I saw in it this advert for recruits wanted for the RIC with good pay , danger money , prospects for promotion and a pension at the end .
So I thought to myself ; why should I risk my life and perhaps my limbs for ten centimes a day when I could join the RIC for good money ? So I decided to join up there and then .
And , of course , there was good money [in the RIC]. It was £6 per week and I think I'd been getting 28 shillings (£1.40) a week when I'd finished up in the (British) Army . The average wage in the RIC was about two to three times what the men could have earned in England . "
However - Westminsters 'Plan B' , General 'Sir' Nevil Macready , and his band of unstable looters , the Black and Tans , were fought every inch of the way ; by May 1921 (on the 24th of that month) the 'penny dropped' for 'Sir' Nevile Macready - he finally realised that westminster had handed him a 'poisoned chalice' .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
[8 of 8].
The Sallins robbery took place at the height of the Coalition's hysteria about 'law and order' - a time when the Gardai would have been most encouraged to believe that the authorities would stand behind them in whatever they did to stamp out " subversive crime . "
As stated above , the handling by the Special Criminal Court of the case was less than satisfactory and the Court of Criminal Appeal has proved entirely unprepared to deal with the issues which the court throws up . At the end of it all Nicky Kelly is in Portlaoise Prison doing a 12-year sentence ; apart from the material fact that he is entirely innocent , there is the point that the processes whereby he has ended up serving this sentence have proved entirely unsatisfactory .
There is only one correct course of action now - Release Nicky Kelly and then institute an enquiry into the entire background to the case .
[END of ' RELEASE NICKY KELLY '].
(Tomorrow - 'PLASTIC BULLETS' : from 1981).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(10 of 13).
Sources close to the (FS) government deny that there is any embarrassment over the John Patrick Quinn-extradition affair and say that there are " no plans to change the law " in relation to the production of prima facie evidence in Irish courts for people wanted in the North and Britain . Nonetheless , Quinn's case is bound to have a bearing on the cases now due before the courts in the Republic. The fact that the law had been altered significantly in the case , and then all charges dismissed , is bound to be an issue .
For three years , John Patrick Quinn had the threat of prosecution and charge hanging over him ; and then on the day , the British authorities could not apparently produce enough evidence in court to proceed with their case . The fact that the British police were taking steps to acquire Quinn's affidavit also shows that they did not have the proof required to proceed .
This fact assumes a new importance when one considers that in the Shannon judgement last year (ie 1984) , the Supreme Court intimated that the motive of those committing 'criminal acts' was an important consideration in whether or not the 'crimes' were political and thus exempt from extradition . Those wishing to claim ' political exception from extradition ' must first therefore admit to the 'crime' .......
(MORE LATER).
(Annabel - you could try posting your request here ; you will have to register first , but its free , quick , and cheerful ! I hope they can help you out - Sharon .)
....... in 1980 , a Black and Tan member spoke about why he and thousands like him joined that group ; political motivation had nothing to do with it .......
" ... the pay in the [French] Foreign Legion was only ten centimes a day for a five-year period . On going back to my room - where I lived - I happened to pick-up a current edition of ' The Daily Mail ' newspaper and I saw in it this advert for recruits wanted for the RIC with good pay , danger money , prospects for promotion and a pension at the end .
So I thought to myself ; why should I risk my life and perhaps my limbs for ten centimes a day when I could join the RIC for good money ? So I decided to join up there and then .
And , of course , there was good money [in the RIC]. It was £6 per week and I think I'd been getting 28 shillings (£1.40) a week when I'd finished up in the (British) Army . The average wage in the RIC was about two to three times what the men could have earned in England . "
However - Westminsters 'Plan B' , General 'Sir' Nevil Macready , and his band of unstable looters , the Black and Tans , were fought every inch of the way ; by May 1921 (on the 24th of that month) the 'penny dropped' for 'Sir' Nevile Macready - he finally realised that westminster had handed him a 'poisoned chalice' .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
[8 of 8].
The Sallins robbery took place at the height of the Coalition's hysteria about 'law and order' - a time when the Gardai would have been most encouraged to believe that the authorities would stand behind them in whatever they did to stamp out " subversive crime . "
As stated above , the handling by the Special Criminal Court of the case was less than satisfactory and the Court of Criminal Appeal has proved entirely unprepared to deal with the issues which the court throws up . At the end of it all Nicky Kelly is in Portlaoise Prison doing a 12-year sentence ; apart from the material fact that he is entirely innocent , there is the point that the processes whereby he has ended up serving this sentence have proved entirely unsatisfactory .
There is only one correct course of action now - Release Nicky Kelly and then institute an enquiry into the entire background to the case .
[END of ' RELEASE NICKY KELLY '].
(Tomorrow - 'PLASTIC BULLETS' : from 1981).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(10 of 13).
Sources close to the (FS) government deny that there is any embarrassment over the John Patrick Quinn-extradition affair and say that there are " no plans to change the law " in relation to the production of prima facie evidence in Irish courts for people wanted in the North and Britain . Nonetheless , Quinn's case is bound to have a bearing on the cases now due before the courts in the Republic. The fact that the law had been altered significantly in the case , and then all charges dismissed , is bound to be an issue .
For three years , John Patrick Quinn had the threat of prosecution and charge hanging over him ; and then on the day , the British authorities could not apparently produce enough evidence in court to proceed with their case . The fact that the British police were taking steps to acquire Quinn's affidavit also shows that they did not have the proof required to proceed .
This fact assumes a new importance when one considers that in the Shannon judgement last year (ie 1984) , the Supreme Court intimated that the motive of those committing 'criminal acts' was an important consideration in whether or not the 'crimes' were political and thus exempt from extradition . Those wishing to claim ' political exception from extradition ' must first therefore admit to the 'crime' .......
(MORE LATER).
(Annabel - you could try posting your request here ; you will have to register first , but its free , quick , and cheerful ! I hope they can help you out - Sharon .)
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... on 29th December 1920 , in Midleton , County Cork , three RIC/Tan members were killed in a gunfight with the IRA ; on 3rd January 1921 , 'The Cork Examiner' newspaper printed a statement from the Brits , outlining their position , and intentions , regarding that IRA attack .......
That British statement declared that the " Authorities " were going to destroy some nearby houses " ... as the inhabitants were bound to have known of the ambush and attack , and they neglected to give any information either to the military or police authorities . "
Seven houses were chosen ; the families in them were given one hour to remove any money or valuables , but not furniture . The houses were then destroyed . Four months before those January 1921 'reprisals' in Cork (ie in September [20th] 1920) , four pubs in Balbriggan , County Dublin , were looted and then burned-down by the Black and Tans who , for good measure , raided and wrecked 49 houses in the neighbourhood and , before withdrawing , bayoneted two 'suspects' to death .
Those armed thugs and ruffians had no political motivation - in an interview with author Taylor Downing , in 1980 , a Black and Tan told him the following :
: " I came back from the First War and I thought that anything was better that standing in a queue . There were so many millions out of work . And then I saw this advertisement for the Royal Irish Constabulary and it said apply to Scotland Yard and I joined , and then I had to do down to Chelsea to pass a test which I did . The next night I caught the train from Euston and I was in Dublin the next morning .
I had a flare for a little adventure , and I was about to join the (French) Foreign Legion . But on enquiring , I found that the pay was only ten centimes a day ......."
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(7 of 8).
Nicky Kelly's appeal was turned down by the Court of Criminal Appeal ; the technical grounds for his appeal differed from those in the cases of Osgur Breathnach and Brian McNally , and he was returned to Portlaoise Prison . The Appeal Court have allowed an appeal to the Supreme Court on a technicality but it will be possible there to argue the point whether the Appeal Court should examine the basis for the admission of statements in evidence - the point at the heart of the Nicky Kelly case , which was entirely ruled out of contention by established practice by the Court of Criminal Appeal .
The entire Sallins robbery case had proved to be a major national scandal - at one point Gerry Collins , then spokesperson on 'Justice' for Fianna Fail , demanded an enquiry into the actions of the Gardai in the case but when he became Minister he not alone did'nt institute an enquiry but promoted several Gardai who were prominent in the affair .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(9 of 13).
In the weeks following the release of John Patrick Quinn , the ' London Evening Standard ' newspaper said that he " had been on the point of giving valuable information about bombings and assassinations , and appeared to be about to turn informer . Now he has fled to Dublin and what he could have told about the INLA and its organisation will never be known . He flew to Dublin where he is now staying at a secret address .... " Quinn was living openly in Ballina , County Mayo , and had not been interviewed by Special Branch detectives since his arrival in London .
His solicitor , Michael Fisher , says that " following his release , Scotland Yard tried to cover-up their embarrassment by blaming the Magistrate and alleged that he was on the point of giving information to the Special Branch about INLA activities . This was a lie and black propaganda and dangerous to Quinn ." Fisher further added that the case " was dismissed because the police lied in court , both orally and in a witness statement . I had no doubt that Quinn's case was selected by lawyers in both countries in order to change the extradition laws without anyone realising what was happening . This squalid manouvre deserves to fail ....... "
(MORE LATER).
