THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... a Boundary Commission was included under Article 12 of the 1921 Treaty of Surrender (which was signed in Downing Street , London , on Tuesday 6th December 1921 ).......
When this Boundary Commission was to be set-up , it was to be 'Chaired' by Justice Feetham , a South African Judge , and a good friend of the British 'Establishment' - it may well have been a ' toothless body ' , as Winston Churchill , the then British 'Colonial Secretary to Ireland' considered it to be , but sure it was no harm to have its Chairperson in your pocket , too !
During the first three years of the existance of the Irish Free State , those running same poured all their resources into simply staying 'alive' ; it was not until 1924 that the Staters in Leinster House requested that the Boundary Commission should come into being - this opened-up old wounds for the Brits . Westminster was well aware that this issue was an 'open sore' for all concerned - the Staters ( except Michael Collins and , probably , those close to him , who knew better) were expecting 'the earth' (!) while the Unionists had been promised 'no change' .
On hearing of this request by the Free Staters to Westminster , the Stormont (ie the Six-County 'parliament' established by the British) 'Prime Minister' , 'Sir' James Craig , let it be known that , as he was not one of the signatories to the 1921 Treaty , he did not feel bound by its stipulations (re the Boundary Commission) and would have nothing to do with the establishment of such a body .
The Brits themselves were'nt really in favour of setting-up the Boundary Commission either , and no attempt was made to persuade 'Sir' Craig to take part in it by nominating a representative to that proposed body (as had been agreed in the 1921 Treaty)>/i> - instead , the Brits took it on themselves to nominate a person to sit on the Commission on Stormont's behalf .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
[11 of 11].
Concerned by general reports of the deaths and injuries , sketched out above , an Independent International Tribunal recently came together in Belfast to examine use of the plastic bullet weapon . Tribunal members attending the evidence sessions , chaired by the Association for Legal Justice , were : Dr. Tim Shallice , respected English neuro-psychologist ; Dr. Antoine Comte , a French lawyer ; Denis Dillion , the District Attorney for Nassau County , USA ; and Republican New York Councillor , Peter King .
They found that " these lethal weapons " should be banned immediately ; like many others , they found that the plastic bullet is not being used as a riot control weapon but rather as a community control device . The people of the six counties walk in fear on their own streets .
Only international intervention can end the 'officially' sanctioned mis-use of this murderous weapon .
[END of ' PLASTIC BULLETS ... '].
(Next -" WE FIGHT ON " , say IRA Chiefs ; from 1989).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(8 of 31).
Some sixteen months after its formation , NORAID claimed chapters in Manhattan , Queens , Staten Island , the Bronx , Long Island , Connecticut , New Jersey , Washington , D.C. , Baltimore , Philadelphia , Boston , Buffalo , Chicago , St. Louis and Detroit .
There were soon some seventy branches throughout the U.S. ; the greatest support was concentrated in the New York area , where the Committee claimed two thousand members . It received steady support from the older , more established Irish-American organisations , such as the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) , which runs the St. Patrick's Day Parade .
NORAID was filing six-monthly returns with the U.S. Justice Department in Washington , giving details of its fund-raising activities . The figures provide a good barometer of Irish-American re-action to British tactics ; from August 1971 to the end of January 1972 , the INAC reported collecting $128,099 . In the next six-month period , ending in July 1972 , and encompassing the Bloody Sunday killings , collections of $313,000 were recorded .
The next six months showed a considerable drop , with a reported collection of $150,000 ; the period coincided with the height of the IRA's car-bombing campaign , which resulted in heavy civilian casualties , and may have cost the IRA support in America reflected in NORAID's returns .
(MORE LATER).
Beannachtai na Nollag ; Christmas greetings and a Happy New Year to all our readers . From John , Sharon and our 'Junior' . Back Monday , as usual - slan go foill anois ).
Thursday, December 23, 2004
THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... a row had broken-out between the Irish and British negotiating teams who were attempting to put together the 1921 'Treaty of Surrender' - the disagreement was over the form of words to be used in an 'Oath of Allegiance' which the Brits had demanded that the Irish should take . Both sides submitted proposals , but this led to further rows ; eventually , one of those on the Irish side , Gavan Duffy , could take no more .......
Gavan Duffy stood up at the negotiating table and stated - " Our difficulty is to come into the Empire , looking at all that has happened in the past . " With that , one of the Brits , Austen Chamberlain , is reported to have leapt to his feet and shouted " That ends it ! " ; negotiations closed down . That was around early/mid October 1921 - 'feelers' were put out by both camps , and the talking started again , and continued until Monday 5th December 1921 when the then British Prime Minister , Lloyd George , announced to the Irish side that he had written two letters , one of which would now be sent to his people in Ireland ; one letter told of a peaceful outcome to the negotiations , the other told of a breakdown in the negotiations - Lloyd George stated that if he sent the latter one " ... it is war ,
and war within three days . Which letter am I to send ? "
That 'War Letter' meeting took place on the afternoon of Monday 5th December 1921 ; at around 7pm that same evening , the Irish team left that Downing Street meeting to discuss the matter between themselves and returned to Downing Street later that night - at ten minutes past two on the morning of Tuesday 6th December 1921 , Michael Collins and his team accepted 'Dominion status' and an Oath which gave " allegiance " to the Irish Free State and " fidelity " to the British Crown - the Treaty was signed . Within six months a Civil War was raging in Ireland , between the British-supported Free Staters and the Irish Republicans who did not accept that 'Treaty' . And , today , 83 years after that signing , the struggle continues ...
However - that was the 1921 Treaty of Surrender - included in which , under Article 12 , was an 'agreement' to establish a Boundary Commission .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(10 of 11).
August 21st , 1981 . Martin O'Neill , 9 years of age , Ardoyne , Belfast . Shot by RUC at twenty-five yards range . Martin was struck in the face ; luckily , the plastic bullet only grazed him and he 'escaped' with a large graze and acute shock .
August 21st , 1981 . Dermot Gallagher , 11 years of age , Twinbrook , Belfast . Shot by British soldier ; Dermot was nowhere near a riot but was returning home from his local shop . His skull was fractured by the bullet .
August 21st , 1981 . Moya Quinn , 15 years of age , from Dermott Hill , Belfast . Shot by RUC ; Moya was badly bruised about the neck .
August 28th , 1981 . Paul Corr , 12 years of age , Beechmount , Belfast . Shot by British Royal Marine Commandos from a passing open-back landrover . The downward-travelling plastic bullet hit Paul on the side of his nose tearing part of it off and carried on down to the roof of his mouth , shattering and ripping out his pallet and driving his teeth down into his mouth . Paul was coming home from his local sweet shop when shot . There was no riot going on in the area .
Most of these people , young and old , were shot in non-riot situations ; many more are hit and receive treatment secretly because of fear of harassment . Thousands survive with lesser but painful injuries - thousands more are lucky enough not to be hit . Many British soldiers and RUC men 'doctor' their plastic bullets by inserting razor blades , jagged bottle tops and slivers of glass .
Most people are shot with these terrible weapons in a casual manner - no British soldier or RUC man has ever been charged for misuse of these weapons .......
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(7 of 31).
When NORAID registered with FARA initially it named the Northern Aid Committee , Belfast , as its principal . But as NORAID's activities in America increased throughout the early 1970's , the 'Justice and State Departments' adopted a more stringent attitude towards it , and stepped up their investigation of the Committee in order to demonstrate that it was in fact acting under the control of the IRA .
According to Michael Flannery , NORAID " spread like wildfire ... " in the first years of its existence . However , its initial effort to get money across to Ireland was marred by failure ; the first cheque , for $2,500 , was sent through a New York bank - it never arrived . NORAID claims the bank destroyed it because it was told the money was for " subversive purposes ... " .
