1169 And Counting.....

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

THE FIANNA FÁIL STORY.......

The Rise And Decline Of Fianna Fáil , by Kevin Boland - Mercier Press.

Seán Lemass And The Making Of Modern Ireland , by Paul Bew and Henry Patterson - Gill and Macmillan.
By Roy Johnston.
From 'Gralton' magazine, Aug/Sept 1983.

Kevin Boland , with a nice sense of irony, contrasts the 1976 situation. A prestigious historian , T.P. O'Neill of UCG , Dev's biographer , was appointed in 1974 to produce for 1976 the history of the first 50 years of Fianna Fáil . It has , however, not yet appeared.

T.P. O'Neill , in an interview on 'Feach' , subsequently denied that he was writing it - he was to edit the contributions of others : " ...even at this early stage there were problems arising for his professional integrity as a historian.." , yet no dogs barked. There appeared to be a cover-up - "...a rigid decision by media controllers that the unsavoury matter safely and efficiently swept under the carpet in 1970 was to stay there undisturbed.....the loyal Fianna Fáil households ...... proud owners of the story of the first 25 years , have no corresponding record of the second twenty-five...."

The '1970 events' , of course, were those at the root of the Haughey-Blaney-Boland 'Arms Crisis' .......
(MORE LATER).

THE PETER BERRY PAPERS....... The Top Secret Memoirs of Ireland's Most Powerful Civil Servant : Dirty Tricks, Election '69/ Spying on a Unionist Politician/ Keeping the (State) Taoiseach informed/ The Garda Fallon Murder/ Advice to Jack Lynch- 'Fire the pair of them...'/ Vivion De Valera's advice to O'Malley/ Rumours of a Coup D'Etat/ The Internment Plot, November 1970/ Secret Meeting with William Craig.
From 'MAGILL' magazine , June 1980.

AUGUST 25th , 1969 :
" I informed the Taoiseach (being a Monday, the Minister was absent in his constituency) that an instruction had been issued by Cathal Goulding that 26-County members of the IRA should return to their homes on a 'stand-to' alert , that, for the present, operations would be conducted by selected personnel and local units.

I also told him that an approach had been made to Gardai on duty near the border to turn a blind eye to the movement of men and materials (weapons and explosives) but the Taoiseach instructed that that was out and that there should be "no fraternising" , and I conveyed that instruction to the Garda Commissioner."

SEPTEMBER 15th, 1969 :
" In the next week or so I received numerous verbal reports of the border activities of Military Intelligence officers and the name of Captain James Kelly cropped up again and again as consorting with known members of the IRA. It was alleged that he was so forthcoming in advocating the use of arms that doubts were entertained by his listeners as to whether he was , in fact, an Intelligence Officer . I made enquiries from Stephen O' Cearnaigh , Secretary of the Department of Defence , who didn't know but said that he would find out and he phoned me back to say yes. I passed this information to our security police and it is referred to in the evidence given by Chief Superintendent Fleming before the CPA......"
(MORE LATER).

BANNER DOWN , PLACARDS UP... !

Free State authorities have ordered the publican who erected a 'BRIT QUEEN BARRED...' banner on the front of his pub to remove it on 'Health and Safety' grounds (!) and have hinted that aspects of his operating licence may be questioned if he does not do so.

Had the banner been erected in favour of the 'Killer Queen', and inviting her in for a pint , the same State authorities would have had no quarrel with it - but the general public would have had.....

.....however : the pub banner may be coming down , but placards of a similar nature will be 'going up' : Republican Sinn Féin in Dublin are holding a picket on the British Embassy against the visit of the British 'queen' on Tuesday March 29th 2011 from 2pm to 4pm and , despite whatever moans and cries are spluttered by the State and other seoinín , this protest , and the issue itself , will not be 'taken down'.

Occupation breeds resistance - the 'queen' of England is not welcome in Ireland while her troops are here : she holds , amongst other 'Offices', the title of 'Commander-in-Chief' of the British Army and ultimate responsibility for all political deaths in this country rests with her. That point will be , once again , loudly exclaimed on the streets of Dublin on Tuesday , 29th March next , on Merrion Road in Ballsbridge - ALL WELCOME ! *

Thanks for reading,
Sharon.
( * Not really 'ALL' , if you know what we mean...!)

Saturday, March 12, 2011

GOOD 'PLAYERS' , WITH A 'FAIR VIEW' , QUICK ON THE 'DRAW'..... !

This being the second Saturday of the month , and tomorrow being the second Sunday of the month (!) , the usual 650-ticket CABHAIR raffle will be held , in the usual venue (an hotel on the Dublin-Kildare border) and, again as usual , all tickets have been sold for same.
However - had we been quicker on the 'draw' (!) we could have enquired about holding same in the above-pictured venue , 'The Players Lounge' , in Fairview , Dublin : I think we would have felt equally at home there..... ;-) !
Thanks for reading ,
Sharon.

Wednesday, March 09, 2011

THE FIANNA FÁIL STORY.......

The Rise And Decline Of Fianna Fáil , by Kevin Boland - Mercier Press.

Seán Lemass And The Making Of Modern Ireland , by Paul Bew and Henry Patterson - Gill and Macmillan.
By Roy Johnston.
From 'Gralton' magazine, Aug/Sept 1983.

