DUBLIN 1980 : THE GLUE SNIFFERS.......
Pictures by Andrew McGlynn. From 'MAGILL' magazine September 1980.

Rule Number One : check your glue bag at the door . Eat and wash if you want to , then collect your bag on the way out . No point confiscating the bags as the kids just wouldn't come back , and then wouldn't get the chance to eat or wash . No one's going to change that fact - these are Dublin kids , street smart , and they know the layout of the city . They will forage elsewhere for food and a wash , if they have to.

The Travellers have one culture , the settled community another : the two cultures share the same space , they clash sometimes , but the settled community have ' bigger sticks ' . The troubled kids have fallen into the crack between the two cultures .

Some of the children who visit the house are ill , obviously so . They refuse to stay alone in hospital , terrified of being on their own . Bring them in pairs and they are turned away from the hospital as "they cause trouble" . Tentatively , the Dublin Committee For Travelling People has been seeking ways of bridging the gap , bringing the children to the Jervis Street Drug Unit in twos and threes for counselling . Apart from the direct damage caused by the glue there is the danger of serious accidents - the kids chase one another through traffic , and at least one small girl has been knocked down twice by cars . Sometimes there are hallucinations , resulting on at least one occasion of one boy insisting that if he could just be left alone at the top of a building he could fly away from it . There have been no deaths . Not yet.......
(MORE LATER).



HOPE IN THE SHADOWS.......

For some Northern nationalists the Anglo-Irish Agreement ('Hillsborough Treaty',1985) only makes their lives more dangerous , for others it offers hope on a road to nowhere. Fionnuala O'Connor visited a (Provisional) Sinn Fein advice centre in the Ardoyne and Seamus Mallon's office in Newry.
From 'MAGILL' magazine, December 1986.

Tommy McGrath was sure that young prisoners had already been released ahead of time because " representations" had been made , and that morning he had met a relative of a young Provo recently given a multiple life sentence . People like that had hopes of the Agreement too , he said , they wondered if it might produce an amnesty . " Eventually that's what I hope that the Provos would see the proper course is , through negotiations * , just as De Valera did in 1925 when he gave up the struggle - if that happened we'd have some movement on an amnesty. "

Peter Barry's praise for the RUC and commendation of it to young Nationalists wasn't easy to assimilate , however : " That was his personal view , " said Frank Feely, to silence all around us in the room . " We're happy enough with the Dublin government ** . I'd put the blame on the British government for failure to deliver on the RUC and the judiciary - they'll never have the co-operation of the nationalist people *** until there's justice in the judiciary and the RUC , and the abolition of the UDR is brought about . If that doesn't happen it will lead to the death eventually of the 'Anglo-Irish Agreement' (the Hillsborough Treaty) - a couple of years is as long as people will give it....... "

('1169..' Comment * for "negotiations" read 'if we give up the Struggle will you treat us better?' , because that is 'success' to people like Tommy McGrath. ** "Happy enough" with those who politically , physically and morally work hand-in-glove with those "you blame" ? How can that 'happiness' be justified? *** Wrong! "nationalist co-operation" with Leinster House and Westminster is guaranteed , as 'nationalists' will 'settle' for being treated 'better' by Westminster , whereas Irish republicans seek to remove the British presence , not co-operate with it.)
(MORE LATER).



A BATTLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS.......
A look at issues raised by Liz Curtis' recent book.
From 'IRIS' magazine, August 1984.
Review by Trisha Fox.

One programme which used these methods of manipulation in the crudest possible way was the Granada TV 'World In Action' programme transmitted in December 1983 , entitled 'The Honourable Member For West Belfast', which was a profile of Gerry Adams made by John Ware and Ed Vulliamy.

John Ware was already well known to republicans for his unethical standards of journalism . Several years ago he interviewed Danny Morrison for 'World In Action' , in a programme on which British 'direct-ruler' Humphrey Atkins was also to appear . When , however , Atkins insisted that Morrison's interview be withdrawn as a precondition for his appearance , John Ware agreed .

Two years later , Ware got another opportunity : in his own words to his colleagues in London , the programme he was now putting together was conceived as a 'hatchet job' on Gerry Adams . " I'm going to screw Sinn Féin and stitch up Adams , " he said . Visiting Belfast , however , John Ware told Gerry Adams and Danny Morrison that the aim of the programme was to produce "...an in-depth analysis of the rise of Sinn Féin and the allied politicisation of the Republican Movement .. " , but Sinn Féin had previously been warned by Ian Stuttard of Ware's unethical intentions , and therefore declined to take part .
(MORE LATER).

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SPOILED ON PURPOSE!

As per my stated intention , I deliberately spoiled my two ballot papers today , Friday 5th June 2009 : there was no candidate whom I considered to be principled enough to deserve my support and rather than simply not bother claiming my two ballot papers - one for the local council elections and one for the European Gravy-Train election - I claimed both and purposely spoiled both.

SPOILED ON PURPOSE!

I had no hesitation or second thoughts regarding this : it is career politicians and wanna-be career politicians like those who contested seats in my area that have this State corrupted and have the majority of people here either living on the bread-line - if they're 'lucky' enough to have a job in the first place - or having to borrow from money lenders for day-to-day living expenses. Over 400,000 people are now signing-on for State benefits and I for one will not be rewarding one or more of the morally bankrupt politicians responsible by voting for them.

