WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .
Ireland , 1872 ; five years after the Fenian Rising of 1867 , and five years before the 'Manchester Martyrs' were to be described as the ' Manchester Murderers ' in the British House of 'Commons' . In that year (ie 1872) two Protestant fundamentalist preachers were 'making a name' for themselves in and around the county of Antrim -
- Rev. Thomas Drew and Rev. Hugh ('Roaring') Hanna ; these two gentlemen were of the opinion that " the Catholic minority" was a threat to the well-being of , amongst other things , Protestant workers . Low wages and a shortage of work , combined with vocal encouragement from the two preachers , and 'the fuse was lit' - serious sectarian riots surfaced in 1872 , with the Catholics blamed for all the ills of the day (as indeed they had been in 1857 and 1864 , other years when the Catholics were to bear the brunt of Protestant dis-satisfaction ).
A baby was born into that political situation , in 1872 , in Dublin city centre .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......A well-known 'Holy-Joe' was the prayer-leader at this particular wake ; my friend 'Old John' , 80 years of age , was uneasy at the length of the proceedings ......."
" 'Old John' tried , by various movements of his limbs and body , to ease his cramped position . But he got no respite . Another prayer was said , and yet another . By then the youngest amongst us was feeling badly , and what must 'Old John' have been suffering ! At last the end came , and that violently - we had hoped that the finish of the last prayer would be the end of all , but alas ....
" We will now say five 'Our Fathers' and five 'Hail Marys' for the suffering souls in Purgatory , " said our 'Holy Joe' . But he never said them ; there were other "poor souls" suffering on earth who thought that the people in Purgatory were relatively well off ! I heard the screech of the chair legs as 'Old John' thrust it forward to make room for himself . Pressing downwards with both his hands on the seat , he struggled to his feet -
- His eyes blazing with fury , he faced 'Holy Joe' , his persecutor ; " In the Name of God and stop ," he shouted , " when they'll be tired of having them inside , they'll let them out ! "
[END of - 'THE FLYING COLUMN .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'Coolnacahera and Coomnaclohy').
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(11 of 16).
" If I don't have Brian's name cleared legally how can I tell my children to obey the law and stay out of trouble ? I'm doing this as much for them as for Brian ; what hope have they otherwise ? " asked Mrs. Stewart .
On May 12th , 1981 , 14-year-old Julie Livingstone , youngest in a family of thirteen , went on an errand with her friend ; it was the last time her family was to see her in a conscious state ...
" She was never in trouble and never strayed far from the house - the farthest she used go in the evenings was down to her friend Nuala's house , " said Mrs. Bernie Livingstone , who is'nt yet over the death of her daughter .
Julie was shot with a plastic bullet as she lay huddled in a ditch with Nuala - the girls were seeking shelter from a British Army Saracen from which British soldiers were firing plastic baton rounds .......
(MORE LATER).
Friday, May 07, 2004
WILLIAM PUTNAM McCABE : 1775 - 1821 ; A Determined Irish Rebel .......
.......In the early 18th Century , the British named William Putnam McCabe under their 'Banishment Act' of 1697 / 1698.......
The penalty for breaking the 'Banishment Act' was to be hung , drawn and quartered . The name of 'William Putnam McCabe' was added to those on the 'Banishment Act' list but , it being an English 'law' and McCabe being an Irish Rebel , he ignored it ; in 1841 he was 'arrested' in Ireland by the Brits but was lucky - he was simply deported back to France .
Again , in 1817 , William Putnam McCabe was 'arrested' in Ireland and put in Kilmainham Jail in Dublin while the Brits decided what to do with him ; and again , he was lucky - after 18 months in Kilmainham Jail , they let him go - and , once more , deported him back to France ! He was later to be 'arrested' , for the third time , in Scotland , and , for the third time , put on a boat for France ...
At only 46 years of age , William Putnam McCabe died in Paris , France , on 6th January 1821 ; he gave 30 years of his short live to the Cause of Irish Freedom , joining the struggle when he was only 16 years young . Today , you would be hard-pressed to find any mention of the man in our history books : but the Irish Republican Movement remembers its own.......
[END of - 'WILLIAM PUTNAM McCABE : 1775 - 1821 ; A Determined Irish Rebel .......'].
(Tomorrow - a baby born five years after the Fenian Rising of 1867 , and five years before 'The Manchester Martyrs' were to be described by the British as "the Manchester Murderers ...." : WILLIAM ROONEY ..)
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......Sometimes at the wakes and funerals we attended , 'local politics' (ie neighbours in dispute) would have a bearing on procedure ; the man leading the prayers now was known by some as a bit of a tyrant , like Cromwell ....!"
" Hard words , no doubt ! Others held that the man was a mere sufferer of human failings , that, once set in motion , his own volition was insufficient to bring him to rest within a reasonable period of time . In any case , he had now started ...
I noticed that he prayed in the English language , although such prayers were invariably said in Irish in that district . To my left and in front of me knelt my friend Old John - he gave the responses in Irish ; Old John was nearly eighty years of age , and nobody would dream of calling him a 'humbug' . He was well known and respected as an upright man , honest and outspoken . I was soon to see his patience tested ...
Our prayer-leader started off with a prayer of his own which immediately awoke in me a sense of irritation ; I suspected , perhaps wrongly , that he wished to impress us with his superior knowledge and greater rectitude . He then recited the Apostle's Creed , after which he proceeded with the regular Rosary , the Salve Regina , and the Litany . These beautiful prayers were responded to with reverent attention , as was the long Prayer for the Dead .
The usual number of prayers had by this time been exceeded , but as yet the people showed no signs of weariness ; I pitied Old John who still knelt unmoved on the hard sandstone . Another Litany started and was completed in due course , which to us appeared a long time . I noticed Old John showing signs of disomfort ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(10 of 16).
The British soldier hit fifteen-year-old Gerald Stewart across the face with his gun ; " Gerald started to bleed badly and he turned pale . I thought he was going to faint , so I put my arms around him to give him support , " said the diminutive Mrs. Stewart . As she stood there trying to help her son , the British soldier beat her round the face ...
Gerald Stewart had to be taken to hospital to be X-rayed and the following day Mrs. Stewart , who had'nt bothered to have her own injuries attended to , was in so much pain that she too had to be taken to hospital .
" They told me that the bone supporting my teeth had been broken so I had to have my teeth extracted - all twenty-four of them ," she said . But no amount of harrassment can dissuade Mrs. Stewart from pushing her dead son's case .......
(MORE LATER).
.......In the early 18th Century , the British named William Putnam McCabe under their 'Banishment Act' of 1697 / 1698.......
The penalty for breaking the 'Banishment Act' was to be hung , drawn and quartered . The name of 'William Putnam McCabe' was added to those on the 'Banishment Act' list but , it being an English 'law' and McCabe being an Irish Rebel , he ignored it ; in 1841 he was 'arrested' in Ireland by the Brits but was lucky - he was simply deported back to France .
Again , in 1817 , William Putnam McCabe was 'arrested' in Ireland and put in Kilmainham Jail in Dublin while the Brits decided what to do with him ; and again , he was lucky - after 18 months in Kilmainham Jail , they let him go - and , once more , deported him back to France ! He was later to be 'arrested' , for the third time , in Scotland , and , for the third time , put on a boat for France ...
At only 46 years of age , William Putnam McCabe died in Paris , France , on 6th January 1821 ; he gave 30 years of his short live to the Cause of Irish Freedom , joining the struggle when he was only 16 years young . Today , you would be hard-pressed to find any mention of the man in our history books : but the Irish Republican Movement remembers its own.......
[END of - 'WILLIAM PUTNAM McCABE : 1775 - 1821 ; A Determined Irish Rebel .......'].
(Tomorrow - a baby born five years after the Fenian Rising of 1867 , and five years before 'The Manchester Martyrs' were to be described by the British as "the Manchester Murderers ...." : WILLIAM ROONEY ..)
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......Sometimes at the wakes and funerals we attended , 'local politics' (ie neighbours in dispute) would have a bearing on procedure ; the man leading the prayers now was known by some as a bit of a tyrant , like Cromwell ....!"
" Hard words , no doubt ! Others held that the man was a mere sufferer of human failings , that, once set in motion , his own volition was insufficient to bring him to rest within a reasonable period of time . In any case , he had now started ...
I noticed that he prayed in the English language , although such prayers were invariably said in Irish in that district . To my left and in front of me knelt my friend Old John - he gave the responses in Irish ; Old John was nearly eighty years of age , and nobody would dream of calling him a 'humbug' . He was well known and respected as an upright man , honest and outspoken . I was soon to see his patience tested ...
Our prayer-leader started off with a prayer of his own which immediately awoke in me a sense of irritation ; I suspected , perhaps wrongly , that he wished to impress us with his superior knowledge and greater rectitude . He then recited the Apostle's Creed , after which he proceeded with the regular Rosary , the Salve Regina , and the Litany . These beautiful prayers were responded to with reverent attention , as was the long Prayer for the Dead .
The usual number of prayers had by this time been exceeded , but as yet the people showed no signs of weariness ; I pitied Old John who still knelt unmoved on the hard sandstone . Another Litany started and was completed in due course , which to us appeared a long time . I noticed Old John showing signs of disomfort ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(10 of 16).
The British soldier hit fifteen-year-old Gerald Stewart across the face with his gun ; " Gerald started to bleed badly and he turned pale . I thought he was going to faint , so I put my arms around him to give him support , " said the diminutive Mrs. Stewart . As she stood there trying to help her son , the British soldier beat her round the face ...
Gerald Stewart had to be taken to hospital to be X-rayed and the following day Mrs. Stewart , who had'nt bothered to have her own injuries attended to , was in so much pain that she too had to be taken to hospital .
" They told me that the bone supporting my teeth had been broken so I had to have my teeth extracted - all twenty-four of them ," she said . But no amount of harrassment can dissuade Mrs. Stewart from pushing her dead son's case .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, May 06, 2004
WILLIAM PUTNAM McCABE : 1775 - 1821 ; A Determined Irish Rebel .......
.......After the 'Battle of Ballinamuck' on 8th September 1798 , and having escaped the slaughter of the Irish Rebel Army after their surrender , William Putnam McCabe made his way to Wales.......
William Putnam McCabe laid low in Wales for a number of years and , in 1801 , made his way to France ; he settled there for a while , took a wife , and became involved in the cotton trade in Rouen . But the British were wise to him and , although unable to arrest and/or confine him at that time , they done the next 'best' thing ...
...they extended their ' Banishment Act ' (of 1697), better-known at the time as ' The Bishops Banishment Act '. The 'Act' was introduced in Ireland in 1697 , its intention being - " to banish all Papists (ie Catholics) exercising any ecclesiastical jurisdiction , and regulars of the Popish Clergy , out of this Kingdom (ie the British 'Empire' , in which they included Ireland)......." , and which came into operation on 1st May , 1698.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......When travelling our area as an IRA Column , we often attended funerals and wakes for those in the neighbourhood we were in ; they were our people ......."
" We attended a wake one night , having posted sentries . We entered the house of mourning an hour before midnight , said our prayers and sympathised with the people of the house . The old man who had died had lived to a fine old age , so, while his people and the neighbours regretted his passing , there was none of the sorrow associated with the loss of youth . We sat down among the neighbours and , in low voice , we discussed the old man's struggle with life , his triumphs and his virtues .
Soon the hour of midnight was upon us , the signal for the recitation of the Rosary . The head of the household came into the kitchen and , meeting a near neighbour , asked him to lead in the recital of the prayers ; he at once agreed to do so , and dropped on his knees . People gathered from all over the house to the kitchen or its immediate vicinity . They knelt on the floor which was covered with immense flag-stones , hard and fairly uneven . Truly a floor from which one's knees could hope for little mercy . Chairs were given to the old upon which they could rest their forearms and thus afford themselves some relief .
I had noticed that , when the leader of the prayers had accepted that position , something like a sigh of resignation had arisen from the people . It had never occured to me , at the time , that it could possibly have been a sigh of disapproval or even of despair ; for the individual selected was well known in the district as a hard taskmaster in the matter of public prayer ! Moreover , some of the more outspoken alleged that he was a mere 'humbug' , a petty dictator , a tyrant who , like Cromwell , used his long prayers as a medium of persecution......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(9 of 16).
Brian Stewart's brother Gerald was injured in an incident from which their mother did not come out unscathed -
" I was coming out of a neighbour's house when I saw Gerald standing at the corner and noticed a British Army unit walking backwards , coming from the opposite direction , " Mrs. Stewart recalls - " One of the British soldiers and Gerald collided ; next thing I saw him put his gun to Gerald's chest and he put his head up against my son's forehead . "
Terrified of what might happen , Mrs. Stewart rushed foreward and explained that what had happened was an accident . " I was told to mind my own fu**ing business , but I replied that it was very much my business , one of my sons had already been killed and I did'nt want to see another injured . " (At the time , Gerald was fifteen.) The British soldier's answer to Mrs. Stewart was - " We did'nt kill half enough of them " and with that he hit Gerald across the face with his gun .......
(MORE LATER).
