SIXTEEN DEAD MEN.
O but we talked at large before
The sixteen men were shot,
But who can talk of give and take,
What should be and what not
While those dead men are loitering there
To stir the boiling pot?
You say that we should still the land
Till Germany's overcome;
But who is there to argue that
Now Pearse is deaf and dumb?
And is their logic to outweigh
MacDonagh’s bony thumb?
How could you dream they'd listen
That have an ear alone
For those new comrades they have found,
Lord Edward and Wolfe Tone,
Or meddle with our give and take
That converse bone to bone?
(W. B. Yeats, from here.)
Black flag vigils in memory of the sixteen leadership figures executed in 1916 by the British have been organised by Republican Sinn Féin -
Tuesday May 3rd, 4pm. Assemble at the GPO, O'Connell Street, Dublin : Pádraig Mac Piarais, Tomás Ó Cléirigh, Tomás MacDonnchadha.
Wednesday May 4th, 4pm. Assemble at the GPO, O'Connell Street, Dublin : Éamonn Ó Dálaigh, Liam Mac Piarais, Mícheál Ó hAnnracháin, Seosamh Ó Pluingcéad.
Thursday, May 5th, 4pm. Assemble at the GPO, O'Connell Street, Dublin : Seán Mac Giolla Bhríde.
Sunday, May 8th, 4pm. Assemble at the GPO, O'Connell Street, Dublin : Éamonn Ceannt, Conchúir Ó Colbáird, Seán Mac Aodha, Mícheál Ó Mealláin.
Monday, May 9th, 4pm. Assemble at the GPO, O'Connell Street, Dublin : Tomás Ceannt.
Thursday May 12th, 4pm. Assemble at the GPO, O'Connell Street, Dublin : Seán MacDiarmada, Séamus Ó Conghaile.
Roger Casement was hanged at Pentonville Prison, England, on August 3rd 1916. A black flag vigil will be held on Wednesday 3rd August 2016, at the GPO, Dublin, from 4pm to 5.30pm.
All genuine republicans welcome!
PROSE AND CONS.
By prisoners from E1 Landing, Portlaoise Prison, 1999.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS :
Grateful thanks to the following for their help, support, assistance and encouragement, and all those who helped with the typing and word processing over the past few months. Many thanks to Cian Sharkhin, the editor of the book, Mr Bill Donoghue, Governor, Portlaoise, Mr Seán Wynne, supervising teacher, the education unit in Portlaoise Prison and the education staff, especially Zack, Helena and Jane. Education officers Bill Carroll and Dave McDonald, Rita Kelly, writer, print unit, Arbour Hill.
First Print : November 1999, reprinted March 2000, illustrations by D O'Hare, Zack and Natasha. Photograph selection : Eamonn Kelly and Harry Melia.
EMPATHY.
In the silence of myself
the door slides slowly open
to the heart of all things
there I reach to the suffering of others
to care and share in my own woundness
there we give our trust
and gently flow together
into the warm streams
of empathy.
Silently we gather up the broken pieces
through the eyes of inner conflict
we give rise to meaning, to hope
we give expression with only words
though innocently chosen
steeped in love
we feel the hurt, the pain, with joy
though inside a tear does cry
for tears are words to those
in pain
and creation has made us
all the same.
Dermot Griffin.
EXPLOSIVE QUESTIONS....
'Magill' magazine has unearthed new information which raises a grim but important question : were explosives from within this Republic used in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings? It is a question which, bizarrely, also encompasses the controversial Dónal de Róiste case. By Don Mullan, author of the book 'The Dublin and Monaghan Bombings'.From 'Magill' magazine, February 2003.
THE CLONAGH AFFAIR.
Patrick Walshe's contemporaneous commentary to his military superiors concerning the Clonagh affair is revelatory - he expressed concern that three months had elapsed and his recommendations had not been implemented. He expressed deep dis-quiet that a facility existed from which explosive materials could be taken with minimal risk of detection and he also stated - "It is apparent that a double standard of custody and control of dangerous substances exists...over one year ago, quantities of sodium chlorate as small as two kilograms were withdrawn from hardware and chemist shops throughout the country (sic) . This substance was stored in military custody under high security conditions...the implementation of that procedure rings hollow when compared with the present situation evident at Clonagh."
Captain Patrick Walshe expressed concern that no consideration appeared to have been given to the serious responsibility of ensuring "...that these dangerous substances are prevented from getting into the hands of subversives.." and he recommended urgent action "without further delay" and expressed the opinion that the immediate closure of the plant and impounding of all materials in safe custody might be necessary until such time as management of the factory met some basic security commitments but became increasingly alarmed at the lack of response to his reporting.
Yet another report, dated 4th September 1974, concluded that '..until such time as ALL deficiencies are corrected..there can be no reasonable assurance that the source of bomb-making material in unauthorised hands has not come from the 'Irish Industrial Explosives Plant' at Clonagh.' In late October 1974 a Garda investigation into the theft of explosives at Clonagh was conducted and two Irish Army (sic) privates were convicted of stealing small quantities of substances from the factory.
Ex-Commandant Walshe told 'Magill' magazine that he fully co-operated with the investigation and furnished it with a full set of the reports but he is, however, critical of the Garda operation against the members of the (State) Army and believes it was an attempt to discredit the (State) Army when, in reality, people in more senior positions in the political administration should have been held accountable for the scandalous lack of security. Garrett Fitzgerald's recent revelation that the Clonagh factory was, indeed, a major source for the IRA's bombing campaign in the North has vindicated the young officer's concerns. (MORE LATER.)
GROWING UP IN LONG KESH...
SIN SCÉAL EILE.
By Jim McCann (Jean's son). For Alex Crowe, RIP - "No Probablum". Glandore Publishing, 1999.
Biographical Note : Jim McCann is a community worker from the Upper Springfield area in West Belfast. Although born in the Short Strand, he was reared in the Loney area of the Falls Road. He comes from a large family (average weight about 22 stone!). He works with Tús Nua (a support group for republican ex-prisoners in the Upper Springfield), part of the Upper Springfield Development Trust. He is also a committee member of the 'Frank Cahill Resource Centre', one of the founders of 'Bunscoil an tSléibhe Dhuibh', the local Irish language primary school and Naiscoil Bharr A'Chluanaí, one of the local Irish language nursery schools.
His first publication last year by Glandore was 'And the Gates Flew Open : the Burning of Long Kesh'. He hopes to retire on the profits of his books. Fat chance!
"THANK YOU, BOYS, THANK YOU..." (PART ONE.)
For the next twenty-four hours Damien tormented Arder about his impending release and Arder took to hiding under beds and in lockers to stay clear of the incessant banter. When it happened it was beautiful, even though it wasn't planned in any shape or form - it was just the product of the sleeping giant that was Arder's brain (it should be noted here that 'Arder' is just a pseudonym for the author) . Anyway - Arder's brain has been a secret too long : he was sitting playing cards when Damien came into the hut. Arder got in first - "Fair play to you," he said to Damien. "What are you on about?" asked Damien. Arder winked at him knowingly. "I understand, Damien, said Arder, "you can't say too much about it, but obviously I hope it comes off." "I haven't a clue what you're talking about," said Damien. "Say no more," answered Arder, "You kept that a secret, ye fly frigger..." Damien went out off the hut scratching his head but returned ten minutes later - "Listen, Arder, what did you hear?", he pleaded. "Stop messing about," said Arder, "I heard all about it from the I.O. [Intelligence Officer] of the cage." "Does it involve me?" asked Damien. "Maybe not, right enough," Arder retorted, "it's just about the escape tomorrow. I just heard that Lasher Beirne was taking the place of someone getting released tomorrow and I thought that it was you as you're the only one out tomorrow." "I am?" shrieked Damien. "Jesus! Sorry comrade, I thought you knew..." replied Arder.
Damien went white in colour - "This is insane," he said, "Lasher looks fuck all like me.." "But they have a wig and make-up," said Arder. Damien went out again looking for the I.O. and returned shortly afterwards - "That's a load of rubbish. I was talking to the I.O. and he told me someone was messing about." "Is that right?" said Arder, with a sly grin...
(MORE LATER.)
ON THIS DATE (4TH MAY) 16 YEARS AGO : "NAIL IT TO MY BACK" MAN DIES.