The Committee collected clothes as well as money ; Aer Lingus transported the clothes - " They took tons of clothes for us , " according to Michael Flannery , " hundreds of blankets , baby clothing direct from the manufacturers . " But he explains that the Aer Lingus clothes shipments stopped after some of the garments were damaged because the airline had the cargo fumigated .
(MORE LATER).
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... a row had broken-out between the Irish and British negotiating teams who were attempting to put together the 1921 'Treaty of Surrender' - the disagreement was over the form of words to be used in an 'Oath of Allegiance' which the Brits had demanded that the Irish should take . Both sides submitted proposals , but this led to further rows ; eventually , one of those on the Irish side , Gavan Duffy , could take no more .......
Gavan Duffy stood up at the negotiating table and stated - " Our difficulty is to come into the Empire , looking at all that has happened in the past . " With that , one of the Brits , Austen Chamberlain , is reported to have leapt to his feet and shouted " That ends it ! " ; negotiations closed down . That was around early/mid October 1921 - 'feelers' were put out by both camps , and the talking started again , and continued until Monday 5th December 1921 when the then British Prime Minister , Lloyd George , announced to the Irish side that he had written two letters , one of which would now be sent to his people in Ireland ; one letter told of a peaceful outcome to the negotiations , the other told of a breakdown in the negotiations - Lloyd George stated that if he sent the latter one " ... it is war ,
and war within three days . Which letter am I to send ? "
That 'War Letter' meeting took place on the afternoon of Monday 5th December 1921 ; at around 7pm that same evening , the Irish team left that Downing Street meeting to discuss the matter between themselves and returned to Downing Street later that night - at ten minutes past two on the morning of Tuesday 6th December 1921 , Michael Collins and his team accepted 'Dominion status' and an Oath which gave " allegiance " to the Irish Free State and " fidelity " to the British Crown - the Treaty was signed . Within six months a Civil War was raging in Ireland , between the British-supported Free Staters and the Irish Republicans who did not accept that 'Treaty' . And , today , 83 years after that signing , the struggle continues ...
However - that was the 1921 Treaty of Surrender - included in which , under Article 12 , was an 'agreement' to establish a Boundary Commission .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(10 of 11).
August 21st , 1981 . Martin O'Neill , 9 years of age , Ardoyne , Belfast . Shot by RUC at twenty-five yards range . Martin was struck in the face ; luckily , the plastic bullet only grazed him and he 'escaped' with a large graze and acute shock .
August 21st , 1981 . Dermot Gallagher , 11 years of age , Twinbrook , Belfast . Shot by British soldier ; Dermot was nowhere near a riot but was returning home from his local shop . His skull was fractured by the bullet .
August 21st , 1981 . Moya Quinn , 15 years of age , from Dermott Hill , Belfast . Shot by RUC ; Moya was badly bruised about the neck .
August 28th , 1981 . Paul Corr , 12 years of age , Beechmount , Belfast . Shot by British Royal Marine Commandos from a passing open-back landrover . The downward-travelling plastic bullet hit Paul on the side of his nose tearing part of it off and carried on down to the roof of his mouth , shattering and ripping out his pallet and driving his teeth down into his mouth . Paul was coming home from his local sweet shop when shot . There was no riot going on in the area .
Most of these people , young and old , were shot in non-riot situations ; many more are hit and receive treatment secretly because of fear of harassment . Thousands survive with lesser but painful injuries - thousands more are lucky enough not to be hit . Many British soldiers and RUC men 'doctor' their plastic bullets by inserting razor blades , jagged bottle tops and slivers of glass .
Most people are shot with these terrible weapons in a casual manner - no British soldier or RUC man has ever been charged for misuse of these weapons .......
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(7 of 31).
When NORAID registered with FARA initially it named the Northern Aid Committee , Belfast , as its principal . But as NORAID's activities in America increased throughout the early 1970's , the 'Justice and State Departments' adopted a more stringent attitude towards it , and stepped up their investigation of the Committee in order to demonstrate that it was in fact acting under the control of the IRA .
According to Michael Flannery , NORAID " spread like wildfire ... " in the first years of its existence . However , its initial effort to get money across to Ireland was marred by failure ; the first cheque , for $2,500 , was sent through a New York bank - it never arrived . NORAID claims the bank destroyed it because it was told the money was for " subversive purposes ... " .
The Committee collected clothes as well as money ; Aer Lingus transported the clothes - " They took tons of clothes for us , " according to Michael Flannery , " hundreds of blankets , baby clothing direct from the manufacturers . " But he explains that the Aer Lingus clothes shipments stopped after some of the garments were damaged because the airline had the cargo fumigated .
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... in their desire to appease their supporters in the Six Occupied Counties of Ireland , Westminster's Winston Churchill stated that it was " absurd " to believe that the Boundary Commission would find against them ; the then British Chancellor of the Exchequer , Austen Chamberlain , was even more blatant .......
Austen Chamberlain 'reminded' the Unionists that they had , in effect , control of the " impartial Chairperson ... " of the Boundary Commission ! Indeed , it was the same Mr. Chamberlain who , during the negotiations with the (then) Irish Republican side insisted that they (the Irish) should take an " Oath of Allegiance to the (British) Crown ..." as part of the 1921 Treaty of Surrender .
Chamberlain was adamant that an Oath should be taken , so the soon-to-be Free Staters put forward the following form of words to the Brits -
- " I ....... , do solemnly swear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the Irish Free State , to the Treaty of the Association and to recognise the King of Great Britain as Head of the Associated States . "
But this was'nt a big enough 'climb-down' to suit the Brits ; they insisted that their form of words would hane to be used -
- " I ....... , do solemnly swear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the Irish Free State as by law established and that I will be faithful to His Majesty King George V , his heirs and successors by law , in virture of the common citizenship of Ireland with Great Britain and her adherence to and membership of the group of nations forming the British Commonwealth of Nations . "
This was 'a bridge too far' for the Irish ; further disagreement ensued between them and the British negotiating team over this 'Oath of Allegiance' and , finally , in exasperation , one of those from the Irish side , Gavan Duffy , could take no more - he stood up at the negotiating table and made a short statement to the Brits .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(9 of 11).
August 1st , 1981 (Day of Kevin Lynch's death) . Pauline Quigley , 16 years of age , New Lodge , Belfast . Shot in head at point-blank range by British soldier . Pauline received a hair-line fracture to her skull , with four stitches on the outside .
August 1st , 1981 . Vincent McGee , 34 years of age , Belfast . Shot by British soldier at point-blank range . Vincent suffered permanent kidney damage .
August 2nd , 1981 (Day of Kieran Doherty's death) . Patricia McGivern , 33 years of age , mother-of-three , Belfast . Shot by a British soldier from two feet . Several tendons were severed in her right hand and her flesh was torn away .
August 2nd , 1981 . James Kavanagh , 69 years of age , Lower Falls , Belfast . Shot from passing British Army armoured car ; James lives near Patricia McGivern . His lower left leg was severely bruised . Because of his age he will require medical treatment for a long time .
August 9th , 1981 * (10th Anniversary of introduction of internment without trial) . Peter Magennis , 40 years of age , father-of-five , Bawnmore , Belfast . Peter was shot through the window of his home by a passing RUC landrover patrol . Peter died . He was the seventh to be murdered in this recent phase . Like the others he was nowhere near a riot when killed .
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(6 of 31).
The FBI also noted that the Irish Northern Aid Committee had registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) on January 14th , 1971 , less than a year after its formation . Since 1938 , FARA has been used to compel any person or organisation deemed to be acting as an agent for a " foreign principal " to register as such with the U.S. Attorney General .
The name of the 'foreign principal' has to be disclosed , as do other details about the relationship to that 'principal' and the nature of the activities undertaken on its behalf . These must be furnished on registration , and every six months following ; if money is collected for the 'foreign principal' , the amount raised must be filed , as well as details of how it was collected . All disbursements in connection with the 'foreign principal' must also be disclosed .