.......After the 'Battle of Ballinamuck' on 8th September 1798 , and having escaped the slaughter of the Irish Rebel Army after their surrender , William Putnam McCabe made his way to Wales.......
William Putnam McCabe laid low in Wales for a number of years and , in 1801 , made his way to France ; he settled there for a while , took a wife , and became involved in the cotton trade in Rouen . But the British were wise to him and , although unable to arrest and/or confine him at that time , they done the next 'best' thing ...
...they extended their ' Banishment Act ' (of 1697), better-known at the time as ' The Bishops Banishment Act '. The 'Act' was introduced in Ireland in 1697 , its intention being - " to banish all Papists (ie Catholics) exercising any ecclesiastical jurisdiction , and regulars of the Popish Clergy , out of this Kingdom (ie the British 'Empire' , in which they included Ireland)......." , and which came into operation on 1st May , 1698.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......When travelling our area as an IRA Column , we often attended funerals and wakes for those in the neighbourhood we were in ; they were our people ......."
" We attended a wake one night , having posted sentries . We entered the house of mourning an hour before midnight , said our prayers and sympathised with the people of the house . The old man who had died had lived to a fine old age , so, while his people and the neighbours regretted his passing , there was none of the sorrow associated with the loss of youth . We sat down among the neighbours and , in low voice , we discussed the old man's struggle with life , his triumphs and his virtues .
Soon the hour of midnight was upon us , the signal for the recitation of the Rosary . The head of the household came into the kitchen and , meeting a near neighbour , asked him to lead in the recital of the prayers ; he at once agreed to do so , and dropped on his knees . People gathered from all over the house to the kitchen or its immediate vicinity . They knelt on the floor which was covered with immense flag-stones , hard and fairly uneven . Truly a floor from which one's knees could hope for little mercy . Chairs were given to the old upon which they could rest their forearms and thus afford themselves some relief .
I had noticed that , when the leader of the prayers had accepted that position , something like a sigh of resignation had arisen from the people . It had never occured to me , at the time , that it could possibly have been a sigh of disapproval or even of despair ; for the individual selected was well known in the district as a hard taskmaster in the matter of public prayer ! Moreover , some of the more outspoken alleged that he was a mere 'humbug' , a petty dictator , a tyrant who , like Cromwell , used his long prayers as a medium of persecution......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(9 of 16).
Brian Stewart's brother Gerald was injured in an incident from which their mother did not come out unscathed -
" I was coming out of a neighbour's house when I saw Gerald standing at the corner and noticed a British Army unit walking backwards , coming from the opposite direction , " Mrs. Stewart recalls - " One of the British soldiers and Gerald collided ; next thing I saw him put his gun to Gerald's chest and he put his head up against my son's forehead . "
Terrified of what might happen , Mrs. Stewart rushed foreward and explained that what had happened was an accident . " I was told to mind my own fu**ing business , but I replied that it was very much my business , one of my sons had already been killed and I did'nt want to see another injured . " (At the time , Gerald was fifteen.) The British soldier's answer to Mrs. Stewart was - " We did'nt kill half enough of them " and with that he hit Gerald across the face with his gun .......
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
WILLIAM PUTNAM McCABE : 1775 - 1821 ; A Determined Irish Rebel .......
....... 8th September , 1798 ; William Putnam McCabe was in County Longford with General Joseph Amable Humbert and an Irish Rebel Army , several-hundred strong : the 'Battle of Ballinamuck' was on .......
In Ballinamuck , the estimated 800-strong Irish Rebel Army were attacked three times by the militarily superior British troops , and each time turned them back . However , when the Brits re-grouped and charged for a fourth time , they gained the upper-hand ; Humbert , thirty-one years of age , ordered his fighters to retreat , while he prepared to surrender .
The British Officer he conversed with , British General Lake (who was actually Second-in-Command to British Viceroy and Commander-in-Chief , 'Lord' Cornwallis), accepted General Humbert's surrender , but sent his British troops on horse-back at full gallop through the ranks of the exhausted Irish Rebel Army , cutting them down with swords .
The remnants of Humbert's Army fled into nearby fields and bogs to escape the butchery but , over the following few days , they were hunted down in their hiding places and put to the sword .......
Once again , William Putnam McCabe made good his escape , and made his way to Wales .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......On his way home from his neighbours house , Johnny Lynch was again stopped by the Brits and questioned . He told them that their Major had let him go a few hours earlier , but they said they did'nt care about that ......."
" They told Johnny to follow them ; he did so , and after a time they released him . He again faced for home but was taken hostage again , by a new group . This particular British Company did not display any interest in his movements up to that time , but were deeply concerned about the welfare of the big handsome dog ! They said the "poor blighter" was hungry and should be fed , and set about doing so with generous portions of their rations . Some of the Brits said the dog was not fat enough for his size , and should be fattened up immediately , while others alleged that he was too fat ....
When the dog could eat no more , they released Johnny and , with great reluctance , the dog .
One's thoughts travel back along the roads and paths we used to know so well as we moved here and there among the people . In reality it meant only moving from one home to another ; very often , the people we stayed with had sons in our Column , or in the Volunteers in general , or daughters in Cumann na mBan . But in any case we were always welcome , and they gave us what they often denied themselves . If we happened to stay in a glen or valley for even three or four days , the young people , boys and girls , organised a dance or concert in our honour . If there was a wake or funeral we always attended , if the opportunity was favourable . In short , we belonged to the people .
One night a group of us attended a wake in one of our favourite glens ; sentries had been posted for the night , and the danger of surprise was very little ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(8 of 16).
17-years-young Mairead Stewart was arrested by the British Army - " She was taken to Castlereagh Station where she was told that a member of the Maguire family had been hanged and the same would be done to her . " ( Officially , the prisoner committed suicide , but others were also told that the hanging was not done by the persons own hand ...) " Other dreadful things were said and done to her , but she was so upset that she could'nt even tell us about it , " said Mrs. Stewart .
As a consequence of her arrest , Mairead Stewart attempted to commit suicide ; four years after Brian died , Mrs. Stewart's son , Gerald , was injured in an incident from which the mother did not come out unscathed .......
(MORE LATER).
....... 8th September , 1798 ; William Putnam McCabe was in County Longford with General Joseph Amable Humbert and an Irish Rebel Army , several-hundred strong : the 'Battle of Ballinamuck' was on .......
In Ballinamuck , the estimated 800-strong Irish Rebel Army were attacked three times by the militarily superior British troops , and each time turned them back . However , when the Brits re-grouped and charged for a fourth time , they gained the upper-hand ; Humbert , thirty-one years of age , ordered his fighters to retreat , while he prepared to surrender .
The British Officer he conversed with , British General Lake (who was actually Second-in-Command to British Viceroy and Commander-in-Chief , 'Lord' Cornwallis), accepted General Humbert's surrender , but sent his British troops on horse-back at full gallop through the ranks of the exhausted Irish Rebel Army , cutting them down with swords .
The remnants of Humbert's Army fled into nearby fields and bogs to escape the butchery but , over the following few days , they were hunted down in their hiding places and put to the sword .......
Once again , William Putnam McCabe made good his escape , and made his way to Wales .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......On his way home from his neighbours house , Johnny Lynch was again stopped by the Brits and questioned . He told them that their Major had let him go a few hours earlier , but they said they did'nt care about that ......."
" They told Johnny to follow them ; he did so , and after a time they released him . He again faced for home but was taken hostage again , by a new group . This particular British Company did not display any interest in his movements up to that time , but were deeply concerned about the welfare of the big handsome dog ! They said the "poor blighter" was hungry and should be fed , and set about doing so with generous portions of their rations . Some of the Brits said the dog was not fat enough for his size , and should be fattened up immediately , while others alleged that he was too fat ....
When the dog could eat no more , they released Johnny and , with great reluctance , the dog .
One's thoughts travel back along the roads and paths we used to know so well as we moved here and there among the people . In reality it meant only moving from one home to another ; very often , the people we stayed with had sons in our Column , or in the Volunteers in general , or daughters in Cumann na mBan . But in any case we were always welcome , and they gave us what they often denied themselves . If we happened to stay in a glen or valley for even three or four days , the young people , boys and girls , organised a dance or concert in our honour . If there was a wake or funeral we always attended , if the opportunity was favourable . In short , we belonged to the people .
One night a group of us attended a wake in one of our favourite glens ; sentries had been posted for the night , and the danger of surprise was very little ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(8 of 16).
17-years-young Mairead Stewart was arrested by the British Army - " She was taken to Castlereagh Station where she was told that a member of the Maguire family had been hanged and the same would be done to her . " ( Officially , the prisoner committed suicide , but others were also told that the hanging was not done by the persons own hand ...) " Other dreadful things were said and done to her , but she was so upset that she could'nt even tell us about it , " said Mrs. Stewart .
As a consequence of her arrest , Mairead Stewart attempted to commit suicide ; four years after Brian died , Mrs. Stewart's son , Gerald , was injured in an incident from which the mother did not come out unscathed .......
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, May 04, 2004
WILLIAM PUTNAM McCABE : 1775 - 1821 ; A Determined Irish Rebel .......
.......the United Irishmen Rising was to begin on the 23rd May , 1798 ; only days before that date , however , William Putnam McCabe and the Rebel British 'Lord' , Edward Fitzgerald , were 'arrested' by a Scottish Guard unit of the English Army - but McCabe talked his way out of it and went on his way .......
When the Rising took place that month (ie 23rd May , 1798), William Putnam McCabe was in Wexford , working alongside another Irish Rebel , Robert Graham , attempting to organise their members to join the fight . However , before the Wexford fighters could get properly organised , word came through that the Rebels in Dublin and Wicklow had lost the fight ; McCabe made his way to Mayo and assisted the Rebel Army there , under the command of General Joseph Amable Humbert .
The Rebels put English Troops in Castlebar on the run but , by now , the Brits were " restoring law and order " in the rest of the country ; it has been said that , of the estimated 50,000 people that died in the 1798 Rising , more than half were put to death in 'cold blood' .
General Humbert and his Rebels , including William Putnam McCabe , continued their fight with the English and , on 8th September , 1798 , they were involved in a bloody engagement in the town of Ballinamuck , County Longford .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
"....... Johnny Lynch and his neighbour were taken by a British Army Officer to ask the British Major if Johnny could have a few minutes to attend to his cows before he was to be led away as a hostage ....... "
" The Brit Officer explained to his Major that the captive was using the ground-sheet as shelter against the rain , and put it to his boss that the man had some farm work to attend to ; the British Army Major agreed to allow Johnny to go home - the Brit Officer and Johnny returned to the group on the road and , as they moved off , the neighbour , now a hostage , asked Johnny to take his horse home when he got a chance of doing so . Johnny assured him that it would be done .
Returning home , he drove the cows up the hill behind the house ; on the way , he passed a Lewis-Gun section of the British Auxies - they challenged him , asking him how he was allowed up there . He replied that he had got permission from their Major , so they motioned him on . On his way down , impelled by curiosity to get a closer view of the gun position , he passed nearer to the group .... " If I were you , I would keep away " , the Brit said to him . Without comment , Johnny moved on past that treacherous crowd and soon reached his house . Untying the neighbours horse , he sat in the car and drove him home . The big dog followed him ; his road was down the glen which was dotted with groups of British military and Auxiliaries . He was not molested until he had disposed of the horse and had started to make his way home .
Despite his best endeavours he could not avoid meeting an armed British group ; they immediately questioned him . Johnny told them that he had been released by their Major , but they said that made no difference to them ....... "
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(7 of 16).
It has been a long hard grind for Mrs. Stewart and her family : " Our house is constantly raided and I don't know what for , they never find anything , " she says , " we can bet on the house being overturned on my birthday and on Brian's anniversary , every year . " That has been the least of her worries , though ...
...Shortly after Brian's death and after Mrs. Stewart had made it known that she did'nt intend letting the matter rest , her then 17-year-old daughter Mairead was arrested .......
(MORE LATER).
.......the United Irishmen Rising was to begin on the 23rd May , 1798 ; only days before that date , however , William Putnam McCabe and the Rebel British 'Lord' , Edward Fitzgerald , were 'arrested' by a Scottish Guard unit of the English Army - but McCabe talked his way out of it and went on his way .......
When the Rising took place that month (ie 23rd May , 1798), William Putnam McCabe was in Wexford , working alongside another Irish Rebel , Robert Graham , attempting to organise their members to join the fight . However , before the Wexford fighters could get properly organised , word came through that the Rebels in Dublin and Wicklow had lost the fight ; McCabe made his way to Mayo and assisted the Rebel Army there , under the command of General Joseph Amable Humbert .
The Rebels put English Troops in Castlebar on the run but , by now , the Brits were " restoring law and order " in the rest of the country ; it has been said that , of the estimated 50,000 people that died in the 1798 Rising , more than half were put to death in 'cold blood' .
General Humbert and his Rebels , including William Putnam McCabe , continued their fight with the English and , on 8th September , 1798 , they were involved in a bloody engagement in the town of Ballinamuck , County Longford .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
"....... Johnny Lynch and his neighbour were taken by a British Army Officer to ask the British Major if Johnny could have a few minutes to attend to his cows before he was to be led away as a hostage ....... "
" The Brit Officer explained to his Major that the captive was using the ground-sheet as shelter against the rain , and put it to his boss that the man had some farm work to attend to ; the British Army Major agreed to allow Johnny to go home - the Brit Officer and Johnny returned to the group on the road and , as they moved off , the neighbour , now a hostage , asked Johnny to take his horse home when he got a chance of doing so . Johnny assured him that it would be done .