'The Rise and Decline of Fianna Fáil' by Kevin Boland gives a useful insider's view , while 'Seán Lemass and the Makings of Modern Ireland' by Paul Bew and Henry Patterson is a scholarly collaboration between Queens and the Ulster Polytechnic which consciously takes a detached , outsider's ("two-nationist") view.

There is a danger that the latter may be taken as a Marxist analysis , on the superficial ground that Paul Bew has contributed to the London magazine , 'Marxism Today' , on Irish topics . It is anything but.

Kevin Boland , an unrepentant thirties Fianna Fáil man , makes a creditable attempt to chronicle how the rot set in. The 26th anniversary of Fianna Fáil (1951) was held with fanfares in the Capital Theatre , an oration from de Valera and publication of a souvenir brochure outlining the triumphal history - "....a record that enabled every member to see himself or herself in the gallant company of our heroic dead who had striven over the centuries to free Ireland from the tyrannical grip of the foreign enemy....."
(MORE LATER).

LEINSTER HOUSE SAYS 'YES!' TO 'NEW' ADMINISTRATION , OLD ADMINISTRATION SAYS 'YES!' TO GOLDEN HANDSHAKES AND PENSIONS FOR LIFE.....

Today , Wednesday 9th March 2011 , a 'new' political administration for this State will place itself in 'authority' in Leinster House and settle-in for the next few years. "Settle-in" , that is , for an opportunity to live the life of O'Donoghue.
However , it must surely be some comfort to know that if you fail to make it 'big' during your (part)term in Office , you will do so when your 'time' is up : politicians from the 'old' Leinster House administration have awarded themselves vast sums of money in compensation for losing their seats ie compo for losing the opportunity to award themselves vast sums of money !
The following is a list of 'Awards' which that out-going State administration gifted to itself :

* Mary Coughlan: €312,239.56 in the first year, €130,161.98 every year thereafter.
* John O’Donoghue: €310,370.98 in the first year, €128,293.40 every year thereafter.
* Mary O’Rourke: €310,370.98 in the first year, €128,293.40 every year thereafter.
* Dick Roche: €274,160.69 in the first year, €94,782.31 every year thereafter.
* Mary Hanafin: €250,986.98 in the first year, €102,364.91 every year thereafter.
* Pat Carey: €240,225.41 in the first year, €91,603.34 every year thereafter.
* Michael Ahern: €235,368.58 in the first year, €53,291 every year thereafter.
* Frank Fahey: €235,368.58 in the first year, €53,291 every year thereafter.
* Sean Power: €235,368.58 in the first year, €53,291 every year thereafter.
* Trevor Sargent : €230,164.88 in the first year, €57,410.49 every year thereafter.
* Seán Haughey: €220,289.42 in the first year, €57,893.93 every year thereafter.
* John Gormley: €212,274.07 in the first year, €63,652 every year thereafter.
* Conor Lenihan: €207,653.76 in the first year, €59,031.69 every year thereafter.
* Brendan Kenneally: €196,299.96 in the first year, €41,777.11 every year thereafter.
* Johnny Brady: €185,185.31 in the first year, €36,563.24 every year thereafter.
* John Moloney: €185,185.31 in the first year, €36,563.24 every year thereafter.
* Eamon Ryan: €164,014.75 in the first year, €49,074.55 every year thereafter.
* Barry Andrews: €146,218.33 in the first year, €31,278.13 every year thereafter.
* Tom McEllistrim: €146,164.51 in the first year, €31,224.31 every year thereafter.
* Peter Power: €146,164.51 in the first year, €31,224.31 every year thereafter.
* John Curran: €143,079.03 in the first year, €28,138.83 every year thereafter.
* Maire Hoctor: €142,890.67 in the first year, €27,950.47 every year thereafter.
* Ciarán Cuffe: €139,948.69 in the first year, €25,008.49 every year thereafter.
* Paul Gogarty: €136,925.99 in the first year, €21,985.79 every year thereafter.
* Peter Kelly: €136,925.99 in the first year, €21,985.79 every year thereafter.
* Michael Mulcahy: €136,925.99 in the first year, €21,985.79 every year thereafter.
* Charlie O’Connor: €136,925.99 in the first year, €21,985.79 every year thereafter.
* Martin Mansergh: €108,507.84 in the first year, €18,707.96 every year thereafter.
* Aine Brady: €105,368.54 in the first year, €15,568.66 every year thereafter.
* Seán Connick: €102,363.77 in the first year, €12,563.89 every year thereafter.
* Mary White: €101,960.15 in the first year, €12,160.27 every year thereafter.
* Chris Andrews: €99,215.50 in the first year, €9,415.62 every year thereafter.
* Bobby Aylward: €99,215.50 in the first year, €9,415.62 every year thereafter.
* Cyprian Brady: €99,215.50 in the first year, €9,415.62 every year thereafter.
* Thomas Byrne: €99,215.50 in the first year, €9,415.62 every year thereafter.
* Margaret Conlon: €99,215.50 in the first year, €9,415.62 every year thereafter.
* Michael Fitzpatrick: €99,215.50 in the first year, €9,415.62 every year thereafter.
* Michael Kennedy: €99,215.50 in the first year, €9,415.62 every year thereafter.
* Darragh O’Brien: €99,215.50 in the first year, €9,415.62 every year thereafter.
* Christy O’Sullivan: €99,215.50 in the first year, €9,415.62 every year thereafter.
* Eamon Scanlon: €99,215.50 in the first year, €9,415.62 every year thereafter.