FARA's statutes demand that any written material of a political nature produced by the agent must be designated as " foreign political propaganda ." Registration allows the authorities to mount unannounced searches , without warrants , of the agent's financial records and correspondence .......
(MORE LATER).
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... in their desire to appease their supporters in the Six Occupied Counties of Ireland , Westminster's Winston Churchill stated that it was " absurd " to believe that the Boundary Commission would find against them ; the then British Chancellor of the Exchequer , Austen Chamberlain , was even more blatant .......
Austen Chamberlain 'reminded' the Unionists that they had , in effect , control of the " impartial Chairperson ... " of the Boundary Commission ! Indeed , it was the same Mr. Chamberlain who , during the negotiations with the (then) Irish Republican side insisted that they (the Irish) should take an " Oath of Allegiance to the (British) Crown ..." as part of the 1921 Treaty of Surrender .
Chamberlain was adamant that an Oath should be taken , so the soon-to-be Free Staters put forward the following form of words to the Brits -
- " I ....... , do solemnly swear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the Irish Free State , to the Treaty of the Association and to recognise the King of Great Britain as Head of the Associated States . "
But this was'nt a big enough 'climb-down' to suit the Brits ; they insisted that their form of words would hane to be used -
- " I ....... , do solemnly swear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the Irish Free State as by law established and that I will be faithful to His Majesty King George V , his heirs and successors by law , in virture of the common citizenship of Ireland with Great Britain and her adherence to and membership of the group of nations forming the British Commonwealth of Nations . "
This was 'a bridge too far' for the Irish ; further disagreement ensued between them and the British negotiating team over this 'Oath of Allegiance' and , finally , in exasperation , one of those from the Irish side , Gavan Duffy , could take no more - he stood up at the negotiating table and made a short statement to the Brits .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(9 of 11).
August 1st , 1981 (Day of Kevin Lynch's death) . Pauline Quigley , 16 years of age , New Lodge , Belfast . Shot in head at point-blank range by British soldier . Pauline received a hair-line fracture to her skull , with four stitches on the outside .
August 1st , 1981 . Vincent McGee , 34 years of age , Belfast . Shot by British soldier at point-blank range . Vincent suffered permanent kidney damage .
August 2nd , 1981 (Day of Kieran Doherty's death) . Patricia McGivern , 33 years of age , mother-of-three , Belfast . Shot by a British soldier from two feet . Several tendons were severed in her right hand and her flesh was torn away .
August 2nd , 1981 . James Kavanagh , 69 years of age , Lower Falls , Belfast . Shot from passing British Army armoured car ; James lives near Patricia McGivern . His lower left leg was severely bruised . Because of his age he will require medical treatment for a long time .
August 9th , 1981 * (10th Anniversary of introduction of internment without trial) . Peter Magennis , 40 years of age , father-of-five , Bawnmore , Belfast . Peter was shot through the window of his home by a passing RUC landrover patrol . Peter died . He was the seventh to be murdered in this recent phase . Like the others he was nowhere near a riot when killed .
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(6 of 31).
The FBI also noted that the Irish Northern Aid Committee had registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) on January 14th , 1971 , less than a year after its formation . Since 1938 , FARA has been used to compel any person or organisation deemed to be acting as an agent for a " foreign principal " to register as such with the U.S. Attorney General .
The name of the 'foreign principal' has to be disclosed , as do other details about the relationship to that 'principal' and the nature of the activities undertaken on its behalf . These must be furnished on registration , and every six months following ; if money is collected for the 'foreign principal' , the amount raised must be filed , as well as details of how it was collected . All disbursements in connection with the 'foreign principal' must also be disclosed .
FARA's statutes demand that any written material of a political nature produced by the agent must be designated as " foreign political propaganda ." Registration allows the authorities to mount unannounced searches , without warrants , of the agent's financial records and correspondence .......
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... when (pro-Brit) Stormont 'Prime Minister' 'Sir' James Craig heard of Michael Collins' boast (ie- ' We'll get back almost half of the Six Counties [by using the Boundary Commission] ... ') , he 'lost the head'.......
Craig stated that if the Boundary Commission " were to make anything more than the very minutest change in our boundary , the inevitable result of that would be bloodshed and chaos of the worst description . I will never give in to any re-arrangement of the boundary that leaves our Ulster (sic) area less than it is under the Government of Ireland Act . "
The Brits could see a situation developing in which they might have to use force against one side or the other - ie against the Unionists to make them accept the ruling of the Boundary Commission , or against the Free Staters in the Leinster House 'parliament' in Dublin , to make them accept that the Boundary Commission was just a 'talking shop' ; and , mindful of the fact that the Brits have no friends , only interests , it suited Westminster , this time , to support the Unionists .
Winston Churchill , the then British 'Colonial Secretary to Ireland' , stated that the possibility of the Boundary Commission " reducing " what he called " Northern Ireland (sic) to its preponderatingly Orange (ie Unionist) areas (is) an extreme and absurd supposition , far beyond what those who signed the [1921] Treaty meant . "
Also , Austen Chamberlain , the then British Chancellor of the Exchequer , went even further in their desire to appease the Unionists .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(8 of 11).
July 9th , 1981 . Martin Tumelty (brother of Sean - see this list , May 30th) , Divis Flats , Belfast . Martin was shot in the head by the RUC - fortunately at long range . He suffered severe facial bruising .
July 22nd , 1981 . Brian McDonnell , 26 years of age , Springhill , Belfast . Shot by British soldiers at point-blank range while standing at door of his taxi . He suffered from extensive bruising to his back .
July 24th , 1981 * . Peter Doherty , 40 years of age , Divis Flats , Belfast . Shot by British Royal Marine Commandos ; Peter was standing inside the window of his own flat when hit . He died a week later from massive head injuries .
July 27th , 1981 . Martin Rooney , 13 years of age , Divis Flats , Belfast . Shot by British soldiers while coming home from working on a milk-round . A passing lorry which was taking Martin to hospital was delayed by British soldiers : Martin was taken to hospital suffering from a fractured skull .
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(5 of 31).
The U.S. authorities have taken a different view ; they have maintained , along with the British and Irish governments , that NORAID is really an IRA front , and that its money goes into the pockets of gun-dealers and gun-runners .
When Daithi O Conaill and Joe Cahill arrived in America , their visits were monitored - the FBI noted that O Conaill had come as a representative of the "Provisional IRA" and a "member of the army council," the organisation's ruling body . Later that year Joe Cahill returned , and from mid-November to December 6 he visited Chicago , San Francisco , Cleveland , Boston , Yonkers , and Philadelphia . The FBI source named Cahill as a "sponsor" of the 'Northern Aid Committee' in Belfast .
On July 10th , 1970 , when NORAID held one of its first demonstrations , near the United Nations Buildings in New York , the FBI was there to watch .......
(MORE LATER).
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... when (pro-Brit) Stormont 'Prime Minister' 'Sir' James Craig heard of Michael Collins' boast (ie- ' We'll get back almost half of the Six Counties [by using the Boundary Commission] ... ') , he 'lost the head'.......
Craig stated that if the Boundary Commission " were to make anything more than the very minutest change in our boundary , the inevitable result of that would be bloodshed and chaos of the worst description . I will never give in to any re-arrangement of the boundary that leaves our Ulster (sic) area less than it is under the Government of Ireland Act . "
The Brits could see a situation developing in which they might have to use force against one side or the other - ie against the Unionists to make them accept the ruling of the Boundary Commission , or against the Free Staters in the Leinster House 'parliament' in Dublin , to make them accept that the Boundary Commission was just a 'talking shop' ; and , mindful of the fact that the Brits have no friends , only interests , it suited Westminster , this time , to support the Unionists .
Winston Churchill , the then British 'Colonial Secretary to Ireland' , stated that the possibility of the Boundary Commission " reducing " what he called " Northern Ireland (sic) to its preponderatingly Orange (ie Unionist) areas (is) an extreme and absurd supposition , far beyond what those who signed the [1921] Treaty meant . "
Also , Austen Chamberlain , the then British Chancellor of the Exchequer , went even further in their desire to appease the Unionists .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(8 of 11).