Returning home , he drove the cows up the hill behind the house ; on the way , he passed a Lewis-Gun section of the British Auxies - they challenged him , asking him how he was allowed up there . He replied that he had got permission from their Major , so they motioned him on . On his way down , impelled by curiosity to get a closer view of the gun position , he passed nearer to the group .... " If I were you , I would keep away " , the Brit said to him . Without comment , Johnny moved on past that treacherous crowd and soon reached his house . Untying the neighbours horse , he sat in the car and drove him home . The big dog followed him ; his road was down the glen which was dotted with groups of British military and Auxiliaries . He was not molested until he had disposed of the horse and had started to make his way home .
Despite his best endeavours he could not avoid meeting an armed British group ; they immediately questioned him . Johnny told them that he had been released by their Major , but they said that made no difference to them ....... "
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(7 of 16).
It has been a long hard grind for Mrs. Stewart and her family : " Our house is constantly raided and I don't know what for , they never find anything , " she says , " we can bet on the house being overturned on my birthday and on Brian's anniversary , every year . " That has been the least of her worries , though ...
...Shortly after Brian's death and after Mrs. Stewart had made it known that she did'nt intend letting the matter rest , her then 17-year-old daughter Mairead was arrested .......
(MORE LATER).
Monday, May 03, 2004
WILLIAM PUTNAM McCABE : 1775 - 1821 ; A Determined Irish Rebel .......
....... In 1791 , at 16 years young , William Putnam McCabe joined the 'United Irishmen' organisation at its inaugural meeting in Belfast in October that year .......
At 23 years of age (in 1798), he was already a veteran in Irish Republican circles ; he was known in Counties Leitrim , Roscommon and Wexford , where he had worked for the United Irishmen as an 'Organiser' , and was a member of that organisations ' Leinster Executive ' .
He was one of the few prominent United Irishmen to escape arrest in March 1798 , when Oliver Bond's home was raided by the British . However , in May that same year (ie 1798) , now a wanted man , he was stopped by English troops ( members of the 'Scottish Guards') who were after a man in his company - 'Lord' Edward Fitzgerald , a radical British Aristocrat and one of the leaders of the United Irishmen ...
... McCabe was 'arrested' by the English troops but managed to convince them that he , too , was from Scotland and was not one of the men they were after - he was released ! That was in May 1798 ; only days before the United Irishmen Rising was due to take place .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
"....... the British Auxiliaries from Macroom were in Carraig Ban looking for our IRA Column ; a local man , Johnny Lynch , was in the kitchen of his house when his dog started barking in the yard outside ....... "
" Fearing that the dog would attack some visitor , Johnny hastened out ; a tall man , armed with rifle and revolver and wearing a trench coat , was coming downhill to the house . The dog was disputing the ground with him ; Johnny called off the dog and waited , the while he tried to assess the identity of the stranger . The man wore a Glengarry cap but that alone did not condemn him , as it was known that IRA men wore them too . Johnny was smiling as the man drew near ; the man spoke - and Johnny knew he was a British Auxiliary : " Come along with me " , he said , " And stop that dog . You come too " , he shouted at Johnny's neighbour , who had come to the farmhouse door .
The three men went down to the road where they met a group of Auxiliaries ; a British Officer questioned both Johnny and his neighbour - he told them he would take them both as hostages for the day . Johnny said he did not mind going with them if he got a little time to release the cows from their stalls , as there was no one at home to do so . The Brit Officer said he should ask the Major , and perhaps he would allow Johnny to remain at home , but the neighbour should go with the group . He took Johnny with him to find the Major . As they went uphill away from the house , it started to rain - Johnny had no coat and the British Officer fastened a ground sheet around his shoulders ; it was a kindly act , which belied a gruff manner and rough exterior .
Soon they met the Major with another group ; he spoke roughly to Johnny - " Who are you , and where did you get that ground sheet ...? "
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(6 of 16).
British Army Major Tom Sewell gave 'evidence' in court about the day 12 years young Brian Stewart was killed by a British Army Plastic Bullet ; Major Sewell never mentioned the ' mob of 400 ' . He told the Judge that Brian Stewart had been with a group of fifteen youths and he was not the target - the British troops had meant to hit a " taller youth wearing a striped blue and white jumper . " None of the witnesses had seen this youth . However , the Judge chose to believe the British Army's version of events .
" There certainly was a riot in the Turf Lodge that night , but it was after Brian had been shot , not before , and the reason it was held was because of his shooting , " said Mrs. Stewart . Since the court decision , Mrs. Stewart has devoted much of her time to clearing her son's name .
At the moment she is preparing a case for the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg where she hopes the truth will finally be brought into the open .......
(MORE LATER).
....... In 1791 , at 16 years young , William Putnam McCabe joined the 'United Irishmen' organisation at its inaugural meeting in Belfast in October that year .......
At 23 years of age (in 1798), he was already a veteran in Irish Republican circles ; he was known in Counties Leitrim , Roscommon and Wexford , where he had worked for the United Irishmen as an 'Organiser' , and was a member of that organisations ' Leinster Executive ' .
He was one of the few prominent United Irishmen to escape arrest in March 1798 , when Oliver Bond's home was raided by the British . However , in May that same year (ie 1798) , now a wanted man , he was stopped by English troops ( members of the 'Scottish Guards') who were after a man in his company - 'Lord' Edward Fitzgerald , a radical British Aristocrat and one of the leaders of the United Irishmen ...
... McCabe was 'arrested' by the English troops but managed to convince them that he , too , was from Scotland and was not one of the men they were after - he was released ! That was in May 1798 ; only days before the United Irishmen Rising was due to take place .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
"....... the British Auxiliaries from Macroom were in Carraig Ban looking for our IRA Column ; a local man , Johnny Lynch , was in the kitchen of his house when his dog started barking in the yard outside ....... "
" Fearing that the dog would attack some visitor , Johnny hastened out ; a tall man , armed with rifle and revolver and wearing a trench coat , was coming downhill to the house . The dog was disputing the ground with him ; Johnny called off the dog and waited , the while he tried to assess the identity of the stranger . The man wore a Glengarry cap but that alone did not condemn him , as it was known that IRA men wore them too . Johnny was smiling as the man drew near ; the man spoke - and Johnny knew he was a British Auxiliary : " Come along with me " , he said , " And stop that dog . You come too " , he shouted at Johnny's neighbour , who had come to the farmhouse door .
The three men went down to the road where they met a group of Auxiliaries ; a British Officer questioned both Johnny and his neighbour - he told them he would take them both as hostages for the day . Johnny said he did not mind going with them if he got a little time to release the cows from their stalls , as there was no one at home to do so . The Brit Officer said he should ask the Major , and perhaps he would allow Johnny to remain at home , but the neighbour should go with the group . He took Johnny with him to find the Major . As they went uphill away from the house , it started to rain - Johnny had no coat and the British Officer fastened a ground sheet around his shoulders ; it was a kindly act , which belied a gruff manner and rough exterior .
Soon they met the Major with another group ; he spoke roughly to Johnny - " Who are you , and where did you get that ground sheet ...? "
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(6 of 16).
British Army Major Tom Sewell gave 'evidence' in court about the day 12 years young Brian Stewart was killed by a British Army Plastic Bullet ; Major Sewell never mentioned the ' mob of 400 ' . He told the Judge that Brian Stewart had been with a group of fifteen youths and he was not the target - the British troops had meant to hit a " taller youth wearing a striped blue and white jumper . " None of the witnesses had seen this youth . However , the Judge chose to believe the British Army's version of events .
" There certainly was a riot in the Turf Lodge that night , but it was after Brian had been shot , not before , and the reason it was held was because of his shooting , " said Mrs. Stewart . Since the court decision , Mrs. Stewart has devoted much of her time to clearing her son's name .
At the moment she is preparing a case for the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg where she hopes the truth will finally be brought into the open .......
(MORE LATER).
Sunday, May 02, 2004
WILLIAM PUTNAM McCABE : 1775 - 1821 ; A Determined Irish Rebel .......
....... Ireland , 18th Century ; " Burn everything English except their coal " , so said Jonathan Swift ; the ' Whiteboys ' were fighting-back against the English 'landlords' , the 'Penal Laws' were in operation and William Pitt , the then British Prime Minister , had no time for the Irish . He had this to say ......."
In January 1799 , William Pitt took to the floor in the British House Of 'Commons' and declared -
- " Ireland is subject to great and deplorable evils which have a deep root , for they lie in the situation of the country itself ; in the present character , manner and habits of the inhabitants , in their want of intelligence or , in other words , their ignorance . In its religious distinctions , in the rancour which bigotry engenders and which superstition rears and cherishes . "
(So - its all our own fault ; we're just too thick to understand the 'benefits' of British mis-rule !) Between the time of the ' Whiteboys ' and Pitt's "ignorant Irish" speech , a baby , William Putnam McCabe , was born in Belfast (in 1775). At 16 years young , he joined the ' United Irishmen ' at its inaugural meeting in Belfast in October 1791 , at which Theobald Wolfe Tone was present .
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......We got back to our base and found that the two girls of the house had managed to conceal our two cars from the British troops that had searched the area . But we were left amazed that the Brits had not noticed the car tracks ......."
" We could not explain why the British troops had not twigged the fact that the car tracks led to a small mountain of furze ! That the tracks were there , plain to be seen from the main road to the yard is beyond doubt ; and what is equally certain is that no question was asked about them !
However , there was no mystery about the enemy's early morning descent on Carrig Ban . Arrangements had long been made for a concentric and overwhelming attack on our Column - it had already been tried at Coolnacahera with dire results for the British Auxiliaries of Macroom . Now every British garrison had been waiting for the word which would give it the exact location of its target . That word got to them ....
... " Carraig Ban , Ballingeary " : the enemy's machinery worked swiftly and smoothly , but our IRA Brigadier caused their well-laid scheme to go 'agley' . We had hardly reached Carraig Ban when he ordered off a group of local IRA Volunteers to block the Pass of Ceimaneigh - early in the morning , enemy forces from Bantry were still vainly trying to break through the Pass when they should have been in position above Carraig Ban to 'greet' us as we toiled up the hill !
The Auxiliaries from Macroom passed through Renaniree and Beal a' Ghleanna early in the morning . Meeting with people on the way , they inquired for the road to Carraig Ban ; they got the reply that there was no such place ! Nevertheless , they pushed on to the place indicated on their map . Johnny Lynch of Beal a' Ghleanna was in his kitchen talking to a neighbour who had brought a horse and cart for some piece of farm machinery ; Johnny had a huge dog which started to bark furiously in the yard ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(5 of 16).
At the inquest into the death of Brian Stewart , the coroner decided - despite the evidence of many witnesses - that a riot had been taking place at the time of Brian's death and no action was taken against any member of the British Army : plastic bullets were introduced for use during riots only .
Consequently , in order to clear her son's name , Mrs. Stewart took a Civil Action against the British Minister for Defence , for negligence . British Army Major Tom Sewell , who appeared on television on the night Brian was shot justifying the British Army's action by stating that Brian Stewart was a ringleader in a rioting mob of 400 people , gave evidence at the case .......
(MORE LATER).
....... Ireland , 18th Century ; " Burn everything English except their coal " , so said Jonathan Swift ; the ' Whiteboys ' were fighting-back against the English 'landlords' , the 'Penal Laws' were in operation and William Pitt , the then British Prime Minister , had no time for the Irish . He had this to say ......."
In January 1799 , William Pitt took to the floor in the British House Of 'Commons' and declared -
- " Ireland is subject to great and deplorable evils which have a deep root , for they lie in the situation of the country itself ; in the present character , manner and habits of the inhabitants , in their want of intelligence or , in other words , their ignorance . In its religious distinctions , in the rancour which bigotry engenders and which superstition rears and cherishes . "
(So - its all our own fault ; we're just too thick to understand the 'benefits' of British mis-rule !) Between the time of the ' Whiteboys ' and Pitt's "ignorant Irish" speech , a baby , William Putnam McCabe , was born in Belfast (in 1775). At 16 years young , he joined the ' United Irishmen ' at its inaugural meeting in Belfast in October 1791 , at which Theobald Wolfe Tone was present .
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......We got back to our base and found that the two girls of the house had managed to conceal our two cars from the British troops that had searched the area . But we were left amazed that the Brits had not noticed the car tracks ......."
" We could not explain why the British troops had not twigged the fact that the car tracks led to a small mountain of furze ! That the tracks were there , plain to be seen from the main road to the yard is beyond doubt ; and what is equally certain is that no question was asked about them !
However , there was no mystery about the enemy's early morning descent on Carrig Ban . Arrangements had long been made for a concentric and overwhelming attack on our Column - it had already been tried at Coolnacahera with dire results for the British Auxiliaries of Macroom . Now every British garrison had been waiting for the word which would give it the exact location of its target . That word got to them ....