TOTAL COST TO THE PUBLIC: €7,054,373.02 in the first year; €1,711,658.48 every year thereafter.

The 'new crowd' will do the same , when their time is up - they are living beyond our means , which is just one of the reasons we advised that they are not worthy of your vote.
Hopefully , more people will listen to us the next time... ?
Thanks,
Sharon.

Monday, March 07, 2011

Republican Sinn Féin will be actively opposing a visit by the 'queen' of England to any part of Ireland. As part of its campaign , the organisation will be holding a picket at the gates of Leinster House on Wednesday March 9th 2011 from 4.00pm to 6.00pm. More information here.

Thanks for reading,
Sharon.

Wednesday, March 02, 2011

THE FIANNA FAIL STORY.

The Rise And Decline Of Fianna Fail , by Kevin Boland - Mercier Press.

Seán Lemass And The Making Of Modern Ireland , by Paul Bew and Henry Patterson - Gill and Macmillan.
By Roy Johnston.
From 'Gralton' magazine, Aug/Sept 1983.

The analysis of the role of Fianna Fail , and the associated necessary synthesis of a replacement with a stronger socialist component , capable of taking the Irish revolution a stage further , has been the primary task of the Left since the 1930's.

The comprehensive and consistent failure of the Irish Left to address this task requires explanation, but this is another day's work.

Into the ensuing theoretical vacuum, however, have come two books which , while not fulfilling the needs may provide stimulus and raw material for those who are perceptive enough to understand that this task is still at the top of the political agenda.......
(MORE LATER).

THE PETER BERRY PAPERS....... The Top Secret Memoirs of Ireland's Most Powerful Civil Servant : Dirty Tricks, Election '69/ Spying on a Unionist Politician/ Keeping the (State) Taoiseach informed/ The Garda Fallon Murder/ Advice to Jack Lynch- 'Fire the pair of them...'/ Vivion De Valera's advice to O'Malley/ Rumours of a Coup D'Etat/ The Internment Plot, November 1970/ Secret Meeting with William Craig.
From 'MAGILL' magazine , June 1980.

" The Minister asked me for my opinion as to who it might be and I named a particular individual , saying at the same time that I had no reason other than his penchant for indiscretions. The Minister said 'it could be Neil Blaney or Kevin Boland'. He read the statement a couple of times , discussed it with me and put it in his brief case.

When the Minister returned after lunch , after the government meeting, he sent for me to discuss another matter and I took the opportunity to ask him if there had been any developments arising from the statement. He drew it from his bag and handed it to me - he had made notations diagonally across the left-hand top corner.

He said that he had read it to the meeting , adding that that was the last time that he would bring anything like that to the notice of all the members of government , that he would bring it direct to the Taoiseach. He said that no Minister had met Cathal Goulding and went on to say that Charlie Haughey had mentioned that he had been asked to meet some fellow from the IRA but that he had not paid heed to what was said , that it was not of any consequence......."
(MORE LATER).

AN ATTEMPT TO USE STATE APPARATUS AGAINST THE STATE....

Most of our readers will be aware that this blog , and the RSF organisation overall , have been involved for a number of years now in support of thousands of low-paid workers in this State who have been financially penalised by the State for the 'mistakes' (ie gambling incompetence) of big business-people and property developers etc who , through their own greed , bankrupted the State then put pressure on the political parties that they had purchased and instructed them to bail them out - which they did , at our expense, by financially and morally prostituting the working-class and the unemployed to the IMF and Brussels.
In 'fighting back' against this injustice , some of those low-paid workers (full history here) encouraged their trade union to legally challenge the 'right' of the State to deduct their wages and , following various meetings between the workers , their appointed representatives at ground level and the trade union(s) involved , a form of wording was agreed and a case was lodged in the 'LRC' under 'The Payment Of Wages Act 1991' to seek the return of all monies from wages which have been stopped by , in this particular case , the 'FAS' agency , which is the actual 'employer' in this instance.
Those low-paid workers are now being notified that their case will be heard , in Court, over a three-day period this month : if justice were to be done , they would win their case outright via 'technical' reasons alone apart , that is, from the morality involved in the State 'docking' each lowly wage-packet between €30 and €50 each week - we are aware of the Court defence to be entered by the workers and of a possible/probable 'Plan B' to be used by them , in the event that it becomes necessary to do so but , for obvious reasons, we won't be outlining same here.
We wish these workers every success in this endeavour , but would caution them against expecting too much : after all , one 'arm' of the State is being asked to challenge another , on behalf of low-paid and poorly-represented workers (ie no political 'clout') in an action which will not only embarrass the State and cost it , financially but will , and rightly so , 'open the floodgates' to a 'raft' of similar cases.
Win or lose , RSF will maintain its support for these , and other , workers , and for the unemployed.
As it should be !
Thanks,
Sharon.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

RSF ANTI-ENGLISH 'QUEEN' PETITION AND PICKET GPO , DUBLIN , SATURDAY 26TH FEBRUARY 2011.

About twenty members and/or supporters of Republican Sinn Féin in Dublin held a ninty-minute anti-'royal' picket on the traffic isle facing the GPO in O'Connell Street yesterday , Saturday 26th February 2011 , and had set-up a stall under the pillars of the GPO to collect signatures in support of the motion that an English 'queen' is not welcome in Ireland whilst her armed forces continue to militarily and politically enforce a claim of jurisdictional control over any part of Ireland .

