1169 And Counting.....

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

A Dublin District Justice was accused by American embassy intelligence personnel of encouraging left wing agitators and tolerating hostile acts against the United States.......
From 'MAGILL' magazine, 'Christmas Special' 1980.

The FBI farce continued and the documentation reached Tolstoian proportions . The San Francisco FBI wrote to the FBI Director to congratulate themselves "...on the superior handling of this extremely difficult assignment.." and they mentioned "...the exemplary performance of an extremely delicate assignment in a hostile environment.." , resolving that they would "...submit recommendations for recognition of the outstanding performance of the FBI agents involved.." .

This "outstanding performance" involved crossing a room to hand some paperwork to Mairín de Burca ! One could only imagine the self-congratulation if those FBI agents were to , say, organise a break-in at the Watergate Hotel...

Anyway - much of the files of any intelligence agency are made up of non-classified information , which the agency involved simply gathers together from a multiplicity of commonly-known facts , in order to make available to government policy makers a context in which to make its decisions. Such facts are gathered from newspapers , informants , agents' deductions and the noting of speeches by various people.......
(MORE LATER).

THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST HEROIN IN DUBLIN....... The drugs crisis is one of the major problems facing young people in Dublin today. In large areas of the city it has now reached massive proportions , while in the inner city there is estimated to be a higher percentage of drug addicts and drug abusers than in Harlem in New York . But it has been only recently - 5 years after this epidemic began in earnest - that any notice has been paid to the problem. And even now the Free State government has failed to confront the crisis in a meaningful way . Tony Barry of Na Fianna Eireann has been looking at the issues for 'IRIS' magazine.
From 'IRIS' magazine, December 1984.

A few months ago , after a drug pusher claimed she had been intimidated , the gardai arrested independent Leinster House member Tony Gregory, (Provisional) Sinn Féin's Christy Burke and five other community activists. They were all released without charge when they refused to answer questions. The apparent reason for this garda behaviour is based on their opposition to any socially-involved community movement which is outside their control.

The gardai have cynically used the drugs crisis as a pretext for more legislation and the setting-up of 'neighbourhood watch' schemes , which are little more than an exercise in snooping and which the gardai probably hope to extend in due course to include keeping an eye out for political 'subversives' .

In contrast , the 'Concerned Parents Against Drugs'(CPAD)group have refused to hand over the names of addicts or pushers to the gardai and have relied - with some considerable success - on community pressure alone to cope with the activities of pushers. However , the pushers themselves , knowing that the gardai would turn a blind eye , have on occasion attempted to intimidate the CPAD group.......
(MORE LATER).

Saturday, September 19, 2009

( Note/Update/Reminder:Inaugurated in constitutional law and administration and for private and public law of economics at the Special Branch for the Science of Law in Hamburg....a practising lawyer in Berlin....professor for Economics at the professional School of Economics in Berlin....university professor for the Law of Economics at Hamburg University.....Chair-holding Professor of public law at the University of Erlangen-Nurnberg.....Dean of the faculty for economic and social sciences at the University of Erlangen-Nurnberg....and coming to Dublin and Galway to talk on why we would be better advised to 'VOTE NO TO LISBON TWO'....)

EVE OF ALL-IRELAND RALLY 2009 : brief report and pictures.

Na Fianna Éireann at the Eve of All-Ireland Rally , 19 September 2009.

'NO TO LISBON' banner on RSF Dublin Office.

The annual Eve of All-Ireland Rally was held today , Saturday September 19th 2009 , in Dublin. The earlier-than-usual start (ie 12 Noon , to facilitate the 1pm 'Anti NAMA' protest march) caused some confusion amongst supporters and members of the public , dozens of whom only appeared as the Rally was finishing. However , altogether approximately between one and two hundred RSF members and supporters (on both sides of O'Connell Street and on the traffic isle) were present between 12 Noon and 1.20pm for the Rally.

Des Dalton , Chairing the proceedings at the GPO today.

About three thousand various RSF leaflets (that is , approximately 500 'booklets' of leaflets , each 'booklet' containing five or six leaflets) were distributed to the crowds on O'Connell Street , with about another thousand single 'VOTE NO TO LISBON' RSF leaflets distributed early this morning in the Stephens Green area of Dublin city centre.

Padráig Garvey , Kerry , speaking at the Rally.

State 'security', as usual ,made its unwanted presence felt , in the shape of six uniformed gardai and at least five members of the political police, the 'special branch' but, thankfully, for the most part, they stayed in the background . RSF , again, as usual, had its own Stewards on site but, due to the fact that the State 'security' stayed, for the most part, at a distance, no trouble occurred.

Fergal Moore , Monaghan, speaking at the Rally.

When the Rally finished at the GPO , most of the RSF members and supporters walked up O'Connell Street to the Garden of Remembrance to add their number to the approximate two or three thousand people who were forming-up to take part in the 'Anti NAMA' protest. All-in-all , it was a day well spent by RSF , who not only got their own Republican message across to tens of thousands of people in O'Connell Street , but were also able to offer their support to the hundreds of thousands of people who are being financially squeezed by the corrupt , useless and free-loading millionaire politicians in Leinster House.
A job well done to all who attended either/both events today!
A full report of this Eve of All-Ireland Rally , and more photographs, will be published in the October 2009 issue of 'SAOIRSE' , which goes to print on Wednesday , 30th of this month.
Thanks!
Sharon.