When he was only 16 years of age, Kieran Nugent was arrested by the British Army and spent five months on remand in Crumlin Road Prison. When he was eventually tried, the case against him was withdrawn and he was released. He became an active volunteer until his arrest and imprisonment, without trial, on 9th February 1975 and spent nine months in Cage 4 of Long Kesh prison camp until the 12th November 1975. He was imprisoned again after another arrest on 12 May 1976, and sentenced to three years imprisonment on the 14th September 1976 for hijacking a vehicle.
With the removal of Special Category Status, the (British) Labour Government began the process of 'criminalisation' in 1976. All prisoners convicted of 'offences' committed after March 1st, 1976, were denied political status and classified as 'criminals'! The prisoners were now expected to do prison work ; in Long Kesh, 'criminalisation' also meant that male prisoners had to wear prison uniform. In September 1976, Kieran Nugent refused to wear a prison uniform and began the 'Blanket Protest', and the women in Armagh refused to do prison work. The protesting prisoners in Armagh and Long Kesh had begun a struggle for the recognition of their political status which was to end in the deaths of the hunger strikers five years later (ie 1981). In May 1979, Billy McKee, a former IRA Chief of Staff and Belfast Brigade Commander, spoke at a welcome home rally for Kieran.
Some of those that once not only (apparently) championed the Cause he fought for but gave the impression they actually supported that Cause were partially exposed here and the British government itself, too, were later shown to have attempted to manipulate Kieran and his comrades for their own purposes -
'The proposal is to allow an ITN team (including cameras) to visit Maze tomorrow, to see both clean and dirty cells; and to interview Nugent (who) may refuse but if he does so we expect this to be to our advantage. It would be just as effective in propaganda terms from our point of view. Discussions are now taking place with the Governor...tomorrow morning, Thursday, Nugent will be bathed, and his hair trimmed, with a hospital officer in attendance. Minimum necessary force will be used to bath him, but if he shows a disposition to resist violently and there seems to be a risk of injury, the bathing will not be proceeded with...on the morning of Friday 11 May (1979) Nugent will have an early breakfast...he will then be given his own clothes...release is expected to take place at about 8.30 am...' (From here.)
On the 4th May 2000 - 16 years ago on this date - Kieran Nugent died from a heart attack and Irish republicanism lost another stalwart of our on-going fight for freedom.
ON THIS DATE (4TH MAY) 100 YEARS AGO : FOUR 1916 LEADERS EXECUTED BY THE BRITISH.
On Thursday, 4th May 1916 - 100 years ago on this date - in reprisal for the then recent attempted uprising against British rule in Ireland, the London administration removed four Irish republican prisoners from their cells and executed them :
JOSEPH PLUNKETT - born into a privileged background (his father was a papal count) he was one of the seven signatories of the 1916 Proclamation and one of the founders of the 'Irish Volunteer' organisation. He was executed in Kilmainham Gaol on the 4th May 1916. He was Director of Military Operations for the Rising, with overall responsibility for military strategy. Hours before his execution by the British, he married his sweetheart Grace Gifford in Kilmainham Gaol. Grace was born on the 4th March 1888, in Dublin, and attended art school there and in London and, in 1915, at the age of 27, she 'stepped out' with the then editor of 'The Irish Review' magazine, Joseph Plunkett. He was imprisoned in Kilmainham Jail in Dublin for his part in the 1916 Easter Rising and was condemned to death by firing squad : he asked Grace to marry him and, on the 3rd of May 1916, at 6pm, in Kilmainham Jail, Grace Gifford and Joseph Plunkett were married, with two prison officers as witnesses and fifteen British soldiers 'keeping guard' in the same cell. The couple were allowed ten minutes together, before Grace was removed from her husband. He was executed by the British hours later, on the 4th May, 1916. Grace Gifford Plunkett was at that time on the Executive of the then Sinn Féin organisation, and spoke out against the Treaty of Surrender.
EDWARD DALY - was born in Limerick in 1891 into a strongly nationalist family. His father (also named Edward) , a staunch Irish republican, died at only 41 years of age, five months before Edward (junior) was born, but his father's brother, John - who was imprisoned for twelve years for his republican activities during the 1867 rebellion against British rule - helped to raise the young child. Edward (junior) was Tom Clarke's brother in law and lived with him in Fairview, Dublin. He was a member of the IRB and the Irish Volunteers in which he held the rank of Commandant of the 1st Battalion. During Easter week he led his battalion in the Four Courts area which witnessed some of the most intense fighting of the week. After his arrest he was sentenced to death by the court-martial and executed at Kilmainham Gaol on 4 May 1916. As a youth, Edward (junior) was considered somewhat lazy and easily distracted, more concerned with his appearance and a 'party lifestyle' than he was with the day-to-day poverty and related injustices that surrounded him, but he developed a social conscience to the extent that, at only 25 years of age, he was asked to take command of the First Battalion of the Irish Volunteers, leading raids on the Bridewell and Linenhall British barracks and seizing control of the Four Courts, before which he addressed the men under his command - "Men of the First Battalion, I want you to listen to me for a few minutes, and no applause must follow my statement. Today at noon, an Irish Republic will be declared, and the Flag of the Republic hoisted. I look to every man to do his duty, with courage and discipline. The Irish Volunteers are now the Irish Republican Army. Communication with our other posts in the city may be precarious, and in less than an hour we may be in action.." . On the 4th of May, 1916, 25-years-young Commandant Edward Daly was executed by firing squad by the British in Kilmainham Jail in Dublin and was buried in near-by Arbour Hill Cemetery. He was the youngest commander of the rebels and the youngest 1916 leader to be executed by the British.
MICHAEL O'HANRAHAN - was born in New Ross, County Wexford, in 1877 and educated in Carlow. He was active in the Gaelic League from 1898, and that organisation would lead him to Dublin where he worked as a proof reader and journalist, and was the author of two novels, 'A Swordsman of the Brigade' and 'When the Norman Came'. He joined Sinn Féin shortly after its establishment by Arthur Griffith, and in 1913 joined the Irish Volunteers. He was Vice-Commandant of the 2nd Battalion of the Irish Volunteers under Thomas MacDonagh. During Easter week he was stationed at Jacob's Factory, was arrested by the British after the Rising and sentenced to death by court-martial. He was executed at Kilmainham Gaol on the 4th May 1916.
WILLIAM PEARSE - The younger brother of Patrick, William was born in Dublin in 1881 and trained as a sculptor under his father. He studied art in London and Paris, and his career was progressing well until he decided to go and work with his brother Patrick at St Enda's. He joined the Irish Volunteers in 1913, and during Easter Week he was alongside his brother in the General Post Office. He was sentenced to death by court-martial in the wake of the Rising, and was executed at Kilmainham Gaol on the 4th May 1916. Pearse railway station on Westland Row in Dublin was re-named in honour of the two brothers in 1966, and a black flag vigil was held today, Wednesday 4th May 2016, in memory of these four men - see 'SIXTEEN DEAD MEN', above.
ON THIS DAY NEXT WEEK (WEDNESDAY 11TH MAY 2016).....
...we won't be posting our usual contribution, and probably won't be in a position to post anything at all until the following Wednesday ; this coming weekend (Saturday/Sunday 7th/8th May 2016) is spoke for already with a 650-ticket raffle to be run for the Dublin Executive of Republican Sinn Féin in a venue on the Dublin/Kildare border (work on which begins on the Tuesday before the actual raffle) and the 'autopsy' into same which will take place on Monday evening, 9th, in Dublin, meaning that we will not have the time to post here. But we'll be back, as stated above, on the following Wednesday, 18th May 2016, so please check back with us then.
Thanks for reading, Sharon.
BRITISH GOVERNMENT MEMO RE IRA PRISONERS...
..marked 'Confidential' and released, internally, in the late 1970's, this memo confirms that a television camera crew can have permission to film inside Long Kesh prison to record the 'Dirty Protest' and to interview a named IRA prisoner, the result of which will be used by Westminster as "effective propaganda" against the struggle, but first that IRA prisoner will be cleaned up, by force, if need be...
Check back with us here on Wednesday, 4th May 2016.
Thanks for the visit, Sharon.