....... on 29th December 1920 , in Midleton , County Cork , three RIC/Tan members were killed in a gunfight with the IRA ; on 3rd January 1921 , 'The Cork Examiner' newspaper printed a statement from the Brits , outlining their position , and intentions , regarding that IRA attack .......
That British statement declared that the " Authorities " were going to destroy some nearby houses " ... as the inhabitants were bound to have known of the ambush and attack , and they neglected to give any information either to the military or police authorities . "
Seven houses were chosen ; the families in them were given one hour to remove any money or valuables , but not furniture . The houses were then destroyed . Four months before those January 1921 'reprisals' in Cork (ie in September [20th] 1920) , four pubs in Balbriggan , County Dublin , were looted and then burned-down by the Black and Tans who , for good measure , raided and wrecked 49 houses in the neighbourhood and , before withdrawing , bayoneted two 'suspects' to death .
Those armed thugs and ruffians had no political motivation - in an interview with author Taylor Downing , in 1980 , a Black and Tan told him the following :
: " I came back from the First War and I thought that anything was better that standing in a queue . There were so many millions out of work . And then I saw this advertisement for the Royal Irish Constabulary and it said apply to Scotland Yard and I joined , and then I had to do down to Chelsea to pass a test which I did . The next night I caught the train from Euston and I was in Dublin the next morning .
I had a flare for a little adventure , and I was about to join the (French) Foreign Legion . But on enquiring , I found that the pay was only ten centimes a day ......."
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(7 of 8).
Nicky Kelly's appeal was turned down by the Court of Criminal Appeal ; the technical grounds for his appeal differed from those in the cases of Osgur Breathnach and Brian McNally , and he was returned to Portlaoise Prison . The Appeal Court have allowed an appeal to the Supreme Court on a technicality but it will be possible there to argue the point whether the Appeal Court should examine the basis for the admission of statements in evidence - the point at the heart of the Nicky Kelly case , which was entirely ruled out of contention by established practice by the Court of Criminal Appeal .
The entire Sallins robbery case had proved to be a major national scandal - at one point Gerry Collins , then spokesperson on 'Justice' for Fianna Fail , demanded an enquiry into the actions of the Gardai in the case but when he became Minister he not alone did'nt institute an enquiry but promoted several Gardai who were prominent in the affair .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(9 of 13).
In the weeks following the release of John Patrick Quinn , the ' London Evening Standard ' newspaper said that he " had been on the point of giving valuable information about bombings and assassinations , and appeared to be about to turn informer . Now he has fled to Dublin and what he could have told about the INLA and its organisation will never be known . He flew to Dublin where he is now staying at a secret address .... " Quinn was living openly in Ballina , County Mayo , and had not been interviewed by Special Branch detectives since his arrival in London .
His solicitor , Michael Fisher , says that " following his release , Scotland Yard tried to cover-up their embarrassment by blaming the Magistrate and alleged that he was on the point of giving information to the Special Branch about INLA activities . This was a lie and black propaganda and dangerous to Quinn ." Fisher further added that the case " was dismissed because the police lied in court , both orally and in a witness statement . I had no doubt that Quinn's case was selected by lawyers in both countries in order to change the extradition laws without anyone realising what was happening . This squalid manouvre deserves to fail ....... "
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... a British 'hardman' , General 'Sir' Nevil Macready , went to 'great lengths' (!) to ensure that the local Irish people that he was about to terrorise could prepare themselves for his " punishment " ; he gave them one hours notice ....... !
It was British policy that those to be " punished " would be given one hour " to remove any valuable foodstuffs , hay or corn , but not furniture ... " from their homes , which were then reduced to rubble by the use of explosives . However , generous to a fault as the Brits are/were , a slightly different variation of this " punishment " was applied to those who lived in terraced houses - the furniture was to be removed from the dwelling and burned in the street !
On 3rd January 1921 , in Middleton , Cork , the Brits reduced seven houses to rubble " in Official reprisal ... " for an IRA ambush carried-out in the area , on 29th December 1920 , in which three RIC/Tan members were killed . 'The Cork Examiner' newspaper carried a report of that particular IRA operation -
'Attack on Police at Midleton ,
Followed by Ambush ,
Two constables dead .
Closing on to ten o'clock at night when the police patrol standing at a corner of the main street were attacked by a large number of men who fired on them from three directions . The firing was of rapid but short duration . The ten policemen were considerably outnumbered , and taken as they were , completely by surprise , they had little time to put up a defence .
One of them , Mullen , was shot by one of the first few shots discharged . He was killed instantly . A telephone call was made to Cork , and some lorries of police and ambulances set out and had nearly got to Midleton by 11.30 pm .
The procession of lorries and ambulances , it is stated , had their way further impeded about two miles from the town , by obstacles , such as heavy branches of trees , lying on the roadway . They were just within two miles of the town , at a point where boreens cut off the main road , when fire was opened on the last lorry .
A sharp encounter ensued . In all , three policemen died as a result of the shooting . '
It was also on that same date (ie 3rd January 1921) that 'The Cork Examiner' newspaper printed a statement from the Brits , in which they outlined their position , and intentions , regarding that IRA attack .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(6 of 8).
That the Court of Criminal Appeal should consistently refuse to look behind the decision of the Special Criminal Court on such matters is a matter for considerable disquiet , for it means that there is effectively no check on the Special Criminal Court's inevitably prejudiced predisposition towards the Gardai .
Nicky Kelly's two co-defendants , Osgur Breathnach and Brian McNally , were discharged on appeal on technical grounds ; by that time Kelly had absconded to Canada - he had jumped bail before the verdict in the Special Criminal Court . However , once his co-defendants were acquitted by the Court of Criminal Appeal he returned to Ireland and gave himself up to the Gardai .
He was immediately imprisoned in Portlaoise Prison and he had considerable difficulty in winning a right to appeal his conviction , not having lodged his appeal within the statutory period .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(8 of 13).
One month later , the prosecution wanted the case delayed until after a High Court hearing in Dublin , scheduled for July , in which John Patrick Quinn's affidavits would be a matter for legal argument . Senior Treasury Counsel for the prosecution , Roy Amlot , said that the 'speciality rule' - a rule which allows for an extradited person to be charged only with the offences for which they were extradited - would apply .
Amlot also said that this was an agreement " reached between the Irish Attorney General and the British Attorney General ... " - but 'sources close to the [Dublin] Government' have denied that such an " agreement " was ever reached . All charges were dismissed against Quinn and he returned to Ireland .
In the weeks following his release , the 'London Evening Standard' newspaper and the 'Daily Express' newspaper carried unattributed stories about John Patrick Quinn .......
(MORE LATER).
....... a British 'hardman' , General 'Sir' Nevil Macready , went to 'great lengths' (!) to ensure that the local Irish people that he was about to terrorise could prepare themselves for his " punishment " ; he gave them one hours notice ....... !
It was British policy that those to be " punished " would be given one hour " to remove any valuable foodstuffs , hay or corn , but not furniture ... " from their homes , which were then reduced to rubble by the use of explosives . However , generous to a fault as the Brits are/were , a slightly different variation of this " punishment " was applied to those who lived in terraced houses - the furniture was to be removed from the dwelling and burned in the street !
On 3rd January 1921 , in Middleton , Cork , the Brits reduced seven houses to rubble " in Official reprisal ... " for an IRA ambush carried-out in the area , on 29th December 1920 , in which three RIC/Tan members were killed . 'The Cork Examiner' newspaper carried a report of that particular IRA operation -
'Attack on Police at Midleton ,
Followed by Ambush ,
Two constables dead .
Closing on to ten o'clock at night when the police patrol standing at a corner of the main street were attacked by a large number of men who fired on them from three directions . The firing was of rapid but short duration . The ten policemen were considerably outnumbered , and taken as they were , completely by surprise , they had little time to put up a defence .
One of them , Mullen , was shot by one of the first few shots discharged . He was killed instantly . A telephone call was made to Cork , and some lorries of police and ambulances set out and had nearly got to Midleton by 11.30 pm .
The procession of lorries and ambulances , it is stated , had their way further impeded about two miles from the town , by obstacles , such as heavy branches of trees , lying on the roadway . They were just within two miles of the town , at a point where boreens cut off the main road , when fire was opened on the last lorry .
A sharp encounter ensued . In all , three policemen died as a result of the shooting . '
It was also on that same date (ie 3rd January 1921) that 'The Cork Examiner' newspaper printed a statement from the Brits , in which they outlined their position , and intentions , regarding that IRA attack .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(6 of 8).
That the Court of Criminal Appeal should consistently refuse to look behind the decision of the Special Criminal Court on such matters is a matter for considerable disquiet , for it means that there is effectively no check on the Special Criminal Court's inevitably prejudiced predisposition towards the Gardai .