A plague on all their houses.

To those that will say something along the lines of "Irish men and women fought hard to get you the vote in the first place..." I say - No , they didn't . Those people struggled as they did to obtain democracy , fair play and justice : no man or woman that I respect sought to obtain for me or others a vote in a morally and politically corrupt Statelet , where the 'leaders' reward themselves financially with outlandish salaries and pension 'rights' while those that they beg , plead and bribe to vote for them are practically financially destitute.

No one on those ballot papers worth voting for.

If you haven't already been to your polling station , you could do worse than to do as I have done today - actually , you could do two things worse : vote for a candidate you believe to be 'the best of a bad bunch' and not bothering at all to visit the polling station . Do visit your polling station , do claim your ballot papers , and do purposely spoil it if you are faced with the same political 'choice' that I was faced with today . A 'NONE OF THE ABOVE!' mark on those ballot papers will serve you , and the economy , much better than a vote for those you consider to be 'the best of a bad bunch' .
Thanks for reading!
Sharon.

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(For brief report on the Trade Union protest march in Dublin on Wednesday June 3rd 2009 , click here.)

Think twice before you vote to simply 'change the management' .


A recent poll by a well-known Irish youth-oriented website , which is sponsored by , amongst other entities ,the State Department of Social and Family Affairs and the State Department of Foreign Affairs (full list of sponsors here) , has found that " Up to 70% (of young voters) won’t vote " and that this election will be " missing the ‘youth factor’. Young people in Ireland are not as uninterested in the upcoming elections as many people might think. Instead they are finding the political system inaccessible, confusing and uninspiring."
According to SpunOut.ie "....there are approximately 500,000 young people in Ireland between the ages of 18 and 25 and according to a SpunOut.ie poll, up to 70% (350,000) of these may not be voting on Friday."

Don't add to their false prestige and financial well-being by voting political leeches on to the gravy train!

For what it's worth , this blog would ask those who are entitled to vote - young and not-so-young - to claim their vote and , if a suitable candidate is not contesting for a seat in your area ,to purposely spoil that vote!

Elections to the so-called 'European Parliament' will be held in the Six north-eastern counties of Ireland on Thursday 4th June 2009 : having scanned the websites , leaflets , policy documents and stated political intentions of the candidates contesting that election in those occupied Six Counties , the only advice we can offer those intending to claim their ballot paper is to purposely spoil it by , for instance , writing 'None Of The Above!' on it and deposit it in the ballot box . If you feel that the statement 'None Of The Above!' doesn't quiet express what you think of the politically self-serving monied 'elite' that are trying to convince you to put them on to the European/Leinster House/local Council gravy train , feel free to write your own message on your ballot paper.
Elections to that same European gravy train , local councils and , in Dublin , to two vacant seats in Leinster House , will be held in the 26-County State on Friday 5th June 2009 : again , having scanned the websites of those contesting those elections , having read their brochures and leaflets and having talked to some of them on the street and on the doorstep , we again - for the most part - recommend purposely spoiling your vote . The exceptions (*) we would recommend voting for are those who look at problematic issues from an Irish Republican perspective . Candidates like these, for instance , who have made it clear where they stand in relation to the important issues and who have a political point-of-view that we on this blog are in agreement with.

If you can't use it to affect real change ,then play smart and safe : spoil it!

Finally - those of us with an interest in politics have seen this before : where we replace one set of political incompetents with the set of political incompetents - or a mixture of them - that had previously been voted out of office . The result was , and is , that they get fatter and richer while we continue to get screwed.
If we're fool enough to keep repeating the process then we deserve to be screwed.
If there are no decent , principled candidates (see above link*) contesting in your area for a seat ,then purposely spoil your vote . Either write " None Of The Above! " on it , or perhaps a shorter message of your choice...!
Thanks!
Sharon.
(PLEASE NOTE - our usual Wednesday '3-in-1' post will be held over until Saturday 6th June 2009 , which is the day after the last election on this island . We want to try and reach as many people as possible with this message and will leave it here until that date.)

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'FIGHT BACK' - AGAINST "TRAITORS" AND INFORMERS!

A Provisional Sinn Féin 'recruitment leaflet (!)' on view in Dublin , under one of their election posters...


We have already mentioned receipt of photographs of these posters , and now we have recived more of the same - from Irish Republicans in Dublin , Waterford and Kerry , so far.
Of course , it's not only the Provisional Sinn Féin party that has called on Irish people to collaborate with the British presence - Leinster House , Stormont and Westminster are full of like-minded political toads - but the Provos deserve special mention as they continually attempt to sell themselves as 'the radical republican alternative' compared with the politically jaded inmates of the above-mentioned institutions . I believe they quitely recognise that they , too , are a politically jaded and spent force , certainly where republicanism is concerned , anyway , but what the heck - parliamentarism pays better than 'paramilitarism' , and offers the opportunity to mix with 'other' world leaders! !

Now - about those photo's we received -

"Informers Wanted : apply to your local PSF rep or any cop shop..."

Like all 'good' informers , you can get two for the price of one...

The pathway to informing...