PROSE AND CONS.
By prisoners from E1 Landing, Portlaoise Prison, 1999.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS :
Grateful thanks to the following for their help, support, assistance and encouragement, and all those who helped with the typing and word processing over the past few months. Many thanks to Cian Sharkhin, the editor of the book, Mr Bill Donoghue, Governor, Portlaoise, Mr Seán Wynne, supervising teacher, the education unit in Portlaoise Prison and the education staff, especially Zack, Helena and Jane. Education officers Bill Carroll and Dave McDonald, Rita Kelly, writer, print unit, Arbour Hill.
First Print : November 1999, reprinted March 2000, illustrations by D O'Hare, Zack and Natasha. Photograph selection : Eamonn Kelly and Harry Melia.
THE SOD.
The small plot of ground
on which you were born
cannot be expected to remain the same
earth changes
and home becomes different
places
You turned the sod
and took flesh
from the clay
but the day
did not come
from just one place
To feel alive
important and safe
know your own waters
and the roots of your soil
but know
more
You have stars in your bones
and oceans
in blood
you have opposing
terrain in each eye
you belong to the land
the sky of your first cry
you belong to infinity.
Dermot Griffin.
EXPLOSIVE QUESTIONS....
'Magill' magazine has unearthed new information which raises a grim but important question : were explosives from within this Republic used in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings? It is a question which, bizarrely, also encompasses the controversial Dónal de Róiste case. By Don Mullan, author of the book 'The Dublin and Monaghan Bombings'.From 'Magill' magazine, February 2003.
THE CLONAGH AFFAIR.
Garrett Fitzgerald, in an interview with 'Magill' magazine on 25th January 2003, confirmed that the factory he was referring to was the 'Irish Industrial Explosives' factory, Clonagh. Patrick Walshe was appalled when he read those comments and told 'Magill' - "I am by no means defending the British Army, whose intelligence services were, I believe, responsible for orchestrating the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, but it is not accurate to say that the entire cabinet did not know. I am shocked that Garrett Fitzgerald did not know information about which other ministers had been told."
Patrick Walshe has made available to 'Magill' his reports, contemporaneous notes and photographs which he passed to Army superiors, beginning on 5th April 1974. They detail what one former senior Army officer, Colonel James K Cogan, described in a 1984 affidavit as "...a scandalous and criminal lack of security.." at the factory and it was also Cogan, whom Walshe was related to by marriage, who described the Clonagh affair as "...the greatest scandal in the history of the Irish state.." He shared Walshe's concerns and says he personally spoke to a cabinet minister in mid-April 1974 at Leinster House. His affidavit details the content of a memorandum he claims he handed to that minister -
'Quantity (probably one bag, 50kg) of substance resembling ammonium nitrate deposited on roadway about 500 yards from main entrance to plant...cellophane sack marked 'ammonium nitrate' and containing a quantity of substance found secluded in weeds...quantity of substance on roadway and roadside about 100 yards from main entrance to plant...ammonium nitrate prills (four sacks, 40 kg) outside F5...the perimeter fence of the compound was only 25 yards from this (large and secluded) quantity of ammonium nitrate which was visible over an extensive area beyond the compound fence.." It should be noted that this situation pertained some 10 weeks after Colonel Cogan says he personally apprised a cabinet minister of the situation at the Clonagh factory and six weeks after the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. (MORE LATER.)
GROWING UP IN LONG KESH...
SIN SCÉAL EILE.
By Jim McCann (Jean's son). For Alex Crowe, RIP - "No Probablum". Glandore Publishing, 1999.
Biographical Note : Jim McCann is a community worker from the Upper Springfield area in West Belfast. Although born in the Short Strand, he was reared in the Loney area of the Falls Road. He comes from a large family (average weight about 22 stone!). He works with Tús Nua (a support group for republican ex-prisoners in the Upper Springfield), part of the Upper Springfield Development Trust. He is also a committee member of the 'Frank Cahill Resource Centre', one of the founders of 'Bunscoil an tSléibhe Dhuibh', the local Irish language primary school and Naiscoil Bharr A'Chluanaí, one of the local Irish language nursery schools.
His first publication last year by Glandore was 'And the Gates Flew Open : the Burning of Long Kesh'. He hopes to retire on the profits of his books. Fat chance!
"THANK YOU, BOYS, THANK YOU..." (PART ONE.)
The story actually starts months before the event : it began as a mix (joke) - it was nearly Christmas 1974 and Damien was getting released. The 'Fire of Long Kesh' had occurred some two months before and we had been relocated in temporary huts on the site of some of the burned out cages of Long Kesh.
Cage 10 at that time comprised the men of Cage 13, Cage 16 and Cage 17 - about 200 men altogether. It was cramped, basic and cold. This cage, designed to hold about 70 men, was over-subscribed, big time. Irish classes, political debate and 'Fat' (a card game) schools were happening everywhere.
Arder was just into the second year of a twelve-year stretch, and thought about the near-seven-years of a sentence he still had to do and cried himself to sleep. On waking up he resolved to put it behind him and get on with it. "Just think, Arder," said Damien, "this time two days from now I'll be sitting in our local having a pint." "No problem, comrade," answered Arder. "Bet you're raging", smirked Damien. Arder knew Damien was joking, but wanted to kill him anyway. "That's where you're wrong, comrade, lied Arder, "I couldn't be more happy for you." Damien kept it up : "Spare a thought for me waking up on Saturday morning with a bad hangover," Damien whinged. "Do you see if you don't give my head peace, I'm going to put your fucking head in your hands. Now fuck off from about me," said Arder, who had cracked under the strain.
But Damien increased the pressure... (MORE LATER.)
ON THIS DATE (27TH APRIL) 87 YEARS AGO : DEATH OF AN IRA MAN WHO DARED AND SUFFERED - AUSTIN STACK.
Austin Stack (pictured, left)was born on the 7th December, 1879, in Ballymullen, Tralee, County Kerry, and died in the Mater Hospital in Dublin, from complications after a stomach operation, on the 27th April 1929 - 87 years ago on this date - at only 49 years of age.
He was arrested with Con Collins on the 21st April 1916 while planning an attack on Tralee RIC Barracks in an attempt to rescue Roger Casement. He was court-martialed and sentenced to death, but this was commuted to twenty years penal servitude and he was released in the general amnesty of June 1917, and became active in the Irish
Volunteers again. He was elected Secretary of Sinn Féin, a position he held until his death. His health was shattered due to the number of prison protests and hunger strikes for political status that he undertook. In the 1918 general election, while a prisoner in Crumlin Road Jail in Belfast, he was elected to represent West Kerry in the First (all-Ireland) Dáil, and the British sent him off to Strangeways Prison in Manchester, from where he escaped in October 1919. During the 'Black and Tan War', as Minister for Home Affairs, Austin Stack organised the republican courts which replaced the British 'legal' system in this country. He rejected the Treaty of Surrender in 1921 (stating, during the debate on same - "Has any man here the hardihood to stand up and say that it was for this our fathers suffered, that it was for this our comrades have died in the field and in the barrack yard..") and, following a short fund-raising/public relations tour of America, returned to Ireland to fight on the republican side in the Civil War.
In the general round-up of Irish republican leaders in April 1923 (during which Liam Lynch was shot dead by Free State troops) Stack, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the rebel forces, was arrested in a farmyard in the Knockmealdown Mountains in County Tipperary - this was four days after Lynch's death. Imprisoned in Kilmainham Jail in Dublin, he took part in the mass hunger-strike by republican prisoners in October 1923, which was his 5th hunger-strike in 6 years. Shortly after the end of that forty-one day hunger-strike, in November 1923, he was released with hundreds of other political prisoners, and he married his girlfriend, Una Gordon, in 1925. In April 1929, at forty-nine years of age, he entered the Mater Hospital in Dublin for a stomach operation. He never recovered and died two days later, on 27th April 1929. He is buried in the Republican Plot, Glasnevin Cemetery, in Dublin.
'Austin Stack was born in Ballymullen, Tralee and was educated at the local Christian Brothers School. At the age of fourteen he left school and became a clerk in a solicitor's office. A gifted Gaelic footballer, he captained the Kerry team to All-Ireland glory in 1904 and also served as President of the Kerry Gaelic Athletic Association County Board. He became politically active in 1908 when he joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood and, in 1916, as commandant of the Kerry Brigade of the Irish Volunteers, he made preparations for the landing of arms by Roger Casement, on Banna Strand.