Nicky Kelly's two co-defendants , Osgur Breathnach and Brian McNally , were discharged on appeal on technical grounds ; by that time Kelly had absconded to Canada - he had jumped bail before the verdict in the Special Criminal Court . However , once his co-defendants were acquitted by the Court of Criminal Appeal he returned to Ireland and gave himself up to the Gardai .
He was immediately imprisoned in Portlaoise Prison and he had considerable difficulty in winning a right to appeal his conviction , not having lodged his appeal within the statutory period .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(8 of 13).
One month later , the prosecution wanted the case delayed until after a High Court hearing in Dublin , scheduled for July , in which John Patrick Quinn's affidavits would be a matter for legal argument . Senior Treasury Counsel for the prosecution , Roy Amlot , said that the 'speciality rule' - a rule which allows for an extradited person to be charged only with the offences for which they were extradited - would apply .
Amlot also said that this was an agreement " reached between the Irish Attorney General and the British Attorney General ... " - but 'sources close to the [Dublin] Government' have denied that such an " agreement " was ever reached . All charges were dismissed against Quinn and he returned to Ireland .
In the weeks following his release , the 'London Evening Standard' newspaper and the 'Daily Express' newspaper carried unattributed stories about John Patrick Quinn .......
(MORE LATER).
Monday, December 06, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... when they failed to get the results they wanted in the 15th January 1920 Elections in Ireland , Westminster went to 'Plan B' - they called-in British Army General 'Sir' Nevil Macready .......
Macready was appointed ' Commander-in-Chief' of the British Forces in Ireland ; he was known to be in favour of martial law and the imposition of a complete military dictatorship on the island . In December 1920 , 'Sir' Macready told his political masters in Westminster that his " military governors " in Ireland had been given 'permission' " to inflict punishments ..." on the local population following any IRA operation in that same area -
- " Punishments will only be carried out on the authority of the Infantry Brigadier who , before taking action , will satisfy himself that the people concerned were , owing to their proximity to the outrage or their known political tendencies , implicated in the outrage . " ('1169...' comment - this was , in effect , 'carte blanche' to the British military to do as they liked in Ireland .)
Macready continued - " The punishment will be carried out as a Military Operation and the reason why it is being done will be publicly proclaimed . " However , as a 'PR stunt' , in the belief that he could portray himself as something other than the vicious bastard he was , Macready implemented a policy by which those to be " punished " were given one hours notice ....... !
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(5 of 8).
In spite of this persuasive evidence of Garda ill-treatment a statement made by Nicky Kelly , while in custody , was held by the Special Criminal Court to have been made voluntarily (!) ; the Court accepted Garda evidence that there had been no ill-treatment of any of the defendants and insinuated that any injuries they received must have been self-inflicted .
On the basis of a statement made by Nicky Kelly while in Garda custody and on that evidence alone Kelly was convicted of charges in connection with robbery and sentenced to 12 years penal servitude .
The Special Criminal Court's acceptance of Garda assurances that statements were given voluntarily , when there is substantial evidence to show that there was a considerable degree of coercive pressure involved is not unusual .
It is one of the major defects of that court and , to a large extent , an inevitable defect - for the repeated exposure of Justices to Garda 'evidence' versus " subversive " claims , conditions the members of the court in favour of the Gardai .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(7 of 13).
A copy of an affidavit , purporting to be John Patrick Quinn's affidavit in the High Court in Dublin was produced ; no application had been made to the High Court to have this made available . Legal counsel for Quinn , Michael Fisher , immediately took steps to ensure that the British authorities should not have access to the original affidavit without both parties being present .
Quinn applied for bail and was granted it on two sureties of £2,500 each ; Detective Barnes objected to bail on the grounds that Quinn would commit further offences and he would be unlikely to turn up for his hearing . Magistrate Norma Negus responded to this argument by telling Detective Barnes - " We're not in Dublin now . We're dealing with the Bail Act . " The prosecution were accused of " acting in bad faith , abusing the process of the court and inexcusable procrastination . "
Michael Fisher expressed fears at that point that John Patrick Quinn would be charged with offences other than those he had been extradited to face .......
(MORE LATER).
....... when they failed to get the results they wanted in the 15th January 1920 Elections in Ireland , Westminster went to 'Plan B' - they called-in British Army General 'Sir' Nevil Macready .......
Macready was appointed ' Commander-in-Chief' of the British Forces in Ireland ; he was known to be in favour of martial law and the imposition of a complete military dictatorship on the island . In December 1920 , 'Sir' Macready told his political masters in Westminster that his " military governors " in Ireland had been given 'permission' " to inflict punishments ..." on the local population following any IRA operation in that same area -
- " Punishments will only be carried out on the authority of the Infantry Brigadier who , before taking action , will satisfy himself that the people concerned were , owing to their proximity to the outrage or their known political tendencies , implicated in the outrage . " ('1169...' comment - this was , in effect , 'carte blanche' to the British military to do as they liked in Ireland .)
Macready continued - " The punishment will be carried out as a Military Operation and the reason why it is being done will be publicly proclaimed . " However , as a 'PR stunt' , in the belief that he could portray himself as something other than the vicious bastard he was , Macready implemented a policy by which those to be " punished " were given one hours notice ....... !
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(5 of 8).
In spite of this persuasive evidence of Garda ill-treatment a statement made by Nicky Kelly , while in custody , was held by the Special Criminal Court to have been made voluntarily (!) ; the Court accepted Garda evidence that there had been no ill-treatment of any of the defendants and insinuated that any injuries they received must have been self-inflicted .
On the basis of a statement made by Nicky Kelly while in Garda custody and on that evidence alone Kelly was convicted of charges in connection with robbery and sentenced to 12 years penal servitude .
The Special Criminal Court's acceptance of Garda assurances that statements were given voluntarily , when there is substantial evidence to show that there was a considerable degree of coercive pressure involved is not unusual .
It is one of the major defects of that court and , to a large extent , an inevitable defect - for the repeated exposure of Justices to Garda 'evidence' versus " subversive " claims , conditions the members of the court in favour of the Gardai .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(7 of 13).
A copy of an affidavit , purporting to be John Patrick Quinn's affidavit in the High Court in Dublin was produced ; no application had been made to the High Court to have this made available . Legal counsel for Quinn , Michael Fisher , immediately took steps to ensure that the British authorities should not have access to the original affidavit without both parties being present .
Quinn applied for bail and was granted it on two sureties of £2,500 each ; Detective Barnes objected to bail on the grounds that Quinn would commit further offences and he would be unlikely to turn up for his hearing . Magistrate Norma Negus responded to this argument by telling Detective Barnes - " We're not in Dublin now . We're dealing with the Bail Act . " The prosecution were accused of " acting in bad faith , abusing the process of the court and inexcusable procrastination . "
Michael Fisher expressed fears at that point that John Patrick Quinn would be charged with offences other than those he had been extradited to face .......
(MORE LATER).
Friday, December 03, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... on 15th March , 1920 , Tomas MacCurtain , the (Irish Republican) Lord Mayor of Cork , was shot dead by a gang of English men - they were members of the RIC and were new recruits to that English police force in Ireland . They were called the Black and Tans by the Irish , because of their 'uniform' - and were a vicious lot .......
A report in the ' Daily News ' newspaper in March 1920 , which was penned by Erskine Childers , stated -
" Take a typical night in Dublin . As the citizens go to bed , the barracks spring to life . Lorries , tanks and armoured search-light cars muster in fleets , lists of objectives are distributed and , when the midnight curfew order has emptied the streets - pitch dark streets - the weird cavalcades issue forth to the attack . A thunder of knocks ; no time to dress or the door will crash in . On opening , in charge the soldiers - literally charge - with fixed bayonets and in full war-kit . "
The 15th January 1920 municipal and urban elections not only saw an Irish Republican Lord Mayor elected in Cork - that same political Office was also conferred on Michael O'Callaghan in Limerick and Tom Kelly in Dublin ; on 6th March , 1921 , Michael O'Callaghan was shot dead in his house by the Black and Tans , in what became known as ' The Curfew Murders ' - because , on that same night (6th March 1921) , the then serving Lord Mayor of Limerick , a Mr. George Clancy (and his wife) were also shot dead in their own house . Tom Kelly took the Free State side after the 1921 Treaty of Surrender, and died in April 1942 .
As mentioned previously in this article , the Brits had hoped that , between the new voting system of proportional representation and their 'banning' of the Sinn Fein organisation , plus the introduction of martial law and the imprisonment and deportation of Irish Republican candidates , that Sinn Fein would do poorly at the 15th January 1920 Elections - but that was not how things turned out .
So ' Plan B ' was put into action ; Westminster called-in British Army General 'Sir' Nevil Macready .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(4 of 8).