And then there's this photo , which we publish just 'cause we like it so much -
Well , if you can't make a living out of informing...!

Thanks!
Sharon.

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DUBLIN 1980 : THE GLUE SNIFFERS.......
Pictures by Andrew McGlynn. From 'MAGILL' magazine September 1980.

It started three years ago . A 14-year-old brought a great new idea up from Limerick . It can be picked up on just about any building site , in a lot of factories , or in any hardware store .

The parents may have problems of their own . Some kids stay at home some nights , but mostly they sleep rough - they can be found along the quays or around the O'Connell Street area , maybe on the Bridge , most times of the day or into the small hours of the morning , glue bags in hand . At around 4.30pm they head off to a large city centre house run by the Dublin Committee for Travelling People , where they pay 51 pence for a meal of potatoes , sausages and peas . They can play snooker or lie on the floor or hold gentle mock fights or mess around with the members of the Committee who run the place .

Altogether , the Committee deals with about seventy children . In one room there's a large , delapidated juke box , complete with 'Bee Gee' hits and Elvis singing ' In The Ghetto' . Come October , the house will become a night shelter , and winter is now coming . The kids won't stay in doss houses or mix with dropout kids from the settled community - they have their own 'code' . The kids they don't mix with group together in gangs of approximately the same age , ranging from eight to twenty-one.......
(MORE LATER).



HOPE IN THE SHADOWS.......

For some Northern nationalists the Anglo-Irish Agreement ('Hillsborough Treaty',1985) only makes their lives more dangerous , for others it offers hope on a road to nowhere. Fionnuala O'Connor visited a (Provisional) Sinn Fein advice centre in the Ardoyne and Seamus Mallon's office in Newry.
From 'MAGILL' magazine, December 1986.

Tommy McGrath said : " We see this Agreement as giving equality to Catholics in state bodies and private employment where (*) , unless you 'kicked with the right foot' you wouldn't get through the employment door . Now changing that won't happen overnight."

They talked of the machinery for getting things done , the Dublin civil servants whose presence in Belfast was so important as a symbol of that machinery , the dangers involved - changes of government in Dublin and London , uncertainty about a Haughey government line , Britain hesitating because of loyalist anger ; " Now that would be a very dangerous policy . That would be the road to nowhere , it would destroy the (Anglo-Irish) Agreement (Hillsborough Treaty) , " said Frank Feely. Was it already happening ? No-one seemed to know.

What was known is that this 'equalisation programme' will take time , there was a lot to do . " It wasn't even new at the time of partition , after all , " said Tommy McGrath, " the loyalist prople always got jobs and we got the sour milk ." Now people knew there was someone there " in the form of Peter Barry, ** someone they can appeal to , some sort of redress . " This meant hope , and cause for hope , said Tommy McGrath.......

('1169...' Comment -* "Equality" being the key word in that statement - whereas nationalists see the 'problem' as being one of 'equality' issues , republicans see the problem as being the actual British military and political presence in Ireland. ** God Bless that man's innocence ! Or is it political ignorance ? Or perhaps hoping to 'pull a quick one' on those of us that know better ? Peter Barry , purely through an accident of birth [ie he was born in the 26-County State!] might very well have been considered by some to be a 'nationalist' but apart from that 'accident' it was an extremely naive person who would consider Barry an 'ally' when it came to arguing with you against Westminster!)
(MORE LATER).



A BATTLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS.......
A look at issues raised by Liz Curtis' recent book.
From 'IRIS' magazine, August 1984.
Review by Trisha Fox.

In a recent paper produced for a GLC-sponsored conference on the media and imperialism , Liz Curtis wrote - " It is scarcely surprising that , contrary to the widespread view that the media in Britain are the bastions of free speech , the national media reflect with rare exceptions the view of the world held by the 'establishment' . The bulk of national papers are owned by a handful of millionaires - Rupert Murdoch alone owns The Sun, The News Of The World, The Times and The Sunday Times. Most media workers are by comparison with the bulk of the population , highly paid . Many of the staff in key positions in the broadcast media are university-educated white males ."

The censorship debate is not only about what does or does not reach our screens , but about the context within which the republican perspective is presented . In documentaries , sparse interviews with Irish republicans are cut , distorted and overlaid with particular music which creates an effect of something sinister or clandestine . All these elements are part of a method , often received unconsciously by the viewer , of creating a specific and highly adverse reaction . One programme in particular ,transmitted in December 1983, is a classic example of this manipulation.......
(MORE LATER).

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DON'T BUY A SAT-NAV FROM LIDL!

We were on to them before over this issue but , not only did they not reply to us, they never even acknowledged our correspondence. And , since Sunday May 10th 2009 , we have contacted them four times and have received the same treatment - no 'Thank-You-We'll-Be-In-Touch' , no acknowledgement that they have received our e-mails - nothing!
The reason we have been chasing Lidl since May 10th last is because of a newspaper advertisement which that company ran in some of that days newspapers - in the tabloid we seen it in , it was published in a side-by-side two-page spread , bearing the headline 'PRICE REVOLUTION : ONE COUNTRY - ONE PRICE!' :

Lidl Irish newspaper advertisement claiming 'ONE COUNTRY - ONE PRICE!'

