1169 And Counting.....

Friday, April 07, 2006

THE EXTRADITION SELL-OUT .......
Should it become law as intended on December 1 next , The Irish Extradition Act will adversely affect the rights of many Irish citizens in the future .
COLM KEENA examines the implications of proposed legislation .
From 'In Dublin' magazine , 1 October 1987 .

The Workers Party and the Progressive Democrats seem to be willing to indulge in the 'selling off' of the new arrangements in return for 'advances' in the cases of the Birmingham Six , the Guildford Four and Annie Maguire . Recently , Labour MP Chris Mullin , who has long been campaigning on behalf of the Birmingham Six , said that he was surprised that the Haughey government was going to implement the new extradition laws while there was still no significant progress in the three cases which have been of concern to * the Dublin government for some time . ( * '1169...' Comment : a good example of their level of 'concern' . )

Chris Mullin said that he had discussed the cases with Charles Haughey and Brian Lenihan in October 1986 , and he was now surprised that they were "...so easily satisfied . I do wish the Irish government would be a bit more robust , " he said . Chris Mullin has long been campaigning to "...tip the balance of inconvenience .. " so as to make it more embarrassing for the British government to keep these people in prison , than it would be to admit that its courts got it wrong .

Professor Mary McAleese said - " The experiences of the Guildford Four , the Birmingham Six and Annie Maguire are precisely the sort of things that a country should worry about when extraditing its citizens to a jurisdiction with that sort of track record . I would be considerably concerned about these matters being outstanding , and the 'Act' going through . "
(MORE LATER).

ON THE TAKE....... !
The question is no longer whether there is corruption within our political establishment but whether the political establishment is itself corrupt .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , February 1998 .

The 'on the take' malaise is represented perhaps best by three extraordinary decisions taken by Fianna Fail-led governments in recent years : the first of these decisions was the tax amnesty of 1993 , whereby tax defrauders were given a total amnesty on payment of just 15 per cent of the tax they owed to the State and a guarantee of absolute confidentiality hereafter !

The scale of this benefit to the richest in society cannot now be quantified , but it may be assumed with confidence that it was massive - but of more concern is what motivated the introduction of the tax amnesty in the first place : was it done to accommodate a single mega-rich taxpayer who was in trouble with the Revenue Commissioners and whose generosity to Fianna Fail and perhaps to individuals within the party was considerable ?

So troubled was the then Minister for Finance , Bertie Ahern , with the proposal to introduce the scheme that he considered resignation , and he was talked out of it only by a representative of the Labour Party , which was then in government with Bertie Ahern's party , Fianna Fail ; how ironic that a Fianna Fail finance minister should be encouraged to accept a measure that was so manifestly unfair by a representative of a party that purports to represent the quintessence of fairness !
(MORE LATER).

LIAM MELLOWS AND THE IRISH CIVIL WAR .......
This is the bulk of a public lecture given at University College , Galway , by Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle member and Deputy General Secretary of the 'Local Government and Public Services Union' , Phil Flynn , on December 8th 1982 , the 60th Anniversary of the Free State's execution of Liam Mellows .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .

POINT 3 (b) : Work of the Republic -
" To show it was - and is - a reality . This is an antidote to the hypocrites who now pretend that it never existed . Some pamphlets have already been published by direction of the Dail last year showing how the Republic functioned - Courts , Land Settlements , Decrees etc . These were sold for 6d each , I think , and they could be reproduced or used again . The 'Bulletin' , published by D/Publicity all through the war up to the signing of the Treaty does , I think , contain heaps of dates .

POINT 3 (c) : Hierarchy -
Invariably wrong in Ireland in their political outlook ie against the people in 1798 . Frs. Murphy (2) , Roche , Kearns , excommunicated by the then Bishop of Ferns : against Emmet , "condoning outrage" . Against Young Irelanders , "Godless young men " , support of Sadlier and Keogh , against the Fenians - Dr. Cullen , Bishop Moriarty : "Hell not hot enough or eternity long enough ... " . Against Sinn Fein , against the Irish Volunteers . Supported England in European War , 1914 , morally to blame for the deaths of thousands of Irish youths in France , Flanders , Mesopotamia , Gallipoli , Macedonia etc : nothing can condone this - the European War was a hideous holocaust on the alter of Mammon , a struggle between Europe for power . "
(MORE LATER).

Thursday, April 06, 2006

THE EXTRADITION SELL-OUT .......
Should it become law as intended on December 1 next , The Irish Extradition Act will adversely affect the rights of many Irish citizens in the future .
COLM KEENA examines the implications of proposed legislation .
From 'In Dublin' magazine , 1 October 1987 .

