Working within British 'law' with a vow NOT to use force against the British....... :
DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;
THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .
.......huge outdoor meetings , known as 'Monster Meetings' , were held throughout the country to promote Daniel O'Connell and the 'Loyal National Repeal Association' ; 150,000 people in Mullingar , County Westmeath , 400,000 people in Mallow in County Cork - the Brits were getting worried with the level of support .......
A third 'Monster Meeting' was held in Lismore , County Waterford - again , a crowd estimated at 400,000 people attended . At each meeting , the 'Young Irelanders' were recruiting , having made their position clear in the pages of their newspaper , 'The Nation' , in leaflets , and by word of mouth - ie ' we get back whatever we can by O'Connell's methods , but will not confine ourselves to those methods alone...'
The British were perplexed at what to do regarding the 'Monster Meetings' - were they a 'safety valve' at which the 'agitators/rebels' could let off steam in a more-or-less harmless fashion , or were they a possible recruiting exercise at which the more militant element could 'plot and plan' ?
However , after the 15th August 1843 , the Brits decided to take action ; for it was on that date that between 800,000 and one million people gathered on the Hill of Tara in County Meath for a 'Monster Meeting'.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
BURNINGS.......
".......myself and Donal Og were trapped in the loft of the barn - the Brits did not know we were there , but they were determined to get in to search . We were armed , and watched from the inside as the door was viciously attacked by them ......."
"....the door was 'bending' in its middle , but there was much to spare . The torchlight supplied by the British troops on the other side of the door was obligingly being held for our benefit ; it showed us the distance the bolt travelled in the staple and this was the measure of our time and opportunity . Again the enemy changed method - this time there appeared to be no doubt about its ultimate success . The rifles were discarded and men's shoulders substituted ; under their timed impact the door warped about the middle and the bolt slid alarmingly near to the edge of the staple .
With each successive effort the distance lessened ; I believe that not one sixteenth of an inch was left between the end of the bolt and the edge of the staple . A sudden silence fell : the last blow did not come . We moved a little to the left behind the wall , expecting a shot through the lock to break it . The shot never came . Instead came the clatter of iron-shod boots on the stone steps of the stairs , as the British soldiers descended . We heard them pass through the gateway and with others assemble on the road .
As they marched off the rain stopped and the wind died down . I believe it was these elements saved us by hastening the enemy's departure from the exposed stair landing . We unlocked our good door and soon we were hastening to the hilltop . The grey of dawn had passed ; we saw the column of British soldiers returning to Macroom . What of our house , a short distance away .....? "
(MORE LATER).
THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......
Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .
Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .
First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.
Re-produced here in 21 parts .
(7 of 21).
Britain and France , in a last gasp of Empire , were conspiring with Israel to take Egypt's Suez Canal , which had been nationalised by Nasser , who was now being frowned on by the West because of his friendship with the Soviet Union . The nationalisation was legal under agreements made between Nasser , Britain , France and America in 1950 and 1954 .
The plan was that Israel would invade Egypt - and Britain and France would take military control of the Suez Canal in order to "protect" it . Israel attacked on 29 October ; the next day the British and the French bombed Egypt and took the Canal . The Americans were furious - they did'nt like Nasser but they believed they could handle him , and they did'nt want a resurgence of the old empires .
They froze oil supplies from Latin America and withdrew support from the British 'Pound' and the French 'Franc' ; the conspiracy collapsed .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, August 05, 2004
Working within British 'law' with a vow NOT to use force against the British....... :
DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;
THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .
.......'The Young Irelanders', a group within the Daniel O'Connell -led 'Loyal National Repeal Association' , were not convinced that " moral force " alone would win the day against the Brits.......
In 1842 , 'The Young Irelanders' established a newspaper called 'The Nation' , in which they supported the objectives of the 'Repeal' Movement . The newspaper , under the control of 26 years-young Charles Gavan Duffy , supported Daniel O'Connell in his quest to publicise the 'Repeal' Movement , and helped to organise and promote outdoor meetings (known as 'Monster Meetings') at which the objectives of the 'Repeal' Movement could be advanced .
The year 1843 was promoted as 'The Year of Repeal' , and Daniel O'Connell took his message to the people ; in Mullingar , County Westmeath , he addressed a crowd of approximately 150,000 people . The British 'authorities' were watching these developments with interest and , while no doubt regarding the 'Loyal' Daniel O'Connell as no more than a 'rebel pet' , were presumably more worried by the fact that the huge crowds he drew would be susceptible to the less 'loyal' message coming from 'The Young Irelanders' .
After the Mullingar 'Monster Meeting ' , which was viewed as a tremendous success by the organisers , 'The Nation' newspaper helped to publicise another such meeting - this time in Mallow , County Cork : 400,000 people turned up - the Brits were uneasy .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
BURNINGS.......
"....... the Brits were in the barn , searching it - we were in the loft , aware of their presence . We were dressed and armed ; the door was solid , as was its bolt , but the closing staple was its possible weak-point ......."
" The bolt-staple would be difficult to break but it would either pull-out or spring ; the key was in the inside of the lock - I removed it gently and laid it softly on the floor near the wall . The enemy might see it , or feel for it, in the keyhole, or it might fall out and give us away when the assault on the door began . It was vital to us to keep the Brits ignorant of our presence until the last moment since they could , if they discovered us , riddle the floor with bullets .
The torch lights wandering around the door at length concentrated on the lock ; then started a vigorous assault with rifle muzzles on that region . We watched the bolt as it sprung back and forth under the impact - there appeared to be little danger of failure under that treatment . The small area of the flagstone landing outside restricted the number and movement of the attackers ; they soon tired and changed their tactics ...
...they used the rifle butts on the middle of the door - this method was a great improvement on the first , and the bolt slid back much further in its staple - the door was 'bending' in the middle......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......
Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .
Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .
First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.
Re-produced here in 21 parts .
(6 of 21).
In the 1950's the old empires of Britain and France were dying and the United States was replacing them as a world power . At Buraimi Oasis , Oman, the CIA tried to use a $90 million bribe to oust British oil interests in favour of the American company , 'Aramco' ; when the case went to the International Court in Geneva , the CIA tried unsuccessfully to bribe the arbitrators ! The CIA aided the Algerian fight for independence from France and flew Algerian revolutionary Franz Fanon to Washington where they paid for his treatment for cancer . Whatever works...
At the end of October 1956 , the American military attache in Israel sent a message home - " Just thought you ought to know that my driver - a reservist with one arm and one leg missing and blind in one eye - has been called to the colours ! " The CIA deduced from the fact that double-amputees were being called up into the Israeli Army that military action was imminent ...
(MORE LATER).
DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;
THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .
.......'The Young Irelanders', a group within the Daniel O'Connell -led 'Loyal National Repeal Association' , were not convinced that " moral force " alone would win the day against the Brits.......
In 1842 , 'The Young Irelanders' established a newspaper called 'The Nation' , in which they supported the objectives of the 'Repeal' Movement . The newspaper , under the control of 26 years-young Charles Gavan Duffy , supported Daniel O'Connell in his quest to publicise the 'Repeal' Movement , and helped to organise and promote outdoor meetings (known as 'Monster Meetings') at which the objectives of the 'Repeal' Movement could be advanced .
The year 1843 was promoted as 'The Year of Repeal' , and Daniel O'Connell took his message to the people ; in Mullingar , County Westmeath , he addressed a crowd of approximately 150,000 people . The British 'authorities' were watching these developments with interest and , while no doubt regarding the 'Loyal' Daniel O'Connell as no more than a 'rebel pet' , were presumably more worried by the fact that the huge crowds he drew would be susceptible to the less 'loyal' message coming from 'The Young Irelanders' .
After the Mullingar 'Monster Meeting ' , which was viewed as a tremendous success by the organisers , 'The Nation' newspaper helped to publicise another such meeting - this time in Mallow , County Cork : 400,000 people turned up - the Brits were uneasy .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
BURNINGS.......
"....... the Brits were in the barn , searching it - we were in the loft , aware of their presence . We were dressed and armed ; the door was solid , as was its bolt , but the closing staple was its possible weak-point ......."
" The bolt-staple would be difficult to break but it would either pull-out or spring ; the key was in the inside of the lock - I removed it gently and laid it softly on the floor near the wall . The enemy might see it , or feel for it, in the keyhole, or it might fall out and give us away when the assault on the door began . It was vital to us to keep the Brits ignorant of our presence until the last moment since they could , if they discovered us , riddle the floor with bullets .
The torch lights wandering around the door at length concentrated on the lock ; then started a vigorous assault with rifle muzzles on that region . We watched the bolt as it sprung back and forth under the impact - there appeared to be little danger of failure under that treatment . The small area of the flagstone landing outside restricted the number and movement of the attackers ; they soon tired and changed their tactics ...
...they used the rifle butts on the middle of the door - this method was a great improvement on the first , and the bolt slid back much further in its staple - the door was 'bending' in the middle......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......
Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .
Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .
First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.
Re-produced here in 21 parts .
(6 of 21).
In the 1950's the old empires of Britain and France were dying and the United States was replacing them as a world power . At Buraimi Oasis , Oman, the CIA tried to use a $90 million bribe to oust British oil interests in favour of the American company , 'Aramco' ; when the case went to the International Court in Geneva , the CIA tried unsuccessfully to bribe the arbitrators ! The CIA aided the Algerian fight for independence from France and flew Algerian revolutionary Franz Fanon to Washington where they paid for his treatment for cancer . Whatever works...
At the end of October 1956 , the American military attache in Israel sent a message home - " Just thought you ought to know that my driver - a reservist with one arm and one leg missing and blind in one eye - has been called to the colours ! " The CIA deduced from the fact that double-amputees were being called up into the Israeli Army that military action was imminent ...
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Working within British 'law' with a vow NOT to use force against the British....... :
DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;
THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .
.......in 1829 , the British relented on the issue of Catholic Emancipation following a six-year campaign led by Daniel O'Connell , amongst others , in the 'Catholic Association' organisation. To the Irish , O'Connell was a hero ; to the Brits , he was becoming troublesome.......
On April 15th , 1840 , Daniel O'Connell launched the 'Loyal National Repeal Association' (as it called itself from 1841 onwards - at its inception it was simply known as 'The Repeal Association' : O'Connell was back-tracking with the name-change , all but apologising to the Brits for asking them to 'tweak' the system a little more in favour of the Irish.)
Daniel O'Connell made it clear that it was his desire that Ireland should remain under the British 'Monarchy' - saying , if you like - ' ...stay if you want , just treat us better.' The only force to be used , he stated , was "moral force" ; but even this was too much of a demand for Westminster - 'Sir' Robert Peel (Brit PM) replied that to 'grant' O'Connell his way " would not merely mean the repeal of an Act of (British) Parliament , but dismemberment of a great Empire . Deprecatimg as I do all war but above all , civil war , yet there is no alternative which I do not think preferable to the dismemberment of Empire . "
A group within the 'Repeal Association' (or 'The Loyal National Repeal Association' , as O'Connell insisted it be known as) supported Daniel O'Connell in his endeavours but were not convinced that "moral force" alone would win the day ; they were the 'Young Irelanders' , and they viewed their leader "with a mixture of affection and impatience......."
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
BURNINGS.......
".......myself , my brother Pat and another IRA Volunteer , Donal Og , were 'on-the-run' ; we were sleeping in an old barn , in the grain loft ......."
" The one door of our 'bedroom' opened through a gable on to the landing on top of an outside stone stairs , which was built along the gable wall . A wide gate mounted on the pillar of the stair landing gave entrance from the road to the open haggard . From the opposite gate-pillar the stone boundary fence of the haggard ran away at right angles to the barn .
I awoke to the sensation of the floor shaking under me ; heavy blows from underneath shook me in the bed - they also created a noise that should wake any living man . It was pitch dark and I could not see Donal as I sat up in bed - I could hear , however , his steady breathing as he slept peacefully through all the clamour . The light from powerful torches stabbed upwards through chinks in the floor boards ; I could hear heavy rain blown by strong gusts of wind . The sound of these elements cheered me although I knew that the enemy was upon us , or rather underneath us .
British soldiers would presently be at our door ; my immediate problem was how to wake Donal Og quietly . When a man is awakened , in the darkness, from a deep sleep , his first reaction is to speak , and that perhaps loudly . I could now see him and , bending over , I held my open hand close to his mouth , while I called gently . He awoke without a sound and I quickly apprised him of the situation . We dressed quickly but completely , getting into the bed to lace our boots ; then , revolvers in hand , we stole step by step to the door . Just as we reached it , the enemy arrived on the landing outside - their torches shone through crevices in the walls around the frame and between the frame and door .
The door was sound but opened inwards ; the lock was strong but its bolt went home into a thin square staple driven into the frame . Would it withstand a shoulder .......?"
(MORE LATER).
THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......
Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .
Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .
First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.
Re-produced here in 21 parts .
(5 of 21).
In 1950 , North Korean prisoners were used in 'Project MK Ultra' , the CIA- backed operation in using mind-bending drugs on enemy forces . There were other experiments in Germany , the Far East and Panama ; in 1953 , LSD was put in a bottle of Cointreau and given to a number of scientists meeting in the Appalachians to discuss their work . One scientist later jumped from a tenth-floor window . It is believed that others also died from such experiments .
There were experiments on animals , attempts to turn them into guided micro-phones and bombs . A cat was opened up , a micro-phone was put in , his tail was turned into an ariel , they took him into the open for a test ....and he was run over by a taxi !
(MORE LATER).
DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;
THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .
.......in 1829 , the British relented on the issue of Catholic Emancipation following a six-year campaign led by Daniel O'Connell , amongst others , in the 'Catholic Association' organisation. To the Irish , O'Connell was a hero ; to the Brits , he was becoming troublesome.......