At the RSF anti-'royal' stall at the GPO , Dublin , Sat 26th Feb 2011.

A Republican message from the steps of Dublin's GPO to the English 'establishment'.

Republican stall being set-up at Dublin's GPO , Sat 26th Feb 2011.

Hundreds of RSF recruitment leaflets and anti-'royal' visit leaflets were distributed over the ninty minutes , and dozens of signatures for the petition were collected , in what was a well-organised and well-executed 'job of work' by the Movement , which was well received by all passers-by , locals and tourists - indeed , the only objection came from the two members of the 'Special Branch' (Political Police) , who attempted to practically 'close down' the stall and , when that failed , contented themselves by trying to turn on-lookers away : however , that endeavour too , failed , so they retired to their car and observed proceedings from there.
Full marks to the twenty-or-so Irish Republican activists that carried-out this initiative and to Republican Sinn Féin for organising same - a good day's work!
Thanks for reading ,
Sharon.

Friday, February 25, 2011

PRO-'NOTA' / ANTI-'QUEEN' VOTES LODGED , 25TH FEB 2011.

This blog has received photographs and verbal confirmation that pro-'NOTA' and anti-'queen' votes have been made in at least 17* polling stations in the Dublin Mid-West constituency , and surrounding areas , including Tallaght, Ballyfermot and Bluebell. This campaign was started by three individuals in the Neilstown area of Clondalkin and , although none of them are members of any Irish Republican organisation , they are solid supporters of Republican Sinn Féin and have been for decades , and are highly regarded and valued as such by the local Cumann of the Movement. They , and their equally 'NOTA'-inclined friends approached members of the Clondalkin-based Maire Drumm/Kevin Barry Cumann of Republican Sinn Féin Poblachtach and an agreement was reached : in return for writing 'None Of The Above' and an anti-English 'queen' visit message on ballot papers , RSF would use its local network of contacts to distribute the leaflets provided by the pro-'NOTA' people - resulting in thousands of said leaflets being distributed in the locality and pro-'NOTA'/anti-'queen' messages being wrote on ballot papers in an area reaching from Balgaddy in North Clondalkin to the foothills of the Dublin mountains , in Tallaght, and down towards Dublin City Centre as far as Inchicore!
(*Final 'tally'[!] - 22 polling stations.)

Political candidates - 'None Of The Above'.

'ENGLISH QUEEN NOT WELCOME!' ballot paper , Friday 25th February 2011.

No welcome for wannabe or existing Free State politicians or English 'queens' !

This blog congratulates those involved in this (at the time of writing) on-going campaign , which will continue until 10PM tonight : hopefully , this campaign will prevent one or more Free State politician (or 'wannabe') from enriching themself in Leinster House and has encouraged dozens of people to take part in a political campaign who otherwise would not have got involved - plus , of course , Republican Sinn Féin , in that huge catchment area , has gained the trust and confidence of many people that it might not have otherwise been possible to reach : 'winners all round' except , of course , a few Leinster House politicians and their 'wannabe' colleagues!
Well Done!
Thanks,
Sharon.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

LEGAL DRUG TRIALS : ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. (The following information was brought to our attention by a reader of this blog , and was published in a Sunday newspaper in September 2010 : the person who contacted us did so on reading our 'Death of Niall Rush' article and , upon checking to the best of our ability, we are satisfied that that person has no 'axe to grind' re the newspaper in question and/or to the companies or individuals mentioned in the piece.......)

Three volunteers were hospitalised last week after suffering violent seizures during drug trials at a private research clinic in Cork. The young men are reportedly recovering and the nine others involved in the test are being monitored at the clinic. The trial itself has been terminated.

Rising unemployment has resulted in a surge in numbers applying to take part in clinical trials , where volunteers can make up to €130 a day. The practice whereby wealthy corporations often pay impoverished individuals a pittance to risk their health is outdated and grotesque.

Clinical trials must be in accordance with European law , but some pharmaceutical firms go to great lengths to idemnify themselves against litigation if their human guinea pigs experience ill effects - which speaks volumes about the safety of those experiments.

[END of ' LEGAL DRUG TRIALS : ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT '.]
(Next - 'THE FIANNA FAIL STORY' - from 'Gralton' magazine , Aug/Sept 1983.)

THE PETER BERRY PAPERS....... The Top Secret Memoirs of Ireland's Most Powerful Civil Servant : Dirty Tricks, Election '69/ Spying on a Unionist Politician/ Keeping the (State) Taoiseach informed/ The Garda Fallon Murder/ Advice to Jack Lynch- 'Fire the pair of them...'/ Vivion De Valera's advice to O'Malley/ Rumours of a Coup D'Etat/ The Internment Plot, November 1970/ Secret Meeting with William Craig.
From 'MAGILL' magazine , June 1980.

" The statement was written on foolscap sheets of a pink colour which I habitually used in giving directives in my Department and of which I kept a stock at home as I was used to taking home files for urgent completion. It ran to several pages and , amongst the items recorded was information that in the previous week a Cabinet Minister had had a meeting with the Chief of Staff of the IRA (Cathal Goulding) , at which a deal had been made that the IRA would call off their campaign of violence in the 26 Counties in return for a free hand in operating a cross-border campaign in the North.