The Fianna Fail government who , in opposition had stated that they were opposed to the Extradition Act , especially in regard to its not having a demand for a prima facie case , has not said that it will delay its implementation or amend it . To do either would require a vote in Leinster House . ('1169...' Comment - for Fianna Fail "to do either" would require Fianna Fail to take a principled stand , one way on the other , on the issue . An altogether alien proposition for them .)

In the last number of weeks the (Westminster-appointed) Northern Secretary , Mr. Tom King , has repeated his view that the number of judges sitting in the Diplock Courts is not to be changed from one to three ; the Dublin Administration has been pressing for this , but the 'British Council for Civil Liberties' sees little difference between three judges or one : they want more jury trials . Professor Mary McAleese sees little difference between one judge , three judges or sixty judges : 'the law is being implemented correctly , but there are problems with the law' !

The new rules in regard to the admissibility of evidence and confessions , which are 'peculiar' to the Diplock Courts , are the major problem , she says . The Workers' Party and the Progressive Democrats say that they dislike the Extradition Act , that they would like to see the inclusion of the prima facie requirement.......
(MORE LATER).

ON THE TAKE !
The question is no longer whether there is corruption within our political establishment but whether the political establishment is itself corrupt .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , February 1998 .

We know now what we purported not to know before : that senior political figures were 'on the take' and that at least one of them was 'on the take' for decades ; we now know that the manner in which this senior political figure , Charles Haughey , was 'on the take' involved the complicity of bankers , accountants and 'benefactors' .

We know now that it involved a complicated financial ruse ( the Ansbacher accounts ) that were availed of by many others as well : many of those others were associates of Mr. Charles Haughey .

But whatever the further revelations of the Moriarty Tribunal into these matters and whatever more emerges about the existence of similar financial ruses in other banks , these represent only the symptom of what seems to be a much deeper malaise.......
(MORE LATER).

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

THE EXTRADITION SELL-OUT .......
Should it become law as intended on December 1 next , The Irish Extradition Act will adversely affect the rights of many Irish citizens in the future .
COLM KEENA examines the implications of proposed legislation .
From 'In Dublin' magazine , 1 October 1987 .

Ireland was one of two countries which did not sign the European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism in 1977 , because the provisions for allowing extradition for political offences was then repugnant to the State Constitution : this changed with the State Supreme Court rulings in relation to the McGlinchey case , where the nature of a political offence was 'redefined' .

Now , says Professor Mary McAleese , this 'Act' " ....copperfastens a process that has been diluting the extradition arrangements in this country . Five years ago this Act would have been an immense step . Now it is not . '

The 'Act' also far exceeds anything which would have been required by our signing the Convention Against Terrorism Bill ; in fact , as the Anti-Extradition Committee point out , the 'Act' is perhaps the most extreme in all of Europe - '...it is not at all unusual to demand that the foreign jurisdiction give prima facie evidence ; it would not have been outrageous for Ireland to do so . It might make the process of extradition a bit more difficult , but the highest possible rights should be given to the individual concerned . '

The 'Extradition Act' was drawn up by Garret FitzGerald's Fine Gael and Labour Coalition Government : now Fine Gael's Peter Barry was saying that there has not been enough progress in the North to justify the Act's coming into power .... !
(MORE LATER).

BILLY WRIGHT , LOYALIST VOLUNTEER FORCE .
" I have been prepared to die for long many a year . I don't wish to die , but at the end of the day no one will force their opinion down my throat . No one . "
On August 29 , 1996 , shortly before the 'Combined Loyalist Military Command's' death threat against him expired , EMER WOODFUL interviewed LVF leader BILLY WRIGHT in his Portadown home .......
From 'MAGILL' magazine , February 1998 .