On April 15th , 1840 , Daniel O'Connell launched the 'Loyal National Repeal Association' (as it called itself from 1841 onwards - at its inception it was simply known as 'The Repeal Association' : O'Connell was back-tracking with the name-change , all but apologising to the Brits for asking them to 'tweak' the system a little more in favour of the Irish.)
Daniel O'Connell made it clear that it was his desire that Ireland should remain under the British 'Monarchy' - saying , if you like - ' ...stay if you want , just treat us better.' The only force to be used , he stated , was "moral force" ; but even this was too much of a demand for Westminster - 'Sir' Robert Peel (Brit PM) replied that to 'grant' O'Connell his way " would not merely mean the repeal of an Act of (British) Parliament , but dismemberment of a great Empire . Deprecatimg as I do all war but above all , civil war , yet there is no alternative which I do not think preferable to the dismemberment of Empire . "
A group within the 'Repeal Association' (or 'The Loyal National Repeal Association' , as O'Connell insisted it be known as) supported Daniel O'Connell in his endeavours but were not convinced that "moral force" alone would win the day ; they were the 'Young Irelanders' , and they viewed their leader "with a mixture of affection and impatience......."
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
BURNINGS.......
".......myself , my brother Pat and another IRA Volunteer , Donal Og , were 'on-the-run' ; we were sleeping in an old barn , in the grain loft ......."
" The one door of our 'bedroom' opened through a gable on to the landing on top of an outside stone stairs , which was built along the gable wall . A wide gate mounted on the pillar of the stair landing gave entrance from the road to the open haggard . From the opposite gate-pillar the stone boundary fence of the haggard ran away at right angles to the barn .
I awoke to the sensation of the floor shaking under me ; heavy blows from underneath shook me in the bed - they also created a noise that should wake any living man . It was pitch dark and I could not see Donal as I sat up in bed - I could hear , however , his steady breathing as he slept peacefully through all the clamour . The light from powerful torches stabbed upwards through chinks in the floor boards ; I could hear heavy rain blown by strong gusts of wind . The sound of these elements cheered me although I knew that the enemy was upon us , or rather underneath us .
British soldiers would presently be at our door ; my immediate problem was how to wake Donal Og quietly . When a man is awakened , in the darkness, from a deep sleep , his first reaction is to speak , and that perhaps loudly . I could now see him and , bending over , I held my open hand close to his mouth , while I called gently . He awoke without a sound and I quickly apprised him of the situation . We dressed quickly but completely , getting into the bed to lace our boots ; then , revolvers in hand , we stole step by step to the door . Just as we reached it , the enemy arrived on the landing outside - their torches shone through crevices in the walls around the frame and between the frame and door .
The door was sound but opened inwards ; the lock was strong but its bolt went home into a thin square staple driven into the frame . Would it withstand a shoulder .......?"
(MORE LATER).
THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......
Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .
Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .
First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.
Re-produced here in 21 parts .
(5 of 21).
In 1950 , North Korean prisoners were used in 'Project MK Ultra' , the CIA- backed operation in using mind-bending drugs on enemy forces . There were other experiments in Germany , the Far East and Panama ; in 1953 , LSD was put in a bottle of Cointreau and given to a number of scientists meeting in the Appalachians to discuss their work . One scientist later jumped from a tenth-floor window . It is believed that others also died from such experiments .
There were experiments on animals , attempts to turn them into guided micro-phones and bombs . A cat was opened up , a micro-phone was put in , his tail was turned into an ariel , they took him into the open for a test ....and he was run over by a taxi !
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Working within British 'law' with a vow NOT to use force against the British....... :
DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;
THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .
.......the rats were feasting on dead Irish people , dying mothers using the last of their strength to try and bury their children , weak and dying people trapped under the weight of dead family members who had died while trying to keep their children warm . But some tried to organise resistance .......
...the 'Repeal Association' , led by Daniel O'Connell in the early 1840's was one of the largest mass movements in Europe at the time ; it had its 'roots' in the 'Catholic Association' which , between 1823 and 1829 , led by O'Connell , and supported by the Catholic Hierarchy , organised the vast majority of the population into a political body seeking emancipation - for at least six years (1823-1829) the campaign was relentless ; civil unrest in Ireland and prolonged agitation in England itself concerning the issue .
The British Prime Minster , 'Sir' Robert Peel , relented in 1829 , and Catholic Emancipation was passed at Westminster . Daniel O 'Connell was a 'God' ; to the Irish , he could do no wrong , and he continued to press the British for more 'reforms' of the system .
...but , to the British , O'Connell was becoming more of a troublesome 'thorn in the side'.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
BURNINGS.......
"....... April 1920 - an IRA Unit had the RIC barracks surrounded , while another Unit were about to set fire to the near-by Courthouse , to draw the RIC out of their barracks ; but things went wrong ......."
" ...I looked at my brother , Pat - his face and hands were terribly burned . He told me to get a doctor as the other lads were badly injured , and to meet them at the old bridge . In a short time I returned with a doctor , and he treated the injured - in a few days we succeeded in getting them into hospital in Cork city . All four had been equally badly burned about the face and hands but , with the strength of youth and the spirit of the times on their side , they quickly recovered and were soon as active as ever .
How they fought their way downstairs from the top to the bottom of that pillar of fire is a mystery ; but again the spirit of those times was irresistible . The burning of the Courthouse had nearly cost us the lives of four of our best men ; I believe the enemy did not get the slightest information that any accident had happened . While the operation was in progress they made no attempt to interfere with it , but kept on sending up distress rockets ; a few nights later , however, they staged a counter attack . A party of RIC from Macroom, with one-hundred-and-fifty of the regular British Army , surrounded our house at Caherdaha ; they inquired for my brother Pat , who at the time was in a Cork hospital .
For two months previously , neither Pat nor I had slept at home - one hundred and fifty yards uphill from our house was a large barn which stood on the roadside , with a wide doorway opening on to the road from the ground floor . This doorway had no door ; inside were a few farm carts and some machinery , and overhead was a grain loft , and there we had installed two large beds . For some time , three of us - Pat , Donal Og and I had slept there . Since the night of the burning , Donal Og and I alone ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......
Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .
Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .
First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.
Re-produced here in 21 parts .
(4 of 21).
The same kind of things (ie CIA interference) was going on in struggles to control political parties , unions and students across Europe - $400 million was pumped into Greece and Turkey . In the Middle East , the CIA financed the Nasser coup against King Farouk ; Nasser's colleague General Naguib got $12 million . The mother of King Hussein of Jordan got about the same , and King Saud of Saudi Arabia got $40 million . Minor officials were paid pro rata .
CIA agents were active in China and the Philippines , organising the support or suppression of guerrilla movements according to the interests of the U S . Meanwhile , a project known as MK Ultra was under way ...
...this was CIA jargon for the use of mind-bending drugs - from this came Project Bluebird and Project Artichoke . August Del Gracio , a criminal , was the first unsuspecting experimental subject .......
(MORE LATER).
DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;
THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .
.......the rats were feasting on dead Irish people , dying mothers using the last of their strength to try and bury their children , weak and dying people trapped under the weight of dead family members who had died while trying to keep their children warm . But some tried to organise resistance .......
...the 'Repeal Association' , led by Daniel O'Connell in the early 1840's was one of the largest mass movements in Europe at the time ; it had its 'roots' in the 'Catholic Association' which , between 1823 and 1829 , led by O'Connell , and supported by the Catholic Hierarchy , organised the vast majority of the population into a political body seeking emancipation - for at least six years (1823-1829) the campaign was relentless ; civil unrest in Ireland and prolonged agitation in England itself concerning the issue .
The British Prime Minster , 'Sir' Robert Peel , relented in 1829 , and Catholic Emancipation was passed at Westminster . Daniel O 'Connell was a 'God' ; to the Irish , he could do no wrong , and he continued to press the British for more 'reforms' of the system .
...but , to the British , O'Connell was becoming more of a troublesome 'thorn in the side'.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
BURNINGS.......
"....... April 1920 - an IRA Unit had the RIC barracks surrounded , while another Unit were about to set fire to the near-by Courthouse , to draw the RIC out of their barracks ; but things went wrong ......."
" ...I looked at my brother , Pat - his face and hands were terribly burned . He told me to get a doctor as the other lads were badly injured , and to meet them at the old bridge . In a short time I returned with a doctor , and he treated the injured - in a few days we succeeded in getting them into hospital in Cork city . All four had been equally badly burned about the face and hands but , with the strength of youth and the spirit of the times on their side , they quickly recovered and were soon as active as ever .
How they fought their way downstairs from the top to the bottom of that pillar of fire is a mystery ; but again the spirit of those times was irresistible . The burning of the Courthouse had nearly cost us the lives of four of our best men ; I believe the enemy did not get the slightest information that any accident had happened . While the operation was in progress they made no attempt to interfere with it , but kept on sending up distress rockets ; a few nights later , however, they staged a counter attack . A party of RIC from Macroom, with one-hundred-and-fifty of the regular British Army , surrounded our house at Caherdaha ; they inquired for my brother Pat , who at the time was in a Cork hospital .
For two months previously , neither Pat nor I had slept at home - one hundred and fifty yards uphill from our house was a large barn which stood on the roadside , with a wide doorway opening on to the road from the ground floor . This doorway had no door ; inside were a few farm carts and some machinery , and overhead was a grain loft , and there we had installed two large beds . For some time , three of us - Pat , Donal Og and I had slept there . Since the night of the burning , Donal Og and I alone ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......
Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .
Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .
First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.
Re-produced here in 21 parts .
(4 of 21).
The same kind of things (ie CIA interference) was going on in struggles to control political parties , unions and students across Europe - $400 million was pumped into Greece and Turkey . In the Middle East , the CIA financed the Nasser coup against King Farouk ; Nasser's colleague General Naguib got $12 million . The mother of King Hussein of Jordan got about the same , and King Saud of Saudi Arabia got $40 million . Minor officials were paid pro rata .
CIA agents were active in China and the Philippines , organising the support or suppression of guerrilla movements according to the interests of the U S . Meanwhile , a project known as MK Ultra was under way ...
...this was CIA jargon for the use of mind-bending drugs - from this came Project Bluebird and Project Artichoke . August Del Gracio , a criminal , was the first unsuspecting experimental subject .......
(MORE LATER).
Monday, August 02, 2004
Working within British 'law' with a vow NOT to use force against the British....... :
DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;
THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .
....... Ireland 1843 - 'famine' and emigration ; one million Irish people put on board emigrant ships - from 90 years of age to babe's in arms - no food or medicine , no light , no air , no room . Thrown overboard when death took them .......
It was around this time that a Mr. Nicholas Cummins , a Cork Magistrate , found himself in the village of Skibbereen , in Cork . The account of what he witnessed was published in 'The Times' newspaper -
- " I shall state simply what what I saw there : On reaching the spot I was surprised to find the wretched hamlet apparently deserted . I entered some of the hovels to ascertain the cause , and the scenes which presented themselves were such as no tongue or pen can convey the slightest idea of . In the first hovel , six famished and ghastly skeletons , to all appearances dead, were huddled in a corner on some filthy straw , their sole covering which seemed a ragged horsecloth, their wretched legs hanging about , naked above the knees .
I approached with horror , and found by a low moaning they were alive - they were in fever , four children , a woman and what had once been a man . It is impossible to go through the detail : suffice it to say that , in a few minutes, I was surrounded by at least 200 such phantoms , such frightful spectres as no words can describe , either from famine or from fever . Their demoniac yells are still ringing in my ears , and their horrible images are fixed upon my brain . My heart sickens at the recital , but I must go on ...
The same morning the police opened a house on the adjoining lands , which was observed shut for many days , and two dead corpses were found , lying upon the mud floor , half devoured by rats . A mother , herself in a fever , was seen the same day to drag the corpse of her child , a girl about twelve , perfectly naked, and leave it half covered with stones . In another house , within five hundred yards of the cavalry station at Skibbereen , the dispensary doctor found seven wretches lying unable to move , under the same cloak . One had been dead for many hours , but the others were unable to move either themselves or the corpse ......."
But even still , some tried to fight back .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
BURNINGS.......
".......trying to get the RIC out of their barracks to investigate 'riots and civil strife' did not work anymore ; neither did walking up to their front-door and knocking on it ! A small group of us went out on a 'job' one night ......."
" .....we had the RIC barracks surrounded ; another group of IRA Volunteers got busy at their work of destruction - large quantities of petrol and paraffin had already been hidden near at hand . Since we had no explosives to spare and the building was immensely strong , we had decided on using petrol freely ; at that period of time the danger of handling such fuel was not generally appreciated . Among the IRA Volunteers engaged in the operation , however, it was well appreciated ; all had been thoroughly instructed on its dangers and the utmost precautions against premature ignition were taken . One-hundred-and-twenty gallons of petrol had been sprinkled on the woodwork ...
...in addition , several unopened barrels of paraffin oil stood on the Courthouse floor , one of which had been put in the dock for 'contempt of Court' by the IRA Volunteer on whose toe it had rolled over ! Our men had gone upstairs in the building to open or break the highest windows to create an upwards draught . How the accident happened was never established : with two other IRA men I was standing behind a wall near the gate of the barracks - a dull explosion , and the Courthouse became a fiery torch with every window jetting flame . Other explosions followed as the unopened barrels burst and threw on fresh fuel . In an incredibly short time the floors all collapsed together , and only the thick walls remained . Stout walls they must have been to have survived the intense heat and pressure .
But what of the four men on top of that inferno ? A figure approached from the Lawn Gate ; it was my brother Pat , our Commandant ; I hardly knew him - his face and hands were terribly burned ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......
Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .
Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .
First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.
Re-produced here in 21 parts .
(3 of 21).