July 9th , 1981 . Martin Tumelty (brother of Sean - see this list , May 30th) , Divis Flats , Belfast . Martin was shot in the head by the RUC - fortunately at long range . He suffered severe facial bruising .
July 22nd , 1981 . Brian McDonnell , 26 years of age , Springhill , Belfast . Shot by British soldiers at point-blank range while standing at door of his taxi . He suffered from extensive bruising to his back .
July 24th , 1981 * . Peter Doherty , 40 years of age , Divis Flats , Belfast . Shot by British Royal Marine Commandos ; Peter was standing inside the window of his own flat when hit . He died a week later from massive head injuries .
July 27th , 1981 . Martin Rooney , 13 years of age , Divis Flats , Belfast . Shot by British soldiers while coming home from working on a milk-round . A passing lorry which was taking Martin to hospital was delayed by British soldiers : Martin was taken to hospital suffering from a fractured skull .
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(5 of 31).
The U.S. authorities have taken a different view ; they have maintained , along with the British and Irish governments , that NORAID is really an IRA front , and that its money goes into the pockets of gun-dealers and gun-runners .
When Daithi O Conaill and Joe Cahill arrived in America , their visits were monitored - the FBI noted that O Conaill had come as a representative of the "Provisional IRA" and a "member of the army council," the organisation's ruling body . Later that year Joe Cahill returned , and from mid-November to December 6 he visited Chicago , San Francisco , Cleveland , Boston , Yonkers , and Philadelphia . The FBI source named Cahill as a "sponsor" of the 'Northern Aid Committee' in Belfast .
On July 10th , 1970 , when NORAID held one of its first demonstrations , near the United Nations Buildings in New York , the FBI was there to watch .......
(MORE LATER).
Monday, December 20, 2004
THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... Voices were raised at a meeting to discuss the Boundary Commission , held on 2nd February 1922 ; the meeting broke down abruptly with no agreement reached . However , the Unionists claimed that the meeting was a success from their point of view , while Michael Collins (speaking for the Free Staters) claimed that that same meeting was a success from their point of view .......
The (pro-British) Unionists were told that the Boundary Commission was only set-up to ease the passage of the 1921 Treaty of Surrender amongst hesitant (soon-to-be , at the time) Free Staters who , in turn , were told by the Brits (and by Collins and other Free State leaders) that the Boundary Commission would eventually conclude that two or three of the (British partitioned and occupied) Six Counties would be 'returned' to the Free State thereby making the remaining (British occupied) counties unviable for Westminster to maintain , financially and militarily .
Indeed , the whole episode is somewhat reminisent , in this scribblers mind anyway , of Gerry Adams and the 'T.U.A.S.' document , which was issued (on behalf of the Provo leadership) during one of the many 'discussions' (in 1994 / 1995) with the Brits and the Free Staters : those latter two groups were told by Adams that the PIRA-approved 'T.U.A.S.' method meant seeking a United Ireland by a Totally Un-Armed Strategy , whereas Adams' own cannon-fodder , PIRA volunteers , were assured that 'T.U.A.S.' stood for Tactial Use of Armed Struggle !
Adams and his colleagues in the Provo leadership had learned well from their tete-a-tetes with their pay-masters ! However - end of that small 'tangent' ; when (pro-Brit) Stormont 'Prime Minister' , 'Sir' James Craig , heard of Michael Collins' boast (ie " We'll get back almost half of the Six Counties ...") he 'lost the head' - Westminster was told "... there will be bloodshed and chaos .." .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(7 of 11).
June 12th , 1981 . Sarah Begley , 43 years of age , Unity Fats , Belfast . Shot by the RUC . Sarah was hit from close range . She suffered a broken jaw and sixty stitches to her face , and may lose her left eye if follow-up surgery is not successful . She was going in the door of her flat when hit .
June 17th , 1981 . Michael McAlorum , 10 years of age , Turf Lodge , Belfast . Shot from passing British Army armoured car . Michael was playing with his friends when hit . He received a depressed fractured skull in the incident .
June 25th , 1981 . McKevin family , Moyard , Belfast . A plastic bullet was fired into their home while they were sleeping .
July 8th , 1981 *: day of Joe McDonnell's death . Nora McCabe , 29 years of age , mother-of-three , Belfast . Her brother , Patrick Cosgrove , is in H5-Block , Long Kesh . Shot from passing RUC vehicle while walking near the Belfast National H-Block/Armagh Committee Office . Hit in the head at close range , Nora died afterwards . She was shot a hundred yards from her home and was not near any rioting .
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(4 of 31).
Originally , NORAID was linked with an organisation called the 'Northern Aid Committee' , based in Belfast ; this , in turn , had been set-up by the Republicans in the wake of the riots in 1969 . Joe Cahill and another leading IRA man , Sean Keenan , from Derry , were its sponsors . It was supposed to handle the money sent from NORAID .
After a few years , the Belfast Northern Aid Committee was replaced by the Green Cross , which was part of An Cumann Cabhrach , the organisation for dependents of IRA prisoners . NORAID has always maintained that its relationship is with these organisations and not directly with the IRA . NORAID's purpose , insists Michael Flannery , - " was to help and clothe the people of the North . " But he says that " we have no stipulations as to how the money we send is to be spent . "
At the same time , he denies that the money goes to buy weapons for the IRA : " I am heart and soul behind the IRA , " he asserts easily , " we should be shouting IRA from every housetop . It's the only way peace will come to Ireland . " But he is quick to add - " At no time in the present have I had any connection with the IRA . " He admits he met with Daithi O Conaill and others , but only as representatives of Sinn Fein , the 'political wing of the IRA' , of which O Conaill was a Vice-President .......
(MORE LATER).
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... Voices were raised at a meeting to discuss the Boundary Commission , held on 2nd February 1922 ; the meeting broke down abruptly with no agreement reached . However , the Unionists claimed that the meeting was a success from their point of view , while Michael Collins (speaking for the Free Staters) claimed that that same meeting was a success from their point of view .......
The (pro-British) Unionists were told that the Boundary Commission was only set-up to ease the passage of the 1921 Treaty of Surrender amongst hesitant (soon-to-be , at the time) Free Staters who , in turn , were told by the Brits (and by Collins and other Free State leaders) that the Boundary Commission would eventually conclude that two or three of the (British partitioned and occupied) Six Counties would be 'returned' to the Free State thereby making the remaining (British occupied) counties unviable for Westminster to maintain , financially and militarily .
Indeed , the whole episode is somewhat reminisent , in this scribblers mind anyway , of Gerry Adams and the 'T.U.A.S.' document , which was issued (on behalf of the Provo leadership) during one of the many 'discussions' (in 1994 / 1995) with the Brits and the Free Staters : those latter two groups were told by Adams that the PIRA-approved 'T.U.A.S.' method meant seeking a United Ireland by a Totally Un-Armed Strategy , whereas Adams' own cannon-fodder , PIRA volunteers , were assured that 'T.U.A.S.' stood for Tactial Use of Armed Struggle !
Adams and his colleagues in the Provo leadership had learned well from their tete-a-tetes with their pay-masters ! However - end of that small 'tangent' ; when (pro-Brit) Stormont 'Prime Minister' , 'Sir' James Craig , heard of Michael Collins' boast (ie " We'll get back almost half of the Six Counties ...") he 'lost the head' - Westminster was told "... there will be bloodshed and chaos .." .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(7 of 11).
June 12th , 1981 . Sarah Begley , 43 years of age , Unity Fats , Belfast . Shot by the RUC . Sarah was hit from close range . She suffered a broken jaw and sixty stitches to her face , and may lose her left eye if follow-up surgery is not successful . She was going in the door of her flat when hit .