But if you click-on to the Lidl.ie website , you are requested to
'Select Your Country-
Rep. of Ireland
Northern Ireland ' :

Lidl Irish website - 'SELECT YOUR COUNTRY : REP. OF IRELAND / NORTHERN IRELAND' .

From our experience , Lidl doesn't deal with our type of 'customer query' over the internet and the manager of our local Lidl Supermarket is always either "too busy" or "not available just now..." when the nature of our visit is explained to the receptionist/security guard. But we'll keep trying , and will post any update regarding this situation on this blog.
Thanks for reading!
Sharon.

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DUBLIN 1980 : THE GLUE SNIFFERS.
Pictures by Andrew McGlynn. From 'MAGILL' magazine September 1980.

Not a bag of sweets . Glue. Heavy , vaporous adhesive. You put it to your face , inhale through your mouth and nose at the same time . It gets you high , or makes you feel better. It's comforting. You use a plastic bag. After a while your lungs have drawn so much fumes from the bag that the glue becomes dry , soggy , pale brown. You have inhaled the solvent. In about an hour the bag is useless.

The solvent attacks your nasal tract , your lungs , kidneys , liver and brain . Your nose runs , there will be sores around your mouth. You are dizzy , speech slurred , eyes dilated . Your mood changes from tranquility to aggression in the space of minutes .

There are a lot of kids sniffing glue around the city centre , these days and nights. A hard core of three dozen , with others trying it occasionally ; they are mostly travellers' children . They are curious and naive , like all children , gentle and excitable , sometimes aggressive , always with little respect for the future. When told that the glue will damage them , maybe even kill them , they shrug. It's a cheap comforter , a cheap high. It's something to do. Some of the older kids 'graduate' to alcohol .

A social worker gives a weak smile - " They're behaving pretty normally for someone who's totally rejected...."
(MORE LATER).



HOPE IN THE SHADOWS.......

For some Northern nationalists the Anglo-Irish Agreement ('Hillsborough Treaty',1985) only makes their lives more dangerous , for others it offers hope on a road to nowhere. Fionnuala O'Connor visited a (Provisional) Sinn Fein advice centre in the Ardoyne and Seamus Mallon's office in Newry.
From 'MAGILL' magazine, December 1986.

" I had a seat for three terms at Stormont , " said Frank Feely, " and I had no vote. The Unionists never considered anybody from the South could possibly get elected. " Tommy McGrath's political pedigree goes back further - twenty years on the council as an 'Irish Labour Party' representative until the SDLP arrived on the political scene.

They sat there , the two of them , with their freight of election memories from the decades of anti-unionism while in the background among filing cabinets the business of an MP's office carried on : 2,000 cases handled , say the two professionals , since Seamus Mallon took the seat from Official Unionist Jim Nicholson. Clearly the two older men find this new regime impressive though their style is obviously still more a question of meeting people in the street and carrying files in your head .

" These young graduates could tell you more about this than me , " Frank Feely says over his shoulder , " it's a question of confidence , this whole 'Anglo-Irish Agreement' ('Hillsborough Treaty') , it gives hope. Our first interest is solving the constitutional issue and getting to the bottom of it . It holds out the hope of that." ('1169...' Comment : that 1985 Treaty only offered "hope" to those who believed it could be used to brush the whole issue of British involvement in Ireland under the carpet or , at the very least , put a 'new gloss' on it . It was doomed to fail from the start.)
(MORE LATER).



A BATTLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS.......
A look at issues raised by Liz Curtis' recent book.
From 'IRIS' magazine, August 1984.
Review by Trisha Fox.

Ian Stuttard, the producer of Thames TV's series 'The Troubles', who has consistently striven to avoid emotive rhetoric used by so many reporters - such as 'murderers' and 'terrorists' when referring to the IRA - described the depiction of the crew in 'Acceptable Levels' as " wickedly accurate" (they spend most of their time in the sanctuary of the Europa Hotel indulging in drink , food and chatting up women on expense accounts while they apply for more overtime) .

The strongest part of the film is that it does illustrate powerfully the process of self-censorship practised by people within the media as a semi-conscious act , motivated by self-interest and a class/ideological allegiance to the British establishment.
(MORE LATER).

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TURNCOATS , PLACE-SEEKERS , COLLABORATORS and TRAITORS ...
(UPDATE : we can add 'Treason' to the above list as well - "The betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery." One such example of political treason can be read in this excellent post. Those political criminals should be properly dealth with , and you can make of that statement what you want to make of it , so long as they are not able to simply walk away after their punishment...)

Leinster House, Kildare Street , Dublin.

"John Sadlier, Solicitor, Banker and M.P. for the borough of Carlow, and William Keogh, Barrister-at-law, and M. P. for Athlone, fought the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill at every stage, and were acclaimed great Popular heroes. They were prominent figures at the "aggregate meeting" held in the Rotunda on the 22nd August, 1851, to protest against the. Bill, which had been passed, and to take measures for Catholic defence. The chair was occupied by the Archbishop of Armagh (Dr. Cullen), in a short time to be Archbishop of Dublin.