I was told - and I reported it to the Minister - that the Army Council of the IRA could not understand the Taoiseach's statement of 19th August as it had been accepted that the Cabinet Minister was speaking to their Chief of Staff with the authority of Government.

The Minister questioned me as to whom the police officers named as the Cabinet Minister and I said that they did not name anybody and that I did not ask , that in matters of that kind a discretion had to be exercised by the police to prevent their sources of information being disclosed and that there was a normal reluctance on their part at all times to give all the information in their possession which might be so close to the bone as to identify their sources......."
(MORE LATER).

2 4 the 'queen' , 3 4 the Staters....

This coming Saturday (26th February 2011) , Republican Sinn Féin will hold a one-hour protest (from 12.45pm to 1.45pm) on the traffic isle facing the GPO in O'Connell Street , Dublin , in opposition to the proposed visit to this country by an English 'queen': a similar protest will be held on Wednesday 9th March 2011 , at the Kildare Street gates of Leinster House , from 4PM to 6PM. We hope our Dublin-based readers will attend either one protest or the other or, preferably - both!

In a statement in relation to the proposed 'queen of England' visit , the President of Republican Sinn Féin, Des Dalton, stated:

"The proposed visit of the Queen of England to the 26-County State is intended to signal that British occupation and the partition of Ireland is now normal and acceptable. A visit by the head of the British State while that state continues to occupy and partition Ireland be opposed.
Republican Sinn Féin will lead an active campaign of opposition and will be calling on all Republican minded people throughout Ireland to come out and make their voices hear in protest.

In 1911 patriots such as James Connolly, Maud Gonne and Helena Maloney among others led Republican and progressive resistance to a similar attempt to pacify Ireland with a British Royal visit. They did so under the banner 'Thou art not conquered yet dear land' and in 2011 those who have neither been purchased nor intimated will be sending out the same clear message.
Continued British Rule in Ireland is an obstacle to achieving a just and lasting settlement for all the Irish people and must be removed if we are serious about creating real All-Ireland economic and political democracy."

We hope to see you on Saturday 26th February next at the GPO and/or on Wednesday 9th March next outside Leinster House. And bring a friend.....!

3 MORE REASONS FOR VOTING 'NONE OF THE ABOVE' :

1) By voting for a candidate - perhaps because you consider him/her to be 'the best of a bad bunch' - you are in effect agreeing to not partake in decision making by transferring the authority to do this to a bunch of 'political experts'.

2) The use of the 'party whip' system undermines the ability of representatives to represent those who elected them and instead their representation switches to the party which is not the same thing.

3) You are electing a person based on promises to do something but there is no mechanism of immediate recall if this does not happen except , in this particular type of election , four/five years after the event when the damage caused by the broken promises will be long established.

This State cannot afford any more John O'Donoghue's , nor do we deserve any more of his type : use your vote wisely on Friday 25th February next - write 'British Royals Not Welcome' and/or 'None Of The Above' on it !
Thanks,
Sharon.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

LEGAL DRUG TRIALS : ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. (The following information was brought to our attention by a reader of this blog , and was published in a Sunday newspaper in December 2009 : the person who contacted us did so on reading our 'Death of Niall Rush' article and , upon checking to the best of our ability, we are satisfied that that person has no 'axe to grind' re the newspaper in question and/or to the companies or individuals mentioned in the piece.......)

GE Healthcare is also suing Henrik Thomsen for an article in a medical magazine published in Brussels , but he said his name had been put on an article that he had not written.

The company said it encouraged scientific debate but had to act when it was publicly defamed. It said it had worked hard to uncover incidents of any side-effects from its drug , which may have inflated the number of cases linked specifically to 'Omniscan' , and added that the product was safe for more than 99% of patients but that it should not be given to patients with severe kidney problems.

However , it says that no "causal link" has been established.

(END of the 'GE Healthcare / Henrik Thomsen' piece : next - an article from September 2010 , sent to us from a different reader.)

On Friday 25th February next , the electorate in this corrupt wee Statelet are to be given a 'choice' by the new owners of this 'republic' , the IMF and Brussels , to pick a 'different' so-called management team than that which has bankrupted the place - a State-wide 'general election' will be held , with the 'choices' ranging from six of one to half-dozen of the other!

Irish Republicans will , as usual , use the occasion to deliver their message to the Gaimbín and Seoinín political 'establishment' that make a fine living here from the work of others : that message will involve writing a Republican slogan on the ballot paper and placing it in the ballot box. With the impending visit of a member of the British 'royal' family to these shores in the next few months , that message will more than likely read ' BRITISH 'ROYALS' NOT WELCOME IN IRELAND!' or some-such similar wording which , of course , this blog heartly endorses!

This blog also endorses a campaign in this part of Dublin Mid-West whereby hundreds of copies of the above-pictured 'NOT A VOTE' leaflet have been distributed in pubs , clubs , shopping centres and on a door-to-door basis by a team of people , some of whom would be supporters of Irish Republicanism and all of whom have one objective in mind : to register a protest not only against the candidates but against the political system itself in this State. The people involved have agreed to write both messages on their ballot paper (ie 'NONE OF THE ABOVE' and 'BRITISH ROYALS NOT WELCOME IN IRELAND') and , in 'return' , local Republicans are using their own network to ensure a wider distribution of the leaflets.