June 17th , 1981 . Michael McAlorum , 10 years of age , Turf Lodge , Belfast . Shot from passing British Army armoured car . Michael was playing with his friends when hit . He received a depressed fractured skull in the incident .
June 25th , 1981 . McKevin family , Moyard , Belfast . A plastic bullet was fired into their home while they were sleeping .
July 8th , 1981 *: day of Joe McDonnell's death . Nora McCabe , 29 years of age , mother-of-three , Belfast . Her brother , Patrick Cosgrove , is in H5-Block , Long Kesh . Shot from passing RUC vehicle while walking near the Belfast National H-Block/Armagh Committee Office . Hit in the head at close range , Nora died afterwards . She was shot a hundred yards from her home and was not near any rioting .
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(4 of 31).
Originally , NORAID was linked with an organisation called the 'Northern Aid Committee' , based in Belfast ; this , in turn , had been set-up by the Republicans in the wake of the riots in 1969 . Joe Cahill and another leading IRA man , Sean Keenan , from Derry , were its sponsors . It was supposed to handle the money sent from NORAID .
After a few years , the Belfast Northern Aid Committee was replaced by the Green Cross , which was part of An Cumann Cabhrach , the organisation for dependents of IRA prisoners . NORAID has always maintained that its relationship is with these organisations and not directly with the IRA . NORAID's purpose , insists Michael Flannery , - " was to help and clothe the people of the North . " But he says that " we have no stipulations as to how the money we send is to be spent . "
At the same time , he denies that the money goes to buy weapons for the IRA : " I am heart and soul behind the IRA , " he asserts easily , " we should be shouting IRA from every housetop . It's the only way peace will come to Ireland . " But he is quick to add - " At no time in the present have I had any connection with the IRA . " He admits he met with Daithi O Conaill and others , but only as representatives of Sinn Fein , the 'political wing of the IRA' , of which O Conaill was a Vice-President .......
(MORE LATER).
Friday, December 17, 2004
THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... the (pro-British) Unionists in the Six Occupied North-Eastern Counties of Ireland were threatening all manner of retribution on Westminster if the Boundary Commission ( Article 12 of the 1921 'Treaty of Surrender') was established as agreed in that 'Treaty' .......
On 2nd February 1922 , a meeting was held between Michael Collins and the Stormont 'Prime Minister' , 'Sir' James Craig . Voices were raised over the issue / structure / terms of reference of the Boundary Commission , and the meeting ended abruptly over the matter . However , 'spin' and 'PR' (media manipulation) was immediately employed by both sides -
- at a press conference following that failed meeting , 'Sir' James Craig (Stormont 'PM') claimed that the British Prime Minister , Lloyd George , had assured him that the Boundary Commission " ... would deal only with minor rectifications of the boundary ... " ; in effect , that the Boundary Commission was a useless 'talking-shop' which had only been set-up to help the Free Staters to 'sell' the 'Six County idea' to other Free Staters .
However - Michael Collins claimed that he had left that same meeting with a promise , from the Brits , " ... of almost half of Northern Ireland (sic) including the counties of Fermanagh and Tyrone , large parts of Antrim and Down , Derry City , Enniskillen and Newry . " !
Obviously , both men could not have been right ; it is straightforward to state that the Boundary Commission was a 'sweetener' , if you like , to be used by both sides to convince their respective 'flock' that the Brits were really on their side .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(6 of 11).
May 23rd , 1981 . Paul Fitzsimmons , 15 years of age , New Lodge , Belfast . Shot by RUC . Paul was hit on his eye and requires extensive skin grafts .
May 24th , 1981 . Thomas Torney , 17 years of age , Ballymurphy , Belfast . Shot by British soldiers . Thomas suffered a fractured left arm , bruising to his groin , and a torn muscle in the same area .
May 30th , 1981 . Sean Tumelty , 26 years of age , Divis Flats , Belfast . Shot at point-blank range by British soldiers . Sean was first shot in the stomach following which he was dragged into an alley-way and shot point-blank in the head . Sean is paralysed down his right side .
June 4th , 1981 . Desmond Linden , 50 years of age , Divis Flats , Belfast . Shot at point-blank range by British soldiers . He was struck just below his left ribs while standing outside his own flat . While on the ground he was kicked repeatedly . The ambulance which collected him was detained on two occasions by British troops leading to a complaint being lodged by the ambulance-mens trade union .
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(3 of 31).
The 'Irish Action Committee' already existed and could form the basis of the kind of organisation which Daithi O Conaill had in mind . O Conaill foresaw that as the IRA grew and became more active , it would lose more of its Volunteers to jail ; since traditionally the IRA supported the families of jailed IRA men , this would put a great financial strain on the organisation .
Irish-American money would help alleviate that strain . As they discussed the nature of the proposed organisation , it was decided that the name of the 'Irish Action Committee' would have to be changed . Michael Flannery was anxious that there be no connotations of violence associated with it - that is , it should be recognised as a benevolent organisation . They considered calling it " The Dependents Fund " , but this was rejected as too vague .
Finally they chose ' The Irish Northern Aid Committee ' (INAC) - or NORAID , as it has become popularly known . The founding members were Michael Flannery and two other old IRA men of that generation : Jack McGowan and Jack McCarthy . McGowan had fought in the IRA's Clare Brigade fifty years before , while McCarthy had been a member of the Cork Brigade . Like Michael Flannery , they had come to America in the 1920's after the Irish Republican cause suffered defeat in the Civil War .
And also like Michael Flannery , both men were active in the Irish-American community , with wide contacts in its various organisations and in the labour movement .......
(MORE LATER).
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... the (pro-British) Unionists in the Six Occupied North-Eastern Counties of Ireland were threatening all manner of retribution on Westminster if the Boundary Commission ( Article 12 of the 1921 'Treaty of Surrender') was established as agreed in that 'Treaty' .......
On 2nd February 1922 , a meeting was held between Michael Collins and the Stormont 'Prime Minister' , 'Sir' James Craig . Voices were raised over the issue / structure / terms of reference of the Boundary Commission , and the meeting ended abruptly over the matter . However , 'spin' and 'PR' (media manipulation) was immediately employed by both sides -
- at a press conference following that failed meeting , 'Sir' James Craig (Stormont 'PM') claimed that the British Prime Minister , Lloyd George , had assured him that the Boundary Commission " ... would deal only with minor rectifications of the boundary ... " ; in effect , that the Boundary Commission was a useless 'talking-shop' which had only been set-up to help the Free Staters to 'sell' the 'Six County idea' to other Free Staters .
However - Michael Collins claimed that he had left that same meeting with a promise , from the Brits , " ... of almost half of Northern Ireland (sic) including the counties of Fermanagh and Tyrone , large parts of Antrim and Down , Derry City , Enniskillen and Newry . " !
Obviously , both men could not have been right ; it is straightforward to state that the Boundary Commission was a 'sweetener' , if you like , to be used by both sides to convince their respective 'flock' that the Brits were really on their side .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(6 of 11).
May 23rd , 1981 . Paul Fitzsimmons , 15 years of age , New Lodge , Belfast . Shot by RUC . Paul was hit on his eye and requires extensive skin grafts .
May 24th , 1981 . Thomas Torney , 17 years of age , Ballymurphy , Belfast . Shot by British soldiers . Thomas suffered a fractured left arm , bruising to his groin , and a torn muscle in the same area .
May 30th , 1981 . Sean Tumelty , 26 years of age , Divis Flats , Belfast . Shot at point-blank range by British soldiers . Sean was first shot in the stomach following which he was dragged into an alley-way and shot point-blank in the head . Sean is paralysed down his right side .
June 4th , 1981 . Desmond Linden , 50 years of age , Divis Flats , Belfast . Shot at point-blank range by British soldiers . He was struck just below his left ribs while standing outside his own flat . While on the ground he was kicked repeatedly . The ambulance which collected him was detained on two occasions by British troops leading to a complaint being lodged by the ambulance-mens trade union .