Keogh raised the gathering to the highest pitch of enthusiasm by giving the Chairman his territorial title, and promising that he and his friends would have the Act repealed if the people of Ireland would but send them a few "more Parliamentary colleagues. We will make no terms," he declared: "with any Minister, no matter who he may be, untill he repeals that Act of Parliament".
In his own constituency, where he was entertained to a public banquet on the 28th October, 1851, Keogh declared, in the presence of Archbishop McHale : "I will not support any party which does not make it the first ingredient of their political existence to repeal the, Ecclesiastical Titles Act..." Again, in Cork on the 8th March, 1852, he declared : "So help me God, no matter who the Minister may be, no matter who the party in power may be, I will support neither that minister nor that party, unless he comes into power prepared to carry the measures which ,universal popular Ireland demands."

The sequel to these pledges is well known to the Student of history. In a few months Keogh and Sadlier became brazen pledge-breakers and accepted office under the Government - Keogh as Solicitor-General for Ireland, and Sadlier as Lord of the Treasury..."
(From here.)

John Sadlier and William Keogh are but two foul figures in a long list of foul curs that have not only failed to deliver that which they promised but have , in most cases , done the complete opposite. Here are a few photographs, with captions, of some others that belong in that particular camp -

Vichy collaborators, France.

Gerry Adams and Hugh Orde , Head of the British paramilitary 'police' in the Occupied Six Counties.

And finally - three new posters which were sent to this blog by supporters of Irish Republicanism (and which inspired this post!) :

Working for Westminster!

British administrators want Republicans to inform on their colleagues.

Irish 'Republicans' in the service of the British Crown.

Thanks for reading!
Sharon.

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(NOTICE: we have been contacted by a number of our regular readers who have informed us that the links in the posted articles are not working for them - if you have this trouble , please use the '(Mirror site here)' link in the top right-hand corner of this page to visit our 'Sister' site , where those same links are working. We believe it's a 'Blogger' issue , as our 'Junior' has examined the code etc on this blog and found no fault. Thanks!)

CABHAIR TESTIMONIAL FUNCTION , SATURDAY 16th MAY 2009 : REPORT AND PICTURES.

CABHAIR Testimonial Brochure 2009.

We had , as usual , a fantastic time last night (and during the early hours of this morning !) at the CABHAIR Testimonial Dinner and Reunion in the Morrison Hotel on Ormond Quay in Dublin city centre. More than ninty people turned-up for the meal , with approximately another dozen friends arriving after the meal and staying for the presentations and speeches etc . The hotel was beautifully laid-out for us , with a bright and fresh Ballroom manicured to within an inch of its life by an extremely capable , friendly and professional staff ,who stayed with us for the full duration of the event , fussing after and assisting us!
The food was simply to die for - cooked , presented and served to perfection by professionals , who looked after each attendee as if they were family!
We had a great chat with the Honorees - Peig and Paddy King (chosen by Republicans in Leinster), Pádraig Ó Baoighill (Ulster) , Frank Quinn (Connacht) , Liam Cotter (Munster) , Don Hurley (USA) and Michael Kennedy (Galway and London) , we met old and new colleagues with whom we shared the evening and with whom we enjoyed the party atmosphere.
The CABHAIR group are to be fully congratulated for organising this successful event , the Honorees are to be congratulated for staying true to the Republican principles that have sustained them and the Movement they support and the Morrison Hotel are to be congratulated for their sheer professionalism - very well done to all concerned ; it was our pleasure to share this occasion with you all!
We publish with this post five photographs in all , with another five published on our 'Sister' site - click on the supplied link at the end of this post -

Josephine and Róisín at the Check-In desk.

Presentation plaques , Republican calendars and 'SAOIRSE' newspapers.

One of the Honoree Plaques.

CABHAIR 'Shop' - steady sales all night!

More pics on our 'Sister' site , here. Thanks for reading!
Sharon.

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CABHAIR Annual Testimonial Dinner and Republican Reunion 2009.


Going back to at least the early 1970’s , the Republican Movement, and supportive and affiliated organisations , have come together each year to choose a handful of individuals who are deemed suitable emissaries to represent all that Irish Republicanism stands for and that which it seeks to obtain. Having decided on the best honorees possible , a Dinner , Dance and Reunion is held to properly convey the Movement’s appreciation to those people. And that pleasurable task has been undertaken this year , too -
On Saturday May 16th 2009 , seven Irish Republicans will be honoured at a function to be held for them in Dublin , in the Morrison Hotel on Ormond Quay, at which a Presentation will be made to each one of them. Those seven notable Stalwarts of Irish Republicanism are : Peig and Paddy King (chosen by Republicans in Leinster), Pádraig Ó Baoighill (Ulster) , Frank Quinn (Connacht) , Liam Cotter (Munster) , Don Hurley (USA) and Michael Kennedy (Galway and London) .
This blog extends warmest ‘Congrats!’ to those Honorees , and we hope to have a representative present on the night to record proceedings. Well Done to ye all - Ni Seoinini Sinn Go Leir !
(Last year’s CABHAIR Testimonial Dinner can be viewed here.)
Thanks!
Sharon.

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THE IRA : the new IRA is younger , more radical and has seen little of life other than violence.......
By Ed Moloney.
From 'Magill' magazine, September 1980.