The (American) 'Office of Strategic Services' (the then CIA) had a proud history of bravery behind enemy lines during the war ; the CIA , established in 1947 , was full of ex-OSS agents and infected with the 'derring-do' tradition . The 'new enemy' was the Soviet Union , the 'new war' was a cold one but a 'war' nevertheless . U S Secretary of Defence James Forrestal had on his desk a card which read - ' We will never have universal peace until the strongest army and the strongest navy are in the hands of the most powerful nation .'
Forrestal pushed through a 'National Security Council' directive , 'NSC 4a' , in December 1947 , which authorised CIA covert activities ; he feared a left-wing victory in the Italian elections and the CIA was sent to stop it . Millions of dollars were pumped into the Christian Democrats in a successful bid to win the election .
The same was happening elsewhere .......
(MORE LATER).
DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;
THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .
....... Ireland 1843 - 'famine' and emigration ; one million Irish people put on board emigrant ships - from 90 years of age to babe's in arms - no food or medicine , no light , no air , no room . Thrown overboard when death took them .......
It was around this time that a Mr. Nicholas Cummins , a Cork Magistrate , found himself in the village of Skibbereen , in Cork . The account of what he witnessed was published in 'The Times' newspaper -
- " I shall state simply what what I saw there : On reaching the spot I was surprised to find the wretched hamlet apparently deserted . I entered some of the hovels to ascertain the cause , and the scenes which presented themselves were such as no tongue or pen can convey the slightest idea of . In the first hovel , six famished and ghastly skeletons , to all appearances dead, were huddled in a corner on some filthy straw , their sole covering which seemed a ragged horsecloth, their wretched legs hanging about , naked above the knees .
I approached with horror , and found by a low moaning they were alive - they were in fever , four children , a woman and what had once been a man . It is impossible to go through the detail : suffice it to say that , in a few minutes, I was surrounded by at least 200 such phantoms , such frightful spectres as no words can describe , either from famine or from fever . Their demoniac yells are still ringing in my ears , and their horrible images are fixed upon my brain . My heart sickens at the recital , but I must go on ...
The same morning the police opened a house on the adjoining lands , which was observed shut for many days , and two dead corpses were found , lying upon the mud floor , half devoured by rats . A mother , herself in a fever , was seen the same day to drag the corpse of her child , a girl about twelve , perfectly naked, and leave it half covered with stones . In another house , within five hundred yards of the cavalry station at Skibbereen , the dispensary doctor found seven wretches lying unable to move , under the same cloak . One had been dead for many hours , but the others were unable to move either themselves or the corpse ......."
But even still , some tried to fight back .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
BURNINGS.......
".......trying to get the RIC out of their barracks to investigate 'riots and civil strife' did not work anymore ; neither did walking up to their front-door and knocking on it ! A small group of us went out on a 'job' one night ......."
" .....we had the RIC barracks surrounded ; another group of IRA Volunteers got busy at their work of destruction - large quantities of petrol and paraffin had already been hidden near at hand . Since we had no explosives to spare and the building was immensely strong , we had decided on using petrol freely ; at that period of time the danger of handling such fuel was not generally appreciated . Among the IRA Volunteers engaged in the operation , however, it was well appreciated ; all had been thoroughly instructed on its dangers and the utmost precautions against premature ignition were taken . One-hundred-and-twenty gallons of petrol had been sprinkled on the woodwork ...
...in addition , several unopened barrels of paraffin oil stood on the Courthouse floor , one of which had been put in the dock for 'contempt of Court' by the IRA Volunteer on whose toe it had rolled over ! Our men had gone upstairs in the building to open or break the highest windows to create an upwards draught . How the accident happened was never established : with two other IRA men I was standing behind a wall near the gate of the barracks - a dull explosion , and the Courthouse became a fiery torch with every window jetting flame . Other explosions followed as the unopened barrels burst and threw on fresh fuel . In an incredibly short time the floors all collapsed together , and only the thick walls remained . Stout walls they must have been to have survived the intense heat and pressure .
But what of the four men on top of that inferno ? A figure approached from the Lawn Gate ; it was my brother Pat , our Commandant ; I hardly knew him - his face and hands were terribly burned ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......
Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .
Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .
First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.
Re-produced here in 21 parts .
(3 of 21).
The (American) 'Office of Strategic Services' (the then CIA) had a proud history of bravery behind enemy lines during the war ; the CIA , established in 1947 , was full of ex-OSS agents and infected with the 'derring-do' tradition . The 'new enemy' was the Soviet Union , the 'new war' was a cold one but a 'war' nevertheless . U S Secretary of Defence James Forrestal had on his desk a card which read - ' We will never have universal peace until the strongest army and the strongest navy are in the hands of the most powerful nation .'
Forrestal pushed through a 'National Security Council' directive , 'NSC 4a' , in December 1947 , which authorised CIA covert activities ; he feared a left-wing victory in the Italian elections and the CIA was sent to stop it . Millions of dollars were pumped into the Christian Democrats in a successful bid to win the election .
The same was happening elsewhere .......
(MORE LATER).
Sunday, August 01, 2004
Working within British 'law' with a vow NOT to use force against the British :
DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;
THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .
Ireland 1843 - 45 years after the 'United Irishmen' Rising , 5 years before the 'Young Irelanders' were to rise up in arms against British mis-rule , and 15 years before the Irish Republican Brotherhood was founded (on Saint Patricks Day , 1858).
The population of Ireland was in decline - 'famine' struck again and approximately 2 million people were to leave the island ; one million people emigrated and the same number died . A Mr. Stephen de Vere was an eye-witness on one of the emigrant ships -
- " Before the emigrant has been a week at sea , he is an altered man . How can it be otherwise ? Hundreds of poor people , men , women and children , of all ages , from the drivelling idiot of ninty to the babe just born , huddled together , without light , without air , wallowing in filth and breathing a foetid atmosphere , sick in body , dispirited in heart . The fevered patients lying between the sound in sleeping places so narrow as almost to deny them a change of position ....by their agonised ravings disturbing those around them .
Living without food or medicine except as administered by the hand of casual charity , dying without spiritual consolation and buried in the deep without the rites of the Church . " Thus did one million Irish people 'live' on board the emigrant ships .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
BURNINGS.......
".......in early 1920 , an IRA order was issued to launch sustained attacks on RIC barracks throughout the country ; in late March that year , the Brits could no longer hold their bases and evacuated them - in early April we burned them to the ground ......."
" Where the garrisons were maintained they were re-inforced from the personnel of the evacuated buildings and subsequently by Black and Tans . In certain areas , where a large building in the vicinity of the barracks was available , it was occupied by a Company of the British regular Army . Our Intelligence Department gave us timely warning that the British intended to occupy the fortress described above and known as 'The Courthouse , Ballyvourney ' - its distance from the RIC barracks was less than a hundred yards . Once garrisoned , it would forever be a thorn in our side since we had not the means to reduce it ...
...early on the night of 4th April , a small party of us quietly encircled the RIC barracks ; we had little hope that the garrison would come abroad to investigate signs of "riot , commotion , and civil strife ." They had long ago resisted such temptations - indeed , over two years had passed since an IRA Volunteer had , just after nightfall , walked boldly up the avenue and knocked at the front door . At that time it was a war-time regulation that a permit was necessary to sell certain animals ; a voice from within asked who was there and what he wanted - the IRA man gave his name , or at least the name of his loyalist neighbour , and said he had come for a permit . It did not work . Appeals and judicious threats about seeing the RIC District Inspector , an old friend of 'his' , having failed , he was forced to go without having achieved his objective , the opening of the door .
As the IRA Volunteer left , other armed IRA men arose from the shadows and followed him ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......
Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .
Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .
First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.
Re-produced here in 21 parts .
(2 of 21).
U S President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and OSS Head , William Donovan also considered building plywood oil pipelines ; and restoring the Habsburgs to the Austrian throne after the war ; and Donovan wanted to send Errol Flynn to Dublin to lobby for the use of Free State ports ! The guiding principle for the CIA has been "whatever works" - the aim would be defending and advancing American interests and the means would be whatever they thought might work , be it dropping dead bats on Japan or live bombs on Libya .
John Ranelagh , a commissioning Editor at Channel 4 , has written a comprehensive and coherent history of the CIA , drawn from a wide range of published sources , declassified documents , documents obtained unofficially and over 200 interviews .
The book is unsensational , conservative , pro- CIA but not blindly so . It is an excellent work of journalism .......
(MORE LATER).
DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;
THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .
Ireland 1843 - 45 years after the 'United Irishmen' Rising , 5 years before the 'Young Irelanders' were to rise up in arms against British mis-rule , and 15 years before the Irish Republican Brotherhood was founded (on Saint Patricks Day , 1858).
The population of Ireland was in decline - 'famine' struck again and approximately 2 million people were to leave the island ; one million people emigrated and the same number died . A Mr. Stephen de Vere was an eye-witness on one of the emigrant ships -
- " Before the emigrant has been a week at sea , he is an altered man . How can it be otherwise ? Hundreds of poor people , men , women and children , of all ages , from the drivelling idiot of ninty to the babe just born , huddled together , without light , without air , wallowing in filth and breathing a foetid atmosphere , sick in body , dispirited in heart . The fevered patients lying between the sound in sleeping places so narrow as almost to deny them a change of position ....by their agonised ravings disturbing those around them .
Living without food or medicine except as administered by the hand of casual charity , dying without spiritual consolation and buried in the deep without the rites of the Church . " Thus did one million Irish people 'live' on board the emigrant ships .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
BURNINGS.......
".......in early 1920 , an IRA order was issued to launch sustained attacks on RIC barracks throughout the country ; in late March that year , the Brits could no longer hold their bases and evacuated them - in early April we burned them to the ground ......."
" Where the garrisons were maintained they were re-inforced from the personnel of the evacuated buildings and subsequently by Black and Tans . In certain areas , where a large building in the vicinity of the barracks was available , it was occupied by a Company of the British regular Army . Our Intelligence Department gave us timely warning that the British intended to occupy the fortress described above and known as 'The Courthouse , Ballyvourney ' - its distance from the RIC barracks was less than a hundred yards . Once garrisoned , it would forever be a thorn in our side since we had not the means to reduce it ...
...early on the night of 4th April , a small party of us quietly encircled the RIC barracks ; we had little hope that the garrison would come abroad to investigate signs of "riot , commotion , and civil strife ." They had long ago resisted such temptations - indeed , over two years had passed since an IRA Volunteer had , just after nightfall , walked boldly up the avenue and knocked at the front door . At that time it was a war-time regulation that a permit was necessary to sell certain animals ; a voice from within asked who was there and what he wanted - the IRA man gave his name , or at least the name of his loyalist neighbour , and said he had come for a permit . It did not work . Appeals and judicious threats about seeing the RIC District Inspector , an old friend of 'his' , having failed , he was forced to go without having achieved his objective , the opening of the door .
As the IRA Volunteer left , other armed IRA men arose from the shadows and followed him ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......
Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .
Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .
First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.
Re-produced here in 21 parts .
(2 of 21).
U S President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and OSS Head , William Donovan also considered building plywood oil pipelines ; and restoring the Habsburgs to the Austrian throne after the war ; and Donovan wanted to send Errol Flynn to Dublin to lobby for the use of Free State ports ! The guiding principle for the CIA has been "whatever works" - the aim would be defending and advancing American interests and the means would be whatever they thought might work , be it dropping dead bats on Japan or live bombs on Libya .
John Ranelagh , a commissioning Editor at Channel 4 , has written a comprehensive and coherent history of the CIA , drawn from a wide range of published sources , declassified documents , documents obtained unofficially and over 200 interviews .
The book is unsensational , conservative , pro- CIA but not blindly so . It is an excellent work of journalism .......
(MORE LATER).
Friday, July 30, 2004
JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce' .......
....... the British had , as they done in every country they 'kept the peace' in , set-up killer gangs to do their bidding on a "nothing-to-do-with-us" basis . In Ireland , there Loyalist killer gangs were active during the 'Truce' .......
A 21-years young Irishman , Murtagh McAstocker , was to the fore with other members of IRA 'B' Company , Belfast , in pushing the Loyalist killer gangs back out of Nationalist/Republican areas ; on 24th September 1921 , as Murtagh McAstocker was walking on Clonallon Street , going towards the Newtownards Road , he was shot dead by a Loyalist gang . He was buried on 27th September in Milltown Cemetery , Belfast , with full IRA honours .
Then (ie 1921) as now , following the 1994 (P)IRA 'Truce' and the signing of the Stormont Treaty ('GFA') in 1998 , the Brits are not standing still ; in 1921 they claimed jurisdiction over the whole island of Ireland - in 1998 (and now) they claim jurisdiction over our six north-eastern counties . 'Truces' , Treaties , Agreements etc will never work until they include a definite date for a British military and political withdrawal from Ireland .
Otherwise , the paper-work only gives the Brits time to re-group , and to put a new coat of varnish on 'the Irish Question' .
[END of - 'JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce'...].
(*Tomorrow - 'Working within British 'law' ; from Daniel O'Connell to the Provos').
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
BURNINGS.......
".......the 'Great House'where the 'Landlords' lived were usually located within walking distance of the local RIC barracks , for security reasons ......."
" ...soon the driveway ends at an arched gateway , beyond which is the yard and rear entrance to the 'Great House' . In front of it and to the left a gravelled walk leads up to the front door . To the right of it , and actually attached to it , a square tower with crenellated parapet looms up . The windows are protected by vertical iron rods , one inch in diameter , set in heavy iron frames , while iron shutters , half-an-inch thick and loopholed for musketry , open outwards on heavy hinges . The basement is a dungeon with small barred windows and stone stairway inside . An outside stone stairs leads up to the next floor which is also of stone , arched and flagged .
That floor is the 'courthouse' , where 'justice' (generally in small quantities) is periodically dispensed to the people of the district . The other floors overhead are the quarters for a British garrison in times of emergency , and were so used during the Fenian period of 1867 . Truly an ensemble reminiscent of Torquilstone and the gentle 'Front-De-Boeuf' .