... " Carraig Ban , Ballingeary " : the enemy's machinery worked swiftly and smoothly , but our IRA Brigadier caused their well-laid scheme to go 'agley' . We had hardly reached Carraig Ban when he ordered off a group of local IRA Volunteers to block the Pass of Ceimaneigh - early in the morning , enemy forces from Bantry were still vainly trying to break through the Pass when they should have been in position above Carraig Ban to 'greet' us as we toiled up the hill !
The Auxiliaries from Macroom passed through Renaniree and Beal a' Ghleanna early in the morning . Meeting with people on the way , they inquired for the road to Carraig Ban ; they got the reply that there was no such place ! Nevertheless , they pushed on to the place indicated on their map . Johnny Lynch of Beal a' Ghleanna was in his kitchen talking to a neighbour who had brought a horse and cart for some piece of farm machinery ; Johnny had a huge dog which started to bark furiously in the yard ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(5 of 16).
At the inquest into the death of Brian Stewart , the coroner decided - despite the evidence of many witnesses - that a riot had been taking place at the time of Brian's death and no action was taken against any member of the British Army : plastic bullets were introduced for use during riots only .
Consequently , in order to clear her son's name , Mrs. Stewart took a Civil Action against the British Minister for Defence , for negligence . British Army Major Tom Sewell , who appeared on television on the night Brian was shot justifying the British Army's action by stating that Brian Stewart was a ringleader in a rioting mob of 400 people , gave evidence at the case .......
(MORE LATER).
Saturday, May 01, 2004
WILLIAM PUTNAM McCABE : 1775 - 1821 ; A Determined Irish Rebel .
Ireland , 1775 - Earlier on in this , the 18th Century , the Dean of St. Patricks Cathedral in Dublin (a Protestant - Catholics could not hold such a position) , Jonathan Swift , urged the Irish to burn everything English except their coal !
Also , at around that same time (ie 1730 - 1735) , the 'Penal Laws' were in force , the 'Whiteboys' were well-organised , attacking rack-renting 'landlords' and their middlemen and the Irish population were considered by the English political and 'Establishment'-class to be the same 'breed apart' then (ie in the early years of the 18th Century) as they were at the finish of that Century ...
...the then British Prime Minister , William Pitt , summed it up in one paragraph .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
"....... The Brits were in the glen , chasing us , and a British Army 'spotter-plane' was circling over us ; I thought I could have hit it with the Lewis-Gun , but was ordered not to try - the noise would have given away our position to the enemy behind us ......."
" The issue was settled by a sudden change in the weather - the sun which had shone brightly was darkened by a cloud , a blanket of fog came down on us , and rain began to fall . We saw no more of the plane or of any other enemy . To make sure that the spotter-plane had gone , we pushed westward across the open ground to a point where we could look down on the glen . The weather cleared , the sun shone again and we could see to great distances .
There was no sign of the Brits and we descended to the house ; as we drew near it we could see into the farmyard - our two cars had disappeared . When we were leaving the yard that morning we sadly realised that , whatever hope we had of extricating ourselves from the British round-up , there was no possibility of taking the cars . The boreen ended where the cars had been left . At the door of the house we met the two daughters ; they were in high glee ; " They did not find the cars ! " was their first greeting . Our astonishment changed to delight and unbounded admiration as we heard the story those great girls told us -
- After our hurried departure that morning the girls had seized two forks and pulled down the heaps of furze on the cars . Working feverishly , the girls had covered the cars completely and had done their heavy task so well that we who had already seen the rough heaps , never suspected that they now enclosed our transport ! British troops had swarmed into and around the house and out-offices ; they had entered the barn , but the Column had long practice at leaving no trace of our having been , however hurried our departure .
One thing above all else mystified us ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(4 of 16).
Mrs. Stewart's reaction was one of disbelief - her son had been in the house a few minutes previously and she had'nt seen him go out ; but it was Brian Stewart who had been shot . He was in a very serious condition when taken to hospital and he died six days later .
A witness said that a British Army soldier tried to drag him away as he lay wounded on the ground ; in the subsequent court hearing , the Judge labelled the witness " a vicious liar " for daring to say such a thing about a member of 'Her Majesty's ' forces .....
(MORE LATER).
Ireland , 1775 - Earlier on in this , the 18th Century , the Dean of St. Patricks Cathedral in Dublin (a Protestant - Catholics could not hold such a position) , Jonathan Swift , urged the Irish to burn everything English except their coal !
Also , at around that same time (ie 1730 - 1735) , the 'Penal Laws' were in force , the 'Whiteboys' were well-organised , attacking rack-renting 'landlords' and their middlemen and the Irish population were considered by the English political and 'Establishment'-class to be the same 'breed apart' then (ie in the early years of the 18th Century) as they were at the finish of that Century ...
...the then British Prime Minister , William Pitt , summed it up in one paragraph .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
"....... The Brits were in the glen , chasing us , and a British Army 'spotter-plane' was circling over us ; I thought I could have hit it with the Lewis-Gun , but was ordered not to try - the noise would have given away our position to the enemy behind us ......."
" The issue was settled by a sudden change in the weather - the sun which had shone brightly was darkened by a cloud , a blanket of fog came down on us , and rain began to fall . We saw no more of the plane or of any other enemy . To make sure that the spotter-plane had gone , we pushed westward across the open ground to a point where we could look down on the glen . The weather cleared , the sun shone again and we could see to great distances .
There was no sign of the Brits and we descended to the house ; as we drew near it we could see into the farmyard - our two cars had disappeared . When we were leaving the yard that morning we sadly realised that , whatever hope we had of extricating ourselves from the British round-up , there was no possibility of taking the cars . The boreen ended where the cars had been left . At the door of the house we met the two daughters ; they were in high glee ; " They did not find the cars ! " was their first greeting . Our astonishment changed to delight and unbounded admiration as we heard the story those great girls told us -
- After our hurried departure that morning the girls had seized two forks and pulled down the heaps of furze on the cars . Working feverishly , the girls had covered the cars completely and had done their heavy task so well that we who had already seen the rough heaps , never suspected that they now enclosed our transport ! British troops had swarmed into and around the house and out-offices ; they had entered the barn , but the Column had long practice at leaving no trace of our having been , however hurried our departure .
One thing above all else mystified us ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(4 of 16).
Mrs. Stewart's reaction was one of disbelief - her son had been in the house a few minutes previously and she had'nt seen him go out ; but it was Brian Stewart who had been shot . He was in a very serious condition when taken to hospital and he died six days later .
A witness said that a British Army soldier tried to drag him away as he lay wounded on the ground ; in the subsequent court hearing , the Judge labelled the witness " a vicious liar " for daring to say such a thing about a member of 'Her Majesty's ' forces .....
(MORE LATER).
Friday, April 30, 2004
'THE IRISH PEOPLE' ; an Irish Rebel Newspaper , 1863 - 1865 ........
....... James Stephens was not on the premises of the ' The Irish People ' newspaper when it was raided by the Brits on the 15th September 1865 and escaped 'arrest' ; he was put-up in a safe-house in Sandymount , Dublin .......
However , on the morning of 11th November 1865 , the Brits caught-up with James Stephens ; he was put in the then Richmond Jail (later to become Richmond Free State Army Barracks , then Griffith Free State Army Barracks ).
But two of the prison warders in the then Richmond Jail were themselves members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood , and ..... (another tangent ...! - for another day ; but , before we leave that subject , it should be noted that James Stephens lived for another 36 years : he died in 1901 ).
Finally , when the old Irish Rebel , John Devoy , published his memoir's (entitled 'Recollections Of An Irish Rebel') in 1929 , he stated that the 'The Irish People' newspaper had - " revived the spirit created and fostered by 'The Nation' newspaper and 'The Young Irelanders' , and carried down their teachings to a new generation . " 'The Irish People' newspaper was published every week for twenty-two months ( ie from November 1863 to September 1865 ) until the Brits suppressed it , but ...
...before the 'The Irish People' newspaper was born , and since then , Irish Republicans have used the print media to get their message across , and still do today . Take out a subscription , or just send them a few shillings , or both !
The struggle is not over - please help out if you can .......
(FOOTNOTE - the '1169...' crew would like to thank Richard MacManus , a relative of Terence Bellew MacManus , for his kind words regarding this article : go raibh maith agat , a chara ; slan go foill .)
[END of - 'THE IRISH PEOPLE' ; an Irish Rebel Newspaper , 1863 - 1865 ........'].
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
"....... The Brits had received information that our IRA Column was in the glen , and were following us ; but we were worried that more of them might be coming at us from the front as well ......."
" This , however , did not happen , and we reached the top without incident . We found ourselves on a bare moor , entirely devoid of cover , and which stretched for miles to the north and west . We also found that we were very far from being out of trouble ....
....we watched enemy troops swarm behind us from the south and east . One of our scouts now appeared from the north-east and reported that British troops , including the Auxiliaries , were due north of us and moving westwards along the ridge of Maoileann . The open plain in front of us now was our greatest obstacle ; we dared not move across it . Had it been broken ground of any kind , or even with heather on it , we could have kept moving on . If we could reach the fringe of the circle and good fighting ground we would have a fair chance of breaking through or of holding out until dark . Then a new enemy appeared ; a low-flying plane ....
...we could clearly see the pilot and observer as they swooped repeatedly down on us . Sometimes , when they circled , they were actually under us as they swooped into the glen we had left . The Column lay in a circle , quite flat and motionless on the short mountain grass . A little rock , heather covered , jutted out of the ground nearby . It had one straight face , about five feet high . I stood by that face , with the Lewis-gun mounted on top of it . I merged well into the landscape ; each time the 'plane passed I followed it with the gun sights - I knew the technique of firing at it . It was a cock-shot in any case . The 'plane came so often and travelled so accurately over us that I expected it would machine-gun us .
I decided to anticipate it , and glanced back at our Column Leader - he shook his head and spoke : " We can't do it , Mick , that cursed barren place out there would ruin us . " He referred to the bare ground ahead of us . The 'plane came round again , nearer than ever - I again glanced backwards ; the Column Leader came and stood beside me , his hand on my arm : " The lives of all the lads would be in danger , " he said . Then turning to the other IRA Officers he asked each in turn if it were not better to keep quiet . All agreed that it would be the wiser course , excepting my brother Pat , who thought that the airplane was preparing to open fire on us ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(3 of 16).
On a recent visit to Belfast to meet the mothers of the young children who were shot I discovered that it was very difficult not to be moved by their plight .
Without a doubt there are two sides to every story , but the fact remains that in spite of the regulations set down for the use of plastic bullets , they have been used indiscriminately and six young lives have been lost while many more have been maimed for life .
One of the first children to die as a result of a plastic bullet wound was Brian Stewart from the Turf Lodge area who was buried on his thirteenth birthday , in October of 1976 . His mother , Mrs. Kathleen Stewart , explained what happened -
- " Brian had been in the house doing his homework , I was talking to a neighbour , Mrs. Mary Dobbin , " she said . " After Mary had left , some children came running up the street to tell me that Brian had been hit by a plastic bullet . ......"
(MORE LATER).
....... James Stephens was not on the premises of the ' The Irish People ' newspaper when it was raided by the Brits on the 15th September 1865 and escaped 'arrest' ; he was put-up in a safe-house in Sandymount , Dublin .......
However , on the morning of 11th November 1865 , the Brits caught-up with James Stephens ; he was put in the then Richmond Jail (later to become Richmond Free State Army Barracks , then Griffith Free State Army Barracks ).
But two of the prison warders in the then Richmond Jail were themselves members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood , and ..... (another tangent ...! - for another day ; but , before we leave that subject , it should be noted that James Stephens lived for another 36 years : he died in 1901 ).
Finally , when the old Irish Rebel , John Devoy , published his memoir's (entitled 'Recollections Of An Irish Rebel') in 1929 , he stated that the 'The Irish People' newspaper had - " revived the spirit created and fostered by 'The Nation' newspaper and 'The Young Irelanders' , and carried down their teachings to a new generation . " 'The Irish People' newspaper was published every week for twenty-two months ( ie from November 1863 to September 1865 ) until the Brits suppressed it , but ...
...before the 'The Irish People' newspaper was born , and since then , Irish Republicans have used the print media to get their message across , and still do today . Take out a subscription , or just send them a few shillings , or both !
The struggle is not over - please help out if you can .......
(FOOTNOTE - the '1169...' crew would like to thank Richard MacManus , a relative of Terence Bellew MacManus , for his kind words regarding this article : go raibh maith agat , a chara ; slan go foill .)
[END of - 'THE IRISH PEOPLE' ; an Irish Rebel Newspaper , 1863 - 1865 ........'].
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
"....... The Brits had received information that our IRA Column was in the glen , and were following us ; but we were worried that more of them might be coming at us from the front as well ......."
" This , however , did not happen , and we reached the top without incident . We found ourselves on a bare moor , entirely devoid of cover , and which stretched for miles to the north and west . We also found that we were very far from being out of trouble ....