ED MALONEY : " Do the negotiations over the H-Blocks between Cardinal O Fiaich and Humphrey Atkins involve the Republican Movement ? "

IRA : " No . But these negotiations are causing a lot of anxiety although by the time this interview appears in print there might be some conclusion to those negotiations .

It is for the men in the H-Blocks and their comrades in Armagh Prison to decide . It's not even up to us to decide. They are the sole negotiating body . They are undoubtedly political prisoners . In February and March this year we privately decided to suspend attacks on prison warders but the beatings meted out by them to the republican prisoners continued .

It wasn't until June this year after prisoners had been continually beaten , after there was no progress in O Fiaich's 'initiative' that we decided to resume those attacks . Since June there has only been one IRA attack on the warders but we have said it is open season on them again . We want the H-Blocks settled , we don't want to see warders killed. The H-Blocks are of no propaganda purpose to us. Our people in the jails are suffering real deprivations and we want that resolved."
[END of 'THE IRA']
(Next : 'DUBLIN 1980 - THE GLUE SNIFFERS')


HOPE IN THE SHADOWS.......

For some Northern nationalists the Anglo-Irish Agreement ('Hillsborough Treaty',1985) only makes their lives more dangerous , for others it offers hope on a road to nowhere. Fionnuala O'Connor visited a (Provisional) Sinn Fein advice centre in the Ardoyne and Seamus Mallon's office in Newry.
From 'MAGILL' magazine, December 1986.

Sitting in his chair below the 'Death or Victory' IRA poster , Tom Fleming lit another cigarette and leaned a little closer to the electric heater . " If the SDLP can maintain things even at the present level and keep on promising - that, plus the Catholic Church's attitude to (P) Sinn Fein and it's support (*) for the IRA - they can hoodwink a lot of people." ('1169...' Comment * - "support" then, condemnation now for those in Ireland who militarily challenge the British political and military presence!)

I stopped three people on a midweek morning to ask the way to Seamus Mallon's Newry office and all three were from Dublin , up doing their shopping! In his office , the new SDLP MP's two staff - young and paid - had brought in those elected to speak for the party : local councillor Tommy McGrath and Frank Feely, elected to the defunct 'Assembly' .

We were straight into the question of "I" voters , at least 800 of them in Newry town , they said , at least twice that number in the local government area , and every one of them annoyed for years because they could vote in Westminster elections but could not vote for their local council ! Guess who they'd vote for once the Anglo-Irish Agreement (Hillsborough Treaty) finally did the right thing by them.......?
(MORE LATER).



A BATTLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS.......
A look at issues raised by Liz Curtis' recent book.
From 'IRIS' magazine, August 1984.
Review by Trisha Fox.

While a handful of TV producers such as Colin Thomas- who resigned from the BBC in protest at cuts made to his 1978 documentary about daily life in Derry - have taken a protest stance , most consciously choose to work within the system and to get their material transmitted , while acknowledging the limitations of their practice.

'Acceptable Levels', a recent film made for Channel 4 , dealt with this issue of 'self-censorship' by TV producers . The film's storyline is about a crew making a liberal documentary about the effects of 'the troubles' on children from both communities . Towards the end of the crew's film-shooting , a nationalist child gets shot with a plastic bullet and the crew are thrown into a dilemma as to whether they should incorporate this material into the final film , which would change the original (and pre-conceived) concept of the documentary . Inevitably , they decide to omit it .
(MORE LATER).

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RSF Dublin Rally in commemoration of the 22 Irish Hunger-Strikers and in support of present-day POW's , Saturday 9th May 2009.


A two-hour Rally was held on Saturday May 9 , 2009 , in Dublin , by Republican Sinn Féin members and supporters . The aim of the Rally was two-fold - to commemorate the twenty-two Irish Republicans who died on hunger-strike for Irish freedom between the years 1917 and 1981 and to remind all concerned that Irish Republican prisoners are still fighting to obtain full political status. About thirty people took part in the Rally , some of whom, with others , held banners and placards and helped to distribute leaflets to the many thousands of people in the area. As usual , the State political police - the 'Special Branch' - practically tried to close-down the event , such was the manner in which at least nine of them attempted to discourage members of the public from approaching those holding the Rally. Their intimidation failed , however, (as is always the case!) and those thousands of people - Irish and foreign tourists - who were in the area over that two-hour period were reminded of the sacrifices made and the sacrifices that continue to be made by incaracated Republican POW's.
A full report and more pictures will be published in the June 2009 issue of 'Saoirse' , which will be available from Wednesday June 3rd '09.
Thanks!
Sharon.

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In Dublin or Armagh , on Saturday May 9th 2009 - show your support for Irish Republicanism !

On the same day that Irish Republicans will be holding a Rally in Dublin, fellow Republicans will be campaigning on the streets of Armagh in support of political status for Republican prisoners.
Part of a communique received over the Easter period , 2009 , from Irish Republican prisoners -
"We, the PoWs, continue to resist all attempts by the NIO to criminalise us and our struggle and with your continued support we are confident of victory. In the words of Liam Lynch “we have declared for a Republic and will live by no other law”.
Continuity not compromise.
Tiocfaidh ár lá.
O/C Republican PoWs Maghaberry."