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(3 of 31).
The 'Irish Action Committee' already existed and could form the basis of the kind of organisation which Daithi O Conaill had in mind . O Conaill foresaw that as the IRA grew and became more active , it would lose more of its Volunteers to jail ; since traditionally the IRA supported the families of jailed IRA men , this would put a great financial strain on the organisation .
Irish-American money would help alleviate that strain . As they discussed the nature of the proposed organisation , it was decided that the name of the 'Irish Action Committee' would have to be changed . Michael Flannery was anxious that there be no connotations of violence associated with it - that is , it should be recognised as a benevolent organisation . They considered calling it " The Dependents Fund " , but this was rejected as too vague .
Finally they chose ' The Irish Northern Aid Committee ' (INAC) - or NORAID , as it has become popularly known . The founding members were Michael Flannery and two other old IRA men of that generation : Jack McGowan and Jack McCarthy . McGowan had fought in the IRA's Clare Brigade fifty years before , while McCarthy had been a member of the Cork Brigade . Like Michael Flannery , they had come to America in the 1920's after the Irish Republican cause suffered defeat in the Civil War .
And also like Michael Flannery , both men were active in the Irish-American community , with wide contacts in its various organisations and in the labour movement .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, December 16, 2004
THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... the British Prime Minister , Lloyd George , stated (in December 1921) that the Boundary Commission might very well find that two of the partitioned Six Counties in Ireland , Fermanagh and Tyrone , should join the Free State ; the Unionists were outraged . The brother of the Stormont 'Prime Minister' replied to Lloyd George .......
... " Our Northern area will be so cut-up and mutilated that we shall no longer be masters in our own house . The decision of that Commission may be a matter of life and death to us . I submit to the Prime Minister that he had no right to do that and that he was in honour-bound not to allow such a Commission to appear in this document by the promise he had given to the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland . "
The Stormont ' Minister for Education ' , British 'Lord' Londonderry , the 'Marquis of Londonderry' (a 'landowner', who was also involved with coal-mines [as an owner , not a worker!] in Durham , England : he was later to become 'Leader' of the British 'House of Lords') stated (in the 'House of Lords') -
- " All that I would say now is that it may be necessary for the government of Northern Ireland (sic) to refuse to nominate a representative on the proposed Boundary Commission and that , if by its findings any part of the territory transferred to us under the Act of 1920 is placed under the Free State , we may have to consider very carefully and very anxiously the measures which we shall have to adopt , as a government , for the purpose of assisting Loyalists whom your Commission may propose to transfer to the Free State but who may wish to remain with us , with Great Britain and the Empire . "
At a meeting between Michael Collins and the Stormont 'Prime Minister' , British 'Sir' James Craig , on 2nd February 1922 , voices were raised over this issue .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(5 of 11).
May 21st , 1981 . Day of deaths of Patsy O'Hara and Ray McCreesh ; Margaret McElorum , 15 years of age , New Lodge , Belfast . Shot by British soldier . Wounded in small of back . Margaret was just approaching an open-air prayer meeting when shot .
May 21st , 1981 . Marie McKernan , 15 years of age , Markets , Belfast , and Kathleen Hanna , 24 years of age , mother of two - both shot by British soldiers in same incident . Marie suffered bruising to her chest , Kathleen received twelve stitches to her head .
May 21st , 1981 * . Harry Duffy , 45 years of age , Creggan , Derry . Hit by two bullets fired by British soldiers while coming home from local bar . His skull was split wide open by the second bullet . He suffered a massive coronary due to the loss of most of his blood . Harry was buried on the day his three youngest children made their holy communion .
May 22nd , 1981 . Tommy Cupples , 32 years of age , Short Strand , Belfast . Shot three times by RUC . Wounded in eyes , arms , thighs and buttocks . Thirty stitches in head . Suffered subsequent epileptic fits .
May 22nd , 1981 . Rosaleen McGee , mother of three , Grosvenor Road , Belfast . Shot by RUC . Her right arm was shattered . Rosaleen was taking part in a peaceful protest when shot .
May 22nd , 1981 . Margaret McDonald , Falls , Belfast . Shot from two yards by RUC . She was wounded in her stomach and will require a skin graft .
May 22nd , 1981 . Brendan McNally , Markets , Belfast . Arrested after bullets were fired through the door of his home . The next night his wife and children were threatened by British Army soldiers armed with riot guns .
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(2 of 31).
Daithi O Conaill arrived in New York in late 1969 / early 1970 ; his history of IRA involvement went back to 1955 , when , at the age of fifteen , he first joined the Republican Movement . As with Joe Cahill , there was no doubt about which course O Conaill would take when the choice had to be made between preparing for an active military campaign or following the political road .
The aims of building a support network and re-activating the arms supply were kept separate ; they had to be - fund-raising is a public activity , for it needs to appeal to as broad a base of support as possible . The IRA men had in mind an organisation rather like the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' , which had collected money and gathered support for the IRA during its war against the British from 1919 to 1921 . When Daithi O Conaill came to New York in the spring of 1970 he wanted to meet Irish Americans who would be able to help build such an organisation .
One of the first he spoke with was Michael Flannery .......
(MORE LATER).
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... the British Prime Minister , Lloyd George , stated (in December 1921) that the Boundary Commission might very well find that two of the partitioned Six Counties in Ireland , Fermanagh and Tyrone , should join the Free State ; the Unionists were outraged . The brother of the Stormont 'Prime Minister' replied to Lloyd George .......
... " Our Northern area will be so cut-up and mutilated that we shall no longer be masters in our own house . The decision of that Commission may be a matter of life and death to us . I submit to the Prime Minister that he had no right to do that and that he was in honour-bound not to allow such a Commission to appear in this document by the promise he had given to the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland . "
The Stormont ' Minister for Education ' , British 'Lord' Londonderry , the 'Marquis of Londonderry' (a 'landowner', who was also involved with coal-mines [as an owner , not a worker!] in Durham , England : he was later to become 'Leader' of the British 'House of Lords') stated (in the 'House of Lords') -
- " All that I would say now is that it may be necessary for the government of Northern Ireland (sic) to refuse to nominate a representative on the proposed Boundary Commission and that , if by its findings any part of the territory transferred to us under the Act of 1920 is placed under the Free State , we may have to consider very carefully and very anxiously the measures which we shall have to adopt , as a government , for the purpose of assisting Loyalists whom your Commission may propose to transfer to the Free State but who may wish to remain with us , with Great Britain and the Empire . "
At a meeting between Michael Collins and the Stormont 'Prime Minister' , British 'Sir' James Craig , on 2nd February 1922 , voices were raised over this issue .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(5 of 11).
May 21st , 1981 . Day of deaths of Patsy O'Hara and Ray McCreesh ; Margaret McElorum , 15 years of age , New Lodge , Belfast . Shot by British soldier . Wounded in small of back . Margaret was just approaching an open-air prayer meeting when shot .
May 21st , 1981 . Marie McKernan , 15 years of age , Markets , Belfast , and Kathleen Hanna , 24 years of age , mother of two - both shot by British soldiers in same incident . Marie suffered bruising to her chest , Kathleen received twelve stitches to her head .
May 21st , 1981 * . Harry Duffy , 45 years of age , Creggan , Derry . Hit by two bullets fired by British soldiers while coming home from local bar . His skull was split wide open by the second bullet . He suffered a massive coronary due to the loss of most of his blood . Harry was buried on the day his three youngest children made their holy communion .
May 22nd , 1981 . Tommy Cupples , 32 years of age , Short Strand , Belfast . Shot three times by RUC . Wounded in eyes , arms , thighs and buttocks . Thirty stitches in head . Suffered subsequent epileptic fits .
May 22nd , 1981 . Rosaleen McGee , mother of three , Grosvenor Road , Belfast . Shot by RUC . Her right arm was shattered . Rosaleen was taking part in a peaceful protest when shot .