Dr. Samuel Davis , the medical officer at Mountjoy Prison , examined Nicky Kelly the following day . He said in evidence that he found extensive bruising on the left shoulder and scapula ; there was extensive bruising on the upper arm ; the left arm was completely bruised on the outer side , there was a circular bruising on the lateral , or outer surface , of the left forearm and there was circular bruising about two inches in circumference about the wrist on the inner surface .
He found two superficial injuries about an inch in size , over the pectoral area , slightly above the left nipple . Kelly had a large superficial bruise on the outer surface of the right upper arm , measuring seven inches by seven inches and continuing into the back of the right shoulder . There were bruises on both buttocks and also behind the left ear .
There was bruising as well on the front and back of the left thigh .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(6 of 13).
John Patrick Quinn was remanded twice at Horseferry Magistrates Court in March 1985 , the prosecution claiming that the papers had not been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions ; on April 4th 1985 , a police officer told the court that the papers had been sent . Legal counsel for Quinn , Michael Fisher , saw a note in his hand to the effect that " ... the papers were to be sent ..". Magistrate Norma Negus ordered Detective Inspector Barnes to come before the court when this anomaly was pointed out - he was unable to explain-away his subordinate's behaviour . In the event , a further remand for four weeks was granted .
Quinn , in the meanwhile , was classified as an ordinary Category B prisoner ; in the beginning of May 1985 , Detective Barnes asked for a further remand and still no papers had been served on the defence ; the case was adjourned for twenty-four hours and the defence was served with the statements .
However , there was no evidence present which would allow the prosecution to proceed with the charge .......
(MORE LATER).
....... on 15th March , 1920 , Tomas MacCurtain , the (Irish Republican) Lord Mayor of Cork , was shot dead by a gang of English men - they were members of the RIC and were new recruits to that English police force in Ireland . They were called the Black and Tans by the Irish , because of their 'uniform' - and were a vicious lot .......
A report in the ' Daily News ' newspaper in March 1920 , which was penned by Erskine Childers , stated -
" Take a typical night in Dublin . As the citizens go to bed , the barracks spring to life . Lorries , tanks and armoured search-light cars muster in fleets , lists of objectives are distributed and , when the midnight curfew order has emptied the streets - pitch dark streets - the weird cavalcades issue forth to the attack . A thunder of knocks ; no time to dress or the door will crash in . On opening , in charge the soldiers - literally charge - with fixed bayonets and in full war-kit . "
The 15th January 1920 municipal and urban elections not only saw an Irish Republican Lord Mayor elected in Cork - that same political Office was also conferred on Michael O'Callaghan in Limerick and Tom Kelly in Dublin ; on 6th March , 1921 , Michael O'Callaghan was shot dead in his house by the Black and Tans , in what became known as ' The Curfew Murders ' - because , on that same night (6th March 1921) , the then serving Lord Mayor of Limerick , a Mr. George Clancy (and his wife) were also shot dead in their own house . Tom Kelly took the Free State side after the 1921 Treaty of Surrender, and died in April 1942 .
As mentioned previously in this article , the Brits had hoped that , between the new voting system of proportional representation and their 'banning' of the Sinn Fein organisation , plus the introduction of martial law and the imprisonment and deportation of Irish Republican candidates , that Sinn Fein would do poorly at the 15th January 1920 Elections - but that was not how things turned out .
So ' Plan B ' was put into action ; Westminster called-in British Army General 'Sir' Nevil Macready .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(4 of 8).
Dr. Samuel Davis , the medical officer at Mountjoy Prison , examined Nicky Kelly the following day . He said in evidence that he found extensive bruising on the left shoulder and scapula ; there was extensive bruising on the upper arm ; the left arm was completely bruised on the outer side , there was a circular bruising on the lateral , or outer surface , of the left forearm and there was circular bruising about two inches in circumference about the wrist on the inner surface .
He found two superficial injuries about an inch in size , over the pectoral area , slightly above the left nipple . Kelly had a large superficial bruise on the outer surface of the right upper arm , measuring seven inches by seven inches and continuing into the back of the right shoulder . There were bruises on both buttocks and also behind the left ear .
There was bruising as well on the front and back of the left thigh .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(6 of 13).
John Patrick Quinn was remanded twice at Horseferry Magistrates Court in March 1985 , the prosecution claiming that the papers had not been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions ; on April 4th 1985 , a police officer told the court that the papers had been sent . Legal counsel for Quinn , Michael Fisher , saw a note in his hand to the effect that " ... the papers were to be sent ..". Magistrate Norma Negus ordered Detective Inspector Barnes to come before the court when this anomaly was pointed out - he was unable to explain-away his subordinate's behaviour . In the event , a further remand for four weeks was granted .
Quinn , in the meanwhile , was classified as an ordinary Category B prisoner ; in the beginning of May 1985 , Detective Barnes asked for a further remand and still no papers had been served on the defence ; the case was adjourned for twenty-four hours and the defence was served with the statements .
However , there was no evidence present which would allow the prosecution to proceed with the charge .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, December 02, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... sentenced to death by a Fianna Fail administration in Leinster House , in June 1940 , Tomas Og MacCurtain had his sentence commuted to one of penal servitude for life , in July 1940 .......
It has since been alleged that a sister of Cathal Brugha's widow , who was then the Reverend Mother of an Armagh Convent , had requested that her 'boss' , Cardinal MacRory , should 'speak to' Eamon de Valera about the case . This , if indeed it did happen , and the fact that Tomas Og's father had actually shouldered a gun alongside many members of the then Fianna Fail administration (before they went Free State , obviously) , saved his life . And that's the end of that 'tangent' on Tomas Og MacCurtain !
Tomas MacCurtain (Snr) , the Lord Mayor of Cork , was shot dead by a gang of masked men on 15th March 1920 ; his killers wore civilian clothes and all spoke with English accents - it later transpired that they were members of the RIC who had been recruited into that British police force in England : they were some of the 7,000 men thus recruited to tackle the IRA .
The quick expansion of the RIC meant that there was not enough of the bottle-green coloured uniforms to go around , so the new recruits were allowed to mix a khaki-coloured trouser or jacket to wear with whatever standard-issue piece of clothing they aready had . They were first seen in County Tipperary and were named , by the Irish , after a famous pack of hunting-hounds in that County - the Black and Tans !
These 'policemen/soldiers' were also issued with black belts and caps , and were a vicious lot .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(3 of 8).
" ..... on floor , on back , hands stretched backwards . Chair put on palms . (Garda A) sits on chair . Spits on face . Leering . Cried . Frightened . Don't know what they are going to do to me . Very tired , sore , ears ringing , bad headache , stomach sick , afraid of my life . (Garda A) produced black-jack , beaten by (Garda E) on biceps . Left on table . Black lathe 10 inches long , 1 inch in diameter , flexible , swish noise . "Own up , make statement ..." . Beaten above the knee ......."
Dr. Sean O'Cleirigh , an independent doctor , examined Nicky Kelly in Mountjoy Jail hours after this ordeal and gave the following evidence in court : he found extensive bruising on Kelly's outer arms from the shoulder to the elbow ; there were also bruises over the left shoulder blade , over the ribs , over the pubic bone and on his left hip and thigh . The doctor found extensive bruising over the mastoid bone of the left ear , which itself was also bruised . The ear area was also slightly bruised - all of these bruises were tender . He said Kelly was very apprehensive at the time .
The prison doctor then examined Nicky Kelly .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(5 of 13).
The Free State 'Supreme Court' had previously dealth with a case in which a priest , Fr. Brendan Burns , admitted to holding 130 sticks of gelignite for the IRA -
- " It seems to me , " said Justice Finlay in that case in 1974 , " that the safe keeping of explosives for an organisation attempting to overthrow the state by violence is , according to that test , an offence of a political character . "
But prior to John Patrick Quinn's extradition , there had been other developments - Quinn is a fish dealer in Ballina where he lives with his wife and three children . In July 1983 , Detective Constable Kevin Tooher and Detective Inspector John Barnes , both from London , turned up in Ballina to interview John Patrick Quinn .
He finally flew to London on March 1st of this year (1985) , following the 'Supreme Court' decision , to face fraud charges relating to a sum of £600 ; he was interviewed by police on his arrival and thereafter transferred to Wormwood Scrubbs Prison .
Quinn was classified a ' High Security Category 'A' prisoner' and spent twenty-three hours a day in solitary confinement .......
(MORE LATER).
....... sentenced to death by a Fianna Fail administration in Leinster House , in June 1940 , Tomas Og MacCurtain had his sentence commuted to one of penal servitude for life , in July 1940 .......
It has since been alleged that a sister of Cathal Brugha's widow , who was then the Reverend Mother of an Armagh Convent , had requested that her 'boss' , Cardinal MacRory , should 'speak to' Eamon de Valera about the case . This , if indeed it did happen , and the fact that Tomas Og's father had actually shouldered a gun alongside many members of the then Fianna Fail administration (before they went Free State , obviously) , saved his life . And that's the end of that 'tangent' on Tomas Og MacCurtain !