Although Austin Stack was made aware that Casement was arrested and was being held in Ballymullen Barracks in Tralee, he made no attempt to rescue him : RIC District Inspector Kearney treated Casement very well and made sure Stack was aware that Casement could so easily have been rescued, yet Stack refused to move (possibly sensing that a trap had been laid for him?) but he was arrested anyway and sentenced to death for his involvement, but this was later commuted to penal servitude for life. He was released under general
amnesty in June 1917 after the death of fellow prisoner and Tralee man Thomas Patrick Ashe and was elected as an abstentionist Sinn Féin Member of Parliament for Kerry West in the 1918 Westminster election, becoming a member of the 1st Dail and was automatically elected as an abstentionist member of the 'House of Commons of Southern Ireland' and a member of the 2nd Dail as a Sinn Féin Teachta Dála for
Kerry-Limerick West in the Irish elections of 1921.
He opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 and took part in the subsequent Irish Civil War. He was captured in 1923 and went on hunger strike for forty-one days before being released in July 1924...when Eamon de Valera
founded Fianna Fail in 1926, Stack remained with Sinn Féin...his health never recovered after his hunger strike and he died in a Dublin hospital on April 27th 1929, aged 49.' (from here, slightly edited.)
A commemorative pamphlet, entitled 'What Exactly is a Republican?' was issued in memory of the man - 'The name republican in Ireland, as used amongst republicans, bears no political meaning. It stands for the devout lover of his country, trying with might and main for his country's freedom. Such a man cannot be a slave. And if not a slave in heart or in act, he cannot be guilty of the slave vices. No coercion can breed these in the freeman. Fittingly, the question - 'What is a republican?' fails to be answered in our memorial number for Austin Stack, a man who bore and dared and suffered, remaining through it all and at the worst, the captain of his own soul. What then was Austin Stack, republican? A great lover of his country. A man without a crooked twist in him. One who thought straight, acted straight, walked the straight road unflinchingly and expected of others that they should walk it with him, as simply as he did himself. No man could say or write of him "He had to do it". That plea of the slave was not his. His duty, as conscience and love dictated, he did. The force of England, of the English Slave State, might try coercion, as they tried it many times : it made no difference. He went his way, suffered their will, and stood his ground doggedly, smiling now and again. His determination outstood theirs, because it had a deeper foundation and a higher aim. Compromise, submission, the slave marks, did not and could not exist for him as touching himself, or the Cause for which he worked and fought ,lived and died.'
On this date - 27th April - 87 years ago, Ireland lost one of its best soldiers.
AN UPRISING?! WHAT WOULD SHAKESPEARE SAY ABOUT IT...?
These days - because of the times that are in it - even a 'posh' newspaper like 'The Irish Times' wants to associate itself with the 1916 Rising. But, at the time, the 'Grand old Lady of D'Olier Street' couldn't distance itself quick enough from the actions of the men and women it now wants to 'remember'.
On April 27th, 1916 - 100 years ago on this date - three days after the Rising started, the so-called 'newspaper of record', the establishment newspaper,'The Irish Times', asked in an editorial - "How many citizens of Dublin have any real knowledge of the works of Shakespeare?" ! The newspaper suggested that its readers use the "enforced domesticity" caused by the Rising to renew themselves with the work of the bard! God forbid that those readers should be kept informed re how the Rising was progressing or, indeed, the reason why a respected minority considered it necessary to directly challenge the 'British Empire' regarding its military and political presence in Ireland. But at least one man, Seosamh de Brún, took the advice offered by that newspaper and recorded same in his diary : "Easy day. read portion of 'Julius Caesar' Shakespeare following the advice of Irish Times." The 'grand old Dame' would have shed ink and lost a cog had she realised that de Brún was an Irish republican Volunteer on active service in Jacobs Factory at the time!
A LESSON WELL LEARNED : ADAMS' CALL FOR AN 'ELECTION PLEDGE' IS ON PAR WITH A WESTMINSTER DIKTAT.
"I declare that, if elected, I will not by word or deed express support for or approval of -
(A) Any organisation that is for the time being a proscribed organisation specified in Schedule 2 to the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978 : or
(B) Acts of terrorism (that is to say , violence for political ends) connected with the affairs of Northern Ireland."
The above 'Declaration', a British-imposed political test oath, was 'introduced' in the north-eastern six counties of Ireland in 1989 by Margaret Thatcher and her administration in London, in relation to elections being held in those occupied six counties. That British 'oath' called for the public disowning of the Irish Republican Army, Cumann na mBan, Fianna Éireann and a repudiation of the right of the Irish people to use force of arms to end British occupation in Ireland. That right has been asserted in every generation and at tremendous cost in terms of life, liberty and human suffering.
Such 'political test oaths' have been used before by the British in attempts to ensure that only 'loyal' citizens could contest an election and, indeed, there use can be traced back to 1696 - "...an Oath of allegiance, used to secure loyalty to the sovereign and to help identify potential opponents..for the better security of his Majesty's royal person and government.." (from here and here) and now we have a Leinster House politician proposing much the same in relation to election campaigns in the Six Counties - 'Gerry Adams has said all candidates in next week's assembly elections need to "make clear" their attitudes towards armed paramilitary groupings...' - "I want to call - given that we're in an assembly election - on every candidate, not just here in west Belfast but every candidate, to state where they stand..." (from here.)
Republicans have never allowed Ireland's on-going fight for freedom to be branded as over '800 years of crime' and we have never accepted British 'oaths' of allegiance : for fifty years republican candidates were debarred from public office because of their refusal to take such 'oaths' and many public bodies were abolished for refusing to take an 'oath' of allegiance to the British Crown - it required the great upheaval of the civil rights movement and the armed resistance of the people to smash the oath at local government level. Meekly accepting the taking of such an 'oath' demeans the whole cause of Irish republicanism and dishonour's all those who gave their lives for Irish freedom - particularly the twenty-two men that have died on hunger-strike between 1917 and 1981. Politicians in Leinster House should look to their own record (such as it is) in challenging or even highlighting the British military and political presence in the Six Counties rather than attempt to restrict others from doing so.
THE SHALLOW AND THE WATER.
'Water' is making the headlines here now, as at least two grubby political parties vie with each other over taxing same again - now, or later - as their price for sharing the financial spoils of power in Leinster House. But this is not the first occasion that this 'fluid' issue was used by state politicians in an attempt to 'put manners' on state citizens and further enrich their own coffers at the same time. We pulled the following article from our archive (the original source first published it on this date - 27th April - 27 years ago), as it makes for interesting (re-)reading in that it gives an insight into the mentality of the political 'Lords' that consider the 'Big House' in Kildare Street to be theirs by right :
ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST.
By Richard Douthwaite.
(This article was first published in 'ALPHA' Magazine, 27th April 1989, page 7.)
The duck-fly is up on Lough Corrib and every 'Guest House' and 'Bed and Breakfast' in Oughterard, County Galway , ought to be filled with anglers. Instead, although there is an odd boat on the lake, the place has a depressed, deserted air, enlivened only by posters on every telephone pole, protesting against the rod licence. Pat Higgins, of Sweeney's Hotel, saw his takings drop nine per-cent last year because of the row. His profits were cut even more drastically, forcing him to borrow from the bank for annual repairs. Even so, he believes the anti-licence campaigners are right - "I explain the situation to foreign visitors this way," he says, "In Ireland, there are three types of fishing rights - private, State-owned and public-domain. This dispute arose because the State is trying to take over the public-domain fisheries surreptitiously."