Emer Woodful : " What do you hope for your children ? "
Billy Wright : " That there would be peace and reconciliation , and that this country (sic) would flourish . "

Emer Woodful : " Are you prepared for any compromise to get to peace , because I cannot see any in there at all ? "
Billy Wright : " Well , that's because you don't know me , dear , you don't know me . I lived in South Armagh ; I lived among nationalist people , I grew up with them , I had no difficulty with them . If only the IRA and Sinn Fein would recognise our right to exist , ('1169...' Comment - the loyalist/unionist 'right to exist' was not then , nor is it now , the issue : the claim from Westminster over part of this isle was , and still is , the issue . Billy Wright and those like him put themselves 'out on a limb' by , in some cases , attempting to enforce that jurisdictional claim by the use of force) to be British , ('1169....' Comment : they have always been free to , as is their right , consider themselves 'British' if that is what they want - but they fail to recognise that they are 'British' people living in Ireland , not living in a part of the 'UK' ) then I believe the two communities could come together , and a new form of life within a British context could evolve . ('1169....' Comment - the minority of people living on this isle who consider themselves 'British' are , as stated , welcome to continue to describe themselves as such , if they want . And if that is what they consider a 'British context' , then so be it . But the jurisdictional claim must be removed by Westminster , as that is a "British context" which Republicans consider repulsive) I understand when you say how the unionist community feels under threat , but at the end of the day you have the democratic process , and there is no threat if the numbers democratically say 'no , we don't want this' . ('1169...' Comment - ....by "the numbers" he means the majority of a minority) Now , please - don't insult us . We have the Framework Document , and we've had calls for it to be imposed , and indeed paragraph 47 states that it should be imposed . What's democratic about that ? Please don't tell us that nothing will be imposed . "

Emer Woodful : " You have told me that you are someone who could envisage compromise . Tell me where . "
Billy Wright : " Well , I recognise there are difficulties within Northern Ireland , (sic) and that if the constitutional issue was solved , that parade issue and similar things like that could be settled without the underlying threat of it being more devious than what it appears . "
[END of ' BILLY WRIGHT : LOYALIST VOLUNTEER FORCE']
(Tomorrow - 'ON THE TAKE' : from 1998.)

LIAM MELLOWS AND THE IRISH CIVIL WAR .......
This is the bulk of a public lecture given at University College , Galway , by Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle member and Deputy General Secretary of the 'Local Government and Public Services Union' , Phil Flynn , on December 8th 1982 , the 60th Anniversary of the Free State's execution of Liam Mellows .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .

" In our efforts now to win back public support to the Republic we are forced to recognise - whether we like it or not - that the commercial interest so-called : money and the gombeenman - are on the side of the Treaty , because the Treaty means imperialism and England . We are back to Tone - and it is just as well - relying on that great body , 'the men of no property' . The 'stake in the country' people were never with the Republic - they are not with it now and they will always be against it . Until it wins !

We should recognise that definitely now , and base our appeals upon the understanding and needs of those who have always borne Ireland's fight . Even though the decision of the election in 1918 stands ; even though the Declaration of Independence remains a fact ; even though the election of 1921 re-affirmed that Declaration ; even though the election of June 1922 was an 'agreed election' at which no issue was put or decided ; because of the interpretation put upon it by the Treatyites it is essential that the Republic be once again re-affirmed by the people , by vote , as soon as possible .

When that may be no one can tell , but we cannot look too far ahead . In the meantime the Provisional Republican Government should endeavour to carry-on . "
(MORE LATER).

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

THE EXTRADITION SELL-OUT .......
Should it become law as intended on December 1 next , The Irish Extradition Act will adversely affect the rights of many Irish citizens in the future .
COLM KEENA examines the implications of proposed legislation .
From 'In Dublin' magazine , 1 October 1987 .

Some senior Irish politicians have defended the 'no prima facie evidence required' -aspect of the new Extradition legislation by saying that demanding prima facie evidence would make the legislation impossible !

The U.S. government demands prima facie evidence off us ; Margaret Thatcher has recently refused to allow citizens of her country to be extradited to the USSR under a system where the USSR would not provide prima facie evidence . Irish Professor of Law , Mary McAleese , told this magazine that she did not see how having to present evidence of having a case would be a problem - " Surely if you have sufficient evidence to justify bringing an individual from one jurisdiction to another , you have at least a prima facie case ?" , she said .

Although , once implemented , it will apply to our dealings with all countries of the world , the new legislation is strongly connected with the creation of the Anglo-Irish Agreement/Hillsborough Treaty in 1985 : there was a strong element of quid pro quo in the discussions between the British and Dublin governments : Dublin was going to sign the European Convention on Terrorism and pass a new Extradition Act - Britain was going to 'improve the administration of justice' in the North of Ireland as it affected nationalists and look at some issues of concern in relation to Irish men and women incarcerated in British jails.......
(MORE LATER).

LIAM MELLOWS AND THE IRISH CIVIL WAR .......
This is the bulk of a public lecture given at University College , Galway , by Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle member and Deputy General Secretary of the 'Local Government and Public Services Union' , Phil Flynn , on December 8th 1982 , the 60th Anniversary of the Free State's execution of Liam Mellows .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .

The first document from Liam Mellows , dated 26th August 1922 , reads as follows :

" Regarding the last paragraph in above programme - land - it is well to note that the IRA Executive had already taken up the question of the demesnes and ranches and had adopted a scheme for their confiscation and distribution . This scheme was mainly the work of P. J. Ruttledge . See Ernie O' Malley , Thomas O' Deirig and P.J. Ruttledge about this .

In view of the unprincipled attitude of the Labour Party , and because of the landless and homeless Irish Republican soldiers who fought against Britain , it might be well to publish this scheme in whole or part . We should certainly keep Irish Labour for the Republic : it will be possibly the biggest factor on our side - anything that would prevent Irish Labour becoming imperialist and 'respectable' will help the Republic .

As a sidelight on Johnson , O' Brien , O' Shannon and Co. , it will interest you to know that when they called on us in the Four Courts last May , they (particularly Johnson) remarked that no effort had been made by An Dail to put its Democratic Programme into execution ......."
(MORE LATER).

Monday, April 03, 2006

THE EXTRADITION SELL-OUT .
Should it become law as intended on December 1 next , The Irish Extradition Act will adversely affect the rights of many Irish citizens in the future .
COLM KEENA examines the implications of proposed legislation .
From 'In Dublin' magazine , 1 October 1987 .

When the 'Irish Extradition Act' becomes law on December 1 , 1987 , it will mean that we have a process of extradition in this country which excels probably any other in the western world in its lack of protection for its own citizens .

After December 1 , 1987 , the British or any other government has simply to request the extradition of any citizen of this country which it wants to try for a 'crime' , and the Irish 'security forces' and courts will do so , even if the alleged 'crime' is claimed to have been political . And when that person is extradited to the foreign jurisdiction there is nothing to stop the other jurisdiction charging that person with crimes other than that or those mentioned during the extradition proceedings .

The foreign jurisdiction has simply to issue a warrant and request the Irish person's extradition : it does not have to show prima facie evidence ie it does not have to show that it has some sort of a case against the individual concerned .......
(MORE LATER).

LIAM MELLOWS AND THE IRISH CIVIL WAR .......
This is the bulk of a public lecture given at University College , Galway , by Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle member and Deputy General Secretary of the 'Local Government and Public Services Union' , Phil Flynn , on December 8th 1982 , the 60th Anniversary of the Free State's execution of Liam Mellows .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .

The first document from Liam Mellows , dated 26th August 1922 , read as follows :

Point 2 -
" The programme of Democratic Control (the Social Programme) adopted by the Dail coincident with the Declaration of Independence , January 1919 , should be translated into something definite - this is essential if the great body of the workers are to be kept on the side of independence . This does not require a change of outlook on the part of republicans or the adoption of a revolutionary programme as such .

The 'head-line' is there in the Declaration of 1919 ; it is already part of republican policy and it should be made clear what is meant by it . I would suggest , therefore , that it be interpreted something like the following , which appeared in the 'Workers Republic' newspaper of July 22nd last -

" Under the Republic all industry will be controlled by the State for the workers' and farmers' benefit . All transport , railways , canals etc will be operated by the State - the Republican State - for the benefit of the workers and farmers . All banks will be operated by the State for the benefit of industry and agriculture , not for the purpose of profit-making by loans , mortgages etc . That the lands of the aristocracy (who support the Free State and the British connection) will be seized and divided amongst those who can and will operate it for the nation's benefit . " "
(MORE LATER).

Friday, March 31, 2006

ALL AT S.E.A....... !
A light-hearted look at the 'Single European Act' legislation .
From 'The Very End' column , 'New Hibernia' magazine , May 1987.
By Patrick Murphy.

When asked how everyone in Middle Ireland was doing yesterday , a spokesman for the new state said that they were all "middling" .

And in a news story just in it has been revealed that the government has just sold off the Constitution at an auction in Sotheby's in London ; Articles 1 and 2 were sold to a British museum for £2 million and the remaining articles were sold to the National Gallery of Belgium where they will be on permanent display in Brussels .

In return for Articles 1 and 2 the government will get an EEC grant to employ two people in a factory in Mayo . Mr. Haughey said last night that he thought that two jobs was a fair swop for the Constitution . And here is the late result : Supreme Court 3 , High Court 2 . The winners will play in Europe next season .
[END of 'ALL AT S.E.A!']
(Monday , 3 April - 'THE EXTRADITION SELL-OUT' : from 1987.)