It was the spring of 1920 ; that year had opened with a general attack on RIC barracks throughout the country - some had been captured and destroyed , some made untenable . The attacks continued and soon the British 'authorities' decided to withdraw the garrisons from certain small barracks remote from centres of relief . Some hundreds of RIC barracks were evacuated and , on the night of 2nd April 1920 , all burned simultaneously ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .
Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .
Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .
First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.
Re-produced here in 21 parts .
(1 of 21).
Two months after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour (which occured on 7th December 1941) , a Mr. Adams of the town of Irwin , Pennsylvania , wrote to the President of the United States . The President should know , he wrote, that the Japanese were simply terrified of bats : on 9th February 1942 , Franklin Delano Roosevelt passed the letter on to William Donovan with a covering note saying - " This man is NOT a nut ..."
No one checked out the 'bat theory' : it was untrue . William Donovan was 'Mr. U S Intelligence ' ; he headed the 'Office of Strategic Services' (OSS) , forerunner of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). For the next several years he organised the dropping of bats on Japan ; sometimes the bats were just slung out of bombers , other times they were dropped by parachute !
When you throw bats out of a plane at high altitude they freeze to death . There is no record of what the Japanese thought of this carry-on.......
(MORE LATER).
(* NOTE - our 'JUNIOR' has deserted his post here at '1169.... Central' , for a 'mini-holiday' (...just can't get good staff these days ...) ; affairs of the heart , dontcha know ... he has assured us (by text !) that the above-mentioned article (*) is under lock and key in his room : when meself and SHARON climbed (!) in there , we could'nt be sure that 'JUNIOR' himself was'nt in the room , never mind find the 'almost finished' copy , such was the state of the gaff !! So bear with us , folks , if we're a bit late with the next post.......and that includes YOU , 'Saer' ! ).
....... the British had , as they done in every country they 'kept the peace' in , set-up killer gangs to do their bidding on a "nothing-to-do-with-us" basis . In Ireland , there Loyalist killer gangs were active during the 'Truce' .......
A 21-years young Irishman , Murtagh McAstocker , was to the fore with other members of IRA 'B' Company , Belfast , in pushing the Loyalist killer gangs back out of Nationalist/Republican areas ; on 24th September 1921 , as Murtagh McAstocker was walking on Clonallon Street , going towards the Newtownards Road , he was shot dead by a Loyalist gang . He was buried on 27th September in Milltown Cemetery , Belfast , with full IRA honours .
Then (ie 1921) as now , following the 1994 (P)IRA 'Truce' and the signing of the Stormont Treaty ('GFA') in 1998 , the Brits are not standing still ; in 1921 they claimed jurisdiction over the whole island of Ireland - in 1998 (and now) they claim jurisdiction over our six north-eastern counties . 'Truces' , Treaties , Agreements etc will never work until they include a definite date for a British military and political withdrawal from Ireland .
Otherwise , the paper-work only gives the Brits time to re-group , and to put a new coat of varnish on 'the Irish Question' .
[END of - 'JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce'...].
(*Tomorrow - 'Working within British 'law' ; from Daniel O'Connell to the Provos').
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
BURNINGS.......
".......the 'Great House'where the 'Landlords' lived were usually located within walking distance of the local RIC barracks , for security reasons ......."
" ...soon the driveway ends at an arched gateway , beyond which is the yard and rear entrance to the 'Great House' . In front of it and to the left a gravelled walk leads up to the front door . To the right of it , and actually attached to it , a square tower with crenellated parapet looms up . The windows are protected by vertical iron rods , one inch in diameter , set in heavy iron frames , while iron shutters , half-an-inch thick and loopholed for musketry , open outwards on heavy hinges . The basement is a dungeon with small barred windows and stone stairway inside . An outside stone stairs leads up to the next floor which is also of stone , arched and flagged .
That floor is the 'courthouse' , where 'justice' (generally in small quantities) is periodically dispensed to the people of the district . The other floors overhead are the quarters for a British garrison in times of emergency , and were so used during the Fenian period of 1867 . Truly an ensemble reminiscent of Torquilstone and the gentle 'Front-De-Boeuf' .
It was the spring of 1920 ; that year had opened with a general attack on RIC barracks throughout the country - some had been captured and destroyed , some made untenable . The attacks continued and soon the British 'authorities' decided to withdraw the garrisons from certain small barracks remote from centres of relief . Some hundreds of RIC barracks were evacuated and , on the night of 2nd April 1920 , all burned simultaneously ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .
Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .
Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .
First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.
Re-produced here in 21 parts .
(1 of 21).
Two months after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour (which occured on 7th December 1941) , a Mr. Adams of the town of Irwin , Pennsylvania , wrote to the President of the United States . The President should know , he wrote, that the Japanese were simply terrified of bats : on 9th February 1942 , Franklin Delano Roosevelt passed the letter on to William Donovan with a covering note saying - " This man is NOT a nut ..."
No one checked out the 'bat theory' : it was untrue . William Donovan was 'Mr. U S Intelligence ' ; he headed the 'Office of Strategic Services' (OSS) , forerunner of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). For the next several years he organised the dropping of bats on Japan ; sometimes the bats were just slung out of bombers , other times they were dropped by parachute !
When you throw bats out of a plane at high altitude they freeze to death . There is no record of what the Japanese thought of this carry-on.......
(MORE LATER).
(* NOTE - our 'JUNIOR' has deserted his post here at '1169.... Central' , for a 'mini-holiday' (...just can't get good staff these days ...) ; affairs of the heart , dontcha know ... he has assured us (by text !) that the above-mentioned article (*) is under lock and key in his room : when meself and SHARON climbed (!) in there , we could'nt be sure that 'JUNIOR' himself was'nt in the room , never mind find the 'almost finished' copy , such was the state of the gaff !! So bear with us , folks , if we're a bit late with the next post.......and that includes YOU , 'Saer' ! ).
Thursday, July 29, 2004
JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce' .......
.......Ireland , 1921 , during the 'Truce' ; covert assassinations were carried out by British forces against the IRA , 'shoot-outs' took place between the IRA and the Brits , and IRA Volunteers also died while on drills and in training camps .......
A year before the above-mentioned deaths and assassinations , the IRA in Belfast had been re-organised as 'B' Company , 2nd Battalion , following a meeting in Ballymacarret (in 1920) ; one of its members , 21 years young Murtagh McAstocker , was known by the Brits to be militarily opposed to them ...but he was now 'protected' by the 'Truce' .......
However , as little (and begrudgenly and reluctantly) as the British forces were 'bound' by the 'Truce' , their comrades in the various Loyalist militia (formed , supported , financed and armed by the British Army and their political leaders in Westminster) were not stalled at all by it .
The six-month 'Truce' (July - December 1921) was an opportunity for the Loyalist paramilitary gangs to 'ethnicaly clean' 'their' areas of Catholics/Nationalists , more so than they had been doing prior to the 'Truce' .
And young Murtagh McAstocker was on their list .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
BURNINGS.
" It is still the same . If you come from the east the half-mile long avenue of lime trees will lead you there . You are at the Mills , Ballyvourney . The hotel where the stage coach stopped on its way between Cork and Killarney still flourishes , though the stage coach has long since passed on , enveloped in the dust of time .
The old bridge which spans the Sullane River is as sound and as picturesque as ever , and, hard by, the Mill buildings are exactly the same , though renovated . And certainly the bloom of the rhododendron and the murmur of the river have not changed . Behind the scene , however, some important changes did take place not so long ago . Up to our own time , Ballyvourney , hardly large enough to be described as a hamlet , was completely overshadowed by a unique feudal machine which functioned there .
A high wall along the main road was pierced by the Lawn Gate which gave access , by a short drive, to the Great House ; let us assume that one day in the bad old times , one has passed through the Lawn Gate on some legitimate business , say paying the 'rent' - he notices that , a few yards to his right , another road runs parallel to his . It leads to the RIC Barracks , which is conveniently near to , but of course not on the same plane as , the Great House . Naturally , it gives him a sense of security to know that the 'law' is behind him as he faces towards the buildings on his left ......."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
[12 of 12].
An updated memorandum in Colonel Oliver North's files - written around April 4th , 1986 - " provided that $12 million of the residual funds from an arms transaction would be used to purchase critically needed supplies for the Nicaraguan Democratic Resistance Forces ," according to the U S Senate Intelligence Committee report .
Colonel North told the Attorney General , Edwin Meese , that the $12 million figure was " based on what he was told by the Israelis and that he did not know how much was moved to the Nicaraguans - the Israeli (NIR) decided the amount given to the resistance , with no involvement by the CIA or NSC ....." On September 12th , 1986 , the Israeli Defence Minister, Mr. Yitzhak Rabin , offered " a significant quantity " of captured Soviet-bloc arms to the U S for the Contras . The arms were to be picked up on the week of September 15th and delivered to the insurgents .
U S Admiral Poindexter discussed the matter with President Reagan ; Yitzhak Rabin denies that he made such an offer . The report also reveals that Ronald Reagan held 17 meetings with Oliver North , and that others were present at those meetings . At one of them , the CIA Station Head in Costa Rica was with Colonel North . One's conclusion , unsupported by conclusive evidence , is that President Reagan , through his National Security Council staff , was fully briefed on everything taking place regarding Iran and the Contras .
" According to Robert McFarlane , Oliver North stated that McFarlane knew North would'nt do anything that was not approved ," the report says .
[END of - ' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ....'].
(Tomorrow - 'THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY' - from 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , 1986.)
.......Ireland , 1921 , during the 'Truce' ; covert assassinations were carried out by British forces against the IRA , 'shoot-outs' took place between the IRA and the Brits , and IRA Volunteers also died while on drills and in training camps .......
A year before the above-mentioned deaths and assassinations , the IRA in Belfast had been re-organised as 'B' Company , 2nd Battalion , following a meeting in Ballymacarret (in 1920) ; one of its members , 21 years young Murtagh McAstocker , was known by the Brits to be militarily opposed to them ...but he was now 'protected' by the 'Truce' .......
However , as little (and begrudgenly and reluctantly) as the British forces were 'bound' by the 'Truce' , their comrades in the various Loyalist militia (formed , supported , financed and armed by the British Army and their political leaders in Westminster) were not stalled at all by it .
The six-month 'Truce' (July - December 1921) was an opportunity for the Loyalist paramilitary gangs to 'ethnicaly clean' 'their' areas of Catholics/Nationalists , more so than they had been doing prior to the 'Truce' .
And young Murtagh McAstocker was on their list .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
BURNINGS.
" It is still the same . If you come from the east the half-mile long avenue of lime trees will lead you there . You are at the Mills , Ballyvourney . The hotel where the stage coach stopped on its way between Cork and Killarney still flourishes , though the stage coach has long since passed on , enveloped in the dust of time .
The old bridge which spans the Sullane River is as sound and as picturesque as ever , and, hard by, the Mill buildings are exactly the same , though renovated . And certainly the bloom of the rhododendron and the murmur of the river have not changed . Behind the scene , however, some important changes did take place not so long ago . Up to our own time , Ballyvourney , hardly large enough to be described as a hamlet , was completely overshadowed by a unique feudal machine which functioned there .
A high wall along the main road was pierced by the Lawn Gate which gave access , by a short drive, to the Great House ; let us assume that one day in the bad old times , one has passed through the Lawn Gate on some legitimate business , say paying the 'rent' - he notices that , a few yards to his right , another road runs parallel to his . It leads to the RIC Barracks , which is conveniently near to , but of course not on the same plane as , the Great House . Naturally , it gives him a sense of security to know that the 'law' is behind him as he faces towards the buildings on his left ......."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
[12 of 12].
An updated memorandum in Colonel Oliver North's files - written around April 4th , 1986 - " provided that $12 million of the residual funds from an arms transaction would be used to purchase critically needed supplies for the Nicaraguan Democratic Resistance Forces ," according to the U S Senate Intelligence Committee report .
Colonel North told the Attorney General , Edwin Meese , that the $12 million figure was " based on what he was told by the Israelis and that he did not know how much was moved to the Nicaraguans - the Israeli (NIR) decided the amount given to the resistance , with no involvement by the CIA or NSC ....." On September 12th , 1986 , the Israeli Defence Minister, Mr. Yitzhak Rabin , offered " a significant quantity " of captured Soviet-bloc arms to the U S for the Contras . The arms were to be picked up on the week of September 15th and delivered to the insurgents .
U S Admiral Poindexter discussed the matter with President Reagan ; Yitzhak Rabin denies that he made such an offer . The report also reveals that Ronald Reagan held 17 meetings with Oliver North , and that others were present at those meetings . At one of them , the CIA Station Head in Costa Rica was with Colonel North . One's conclusion , unsupported by conclusive evidence , is that President Reagan , through his National Security Council staff , was fully briefed on everything taking place regarding Iran and the Contras .
" According to Robert McFarlane , Oliver North stated that McFarlane knew North would'nt do anything that was not approved ," the report says .
[END of - ' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ....'].
(Tomorrow - 'THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY' - from 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , 1986.)
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce' .......
..........the Brits could not always find the patience to set-up covert assassinations in their desire to take revenge on Irish Republicans during the 'Truce' ; gun-battles broke out on occasion between the IRA and British forces .......
A number of IRA Volunteers died in those shoot-outs ; Luke Killian , from Crith in County Roscommon , in August 1921 / Belfast-man Fred Fox , shot dead in a gun-battle , that same August / Christy McEvoy , a Dublin man , died in early November 1921 / Declan Hurton , from Ardmore in Waterford , shot dead by the Brits on 9th November 1921 and Belfast man David Morrison , who died in a shoot-out on 27th December 1921 .