Tomas MacCurtain (Snr) , the Lord Mayor of Cork , was shot dead by a gang of masked men on 15th March 1920 ; his killers wore civilian clothes and all spoke with English accents - it later transpired that they were members of the RIC who had been recruited into that British police force in England : they were some of the 7,000 men thus recruited to tackle the IRA .
The quick expansion of the RIC meant that there was not enough of the bottle-green coloured uniforms to go around , so the new recruits were allowed to mix a khaki-coloured trouser or jacket to wear with whatever standard-issue piece of clothing they aready had . They were first seen in County Tipperary and were named , by the Irish , after a famous pack of hunting-hounds in that County - the Black and Tans !
These 'policemen/soldiers' were also issued with black belts and caps , and were a vicious lot .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(3 of 8).
" ..... on floor , on back , hands stretched backwards . Chair put on palms . (Garda A) sits on chair . Spits on face . Leering . Cried . Frightened . Don't know what they are going to do to me . Very tired , sore , ears ringing , bad headache , stomach sick , afraid of my life . (Garda A) produced black-jack , beaten by (Garda E) on biceps . Left on table . Black lathe 10 inches long , 1 inch in diameter , flexible , swish noise . "Own up , make statement ..." . Beaten above the knee ......."
Dr. Sean O'Cleirigh , an independent doctor , examined Nicky Kelly in Mountjoy Jail hours after this ordeal and gave the following evidence in court : he found extensive bruising on Kelly's outer arms from the shoulder to the elbow ; there were also bruises over the left shoulder blade , over the ribs , over the pubic bone and on his left hip and thigh . The doctor found extensive bruising over the mastoid bone of the left ear , which itself was also bruised . The ear area was also slightly bruised - all of these bruises were tender . He said Kelly was very apprehensive at the time .
The prison doctor then examined Nicky Kelly .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(5 of 13).
The Free State 'Supreme Court' had previously dealth with a case in which a priest , Fr. Brendan Burns , admitted to holding 130 sticks of gelignite for the IRA -
- " It seems to me , " said Justice Finlay in that case in 1974 , " that the safe keeping of explosives for an organisation attempting to overthrow the state by violence is , according to that test , an offence of a political character . "
But prior to John Patrick Quinn's extradition , there had been other developments - Quinn is a fish dealer in Ballina where he lives with his wife and three children . In July 1983 , Detective Constable Kevin Tooher and Detective Inspector John Barnes , both from London , turned up in Ballina to interview John Patrick Quinn .
He finally flew to London on March 1st of this year (1985) , following the 'Supreme Court' decision , to face fraud charges relating to a sum of £600 ; he was interviewed by police on his arrival and thereafter transferred to Wormwood Scrubbs Prison .
Quinn was classified a ' High Security Category 'A' prisoner' and spent twenty-three hours a day in solitary confinement .......
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... an interesting 'tangent' re the election of Tomas MacCurtain in January 1920 to the position of Lord Mayor in Cork ; on the 3rd January 1940 , Tomas MacCurtain Junior (Tomas Og) was jumped-on in Cork by Free State Branch men - a gunshot was fired in the scuffle .......
... a Free State Detective , by the name of Roche , fell to the ground - he was fatally wounded and died the next day . On 13th June 1940 , the Free State 'Special Criminal Court' sentenced Tomas Og MacCurtain to death - sentence to be carried-out on 5th July 1940 . An application for 'Habeas Corpus' was lodged and the execution was postponed for a week , but the Free State Supreme Court then dismissed the appeal .
The whole country was divided over the issue - some demanded that MacCurtain be put to death immediately as a 'sign' from the Fianna Fail administration that they were serious about 'cracking-down' on their former comrades in the IRA , while others demanded that he be released . Finally , on 10th July 1940 , the Free Staters issued a statement -
- " The President , acting on the advice of the government , has commuted the sentence of death on Tomas MacCurtain to penal servitude for life . " It has since been alleged that a sister of Cathal Brugha's widow had intervened on behalf of Tomas Og MacCurtain to get his death sentence overturned .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(2 of 8).
Nicky Kelly's own version , given in evidence , of what happened him in Garda custody is as follows ; we have deleated the names of the Gardai from his account -
- " (Garda A) rammed my head off the locker door . Some of the Brits treatment . Spreadeagled . Jabbed in ribs , slapped in face , legs kicked . Lights switched off . Placed behind door . Spreadeagled . Door pushed in . Collision . Ended up on ground . Once on floor refused to get up . Hair pulled . Hit on back . Frightened more than hurt . Taken upstairs by (Garda A) . Smell of drink off him .
Corner of cell . Toilet . Grabbed by hair . 'Tomorrow - long day'. Shoved head 5-6 times down toilet , did'nt wet face . Taken out of cell by (Garda A) . To wall - out of sight of cell . Short delay . Knee in groin . Caught in thigh . Spat in face . Back to cell . 5 minutes there . (Garda A) - 'Eventually you'll talk'.
(Garda A) hit me back of ears after wrong answers . Telephone ears 10 times . (Garda B) slapped in face and arms . (Garda C and Garda D) punched , punched . Fell to ground . (Garda D) hit me with chair - not much force ....... "
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(4 of 13).
In November 1980 , John Patrick Quinn passed off more than £10,000 in travellers' cheques ; some of the cheques were passed off in Barclay's Bank in Russell Square in London . The money was passed on to a fellow member of the INLA , to which Quinn belonged at the time , for that organisation .
In April 1981 , Quinn's fingerprints were taken in Dublin - two months later , the travellers' cheques that had been passed in London were sent to the Fingerprint Section in Britain for examination . In March 1982 , a warrant was issued at Horseferry Magistrates Court for Quinn's extradition - the warrant was endorsed in Dublin and Quinn was arrested .
He then went into the High Court claiming that the offence was political and that he was exempt from extradition . The Supreme Court significantly altered its interpretation of the law - Chief Justice Finlay stated that " This court cannot , it seems to me ... grant immunity from extradition to a person charged with an offence , the admitted purpose of which is to facilitate the overthrow by violence of the Constitution and of the organs of state established thereby . "
This was in stark contrast to what the same Chief Justice Finlay had said about Fr. Brendan Burns , a priest who told the court he was holding 130 sticks of gelignite for the IRA .......
(MORE LATER).
....... an interesting 'tangent' re the election of Tomas MacCurtain in January 1920 to the position of Lord Mayor in Cork ; on the 3rd January 1940 , Tomas MacCurtain Junior (Tomas Og) was jumped-on in Cork by Free State Branch men - a gunshot was fired in the scuffle .......
... a Free State Detective , by the name of Roche , fell to the ground - he was fatally wounded and died the next day . On 13th June 1940 , the Free State 'Special Criminal Court' sentenced Tomas Og MacCurtain to death - sentence to be carried-out on 5th July 1940 . An application for 'Habeas Corpus' was lodged and the execution was postponed for a week , but the Free State Supreme Court then dismissed the appeal .
The whole country was divided over the issue - some demanded that MacCurtain be put to death immediately as a 'sign' from the Fianna Fail administration that they were serious about 'cracking-down' on their former comrades in the IRA , while others demanded that he be released . Finally , on 10th July 1940 , the Free Staters issued a statement -
- " The President , acting on the advice of the government , has commuted the sentence of death on Tomas MacCurtain to penal servitude for life . " It has since been alleged that a sister of Cathal Brugha's widow had intervened on behalf of Tomas Og MacCurtain to get his death sentence overturned .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(2 of 8).
Nicky Kelly's own version , given in evidence , of what happened him in Garda custody is as follows ; we have deleated the names of the Gardai from his account -
- " (Garda A) rammed my head off the locker door . Some of the Brits treatment . Spreadeagled . Jabbed in ribs , slapped in face , legs kicked . Lights switched off . Placed behind door . Spreadeagled . Door pushed in . Collision . Ended up on ground . Once on floor refused to get up . Hair pulled . Hit on back . Frightened more than hurt . Taken upstairs by (Garda A) . Smell of drink off him .
Corner of cell . Toilet . Grabbed by hair . 'Tomorrow - long day'. Shoved head 5-6 times down toilet , did'nt wet face . Taken out of cell by (Garda A) . To wall - out of sight of cell . Short delay . Knee in groin . Caught in thigh . Spat in face . Back to cell . 5 minutes there . (Garda A) - 'Eventually you'll talk'.
(Garda A) hit me back of ears after wrong answers . Telephone ears 10 times . (Garda B) slapped in face and arms . (Garda C and Garda D) punched , punched . Fell to ground . (Garda D) hit me with chair - not much force ....... "
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(4 of 13).
In November 1980 , John Patrick Quinn passed off more than £10,000 in travellers' cheques ; some of the cheques were passed off in Barclay's Bank in Russell Square in London . The money was passed on to a fellow member of the INLA , to which Quinn belonged at the time , for that organisation .