The first skirmish in the Rod War was fought in the (State) High Court in November 1986. 'P.J. Carroll and Co. Ltd,' the tobacco manufacturers, were in the early stages of their diversification into fish farming and wanted to buy (!) Lough Inagh and Lough Derryclare as sites for a salmon hatchery. Jim Clancy, who owns fifty acres on the banks of Lough Inagh and has an outdoor pursuits centre there, had been using the lake to teach canoeing. If Carrolls and Company did not stop him using it before they 'bought' the lakes, he would have acquired the right to continue. Carrolls therefore got the vendors of the property to seek a court injunction requiring him to stop before they completed the purchase. The case went to court and was heard over five days. The upshot was that Mr.Clancy (the owner of fifty acres of land on the banks of Lough Inagh) was told that neither he, nor any other owner, had the right to take water from a river or lake whether for himself or for his farm animals. If he put a boat on the lake, swam in the lake, or even crossed over one of the streams that run down the mountainside to the lake, he would be breaking the law! Walking by the lake was forbidden, since he might disturb the fish!
Not only did Mr.Clancy lose the action, he had its £80,000 punt costs awarded against him (Euro 101,579) and will pay the last £10,000 punt installment (Euro 12,697) in June 1989. The court refrained from ruining him entirely, however - a £200,000 punt (Euro 253,947) claim for damage he was alleged to have done to the fishery was struck out. The decision of the court case against Mr. Jim Clancy had damaging implications for others as well. Whereas in the past the water and bed of a lake or river had been considered to be common property, the State High Court had now handed them over to whoever 'owned' the fishing 'rights'. No one else could do anything on, near, with or in the water, at all!
What the anti-rod licence campaigners think the State is trying to do through the licensing mechanism is to take over the fishing 'rights' on the major lakes in the West - including Corrib, Mask, Carra, Conn and Arrow - which are in the public domain. As a result of that decision, the people of the area, who have fished on the rivers and lakes, swum in them and drawn water from them for generations, will lose their rights to continue unless they have the consent of the State Minister. They are determined not to give those rights up.
And why do the people think that the politicians want the lakes? So that they can allow the fish farming companies to moor cages on them in which the salmon parr will grow until they turn into smolts. The statement by Liam Keilthy of the State-owned salmon hatchery 'Aquahatch', as reported in the last issue of 'ALPHA' magazine, that it will not be possible to avoid using some of the larger lakes for this if the industry is to expand as projected, has added fuel to the fire. So the Anti-Rod campaigners have taken it upon themselves to attack fish-farming in every way possible. They have taken RTE (State television and radio broadcaster) to film dead salmon on public tips. They asked the most pointed questions at last fortnight's 'An Taisce' conference on aquaculture and the environment and have greatly increased public awareness of the dangers of the fish-farming industry as a result of its use of chemicals and antibiotics and the threat to the survival of wild fish from farmed fish escapes.
In a broader sense, the campaign against the licence and the fish farms is a reaction against the exploitation of the West of Ireland by outsiders - the purchase of huge acres of bog by those that control pension funds, intent on planting trees, the conversion of family homes into weekend cottages, and even the prospecting for gold. And so great is the gulf between the politicians and their Connacht grass-roots that no-one in Dublin seems to understand this at all. For Tommy Thornton, the 'Rod Licence' dispute has little to do with paying money in order to fish - "We have twice the 'licence' fee paid into the (angling) club at the moment." Rather, he discerns a more fundamental issue : "The point is, if you pay the 'licence' they (the politicians) will have control of the lake ; taking control of the water - that's the main thing." Tommy, a retired Fisheries Board game-keeper, is a native of Maam Cross in Galway, a small community stretched along the banks of Lough Corrib and his views about the proposed 'Rod Licence' scheme are fairly representative of the area. At the heart of local fears is the belief that the existence of a 'licence' will spell the end of the lakes and rivers as public amenities. One resident, who lives on the shores of Lough Corrib, expressed the fear that "..once they hand them (the lakes) over, they might have a 'licence' of £5 or £10 this year ; what will it be in ten years time? It could be £1000."
One resident who lives along the shores of Lough Corrib asked - "What's going to happen in a few years time (is) our children, or anyone who comes down here, will not be able to go down to that lake because you'll have 'Private' signs all along the shore." One local man who is normally involved in the hiring of boats to visiting anglers, says - "It is the only thing we have to sell that is free. Where would you get unpolluted waters, in all of Europe, like you'd get along the Corrib. The lakes should be left the way they are." Along with the anger at the (Free State) Government's apparent unwillingness to solve the problem there is a determination in the area not to back down. This is not pride, rather a belief that (FS) government plans for the lakes spell disaster.
End of article.
The political intention , fuelled by greed, to make extra profit from water - whether same lies in a natural 'pool' or flows from a household tap - is the same now as it was 27 years ago. It should be kept in mind that, in 1976, rates were abolished as "unconstitutional" in this State and, as a result, VAT was increased by two-and-a-half per cent, to compensate local Authorities [ie Councils, Corporations etc]. Everyone in the State has been paying the extra increase since 1976 and, for the last few years, have been told by Leinster House politicians that they must pay again - a second time - for the same service. If the local authorities have not being receiving that extra money then its the politicians in Leinster House that owe it, not the taxpayer.
Thanks for reading, Sharon.
ON SATURDAY 23RD APRIL 2016 IN DUBLIN : REPUBLICANS TO MARCH FROM PARNELL SQUARE TO THE GPO.
MacDonagh and MacBride
And Connolly and Pearse
Now and in time to be,
Wherever green is worn,
Are changed, changed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born. (from here.) Republican Sinn Féin will hold its National Commemoration to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising. Those attending are requested to assemble at the Garden of Remembrance at 1.45pm, and the parade will leave for the GPO at 2pm.
RSF Head Office will distribute 2,000 items of printed material (sample of same, pictured, left) on the day, between the Ambassador exhibition hall/event centre and O'Connell Bridge. Those printed items have been assembled into 500 'packs' of four, and will be handed out, free of charge, on a 'first-up-best-dressed' basis and all genuine republicans are welcome to attend this 100th anniversary commemoration!
PROSE AND CONS.
By prisoners from E1 Landing, Portlaoise Prison, 1999.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS :
Grateful thanks to the following for their help, support, assistance and encouragement, and all those who helped with the typing and word processing over the past few months. Many thanks to Cian Sharkhin, the editor of the book, Mr Bill Donoghue, Governor, Portlaoise, Mr Seán Wynne, supervising teacher, the education unit in Portlaoise Prison and the education staff, especially Zack, Helena and Jane. Education officers Bill Carroll and Dave McDonald, Rita Kelly, writer, print unit, Arbour Hill.
First Print : November 1999, reprinted March 2000, illustrations by D O'Hare, Zack and Natasha. Photograph selection : Eamonn Kelly and Harry Melia.
THE WINDOW PAIN.
My cell has a window, a small barred window
its form is rigid, confining, constant
it defines my being
its shards pierce my soul
each steel piece, a rod of fear
a bar of hate
I huddle in the gloom
and acknowledge the dark of my pain.
My cell has a window, a small barred window
through it I see freedom
I feel the sun's warmth, the soft summer breeze,
I hear birds sing,
the children's laughter and play
from the school yard
I hear the train, steel on steel,
pulsing and pulling
through the deep trees, the green fields
past the houses, over the bridge
down by the pathways.
Each spaced gap a ray of excitement
a moment of longings
a glimpse of beauty
and I know I can't be contained.
Dermot Griffin.
GROWING UP IN LONG KESH...
SIN SCÉAL EILE.
By Jim McCann (Jean's son). For Alex Crowe, RIP - "No Probablum". Glandore Publishing, 1999.
Biographical Note : Jim McCann is a community worker from the Upper Springfield area in West Belfast. Although born in the Short Strand, he was reared in the Loney area of the Falls Road. He comes from a large family (average weight about 22 stone!). He works with Tús Nua (a support group for republican ex-prisoners in the Upper Springfield), part of the Upper Springfield Development Trust. He is also a committee member of the 'Frank Cahill Resource Centre', one of the founders of 'Bunscoil an tSléibhe Dhuibh', the local Irish language primary school and Naiscoil Bharr A'Chluanaí, one of the local Irish language nursery schools.
His first publication last year by Glandore was 'And the Gates Flew Open : the Burning of Long Kesh'. He hopes to retire on the profits of his books. Fat chance!
"MY FINGER CAME OFF...."
I asked Dede what he would be doing with his Lev Yashin goalkeepers gloves and I agreed with the doctor's prognosis that Dede's answer of what I could do with his Lev Yashin goalkeeper's gloves would prove both a medical and surgical impossibility. Although, if Dede had got a grip on me, I dare say he would have had a go at it.