Friday, September 18, 2009

NO TO LISBON , NO TO NAMA , NO TO THE GREEDY CAREER POLITICIANS!

The Annual Eve Of All-Ireland Rally will , as stated, be held at an earlier-than-usual time this year , to allow members, supporters and on-lookers time to attend this worthy protest.

The Lisbon Constitution/Treaty is a bad deal for the citizens of this State , but offers the unproductive millionaire politicians in Leinster House further opportunities to enrich themselves at taxpayers expense whilst the NAMA proposals are , in effect , those same politicians mis-using taxpayers money to bail out their paid-for 'YES' men in the banking and property development sectors.

On Friday October 2nd 2009 , we will have an opportunity to tell those useless political leeches that they are living beyond our means - VOTE NO TO LISBON !
Thanks!
Sharon.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

A Dublin District Justice was accused by American embassy intelligence personnel of encouraging left wing agitators and tolerating hostile acts against the United States.......
From 'MAGILL' magazine, 'Christmas Special' 1980.

The two FBI agents then entered a note marked 'Confidential' into their file . It was headed - 'Women's groups in Ireland ; National Women Committee , Irish Women United , Irish Country Women's Association , Trade Union Women's Forum and the Women Peace Movement' . The information in that file was subsequently transferred to other FBI files and even today is on tap from the FBI computers for use by any FBI agent sent over to Ireland to infiltrate the Irish womens movement. So , if you meet someone on their way in from the airport , speaking with an American accent and asking for the "National Women Committee" or the "Irish Country Women Association" you can be reasonably sure that they've been briefed by the FBI !

At the end of the meeting the two FBI agents served papers on Mairin de Burca , thereby starting a flurry of controversy over FBI surveillance of the campus . One student wrote to her Congressman , John L. Burton, enclosing a newspaper clipping of a report on the actions of the FBI agents. When Burton wrote to the FBI seeking an explanation they promptly added the newspaper clipping to their files! The FBI then marked with an 'X' the names of three students mentioned in the clipping , presumably with the intention of opening files on those students.

Several months later the FBI agents' notes were retyped in a file stamped 'Secret and Confidential' . At one point in her speech , it was noted that Mairin de Burca mentioned by name another Irish feminist - this name was also marked with an 'X' and was underlined , with a handwritten note wrote beside it which read "No Loc" , indicating perhaps that the FBI were unable to locate any reference to this person in their files . It could also indicate that this person had 'no loc' on her bike ; either way , the whole thing is irrelevant and a waste of American taxpayers money.......
(MORE LATER).

THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST HEROIN IN DUBLIN....... The drugs crisis is one of the major problems facing young people in Dublin today. In large areas of the city it has now reached massive proportions , while in the inner city there is estimated to be a higher percentage of drug addicts and drug abusers than in Harlem in New York . But it has been only recently - 5 years after this epidemic began in earnest - that any notice has been paid to the problem. And even now the Free State government has failed to confront the crisis in a meaningful way . Tony Barry of Na Fianna Eireann has been looking at the issues for 'IRIS' magazine.
From 'IRIS' magazine, December 1984.

The actions of the gardai , though, go further than merely turning a blind eye to the activities of drug pushers. In many instances they have actually seemed to side with the pushers against the Concerned Parents against Drugs groups(CPAD) that have sprung up in Dublin communities. Parents attending local meetings to discuss the drug problem have been stopped on their way out and questioned . ('1169..' Comment : that particular misdirected State action is still happening to this day - 'ordinary' [ie non-members] supporters taking part in a picket or protest , or attanding a fund-raiser, are stopped and harassed by the Political Police [Special Branch] on their way home from the event.)

Those stopped are told by the Special Branch that the anti-drugs campaign is a political 'front' and that they should have nothing more to do with it . The gardai have also gone to pubs and chip shops where drugs have been sold and which have been marched on by CPAD groups, and told the proprietors to have nothing to do with the anti-drugs campaign.

In January 1984 , the Chairperson of the Dolphin House Community Development Association, Noel Sillery, was held for two days under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and questioned about the anti-drugs campaign.......
(MORE LATER).

Saturday, September 12, 2009

(Also : Former Prime Minister of Malta asks for a 'No'vote on October 2nd.)

Leading German EU law expert to support 'No to Lisbon' campaign.

Professor Dr. Karl Albrecht Schachtschneider , who will be speaking at 'Vote No To Lisbon' meetings in Dublin and Galway between September 21st and 23rd next.

University Professor Dr. Karl Albrecht Schachtschneider, Nuremberg (Germany) who led the challenge to the Lisbon Treaty at the German Constitutional Court - the court challenge has resulted in Germany having yet to ratify the Lisbon Treaty - will be visiting Ireland to lend his support to the campaign for a 'No' vote.
He is coming to Ireland at the invitation of Republican Sinn Féin from September 21 to 23.
On September 21 he will address a press conference in Buswell’s Hotel, Molesworth St, Dublin at 12 Noon.
That evening he will be the keynote speaker at a public meeting in Wynn’s Hotel, Middle Abbey St at 7.30pm.