In April 1981 , Quinn's fingerprints were taken in Dublin - two months later , the travellers' cheques that had been passed in London were sent to the Fingerprint Section in Britain for examination . In March 1982 , a warrant was issued at Horseferry Magistrates Court for Quinn's extradition - the warrant was endorsed in Dublin and Quinn was arrested .
He then went into the High Court claiming that the offence was political and that he was exempt from extradition . The Supreme Court significantly altered its interpretation of the law - Chief Justice Finlay stated that " This court cannot , it seems to me ... grant immunity from extradition to a person charged with an offence , the admitted purpose of which is to facilitate the overthrow by violence of the Constitution and of the organs of state established thereby . "
This was in stark contrast to what the same Chief Justice Finlay had said about Fr. Brendan Burns , a priest who told the court he was holding 130 sticks of gelignite for the IRA .......
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... Ireland , 1920 - local (ie Council) elections were about to be held (15th January that year) ; the British claimed that the victory secured by the Sinn Fein organisation in the 1918 General Election would not be repeated . The Rebels were confident it would be .......
The result of the 15th January 1920 local elections proved Westminster wrong - Sinn Fein won control of 11 out of 12 cities and boroughs , and the 'outlawed' (underground) Dail Eireann (32 County body) directed all local council's in Ireland to break their connection with the (British) Dublin Castle system of local administration and , within months , most of the local councils in the country were reporting to the Republican administration .
The only municipal council in all Ireland left under Unionist control was in Belfast ; out of 206 Councils elected on the island , 172 now had a Republican/Nationalist majority . In Cork , Tomas MacCurtain was elected 'Lord Mayor' ; an interesting 'tangent' here - Tomas MacCurtain Junior [ the son of the previously-mentioned Republican Lord Mayor] was as involved in Irish Republican activities as his father was .
In Cork one day (3rd January 1940) , Tomas Junior (Tomas Og) was jumped-on by a number of Free State Special Branch men , who had decided to 'arrest' him - he fought with them and , in the scuffle , a gunshot was fired . A Free State Detective , by the name of Roche , fell to the ground .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(1 of 8).
Nicky Kelly , of Arklow , County Wicklow , is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence in Portlaoise Prison for an offence he did not commit , the Sallins mail train robbery in March 1976 . He is likely to go on hunger strike in prison within the next few weeks in protest against his conviction and , given his current mental state , he is very likely to at least do himself very considerabe damage , if not actually starve himself to death .
We hope to be able to publish in Magill within the next few months , proof of Nicky Kelly's innocence by showing how a group with which he was not associated were responsible for the robbery , but at this stage we wish to highlight some of the disquieting features of the police enquiry and the judical conduct of the case .
We have published on a number of previous occasions the evidence of Garda ill-treatment which Nicky Kelly and his co-defendants , Osgur Breathnach and Brian McNally allegedly suffered .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(3 of 13).
Currently , an extradition treaty between Britain and the US is the subject of Senate hearings ; should the treaty be passed , it will have significant repercussions for IRA men claiming political asylum for offences committed against the security forces in the North . The basic requirement in American extraditions - that a 'prima facie' case exists - does not extend to the Extradition Act 1965 .
Absolutely no evidence need be shown to link the accused to the crime ; this glaring anomaly became particularly apparent earlier this year following the extradition of John Patrick Quinn to London . Quinn walked free from Horseferry Magistrates Court in London when all the charges for which he had been extradited were dismissed . The Director of Public Prosecutions in Britain immediately went into the High Court looking for what is known as a 'Voluntary Bill of Indictment'.
That 'Bill' would have allowed John Patrick Quinn to be put on trial in the Old Bailey . It was granted , and detectives rushed to arrest Quinn , and alerted all air and sea ports . They were ten minutes late : Quinn was already on a plane back to Dublin and thereafter to his home in Ballina .
The story of how John Patrick Quinn came to have the charges dismissed against him paints a picture of extraordinary bungling on the part of the British police .......
(MORE LATER).
....... Ireland , 1920 - local (ie Council) elections were about to be held (15th January that year) ; the British claimed that the victory secured by the Sinn Fein organisation in the 1918 General Election would not be repeated . The Rebels were confident it would be .......
The result of the 15th January 1920 local elections proved Westminster wrong - Sinn Fein won control of 11 out of 12 cities and boroughs , and the 'outlawed' (underground) Dail Eireann (32 County body) directed all local council's in Ireland to break their connection with the (British) Dublin Castle system of local administration and , within months , most of the local councils in the country were reporting to the Republican administration .
The only municipal council in all Ireland left under Unionist control was in Belfast ; out of 206 Councils elected on the island , 172 now had a Republican/Nationalist majority . In Cork , Tomas MacCurtain was elected 'Lord Mayor' ; an interesting 'tangent' here - Tomas MacCurtain Junior [ the son of the previously-mentioned Republican Lord Mayor] was as involved in Irish Republican activities as his father was .
In Cork one day (3rd January 1940) , Tomas Junior (Tomas Og) was jumped-on by a number of Free State Special Branch men , who had decided to 'arrest' him - he fought with them and , in the scuffle , a gunshot was fired . A Free State Detective , by the name of Roche , fell to the ground .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(1 of 8).
Nicky Kelly , of Arklow , County Wicklow , is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence in Portlaoise Prison for an offence he did not commit , the Sallins mail train robbery in March 1976 . He is likely to go on hunger strike in prison within the next few weeks in protest against his conviction and , given his current mental state , he is very likely to at least do himself very considerabe damage , if not actually starve himself to death .
We hope to be able to publish in Magill within the next few months , proof of Nicky Kelly's innocence by showing how a group with which he was not associated were responsible for the robbery , but at this stage we wish to highlight some of the disquieting features of the police enquiry and the judical conduct of the case .
We have published on a number of previous occasions the evidence of Garda ill-treatment which Nicky Kelly and his co-defendants , Osgur Breathnach and Brian McNally allegedly suffered .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(3 of 13).
Currently , an extradition treaty between Britain and the US is the subject of Senate hearings ; should the treaty be passed , it will have significant repercussions for IRA men claiming political asylum for offences committed against the security forces in the North . The basic requirement in American extraditions - that a 'prima facie' case exists - does not extend to the Extradition Act 1965 .
Absolutely no evidence need be shown to link the accused to the crime ; this glaring anomaly became particularly apparent earlier this year following the extradition of John Patrick Quinn to London . Quinn walked free from Horseferry Magistrates Court in London when all the charges for which he had been extradited were dismissed . The Director of Public Prosecutions in Britain immediately went into the High Court looking for what is known as a 'Voluntary Bill of Indictment'.
That 'Bill' would have allowed John Patrick Quinn to be put on trial in the Old Bailey . It was granted , and detectives rushed to arrest Quinn , and alerted all air and sea ports . They were ten minutes late : Quinn was already on a plane back to Dublin and thereafter to his home in Ballina .
The story of how John Patrick Quinn came to have the charges dismissed against him paints a picture of extraordinary bungling on the part of the British police .......
(MORE LATER).
Monday, November 29, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... the 'PR' system of voting was intended to confuse the 'uneducated Irish' ; Westminster assumed that 'Paddy' would not bother voting at all , or would do so wrongly and spoil same by mistake . But it did'nt work out like that .......
'Paddy' learned the new system , and spread the word . But the Brits did not just bank on the Irish being 'too stupid' regarding the 'Proportional Representation' voting procedure in the election - they used their 'old methods' , too ; the Sinn Fein organisation had already been banned (on 3rd July 1918) and the country was under martial law .
Those who were declared as Sinn Fein candidates were , if caught by the British , 'arrested' and deported out of the country . Leaflets and posters belonging to Sinn Fein candidates were confiscated and newspapers were notified that they would be put out of business should they publish Sinn Fein statements , manifestos etc . The British had a lot to lose - since the victory for Sinn Fein in the 1918 General Election , the British had claimed that it was their introduction of the 'Military Services Bill' (conscription - on 16th April 1918) which had turned people against them and into the 'arms' of Sinn Fein .
Westminster further stated that the 1918 election victory did not give the Irish a mandate to establish their own parliament and that the IRA war against British forces in Ireland went against what the majority in Ireland wanted . The then up-coming 15th January 1920 elections were to be pivotal for both sides .......
(MORE LATER).
Why We Ended The Hunger-Strike .
The full text of the H-Block Blanket Men's statement announcing the end of the 1981 Hunger-Strike .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2, November 1981 , pages 23 , 24 , 25 and 26 .
Re-published here in 18 parts .
[18 of 18].
" We pay a special tribute to the families of our dead comrades - you have suffered greatly and with immense dignity . Your loved ones , our comrades and friends , were and would be very proud of you for standing by them . No tribute is too great .