The political candidates in this State are representative of the political system which , by its incompetence, has put people out of work and/or reduced the wage that those still working earn or would like you , by voting for them , to put them in a position of power whereby , whilst 'feathering their own nest' , they will be able to use your wages/social welfare money to re-pay the IMF , Brussels , and their business associates who have 'financially over-extended' themselves. In short , you would be voting to put King Herod in charge of the nursery !

On Friday , 25th February 2011 , do yourself , your children and the State a service - claim your ballot paper and write 'NONE OF THE ABOVE!' and/or 'NO WELCOME FOR BRITISH ROYALS!' on it : don't give this man a job!

Thanks for reading,
Sharon.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

'TAKE ME HOME TO MAYO...' / MONTHLY RAFFLE.

Three of the twenty-two Irish Hunger-Strikers were remembered today , Sunday 13th February 2011 , at the Annual 'Mayo Hunger-Strikers Commemoration' in Leigue Cemetery , Ballina , County Mayo : Michael Gaughan , Frank Stagg and Seán McNeela. We have been told that all went as planned , with a strong oration delivered by the main speaker , ex-POW , Tyrone man Stephen Daly. A report and pics will be published in the March 2011 issue of 'Saoirse' , which goes to print on Wednesday 9th of that month - unfortunately , we were unable to attend this event , as we had been asked to stay in Leinster to assist with the monthly raffle , which was also held today , Sunday 13th : this raffle not only met its targeted sales figure , but could have done with at least another 100 tickets made available for sale !

The 'Monthly Raffle' drum : guaranteed that your ticket goes in , but no guarantee that it will come out...!

Some 'football' match or other - involving France , I believe ? - was held today and was on view on the giant screens of the hotel we were in , where the raffle was being held - and raffle ticket sales doubled as a result , to the point that two home-made signs were made and displayed , apologising for the fact that no more tickets were available !
Apologisies , again , to those that couldn't get raffle tickets , and Congrats to the eight winners :

Stephen K , ticket number 234 , sold by Gavin / Derek J , 281 , Kevin / Shay C , 428 , Jeff / Dean A , 357 , Gavin / Johnny G , 584 , D1 / Mary K , 157 , Jasper / James M , 009 , Robbie and Anne M , 244 , Seller.

Having to tell dozens of 'raffle-ticket-less' rugby fans that you have no more tickets for sale almost put us in the position that we would have been safer on the pitch ;-) !
Full marks to RSF for the Mayo Commemoration and to CABHAIR for the raffle - two 'jobs' well done!
Thanks,
Sharon.

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

LEGAL DRUG TRIALS : ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. (The following information was brought to our attention by a reader of this blog , and was published in a Sunday newspaper in December 2009 : the person who contacted us did so on reading our 'Death of Niall Rush' article and , upon checking to the best of our ability, we are satisfied that that person has no 'axe to grind' re the newspaper in question and/or to the companies or individuals mentioned in the piece.......)

Five people in Britain have died from possible side-effects after being given 'Omniscan' , according to the 'Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency'. Patients have launched legal actions in America involving more than 170 deaths where it is claimed 'Omniscan' and similar drugs may have been a factor.

Safety problems with the drugs have been highlighted in the US by the independent investigative news organisation 'ProPublica'.

Paul Flynn, the Labour MP , said - " It is a scandal that a company should take action against someone acting in the interests of patients..." but 'GE Healthcare' said it had launched a libel action against Henrik Thomsen as a "last resort...."
(MORE LATER).

THE PETER BERRY PAPERS....... The Top Secret Memoirs of Ireland's Most Powerful Civil Servant : Dirty Tricks, Election '69/ Spying on a Unionist Politician/ Keeping the (State) Taoiseach informed/ The Garda Fallon Murder/ Advice to Jack Lynch- 'Fire the pair of them...'/ Vivion De Valera's advice to O'Malley/ Rumours of a Coup D'Etat/ The Internment Plot, November 1970/ Secret Meeting with William Craig.
From 'MAGILL' magazine , June 1980.

MID AUGUST 1969 :
" I informed Mr O Morain that I contemplated retirement from the Secretaryship of the Department of Justice in the following January , when I would have completed a full 43 years in the public service, as it would be my entitlement to retire having attained 60 years of age. I did not give any reasons to the Minister but he would have been well aware of my general dissatisfaction with the way that the Department was being conducted and , in particular, with the way that I had been treated by him and his Government in the previous November when I had been made the scapegoat for a Ministerial decision for which I had been pilloried in the Dail and the public press......"

'Magill' Comment :
This was a reference to the controversy over the Comptroller and Auditor General's report which referred to the refusal of the Department of Justice to reveal the contents of a file which dealth with the operation of the Secret Service Fund. The specific issue was an arrangement with the former head of the Special Branch , Phil MacMahon , whereby he was paid from this fund for 'consultancy services' to the Special Branch after his formal retirement from the force.

This arrangement had been made by Brian Lenihan, then Minister for Justice , and with the specific knowledge and approval of the Taoiseach. When controversy arose in connection with this file , Mr Lenihan repeatedly avoided accepting responsibility for the arrangement and the then Taoiseach , Mr Jack Lynch, also failed to explain that Mr Berry was merely acting in accordance with a Ministerial decision.

This refusal to stand over a decision infuriated Mr Berry , for it vitiated the very essence of the relationship between members of a government and civil servants.....
(MORE LATER).

'TWO ILLEGAL WAGE CUTS BY STATE ON LOW-PAID WORKERS......' : TRADE UNION.