Looking back at it now - the whole tragic episode - I don't blame or hold any animosity towards Dede for costing me the 'Man of the Match' award. I have learned that life is too short to harbour any thoughts of revenge or retribution and, as I have already stated, I suppose Dede thought that it was important at the time. I forgive him.
(*Author's Note : I have consulted both the Oxford English Dictionary and the De Bhaldraithe Irish dictionary, as the word processor I am using does not recognise the verb 'ambuled' ('to be rushed to hospital'). Amazingly, when I searched the Oxford-English dictionary all I could find was the noun 'ambulance' (from the same root) but no reference to the verb 'ambuled'. The Oxford-English dictionary people and scrabblers, please note! More surprisingly, on looking through the Irish dictionary under the present tense of the free-verb, 'Otharcharrtar' ('is rushed to hospital') it wasn't there, either. Dochreidte!)
(Next [from the same source] - "Thank You, Boys, Thank You". Part One.)
EXPLOSIVE QUESTIONS....
'Magill' magazine has unearthed new information which raises a grim but important question : were explosives from within this Republic used in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings? It is a question which, bizarrely, also encompasses the controversial Dónal de Róiste case. By Don Mullan, author of the book 'The Dublin and Monaghan Bombings'.From 'Magill' magazine, February 2003.
THE CLONAGH AFFAIR.
On 1st April 1974, Captain Patrick Walshe was assigned responsibility for guarding the 'Irish Industrial Explosives Factory' at Clonagh, County Meath and, from the moment he set foot in Clonagh, he was alarmed at the lack of security around the factory, which was handling hundreds of tons of high explosive material. He immediately feared the potential consequences of this, if the explosives were to be stolen by outsiders sympathetic to the IRA's bombing campaign in the North.
Walshe's concerns were such that he immediately began to document the security flaws at Clonagh and report them to his army superiors. During a 10-month duty assignment at the factory he prepared and submitted 32 detailed reports, including high quality photographs, highlighting the resultant easy access to Clonagh for anyone who might wish to avail of its deadly stockpile. He felt the need to deliver so many reports because of what he considered a carefree attitude being adopted by people in authority, including politicians of the day, who were made aware of the situation.
Walshe says he was particularly alarmed when the Dublin and Monaghan bombs exploded on the 17th May 1974, murdering 33 civilians, and feared it was an act of retaliation by the British for the lack of security at Clonagh. British military intelligence has long been suspected of colluding with the UVF to carry out the synchronised attack. Responding to a question about the attacks on Dublin and Monaghan in Peter Taylor's 1999 BBC documentary 'Loyalists' , David Ervine of the 'Progressive Unionist Party' chillingly described them as a way of "returning the serve".
In recent months information has surfaced which has lent weight to Patrick Walshe's fears and, indeed, his suspicions that Clonagh was a supply source for the IRA bombing campaign in the North was confirmed prior to Christmas 2002 by former Taoiseach Dr Garrett Fitzgerald in his new book, 'Reflections on the Irish State', in which he makes the following statement : "I particularly recall how furious I was in the mid-1970's at the discovery that the British Army in Northern Ireland (sic) had known for 18 months that explosives being used by the IRA were being stolen from a particular explosives factory in our state but had not told us about this, apparently because they preferred to use this leakage as a propaganda weapon against us than to save lives in Northern Ireland (sic) by stopping it." (MORE LATER.)[NOTE - see our 'EXCLUSIVE!' piece, below...]
ON THIS DATE (20TH APRIL) 106 YEARS AGO - IRISH REPUBLICAN DIES AFTER 63 YEARS OF SERVICE TO REPUBLICANISM.
Joseph Denieffe (pictured,left), was born in Kilkenny City in 1833 and died, 77 years later, in Chicago, America, after 63 years of service in the Cause of Irish republicanism.
Joseph Denieffe grew up to become a tailor by trade and, while in his early teens, witnessed Daniel O'Connell's campaign for the 'Repeal of the Act of Union' and would have been just ten years young when approximately one million people assembled at what was known in its day as a 'Monster Meeting' at the Royal Hill of Tara in County Meath on 15th August 1843. He would have heard, on that day, the speech delivered to that vast crowd by Daniel O'Connell, who stated - "We are at Tara of the Kings - the spot from which emanated the social power, the legal authority, the right to dominion over the furthest extremes of the land. The strength and majority of the national movement was never exhibited so imposingly as at this great meeting. The numbers exceed any that ever before congregated in Ireland in peace or war. It is a sight not grand alone but appalling - not exciting merely pride, but fear. Step by step we are approaching the great goal of Repeal of the Union, but it is at length with the strides of a giant..."
Imagine the scene as a ten-years-young child must have seen it : shoulder-to-shoulder with people packed together as far as a child could see ; one million people, defiantly cheering and clapping at a lone figure on a wooden platform as he shook his fist and shouted rebelliously in the direction of Westminster. It was a day that was to have a life-long effect on young Joseph Denieffe, and thousands of other young boys and girls, and men and women. When he was twelve years young, Joseph Denieffe would have witnessed the 'Great Hunger' ('An Gorta Mór', 1845-1852) when an estimated one million people died on the land and another one million people emigrated in 'coffin ships', and he would have noticed how Daniel O'Connell and the other career politicians did not suffer, how the Church leaders would bless the dead and pray for the dying before retiring to their big house for a meal, after which they would sleep contently in a warm bed as a million people died around them. Others, too, noticed that injustice - William Smith O'Brien, a follower of Daniel O'Connell's, was one of the many who had grown impatient ; he helped to establish the 'Young Ireland' group, with the intention of organising an armed rising against the British.
Joseph Denieffe joined the 'Young Ireland' group in 1847 (the year of its formation) - he was fourteen years young. He worked with William Smith O'Brien (who, as an 'English Gentleman', was an unusual Irish rebel - he had been educated at Harrow, had a fine English accent and actually sat in Westminster Parliament for a good few years!) and others for the following four years when, at eighteen years of age (in 1851) , the economics of the day dictated emigration. He ended up in New York, and contacted a number of Irish Fenians in that city - John O'Mahony and Michael Doheny and, at only twenty-two years of age (in 1855), he assisted in the establishment of an Irish republican group in America - the 'Emmet Monument Association' - which sought to raise an army to force England out of Ireland. That group decided to send Joseph Denieffe back to Ireland to organise a branch of the organisation there and, by 1856, a small but active branch of the Association was up and running in County Kilkenny. Its membership included such well-known Irish rebels as Thomas Clarke Luby, Peter Langan and Philip Gray.
On hearing of the establishment of the 'Emmet Monument Association' in Ireland and America, another Irish rebel , James Stephens, returned to Ireland as he was interested in the objectives of the new group - Stephens himself had taken part in military action against the British in 1848, with William Smith O'Brien , in the town of Ballingarry in Tipperary, and had fled to Paris to escape an English jail sentence, or worse. By 1857, he had established a branch of the 'Emmet Monument Association' in Dublin.
The leadership of the Association in America - John O'Mahony and Michael Doheny - then sent one of their most trusted men, Owen Considine, to Ireland to assist in organising a fighting force in the country. In December 1857, Joseph Denieffe returned to America on a fundraising mission ; he stayed there until about March in 1858 and, having raised eighty pounds - a good sum of money in those days - he came back to Ireland. On St Patricks Day that year (17th March, 1858) , Joseph Denieffe made his next move - he met with Thomas Clark Luby and James Stephens, as arranged, on that St. Patricks Day in 1858 and the three men then founded the 'Irish Republican Brotherhood', a military organisation whose aim was to overthrow British mis-rule in Ireland. The following day, Joseph Denieffe returned to America to continue his fund-raising activities - but political trouble was brewing in America, too. Talk, and fear, of a civil war was everywhere. To make matters worse for his fund-raising efforts, James Stephens and John O'Mahony had fallen out over the direction that armed resistance to the British was going. America was now home to literally millions of Irish men and women who had been forced to leave Ireland because of British interference and the effect An Gorta Mór had on them yet, as far as James Stephens was concerned, John O'Mahony and the American leadership had failed to harness enough support amongst the Irish for an armed campaign against the British.