Also , we give a special mention to those families who could not bear to watch their loved ones die in pain and agony ; we prisoners understand the pressure you were under and stand by you . We thank the National H-Block/Armagh Committee , the H-Block movement , the nationalist people of Ireland , and all those who championed our cause abroad - we are indebted to you and ask you to continue your good work on our behalf .
Lastly we reaffirm our committment to the achievement of the five demands by whatever means we believe necessary and expedient . We rule nothing out . Under no circumstances are we going to devalue the memory of our dead comrades by submitting ourselves to a dehumanising and degrading regime . "
[END of 'Why We Ended The Hunger-Strike...'].
(Tomorrow - ' Release Nicky Kelly ...' - from 1982.)
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(2 of 13).
Dominic McGlinchey is currently appealing his conviction for the murder of Hester McMullan in County Antrim in March of 1977 . Part of the evidence used to convict him was his affidavit used in High Court hearings in the 'republic' ; these were handed over to the RUC without the knowledge of McGlinchey or his legal advisers .
Another extraditee , Seamus Shannon , was handed over to the RUC in July 1984 ; at a bail hearing in the High Court , Detective Inspector McGann of the RUC in Belfast said that the Book of Evidence against Seamus Shannon " has been prepared " and that the " authorities are in a position to proceed . " Fourteen months later , the case has still not come to trial .
No evidence was presented in the 'republic' to link Shannon with the offences he was wanted in connection with - the killing of Sir Norman Stronge and his son James in County Armagh in January 1981 .......
(MORE LATER).
....... the 'PR' system of voting was intended to confuse the 'uneducated Irish' ; Westminster assumed that 'Paddy' would not bother voting at all , or would do so wrongly and spoil same by mistake . But it did'nt work out like that .......
'Paddy' learned the new system , and spread the word . But the Brits did not just bank on the Irish being 'too stupid' regarding the 'Proportional Representation' voting procedure in the election - they used their 'old methods' , too ; the Sinn Fein organisation had already been banned (on 3rd July 1918) and the country was under martial law .
Those who were declared as Sinn Fein candidates were , if caught by the British , 'arrested' and deported out of the country . Leaflets and posters belonging to Sinn Fein candidates were confiscated and newspapers were notified that they would be put out of business should they publish Sinn Fein statements , manifestos etc . The British had a lot to lose - since the victory for Sinn Fein in the 1918 General Election , the British had claimed that it was their introduction of the 'Military Services Bill' (conscription - on 16th April 1918) which had turned people against them and into the 'arms' of Sinn Fein .
Westminster further stated that the 1918 election victory did not give the Irish a mandate to establish their own parliament and that the IRA war against British forces in Ireland went against what the majority in Ireland wanted . The then up-coming 15th January 1920 elections were to be pivotal for both sides .......
(MORE LATER).
Why We Ended The Hunger-Strike .
The full text of the H-Block Blanket Men's statement announcing the end of the 1981 Hunger-Strike .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2, November 1981 , pages 23 , 24 , 25 and 26 .
Re-published here in 18 parts .
[18 of 18].
" We pay a special tribute to the families of our dead comrades - you have suffered greatly and with immense dignity . Your loved ones , our comrades and friends , were and would be very proud of you for standing by them . No tribute is too great .
Also , we give a special mention to those families who could not bear to watch their loved ones die in pain and agony ; we prisoners understand the pressure you were under and stand by you . We thank the National H-Block/Armagh Committee , the H-Block movement , the nationalist people of Ireland , and all those who championed our cause abroad - we are indebted to you and ask you to continue your good work on our behalf .
Lastly we reaffirm our committment to the achievement of the five demands by whatever means we believe necessary and expedient . We rule nothing out . Under no circumstances are we going to devalue the memory of our dead comrades by submitting ourselves to a dehumanising and degrading regime . "
[END of 'Why We Ended The Hunger-Strike...'].
(Tomorrow - ' Release Nicky Kelly ...' - from 1982.)
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(2 of 13).
Dominic McGlinchey is currently appealing his conviction for the murder of Hester McMullan in County Antrim in March of 1977 . Part of the evidence used to convict him was his affidavit used in High Court hearings in the 'republic' ; these were handed over to the RUC without the knowledge of McGlinchey or his legal advisers .
Another extraditee , Seamus Shannon , was handed over to the RUC in July 1984 ; at a bail hearing in the High Court , Detective Inspector McGann of the RUC in Belfast said that the Book of Evidence against Seamus Shannon " has been prepared " and that the " authorities are in a position to proceed . " Fourteen months later , the case has still not come to trial .
No evidence was presented in the 'republic' to link Shannon with the offences he was wanted in connection with - the killing of Sir Norman Stronge and his son James in County Armagh in January 1981 .......
(MORE LATER).
Friday, November 26, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... one of the most prominent (pro-British) Unionists opposed to the Sinn Fein organisation was 'Lord' Edward Carson of Duncairn - a Dublin man , born in 1854 , and a barrister by trade . He rose quickly through the ranks of the 'Establishment' ; at 62 years of age he was appointed ' First Lord of the Admiralty '- but a bigger 'prize' was offered to him , if he wanted it .......
Westminster offered him the 'Premiership' of the new Six County 'State' - but he refused , and retired from public life in 1921 , at 67 years of age . But I digress (again !) - as well as hopefully giving the Unionists in Ireland an 'edge' , the British were convinced that the new 'Proportional Representation' (PR) system of voting would prove too complicated for the 'uneducated Irish' , who would unintentionally spoil their votes : but that did'nt happen .
Less than two-and-a-half per cent of votes were spoiled ; the Sinn Fein organisation was expected to attempt to disrupt the January 15th 1920 elections in protest over the new PR system - but they did'nt . The 'Daily Mail' newspaper of the time stated - " That Sinn Fein , instead of opposing a change , declaredly designed to cripple its power , should willingly help in its development , is more than remarkable ... " The reason was 'education' ; Sinn Fein sent out teams of election workers who themselves had been instructed in the new PR system , to pass that information on - and it worked .
That same newspaper (the 'Daily Mail') also noted that the British refused to publicise the workings of the new PR voting system , in the expectation that 'Paddy' would not vote or , if he/she attempted to , would do so wrongly - " Incredible as it may seem , not a single penny could be obtained for the purpose of explaining the system to voters ... "
But 'Paddy' was one step ahead .......
(MORE LATER).
Why We Ended The Hunger-Strike .
The full text of the H-Block Blanket Men's statement announcing the end of the 1981 Hunger-Strike .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2, November 1981 , pages 23 , 24 , 25 and 26 .
Re-published here in 18 parts .
(17 of 18).
" There were several reasons given by our comrades for going on hunger-strike ; one was because we had no choice and no other means of securing a principled solution to the four-year protest . Another , and of fundamental importance , was to advance the Irish people's right to liberty . We believe that the age-old struggle for Irish self-determination and freedom has been immeasurably advanced by this hunger-strike and therefore we claim a massive political victory .
The hunger-strikers , by their selflessness , have politicised a very substantial section of the Irish nation and exposed the shallow , unprincipled nature of the Irish partitionist bloc . Our comrades have lit with their very lives an eternal beacon which will inspire this nation and people to rise and crush oppression forever .
The Irish nation can be proud that it produced such a quality of manhood ....... "
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(1 of 13).
In recent weeks , the American Senate have had hearings relating to a proposed extradition treaty between Britain and the U. S. Dominic McGlinchey , extradited from the Republic (ie the Free State) eighteen months ago is appealing his conviction for murder . Two months ago , John Quinn was freed by a London court following extradition from Dublin last March .
Very soon , even more controversial cases are likely to come before the courts - the recent case of John Patrick Quinn and the apparent bungling of the British police is bound to become an issue in these hearings . This is especially so in view of the harder political line Chief Justices and Attorneys General have been taking in the last few years .
Robert Russell and Brendan Burns are currently in Portlaoise Prison ; between them , they have served three years in jail - neither has been charged with any offence in this jurisdiction nor will they be : they are awaiting extradition to the six counties . Both have been extradited by the District Court and both are looking for orders under Section 50 of the Extradition Act 1965 , quashing their extraditions .
" Political offences " , or " offences connected with political offences " , were always exempt from extradition until the historic Supreme Court judgement in 1982 which saw the handing over of Dominic McGlinchey to the RUC .......
(MORE LATER).
....... one of the most prominent (pro-British) Unionists opposed to the Sinn Fein organisation was 'Lord' Edward Carson of Duncairn - a Dublin man , born in 1854 , and a barrister by trade . He rose quickly through the ranks of the 'Establishment' ; at 62 years of age he was appointed ' First Lord of the Admiralty '- but a bigger 'prize' was offered to him , if he wanted it .......
Westminster offered him the 'Premiership' of the new Six County 'State' - but he refused , and retired from public life in 1921 , at 67 years of age . But I digress (again !) - as well as hopefully giving the Unionists in Ireland an 'edge' , the British were convinced that the new 'Proportional Representation' (PR) system of voting would prove too complicated for the 'uneducated Irish' , who would unintentionally spoil their votes : but that did'nt happen .