LIAM MELLOWS AND THE IRISH CIVIL WAR .......
This is the bulk of a public lecture given at University College , Galway , by Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle member and Deputy General Secretary of the 'Local Government and Public Services Union' , Phil Flynn , on December 8th 1982 , the 60th Anniversary of the Free State's execution of Liam Mellows .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .

The first document from Liam Mellows , dated 26th August 1922 , read as follows -

" GENERAL SITUATION : We are as much in touch with this as the 'newspapers' and 'Poblacht' and 'Bulletin' permit . I am strongly of the opinion that the republican political and military outlook be co-ordinated . No doubt this has been done , but I mention it because during the past six months we suffered badly because responsible Officers , in their desire to act as soldiers , and because of an attitude towards 'politicians' , acquired as a result (in my opinion) of a campaign directed towards this end by old GHQ , could only judge of the situation in terms of guns and men .

Even from a military point of view it ought to have been apparent to such men that every situation and advantage - no matter of what nature - should be availed of to gain victory . However , I am not going to write an essay on this . Naturally we are thinking hard here , though the place and atmosphere is not conducive to thought : however - the net results of my cogitations are :

1 A Provisional Republican Goveernment should be set up at once even if it is unable to function , or to function only in a most limited way . This is to be done apart from the question of the Dail . The advertisement in todays newspaper regarding postponement of the Dail is inserted by the Provisional Government ; the impression the press and the Provisional Government want to create is that the next Dail is the 'Provisional Government' called for by the terms of the Treaty .
If at a meeting of the Dail this is not cleared up , and it is of 'Provisional Parliament' and not the 'Government of the Republic' - then the necessity of a 'Provisional Republican Government' is most urgent . "
(MORE LATER).

Thursday, March 30, 2006

ALL AT S.E.A....... !
A light-hearted look at the 'Single European Act' legislation .
From 'The Very End' column , 'New Hibernia' magazine , May 1987.
By Patrick Murphy.

The Government in Dublin has just announced that since people living within 15 kilometres of the border do not have to spend 48 hours in the North to take advantage of EEC tariff concessions , there will now be a ' Northern Ireland ' , a 'Southern Ireland' and a 'Middle Ireland' .

The new state of 'Middle Ireland' will be the 15 kilometre zone south of the border . People living there will speak Middle Irish and will pursue middle of the road policies .

The main occupation in the new State will be that of 'middle men' who will pass goods from one part of Ireland to another .......
(MORE LATER).

LIAM MELLOWS AND THE IRISH CIVIL WAR .......
This is the bulk of a public lecture given at University College , Galway , by Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle member and Deputy General Secretary of the 'Local Government and Public Services Union' , Phil Flynn , on December 8th 1982 , the 60th Anniversary of the Free State's execution of Liam Mellows .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .

Liam Mellows was among the leaders of the Republicans who occupied the Four Courts ; he was captured when the building fell to Free State artillery (on loan from the British) at the end of June 1922 and jailed in Mountjoy . In August 1922 he smuggled out two documents comprising notes and observations on policy : later , these fell into the hands of the Free Staters and were published in a Free State ' Blue Paper' with the title - 'Correspondence of Eamon de Valera and Others' .

The 'others' are Mellows , Austin Stack , P.J. Ruttledge , Ernie O' Malley , Robert Brennan , Patrick Little and Charles Murphy . The core of the 'Blue Paper' is Mellows' 'Notes' - the point of publishing them was to brand Irish Republicans (including de Valera) as 'Communists' .

Mellows' 'Notes' , which were addressed to Austin Stack with a slightly abridged version to Ernie O' Malley , are contained in full in the excellent book , ' Liam Mellows and the Irish Revolution' , by Desmond Greaves . Those notes and documents make for interesting reading .......
(MORE LATER).

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

ALL AT S.E.A....... !
A light-hearted look at the 'Single European Act' legislation .
From 'The Very End' column , 'New Hibernia' magazine , May 1987.
By Patrick Murphy.

Meanwhile it has been revealed that people from the North of Ireland can come down and vote provided they stay here for more than 48 hours ; this will allow them to take back two 'YES!' votes on the Single European Act , four 'NO!' votes in the Pro-Life Amendment and six bottles of 'DON'T KNOWS!' in the 'Divorce Referendum' .

Northern Customs Authorities yesterday seized two lorry loads of 'NO!' votes near Newry after they had been smuggled in from the South ; it is believed they would have been added to the thousands of 'ULSTER SAYS NO!' votes already in the North and Unionists along the border have recently complained that they can sell very few 'NO!' votes in view of the large numbers of them being imported from the South .