For the second time in two years , low-paid workers in the 'Community Sector' (JI / CE) in this State have had their wages reduced - illegally - with no consultation , negotiation or agreement.

Trade unions involved in this issue have asked their members to use the present State election campaign to their advantage and , instead of being canvassed by politicians , to canvass them instead ; JI / CE workers have been asked to present the following 'pledge' to all candidates , for their signature -

"Dear Candidate,

As Job Initiative workers , we deliver vital community services including childcare , after-schools and eldercare. However , as workers , we are denied the basic workers right re negotiating our pay and conditions ie collective bargaining.

Over the past two years our pay has been illegally cut , twice , on the direction of FÁS , without negotiation , agreement or consent.

As constituents , we are seeking your support so that Job Initiative workers and their union representatives can negotiate directly with FÁS , the agency that currently determines pay and conditions.

We ask that you contact the Minister for Social Protection in relation to this matter and strongly urge that Minister to respect the basic right of Job Initiative workers to negotiate their pay and conditions.

Signed (by candidate/politician)-

-------------------------

On behalf of Job Initiative workers."

Republican Sinn Féin has voiced its support for these and other low-paid workers , and is proud to have been on the streets with them , at protest marches , pickets , meetings etc and intends to maintain its position in favour of these workers , in this and any other campaign that seeks to obtain justice for them.

RSF's track record in relation to this particular issue can be seen here .

Thanks for reading ,
Sharon.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

LEGAL DRUG TRIALS : ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. (The following information was brought to our attention by a reader of this blog , and was published in a Sunday newspaper in December 2009 : the person who contacted us did so on reading our 'Death of Niall Rush' article and , upon checking to the best of our ability, we are satisfied that that person has no 'axe to grind' re the newspaper in question and/or to the companies or individuals mentioned in the piece.......)

Evan Harris , a former hospital doctor and the Liberal Democrat science spokesman, who is leading the parliamentary campaign to reform the libel laws, said : "It is hard to conceive a stronger public interest than scientists and clinicians being able to discuss freely their concerns about drugs or devices used on patients. Libel laws should not be used in this way."

More than 48 million doses of Omniscan have been given worldwide and it is safe for the vast majority of people. It is one of a number of 'contrast agents' containing the potentially toxic metal gadolinium , which are used to enhance images for magnetic resonance imaging scans.

Omniscan and other products have been linked with a skin condition in kidney patients , known as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. Sufferers can be confined to a wheelchair and may even die from related causes. Regulators in Europe and the US are now taking action over the potential risk from Omniscan and two similar products.......
(MORE LATER).

'BLOODY SUNDAY' PROTEST IN DERRY TO BE HELD AS USUAL.....

The 'Bloody Sunday' protests and pickets that have been held since 1973 in Derry , Dublin and elsewhere take place to highlight the fact that , on that day (Sunday 30th January 1972) , the British State massacred 14 unarmed men who were taking part in a peaceful 'Civil Rights' march. The best manner in which to keep that issue fresh in people's mind is to take to the streets in remembrance of what took place that day and , with that in mind , we are delighted to be able to publish the following statement from the Republican Movement :

BLOODY SUNDAY :
Republican Sinn Féin oppose the decision to end the annual "Bloody Sunday" march in Derry. We view this as an attempt to sanitise the deaths of 14 Irish people at the hands of the British Army.
We support the relatives who are calling for the annual march to be continued and Republican Sinn Féin will facilitate a march in Derry to mark the 40th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday" next year and in future years.
The Saville Inquiry did not mark an end to the story of "Bloody Sunday". It failed in the crucial task of holding to account the British government and the political and military chain of command.
Ends/Críoch
For confirmation contact:
RSF/Sinn Féin Poblachtach ;Phone: +353-1-872 9747//Fax: +353-1-872 9757.

As stated , we welcome this development from the Movement.

A sneak preview of the forthcoming updated 'Saoirse' website - still needs to be 'tweaked' a wee bit , but will be a powerful addition to the Movement when fully completed!
Congratulations to all involved : if the new website is as successful as the monthly newspaper itself , the hard work will be justified !
Thanks for reading (the blog and 'Saoirse'!),
Sharon.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

39TH ANNIVERSARY OF 'BLOODY SUNDAY' : DUBLIN GPO PICKET , SATURDAY 29TH JANUARY 2011 - BRIEF REPORT AND PHOTOGRAPHS.

At 11.30am today , three RSF members met , as arranged, beneath the Pillars of the GPO in O'Connell Street , Dublin , where they were each given 300 leaflets and were allocated an area in which to distribute those leaflets. As that was being arranged , about twenty-five other RSF activists were leaving Teach Dáithí Ó Conaill in Parnell Street to make their way to the traffic isle facing the GPO and, once there, proceeded to take up position , facing the GPO , and began a picket to commemorate the events of Sunday , January 30th , 1972 : 'Bloody Sunday'.

RSF 'Bloody Sunday' leaflets -

'Occupation Breeds Resistance...'

'After a peaceful Civil Rights march..'

Five 'Special Branch' operatives were 'on hand' for most of the two hours and fifteen minutes that the RSF members were 'on site' for , and they recorded the details of all present and attempted to intimidate on-lookers and tourists from approaching those on the protest , but with little success : dozens of people came over to the traffic isle to speak with the RSF members , take leaflets (of which almost one thousand were distributed) and posed between the placards and banners for photographs.