Prof. Schachtschneider, as an expert in European and Constitutional Law, will speak in particular on the new EU 'guarantees' and what they really mean for Ireland and also what are the consequences of the judgment of the German Federal Constitutional Court?
The next day he will travel to Galway where he will address a meeting in The Imperial Hotel, Eyre Square at 8.00pm.

Biography of Karl Albrecht Schachtschneider, Nuremberg, Germany : he was Born on July 11, 1940 in Hutten/Pommern (in province of what was then East Germany) ,and received a School-leaving certificate in classical languages in 1960 in Berlin. He studied law at the universities in Berlin, Bonn and Tubingen. In 1963 he received his first State Certificate in Law at Berlin and in 1969 he received his second such State Certificate there. Also in 1969 , he obtained the degree of Dr Jur at the Free University of Berlin.
In 1986 he was inaugurated in constitutional law and administration and for private and public law of economics at the Special Branch for the Science of Law in Hamburg.

From 1969-1980 he was a practising lawyer in Berlin.
Between 1972-1978 he was Professor for Economics at the professional School of Economics in Berlin (evening courses) ; 1978-1989 university professor for the Law of Economics at Hamburg University ; 1989-2006 chair-holding Professor of public law at the University of Erlangen-Nurnberg and 1992-1995 Dean of the faculty for economic and social sciences at the University of Erlangen-Nurnberg.

In numerous books, scientific articles, court proceedings and public speeches he has analysed globalisation and its consequences in a critical way and has stood up all the time firmly for freedom and the civil rights of people in opposition to corporations and the state.
It is due to his several legal actions on EU treaties at the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe that the President of the Federal Republic of Germany has yet to sign the Lisbon Treaty for ratification in Germany. In Austria he has acted on behalf of a civil rights committee taking legal action.
Professor Schachtschneider gave voluminous written evidence to the constitutional court in Vienna in October 2008 stating why all EU treaties violate the national constitution of the Federal Republic of Austria.
Please note that there is no admission fee to either of these meetings and all are welcome!
Thanks!
Sharon.

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY.......
Twenty-six men were convicted on the word of Harry Kirkpatrick. On their appeal against those convictions could well rest the future of the 'Anglo-Irish Agreement'
('The Hillsborough Treaty') . Based on a full transcript of the Kirkpatrick trials , the story of how these convictions were obtained shows why the 'Supergrass System' is a pale shadow of justice.
By Derek Dunne. From 'MAGILL' magazine, February 1986.

Harry Kirkpatrick could remember none of the details regarding the UDA member William 'Bucky' McCullough incident during his court 'trial' of the 27 colleagues that he had named to the RUC ; in fact , Kirkpatrick said he could remember nothing of what happened to himself between March 1982 and January 1983 !

British Judge Carswell stated- " This lack of recall is in striking contrast with the precision of Kirkpatrick's recollection , as retailed in his evidence , of the events in which the various defendants have been implicated by him. It leads one to the conclusion , as defence counsel argued, that either his memory for those events cannot be as good as he professes or his evidence about his lack of recollection of 1982-1983 is untrue."

Carswell went on to say that Kirkpatrick was "...giving deliberately false evidence.." and that in not admitting he had asked for immunity , he may have thought or was advised that to admit it "...would discredit him in the eyes of the court.." . Carswell considered that Kirkpatrick's decision to give 'evidence' contained ('perhaps') "...a substantial element.." of self-interest , in the hope of early release , and that this still constituted a significant part of his motivation. He concluded that Kirkpatrick had tried to conceal his motivation from the court and had "...been prepared to lie to do so.." and stated that Kirkpatrick had been "...extremely wary and defensive.." in cross examination , that he had had "...a great reluctance to admit anything.." , that he had tried to "...avoid being tripped up.." and that he had avoided "...admissions which he thought would
be damaging.." . And finally , Carswell stated - " I could not accept that he is now motivated by an overwhelming desire for the trurth."
(MORE LATER).

CIA SLAMS IRISH JUDGE.......

A Dublin District Justice was accused by American embassy intelligence personnel of encouraging left wing agitators and tolerating hostile acts against the United States.......
From 'MAGILL' magazine, 'Christmas Special' 1980.

On the afternoon of 28th September 1976 , Mairin de Burca addressed a meeting of about 60 people in Room 1002 , Sonoma State College , California: the meeting was advertised under the title 'Irish Women's Rights' and was one of a series of meetings being organised by feminists at the college. Mairin de Burca was addressing a number of meetings organised across the state of California , by 'Republican Clubs' and other like-minded groups.

At each stop on the itinerary , from New York to Los Angeles , the FBI had their agents pumping vast amounts of paper , most of it routine and irrelevant , into the de Burca file . This consisted for the most part in reports of meetings and speeches but , at Sonoma , the US Justice Department decided to go further - they wanted to 'put a spoke into the de Burca wheel' . Two FBI agents were sent to Room 1002 to serve forms demanding that de Burca register as "...an agent of a foreign power.." . This is where the whole farce began.