A picket in support of the demands for the restoration of political status for imprisoned Irish Republicans will be held in Lurgan,County Armagh,on Saturday May 9th 2009, in Edward Street , at 2pm.
If you are in , or near , Dublin or Armagh on Saturday May 9th 2009 , please show your support . All Welcome!
Thanks!
Sharon.

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THE IRA : the new IRA is younger , more radical and has seen little of life other than violence.......
By Ed Moloney.
From 'Magill' magazine, September 1980.

ED MALONEY : " What are the present state of relations between the IRA and the Palestine Liberation Organisation ? "

IRA : " Well unfortunately the PLO are in a bad situation . They have found it necessary to adopt certain policies - some would say in order to ingratiate themselves with the EEC governments for recognition - but we do not question or judge them because we know the position of their people is very bad .

They are denied their homeland and live in deplorable refugee camps , and are subjected to frequent Israeli attacks and from Haddad on Southern Lebanon . We sympathise with them but we cannot dictate their relationships with other people . That's just unfortunate . There are only solidarity links between the IRA and the PFLP but the British have used that to try to embarass us , as they did with the Marxist smear .The IRA is a national liberation organisation. "
(MORE LATER).



HOPE IN THE SHADOWS.......

For some Northern nationalists the Anglo-Irish Agreement ('Hillsborough Treaty',1985) only makes their lives more dangerous , for others it offers hope on a road to nowhere. Fionnuala O'Connor visited a (Provisional) Sinn Fein advice centre in the Ardoyne and Seamus Mallon's office in Newry.
From 'MAGILL' magazine, December 1986.

Talking about the attempted attack on him by armed loyalists , the taxi-driver was concentrating on telling the story , looking across the counter , not at all looking at the wall behind the counter , which was covered in posters - "Bas no an bua....Death or Victory" , guns held high above the heads of big solid guys in combat jackets , faces covered . Tom Fleming wrote it all down , checking his name . " I've told the other drivers , " said the taxi-man , "but I'd like you to spread the word to be careful." And off he went , civic duties done in all directions.

Tom Fleming said that was the most dramatic complaint he'd had in a long time , though he didn't doubt sectarian aggression everywhere was rising as a result of the 'Anglo-Irish Agreement' (Hillsborough Treaty) . " And for what ? What I dread is Stormont coming back - the unionists have an unbeatable majority there and we're going to be out-voted all the time. There's nothing in it for us . They can talk about power-sharing but the last time we saw what that meant. Austin Currie introduced the 'Recovery of Debts Acts' * . And I don't know where that fella Peter Barry ( Cork Fine Gael Free State minister) gets his information from that the RUC is a changed force !"

But the SDLP would hold their vote , unless the Hillsborough Agreement (Hillsborough Treaty) completely collapsed . " They have the media and the church ; not around here , but in outlying areas the church is very influential. "
(*A financial Act which forced those withholding rent to hand it over or loose the house they were renting.)
(MORE LATER).



A BATTLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS.
A look at issues raised by Liz Curtis' recent book.
From 'IRIS' magazine, August 1984.
Review by Trisha Fox.

Published earlier this year by Pluto Press, Liz Curtis' 'Ireland :The Propaganda War' sold out within six weeks and is now being republished . For anyone interested in examining Britain's 'relationship' to Ireland and how the media represents that 'relationship' , it is essential reading , cataloguing how the British government uses censorship as part of a concrete strategy to maintain ideological control of the struggle in the North as it is perceived by the British public and abroad.

The manner in which this strategy is achieved is typified in journalist Mary Holland's remark - " For every programme that gets banned there are about twenty that don't get made."

In the early 1970's there had been discussions within the BBC's hierarchy and the British government about introducing legislation allowing "direct censorship" of material broadcast in relation to Ireland , but the implications of shattering the BBC's 'balanced and impartial public image' would have been too obvious a form of political censorship. So , as Liz Curtis explains - " Instead , a system of hidden censorship was brought in , which the public remains generally unaware of . This system is known as 'Reference Upwards' or 'Managerial Censorship' : all items on Ireland have to be checked from the ideas stage onwards."
(MORE LATER).

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*UPDATE* - Monday , 4th May 2009 : after one of our '1169... Editorial Meetings' (!) we agreed to include mention of the following annual function which , not being a picket/protest/day-of-action-type event , we previously decided to exclude from the below list but we have now had a change of mind re said function. Please note that this has nothing whatsoever to do with the promise of two free tickets should we give it a plug.....!
Going back to at least the early 1970's , the Republican Movement , and supportive and affiliated organisations , have come together each year to choose a handful of individuals who are deemed suitable emissaries to represent all that Irish Republicanism stands for and that which it seeks to obtain. Having decided on the best honorees possible , a Dinner , Dance and Reunion is held to properly convey the Movement's appreciation to those people. And that pleasurable task has been undertaken this year , too -
On Saturday May 16th 2009 , seven Irish Republicans will be honoured at a function to be held for them in Dublin , in the Morrison Hotel on Ormond Quay, at which a Presentation will be made to each one of them. Those seven notable Stalwarts of Irish Republicanism are : Peig and Paddy King (chosen by Republicans in Leinster) , Pádraig Ó Baoighill (Ulster) , Frank Quinn (Connacht) , Liam Cotter (Munster) , Don Hurley (USA) and Michael Kennedy (Galway and London) .
This blog extends warmest 'Congrats!' to those Honorees , and we hope to have a representative present on the night to record proceedings. Well Done to ye all - Ni Seoinini Sinn Go Leir !
(Last year's CABHAIR Testimonial Dinner can be viewed here.)
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Dublin, Saturday May 9th 2009.