Other IRA Volunteers died in that same year (1921) but not as a direct result of British military activity ; the following is a list of IRA activists that we know of that died on drills , in training camps or elsewhere -
- County Tipperary man Mossie (Maurice) Magarth (July) ; Patrick Tubridy , a Limerick man , died 21st August ; Dublin men Michael O'Brien and James Henry Doyle (8th September and 11th November respectively) and Newry men Hugh O'Hare (22nd October) and Harry McKigney , 7th November 1921 .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......we had been hours in hiding , waiting to ambush the Brits who were , we felt, not now going to show . We wanted to take the fight to them now , as they were not apparently coming to us ......."
" In vain we asked for permission to rush the British soldiers at the Castle gate and , at least, shoot up the Castle as some small compensation for our crippled condition . As I picked up my Lewis-Gun I envied Sean Rua an Ghaorthaigh and his old musket . His single successful shot at the candle had also wrecked the peace of mind of his enemies and cheered him on his way up Sleibhin .
He had made his presence felt , while we had come and were now retiring unknown to our enemies . A plea for mercy had saved the Loyalist's house from the flames , and stopped our operation .
Well , "...it blesseth him that gives , and him that takes ....." . "
[END of - ' THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'BURNINGS....').
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
11 of 12.
On May 15th , 1986 , American President Ronald Reagan approved the 'McFarlane mission ' , and the delegation flew to Europe and Israel on May 23rd-25th . With Robert McFarlane were Colonel Oliver North and another member of the NSC Staff , Howard Teischer . A CIA Officer , George Cave , served as interpreter ; the discussions ran from May 25th to 28th - nothing was accomplished and the 'McFarlane mission' returned home empty-handed .
There is little hard information on the diversion of funds to the Contras ; the first mention in the U S Senate Intelligence Committee report has of it is in January 1986 during discussions between Colonel Oliver North and the Israeli Prime Minister's adviser , Amiram Nir . Colonel North mentioned support for the Contras and Mr. Nir said funds from the arms sales to Iran could be used for that purpose .
Oliver North turned down Amiram Nir's suggestion that " ...U S funds to Israel or Israel's own funds could be used ..." to support the Contras .......
(MORE LATER).
(Sharon's on her way to getcha , 'SAER' - told ya we can organise housecalls !! The rest of ya can just check out the 'GUESTBOOK' to see what I'm on about.....and , while you're there - sign the bleedin' thing .....)
..........the Brits could not always find the patience to set-up covert assassinations in their desire to take revenge on Irish Republicans during the 'Truce' ; gun-battles broke out on occasion between the IRA and British forces .......
A number of IRA Volunteers died in those shoot-outs ; Luke Killian , from Crith in County Roscommon , in August 1921 / Belfast-man Fred Fox , shot dead in a gun-battle , that same August / Christy McEvoy , a Dublin man , died in early November 1921 / Declan Hurton , from Ardmore in Waterford , shot dead by the Brits on 9th November 1921 and Belfast man David Morrison , who died in a shoot-out on 27th December 1921 .
Other IRA Volunteers died in that same year (1921) but not as a direct result of British military activity ; the following is a list of IRA activists that we know of that died on drills , in training camps or elsewhere -
- County Tipperary man Mossie (Maurice) Magarth (July) ; Patrick Tubridy , a Limerick man , died 21st August ; Dublin men Michael O'Brien and James Henry Doyle (8th September and 11th November respectively) and Newry men Hugh O'Hare (22nd October) and Harry McKigney , 7th November 1921 .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......we had been hours in hiding , waiting to ambush the Brits who were , we felt, not now going to show . We wanted to take the fight to them now , as they were not apparently coming to us ......."
" In vain we asked for permission to rush the British soldiers at the Castle gate and , at least, shoot up the Castle as some small compensation for our crippled condition . As I picked up my Lewis-Gun I envied Sean Rua an Ghaorthaigh and his old musket . His single successful shot at the candle had also wrecked the peace of mind of his enemies and cheered him on his way up Sleibhin .
He had made his presence felt , while we had come and were now retiring unknown to our enemies . A plea for mercy had saved the Loyalist's house from the flames , and stopped our operation .
Well , "...it blesseth him that gives , and him that takes ....." . "
[END of - ' THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'BURNINGS....').
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
11 of 12.
On May 15th , 1986 , American President Ronald Reagan approved the 'McFarlane mission ' , and the delegation flew to Europe and Israel on May 23rd-25th . With Robert McFarlane were Colonel Oliver North and another member of the NSC Staff , Howard Teischer . A CIA Officer , George Cave , served as interpreter ; the discussions ran from May 25th to 28th - nothing was accomplished and the 'McFarlane mission' returned home empty-handed .
There is little hard information on the diversion of funds to the Contras ; the first mention in the U S Senate Intelligence Committee report has of it is in January 1986 during discussions between Colonel Oliver North and the Israeli Prime Minister's adviser , Amiram Nir . Colonel North mentioned support for the Contras and Mr. Nir said funds from the arms sales to Iran could be used for that purpose .
Oliver North turned down Amiram Nir's suggestion that " ...U S funds to Israel or Israel's own funds could be used ..." to support the Contras .......
(MORE LATER).
(Sharon's on her way to getcha , 'SAER' - told ya we can organise housecalls !! The rest of ya can just check out the 'GUESTBOOK' to see what I'm on about.....and , while you're there - sign the bleedin' thing .....)
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
.......continued from Friday , 16th July last .........Great to be back - FAILTE !
JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce' .......
.......ordered not to take military action against the IRA while the 'Truce' was in effect , British troops , the Black and Tans , the Auxiliaries and the RIC/RUC were 'chomping at the bit'; they wanted revenge on Irish Republicans , but could not take it 'Officially' or 'Legitimately'.......
The Brits took to assaulting civilians in the hope that the IRA would , at least in a local area , break the 'Truce' - when this tactic failed , the British forces in Ireland went 'underground' ie revenge attacks on known IRA Volunteers , with no claim of responsibility .
In Limerick , on 15th August 1921 , IRA Volunteer John Pigget was shot dead by British forces ; on 31st October 1921 , IRA Volunteer Walter Coen was shot dead in Ballinrobe , County Mayo and , on 26th December 1921 , IRA Volunteer James Hickey was shot dead in Knocknagoshel in County Kerry . In less clandestine operations , that is, when the Brits could'nt be bothered setting-up covert assassinations , they broke the 'Truce' quite openly and gun-battles ensued ...
...a number of IRA Volunteers died in those shoot-outs :
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......we were going to set fire to a pro-Brit loyalists house near the Castle in order to draw the enemy out ; the Auxiliaries partied in that same house almost every night , so the owner had it coming ......."
"............we hoped that a strong group would leave the Castle to try and save the house - in that event we would take action ; if a large party left , and conditions looked favourable , we would try to seize the Castle itself . Let the party be large or small - we would seize the gate in any case , and hold it against them on their return . At the same time we would keep the garrison of the Castle indoors .
Arrangements had been made for the Macroom men and a section of our IRA Column to attack outside the gates . For hours we waited motionless , watching for that glow in the sky : it never appeared . Midnight came and with it the order to retire . We were never nearer mutiny ....
....we all wanted to take action of some sort against the enemy ......."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
10 of 12.
From March to May 1986 , arrangements were made for a high-level meeting of American and Iranian Officials . This was the one led by Robert McFarlane , who carried an Irish passport bearing the name 'Sean Devlin' . Iran now wanted Harpoon and Phoenix missiles but America was not willing to sell . Manucher Ghorbanifar , the Iranian arms dealer , as the 'go-between' , asked for spare parts for the Hawk missile system , promising that when the delegation arrived in Tehran with them , all the hostages would be released .
At one of these meetings the Americans discussed with Ghorbanifar what passports they would carry . It was also arranged how payment would be made and where it would go ; Iran would pay $17 million into an Israeli account , of which $15 million would be moved into " a private U S corporation account ." Of that amount , $3.65 million would go to the CIA to cover the Hawk missile parts .
Several hours after the arrival of the American delegation in Tehran , the hostages would be released ; eight hours later , the Hawk parts would be delivered ........
(MORE LATER).
JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce' .......
.......ordered not to take military action against the IRA while the 'Truce' was in effect , British troops , the Black and Tans , the Auxiliaries and the RIC/RUC were 'chomping at the bit'; they wanted revenge on Irish Republicans , but could not take it 'Officially' or 'Legitimately'.......
The Brits took to assaulting civilians in the hope that the IRA would , at least in a local area , break the 'Truce' - when this tactic failed , the British forces in Ireland went 'underground' ie revenge attacks on known IRA Volunteers , with no claim of responsibility .
In Limerick , on 15th August 1921 , IRA Volunteer John Pigget was shot dead by British forces ; on 31st October 1921 , IRA Volunteer Walter Coen was shot dead in Ballinrobe , County Mayo and , on 26th December 1921 , IRA Volunteer James Hickey was shot dead in Knocknagoshel in County Kerry . In less clandestine operations , that is, when the Brits could'nt be bothered setting-up covert assassinations , they broke the 'Truce' quite openly and gun-battles ensued ...
...a number of IRA Volunteers died in those shoot-outs :
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......we were going to set fire to a pro-Brit loyalists house near the Castle in order to draw the enemy out ; the Auxiliaries partied in that same house almost every night , so the owner had it coming ......."
"............we hoped that a strong group would leave the Castle to try and save the house - in that event we would take action ; if a large party left , and conditions looked favourable , we would try to seize the Castle itself . Let the party be large or small - we would seize the gate in any case , and hold it against them on their return . At the same time we would keep the garrison of the Castle indoors .
Arrangements had been made for the Macroom men and a section of our IRA Column to attack outside the gates . For hours we waited motionless , watching for that glow in the sky : it never appeared . Midnight came and with it the order to retire . We were never nearer mutiny ....
....we all wanted to take action of some sort against the enemy ......."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
10 of 12.
From March to May 1986 , arrangements were made for a high-level meeting of American and Iranian Officials . This was the one led by Robert McFarlane , who carried an Irish passport bearing the name 'Sean Devlin' . Iran now wanted Harpoon and Phoenix missiles but America was not willing to sell . Manucher Ghorbanifar , the Iranian arms dealer , as the 'go-between' , asked for spare parts for the Hawk missile system , promising that when the delegation arrived in Tehran with them , all the hostages would be released .
At one of these meetings the Americans discussed with Ghorbanifar what passports they would carry . It was also arranged how payment would be made and where it would go ; Iran would pay $17 million into an Israeli account , of which $15 million would be moved into " a private U S corporation account ." Of that amount , $3.65 million would go to the CIA to cover the Hawk missile parts .
Several hours after the arrival of the American delegation in Tehran , the hostages would be released ; eight hours later , the Hawk parts would be delivered ........
(MORE LATER).
Sunday, July 25, 2004
1169 AND COUNTING.......
Irish history , Irish politics ; from today and yesterday - all 32 Counties !
Bhi an saoire caite inne (the holiday was over yesterday). We're back from Contae Phort Lairge (County Waterford) and rarin' to go ....... (...almost !)
The '1169....' crew are back in Dublin after a week in County Waterford and we are .... not quite 'rarin' to go ' ! That's the trouble with holidays - ya need a few days to recover from them ! Sharon is doing her 'Dido' thing (ie 'Sand in My Shoes') and Junior took-up with some young-one in Tramore (ironically , she's from Dublin , too!) and the texts are flying between them !
So he's doing his 'Osmonds' thing (ie '....and they call this puppy love ...') and..... me? - well.. Sharon misses the beach (and , therefore , so must I) and Junior's floating around on a cloud humming 'chucky's in love ...'.
I have to console the pair of them (wimps!) and ease them gently back to get the 'blog' up and running . Won't be long now ; any complaints , leave them in the 'Guestbook' but remember - we know where ya live , and we know people who do house-calls .....!
Good luck ...for now . Back soon !
Irish history , Irish politics ; from today and yesterday - all 32 Counties !
Bhi an saoire caite inne (the holiday was over yesterday). We're back from Contae Phort Lairge (County Waterford) and rarin' to go ....... (...almost !)
The '1169....' crew are back in Dublin after a week in County Waterford and we are .... not quite 'rarin' to go ' ! That's the trouble with holidays - ya need a few days to recover from them ! Sharon is doing her 'Dido' thing (ie 'Sand in My Shoes') and Junior took-up with some young-one in Tramore (ironically , she's from Dublin , too!) and the texts are flying between them !
So he's doing his 'Osmonds' thing (ie '....and they call this puppy love ...') and..... me? - well.. Sharon misses the beach (and , therefore , so must I) and Junior's floating around on a cloud humming 'chucky's in love ...'.
I have to console the pair of them (wimps!) and ease them gently back to get the 'blog' up and running . Won't be long now ; any complaints , leave them in the 'Guestbook' but remember - we know where ya live , and we know people who do house-calls .....!
Good luck ...for now . Back soon !
Friday, July 16, 2004
JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce' .......
.......the 'Truce' between the Brits and the IRA came into effect on July 11th , 1921 ; but British soldiers and Officers in Ireland wanted revenge on Irish Republicans for past deeds , but their political leaders in Westminster told them any such action could jeopardise the peace talks - unless of course , such revenge attacks were carried-out in a manner by which it would not be clear who inflicted the injuries on , or caused the death of , the victim.......
It is probably correct to say that Westminster would have instructed its troops on the ground in Ireland that any military action they took would not be ' authorised' : under the terms of the 'Truce' , Irish Republicans , too , were ordered by their own leadership not to take any offensive military action against the Brits but were instructed to continue with military drills and to maintain their contact with , and use of, training camps in their area .
As well as obviously 'keeping the machine oiled' , the drilling and training camps kept the British alerted to the fact that political discussion was but one of the options open to the IRA ; thousands of armed IRA Volunteers took part in the drills and attended training camps throughout the 32 Counties of Ireland . Dozens , if not hundreds, of these Irish Republican activists were on the British 'MOST WANTED' list and had been 'living' underground (ie safe-houses, 'on-the-run' etc) up to the introduction of the 'Truce' - they were now openly walking around ...