As the Sonoma meeting was about to start , one of the students , Kathy Parker , rose and addressed the gathering - " If there are any law enforcement officers present will you please make yourselves known and tell us your business here." The students were suspicious that their meeting was under surveillance ; one man spoke up - he was Tom Blavett , campus security officer . And why was he here , he was aked ? Well , Blavett explained, it was raining outside , you see, and he had come in out of the rain . No other reason , he said . That was all . Honest , he said. But the two FBI agents in the room said nothing.

They simply noted Blavett's admission and carefully noted his name for their files. But they spelled it 'Thomas Bovet' . But there was a twist - at the end of the meeting , Tom Blavett approached Kathy Parker and admitted that he had lied about coming in out of the rain for shelter . Actually , he said , he had been sent to the meeting to keep an eye on the two FBI agents ! The meeting proceeded and the students and de Burca discussed Irish women's liberation , or lack of it . THE FBI agents listened carefully to de Burca and noted what they considered to be the relevant points . " Observation of those in attendance," they wrote , " disclosed the audience to range in age from elderly grandmother-grandfather types to very young college age types..." They then entered a note marked ' Confidential' into their files.......
(MORE LATER).

THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST HEROIN IN DUBLIN....... The drugs crisis is one of the major problems facing young people in Dublin today. In large areas of the city it has now reached massive proportions , while in the inner city there is estimated to be a higher percentage of drug addicts and drug abusers than in Harlem in New York . But it has been only recently - 5 years after this epidemic began in earnest - that any notice has been paid to the problem. And even now the Free State government has failed to confront the crisis in a meaningful way . Tony Barry of Na Fianna Eireann has been looking at the issues for 'IRIS' magazine.
From 'IRIS' magazine, December 1984.

There can be no doubt that the State Drug Squad has had some success : three years ago 4.4 million pounds worth of cannabis was seized in one sweep at Dublin's docks , and in February 1983 300,000 pounds worth of heroin was netted in a raid in Ballymun.

Overall , the number of drug seizures made by the State Drug Squad more than doubled from 813 to 1,873 between 1980 and 1982 , while the number of people charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act(1977) tripled between 1979 and 1982 from 594 to 1,593.

However, as well as illustrating the massive explosion in drug usage over the past few years , the numbers charged suggest another disturbing trend - the tendency to concentrate gardai attentions on individual addicts , and their apparent reticence to tackle the big pushers , most of whom operated with impunity until the local community began to take action. The most glaring display of this reluctance was shown by the case of the Dunne family, members of which were widely known to be key figures in the Dublin drugs circuit for a very long time before charges were laid against them.......
('1169...' Comment :then , as now , both addict and pusher were used by State forces as their low-level 'eyes and ears' on the ground. They were allowed use and sell drugs provided they gave regular tip-offs (on the comings and goings of local Republicans , for instance) to local gardai 'minders' , who tried to use the information they received to promote their career prospects within the garda organisation.)
(MORE LATER).

Monday, September 07, 2009

IRISH 'ROYALTY' WANT A 'YES TO LISBON TWO' VOTE : LET THEM KNOW ON OCTOBER 2nd 2009 THAT WE ARE NOT THEIR 'SUBJECTS' . VOTE NO!

The millionaire politicians in Leinster House are not happy with their lot (paid for by those of us who are stopped tax out of our earnings, incidentally) and they need more income to secure their non-productive and fine lifestyle for themselves and their families in the manner they have become accustomed to. As is usual in cases like this , they themselves will not directly seek to take more from their 'subjects' but will instead set-up a 'Committee' to do the dirty work for them - then , when they implement all or most/some of the 'recommendations of that Committee' , they will, they hope, be seeing to do so at 'one remove' from the cutbacks/extra taxes etc that they pass into State law. And that is what has happened today : a 'Committee' has advised that more money should be removed from the pockets of those in this State who are lucky enough to have a job in the first place, by the following means - an annual property tax on all residential property , child benefit should be a taxable income , removal of tax relief for nursing home expenses , domestic water charges should be phased in and income tax relief for trade union subscriptions should be ended.
Altogether,more than 240 such measures were 'recommended' by that 'Committee' , all of which focussed on 'raising revenue through property taxes, spending taxes and income taxes...'
If you are eligible to vote in this corrupt State then make sure you do so on October 2nd next and vote 'NO!' to the Lisbon Two Treaty/Constitution : if you vote the way the establishment politicians want you to vote they will interprete that 'yes' vote as a vote in favour of their intention to take even more taxes from you. No to Lisbon Two , No to extra taxes !
Thanks!
Sharon.

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY.......
Twenty-six men were convicted on the word of Harry Kirkpatrick. On their appeal against those convictions could well rest the future of the 'Anglo-Irish Agreement'
('The Hillsborough Treaty') . Based on a full transcript of the Kirkpatrick trials , the story of how these convictions were obtained shows why the 'Supergrass System' is a pale shadow of justice.
By Derek Dunne. From 'MAGILL' magazine, February 1986.

One week after turning 'Supergrass' , Harry Kirkpatrick found out that he wasn't getting immunity . He changed solicitors and prepared to challenge the statements he made and was examined by a psychiatrist. He said that the statements had been extracted by threats and abuse , that he had been offered bribes and immunity , that statements of informers had been put in front of him.