Dublin, Sunday May 10th 2009.




POW Picket , Lurgan, County Armagh, Saturday May 9th 2009.




Bodenstown Sunday, June 14th 2009.


Next weekend (Saturday/Sunday May 9th/10th 2009) , Irish Republicans in Dublin will be twice as busy (!) as their colleagues in Armagh , but all of the above , and many others from both Dublin and Armagh and the other 30 counties in Ireland , will be busy on Sunday , 14th June 2009.
This blog would like to wish all our fellow-Republicans involved in the above-mentioned events every success, and to confirm that we will have a representative present at those events.
Beir Bua!
Sharon.

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THE IRA : the new IRA is younger , more radical and has seen little of life other than violence.......
By Ed Moloney.
From 'Magill' magazine, September 1980.

ED MALONEY : " Do you intend to resume the bombing campaign in England ?"

IRA : " We're often asked this question and the standard reply whether we are bombing England at the time or not or planning to bomb England is no comment . "

ED MALONEY : " After the assassination of Lord Mountbatten the IRA threatened to kill more prominent personalities . Does that threat still exist ? "

IRA : " Yes. As I've explained , the importance of these people - like British ambassadors abroad - is that they put out false propaganda . They are part of the British military machine and whereas it would be stupid and morally wrong for us to attack an ordinary British person , for us to attack a so-called 'pillar of the British establishment' like Mountbatten or Quintin Hogg or Roy Mason, who we will never forget for what he did to the Irish people , gains us more attention and political effect. Yes we do intend to carry out more of those attacks. "
(MORE LATER).



HOPE IN THE SHADOWS.......

For some Northern nationalists the Anglo-Irish Agreement ('Hillsborough Treaty',1985) only makes their lives more dangerous , for others it offers hope on a road to nowhere. Fionnuala O'Connor visited a (Provisional) Sinn Fein advice centre in the Ardoyne and Seamus Mallon's office in Newry.
From 'MAGILL' magazine, December 1986.

There's a route the heavily-used local black taxis take into the area on the northside , generally regarded as the safest , but no one likes going south out of Flax Street - long , straight and usually deserted - onto the Crumlin Road , says Tom Fleming , and yet it's the logical way out for taxis and everyone else.

As if on cue , a taxi-driver comes in to report what he thinks was a loyalist attempt to kill him at the end of Flax Street at one o' clock that morning . He has already reported the incident - immediately afterwards - to the "...uniformed thugs of the sectarian RUC.." , as (P) Sinn Féin loves to call them * or , as he himself puts it with remarkable neutrality and as Tom Fleming repeats when checking his details , "...to the police.." . (*'1169...' Comment : the Provos now not only call the RUC/PSNI "the police" , but actually advise their neighbours , and anyone else foolish enough to listen , to pass-on any info on "dissident/traitor" activity to those "police" . Amazing what 30 pieces of Crown silver can buy...)

As the taxi-driver drove out of Flax Street with three women passengers , "...six guys in balaclavas and combat jackets..." jumped out of the shadows opposite . One of them , holding what looked like a rifle , dropped to his knee and took aim . The taxi driver threw the car into reverse - " I don't know how I did it so quick " - and zoomed backwards all the way down the road to Tennent Street RUC Barracks , three to four hundred yards away . Belatedly , he registered lack of trust in them - " The police (sic) weren't too fussed , " he says , " they brought in a couple of young guys but they were only messers hanging about on the street , the guys with the hoods were more my age , big solid guys...."
(MORE LATER).



TEN YEARS IN ENGLISH JAILS.......
Anne and Eileen Gillespie were arrested in April 1974 following an explosion in a Manchester house where IRA Volunteers were preparing incendiaries , and were sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for earlier bombing attacks in which they had no part , serving the bulk of their sentence in the maximum security wing of Durham Jail. Released at the end of last August , they talked to 'IRIS' about their experience , at their home in Gweedore , County Donegal .
From 'IRIS' magazine, August 1984.

The airplane didn't leave until later in the morning . When we arrived at Dublin airport we heard screaming - we'd never imagined there would be all these people there for us . It was overpowering . On the way home there were crowds all along the route , and cars and bands , and people came out to greet us and make presentations to us.

In Bundoran in Donegal we were met by Owen Carron and Ruairi O Bradaigh and two women in their eighties who had been in the IRA . It was overwhelming , thousands of people came to welcome us home!

Sometimes we still can't believe that we're home. We remember the tree we used to watch changing season out of the prison cell window and we would say to each other - "another winter gone" , and now we are home we can enjoy all the changes in the seasons . We used to think about it all the time . However , we also remember that there are so many Irishmen still in English prisons , and they should at least be brought back to Ireland to finish their sentences.

[END of 'TEN YEARS IN ENGLISH JAILS']
(Next : 'A BATTLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS' - from 1984)

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