....we watched enemy troops swarm behind us from the south and east . One of our scouts now appeared from the north-east and reported that British troops , including the Auxiliaries , were due north of us and moving westwards along the ridge of Maoileann . The open plain in front of us now was our greatest obstacle ; we dared not move across it . Had it been broken ground of any kind , or even with heather on it , we could have kept moving on . If we could reach the fringe of the circle and good fighting ground we would have a fair chance of breaking through or of holding out until dark . Then a new enemy appeared ; a low-flying plane ....
...we could clearly see the pilot and observer as they swooped repeatedly down on us . Sometimes , when they circled , they were actually under us as they swooped into the glen we had left . The Column lay in a circle , quite flat and motionless on the short mountain grass . A little rock , heather covered , jutted out of the ground nearby . It had one straight face , about five feet high . I stood by that face , with the Lewis-gun mounted on top of it . I merged well into the landscape ; each time the 'plane passed I followed it with the gun sights - I knew the technique of firing at it . It was a cock-shot in any case . The 'plane came so often and travelled so accurately over us that I expected it would machine-gun us .
I decided to anticipate it , and glanced back at our Column Leader - he shook his head and spoke : " We can't do it , Mick , that cursed barren place out there would ruin us . " He referred to the bare ground ahead of us . The 'plane came round again , nearer than ever - I again glanced backwards ; the Column Leader came and stood beside me , his hand on my arm : " The lives of all the lads would be in danger , " he said . Then turning to the other IRA Officers he asked each in turn if it were not better to keep quiet . All agreed that it would be the wiser course , excepting my brother Pat , who thought that the airplane was preparing to open fire on us ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(3 of 16).
On a recent visit to Belfast to meet the mothers of the young children who were shot I discovered that it was very difficult not to be moved by their plight .
Without a doubt there are two sides to every story , but the fact remains that in spite of the regulations set down for the use of plastic bullets , they have been used indiscriminately and six young lives have been lost while many more have been maimed for life .
One of the first children to die as a result of a plastic bullet wound was Brian Stewart from the Turf Lodge area who was buried on his thirteenth birthday , in October of 1976 . His mother , Mrs. Kathleen Stewart , explained what happened -
- " Brian had been in the house doing his homework , I was talking to a neighbour , Mrs. Mary Dobbin , " she said . " After Mary had left , some children came running up the street to tell me that Brian had been hit by a plastic bullet . ......"
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, April 29, 2004
'THE IRISH PEOPLE' ; an Irish Rebel Newspaper , 1863 - 1865 ........
.......With the help of the informer Nagle , the Brits believed they had reason enough to raid the Parliament Street , Dublin , Offices of the IRB newspaper , 'The Irish People' ; on 15th September 1865 , they made their move .......
They forced their way onto the premises and 'arrested' those on the floor ; they then smashed the machinery and thrashed the building . Those 'arrested' (ie John O'Leary , Charles J. Kickham , Thomas Clarke Luby , Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa , Denis Dowling Mulcahy and others) were 'tried' for "treason felony" and sentenced to penal servitude for life .
That happened in 1865 - six years later (ie 1871) they were released in the 'General Amnesty' of that year . James Stephens was not on the premises on the 15th September 1865 when it was raided by the Brits ; he went 'on the run' when he was told about the raid , and was 'put-up' in a safe-house in Sandymount , Dublin , which he left only at night .
He managed to evade capture for two months living like that , never knowing when a hand would fall on his shoulder or a British bullet find its mark .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......We had been 'fed and watered' ; our accommodation was very comfortable , and we were asleep in no time . But the sound of rifle-fire woke us all up together ......."
" It was morning and the sun shone brightly . Jim Grey was singing as he reached for his clothes -
- " Hurrah , boys , the morning of battle has come !
And thegenerale is beating on many a drum .
They rushed from their revels to join the parade ,
for the van is the right of the Irish Brigade ! "
" Take off my Sam Browne again ! " I ordered our Quartermaster , who was stouter than I , and who had nearly succeeded in fastening the last buckle . With a laugh he complied and I handed him his own belt . We dashed downstairs and out to the yard where our Officers were marshalling the Column .
Already scouts had been sent uphill to the north to try and find a way out . The enemy had come into the glen from the east and south . Our sentries had retired before them . No Column man had been hit .
We started to climb the steep hill to the north . We were aided by a cumar or bed of a stream which had worn deeply into the hillside . The Brits kept up an irregular fire but their shooting was bad . We did not reply to it . The enemy behind us was not worrying us ; we were thinking of the enemy in front who might , at any moment , appear almost vertically over us on the brow of the hill ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(2 of 16).
In recent months the parents of the dead children have visited Dublin where they spoke to (political) Opposition leader Mr. Charles Haughey . On the day that they visited , the (Free State) Government was involved in a private session and they did not meet with the (FS) Taoiseach or (FS) Tanaiste as they had hoped .
" We feel at this point that unless we get the support of the Irish (FS) Government the British Government will not do anything to stop the use of these deadly bullets , " commented Fr. Raymond Murray , the cleric who accompanied the parents and members of the Concerned Teachers Organisation to Dublin to meet the politicians .
Fr. Murray feels that there is a certain reluctance on the part of the Irish (FS) Government to broach the subject with the Thatcher Administration and unless Irish people push the issue it will be lost .......
(MORE LATER).
.......With the help of the informer Nagle , the Brits believed they had reason enough to raid the Parliament Street , Dublin , Offices of the IRB newspaper , 'The Irish People' ; on 15th September 1865 , they made their move .......
They forced their way onto the premises and 'arrested' those on the floor ; they then smashed the machinery and thrashed the building . Those 'arrested' (ie John O'Leary , Charles J. Kickham , Thomas Clarke Luby , Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa , Denis Dowling Mulcahy and others) were 'tried' for "treason felony" and sentenced to penal servitude for life .
That happened in 1865 - six years later (ie 1871) they were released in the 'General Amnesty' of that year . James Stephens was not on the premises on the 15th September 1865 when it was raided by the Brits ; he went 'on the run' when he was told about the raid , and was 'put-up' in a safe-house in Sandymount , Dublin , which he left only at night .
He managed to evade capture for two months living like that , never knowing when a hand would fall on his shoulder or a British bullet find its mark .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......We had been 'fed and watered' ; our accommodation was very comfortable , and we were asleep in no time . But the sound of rifle-fire woke us all up together ......."
" It was morning and the sun shone brightly . Jim Grey was singing as he reached for his clothes -
- " Hurrah , boys , the morning of battle has come !
And thegenerale is beating on many a drum .
They rushed from their revels to join the parade ,
for the van is the right of the Irish Brigade ! "
" Take off my Sam Browne again ! " I ordered our Quartermaster , who was stouter than I , and who had nearly succeeded in fastening the last buckle . With a laugh he complied and I handed him his own belt . We dashed downstairs and out to the yard where our Officers were marshalling the Column .
Already scouts had been sent uphill to the north to try and find a way out . The enemy had come into the glen from the east and south . Our sentries had retired before them . No Column man had been hit .
We started to climb the steep hill to the north . We were aided by a cumar or bed of a stream which had worn deeply into the hillside . The Brits kept up an irregular fire but their shooting was bad . We did not reply to it . The enemy behind us was not worrying us ; we were thinking of the enemy in front who might , at any moment , appear almost vertically over us on the brow of the hill ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(2 of 16).
In recent months the parents of the dead children have visited Dublin where they spoke to (political) Opposition leader Mr. Charles Haughey . On the day that they visited , the (Free State) Government was involved in a private session and they did not meet with the (FS) Taoiseach or (FS) Tanaiste as they had hoped .
" We feel at this point that unless we get the support of the Irish (FS) Government the British Government will not do anything to stop the use of these deadly bullets , " commented Fr. Raymond Murray , the cleric who accompanied the parents and members of the Concerned Teachers Organisation to Dublin to meet the politicians .
Fr. Murray feels that there is a certain reluctance on the part of the Irish (FS) Government to broach the subject with the Thatcher Administration and unless Irish people push the issue it will be lost .......
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
'THE IRISH PEOPLE' ; an Irish Rebel Newspaper , 1863 - 1865 ........
....... The IRB newspaper , 'The Irish People' , was openly calling for physical force to be used against the British presence in Ireland ; the Brits were watching the Offices of the newspaper , and they also had a man inside working for them.......
A Mr. Nagle , an ex-schoolteacher , worked in the 'Dispatch Department' of 'The Irish People' newspaper but , since about April 1864 , had also been 'working' for the British - as a paid informer . In September 1865 he reported to his British pay-masters that the Parliament Street Offices of the newspaper were being used as a base from which a military Rising would be launched .
The informer Nagle handed over a copy of a letter which James Stephens had earlier that month (ie September 1865) wrote to one of his IRB comrades , in which Stephens had stated - " This year - and let there be no mistake about it - must be the year of action ; the flag of Ireland , of the Irish Republic , must this year be raised . "
On 15th September 1865 , the Brits made their move ; they forced their way onto the premises of 'The Irish People' newspaper and 'arrested' those on the floor .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......We had established our Headquarters in a farmhouse , the owners of which were happy to see us ; some of our lads were flirting with the two daughters of the house , and food was being prepared for us ......."
" With the tea over , arrangements for sleeping accommodation , the guard for the night , sentries and communications were made . A large barn , its timber floor swept clean , was available . On the floor the Column placed its portable mattresses . Sometimes , if it did not inconvenience the people and a spare room or two was available , a number of us stayed in the dwelling house . This was the case on this night , as the people of the house insisted on it . The arrangements completed , some of the Column went off to nearby houses with local Volunteers for a few hours , while some returned to the fire in the kitchen . Here we passed the time pleasantly with song and story until nearly midnight .
With the Lewis-gun section , a few of the Column and a visiting Brigade Officer , I shared a room upstairs . Our quarters were most comfortable and soon we were fast asleep . The sound of heavy rifle fire must have awakened us simultaneously , for we were all on our feet in one movement ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(1 of 16).
One of the most anguishing things to happen to a mother is to suffer the loss of a child , but how much more harrowing it must be when the child is an innocent victim of bigotry and hatred .
In Northern Ireland (sic) between August 1975 and April 1982 , six children aged between ten and fifteen were killed . All were shot by British Army personnel using plastic bullets . Yet , despite constant and concerted efforts by the people in the North's Catholic areas (all of the children killed in this manner were Catholics) to have plastic bullets banned , the British Government has turned a blind eye .
For many of the disillusioned people campaigning , one of the most upsetting factors of their uphill battle is that the Irish (Free State) Government has yet to formally request the British Government to ban the use of plastic bullets.......
(MORE LATER).
....... The IRB newspaper , 'The Irish People' , was openly calling for physical force to be used against the British presence in Ireland ; the Brits were watching the Offices of the newspaper , and they also had a man inside working for them.......
A Mr. Nagle , an ex-schoolteacher , worked in the 'Dispatch Department' of 'The Irish People' newspaper but , since about April 1864 , had also been 'working' for the British - as a paid informer . In September 1865 he reported to his British pay-masters that the Parliament Street Offices of the newspaper were being used as a base from which a military Rising would be launched .
The informer Nagle handed over a copy of a letter which James Stephens had earlier that month (ie September 1865) wrote to one of his IRB comrades , in which Stephens had stated - " This year - and let there be no mistake about it - must be the year of action ; the flag of Ireland , of the Irish Republic , must this year be raised . "
On 15th September 1865 , the Brits made their move ; they forced their way onto the premises of 'The Irish People' newspaper and 'arrested' those on the floor .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......We had established our Headquarters in a farmhouse , the owners of which were happy to see us ; some of our lads were flirting with the two daughters of the house , and food was being prepared for us ......."
" With the tea over , arrangements for sleeping accommodation , the guard for the night , sentries and communications were made . A large barn , its timber floor swept clean , was available . On the floor the Column placed its portable mattresses . Sometimes , if it did not inconvenience the people and a spare room or two was available , a number of us stayed in the dwelling house . This was the case on this night , as the people of the house insisted on it . The arrangements completed , some of the Column went off to nearby houses with local Volunteers for a few hours , while some returned to the fire in the kitchen . Here we passed the time pleasantly with song and story until nearly midnight .
With the Lewis-gun section , a few of the Column and a visiting Brigade Officer , I shared a room upstairs . Our quarters were most comfortable and soon we were fast asleep . The sound of heavy rifle fire must have awakened us simultaneously , for we were all on our feet in one movement ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(1 of 16).
One of the most anguishing things to happen to a mother is to suffer the loss of a child , but how much more harrowing it must be when the child is an innocent victim of bigotry and hatred .
In Northern Ireland (sic) between August 1975 and April 1982 , six children aged between ten and fifteen were killed . All were shot by British Army personnel using plastic bullets . Yet , despite constant and concerted efforts by the people in the North's Catholic areas (all of the children killed in this manner were Catholics) to have plastic bullets banned , the British Government has turned a blind eye .
For many of the disillusioned people campaigning , one of the most upsetting factors of their uphill battle is that the Irish (Free State) Government has yet to formally request the British Government to ban the use of plastic bullets.......
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
'THE IRISH PEOPLE' ; an Irish Rebel Newspaper , 1863 - 1865 ........