James Stephens accused John O'Mahony and his people in America of being "Irish tinsel patriots (who make) speeches of bayonets, gala days and jolly nights, banners and sashes, bunkum and filibustering, responding in glowing language to glowing toasts on Irish national independence over beakers of fizzling champagne..." and it was in the middle of the above turmoil that Joseph Denieffe found himself in America in the early 1860's. Fund-raising in those circumstances was not possible, but he stayed in that country, perhaps hoping that, when things settled down, he could carry-on with his task. He never 'lost the faith' - he was now living in Chicago and was in his early-thirties. He continued his work for Irish freedom and, even though the immediate momentum had been lost, he stayed in America, spreading the word and building contacts for the Irish republican cause. In 1904, at seventy-one years of age, he wrote a number of articles for the New York newspaper 'The Gael' ; those articles were later published as a book, entitled - 'A Personal Narrative of the Irish Revolutionary Brotherhood', and is a fantastic read for those interested in the history of the on-going struggle for full Irish freedom.
At 77 years of age, Joseph Denieffe died in Chicago, on the 20th April, 1910 - 106 years ago on this date - having proudly given sixty-three years of his life to the Irish cause, working for the most part either in the background or underground, never seeking the limelight. He is not as well-known as he should be but, like all true Irish republicans, his objective was to promote and further the Irish cause, not himself.
This land of mine, the old man said,
will be alive when we are dead,
my fathers words still ring divine - "God Bless this lovely land of mine."
EXCLUSIVE! JOHN BRUTON ON BRITISH ARMY DRESS ETIQUETTE!
Yes, seriously - John Bruton has gone public on his knowledge of British Army dress etiquette and one must say he sounds pretty peeved about it! But first - my own claim to fame which, incidentally, happens to be in a 'shared space' with the aforementioned Mr. Bruton (shudder!).
On Sunday, 10th April last, the 'Sunday Times' newspaper published an article on page 4 entitled 'De Róiste dismissal case hits impasse as he rejects review' and, in a comment on same, I emailed them the following... 'Dear Sir/Madam,
A chara,
In connection with Justine McCarthy's article on 10th April last ('De Róiste dismissal case hits impasse as he rejects review', page 4) your readers may be interested to know that an article from 2003, by Don Mullan, entitled 'Explosive Questions' (published in 'Magill' magazine, February 2003) regarding that same issue, is currently being posted on the Irish history and politics blog '1169 And Counting'. The many finer details in the Mullan piece set the stage expertly for those interested in the de Róiste case and would be of interest to your readers.
Go raibh maith agat,
Sharon O Suillibhan, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.'
...and they published most of it on Sunday 17th April 2016, meaning that the price of my autographs just doubled!
In that same issue of the 'Sunday Times' (17th April 2016), in the 'You Say' column of their 'Culture' magazine, a John Bruton (!) had a letter published in which he 'tut-tutted' television programme makers for their carelessness in how they present British Army etiquette in their work -
- but that couldn't possibly be the 'John Bruton' we know who, as a proud Irishman, would never offer 'jolly hockeysticks' to the British 'royal family' or its military, surely. Could it...?
Thanks for reading, Sharon.
...JOHN BRUTON EXPRESSES DISAPPOINTMENT OVER SLOPPY BRITISH ARMY DRESS CODE!
Marching from the GOR to the GOP with 500 'packs' to spare....a barred window, but no containment....not quite finger-less gloves for this republican prisoner...an act of retaliation by the British?....this Irish republican died at 77 years of age having given 63 years of his life to Irish republicanism...and don't miss our EXCLUSIVE! regarding John Bruton and his expressed disappointment with those who do not observe British Army dress code!
Check back with us on Wednesday, 20th April 2016...
Thanks for dropping by!
Sharon.
SATURDAY 23RD APRIL 2016 IN DUBLIN :
Flying out the folds of Freedom's Flag - the orange, white and green. (From here.)
You will see men (and women!) like those mentioned above, in Dublin, 'flying out the folds' on Saturday, 23rd April 2016, at the GPO in O'Connell Street, as Republican Sinn Féin holds its National Commemoration to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising. Those attending are requested to assemble at the Garden of Remembrance at 1.45pm, and the parade will leave for the GPO at 2pm. All genuine republicans welcome!
PROSE AND CONS.
By prisoners from E1 Landing, Portlaoise Prison, 1999.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS :
Grateful thanks to the following for their help, support, assistance and encouragement, and all those who helped with the typing and word processing over the past few months. Many thanks to Cian Sharkhin, the editor of the book, Mr Bill Donoghue, Governor, Portlaoise, Mr Seán Wynne, supervising teacher, the education unit in Portlaoise Prison and the education staff, especially Zack, Helena and Jane. Education officers Bill Carroll and Dave McDonald, Rita Kelly, writer, print unit, Arbour Hill.
First Print : November 1999, reprinted March 2000, illustrations by D O'Hare, Zack and Natasha. Photograph selection : Eamonn Kelly and Harry Melia.
THE WIND SONG.
Lying in my cell
rain falls hard on my window
I hear the wind trashing
the yard.
Against my window, the walls, the fence,
struggling for freedom
back and forth as it blows.
Within my four walls
I hear the wind, wild and calling
it cries out to me
sighing and blowing
swirling to and fro
a newspaper gets ripped
against the wall
the rain falls constant.
Gurgle, gurgle, down the drain
a can rolls and bobs
across the yard
and the wind cries out
it's angry song.
Dermot Griffin.
JUST ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL...
..laid by well-practised 'brickies'!
"..the names of those who died on the rebel side should not share a commemorative plaque or monument of any kind with those who on behalf of British rule summarily abused and executed them..." (from here.)
A travesty of a monument in Glasnevin Cemetery was officially 'opened' by Free State representatives last Sunday (3rd April 2016) and, as expected, those officiating at same could not realise that honouring the men and women of 1916 and those that fought against them (ie the forces of the Crown) on the same monument is indecent and should be viewed in the same light as, for instance, British citizens would view their politicians wanting to use their Cenotaph to commemorate German soldiers, or German politicians insisting that prison guards be honoured on the same plaque that lists their victims at the entrance to Auschwitz.
This 'memorial wall' scenario exposes how politically confused this State is in relation to acknowledging (the on-going) British political and military interference in this country but it also highlights the embarrassing position that pro-State 'revolutionary socialists' have placed themselves in : the Glasnevin wall was to be 'officially opened', as stated, on Sunday 3rd April last by the Dublin 'Lord Major', Provisional Sinn Féin Councillor Críona Ní Dhálaigh , an issue which apparently caused some unease within her party (more than likely because those who expressed unease didn't get an invite!) which prompted one of her party colleagues to voice his objection about the 'job' she was about to do at the Glasnevin wall which, it seems, ensured that the 'Lady Lord Mayor' suddenly found something else to do.
Poor Críona - it's obviously the case that only party elders are allowed mingle with all that 'proper' (British) society can offer!
EXPLOSIVE QUESTIONS....
'Magill' magazine has unearthed new information which raises a grim but important question : were explosives from within this Republic used in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings? It is a question which, bizarrely, also encompasses the controversial Dónal de Róiste case. By Don Mullan, author of the book 'The Dublin and Monaghan Bombings'.
From 'Magill' magazine, February 2003.
THE McCRANN REPORT.
What particularly upset the retired commandant was Oonah McCrann's omitting to interview either himself or Dónal de Róiste as part of her review, despite their availability. He was also concerned by her failure to report that one officer had sole control over, and carried out, their individual interrogations. This officer also had sole editorial control over the reporting of their answers to the Irish Army's top brass. It was the Army's responsibility to interpret the interviewer's memos and reports for the Fianna Fail cabinet and President de Valera, who ultimately ended Dónal de Róiste's military career.
At the time, the interrogating officer, Commandant Gerry O'Sullivan, was a staff officer at Irish Army Intelligence Headquarters, and was later elevated to Army Chief of Staff. Recalling his interrogation, four months prior to the release of the McCrann Report, Patrick Walshe said : "In April 1969 I was ordered to Intelligence HQ in Parkgate, Dublin, where I then realised that Dónal de Róiste was in difficulty, but I was unclear why. Commandant Gerry O'Sullivan solely questioned me on three different occasions over a two-week period. I wasn't given a statement to review and sign."