May 22nd , 1981 . Margaret McDonald , Falls , Belfast . Shot from two yards by RUC . She was wounded in her stomach and will require a skin graft .
May 22nd , 1981 . Brendan McNally , Markets , Belfast . Arrested after bullets were fired through the door of his home . The next night his wife and children were threatened by British Army soldiers armed with riot guns .
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(2 of 31).
Daithi O Conaill arrived in New York in late 1969 / early 1970 ; his history of IRA involvement went back to 1955 , when , at the age of fifteen , he first joined the Republican Movement . As with Joe Cahill , there was no doubt about which course O Conaill would take when the choice had to be made between preparing for an active military campaign or following the political road .
The aims of building a support network and re-activating the arms supply were kept separate ; they had to be - fund-raising is a public activity , for it needs to appeal to as broad a base of support as possible . The IRA men had in mind an organisation rather like the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' , which had collected money and gathered support for the IRA during its war against the British from 1919 to 1921 . When Daithi O Conaill came to New York in the spring of 1970 he wanted to meet Irish Americans who would be able to help build such an organisation .
One of the first he spoke with was Michael Flannery .......
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... the Boundary Commission was to consist of three members - one from each Administration ; Dublin , Stormont and Westminster .......
The Westminster representative was to be the Chairperson of the Boundary Commission and , because of this and its circumscribed ' terms of reference ' it was a 'toothless' body but , even so , the Unionists were incensed - the (pro-British) Stormont 'Prime Minister' , 'Sir' James Craig (a 'landowner' and shareholder in the family whiskey business , ' Dunvilles Distillery ') wrote to the British Prime Minister , Lloyd George , on 14th December 1921 , completely rejecting any notion of a Boundary Commission as said body might judge that two of the Six partitioned Counties , Fermanagh and Tyrone " ... might be lost to the North.." due to a strong 'headcount' of Republicans / Nationalists in those two counties .
Lloyd George defended the Boundary Commission , saying - " There is no doubt , certainly since the Act of 1920 [ ie the so-called 'Government of Ireland Act' - two 'Home Rule Parliaments' for Ireland] that the majority of the people of the two counties prefer being with their Southern neighbours to being in the Northern parliament . Take it either by constituency or by poor law union or , if you like , by counting heads , and you will find that the majority in these two counties prefer to be with their Southern neighbours .
If Ulster (sic) is to remain a separate community , you can only by means of coercion keep them there and , although I am against the coercion of Ulster , (sic) I do not believe in Ulster (sic) coercing other units . "
That set 'the cat among the pigeons' ; the Unionist leadership were outraged at Lloyd Georges' comments , no doubt seeing them as Westminster preparing to 'wash its hands' of the 'troublesome Irish' or at least sending a signal (to the Free Staters) that it was of a mind to do so : the brother of the Stormont 'Prime Minister' was first with a reply to that statement by Lloyd George -
- and , in his reply , he spoke of a " matter of life and death " and challenged the authority of Westminster to do as it apparently intended to do .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(4 of 11).
May 15th , 1981 . Paul Lavelle , 15 years of age , Ardoyne , Belfast . Shot at point-blank range in the head after being dragged up a side street by British soldiers . Serious head injuries .
May 15th , 1981 . Joseph Mullan , 11 years of age , Ballymurphy , Belfast . Shot from rear of British armoured car .
May 15th , 1981 . Damien McKenna , 19 years of age , Beechmount , Belfast . Shot by British soldier , received ten stitches in right ear . No riot was going on in the area .
May 17th , 1981 . Sarah Wildy , grandmother , St. James , Belfast . Shot by British soldier from armoured car . Severe bruising to stomach .
May 19th , 1981 . Kevin McLoughlin , 13 years of age , Whiterock , Belfast . Shot from British armoured car . Suffered severe head injuries . Kevin was sitting on a fence near his home when shot .
May 19th , 1981 * . Carol-Ann Kelly , 12 years of age , Twinbrook , Belfast . Shot by British soldiers from rear of jeeps . Carol-Ann was knocked unconscious by the plastic bullet . The British Army delayed the arrival of an ambulance for fifteen minutes ; due to the resultant loss of blood Carol-Ann died three days later in hospital . She was shot while carrying messages home for her mother . A neighbour , Kathleen Robinson , said - " This young child was shot for absolutely no reason . There was no trouble in the area at the time . "
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(1 of 31).
The only hint of vanity about Michael Flannery is the rather incongruous slick of sandy hair that curls above his forehead . He is set very much in the mould of a Catholic stoic . He neither drinks nor smokes , and he attends mass every morning at eight in his local church in Jackson Heights , Queens , in New York .
A former life-insurance salesman , Michael Flannery goes about his business in a quiet and undemonstrative way ; when ideological troubles shook James Heaney's organisation , the 'American Congress for Irish Freedom ' in the late 1960's , Flannery left to form his own organisation , the ' Irish Action Committee ' . Like many similar Irish-American organisations preceding it , this committee set out to raise support for the increasingly embattled Irish nationalists .
In late 1969 , both factions of the IRA wanted to win support in America ; it was the leaders of the Provisional wing which made the greatest inroads , however , and utilised the potential energy beginning to emerge among Irish Americans anxious and angry at the course of events . In late 1969 and early 1970 two leading IRA men came to America - they had two aims : to meet with influential Irish Americans who were sympathetic to the Cause and who would help raise money for it , and to re-activate the arms network that had atrophied since the 1950's . Daithi O'Conaill and Joe Cahill were veterans of the IRA's struggle ; Cahill , a Belfast man , was the older , with an IRA record going back to the late 1930's .......
(MORE LATER).
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......
....... the Boundary Commission was to consist of three members - one from each Administration ; Dublin , Stormont and Westminster .......
The Westminster representative was to be the Chairperson of the Boundary Commission and , because of this and its circumscribed ' terms of reference ' it was a 'toothless' body but , even so , the Unionists were incensed - the (pro-British) Stormont 'Prime Minister' , 'Sir' James Craig (a 'landowner' and shareholder in the family whiskey business , ' Dunvilles Distillery ') wrote to the British Prime Minister , Lloyd George , on 14th December 1921 , completely rejecting any notion of a Boundary Commission as said body might judge that two of the Six partitioned Counties , Fermanagh and Tyrone " ... might be lost to the North.." due to a strong 'headcount' of Republicans / Nationalists in those two counties .
Lloyd George defended the Boundary Commission , saying - " There is no doubt , certainly since the Act of 1920 [ ie the so-called 'Government of Ireland Act' - two 'Home Rule Parliaments' for Ireland] that the majority of the people of the two counties prefer being with their Southern neighbours to being in the Northern parliament . Take it either by constituency or by poor law union or , if you like , by counting heads , and you will find that the majority in these two counties prefer to be with their Southern neighbours .
If Ulster (sic) is to remain a separate community , you can only by means of coercion keep them there and , although I am against the coercion of Ulster , (sic) I do not believe in Ulster (sic) coercing other units . "
That set 'the cat among the pigeons' ; the Unionist leadership were outraged at Lloyd Georges' comments , no doubt seeing them as Westminster preparing to 'wash its hands' of the 'troublesome Irish' or at least sending a signal (to the Free Staters) that it was of a mind to do so : the brother of the Stormont 'Prime Minister' was first with a reply to that statement by Lloyd George -
- and , in his reply , he spoke of a " matter of life and death " and challenged the authority of Westminster to do as it apparently intended to do .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(4 of 11).
May 15th , 1981 . Paul Lavelle , 15 years of age , Ardoyne , Belfast . Shot at point-blank range in the head after being dragged up a side street by British soldiers . Serious head injuries .
May 15th , 1981 . Joseph Mullan , 11 years of age , Ballymurphy , Belfast . Shot from rear of British armoured car .