...British troops and their colleagues in the Black and Tans , and the Auxiliaries and the RUC were 'chomping at the bit' to get at them , but were ('Officially') restrained from doing so by the terms of the 'Truce' ... but - 'no claim , no blame.....'
(MORE LATER). (...after the holidays!)
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......we had marched 20 of the 30 miles ; we rested at Ullanes and were fed and , the following afternoon , were marching towards Macroom ......."
" We descended through Carraigaphooca , crossed the main Macroom-Killarney Road and , passing by the old castle, we crossed to the southern bank of the Sullane by the stepping stones . Upwards and to the south-east we crossed the third road to Macroom and passed through Dromonig and Brohaun to reach the southern road from Kilnamartyra to Macroom .
Moving paralel to this road , we reached the hill of Sleibhin on the twilight . Coming out on the road , we marched downhill on its grass margins until we reached the castle boundary wall . Climbing over the wall we dropped noiselessly into the castle grounds . Our scouts now got busy - like shadows they came and went ; we were led expertly forward , each IRA Section to its own position until the whole Column had noved within striking distance of both the castle door and gate .
A tedious and trying operation it was in itself for , apart from the terrace , the ground sloped upwards in front of the castle . Except for a few distant trees it was entirely devoid of shelter . Without doubt , all available cover around the terrace would , in the event of attack , be scourged with rifle-fire . The burning of a loyalist's house was to be the start of the first phase of the operation ; his house was overdue for burning , in any case , not because he was a loyalist but because he was an active agent who nightly entertained the Auxiliaries in the house .
The house would be plainly visible from the castle , and at no great distance from it . It was hoped that a strong party from the castle would rush to the scene to try to save the building ......."
(MORE LATER). (...after the holidays!)
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
9 of 12.
A memorandum for the U S President , drafted by Colonel Oliver North and read by Admiral Poindexter to President Reagan , who initialled it , said - " Prime Minister Peres of Israel secretly dispatched his special adviser on terrorism with instructions to propose a plan by which Israel , with limited assistance from the U S , can create conditions to help bring about a more moderate Government in Iran . As described by the Prime Minister's Emissary , the only requirements the Israelis have is an assurance that they will be allowed to purchase U S replenishments for the stocks that they sell to Iran .
The Israelis are also sensitive to a strong American desire to free our Beirut hostages and have insisted that the Iranians demonstrate both influence and good intent by an early release of the five Americans . "
The first U S arms shipment followed in February (1986) but no hostages were released . It was flown to Israel from the U S by 'Southern Air Transport' which also supplied the Contras . Another American crew flew the weapons to Iran on an unmarked Israeli Air Force plane . Adnan Khasshoggi , a Saudi Arabian businessman and arms dealer , financed the deal , raising some of the money from Canadians .......
(MORE LATER). (...after the holidays!)
(Slan go foill anois - we should be back 'on air' on Saturday , 24th July - depending , dontcha know , on the cash flow...)
.......the 'Truce' between the Brits and the IRA came into effect on July 11th , 1921 ; but British soldiers and Officers in Ireland wanted revenge on Irish Republicans for past deeds , but their political leaders in Westminster told them any such action could jeopardise the peace talks - unless of course , such revenge attacks were carried-out in a manner by which it would not be clear who inflicted the injuries on , or caused the death of , the victim.......
It is probably correct to say that Westminster would have instructed its troops on the ground in Ireland that any military action they took would not be ' authorised' : under the terms of the 'Truce' , Irish Republicans , too , were ordered by their own leadership not to take any offensive military action against the Brits but were instructed to continue with military drills and to maintain their contact with , and use of, training camps in their area .
As well as obviously 'keeping the machine oiled' , the drilling and training camps kept the British alerted to the fact that political discussion was but one of the options open to the IRA ; thousands of armed IRA Volunteers took part in the drills and attended training camps throughout the 32 Counties of Ireland . Dozens , if not hundreds, of these Irish Republican activists were on the British 'MOST WANTED' list and had been 'living' underground (ie safe-houses, 'on-the-run' etc) up to the introduction of the 'Truce' - they were now openly walking around ...
...British troops and their colleagues in the Black and Tans , and the Auxiliaries and the RUC were 'chomping at the bit' to get at them , but were ('Officially') restrained from doing so by the terms of the 'Truce' ... but - 'no claim , no blame.....'
(MORE LATER). (...after the holidays!)
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......we had marched 20 of the 30 miles ; we rested at Ullanes and were fed and , the following afternoon , were marching towards Macroom ......."
" We descended through Carraigaphooca , crossed the main Macroom-Killarney Road and , passing by the old castle, we crossed to the southern bank of the Sullane by the stepping stones . Upwards and to the south-east we crossed the third road to Macroom and passed through Dromonig and Brohaun to reach the southern road from Kilnamartyra to Macroom .
Moving paralel to this road , we reached the hill of Sleibhin on the twilight . Coming out on the road , we marched downhill on its grass margins until we reached the castle boundary wall . Climbing over the wall we dropped noiselessly into the castle grounds . Our scouts now got busy - like shadows they came and went ; we were led expertly forward , each IRA Section to its own position until the whole Column had noved within striking distance of both the castle door and gate .
A tedious and trying operation it was in itself for , apart from the terrace , the ground sloped upwards in front of the castle . Except for a few distant trees it was entirely devoid of shelter . Without doubt , all available cover around the terrace would , in the event of attack , be scourged with rifle-fire . The burning of a loyalist's house was to be the start of the first phase of the operation ; his house was overdue for burning , in any case , not because he was a loyalist but because he was an active agent who nightly entertained the Auxiliaries in the house .
The house would be plainly visible from the castle , and at no great distance from it . It was hoped that a strong party from the castle would rush to the scene to try to save the building ......."
(MORE LATER). (...after the holidays!)
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
9 of 12.
A memorandum for the U S President , drafted by Colonel Oliver North and read by Admiral Poindexter to President Reagan , who initialled it , said - " Prime Minister Peres of Israel secretly dispatched his special adviser on terrorism with instructions to propose a plan by which Israel , with limited assistance from the U S , can create conditions to help bring about a more moderate Government in Iran . As described by the Prime Minister's Emissary , the only requirements the Israelis have is an assurance that they will be allowed to purchase U S replenishments for the stocks that they sell to Iran .
The Israelis are also sensitive to a strong American desire to free our Beirut hostages and have insisted that the Iranians demonstrate both influence and good intent by an early release of the five Americans . "
The first U S arms shipment followed in February (1986) but no hostages were released . It was flown to Israel from the U S by 'Southern Air Transport' which also supplied the Contras . Another American crew flew the weapons to Iran on an unmarked Israeli Air Force plane . Adnan Khasshoggi , a Saudi Arabian businessman and arms dealer , financed the deal , raising some of the money from Canadians .......
(MORE LATER). (...after the holidays!)
(Slan go foill anois - we should be back 'on air' on Saturday , 24th July - depending , dontcha know , on the cash flow...)
Thursday, July 15, 2004
JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce' .......
.......the Brits were under severe pressure in Ireland ; British General Macready wanted a free hand to 'put manners' on the Irish Rebels - martial law , media suppression , clear the roads of traffic , identity cards etc , but his political masters in Westminster said no , that such measures were too extreme . But that was not the real reason why they refused Macreadys demands .......
The British 'spin' regarding Ireland , their 'Big Lie' , was that the 'Truce' was the 'answer' to the 'Irish Question' : Westminster was not worried about being too harsh on the Irish - if Macready's demands were met , the Brit 'spin' would be blown apart . Questions would be asked as to why such measures were needed when the issue had been , as the Brits were claiming , settled .
Macready's 'wish list' , if implemented , would have led to a fresh wave of American support for the IRA , and the British politicians in Westminster knew it . British King George V , Lloyd George and General Smuts sent-out 'peace signals' to the IRA and those they perceived to be its political leaders or representatives . On 11th July 1921 , a 'Truce' was signed .
But British troops and Officers on the ground in Ireland wanted revenge - they bore grudges against the Republican Movement , but were ordered by their political leaders in Westminster to hold back . Or , at least, to do the next best thing .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......our thirty-mile journey was lessened by our surroundings - bare and rocky glens , the cascading Roughty River , the fresh fields ......."
" The energy displayed by the little rivers and the music they made speeded us on our way , past that "charming spot Glanlee ," over the bridge at Inchees , and uphill again to Sillahertane , where with regret we parted from our cheerful 'comrade' , the River Roughty ; he to turn right for Leaca Ban , while we kept on uphill for Coom .
We needed another companion since we had left the river , and the road to Coom was dreary enough . Soon we had him - someone , thinking of the river , sang John Keegan Casey's song , 'Maire My Girl' -
'Over the dim blue hills
strays a wild river ,
Over the dim blue hills
rests my heart ever .
Dearer and brighter than
jewel or pearl ,
dwells she in beauty there -
Maire my girl .'
Other songs followed until the top of Coom was reached . The rest of our journey would be downhill with the Sullane River from its source to almost where it ended in the Lee , just beyond Macroom . We descended Coom , passed along the valley through Coolea and Ballyvourney and halted at Ullanes for tea . After our food , I believe we could have cheerfully faced another twenty miles , but instead we rested .
The following afternoon saw us marching towards Macroom by the least frequented route we could take . Crossing the nearest road to Macroom at Ullanes , we ascended the ridge of Cnoc an Uir and followed the old disused Kerry Road along Ardeen Hill ......."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
8 of 12.
Mr. Peres despatched his anti-terrorism adviser , Amiram Nir , to Washington later in December 1985 to convince William Casey , CIA Chief , that Mr. Ghorbanifar was in touch with Iranian Officials who could have the hostages freed . At a National Security Council meeting on January 7th , 1986 , Mr. Casey and Admiral Poindexter pressed for resumption of the arms sales . President Reagan agreed .
The U S Secretary of State , Mr. Shultz , and the Secretary of Defence , Mr. Casper Weinberger , did not agree , and from then on they were cut out of the 'Iran Initiative' . On January 17th , President Reagan signed the now famous document approving the secret arms shipments to Iran . Mr. Casey , as Director of the CIA , was ordered not to inform the U S Congress of the operation .
A memorandum for the U S President was to be drafted by Colonel Oliver North and read by Admiral Poindexter to Reagan ....... .
(MORE LATER).
(NOTE - for those that were'nt paying attention earlier !: the '1169...' crew are away this Saturday , 17th July , for one week (or longer , depending on 'cash flow...') to Waterford for a wee break . Don't forget and check back with us tomorrow for the usual posts ( and just in case Sharon and 'Junior' have changed their minds and decided to stay in the '1169...' Office .......).
.......the Brits were under severe pressure in Ireland ; British General Macready wanted a free hand to 'put manners' on the Irish Rebels - martial law , media suppression , clear the roads of traffic , identity cards etc , but his political masters in Westminster said no , that such measures were too extreme . But that was not the real reason why they refused Macreadys demands .......
The British 'spin' regarding Ireland , their 'Big Lie' , was that the 'Truce' was the 'answer' to the 'Irish Question' : Westminster was not worried about being too harsh on the Irish - if Macready's demands were met , the Brit 'spin' would be blown apart . Questions would be asked as to why such measures were needed when the issue had been , as the Brits were claiming , settled .
Macready's 'wish list' , if implemented , would have led to a fresh wave of American support for the IRA , and the British politicians in Westminster knew it . British King George V , Lloyd George and General Smuts sent-out 'peace signals' to the IRA and those they perceived to be its political leaders or representatives . On 11th July 1921 , a 'Truce' was signed .
But British troops and Officers on the ground in Ireland wanted revenge - they bore grudges against the Republican Movement , but were ordered by their political leaders in Westminster to hold back . Or , at least, to do the next best thing .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......our thirty-mile journey was lessened by our surroundings - bare and rocky glens , the cascading Roughty River , the fresh fields ......."
" The energy displayed by the little rivers and the music they made speeded us on our way , past that "charming spot Glanlee ," over the bridge at Inchees , and uphill again to Sillahertane , where with regret we parted from our cheerful 'comrade' , the River Roughty ; he to turn right for Leaca Ban , while we kept on uphill for Coom .
We needed another companion since we had left the river , and the road to Coom was dreary enough . Soon we had him - someone , thinking of the river , sang John Keegan Casey's song , 'Maire My Girl' -
'Over the dim blue hills
strays a wild river ,
Over the dim blue hills
rests my heart ever .
Dearer and brighter than
jewel or pearl ,
dwells she in beauty there -
Maire my girl .'
Other songs followed until the top of Coom was reached . The rest of our journey would be downhill with the Sullane River from its source to almost where it ended in the Lee , just beyond Macroom . We descended Coom , passed along the valley through Coolea and Ballyvourney and halted at Ullanes for tea . After our food , I believe we could have cheerfully faced another twenty miles , but instead we rested .
The following afternoon saw us marching towards Macroom by the least frequented route we could take . Crossing the nearest road to Macroom at Ullanes , we ascended the ridge of Cnoc an Uir and followed the old disused Kerry Road along Ardeen Hill ......."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
8 of 12.
Mr. Peres despatched his anti-terrorism adviser , Amiram Nir , to Washington later in December 1985 to convince William Casey , CIA Chief , that Mr. Ghorbanifar was in touch with Iranian Officials who could have the hostages freed . At a National Security Council meeting on January 7th , 1986 , Mr. Casey and Admiral Poindexter pressed for resumption of the arms sales . President Reagan agreed .
The U S Secretary of State , Mr. Shultz , and the Secretary of Defence , Mr. Casper Weinberger , did not agree , and from then on they were cut out of the 'Iran Initiative' . On January 17th , President Reagan signed the now famous document approving the secret arms shipments to Iran . Mr. Casey , as Director of the CIA , was ordered not to inform the U S Congress of the operation .