'Ownership of Ireland...'

'Never Forget...'

RSF President , Des Dalton , saying a few words at the 'Bloody Sunday' picket in Dublin , Saturday 29th January 2011.

'Declaration of Ownership' placard at the picket.

'A Nation Once Again' : one of the RSF placards on the 'Bloody Sunday' picket.

Full marks to Republican Sinn Féin for their work in Dublin City Centre today ; about 30 of their Dublin members and/or supporters stood their ground at the GPO today for over two hours, withstanding the icy breeze that seems to be ever-present in O'Connell Street , refusing to be 'moved on' by the political police and distributing almost one-thousand 'Bloody Sunday' leaflets - a 'job' well done , and appreciated by the dozens of people that came over to talk to these representatives of the Republican Movement. A full report , and more photographs , will be published in the February 2011 issue of 'Saoirse' , which goes to print on Wednesday , 9th of that month.
Thanks for reading,
Sharon.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

LEGAL DRUG TRIALS : ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. (The following information was brought to our attention by a reader of this blog , and was published in a Sunday newspaper in December 2009 : the person who contacted us did so on reading our 'Death of Niall Rush' article and , upon checking to the best of our ability, we are satisfied that that person has no 'axe to grind' re the newspaper in question and/or to the companies or individuals mentioned in the piece.......)

The company admits that its product has been linked to serious side-effects in some patients , but said Henrik Thomsen accused the company of suppressing information in a presentation at a scientific congress in Oxford in October 2007.

A summary of Thomsen's presentation for the High Court writ, provided by GE Healthcare, appears to show that it was an even-handed account of his clinical experience and , when asked by this newspaper to highlight any part of the presentation that explicitly stated wrongdoing by GE Healthcare , the company was unable to do so.

The writ states that the defamation may have been "by way of innuendo.." , and this case will trigger a fresh row over the draconian use of Britain's libel laws to stifle scientific debate and silence critics. Henrik Thomsen now refuses to discuss the possible risks of the drug in any UK public forum.......
(MORE LATER).

THE PETER BERRY PAPERS....... The Top Secret Memoirs of Ireland's Most Powerful Civil Servant : Dirty Tricks, Election '69/ Spying on a Unionist Politician/ Keeping the (State) Taoiseach informed/ The Garda Fallon Murder/ Advice to Jack Lynch- 'Fire the pair of them...'/ Vivion De Valera's advice to O'Malley/ Rumours of a Coup D'Etat/ The Internment Plot, November 1970/ Secret Meeting with William Craig.
From 'MAGILL' magazine , June 1980.

" It (the memorandum) mentioned the steps that might have to be taken to enforce the rule of law and I was satisfied that re the problems, in all their seriousness, the various options open to the Government to contain them and the necessity for decisive action were fairly set out.

The arguments indeed were a repeat in a general way of arguments put to the then Minister for Justice , Mr Haughey , and in turn to the then Taoiseach , Mr Lemass , in November 1961. In particular it emphasised again that the time had become opportune to drive a wedge between the rural members - the old faithfuls - and the doctrinaire republicans , mainly based in Dublin , who were sedulously propagating the gospel of a 'Workers Socialist Republic'.

I was given no indication of Government thinking following their consideration of this document . The IRA split in December 1969 into the 'Officials' - the socialists - and the 'Provisionals' . In December 1972 , Mr Blaney was to claim in the Dail that he and a lot more with him had set up the 'Provisionals'......."
(MORE LATER).

"IRISH REPUBLICANISM ? YEAH , RIGHT! UP YOURS......"

British Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead , Gerard Adams, to seek a seat in Leinster House....

Good news at last!
Amidst all the election chatter and the announcement of the IMF's 'new boy' in Fianna Fail , it was announced today that one Mr Gerard Adams , late of the parish known as 'Irish Republicanism' , had been granted , and accepted, an 'Office of Profit under the Crown', thereby publicly acknowledging that he is an "Employee of the Crown".
This indeed is a glorious day , politically speaking , for us little people : the IMF's Mr Martin will 'fix' this corrupt State and take it back , morally , physically and financially , from the clutches of the bigger crooks in Brussels and Washington that , only a few months ago, he couldn't wait to hand it over to, and Mr Adams has at last received his just rewards , and will herald yet another 'historic' day when he becomes the first ever Belfast-based 'British Crown Steward and Bailiff' to campaign for a seat in Leinster House , a 'parliament' which his now-public employers , the British Crown, actually established - some would say "inflicted on us" - in 1922.
We trust that Mr Adams will be proud enough to give his full name and title in his nomination forms and on the ballot paper : Gerard Adams - Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead.
We hope he does , as it suits him.
This just in from Crown Steward Adams' employer-
'26 January 2011
Manor of Northstead

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has this day appointed Gerard Adams to be Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead.

Non-media enquiries should be addressed to the Treasury Correspondence and Enquiry Unit on 020 7270 4558 or by e-mail to public.enquiries@hm-treasury.gov.uk

This Press Release and other Treasury publications are available on the HM Treasury website hm-treasury.gov.uk For the latest information from HM Treasury you can subscribe to our RSS feeds or email service.

Media enquiries should be addressed to the Treasury Press Office on 020 7270 5238.'

...and a few words from Crown Steward Adams' employers can be heard here.
Once again , Gerry , a Chara - Congrats! We always knew you had it in you.....
Thanks for reading,
Sharon.