He also said that he hadn't got valium at Castlereagh Interrogation Centre , as he usually did, and that he cried . Then Harry changed his mind and , also once again , changed his solicitor . He decided to plead guilty and give evidence against his friends . This happened on 19th January 1983 ; between 2.30pm and 3pm that day , Gerard Barkley came to see him . As Barkley left , his RUC friends arrived and he told them of his change of mind and denied that he told Barkley that he was going to turn and to get off side . He also denied passing a note to his wife which read - "things are going my way now."

In the following months , his wife was kidnapped by the INLA to try and get him to retract , and his step-father and sister were also held by the INLA . In June , he pleaded guilty to seventy-seven counts , including five killings . He received five life sentences , with no recommended minimum . Twelve days later he was again back in court , apparently at his own request , to clear one outstanding matter - the killing of UDA member William 'Bucky' McCullough. British Crown counsel got up and said that since Kirkpatrick was in prison at the time of the killing of William McCullough , all charges were being dropped against him . Kirkpatrick now had a clean slate regarding that issue but the strange thing about that is that Kirkpatrick was not in prison at the time . Nonetheless , the British decided not to proceed with charges in that case , meaning that there were now no outstanding charges against Kirkpatrick.......
(MORE LATER).

CIA SLAMS IRISH JUDGE.......

A Dublin District Justice was accused by American embassy intelligence personnel of encouraging left wing agitators and tolerating hostile acts against the United States.......
From 'MAGILL' magazine, 'Christmas Special' 1980.

The telegram is just one of over a hundred secret documents recently obtained from US intelligence agencies under the Freedom of Information Act : the documents give an amusing and sometimes incredible picture of the absurdities indulged in by the intelligence agencies while trying to justify their budgets and assuage their fear of dissidents. They also demonstrate that the US tax payers are getting lously value for their money!

In September 1972 Mairin de Burca , then Joint Secretary of Official Sinn Féin , sought a visa to go to the United States but was refused on the grounds of "moral turpitude" . It subsequently dawned on de Burca that she didn't need a visa - her parents were naturalised US citizens and she could therefore claim American citizenship . This she did and she was thus able to visit the US in 1976 and to speak at a number of meetings there .

In 1977 she left Official Sinn Féin , dropped out of politics and shortly afterwards became a journalist . Some time ago , on a whim, she wrote to Washington demanding access to any files that might have been kept on her political activities in the 1970's . Under the Freedom of Information Act , which was passed after the agencies had been caught breaking the law once too often while snooping , any US citizen is entitled to scrutinise copies of any files being kept on her or himself. While refusing to release 40 of the documents and heavily censoring most of the rest (usually in order to protect informers) the spooks released enough information to show the determination with which they keep files on Irish individuals and politicians - and their level of incompetence at so doing.......
(MORE LATER).

THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST HEROIN IN DUBLIN....... The drugs crisis is one of the major problems facing young people in Dublin today. In large areas of the city it has now reached massive proportions , while in the inner city there is estimated to be a higher percentage of drug addicts and drug abusers than in Harlem in New York . But it has been only recently - 5 years after this epidemic began in earnest - that any notice has been paid to the problem. And even now the Free State government has failed to confront the crisis in a meaningful way . Tony Barry of Na Fianna Eireann has been looking at the issues for 'IRIS' magazine.
From 'IRIS' magazine, December 1984.

The IRA spokesperson then drew a clear line between local pushers and those who organise and finance the distribution of drugs : " There are , however, some characters operating who will never be affected by community action since they do not live anywhere near where the problem has taken hold. These are totally cynical and callous business people who will exploit unscrupulously to fill their own pockets. We issue a strong warning to those people that they will not be safe , no matter where they live. They are the ones who are making vast profits from the misery of young people, and we are keeping a constant watch on them."

Four Dublin men are currently serving sentences of up to nine years in Portlaoise Prison, related to a kidnapping that was aimed at combatting gun attacks on anti-drugs committees by organised drug pushers. Meanwhile , dozens of well-known heroin pushers are permitted by the gardai to walk the streets of Dublin freely plying their trade of death.

There are now 62 gardai assigned to that force's Drug Squad , compared with 45 up until September 1983 and only 20 in 1981. There is precious little evidence , however, that this extra manpower marks a serious commitment to dealing with the source of the problem - the organisers of the drugs racket . Indeed , what little success they have had serves better to illustrate the increase in drug abuse that is exploding in all major cities.......
(MORE LATER).

Sunday, August 30, 2009

ANNUAL EVE OF ALL-IRELAND RALLY,DUBLIN, Saturday 19th September 2009.

"One of the largest public rallies seen in Dublin for years was held by Sinn Féin at the GPO on the eve of the All-Ireland Football Final . Headed by a Colour Party and a pipe band , a parade of more than 2,000 people marched from Parnell Square through the main city thoroughfare as a protest against the continued unjust imprisonment of Irishmen without charge or trial .
Contingents from all over the country took part and many carried banners and placards including groups from England and Scotland . In the Ulster section was a strong representation of the Derry supporters who thronged the capital city for the Final . One placard they carried asked - ' Why are Six-County Nationalists interned in the Curragh?' ....."
(From 'An tÉireannach Aontaithe/The United Irishman' newspaper , November 1958)

The Annual Eve Of All-Ireland Rally will be held this year on Saturday 19th September : those attending are asked to assemble at the Garden of Remembrance in Parnell Square at 12 Noon from where the parade will leave for the GPO. All Welcome!
Thanks!
Sharon.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY.......
Twenty-six men were convicted on the word of Harry Kirkpatrick. On their appeal against those convictions could well rest the future of the 'Anglo-Irish Agreement'
('The Hillsborough Treaty') . Based on a full transcript of the Kirkpatrick trials , the story of how these convictions were obtained shows why the 'Supergrass System' is a pale shadow of justice.
By Derek Dunne. From 'MAGILL' magazine, February 1986.