.......In the First Issue of the 'The Irish People' newspaper , Irish Rebel leader James Stephens pulled no punches regarding the British presence in Ireland ; the Brits were alarmed , and issued a statement in relation to the 'Irish Republican Brotherhood' 'paper .......
In their statement , the Brits declared that they viewed the ' The Irish People ' newspaper as , so far , - " Just keeping within the bounds of (British) legality ....(but going) much further than any of the other Dublin newspapers in proclaiming a total national independence to be achieved by means other than parliamentary agitation . "
James Stephens and the 'The Irish People' newspaper staff were aware that they were being watched by the Brits , but never even considered 'toning down' the content of the newspaper - they were publishing articles calling for the complete separation of Ireland from England and refused to rule-out physical force as a means - indeed , the only means - by which this could be achieved . The Brits knew that if that type of material was being published , then 'worse' (ie more militant) material would be on the premises .
And they had a man on the inside .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......March 1921 ; The Flying Column I was with was in its base in western Ballyvourney . But all did not seem well......."
" We got an order to move out ; however , it was merely a precautionary measure - our Officers considered that we had been long enough in that glen , and , to nullify the efforts of enemy agents , we would now move to new ground . Despite the difficulties attached to their use , we always brought two powerful touring motor cars along with us . Into them we now stowed our impediments ; blankets , light mattresses , grenades and other heavy gear . With the Lewis-gun section I travelled in one of the cars .
The Column moved off across the hills , while we , taking advantage of the twilight to drive without lights , went by quiet roads around the feet of the hills . Our destination was Carrig Ban , a deep secluded glen in Ballingeary . As we threaded our way through the long , narrow and tortuous boreen leading to the farmhouse , our Headquarters , we had to use our headlamps . Knowing the formation of the glen and its surrounding hills so well , the use of the lights gave us no cause for anxiety . We entered the farmyard and left the cars near two big heaps of aiteann gaolach , the light species of furze used as bedding or litter .
Soon we were seated in front of a mighty fire in the big kitchen , while the two daughters of the house made tea for us . Some of the more 'chivalrous' of the young men of the Column hastened to assist them at the operation , while others advised the girls not to accept their services but to relegate them to some menial work like the bringing in of turf , the sweeping of the yard or the cleaning of the stalls.....
A most enjoyable crossfire of wit ensued , and for a while the house shook with laughter ......."
(MORE LATER).
In this 'FREE' STATE , the 'political elite' in Leinster House have demanded that the taxpayer pay twice to have their household rubbish collected ;
they are now 'flying a kite' to ascertain how the same taxpayer would feel if certain major (minor to follow?) roads were fitted with a toll-bridge -
(- prices to increase each year ? Twice a year ?)... this after said taxpayer has already paid to have the road built in the first place !
....but , in the old days - well , they just wanted to put a tax on lakes , and ponds , and canals .......
ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .
By Richard Douthwaite .
(This article was first published in ' ALPHA ' Magazine , 27th April , 1989 , page 7).
Reproduced here in 8 parts .
[8 of 8].
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 were . "
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 - ' ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .']
(NOTE - I have been asked how are State taxpayers paying twice for the collection of their household rubbish ?; the answer is , 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 .
If the local Authorities have not being receiving that extra money , then its the politicians in Leinster House that owe it , not the taxpayer .)
(Tomorrow : from 1983 -' PLASTIC BULLETS ; THE CHILD KILLERS '.)
.......In the First Issue of the 'The Irish People' newspaper , Irish Rebel leader James Stephens pulled no punches regarding the British presence in Ireland ; the Brits were alarmed , and issued a statement in relation to the 'Irish Republican Brotherhood' 'paper .......
In their statement , the Brits declared that they viewed the ' The Irish People ' newspaper as , so far , - " Just keeping within the bounds of (British) legality ....(but going) much further than any of the other Dublin newspapers in proclaiming a total national independence to be achieved by means other than parliamentary agitation . "
James Stephens and the 'The Irish People' newspaper staff were aware that they were being watched by the Brits , but never even considered 'toning down' the content of the newspaper - they were publishing articles calling for the complete separation of Ireland from England and refused to rule-out physical force as a means - indeed , the only means - by which this could be achieved . The Brits knew that if that type of material was being published , then 'worse' (ie more militant) material would be on the premises .
And they had a man on the inside .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......March 1921 ; The Flying Column I was with was in its base in western Ballyvourney . But all did not seem well......."
" We got an order to move out ; however , it was merely a precautionary measure - our Officers considered that we had been long enough in that glen , and , to nullify the efforts of enemy agents , we would now move to new ground . Despite the difficulties attached to their use , we always brought two powerful touring motor cars along with us . Into them we now stowed our impediments ; blankets , light mattresses , grenades and other heavy gear . With the Lewis-gun section I travelled in one of the cars .
The Column moved off across the hills , while we , taking advantage of the twilight to drive without lights , went by quiet roads around the feet of the hills . Our destination was Carrig Ban , a deep secluded glen in Ballingeary . As we threaded our way through the long , narrow and tortuous boreen leading to the farmhouse , our Headquarters , we had to use our headlamps . Knowing the formation of the glen and its surrounding hills so well , the use of the lights gave us no cause for anxiety . We entered the farmyard and left the cars near two big heaps of aiteann gaolach , the light species of furze used as bedding or litter .
Soon we were seated in front of a mighty fire in the big kitchen , while the two daughters of the house made tea for us . Some of the more 'chivalrous' of the young men of the Column hastened to assist them at the operation , while others advised the girls not to accept their services but to relegate them to some menial work like the bringing in of turf , the sweeping of the yard or the cleaning of the stalls.....
A most enjoyable crossfire of wit ensued , and for a while the house shook with laughter ......."
(MORE LATER).
In this 'FREE' STATE , the 'political elite' in Leinster House have demanded that the taxpayer pay twice to have their household rubbish collected ;
they are now 'flying a kite' to ascertain how the same taxpayer would feel if certain major (minor to follow?) roads were fitted with a toll-bridge -
(- prices to increase each year ? Twice a year ?)... this after said taxpayer has already paid to have the road built in the first place !
....but , in the old days - well , they just wanted to put a tax on lakes , and ponds , and canals .......
ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .
By Richard Douthwaite .
(This article was first published in ' ALPHA ' Magazine , 27th April , 1989 , page 7).
Reproduced here in 8 parts .
[8 of 8].
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 were . "
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 - ' ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .']
(NOTE - I have been asked how are State taxpayers paying twice for the collection of their household rubbish ?; the answer is , 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 .
If the local Authorities have not being receiving that extra money , then its the politicians in Leinster House that owe it , not the taxpayer .)
(Tomorrow : from 1983 -' PLASTIC BULLETS ; THE CHILD KILLERS '.)
Monday, April 26, 2004
'THE IRISH PEOPLE' ; an Irish Rebel Newspaper , 1863 - 1865 ........
....... In November 1863 , the first issue of the 'Irish Republican Brotherhood ' newspaper , ' The Irish People ' , went on sale ; well-known Irish Republicans were involved - John O'Leary , Charles J. Kickham , Jeremiah O' Donovan Rossa , James O'Connor , John Haltigan .......
Also , Thomas Clarke Luby and Denis Dowling Mulcahy were on the Editorial Board and regularly contributed articles to the newspaper . In that first issue , produced at its Offices in Parliament Street in Dublin , James Stephens wrote -
- " The paper shall be called 'The Irish People' (for) the people are in sore need of a 'paper at once reliable and capable of supplying the knowledge of their rights and duties - of the dignity and power of labour - of what they are and might and shall become . "
The British Administration in Dublin Castle sat-up and took notice - they were still recovering from the 'defeat' they endured at the hands of this man , James Stephens , and the 'Irish Republican Brotherhood' , regarding the funeral of Terence Bellew MacManus . The Brits issued a statement , indicating their future intentions towards Stephens , the IRB and 'The Irish People' newspaper .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
"....... January 1921 ; a Brigade Flying Column was formed in our area . We had more Volunteers than weapons for them ......."
" If we had the weapons , each IRA Brigade would have had eight Columns , each of which would operate on its own ground and , knowing its area thoroughly well , would make the best use of it . If one IRA Column got into difficulties , there would be a great possibility of its receiving timely assistance from one or more of its neighbours . The opportunities for attacking and harassing the Brits would have been increased a hundred fold .
The IRA Brigade Column had little to recommend it . It had much too large an area to deal with successfully ; often it was found that , after a forced march of twenty miles or more , the journey had been made in vain ! Such disappointments were , in fact , only too common . But the most serious dis-advantage of all was the ever-present danger of encirclement by overwhelmingly powerful forces . The IRA Column was only a Unit moving about , alone , over a wide area . Had a second or third IRA Unit also moved , at least some confusion and doubt would have been caused among the enemy's intelligence system .
But it is comparatively easy to keep track of a single Unit , when once sighted . Thus , it often happened that a Column , alarmed at dawn , found itself in a circle of British steel . For instance , once our Column had returned to one of its bases in western Ballyvourney . We had rested there for two days - the time was March 1921 ; quite suddenly , just before nightfall , we got an order to move ......."
(MORE LATER).
In this 'FREE' STATE , the 'political elite' in Leinster House have demanded that the taxpayer pay twice to have their household rubbish collected ;
they are now 'flying a kite' to ascertain how the same taxpayer would feel if certain major (minor to follow?) roads were fitted with a toll-bridge -
(- prices to increase each year ? Twice a year ?)... this after said taxpayer has already paid to have the road built in the first place !
....but , in the old days - well , they just wanted to put a tax on lakes , and ponds , and canals .......
ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .
By Richard Douthwaite .
(This article was first published in ' ALPHA ' Magazine , 27th April , 1989 , page 7).
Reproduced here in 8 parts .
(7 of 8).
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 . 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 .......".
(MORE LATER).
....... In November 1863 , the first issue of the 'Irish Republican Brotherhood ' newspaper , ' The Irish People ' , went on sale ; well-known Irish Republicans were involved - John O'Leary , Charles J. Kickham , Jeremiah O' Donovan Rossa , James O'Connor , John Haltigan .......
Also , Thomas Clarke Luby and Denis Dowling Mulcahy were on the Editorial Board and regularly contributed articles to the newspaper . In that first issue , produced at its Offices in Parliament Street in Dublin , James Stephens wrote -
- " The paper shall be called 'The Irish People' (for) the people are in sore need of a 'paper at once reliable and capable of supplying the knowledge of their rights and duties - of the dignity and power of labour - of what they are and might and shall become . "
The British Administration in Dublin Castle sat-up and took notice - they were still recovering from the 'defeat' they endured at the hands of this man , James Stephens , and the 'Irish Republican Brotherhood' , regarding the funeral of Terence Bellew MacManus . The Brits issued a statement , indicating their future intentions towards Stephens , the IRB and 'The Irish People' newspaper .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
"....... January 1921 ; a Brigade Flying Column was formed in our area . We had more Volunteers than weapons for them ......."
" If we had the weapons , each IRA Brigade would have had eight Columns , each of which would operate on its own ground and , knowing its area thoroughly well , would make the best use of it . If one IRA Column got into difficulties , there would be a great possibility of its receiving timely assistance from one or more of its neighbours . The opportunities for attacking and harassing the Brits would have been increased a hundred fold .
The IRA Brigade Column had little to recommend it . It had much too large an area to deal with successfully ; often it was found that , after a forced march of twenty miles or more , the journey had been made in vain ! Such disappointments were , in fact , only too common . But the most serious dis-advantage of all was the ever-present danger of encirclement by overwhelmingly powerful forces . The IRA Column was only a Unit moving about , alone , over a wide area . Had a second or third IRA Unit also moved , at least some confusion and doubt would have been caused among the enemy's intelligence system .
But it is comparatively easy to keep track of a single Unit , when once sighted . Thus , it often happened that a Column , alarmed at dawn , found itself in a circle of British steel . For instance , once our Column had returned to one of its bases in western Ballyvourney . We had rested there for two days - the time was March 1921 ; quite suddenly , just before nightfall , we got an order to move ......."
(MORE LATER).
In this 'FREE' STATE , the 'political elite' in Leinster House have demanded that the taxpayer pay twice to have their household rubbish collected ;
they are now 'flying a kite' to ascertain how the same taxpayer would feel if certain major (minor to follow?) roads were fitted with a toll-bridge -
(- prices to increase each year ? Twice a year ?)... this after said taxpayer has already paid to have the road built in the first place !
....but , in the old days - well , they just wanted to put a tax on lakes , and ponds , and canals .......
ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .
By Richard Douthwaite .
(This article was first published in ' ALPHA ' Magazine , 27th April , 1989 , page 7).
Reproduced here in 8 parts .
(7 of 8).
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 . 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 .......".
(MORE LATER).
Sunday, April 25, 2004
'THE IRISH PEOPLE' ; an Irish Rebel Newspaper , 1863 - 1865 ........
....... The IRB/Fenian funeral of Terence Bellew MacManus , in 1863 , was the talking-point of the day ; with this in mind , the IRB leader James Stephens set-off on a tour of Ireland , to increase Rebel membership .......
Thousands of new members joined-up with the IRB as a result of Stephens' efforts ; indeed , the British themselves were to put an estimate of Irish Republican Brotherhood strength at 85,000 members .