Less than two-and-a-half per cent of votes were spoiled ; the Sinn Fein organisation was expected to attempt to disrupt the January 15th 1920 elections in protest over the new PR system - but they did'nt . The 'Daily Mail' newspaper of the time stated - " That Sinn Fein , instead of opposing a change , declaredly designed to cripple its power , should willingly help in its development , is more than remarkable ... " The reason was 'education' ; Sinn Fein sent out teams of election workers who themselves had been instructed in the new PR system , to pass that information on - and it worked .
That same newspaper (the 'Daily Mail') also noted that the British refused to publicise the workings of the new PR voting system , in the expectation that 'Paddy' would not vote or , if he/she attempted to , would do so wrongly - " Incredible as it may seem , not a single penny could be obtained for the purpose of explaining the system to voters ... "
But 'Paddy' was one step ahead .......
(MORE LATER).
Why We Ended The Hunger-Strike .
The full text of the H-Block Blanket Men's statement announcing the end of the 1981 Hunger-Strike .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2, November 1981 , pages 23 , 24 , 25 and 26 .
Re-published here in 18 parts .
(17 of 18).
" There were several reasons given by our comrades for going on hunger-strike ; one was because we had no choice and no other means of securing a principled solution to the four-year protest . Another , and of fundamental importance , was to advance the Irish people's right to liberty . We believe that the age-old struggle for Irish self-determination and freedom has been immeasurably advanced by this hunger-strike and therefore we claim a massive political victory .
The hunger-strikers , by their selflessness , have politicised a very substantial section of the Irish nation and exposed the shallow , unprincipled nature of the Irish partitionist bloc . Our comrades have lit with their very lives an eternal beacon which will inspire this nation and people to rise and crush oppression forever .
The Irish nation can be proud that it produced such a quality of manhood ....... "
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(1 of 13).
In recent weeks , the American Senate have had hearings relating to a proposed extradition treaty between Britain and the U. S. Dominic McGlinchey , extradited from the Republic (ie the Free State) eighteen months ago is appealing his conviction for murder . Two months ago , John Quinn was freed by a London court following extradition from Dublin last March .
Very soon , even more controversial cases are likely to come before the courts - the recent case of John Patrick Quinn and the apparent bungling of the British police is bound to become an issue in these hearings . This is especially so in view of the harder political line Chief Justices and Attorneys General have been taking in the last few years .
Robert Russell and Brendan Burns are currently in Portlaoise Prison ; between them , they have served three years in jail - neither has been charged with any offence in this jurisdiction nor will they be : they are awaiting extradition to the six counties . Both have been extradited by the District Court and both are looking for orders under Section 50 of the Extradition Act 1965 , quashing their extraditions .
" Political offences " , or " offences connected with political offences " , were always exempt from extradition until the historic Supreme Court judgement in 1982 which saw the handing over of Dominic McGlinchey to the RUC .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, November 25, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... British 'Lord' Edward Carson of Duncairn was an interesting man , with a varied past - and a varied future ahead of him . He was a staunch supporter of the Irish (pro-Brit) Unionists .......
'Lord' Carson (1854-1935) was born in Dublin and became a successful barrister ; at 38 years young he was elected as a Unionist MP (to Westminster) for Dublin University and , again at that age , he was appointed (British) 'Solicitor General for Ireland' and served as the 'Solicitor General for England' from 1900 to 1905 .
At 57 years of age (in 1911) he was elected leader of the 'Ulster Unionist Council' (UUC) and helped to establish the 'Ulster Volunteer Force' (UVF) , a pro-British militia . From 1915 to 1916 he served as the British Attorney General , and was appointed as the 'First Lord of the Admiralty' in 1916 (until 1917) and was a member of Lloyd George's War Cabinet from 1917 to 1918 .
Westminster thought so highly of him that they were to offer him an even bigger 'prize' - but he considered it to be a 'poisoned chalice' .......
(MORE LATER).
Why We Ended The Hunger-Strike .
The full text of the H-Block Blanket Men's statement announcing the end of the 1981 Hunger-Strike .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2, November 1981 , pages 23 , 24 , 25 and 26 .
Re-published here in 18 parts .
(16 of 18).
" Rather than take action to secure an honourable solution and save lives , the SDLP occupied their time trying to make political gain by attacking those who did genuinely endeavour to end the issue honourably , namely the National H-Block/Armagh Committee and those councillors who answered our call to withdraw from the councils .
The SDLP should now be recognised for what it is - an amalgamation of middle-class Redmondites , devoid of principle , direction and courage . They are spineless and weak and are very capable of selling-out to Unionist intimidators for imperialist perks . ('1169...' comment - 'perks' such as seats in a British-imposed 'parliament' at Stormont , perhaps ...?)
Their whole leadership combined do not possess a fraction of the moral fibre demonstrated so valiantly by our comrades ....... "
(MORE LATER).
A CASE OF IRISH JUSTICE .......
By Maureen Armstrong .
First published in ' The Spirit of Freedom ' magazine ; An Independent Journal of Irish News and Opinion ' .
Volume 2 , Number 5 , May 1987 , page 3 .
Re-published here in six parts .
[6 of 6].
For the IRA it was a most remarkable feat : two British Army Observation Posts overlook this area . This fact , together with their extraordinary intelligence coup puts the lie to the British boast that they had defeated them .
Of course , we had the usual tirade from the slaves in Leinster House and in the religion circles . These same people were so strangely silent a few weeks ago when RUC and British Army forces kept a murdered Irish Republican from being buried for three days - there were no feelings of sympathy for the family of Lawrence Marley or for his little baby who is going to grow up without a father .
They were only native Irish Catholics - and , of course, after all the centuries of persecution , they were accustomed to death and humiliation .
[END of ' A CASE OF IRISH JUSTICE ... '].
(Tomorrow - 'The Extradition Fiasco' : from 1985 .)
....... British 'Lord' Edward Carson of Duncairn was an interesting man , with a varied past - and a varied future ahead of him . He was a staunch supporter of the Irish (pro-Brit) Unionists .......
'Lord' Carson (1854-1935) was born in Dublin and became a successful barrister ; at 38 years young he was elected as a Unionist MP (to Westminster) for Dublin University and , again at that age , he was appointed (British) 'Solicitor General for Ireland' and served as the 'Solicitor General for England' from 1900 to 1905 .
At 57 years of age (in 1911) he was elected leader of the 'Ulster Unionist Council' (UUC) and helped to establish the 'Ulster Volunteer Force' (UVF) , a pro-British militia . From 1915 to 1916 he served as the British Attorney General , and was appointed as the 'First Lord of the Admiralty' in 1916 (until 1917) and was a member of Lloyd George's War Cabinet from 1917 to 1918 .
Westminster thought so highly of him that they were to offer him an even bigger 'prize' - but he considered it to be a 'poisoned chalice' .......
(MORE LATER).
Why We Ended The Hunger-Strike .
The full text of the H-Block Blanket Men's statement announcing the end of the 1981 Hunger-Strike .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2, November 1981 , pages 23 , 24 , 25 and 26 .
Re-published here in 18 parts .
(16 of 18).
" Rather than take action to secure an honourable solution and save lives , the SDLP occupied their time trying to make political gain by attacking those who did genuinely endeavour to end the issue honourably , namely the National H-Block/Armagh Committee and those councillors who answered our call to withdraw from the councils .
The SDLP should now be recognised for what it is - an amalgamation of middle-class Redmondites , devoid of principle , direction and courage . They are spineless and weak and are very capable of selling-out to Unionist intimidators for imperialist perks . ('1169...' comment - 'perks' such as seats in a British-imposed 'parliament' at Stormont , perhaps ...?)
Their whole leadership combined do not possess a fraction of the moral fibre demonstrated so valiantly by our comrades ....... "
(MORE LATER).
A CASE OF IRISH JUSTICE .......
By Maureen Armstrong .
First published in ' The Spirit of Freedom ' magazine ; An Independent Journal of Irish News and Opinion ' .
Volume 2 , Number 5 , May 1987 , page 3 .
Re-published here in six parts .
[6 of 6].
For the IRA it was a most remarkable feat : two British Army Observation Posts overlook this area . This fact , together with their extraordinary intelligence coup puts the lie to the British boast that they had defeated them .
Of course , we had the usual tirade from the slaves in Leinster House and in the religion circles . These same people were so strangely silent a few weeks ago when RUC and British Army forces kept a murdered Irish Republican from being buried for three days - there were no feelings of sympathy for the family of Lawrence Marley or for his little baby who is going to grow up without a father .
They were only native Irish Catholics - and , of course, after all the centuries of persecution , they were accustomed to death and humiliation .
[END of ' A CASE OF IRISH JUSTICE ... '].
(Tomorrow - 'The Extradition Fiasco' : from 1985 .)
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