RUC Detective Superintendent Mitchell and Detective Chief Inspector Meeke came into the room in Castlereagh Interrogation Centre where Harry Kirkpatrick was being held : Kirkpatrick told them he knew more than Jackie Goodman or John Grimley would know , that he "...could put a lot of people away.." but wanted immunity before he would give 'evidence' . The RUC said they couldn't do that , to which Kirkpatrick replied that not only did he want immunity but he also wanted to get out of the country.

The RUC then told him that the question of immunity would be in the hands of the Director of Public Prosecutions and asked Kirkpatrick what exactly he was involved in - Kirkpatrick hesitated , then opened-up and spent three days making statements , at the end of which he signed a form saying that he had told the RUC everything . That , too , was a lie. That was on 26th March 1982 - the date Harry Kirkpatrick 'officially' turned 'Supergrass' .

Kirkpatrick was then charged with the killing of RUC man Lyndsay McDougall and was put into the annex of Crumlin Road Prison, the 'home of Supergrasses' . Then, acting on his 'word' , the RUC went out and made wave after wave of arrests across Belfast . Men were taken from New Barnsley , Ballymurphy , Springhill , the Falls , the New Lodge Road , Andersonstown , the Marklets and Divis Flats . Most of them ended up in Castlereagh Interrogation Centre , but only one of them made a 'statement' ; naming only himself ! According to Kirkpatrick , the people he had put away comprised the entire Brigade Staff of the INLA , including the Officers Commanding of many areas.......
(MORE LATER).

CIA SLAMS IRISH JUDGE.

A Dublin District Justice was accused by American embassy intelligence personnel of encouraging left wing agitators and tolerating hostile acts against the United States.
From 'MAGILL' magazine, 'Christmas Special' 1980.

A Dublin District Justice was accused by American embassy intelligence personnel of encouraging left wing agitators and tolerating hostile acts against the United States. The accusation was carried in a confidential telegram to the Secretary of State in Washington in November 1970 .

The telegram also informed the Secretary of State that the embassy "...badly needs the means to combat.." the activities of the 'agitators' and those who "encourage" them - in this case State District Justice Robert O hUadhaigh.

Traditionally , foreign diplomats who conspire to , or seek the means to, intervene in the internal affairs of their host country would , if exposed, be declared persona non grata and ejected from that country . In this case , however , its just the CIA - paranoia , incompetence and an ability to make mountains out of molehills being their trademarks . But what else can you expect.......?
(MORE LATER).

THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST HEROIN IN DUBLIN....... The drugs crisis is one of the major problems facing young people in Dublin today. In large areas of the city it has now reached massive proportions , while in the inner city there is estimated to be a higher percentage of drug addicts and drug abusers than in Harlem in New York . But it has been only recently - 5 years after this epidemic began in earnest - that any notice has been paid to the problem. And even now the Free State government has failed to confront the crisis in a meaningful way . Tony Barry of Na Fianna Eireann has been looking at the issues for 'IRIS' magazine.
From 'IRIS' magazine, December 1984.

Some of the drug pushers moved their operation to nearby pubs , chip shops , pool halls and hotels , but more often than not local people followed them there and bluntly told the owners and managers that the community would oppose their licence when it came up for renewal if they didn't clear the pushers out .

RTE ran a number of major documentaries on what was happening which focussed public attention on the crisis , but RTE's desire to sensationalise every aspect of the campaign led to the community action being portrayed as mob rule and vigilante violence , and as being a 'front' - which it clearly wasn't - for the IRA.

This attitude so infuriated some local people that in many areas documentary makers were not allowed to film in those areas . The IRA's attitude to pushers and the drugs crisis was in fact spelt out in an interview given to a local newsletter produced by a Sinn Féin cumann in Dublin's inner city . An IRA spokesperson stated - " We do not believe that the solution to the problem lies in our hands. It lies with the people in the areas affected by heroin. In situations where drug pushers are living amongst the people in the areas affected we would see it as the work of those people to make life unbearable and unprofitable for the pushers." Then that spokesperson went on to issue a warning.......
(MORE LATER).

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

On Tuesday , 18th August 2009 , a 'Battle Honoured' (Belgian Coast 1914-1915, 'Konigsberg' 1915) British warship , the 'HMS MERSEY' , docked at John Rogerson's Quay , in Dublin. Republican Sinn Féin issued a statement on the unwanted presence of that ship , a protest was organised and, afterwards, a brief report and some photographs regarding the protest were published.