But James Stephens must have been thinking of the value of constant publicity as a propaganda tool in the war - meetings were held in late 1863 with a view to launching an IRB newspaper ; in November that year (ie 1863) the first issue of ' The Irish People ' newspaper went on sale .
Its Editor was John O'Leary , who was assisted in that job by Charles J . Kickham . The business-management side of the newspaper was handled by Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa and James O'Connor , with John Haltigan in charge of the printing-press .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......Guerrilla Warfare ; small columns of Rebels , hit and run . A tactic used in Ireland , and one which brought about the 'Truce' with the Brits in July 1921 ....... "
" The Flying Column was a natural development of the resistance movement , which started fitfully and spontaneously , then, in certain areas , spread rapidly . The few men who started it were declared " outlaws ". To protect themselves from aggression and to maintain the resistance , they formed groups here and there . These groups became the bases of the Flying Columns . This was the case in our district , the military designation of which was the Eight Battalion area ; it was part of the Cork No. 1 Brigade area , which included Cork City and the middle of the county to the Kerry border .
Early in the autumn of 1920 , we had a Battalion Column of thirty men - all were well armed with rifles and revolvers which had been taken from the Brits . All were first-class marksmen . Early in January 1921 , the Brigade Flying Column was formed : that was achieved by adding fifteen men from Cork City to our Battalion Column . The Brigade Flying Column was not a good idea , but it was a matter of expediency , since few areas could arm a Battalion Column . Had the supply of arms been adequate , men to use them would not have been lacking . Then the Brigade would have had eight Columns instead of one ..... "
(MORE LATER).
In this 'FREE' STATE , the 'political elite' in Leinster House have demanded that the taxpayer pay twice to have their household rubbish collected ;
they are now 'flying a kite' to ascertain how the same taxpayer would feel if certain major (minor to follow?) roads were fitted with a toll-bridge -
(- prices to increase each year ? Twice a year ?)... this after said taxpayer has already paid to have the road built in the first place !
....but , in the old days - well , they just wanted to put a tax on lakes , and ponds , and canals .......
ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .
By Richard Douthwaite .
(This article was first published in ' ALPHA ' Magazine , 27th April , 1989 , page 7).
Reproduced here in 8 parts .
(6 of 8).
The Anti-Rod Licence campaigners 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 .....
(MORE LATER).
....... The IRB/Fenian funeral of Terence Bellew MacManus , in 1863 , was the talking-point of the day ; with this in mind , the IRB leader James Stephens set-off on a tour of Ireland , to increase Rebel membership .......
Thousands of new members joined-up with the IRB as a result of Stephens' efforts ; indeed , the British themselves were to put an estimate of Irish Republican Brotherhood strength at 85,000 members .
But James Stephens must have been thinking of the value of constant publicity as a propaganda tool in the war - meetings were held in late 1863 with a view to launching an IRB newspaper ; in November that year (ie 1863) the first issue of ' The Irish People ' newspaper went on sale .
Its Editor was John O'Leary , who was assisted in that job by Charles J . Kickham . The business-management side of the newspaper was handled by Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa and James O'Connor , with John Haltigan in charge of the printing-press .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .......
".......Guerrilla Warfare ; small columns of Rebels , hit and run . A tactic used in Ireland , and one which brought about the 'Truce' with the Brits in July 1921 ....... "
" The Flying Column was a natural development of the resistance movement , which started fitfully and spontaneously , then, in certain areas , spread rapidly . The few men who started it were declared " outlaws ". To protect themselves from aggression and to maintain the resistance , they formed groups here and there . These groups became the bases of the Flying Columns . This was the case in our district , the military designation of which was the Eight Battalion area ; it was part of the Cork No. 1 Brigade area , which included Cork City and the middle of the county to the Kerry border .
Early in the autumn of 1920 , we had a Battalion Column of thirty men - all were well armed with rifles and revolvers which had been taken from the Brits . All were first-class marksmen . Early in January 1921 , the Brigade Flying Column was formed : that was achieved by adding fifteen men from Cork City to our Battalion Column . The Brigade Flying Column was not a good idea , but it was a matter of expediency , since few areas could arm a Battalion Column . Had the supply of arms been adequate , men to use them would not have been lacking . Then the Brigade would have had eight Columns instead of one ..... "
(MORE LATER).
In this 'FREE' STATE , the 'political elite' in Leinster House have demanded that the taxpayer pay twice to have their household rubbish collected ;
they are now 'flying a kite' to ascertain how the same taxpayer would feel if certain major (minor to follow?) roads were fitted with a toll-bridge -
(- prices to increase each year ? Twice a year ?)... this after said taxpayer has already paid to have the road built in the first place !
....but , in the old days - well , they just wanted to put a tax on lakes , and ponds , and canals .......
ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .
By Richard Douthwaite .
(This article was first published in ' ALPHA ' Magazine , 27th April , 1989 , page 7).
Reproduced here in 8 parts .
(6 of 8).
The Anti-Rod Licence campaigners 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 .....
(MORE LATER).
Saturday, April 24, 2004
'THE IRISH PEOPLE' ; an Irish Rebel Newspaper , 1863 - 1865 ........
.......Even the 'Establishment' media sat-up and took notice of this Catholic-Church banned Rebel funeral .....
An 'Establishment' newspaper , which had a large and influential readership at the time , the ' Freemans Journal ' , (a 'Castle-Catholic' paper , known to be "constitutionally minded") which , incidentally , had an issue on the streets each week for 161 years - from 1763 to 1924 (!) reported that - " the (funeral) demonstration owed its origins and its magnitude to the cause with which (Terence Bellew) MacManus was identified . "
High praise indeed from an 'Establishment' newspaper - but not good enough for James Stephens , the IRB/Fenian leader . The imagination of the population had been captured by the MacManus incident ; James Stephens , in a move which Terence Bellew MacManus himself would have been proud of , organised a small crew around him and set-off on a recruitment drive throughout Ireland .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .
" The Flying Column in war is as old as war itself . It was used by armies , large and small , all over the earth , from the earliest times to the present day . It travelled on foot , horse or camel in the old days . In modern times it is mechanized and when air borne attains its true literal meaning . Its function remains always the same . In guerrilla warfare , the flying column is the army .
The more columns there are , and the more widely scattered they are , the longer will they last . I am , of course , assuming that the guerrilla forces are small and weak compared with those of their enemies . With such a discrepancy , it would be madness to gather together the forces of the weak and to pit them against those of the strong in one pitched battle . Commonsense would indicate the wisdom of breaking up into small groups , each in its own native area , and , by the judicious use of time and place , wage on the enemy a prolonged and harassing war .
Such wars have been successfully fought ; on such a pattern was fought the guerrilla war in Ireland , which brought about the 'Truce' with Britain in July 1921 ....... "
(MORE LATER).
In this 'FREE' STATE , the 'political elite' in Leinster House have demanded that the taxpayer pay twice to have their household rubbish collected ;
they are now 'flying a kite' to ascertain how the same taxpayer would feel if certain major (minor to follow?) roads were fitted with a toll-bridge -
(- prices to increase each year ? Twice a year ?)... this after said taxpayer has already paid to have the road built in the first place !
....but , in the old days - well , they just wanted to put a tax on lakes , and ponds , and canals .......
ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .
By Richard Douthwaite .
(This article was first published in ' ALPHA ' Magazine , 27th April , 1989 , page 7).
Reproduced here in 8 parts .
(5 of 8).
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 ....
(MORE LATER).
.......Even the 'Establishment' media sat-up and took notice of this Catholic-Church banned Rebel funeral .....
An 'Establishment' newspaper , which had a large and influential readership at the time , the ' Freemans Journal ' , (a 'Castle-Catholic' paper , known to be "constitutionally minded") which , incidentally , had an issue on the streets each week for 161 years - from 1763 to 1924 (!) reported that - " the (funeral) demonstration owed its origins and its magnitude to the cause with which (Terence Bellew) MacManus was identified . "
High praise indeed from an 'Establishment' newspaper - but not good enough for James Stephens , the IRB/Fenian leader . The imagination of the population had been captured by the MacManus incident ; James Stephens , in a move which Terence Bellew MacManus himself would have been proud of , organised a small crew around him and set-off on a recruitment drive throughout Ireland .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE FLYING COLUMN .
" The Flying Column in war is as old as war itself . It was used by armies , large and small , all over the earth , from the earliest times to the present day . It travelled on foot , horse or camel in the old days . In modern times it is mechanized and when air borne attains its true literal meaning . Its function remains always the same . In guerrilla warfare , the flying column is the army .
The more columns there are , and the more widely scattered they are , the longer will they last . I am , of course , assuming that the guerrilla forces are small and weak compared with those of their enemies . With such a discrepancy , it would be madness to gather together the forces of the weak and to pit them against those of the strong in one pitched battle . Commonsense would indicate the wisdom of breaking up into small groups , each in its own native area , and , by the judicious use of time and place , wage on the enemy a prolonged and harassing war .
Such wars have been successfully fought ; on such a pattern was fought the guerrilla war in Ireland , which brought about the 'Truce' with Britain in July 1921 ....... "
(MORE LATER).
In this 'FREE' STATE , the 'political elite' in Leinster House have demanded that the taxpayer pay twice to have their household rubbish collected ;
they are now 'flying a kite' to ascertain how the same taxpayer would feel if certain major (minor to follow?) roads were fitted with a toll-bridge -
(- prices to increase each year ? Twice a year ?)... this after said taxpayer has already paid to have the road built in the first place !
....but , in the old days - well , they just wanted to put a tax on lakes , and ponds , and canals .......
ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .
By Richard Douthwaite .
(This article was first published in ' ALPHA ' Magazine , 27th April , 1989 , page 7).
Reproduced here in 8 parts .
(5 of 8).
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 ....
(MORE LATER).
Friday, April 23, 2004
'THE IRISH PEOPLE' ; an Irish Rebel Newspaper , 1863 - 1865 ........
....... The 'Irish Republican Brotherhood' organised a 'colour-party' and dozens of uniformed IRB men on horse-back for the funeral of Terence Bellew MacManus ; approximately 20,000 people came out on to the streets to watch the proceedings .......
This huge procession took over Dublin on the day of the funeral , and the coffin containing the remains of Terence Bellew MacManus arrived , eventually, after the cortege had wound its way through Dublin , at Glasnevin Cemetery in the north of the city .
The huge crowd entered the Cemetery and watched as a Catholic Priest (one of the few not willing to be dictated too by his fine-robed bosses) stepped forward and officiated at the graveside . The funeral incident received widespread publicity within Ireland and abroad .
A popular newspaper of the day , the 'Freemans Journal' , which had a large circulation in 'Establishment' circles , gave the MacManus funeral top coverage .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .......
".......The work was done and , as usual, a village dance had been organised . It was obvious to me that my presence was not wanted . On my way home , alone, I stopped and turned back ......."
" The dance was being held at Jack Lehane's house . There were three houses in the yard and it was his turn for that year . I reached the door unnoticed ; the kitchen was packed with dancers , and men were standing close together just inside the doorway . The door was open , so I stepped in . After a while the set ( ie- that particular song ) came to an end . There was a pause , then I heard the music and words of an old Rebel song - ' The Rising of The Moon ..... '
Someone with perhaps some latent bit of patriotism ; I moved in , the better to hear that fine old song , which I liked and knew well . 'Aililiu' , as my grandmother used to say , I was seen ! Soon , I had plenty of room for myself - the people left in ones and twos . I was indeed the 'spectre of the feast' .
In a short time I was seated beside Jack at the fire , discussing Ireland's wrongs and rights , with nothing to interrupt us save the crickets . At half-past ten that night I left him and started uphill again for the Cross and home . Alone ."
[END of - ' A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .......'].
(Tomorrow - ' The Flying Column '...)
In this 'FREE' STATE , the 'political elite' in Leinster House have demanded that the taxpayer pay twice to have their household rubbish collected ;
they are now 'flying a kite' to ascertain how the same taxpayer would feel if certain major (minor to follow?) roads were fitted with a toll-bridge -
(- prices to increase each year ? Twice a year ?)... this after said taxpayer has already paid to have the road built in the first place !
....but , in the old days - well , they just wanted to put a tax on lakes , and ponds , and canals .......
ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .
By Richard Douthwaite .
(This article was first published in ' ALPHA ' Magazine , 27th April , 1989 , page 7).
Reproduced here in 8 parts .
(4 of 8).
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 .......
(MORE LATER).
....... The 'Irish Republican Brotherhood' organised a 'colour-party' and dozens of uniformed IRB men on horse-back for the funeral of Terence Bellew MacManus ; approximately 20,000 people came out on to the streets to watch the proceedings .......
This huge procession took over Dublin on the day of the funeral , and the coffin containing the remains of Terence Bellew MacManus arrived , eventually, after the cortege had wound its way through Dublin , at Glasnevin Cemetery in the north of the city .
The huge crowd entered the Cemetery and watched as a Catholic Priest (one of the few not willing to be dictated too by his fine-robed bosses) stepped forward and officiated at the graveside . The funeral incident received widespread publicity within Ireland and abroad .