But as bus-loads of Northern voters queued to visit Dublin yesterday they scrambled for bargain 'NO!' votes throughout the city , and authorities in the North are worried that political jobs there may be lost if the trend continues .......
(MORE LATER).

LIAM MELLOWS AND THE IRISH CIVIL WAR .......
This is the bulk of a public lecture given at University College , Galway , by Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle member and Deputy General Secretary of the 'Local Government and Public Services Union' , Phil Flynn , on December 8th 1982 , the 60th Anniversary of the Free State's execution of Liam Mellows .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .

The struggle for national independence became at a certain point a struggle for socialism ; the struggle for socialism had always involved struggle for national independence . The point was reached in 1921/1922 - from this point no further progress could be made towards the achievement of an independent Republic on a 'classless' basis (which of course meant a capitalist basis) - all further progress depended on the proletariat becoming the leading force in the Republican Movement .

Michael Collins had become the political representative of Irish capitalism in December 1921 , from which time his influence on Irish affairs was reactionary . De Valera also decided for capitalism and subjection to Britain , but his fall into deep reaction was delayed for a few years by the fact that his desire for independence , or his political ambition , carried him beyond Collins , who actually became the representative of the Anglo-Irish and the bigger Irish bourgeoisie : de Valera became the representative of the small businessman and the aspiring 'peasants' .

The working class did not become the leading force in the Republican Movement , cursed as it was with a reformist and subservient leadership ; but some Irish Republicans came to an awareness that their struggle was no longer a national struggle of all classes against the British , and that the success of the fight for the Republic depended on its being transformed into a war of Irish workers against their class enemy , the Free State , and its imperialist master . The most clearsighted of these Republicans was Liam Mellows .......
(MORE LATER).

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

ALL AT S.E.A....... !
A light-hearted look at the 'Single European Act' legislation .
From 'The Very End' column , 'New Hibernia' magazine , May 1987.
By Patrick Murphy.

Throughout the country families were immediately divided on the issue : some urged ' Vote Yes On Thursday' while others put up posters reading ' Vote No On Thursday' . Interviewed on RTE television last night , Thursday said that it thought it was a great day for Ireland and it felt honoured that a referendum should be held on it .

But the question remains : is Thursday in breach of the State Constitution ? In a special interview with the 'Irish Press' newspaper yesterday , former State President Eamon de Valera said that he was dead and that he could be of no further assistance . But in an exclusive opinion poll commissioned by this magazine we can reveal exactly what the electorate is thinking - firstly , a man in County Clare who would not give his name thinks that Kerry will never win another all-Ireland match and there is a woman in Limerick who thinks that the weather is not bad for this time of year .

When asked what they think on Thursday , ninty-seven per cent replied that it is generally the same as they think during the rest of the week : this shows that thinking is in breach of the Constitution and the Government may now have to hold a referendum on thinking in which the country will be asked what it thinks .......
(MORE LATER).

LIAM MELLOWS AND THE IRISH CIVIL WAR .......
This is the bulk of a public lecture given at University College , Galway , by Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle member and Deputy General Secretary of the 'Local Government and Public Services Union' , Phil Flynn , on December 8th 1982 , the 60th Anniversary of the Free State's execution of Liam Mellows .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .

In 1921 , Ireland could have achieved either an independent workers state or a dependent bourgeois state - either a workers' Republic or a capitalist neo-colony . A capitalist state could not be independent since Irish capitalism did not have within itself the potential to establish itself as a capitalism independent of British imperialist capitalism .

Irish capitalism could have become independent of British imperialism only by becoming imperialist itself ; but the development of Irish capitalism had been retarded for so long by a stronger British capitalism that it had become incapable of ever reaching 'maturity' . It was pathetically weak against full-blown British imperialism ; it was weak even against its own working class , and could survive only as the agent of British imperialist capital against Irish labour .

A workers' State would have to be independent since British imperialism would not tolerate it on any terms : it could only establish itself against the total opposition of British imperialism . Britain gained definite advantages from the Treaty of Surrender - if it came to it she could tolerate the political unity and independence of Ireland as a capitalist state since she would have the ruling class under her thumb economically , as Churchill pointed out at the time . But a workers' State in Ireland would be a challenge to the existence of British imperialism which would necessarily lead to the destruction of one or the other of them .......
(MORE LATER).

Monday, March 27, 2006

ALL AT S.E.A. !
A light-hearted look at the 'Single European Act' legislation .
From 'The Very End' column , 'New Hibernia' magazine , May 1987.
By Patrick Murphy.