We have recently received some more photographs of the republican protest that was held, which we publish with this post :

Thanks!
Sharon.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Na Fianna Éireann recently held two celebrations to mark its 100th Anniversary - one in Dublin and the other in Limerick , both taking place on the same day - Sunday 16th August 2009. Those celebrations were announced here, amongst other places , and reports on both of those Anniversary events were carried here and here.
This blog has recently received a number of photographs of the Dublin event , which we publish with this post -

Congratulations to Na Fianna Éireann on reaching their 100th 'birthday' and on celebrating same in such a public fashion. This is one republican organisation which will continue to grow, as those that know its membership and leadership will agree : they have held steadfast to their republican principles through thick and thin and will continue to so!
Thanks!
Sharon.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

(UPDATE re picket on HMS Mersey , Wednesday 19th August 2009 : 3 hours on a Dublin Quay - 40 protestors , 14 State security operatives , a 'missing' Captain and a blocked gangplank . Details here! )

THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY.......
Twenty-six men were convicted on the word of Harry Kirkpatrick. On their appeal against those convictions could well rest the future of the 'Anglo-Irish Agreement'
('The Hillsborough Treaty') . Based on a full transcript of the Kirkpatrick trials , the story of how these convictions were obtained shows why the 'Supergrass System' is a pale shadow of justice.
By Derek Dunne. From 'MAGILL' magazine, February 1986.

Harry Kirkpatrick had been arrested and taken to Castlereagh on numerous occasions . He was picked up and taken there on 4th February 1982 but he had a method of dealing with the questions - say nothing and stare at the wall . The RUC were talking to him about the killing of RUC man Lindsay McDougall but Kirkpatrick said nothing . Then the RUC brought in Seanie McConkey who accused Harry Kirkpatrick of being involved in the McDougall killing . Kirkpatrick professed to remember none of this at his 'trial' .

After seven days , he was charged with the killing on the word of Sean McConkey , but then McConkey retracted his statement and Harry was out again . Then John Grimley started to talk and implicated Kirkpatrick , who was once again lifted and found himself back in Castlereagh . He was kept there for three days . " Look , what's the score here ?" , Harry asked his RUC captors , and was told that he would probably do time on the word of John Grimley . Jackie Goodman had also turned informer and Kirkpatrick was worried . He started to talk.

He said that Jackie Goodman was "...a nobody in the organisation . I'm Brigade Operations Officer for the North but I am saying nothing more." He asked to speak to someone higher-up in authority and wanted "...an assurance." He was told that nothing could be promised ; Kirkpatrick then said that not alone was he Brigade Operations Officer for the North , but that he was also Brigade Quartermaster and Brigade Adjutant . An RUC detective asked him what operations he was involved in and he replied "Murders and a lot of conspiracies." However , he could remember none of the above at his 'trial'.......
(MORE LATER).

THE HOWARD MARKS AFFAIR.......
Customs Officers in England have arrested a man who could blow the lid off an embarrassing British Intelligence operation against the Provisional IRA , when he answers drug smuggling charges in London later this year.
From 'MAGILL' magazine, July 1980.
By James Curtis.

The French Judge dismissed the case against James McCann and he was set free , only to be arrested in Dublin in August 1979 . In a well publicised court case he was charged with drugs and firearms offences and then acquitted on the direction of the judge in March 1980. The 'Irish Pimpernel' has now beaten the rap for the third time !

Observers of this extraordinary affair were left wondering when and where the next piece of the jigsaw would drop into place - and it fell sooner than expected . In June 1980 , as Denis Howard Marks picked up a glass of sherry in the bar of the Swan Hotel in Lavenham, England, two plain clothes customs investigators stepped forward and slipped a pair of handcuffs over his wrists.
[END of 'The Howard Marks Affair']
(Next - ' CIA Slams Irish Judge')

THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST HEROIN IN DUBLIN....... The drugs crisis is one of the major problems facing young people in Dublin today. In large areas of the city it has now reached massive proportions , while in the inner city there is estimated to be a higher percentage of drug addicts and drug abusers than in Harlem in New York . But it has been only recently - 5 years after this epidemic began in earnest - that any notice has been paid to the problem. And even now the Free State government has failed to confront the crisis in a meaningful way . Tony Barry of Na Fianna Eireann has been looking at the issues for 'IRIS' magazine.
From 'IRIS' magazine, December 1984.

Apart from Jervis Street and Coolmine there are a few non-residential therapy groups , among them , in Dublin, is the Drugs Advisory Centre in Ballymun , the Anna Liffey Project , the Rutland Centre at Knocklyon Road and the Talbot Centre in Sherrard Street . There are also a number of 'Narcotics Anonymous' groups in Drogheda , Wexford , Limerick and Belfast , as well as some in Dublin .

The response of different communities throughout Dublin to the drugs crisis began last year with the people of St Teresa's Gardens, followed rapidly by the communities in Dolphin House , Hardwicke Street , Liberty House , Tallaght , St Michael's Estate in Inchicore and others , taking a stand against heroin . This invariably started with meetings being organised in local halls or schools to discuss the problem .

In areas like St Teresa's Gardens and Dolphin House there was an immediate and overwhelming response and , as with all those other areas , there was a general agreement that drugs were a community problem which could only be resolved by the local community . Street marches and protests were held on the flats of local pushers and they were told to stop pushing drugs or leave the area . Citizen patrols were organised to turn away drug addicts coming into the areas to get their 'fix' . The pushers were now getting 'pushed' . Then the State media branded the local communities as 'vigilante mobs'.......
(MORE LATER).