Walshe is particularly appalled at the unfounded innuendo that Dónal de Róiste knowingly associated with subversives, and questions why de Róiste was 'retired' and he (Walshe) wasn't, given that both men frequented the same public establishments and associated with the same people. What makes former Commandant Patrick Walshe such a powerful and credible advocate for the cause of Dónal de Róiste is his handling of an unrelated matter. It concerns what one senior officer described as "the greatest scandal in the history of the Irish State..." (MORE LATER.)
GROWING UP IN LONG KESH...
SIN SCÉAL EILE.
By Jim McCann (Jean's son). For Alex Crowe, RIP - "No Probablum". Glandore Publishing, 1999.
Biographical Note : Jim McCann is a community worker from the Upper Springfield area in West Belfast. Although born in the Short Strand, he was reared in the Loney area of the Falls Road. He comes from a large family (average weight about 22 stone!). He works with Tús Nua (a support group for republican ex-prisoners in the Upper Springfield), part of the Upper Springfield Development Trust. He is also a committee member of the 'Frank Cahill Resource Centre', one of the founders of 'Bunscoil an tSléibhe Dhuibh', the local Irish language primary school and Naiscoil Bharr A'Chluanaí, one of the local Irish language nursery schools.
His first publication last year by Glandore was 'And the Gates Flew Open : the Burning of Long Kesh'. He hopes to retire on the profits of his books. Fat chance!
"MY FINGER CAME OFF...."
We were running out of time to save the finger.No one else standing there volunteered to retrieve the missing digit. "Listen, lads," I said, "if I can get Dede and his finger over to the hospital, they might be able to re-unite them.." But no one moved a muscle to help. No good Samaritans here. "Right, I yelled, "give Ivor a shout for me." When Ivor arrived he could see both the finger and the problem immediately, and he acted decisively : "Quick, one of you, he shouted, "get a brush and and shovel." "Ivor, Jesus Christ," I said, "do you want to contaminate the finger?" "Well I'm not lifting it!" he said.
At this point, a friend of mine from Lurgan called 'Jack the Giant' retrieved the ex-ringholder and squeezed it out to me through the wire. I wrapped the finger up in my handkerchief which I had only used five times, maybe six, tops and, with Dede in hand (!), albeit missing a finger, we ambuled * as quickly as our legs would carry us to the prison hospital. On running into the hospital in an effort to save time I shouted "Is there a doctor in the place?" "No!" , the medical orderly responded immediately. He was highly trained in giving out painkillers and sticking on plasters and, on seeing Dede's missing finger, or not seeing it as the case may be, he asked "What seems to be the problem?" "Well, this is only an educated guess, mind you," I said, "but we think that he's lost one of his fingers. What do you think?" I asked sarcastically, of the scundered orderly. "Jesus, never seen anything like that before," he said.
Unfortunately for Dede, re-uniting his finger to his hand was proving not only beyond the orderly's skills, but when I placed the finger in the orderly's hand he winced and dropped it on to the dirty floor of the 'operating theatre'. It took a real (we are told) doctor a full hour and a half to rush the three miles from Lisburn to Long Kesh. He agreed with my diagnosis of the situation - Dede was a finger short. As the doctor rummaged in his toolbox for a hacksaw to finish the job and cut off the exposed bone of the finger, I pleaded with him not to amputate without first exploring every avenue known to medical science in an attempt to save Dede's finger. I asked the doctor if he had any experience with micro-surgery and he told me that it was academic as it wasn't the little finger that was missing but the one next to it and I couldn't argue with his logic. But, after all, we had the dissected skin of the finger, which was virtually intact - even the ring was still there. I then glanced around the 'surgery' and noticed that a small white box about 12 inches square with a small red cross on it was hanging askew on a hilti-nail on the wall. Then I helped the doctor to look for his hacksaw... (MORE LATER.)
SHOT DEAD FOR REFUSING TO SING 'GOD SAVE THE KING'.
The RIC and the Black and Tans (pictured, left), representatives of 'British justice' in Ireland in the 1920's who, incidentally, are still here, albeit with different uniforms (and transportation!).
On the 6th of April, 1921 - 95 years ago on this date - two IRA men, Patrick Conroy and James Monds, who were friends and neighbours - were pulled out of their homes in Tarmon, County Roscommon, by an RIC/Black and Tan raiding party and executed - 'James Monds was a local Protestant farmer who fell victim to England's tyranny in April 1921. At that time in Roscommon, as across Ireland, the Black and Tans, the RIC and the Auxiliaries were running rampant. The most infamous deeds of the forces of the Crown are known to all. The sack of Balbriggan, the burning of Cork, the murder of MacCurtain in Cork and Father Griffin in Galway are but a few. The so called 'Castlerea Murder Gang' consisted of British soldiers, RIC and Black and Tans. They would act on information provided by informers and raid local houses late at night looking for their victims. The gang would arrive at the door with blackened faces and shine a light in the face of a suspect who would be identified by the informer. If the unfortunate person was wanted by the British he would be taken away and shot or beaten to death as was the case with Volunteer Pat Conroy who was murdered the same night as James Monds.
James was a Volunteer of the Irish Republican Army and had been involved in land agitation. It is known that he refused to sing 'God Save The King' in church which may have singled him out as a Republican or 'Shinner' to those loyal to the Crown. He was taken from his house on the night of the 6th of April 1921 and his bullet riddled body was found the next day. The 'Murder Gang' extracted no information from him regarding local Volunteers and they killed him despite him having 6 children...' (from here.)
It later transpired that the British troops raided the home of James Monds looking to remove his 17-year-old son, but the father pleaded with them to take him instead, and leave his son out of it. They did, which is about the only act of 'kindness' any republican could hope for, from a British mercenary. The next morning, the riddled body of James Monds was located at the end of the road. Incidentally, the man in charge of that particular British murder gang, RIC Sergeant James King (pictured here, at his funeral service) was infamous as a well-known thug in uniform in Ireland and then became famous as the last member of the RIC to be killed during the War of Independence - "On the morning of the 11th of July (1921) Thomas Crawley was waiting. Sergeant King of the RIC was the principal man in the murder gang that was organised in the RIC in Castlereagh and was responsible for a number of killings around the area. He was badly wanted by us. On the morning of the Truce, the 11th July 1921, we made a final effort to get this man. Between 10a.m. and 11a.m. on that morning we proceeded into the town on this mission...we went into a shop to get a drink of lemonade and when only a few minutes there Sergeant King came out of his own house on the opposite side of the street and proceeded to get on his cycle as if to go to the barracks. We left the shop. Ned Campion and I let him have it. He died immediately. Although the truce took effect at 12 o' clock on that day, the enemy chased us until about 6pm that evening. We finally escaped them, however, by adopting the role of shepherds gathering up sheep..." (from here.)
King was struck in the chest by at least two of his attackers bullets and despite receiving prompt medical attention died at approximately 10.30am – less than two hours before the ceasefire was due to begin. Local IRA men later recounted how King and his gang burst into the Vaughan family home at Cloonsuck, County Roscommon, on the 22nd June 1921, catching three IRA men unaware : the three republicans made a run for it, but two of them - Ned Shanahan and John Vaughan - were shot dead. The third IRA man, Martin Ganly, was captured and, during the search of the house, King battered (the deceased) John Vaughan's mother unconscious with his rifle butt and stopped on his way out of the house and shot the family's dog dead. A nasty and vindictive piece of work by all accounts, 'relatives' of whom wear a similar uniform today, in this country.
ON THIS DAY NEXT WEEK (WEDNESDAY 13TH APRIL 2016).....
...we won't be posting our usual contribution, and probably won't be in a position to post anything at all until the following Wednesday ; this coming weekend (Saturday/Sunday 9th/10th April 2016) is spoke for already with a 650-ticket raffle to be run for the Cabhair group in a venue on the Dublin/Kildare border (work on which begins on the Tuesday before the actual raffle) and the 'autopsy' into same which will take place on Monday evening, 11th, in Dublin, meaning that we will not have the time to post here. But we'll be back, as stated above, on Wednesday 20th April 2016, providing Easter and raffles leave us alone!
Thanks for reading, Sharon.