A memorandum for the U S President was to be drafted by Colonel Oliver North and read by Admiral Poindexter to Reagan ....... .
(MORE LATER).
(NOTE - for those that were'nt paying attention earlier !: the '1169...' crew are away this Saturday , 17th July , for one week (or longer , depending on 'cash flow...') to Waterford for a wee break . Don't forget and check back with us tomorrow for the usual posts ( and just in case Sharon and 'Junior' have changed their minds and decided to stay in the '1169...' Office .......).
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce' .......
....... Ireland 1921 - the Custom House was destroyed , the Dublin Brigade IRA was temporarly put out of action , 'hand-to-hand' fighting in parts of the country between the Brits and the Irish Rebels , "extensive" arms finds by the British .......
.....and , in May and June 1921 , there was over two-thousand engagements between the IRA and the Brits in each month ! In May 1921 , elections were held under the British 'Government of Ireland Act' , and Sinn Fein/Republican candidates who won seats refused to attend the 'Home Rule' Parliament in Dublin .
Also that same month (May 1921) British General Macready wrote a memorandum to the British Cabinet (dated May 24th 1921) in which he stated that a full military victory against the guerrilla forces of the IRA was almost an impossibility ; he suggested the introduction of total martial law , the suppression of all newspapers , the licensing of all public traffic on the roads , identity cards and the suppression of any Irish Republican Parliament !
Macready's political masters in Westminster felt that such measures were too extreme ; in reality , there was one over-riding reason why such an order would not be issued to General Macready .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......fifty of us , all armed , were marching thirty miles to carry-out an operation in Macroom . We were crossing an old bog , when it started to crack and splinter - I warned the lads near me as the bank of the bog threatened to give way ......."
" Then I saw something glitter in one of the cracks , on the 'sound' side of it . I dropped on my knees to examine the object ; it appeared to be made of bronze and a circular segment of it showed through the face of the bank . It was undoubtedly an ancient article and from the portion which showed I concluded that the entire object was a large bowl or cauldron . The topmost edge was but a few inches below ground level , and two of the lads who had remained behind with me grasped the thing and tried to tear it out of the ground .
We failed , and we shouted after the Column to wait for us ; the group halted , and our Brigadier , looking back at us , shouted - "What are ye doing there , Mick ?" "We are trying to dig out a piece of bronz here , Sean . It looks very ancient . I think it is a big bowl or a cauldron ." "An ancient cauldron , ?" he shouted derisively , " some old poteenmakers' pot , most likely !" So saying , he turned about and walked on . Snatching a bayonet , I drove it several times through the mould to get some idea of the dimensions of the vessel . Then we hastened after the Column .
Very soon we were dropping , almost vertically , on to the little railway station at Morley's Bridge . Crossing the railway tracks , the road to Kenmare , and a bridge , we turned left on the road to Ballyvourney . Soon we were marching on a road that led for miles uphill through a bare and rocky glen , and the wildly cascading Roughty River which kept on rushing down to meet us ......."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
7 of 12.
In November , the CIA shipped arms at the direction of Colonel Oliver North , who was also the U S Administration's Liaison Officer with the Contras , whose cause he supported fervently . There are also reports that Colonel North shipped arms to the Contras via Portugal with the help of the CIA , although the U S Congress specifically prohibited such aid .
Oliver North was also linked with the 'private' supply network organised by General Secord for the Contras ; Portugal says it did not authorise such flights . Robert McFarlane was beginning to have doubts about the 'Iran initiative' in November 1985 and , early in December that year , he recommended that the operation be closed down . He then resigned as the U S President's National Security Adviser and , on December 8th , met Mr. Kimche and Mr. Ghorbanifar in London to tell them of the decision.......
(MORE LATER).
....... Ireland 1921 - the Custom House was destroyed , the Dublin Brigade IRA was temporarly put out of action , 'hand-to-hand' fighting in parts of the country between the Brits and the Irish Rebels , "extensive" arms finds by the British .......
.....and , in May and June 1921 , there was over two-thousand engagements between the IRA and the Brits in each month ! In May 1921 , elections were held under the British 'Government of Ireland Act' , and Sinn Fein/Republican candidates who won seats refused to attend the 'Home Rule' Parliament in Dublin .
Also that same month (May 1921) British General Macready wrote a memorandum to the British Cabinet (dated May 24th 1921) in which he stated that a full military victory against the guerrilla forces of the IRA was almost an impossibility ; he suggested the introduction of total martial law , the suppression of all newspapers , the licensing of all public traffic on the roads , identity cards and the suppression of any Irish Republican Parliament !
Macready's political masters in Westminster felt that such measures were too extreme ; in reality , there was one over-riding reason why such an order would not be issued to General Macready .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......fifty of us , all armed , were marching thirty miles to carry-out an operation in Macroom . We were crossing an old bog , when it started to crack and splinter - I warned the lads near me as the bank of the bog threatened to give way ......."
" Then I saw something glitter in one of the cracks , on the 'sound' side of it . I dropped on my knees to examine the object ; it appeared to be made of bronze and a circular segment of it showed through the face of the bank . It was undoubtedly an ancient article and from the portion which showed I concluded that the entire object was a large bowl or cauldron . The topmost edge was but a few inches below ground level , and two of the lads who had remained behind with me grasped the thing and tried to tear it out of the ground .
We failed , and we shouted after the Column to wait for us ; the group halted , and our Brigadier , looking back at us , shouted - "What are ye doing there , Mick ?" "We are trying to dig out a piece of bronz here , Sean . It looks very ancient . I think it is a big bowl or a cauldron ." "An ancient cauldron , ?" he shouted derisively , " some old poteenmakers' pot , most likely !" So saying , he turned about and walked on . Snatching a bayonet , I drove it several times through the mould to get some idea of the dimensions of the vessel . Then we hastened after the Column .
Very soon we were dropping , almost vertically , on to the little railway station at Morley's Bridge . Crossing the railway tracks , the road to Kenmare , and a bridge , we turned left on the road to Ballyvourney . Soon we were marching on a road that led for miles uphill through a bare and rocky glen , and the wildly cascading Roughty River which kept on rushing down to meet us ......."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
7 of 12.
In November , the CIA shipped arms at the direction of Colonel Oliver North , who was also the U S Administration's Liaison Officer with the Contras , whose cause he supported fervently . There are also reports that Colonel North shipped arms to the Contras via Portugal with the help of the CIA , although the U S Congress specifically prohibited such aid .
Oliver North was also linked with the 'private' supply network organised by General Secord for the Contras ; Portugal says it did not authorise such flights . Robert McFarlane was beginning to have doubts about the 'Iran initiative' in November 1985 and , early in December that year , he recommended that the operation be closed down . He then resigned as the U S President's National Security Adviser and , on December 8th , met Mr. Kimche and Mr. Ghorbanifar in London to tell them of the decision.......
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce' .......
.......it was in that same year (1921) that the IRA decided to burn down the centre of British Administration in Ireland ; the Custom House in Dublin . About 120 armed IRA Volunteers were involved in the operation , in May 1921 .......
...the IRA men were scattering the contents of filing-cabinets and other paper work etc onto the floor and pouring petrol on it and the furniture . As the flames caught hold , the alarm had already been sounded in near-by Dublin Castle - "Armed men at the Custom House !" A force of British troops and Auxiliaries hurriedly left Dublin Castle and joined their colleagues , who were coming under fire , around the Custom House .
The gun-fight claimed the lives of two IRA men and forced the surrender of the Dublin Brigade IRA (approximately 120 Volunteers), as they were surrounded and out-numbered by enemy forces .
Also , in 1921 - the Catholic Hierarchy were in full vocal flight in condemning Irish Republicans , a full-scale battle was fought (in March 1921) between Tom Barry's 3rd West Cork Brigade Flying Column and the 17th Brigade of the British Army (an encounter which was described by British General Macready as - "the nearest approach to actual warfare , as contested with ambushes , that has yet occurred .")
In April 1921 , the Brits reported 'finding' "extensive amounts of arms" belonging to the IRA . Indeed , in two months alone during the year 1921 , there was over two-thousand engagements between the two sides in each month .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......we were in Kerry waiting to help the local IRA Volunteers on an operation against the Brits ; an old Kerry man was telling us to carry-on with the fight , to drive the foe from the land , when we were interrupted by the arrival of a messenger ......."
" The IRA Officers with us spoke together for a few minutes , then our Column Leader told us our destination - Macroom , thirty miles to the east by our nearest route . We said good-bye to the good people of Mangerton and immediately we were marching ; keeping to the mountain , we made a bee-line for Morley's Bridge , ten miles to the east . We enjoyed those ten miles over that high and rough ground , for the day was fine and the views of mountain , sea , lake and stream excellent !
As we neared Morley's Bridge we had to cross a bog on a plateau hundreds of feet over the valley we were aiming for - it must have been fairly easy of access from some direction , for some of the bog had been cut away for fuel . The Column marched two deep at a smart rate and kept step with precision . Our Brigadier was with us and set the pace in front ; I was at the extreme end with the Lewis-Gun section , as we marched along the edge of the bank where the turf had been cut to a straight vertical face . The regular beat of the feet falling together and , of course, the combined weight of nearly fifty men caused the bog to shake .
Presently , I noticed a crack run along the ground inside the men in front of us ; it widened as more men stepped on it . I warned the lads near me as the bank threatened to break away ......."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
6 of 12.
Another Israeli , David Kimche , former head of the Foreign Office and once a high official of Mossad , the intelligene service , met Robert McFarlane in July or August 1985 ; he recommended sending arms to Iran to boost "the moderates" and to release the hostages . There was special emphasis on William Buckley , Beirut CIA . The Iranians were interested in TOW anti-tank missiles . McFarlane said he told President Reagan , who was in hospital recovering from surgery for cancer , and received authorisation for Israel to ship arms .
This is disputed by the White House Chief of Staff , Mr. Donald Regan , and President Reagan does not recall giving prior authorisation for the shipment .
The Israelis shipped the arms and the Reverend Benjamin Weir , a Presbyterian minister , was released .......
(MORE LATER).
.......it was in that same year (1921) that the IRA decided to burn down the centre of British Administration in Ireland ; the Custom House in Dublin . About 120 armed IRA Volunteers were involved in the operation , in May 1921 .......
...the IRA men were scattering the contents of filing-cabinets and other paper work etc onto the floor and pouring petrol on it and the furniture . As the flames caught hold , the alarm had already been sounded in near-by Dublin Castle - "Armed men at the Custom House !" A force of British troops and Auxiliaries hurriedly left Dublin Castle and joined their colleagues , who were coming under fire , around the Custom House .
The gun-fight claimed the lives of two IRA men and forced the surrender of the Dublin Brigade IRA (approximately 120 Volunteers), as they were surrounded and out-numbered by enemy forces .
Also , in 1921 - the Catholic Hierarchy were in full vocal flight in condemning Irish Republicans , a full-scale battle was fought (in March 1921) between Tom Barry's 3rd West Cork Brigade Flying Column and the 17th Brigade of the British Army (an encounter which was described by British General Macready as - "the nearest approach to actual warfare , as contested with ambushes , that has yet occurred .")
In April 1921 , the Brits reported 'finding' "extensive amounts of arms" belonging to the IRA . Indeed , in two months alone during the year 1921 , there was over two-thousand engagements between the two sides in each month .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......we were in Kerry waiting to help the local IRA Volunteers on an operation against the Brits ; an old Kerry man was telling us to carry-on with the fight , to drive the foe from the land , when we were interrupted by the arrival of a messenger ......."
" The IRA Officers with us spoke together for a few minutes , then our Column Leader told us our destination - Macroom , thirty miles to the east by our nearest route . We said good-bye to the good people of Mangerton and immediately we were marching ; keeping to the mountain , we made a bee-line for Morley's Bridge , ten miles to the east . We enjoyed those ten miles over that high and rough ground , for the day was fine and the views of mountain , sea , lake and stream excellent !
As we neared Morley's Bridge we had to cross a bog on a plateau hundreds of feet over the valley we were aiming for - it must have been fairly easy of access from some direction , for some of the bog had been cut away for fuel . The Column marched two deep at a smart rate and kept step with precision . Our Brigadier was with us and set the pace in front ; I was at the extreme end with the Lewis-Gun section , as we marched along the edge of the bank where the turf had been cut to a straight vertical face . The regular beat of the feet falling together and , of course, the combined weight of nearly fifty men caused the bog to shake .
Presently , I noticed a crack run along the ground inside the men in front of us ; it widened as more men stepped on it . I warned the lads near me as the bank threatened to break away ......."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
6 of 12.
Another Israeli , David Kimche , former head of the Foreign Office and once a high official of Mossad , the intelligene service , met Robert McFarlane in July or August 1985 ; he recommended sending arms to Iran to boost "the moderates" and to release the hostages . There was special emphasis on William Buckley , Beirut CIA . The Iranians were interested in TOW anti-tank missiles . McFarlane said he told President Reagan , who was in hospital recovering from surgery for cancer , and received authorisation for Israel to ship arms .
This is disputed by the White House Chief of Staff , Mr. Donald Regan , and President Reagan does not recall giving prior authorisation for the shipment .
The Israelis shipped the arms and the Reverend Benjamin Weir , a Presbyterian minister , was released .......
(MORE LATER).
Monday, July 12, 2004
JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce' .......
.......the Brits encouraged people to believe that the 1921 'Truce' was 'the beginning of the end' of 'the Irish Question' but , in that same year , 128 deaths were recorded in Belfast alone , and British troops in that part of Ireland were being strengthened .......