A popular newspaper of the day , the 'Freemans Journal' , which had a large circulation in 'Establishment' circles , gave the MacManus funeral top coverage .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .......
".......The work was done and , as usual, a village dance had been organised . It was obvious to me that my presence was not wanted . On my way home , alone, I stopped and turned back ......."
" The dance was being held at Jack Lehane's house . There were three houses in the yard and it was his turn for that year . I reached the door unnoticed ; the kitchen was packed with dancers , and men were standing close together just inside the doorway . The door was open , so I stepped in . After a while the set ( ie- that particular song ) came to an end . There was a pause , then I heard the music and words of an old Rebel song - ' The Rising of The Moon ..... '
Someone with perhaps some latent bit of patriotism ; I moved in , the better to hear that fine old song , which I liked and knew well . 'Aililiu' , as my grandmother used to say , I was seen ! Soon , I had plenty of room for myself - the people left in ones and twos . I was indeed the 'spectre of the feast' .
In a short time I was seated beside Jack at the fire , discussing Ireland's wrongs and rights , with nothing to interrupt us save the crickets . At half-past ten that night I left him and started uphill again for the Cross and home . Alone ."
[END of - ' A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .......'].
(Tomorrow - ' The Flying Column '...)
In this 'FREE' STATE , the 'political elite' in Leinster House have demanded that the taxpayer pay twice to have their household rubbish collected ;
they are now 'flying a kite' to ascertain how the same taxpayer would feel if certain major (minor to follow?) roads were fitted with a toll-bridge -
(- prices to increase each year ? Twice a year ?)... this after said taxpayer has already paid to have the road built in the first place !
....but , in the old days - well , they just wanted to put a tax on lakes , and ponds , and canals .......
ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .
By Richard Douthwaite .
(This article was first published in ' ALPHA ' Magazine , 27th April , 1989 , page 7).
Reproduced here in 8 parts .
(4 of 8).
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 .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, April 22, 2004
'THE IRISH PEOPLE' ; an Irish Rebel Newspaper , 1863 - 1865 ........
.......Arrangements were being made in Ireland to bury the remains of Terence Bellew MacManus , who had died in America ; but the Catholic Church intervened .......
The Catholic Church issued statements , and not only from the pulpits , in which they " decried the glorification of a man who had risen in arms in unlawful rebellion " (ie - a "dissident") ; the use of ' Church property ' in MacManus's funeral was forbidden - the Brits were pleased . However , the 'Irish Republican Brotherhood' was prepared for that , and 'Plan B' was put into action .
James Stephens and the IRB used the publicity generated by the refusal of the Catholic Church to their own advantage : a 'colour-party' of Rebels was organised , and IRB members on horse-back , dozens of them , in uniform , all wearing black arm-bands and carrying batons , were mobilised ....
...this military display by the Irish Rebels brought an estimated crowd of twenty-thousand people on to the streets .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .......
".......Both lorries passed-by without incident . The farm-workers came out of hiding ......."
" The work was resumed , the day passed , the corn was threshed . At the time I heard , or rather overheard , about the dance . It was discussed in whispers , with furtive glances in my direction . I thoroughly understood . I had fitted badly into the scheme of things in 'Happy Valley'. It was reasonable to assume that distance would considerably improve my relations with its inhabitants . Accordingly , when I announced that I was about to look for my cap to go home , I was forestalled by numerous helpers who not only found my own cap for me , but several other caps as well . Relations had already shown a considerable improvement ...
I walked uphill again , on my own , on the road home . Reaching the first level , I stopped and looked back ; it was dark and I could see nothing . I sat down on a mossy stone and lit a cigarette . I thought on the events of the day and especially on the recent anxiety to get rid of me . Resentment stirred in me ; I got up to face homewards . The strains of music came to my ears : I stopped , and turned around to go back to 'Happy Valley'......."
(MORE LATER).
In this 'FREE' STATE , the 'political elite' in Leinster House have demanded that the taxpayer pay twice to have their household rubbish collected ;
they are now 'flying a kite' to ascertain how the same taxpayer would feel if certain major (minor to follow?) roads were fitted with a toll-bridge -
(- prices to increase each year ? Twice a year ?)... this after said taxpayer has already paid to have the road built in the first place !
....but , in the old days - well , they just wanted to put a tax on lakes , and ponds , and canals .......
ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .
By Richard Douthwaite .
(This article was first published in ' ALPHA ' Magazine , 27th April , 1989 , page 7).
Reproduced here in 8 parts .
(3 of 8).
The court case 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 instalment (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 .......
(MORE LATER).
.......Arrangements were being made in Ireland to bury the remains of Terence Bellew MacManus , who had died in America ; but the Catholic Church intervened .......
The Catholic Church issued statements , and not only from the pulpits , in which they " decried the glorification of a man who had risen in arms in unlawful rebellion " (ie - a "dissident") ; the use of ' Church property ' in MacManus's funeral was forbidden - the Brits were pleased . However , the 'Irish Republican Brotherhood' was prepared for that , and 'Plan B' was put into action .
James Stephens and the IRB used the publicity generated by the refusal of the Catholic Church to their own advantage : a 'colour-party' of Rebels was organised , and IRB members on horse-back , dozens of them , in uniform , all wearing black arm-bands and carrying batons , were mobilised ....
...this military display by the Irish Rebels brought an estimated crowd of twenty-thousand people on to the streets .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .......
".......Both lorries passed-by without incident . The farm-workers came out of hiding ......."
" The work was resumed , the day passed , the corn was threshed . At the time I heard , or rather overheard , about the dance . It was discussed in whispers , with furtive glances in my direction . I thoroughly understood . I had fitted badly into the scheme of things in 'Happy Valley'. It was reasonable to assume that distance would considerably improve my relations with its inhabitants . Accordingly , when I announced that I was about to look for my cap to go home , I was forestalled by numerous helpers who not only found my own cap for me , but several other caps as well . Relations had already shown a considerable improvement ...
I walked uphill again , on my own , on the road home . Reaching the first level , I stopped and looked back ; it was dark and I could see nothing . I sat down on a mossy stone and lit a cigarette . I thought on the events of the day and especially on the recent anxiety to get rid of me . Resentment stirred in me ; I got up to face homewards . The strains of music came to my ears : I stopped , and turned around to go back to 'Happy Valley'......."
(MORE LATER).
In this 'FREE' STATE , the 'political elite' in Leinster House have demanded that the taxpayer pay twice to have their household rubbish collected ;
they are now 'flying a kite' to ascertain how the same taxpayer would feel if certain major (minor to follow?) roads were fitted with a toll-bridge -
(- prices to increase each year ? Twice a year ?)... this after said taxpayer has already paid to have the road built in the first place !
....but , in the old days - well , they just wanted to put a tax on lakes , and ponds , and canals .......
ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .
By Richard Douthwaite .
(This article was first published in ' ALPHA ' Magazine , 27th April , 1989 , page 7).
Reproduced here in 8 parts .
(3 of 8).
The court case 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 instalment (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 .......
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
'THE IRISH PEOPLE' ; an Irish Rebel Newspaper , 1863 - 1865 ........
....... Charles J. Kickham and the ' Irish Republican Brotherhood ' were not only up against the Brits - they also had to contend with the Catholic Church and the 'Establishment' of the day . The 'Propaganda War' , for 'hearts and minds' , was taking place behind the scenes .......
The Irish Catholic Church Hierarchy were , once again , to prove their value to their British 'Society' friends - in 1863 , Terence Bellew MacManus died in San Francisco in America ; he was an old Irish Rebel who had cracked many an English skull in 1848 , when he challenged , with other members of the ' Young Ireland ' Movement , the British 'Empire' .
His comrades in America , apparently in keeping with the man's last request , made preparations to have his remains buried in Ireland and contacted Irish Republican Brotherhood leader James Stephens in relation to burial arrangements for MacManus in Ireland .
However , true to form , the Catholic Church intervened .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .......
"....... The British Auxiliaries were now only a few feet away from me . I was on my own at the gate . The Brits gave me a good coat of looking-over......."
" The first man nearest the driver raised his hand in salute , while still watching me intently ; I returned the salute . He smiled . Then all the Brits saluted me . The driver raced his engine , and they moved off again . My attention was now drawn from them to the second lorry . Exactly the same thing happened . The change of gears , the stop , the scrutiny , the salute , the smile at my salute , and the general salute from all the men facing me . Then finally the tail of the second lorry disappeared around the corner .
I remained in the gateway , listening . I could tell by their gear changes all the steps and levels of the stair-like road to the top of Ard a' Bhona . Then I turned about to meet the onset of my uncle Patsy who , white-faced , again appeared on the scene . I veered towards the side-car the while I removed my coat . The sight of the guns again restored his speech . " Mighty save us above , " he gasped , " things were not bad enough without going to the gate . What were you going to do if they came in , and what were we all going to do ? "
" Ah , Patsy , " I said , " they would not come in at all . " " And what was to stop them ? " asked uncle Patsy . That finished my diplomacy - " I was to stop them , " I replied sharply . " Did you think or do you think now that I was going to run from that riff-raff ? By the way , where are your own auxiliaries ? Are you going to thresh your corn today ? " I again put my guns in the 'well' with my coat on top , and , running past Patsy , climbed to the top of the haystack . Seizing a pike again , I used it vigorously to add to the heap on my neighbour's stack .
Then , leaning on the pike , I watched with interest the gradual return of those who had " studied their safety in flight ......." "
(MORE LATER).
In this 'FREE' STATE , the 'political elite' in Leinster House have demanded that the taxpayer pay twice to have their household rubbish collected ;
they are now 'flying a kite' to ascertain how the same taxpayer would feel if certain major (minor to follow?) roads were fitted with a toll-bridge -
(- prices to increase each year ? Twice a year ?)... this after said taxpayer has already paid to have the road built in the first place !
....but , in the old days - well , they just wanted to put a tax on lakes , and ponds , and canals .......
ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .
By Richard Douthwaite .
(This article was first published in ' ALPHA ' Magazine , 27th April , 1989 , page 7).
Reproduced here in 8 parts .
(2 of 8).
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 .......
(MORE LATER).
....... Charles J. Kickham and the ' Irish Republican Brotherhood ' were not only up against the Brits - they also had to contend with the Catholic Church and the 'Establishment' of the day . The 'Propaganda War' , for 'hearts and minds' , was taking place behind the scenes .......
The Irish Catholic Church Hierarchy were , once again , to prove their value to their British 'Society' friends - in 1863 , Terence Bellew MacManus died in San Francisco in America ; he was an old Irish Rebel who had cracked many an English skull in 1848 , when he challenged , with other members of the ' Young Ireland ' Movement , the British 'Empire' .
His comrades in America , apparently in keeping with the man's last request , made preparations to have his remains buried in Ireland and contacted Irish Republican Brotherhood leader James Stephens in relation to burial arrangements for MacManus in Ireland .
However , true to form , the Catholic Church intervened .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .......
"....... The British Auxiliaries were now only a few feet away from me . I was on my own at the gate . The Brits gave me a good coat of looking-over......."
" The first man nearest the driver raised his hand in salute , while still watching me intently ; I returned the salute . He smiled . Then all the Brits saluted me . The driver raced his engine , and they moved off again . My attention was now drawn from them to the second lorry . Exactly the same thing happened . The change of gears , the stop , the scrutiny , the salute , the smile at my salute , and the general salute from all the men facing me . Then finally the tail of the second lorry disappeared around the corner .
I remained in the gateway , listening . I could tell by their gear changes all the steps and levels of the stair-like road to the top of Ard a' Bhona . Then I turned about to meet the onset of my uncle Patsy who , white-faced , again appeared on the scene . I veered towards the side-car the while I removed my coat . The sight of the guns again restored his speech . " Mighty save us above , " he gasped , " things were not bad enough without going to the gate . What were you going to do if they came in , and what were we all going to do ? "
" Ah , Patsy , " I said , " they would not come in at all . " " And what was to stop them ? " asked uncle Patsy . That finished my diplomacy - " I was to stop them , " I replied sharply . " Did you think or do you think now that I was going to run from that riff-raff ? By the way , where are your own auxiliaries ? Are you going to thresh your corn today ? " I again put my guns in the 'well' with my coat on top , and , running past Patsy , climbed to the top of the haystack . Seizing a pike again , I used it vigorously to add to the heap on my neighbour's stack .
Then , leaning on the pike , I watched with interest the gradual return of those who had " studied their safety in flight ......." "
(MORE LATER).
In this 'FREE' STATE , the 'political elite' in Leinster House have demanded that the taxpayer pay twice to have their household rubbish collected ;
they are now 'flying a kite' to ascertain how the same taxpayer would feel if certain major (minor to follow?) roads were fitted with a toll-bridge -
(- prices to increase each year ? Twice a year ?)... this after said taxpayer has already paid to have the road built in the first place !
....but , in the old days - well , they just wanted to put a tax on lakes , and ponds , and canals .......
ROD LICENCE CAMPAIGN DETERMINED TO RESIST .
By Richard Douthwaite .
(This article was first published in ' ALPHA ' Magazine , 27th April , 1989 , page 7).
Reproduced here in 8 parts .
(2 of 8).
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 .......
(MORE LATER).
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