The government is to hold a referendum on Thursday . That was the shock horror news which rocked everyone to sleep last night as the electorate tried to make up its mind whether it is for or against Thursday .

Already a strong pro-Thursday lobby has emerged in Leinster House and the government has announced that if there is not a massive pro-Thursday vote all the days of the week may have to be re-negotiated .

Fine Gael has revealed that it is very strongly in favour of Thursday but the Labour Party has said that while it supports Thursday morning it still has no policy on Thursday afternoon . The problem has arisen over a recent Supreme Court decision which was made on Friday . This , of course , clarified the position of Friday but it still leaves a referendum on Thursday and the question now arises as to whether the entire week is in breach of the Constitution .......
(MORE LATER).

Friday, March 24, 2006

The Simple Truth About The Irish Sugar Industry .

In the past week or so , the remains of the sugar industry in this State has again come under attack from outside interests : with this in mind , we re-print a document which was first published 17 years ago (1989) .

The Simple Truth About The Irish Sugar Industry .
Address by Ruairi O Bradaigh , Uachtaran , at a meeting of Comhairle na Mumhan (Munster Executive) ,Sinn Fein Poblachtach , in Killaloe , County Clare , on Sunday 19 February 1989 .......

Already there are fears about the impact of the closure of the Thurles Sugar Plant on the railway line from Waterford to Limerick ; fear , indeed , for what remains of an already truncated railway system . Sinn Fein Poblachtach , while standing firmly with the Tipperary people in their crisis will insist on a wider debate that will have to include the 'Single European Act' , lack of regional planning and indeed our whole relationship with the EEC now that the mirage of unending agricultural advance - always an illusion as we pointed out from the beginning - is finally being seen for what it is .

That debate has to begin with the simple reality of a 200,000 tonnes quota limit on Irish beet production - a deliberate attempt by Brussels to corner the market , despite the alleged commitment to market economics , and the effective handing over of the control of Irish destinies to Brussels by the time-serving politicians of Leinster House and their even more vulgularly well-heeled brethren in the so-called 'European Parliament' in Strasbourg .
[END of 'The Simple Truth About The Irish Sugar Industry']

FIANNA FAIL - THE MASK OF DE VALERA .......
From 'AP/RN' , August 10th , 1989 .
(No 'By-Line')

So authoritarian had the Fianna Fail government become that , in 1947 , the Free State Cabinet agreed to a proposal from Sean Lemass (never implemented as it turned out) to make strikes illegal after the flour-milling workers threatened to come out on strike !

The Fianna Fail administration which had 'ruled' virtually unchanged in personnel since 1932 was replaced by the first 'inter-Party' government which took over after the 1948 general election .

De Valera was back in office from 1951 to 1954 and from 1957 to 1959 when he finally resigned as taoiseach : the 1950's had been a decade of deep conservatism and de Valera left the scene with his old protectionist economic policies in tatters as unemployment and emigration threatened completely to depopulate the country .

And , appropriately enough , his last administration went out on an anti-Republican note : it introduced internment without trial in response to the IRA's Border Campaign .

[END of 'FIANNA FAIL - THE MASK OF DE VALERA']
(Monday 27th - 'ALL AT SEA' ; a 'light-hearted' look at the S.E.A. legislation !)

BILLY WRIGHT , LOYALIST VOLUNTEER FORCE .
" I have been prepared to die for long many a year . I don't wish to die , but at the end of the day no one will force their opinion down my throat . No one . "
On August 29 , 1996 , shortly before the 'Combined Loyalist Military Command's' death threat against him expired , EMER WOODFUL interviewed LVF leader BILLY WRIGHT in his Portadown home .......
From 'MAGILL' magazine , February 1998 .

Emer Woodful : " After David Ervines statement saying that the loyalist cease-fire is close to breaking point , the Taoiseach in Dublin , John Bruton , said he would meet anybody who was'nt involved in violence . Would you be interested in meeting him ? "
Billy Wright : " No , no . I mean , John Bruton must examine the Irish Republic's (sic) Constitution . He must understand that that Constitution justifies republican violence and leads nationalist young men to feel that they have the right , because of that Constitution and that claim , to take the lives of our people . "

Emer Woodful : " But unity would only be with consent , so why do you feel so threatened ? "
Billy Wright : " Well , consent , now - come on . Lets be totally honest . We have seen the Irish Republic (sic) seal the border because of a cattle problem . Why did'nt they do it during the Troubles ? The Constitution justifies the murder of British citizens . And having spent many years in the H-Blocks and listened to young nationalists singing their songs , believe me they draw their opinions because of their education , and because they are brought up to believe that they have a right to take away (sic) this land . "