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

(UPDATE re picket on HMS Mersey : 3 hours on a Dublin Quay - 40 protestors , 14 State security operatives , a 'missing' Captain and a blocked gangplank . Details here! )

BRITISH WARSHIP IN DUBLIN : PICKET ORGANISED.

British warship 'HMS Mersey' , docked in Dublin at John Rogersons Quay and will be there untill Thursday - a Republican picket as close as possible to the ship will be held on Wednesday 19 August 2009 , beginning at One pm.

This ship , which boasts of Armaments consisting of one 20mm British Manufacturing and Research Company (BMARC) KAA Gun and two General Purpose Machine Guns also carries a complement of 30, plus a Royal Marine boarding party. It takes its military orders from the same institution (Westminster) which continues to claim jurisdiction over six Irish counties and , as such , it is not welcome.

A picket against this ship and what it represents....

...will be held as close as possible to it , on Wednesday 19th August 2009, at One pm.

All Welcome!
Thanks,
Sharon.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY.......
Twenty-six men were convicted on the word of Harry Kirkpatrick. On their appeal against those convictions could well rest the future of the 'Anglo-Irish Agreement'
('The Hillsborough Treaty') . Based on a full transcript of the Kirkpatrick trials , the story of how these convictions were obtained shows why the 'Supergrass System' is a pale shadow of justice.
By Derek Dunne. From 'MAGILL' magazine, February 1986.

Harry Kirkpatrick tells how he used his father's driving licence to hire cars for military operations , and names his sister as being involved . And also names his brother-in-law and his best friend Gerard Barkley. For more than twenty days the namings go on , followed by court examinations and cross-examinations , during which Kirkpatrick refuses to turn around to look at his questioners . But occasionally he smirks.

He describes the most appalling killings with a casualness that is unreal but , again and again he is caught out for telling lies . He again and again refuses to accept that he said certain things to the RUC but , when documents are produced to prove otherwise he accepts the contents of those documents and claims that he remembers very little about the interviews he had with the RUC but states that the only thing he is really clear about are the events themselves .

But , again and again, he is wrong about crucial details - for example , when he names Henry McNamee as being involved in a 'job' , McNamee was actually in jail when it was supposed to have taken place . Overall , his 'evidence' is far from satisfactory . The nervous twitch he has in his right eye gets worse as the 'trial' wears on , and it is noticable that he claims to remember very little from the time of his arrest to now.......
(MORE LATER).

THE HOWARD MARKS AFFAIR.......
Customs Officers in England have arrested a man who could blow the lid off an embarrassing British Intelligence operation against the Provisional IRA , when he answers drug smuggling charges in London later this year.
From 'MAGILL' magazine, July 1980.
By James Curtis.

In March 1974 , the Littlejohn brothers broke out of Mountjoy Prison : Kenneth fled to Holland where he gave his famous interview to the BBC which caused such a rumpus. Shortly afterwards , Howard Marks disappeared . A man who claimed to be with 'Customs and Excise' called at his Oxford lodgings where Marks was babysitting while his girlfriend was out . He handed the child to his landlady and , without even taking a jacket , fled the house.

He went to the USA and then Canada , where he was caught up in deportation proceedings . Whilst his appeal was on-going , he surfaced in France and , in April 1978 , was arrested there by French police near Cannes . He now faced extradition.

Then the West German government announced that they wanted him for questioning over the bombing of a British Army computer centre at Moenchengladbach in September 1973.......
(MORE LATER).

THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST HEROIN IN DUBLIN....... The drugs crisis is one of the major problems facing young people in Dublin today. In large areas of the city it has now reached massive proportions , while in the inner city there is estimated to be a higher percentage of drug addicts and drug abusers than in Harlem in New York . But it has been only recently - 5 years after this epidemic began in earnest - that any notice has been paid to the problem. And even now the Free State government has failed to confront the crisis in a meaningful way . Tony Barry of Na Fianna Eireann has been looking at the issues for 'IRIS' magazine.
From 'IRIS' magazine, December 1984.

A few drug treatment centres do exist , but their already overstretched facilities are painfully inadequate to deal with the growth of the problem. The Jervis Street unit in Dublin has only nine beds available in the detoxification ward so that the vast majority of people it deals with are forced into the position of being 'outpatients' .

Jervis Street Hospital is due to move to a new site at Beaumont , on the north side of Dublin, where there will be ten beds in the new detoxification ward . In addition , the Task Force report has said that the drugs unit at Jervis Street will be maintained and a further unit set up at St James' Hospital, but has given no concrete outline of how and when this will be done.

The only residential treatment centre in the State is the Coolmine Therapeutic Community : its importance lies in the fact that while centres like Jervis Street can try to wean addicts off heroin by administering smaller and smaller quantities of less addictive drugs over a period of weeks , the psychological dependence on heroin runs so deep in addicts that they additionally need the supportive counselling and full-time care that only a residential centre can provide . Coolmine , however, has limited facilities and a long waiting list.......
(MORE LATER).