.....a 'tangent' here , concerning a major incident which took place in May 1921 , weeks before the 'Truce' came into operation ; in late May that year , the IRA decided to burn-down the centre of British Administration in Ireland - the Custom House in Dublin . The Dublin Brigade of the IRA (consisting of approximately 120 Volunteers) moved in on the building during working hours . Positions were taken-up around the Custom House by armed IRA Volunteers , while other (armed) members entered the building , carrying cans of petrol .
The civil servants working in the offices were told to get out , which all did , except for one woman who , having being told to leave immediately (incidentally , she was given that instruction by one of the IRA men who had been active on 'Bloody Sunday' , as the Brits called it , when Michael Collins hit out at British Intelligence operatives) replied - "You can't do that ..."
The IRA man showed the woman his revolver and the can of petrol he was carrying , and she is alleged to have said - " Can I get my hat and coat ?" to which he replied "Lady , you'll be lucky if you get your life ." She left the building immediately .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......our IRA Column consisted of fifty rifle men , with about twenty other IRA Volunteers 'on call' from Macroom ; we had no field pieces , having to make do with small arms and two Lewis-Guns....... "
" In one engagement which lasted for four hours , a section of the Column combined with the Macroom men to a total of only thirty , had put about forty out of ninty British Auxiliaries 'hors de combat' ; the intervention of overwhelming forces of the British regular Army saved the Auxies - we lost no man . Ever present in our minds was the thought that one day we would return to the Auxies the compliment of their often inopportune visits . In other words , we were anxious to give them the pleasure of playing the game of war with us on their own grounds .
Suggestions were invited from Officer and Private alike and all were examined ; the Macroom men were asked to investigate a legend we had heard about - an underground passage between the cellars of the Castle and the river bank . Such a gift was not for us , however , but we would be always welcome at the front door ! Eventually it was the front door that was decided upon , if we could get that far ...
During the second week of May 1921 , the Column left Ballyvourney to assist at the attack on a British Barracks in Kilgarvan , County Kerry ; we arrived in Kilgarvan in the afternoon to find that the Barracks had been evacuated only a few hours earlier . The Kerrymen invited us to stay in the neighbourhood for a few days as there was a prospect of meeting with a strong convoy of British military lorries - we agreed , and stayed at a small village or group of farmhouses on the southern slope of Mangerton Mountain . On Friday morning we had breakfast with these decent people , then we sat with them on the low walls outside their white-washed houses while the sun shone brightly .
We talked of many things , but one old man always brought the conversation back to earth , to the land : he would like to go with us to the good land , and fight for it too . The good land that had been taken from us - the land that would grow the big , strong men . That , the old man said , was the way to undo the conquest of Ireland , to put the people back again on the good land . Time has proved him right , but the wrong has not yet been made right . We were discussing this matter when a local IRA Volunteer arrived with a message ......."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
5 of 12.
Another man who vouched for Manucher Ghorbanifar , the Iranian arms dealer , was Michael A. Ledeen , a 'Consultant' to General Alexander Haig when he was U S Secretary of State , and later attached to the National Security Council . Mr. Ledeen is a frequent visitor to Israel - in the spring of 1985 he met Mr. Peres . When George Shultz heard about it , he warned Robert McFarlane that Israel had its own interests in Iran and they were not necessarily the same as those of the United States.
Robert McFarlane replied that Mr. Ledeen was acting for himself - Ledeen went back to Israel in July 1985 and there met Mr. Ghorbanifar ; they talked about arms and hostages with the Israelis .
Also interested in arranging an arms deal was Adnan Khasshoggi , a Saudi Arabian businessman and international arms dealer .......
(MORE LATER).
.......the Brits encouraged people to believe that the 1921 'Truce' was 'the beginning of the end' of 'the Irish Question' but , in that same year , 128 deaths were recorded in Belfast alone , and British troops in that part of Ireland were being strengthened .......
.....a 'tangent' here , concerning a major incident which took place in May 1921 , weeks before the 'Truce' came into operation ; in late May that year , the IRA decided to burn-down the centre of British Administration in Ireland - the Custom House in Dublin . The Dublin Brigade of the IRA (consisting of approximately 120 Volunteers) moved in on the building during working hours . Positions were taken-up around the Custom House by armed IRA Volunteers , while other (armed) members entered the building , carrying cans of petrol .
The civil servants working in the offices were told to get out , which all did , except for one woman who , having being told to leave immediately (incidentally , she was given that instruction by one of the IRA men who had been active on 'Bloody Sunday' , as the Brits called it , when Michael Collins hit out at British Intelligence operatives) replied - "You can't do that ..."
The IRA man showed the woman his revolver and the can of petrol he was carrying , and she is alleged to have said - " Can I get my hat and coat ?" to which he replied "Lady , you'll be lucky if you get your life ." She left the building immediately .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......our IRA Column consisted of fifty rifle men , with about twenty other IRA Volunteers 'on call' from Macroom ; we had no field pieces , having to make do with small arms and two Lewis-Guns....... "
" In one engagement which lasted for four hours , a section of the Column combined with the Macroom men to a total of only thirty , had put about forty out of ninty British Auxiliaries 'hors de combat' ; the intervention of overwhelming forces of the British regular Army saved the Auxies - we lost no man . Ever present in our minds was the thought that one day we would return to the Auxies the compliment of their often inopportune visits . In other words , we were anxious to give them the pleasure of playing the game of war with us on their own grounds .
Suggestions were invited from Officer and Private alike and all were examined ; the Macroom men were asked to investigate a legend we had heard about - an underground passage between the cellars of the Castle and the river bank . Such a gift was not for us , however , but we would be always welcome at the front door ! Eventually it was the front door that was decided upon , if we could get that far ...
During the second week of May 1921 , the Column left Ballyvourney to assist at the attack on a British Barracks in Kilgarvan , County Kerry ; we arrived in Kilgarvan in the afternoon to find that the Barracks had been evacuated only a few hours earlier . The Kerrymen invited us to stay in the neighbourhood for a few days as there was a prospect of meeting with a strong convoy of British military lorries - we agreed , and stayed at a small village or group of farmhouses on the southern slope of Mangerton Mountain . On Friday morning we had breakfast with these decent people , then we sat with them on the low walls outside their white-washed houses while the sun shone brightly .
We talked of many things , but one old man always brought the conversation back to earth , to the land : he would like to go with us to the good land , and fight for it too . The good land that had been taken from us - the land that would grow the big , strong men . That , the old man said , was the way to undo the conquest of Ireland , to put the people back again on the good land . Time has proved him right , but the wrong has not yet been made right . We were discussing this matter when a local IRA Volunteer arrived with a message ......."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
5 of 12.
Another man who vouched for Manucher Ghorbanifar , the Iranian arms dealer , was Michael A. Ledeen , a 'Consultant' to General Alexander Haig when he was U S Secretary of State , and later attached to the National Security Council . Mr. Ledeen is a frequent visitor to Israel - in the spring of 1985 he met Mr. Peres . When George Shultz heard about it , he warned Robert McFarlane that Israel had its own interests in Iran and they were not necessarily the same as those of the United States.
Robert McFarlane replied that Mr. Ledeen was acting for himself - Ledeen went back to Israel in July 1985 and there met Mr. Ghorbanifar ; they talked about arms and hostages with the Israelis .
Also interested in arranging an arms deal was Adnan Khasshoggi , a Saudi Arabian businessman and international arms dealer .......
(MORE LATER).
Sunday, July 11, 2004
JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce' .......
....... "Sure what more do the Irish want ...?" ; thus the Brits whispered to anyone that would listen to them , as they spread 'the big lie' that the 'Truce' was the end of the 'Irish Question' . In Ireland , however , events said otherwise .......
In Belfast alone , in 1921 , the death toll was 128 ; 13 members of the 'Crown Forces' and 115 civilians (comprising 72 Catholics and 43 Protestants). Needless to say , the Brits were not publicising this part of the 'Irish Question' ...
Much was made of the fact that the British Government had started (very publicly!) to re-arrange their military forces in South , East and West Ireland - orders were issued that all British Troops , Black and Tans and Auxiliaries were to base themselves in major barracks' only , in preparation for withdrawal .
In the 'shadow' of that "major advance" , however , the Brits were arranging to strengthen 'security' in the six north-eastern Counties of Ireland ; British troops were to remain , the RUC and the 'B-Special Corps' were given 26,000 extra rifles and a consignment of First World War uniforms , dyed black .
But 'the big lie' (ie "...sure what more do the Irish want ..?") had taken root .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......it was a gentleman of a British Auxie who questioned my mother as to the whereabouts of "her boys" ; we were only yards away from him , hiding and armed - had he been abusive , we would have shot him dead and suffered the consequences ......."
" We climbed over the garden fence through a narrow gap in the whitethorn hedge , at its junction with the school wall . As we stood on the fence our heads were just almost level with the heads of three Auxies who had climbed by way of a laurel tree in the corner at the other side of the wall . Another half-foot higher and they could have looked down on us , but a branch they were on gave way at that moment .With a crash they fell back in a heap into the school yard ; we slipped off our fence and stole along the wall at right angles to the one they had tried to mount . The language we heard , as they sought to extricate themselves , and the energy expended on it , would, had they thought of it in time , have lifted them to any desired height !
The castle was a veritable fortress as far as our war material was concerned ; given a reasonable time and even a single field piece we could manage it , but we had neither gun nor mortar . Even if we had , we would have had to work quickly , since Ballincollig , with its large forces of mechanised infantry , was only sixteen miles distant . For that matter , every town in the southern counties could send forces against us at short notice .
The IRA Brigade Flying Column was largely drawn from our area and never exceeded a strength of fifty rifle men : with the Macroom area included , our total strength would be about seventy , a small number , but high in quality as fighting men . Our heaviest armament consisted of two Lewis-Guns . Elsewhere I have described some clashes between the Auxiliaries from the castle and our IRA Column ; our men had proved themselves more than the equals of the " war-men of Britain " .......
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
4 of 12.
From 1982 , Israel had been arranging private deals involving the sale of U S arms to Iran . Robert McFarlane , the U S President's National Security Adviser in 1985 , did not know about this and the CIA did not tell him . Mr. McFarlane was poorly informed on many matters ; when he asked the CIA about news reports of Israeli arms shipments to Iran he was told the reports were false . Israel's then Prime Minister , Mr. Shimon Peres , reportedly told the U S there was no such trade ...
Mr. McFarlane also thought that Manucher Ghorbanifar , an Iranian arms dealer who , according to some accounts , had links with Israeli intelligence , was an adviser of the Iranian Government . The CIA distrusted Ghorbanifar and he failed a lie-detector test . But Robert McFarlane , the U S President's Security Adviser , was told none of this .......
(MORE LATER).
....... "Sure what more do the Irish want ...?" ; thus the Brits whispered to anyone that would listen to them , as they spread 'the big lie' that the 'Truce' was the end of the 'Irish Question' . In Ireland , however , events said otherwise .......
In Belfast alone , in 1921 , the death toll was 128 ; 13 members of the 'Crown Forces' and 115 civilians (comprising 72 Catholics and 43 Protestants). Needless to say , the Brits were not publicising this part of the 'Irish Question' ...
Much was made of the fact that the British Government had started (very publicly!) to re-arrange their military forces in South , East and West Ireland - orders were issued that all British Troops , Black and Tans and Auxiliaries were to base themselves in major barracks' only , in preparation for withdrawal .
In the 'shadow' of that "major advance" , however , the Brits were arranging to strengthen 'security' in the six north-eastern Counties of Ireland ; British troops were to remain , the RUC and the 'B-Special Corps' were given 26,000 extra rifles and a consignment of First World War uniforms , dyed black .
But 'the big lie' (ie "...sure what more do the Irish want ..?") had taken root .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......it was a gentleman of a British Auxie who questioned my mother as to the whereabouts of "her boys" ; we were only yards away from him , hiding and armed - had he been abusive , we would have shot him dead and suffered the consequences ......."
" We climbed over the garden fence through a narrow gap in the whitethorn hedge , at its junction with the school wall . As we stood on the fence our heads were just almost level with the heads of three Auxies who had climbed by way of a laurel tree in the corner at the other side of the wall . Another half-foot higher and they could have looked down on us , but a branch they were on gave way at that moment .With a crash they fell back in a heap into the school yard ; we slipped off our fence and stole along the wall at right angles to the one they had tried to mount . The language we heard , as they sought to extricate themselves , and the energy expended on it , would, had they thought of it in time , have lifted them to any desired height !
The castle was a veritable fortress as far as our war material was concerned ; given a reasonable time and even a single field piece we could manage it , but we had neither gun nor mortar . Even if we had , we would have had to work quickly , since Ballincollig , with its large forces of mechanised infantry , was only sixteen miles distant . For that matter , every town in the southern counties could send forces against us at short notice .
The IRA Brigade Flying Column was largely drawn from our area and never exceeded a strength of fifty rifle men : with the Macroom area included , our total strength would be about seventy , a small number , but high in quality as fighting men . Our heaviest armament consisted of two Lewis-Guns . Elsewhere I have described some clashes between the Auxiliaries from the castle and our IRA Column ; our men had proved themselves more than the equals of the " war-men of Britain " .......
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
4 of 12.
From 1982 , Israel had been arranging private deals involving the sale of U S arms to Iran . Robert McFarlane , the U S President's National Security Adviser in 1985 , did not know about this and the CIA did not tell him . Mr. McFarlane was poorly informed on many matters ; when he asked the CIA about news reports of Israeli arms shipments to Iran he was told the reports were false . Israel's then Prime Minister , Mr. Shimon Peres , reportedly told the U S there was no such trade ...
Mr. McFarlane also thought that Manucher Ghorbanifar , an Iranian arms dealer who , according to some accounts , had links with Israeli intelligence , was an adviser of the Iranian Government . The CIA distrusted Ghorbanifar and he failed a lie-detector test . But Robert McFarlane , the U S President's Security Adviser , was told none of this .......
(MORE LATER).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)