Emer Woodful : " I know you told me before that you were a religious preacher , and that you had to give it up , because you were afraid of the risk of public appearances . How do you marry your strong religious beliefs with , say , support in the past for the UVF ? "
Billy Wright : " Well , I'll say it again , when you look into the coffins of loved ones , who died at prayer , and died at work , and died for every reason you can think of , and then you're told by your security forces (sic) 'we can't stop this , nobody can stop this , but it's wrong also to defend yourself' , I have to say that people have the right to defend themselves . "
(MORE LATER).

Thursday, March 23, 2006

The Simple Truth About The Irish Sugar Industry .

In the past week or so , the remains of the sugar industry in this State has again come under attack from outside interests : with this in mind , we re-print a document which was first published 17 years ago (1989) .

The Simple Truth About The Irish Sugar Industry .
Address by Ruairi O Bradaigh , Uachtaran , at a meeting of Comhairle na Mumhan (Munster Executive) ,Sinn Fein Poblachtach , in Killaloe , County Clare , on Sunday 19 February 1989 .......

The current crisis in Thurles only brings to a head in a particularly acute and sad way the inevitable logic of EEC policies and the stark reality that Leinster House is no longer in charge of even the main Irish public sector companies - apart of course from being 'allowed' to pour huge sums of tax-payers' money into 'rationalisation' in order to bring them to a point where they can be sold off to international capitalists who invite elected representatives on to their boards in order to maintain an 'inside track' on vital commercial decisions leading to the most strategic (ie cheap) take-over bids .

Some time-serving politicians have even attempted to parade this situation as a virture , seeking a mandate for "further integration" under the 'Single European Act' in next June's elections and offering nothing more consoling to endangered Irish workers and the quarter-of-a-million unemployed than some 'main-road' developments brazenly described as "integrated regional plans" .

Even in this area the full implications of shut-downs like the Thurles sugar plant are not being discussed - other industries will also suffer.......
(MORE LATER).

FIANNA FAIL - THE MASK OF DE VALERA .......
From 'AP/RN' , August 10th , 1989 .
(No 'By-Line')

De Valera seen to it that IRA Volunteers were executed by firing squad or by hanging , were shot dead on the streets or died from ill-treatment or hunger-strikes in prison during the war : Fianna Fail came near to the aim , as expressed by Free State Justice Minister Gerry Boland , of completely annihilating the IRA . Much of this was kept from the public by the heavy war-time censorship of the press .

While the 26-County government was ' neutral in favour of Britain' de Valera's stature was nonetheless increased by his handling of 'the Emergency' as the War was called .

Fianna Fail lost its overall majority in 1943 but returned to government as the largest party ; it won a decisive victory in 1944 . This was , however , the last government of Fianna Fail's first 16-year reign . The conservatism of the Fianna Fail party was losing its support . The revelations in 1946 of the horrendous treatment of Belfast IRA leader Sean McCaughey who died on hunger and thirst strike in Portlaoise Prison damaged Fianna Fail .
(MORE LATER).

LIAM MELLOWS AND THE IRISH CIVIL WAR .......
This is the bulk of a public lecture given at University College , Galway , by Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle member and Deputy General Secretary of the 'Local Government and Public Services Union' , Phil Flynn , on December 8th 1982 , the 60th Anniversary of the Free State's execution of Liam Mellows .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .

When the Citizen Army was marching to the GPO on Easter Monday , James Connolly told his men to hold on to their rifles after the British had been driven out , because they would need them in the war against Irish capitalism . But , when the time came for the Irish workers to fight a war against the Irish capitalists , class-conscious workers with rifles were few and far between .

James Connolly was dead ; the party he had organised to lead the workers in the fight for the workers' republic had degenerated and fallen into the hands of a mild English reformist called Thomas Johnson who supported the Treaty of Surrender , boasted that the Labour Party "stood aloof" from the violence that was going on in the country , and joined the Free State parliament four years before de Valera did !

The Irish Transport And General Workers' Union , which , under Larkin and Connolly , had put guns in the hands of the workers , now supported de Valera , and tried to disarm the workers . Jim Larkin was in jail in the United States and had been in jail there during de Valera's triumphant tour , accused of plotting to overthrow the government because he had taken part in the founding of the Communist Party of the USA .......
(MORE LATER).