May 15th , 1981 . Damien McKenna , 19 years of age , Beechmount , Belfast . Shot by British soldier , received ten stitches in right ear . No riot was going on in the area .
May 17th , 1981 . Sarah Wildy , grandmother , St. James , Belfast . Shot by British soldier from armoured car . Severe bruising to stomach .
May 19th , 1981 . Kevin McLoughlin , 13 years of age , Whiterock , Belfast . Shot from British armoured car . Suffered severe head injuries . Kevin was sitting on a fence near his home when shot .
May 19th , 1981 * . Carol-Ann Kelly , 12 years of age , Twinbrook , Belfast . Shot by British soldiers from rear of jeeps . Carol-Ann was knocked unconscious by the plastic bullet . The British Army delayed the arrival of an ambulance for fifteen minutes ; due to the resultant loss of blood Carol-Ann died three days later in hospital . She was shot while carrying messages home for her mother . A neighbour , Kathleen Robinson , said - " This young child was shot for absolutely no reason . There was no trouble in the area at the time . "
(MORE LATER).
NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .
Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .
' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(1 of 31).
The only hint of vanity about Michael Flannery is the rather incongruous slick of sandy hair that curls above his forehead . He is set very much in the mould of a Catholic stoic . He neither drinks nor smokes , and he attends mass every morning at eight in his local church in Jackson Heights , Queens , in New York .
A former life-insurance salesman , Michael Flannery goes about his business in a quiet and undemonstrative way ; when ideological troubles shook James Heaney's organisation , the 'American Congress for Irish Freedom ' in the late 1960's , Flannery left to form his own organisation , the ' Irish Action Committee ' . Like many similar Irish-American organisations preceding it , this committee set out to raise support for the increasingly embattled Irish nationalists .
In late 1969 , both factions of the IRA wanted to win support in America ; it was the leaders of the Provisional wing which made the greatest inroads , however , and utilised the potential energy beginning to emerge among Irish Americans anxious and angry at the course of events . In late 1969 and early 1970 two leading IRA men came to America - they had two aims : to meet with influential Irish Americans who were sympathetic to the Cause and who would help raise money for it , and to re-activate the arms network that had atrophied since the 1950's . Daithi O'Conaill and Joe Cahill were veterans of the IRA's struggle ; Cahill , a Belfast man , was the older , with an IRA record going back to the late 1930's .......
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.
On 6th December 1921 , the 'Treaty of Surrender' was signed in London ; included in that 'Treaty' was the establishment of a 'Boundary Commission' (Article 12 of said Treaty) to determine the boundaries between the partitioned 6 and 26-County 'States' .
Those who favoured the Six County 'Ulster' (sic) remaining as " part of the United Kingdom " were outraged - the British Administration in the Six Counties , which operated from Stormont , dis-agreed with the 'terms of reference' of the Boundary Commission , which were -
- " To determine in accordance with the wishes of the inhabitants so far as may be compatible with economic and geographic conditions , the boundaries between Northern Ireland (sic) and the rest of Ireland ....... " .
This was later 'tweaked' to prevent any of the Administrations (ie Dublin , Stormont or Westminster) from giving ' privileges to , or imposing disabilities on , anyone because of religion ....' . This Boundary Commission was to consist of three members .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(3 of 11).
May 9th , 1981 . Dominic Marron , 15 years of age , Falls , Belfast . Shot by RUC , severely injured , many days in intensive care , suffered brain damage .
May 11th , 1981 . * (Day of Francis Hughes' death.) Julie Livingstone , 14 years of age , Lenadoon , Belfast . Shot from rear of British armoured car : Julie had two brothers in H-Block . She died in hospital May 13th , 1981 . Julie was walking home with a bottle of milk from a local shop - there was no riot in the area .
May 12th , 1981 . Pauline Donnelly , 21 years of age , Falls , Belfast . Mother of five-month-old child . Shot at point-blank range from rear of RUC landrover . Badly bruised behind left ear . Two men , Frankie Short and Victor Angels , who came to her assistance , were also hit .
May 13th , 1981 . David Madden , four-and-a-half years of age , Turf Lodge , Belfast . Shot by RUC while leaving school . Other children were fired at but not hit . David received six stitches to his head .
May 13th , 1981 . Neil Lynash , 5 years of age , Grosvenor Road , Belfast . Shot by RUC . A skin graft over serious burn wounds was ripped-off by the bullet . He was sitting outside Lappin's sweet shop when shot .
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
[13 of 13].
Then came the case of Seamus Shannon , wanted for killing eighty-six year-old 'Sir' Norman Stronge and his son , James ; it is felt that these were particularly "emotive" cases , not likely to benefit from the political exception from extradition . Philip McMahon's extradition was turned down ; one of the reasons for this was that four of McMahon's co-accused had appeared in court in the Republic (sic) nine years previously , had asserted that the offence of escaping from Newry Courthouse was political , and were not extradited .
The latter case of John Patrick Quinn turned completely on its head the traditional assumption of a " political offence " . Senior Counsel and President of the Irish Bar Council , Paddy MacEntee , says that the case of John Patrick Quinn " presents a most disquieting set of facts " and that " it needs to be looked into in all its aspects as a matter of urgency . " John Patrick Quinn faced three years of High and Supreme Court battles without any legal aid .
Both the Irish Attorney General , John Rodgers , and his British counterpart , Michael Havers , have refused to comment .
[END of ' THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .....' ].
(Tomorrow - 'Noraid's Untold Millions' ; from 1987.)
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.
On 6th December 1921 , the 'Treaty of Surrender' was signed in London ; included in that 'Treaty' was the establishment of a 'Boundary Commission' (Article 12 of said Treaty) to determine the boundaries between the partitioned 6 and 26-County 'States' .
Those who favoured the Six County 'Ulster' (sic) remaining as " part of the United Kingdom " were outraged - the British Administration in the Six Counties , which operated from Stormont , dis-agreed with the 'terms of reference' of the Boundary Commission , which were -
- " To determine in accordance with the wishes of the inhabitants so far as may be compatible with economic and geographic conditions , the boundaries between Northern Ireland (sic) and the rest of Ireland ....... " .
This was later 'tweaked' to prevent any of the Administrations (ie Dublin , Stormont or Westminster) from giving ' privileges to , or imposing disabilities on , anyone because of religion ....' . This Boundary Commission was to consist of three members .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(3 of 11).
May 9th , 1981 . Dominic Marron , 15 years of age , Falls , Belfast . Shot by RUC , severely injured , many days in intensive care , suffered brain damage .
May 11th , 1981 . * (Day of Francis Hughes' death.) Julie Livingstone , 14 years of age , Lenadoon , Belfast . Shot from rear of British armoured car : Julie had two brothers in H-Block . She died in hospital May 13th , 1981 . Julie was walking home with a bottle of milk from a local shop - there was no riot in the area .
May 12th , 1981 . Pauline Donnelly , 21 years of age , Falls , Belfast . Mother of five-month-old child . Shot at point-blank range from rear of RUC landrover . Badly bruised behind left ear . Two men , Frankie Short and Victor Angels , who came to her assistance , were also hit .
May 13th , 1981 . David Madden , four-and-a-half years of age , Turf Lodge , Belfast . Shot by RUC while leaving school . Other children were fired at but not hit . David received six stitches to his head .
May 13th , 1981 . Neil Lynash , 5 years of age , Grosvenor Road , Belfast . Shot by RUC . A skin graft over serious burn wounds was ripped-off by the bullet . He was sitting outside Lappin's sweet shop when shot .
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
[13 of 13].
Then came the case of Seamus Shannon , wanted for killing eighty-six year-old 'Sir' Norman Stronge and his son , James ; it is felt that these were particularly "emotive" cases , not likely to benefit from the political exception from extradition . Philip McMahon's extradition was turned down ; one of the reasons for this was that four of McMahon's co-accused had appeared in court in the Republic (sic) nine years previously , had asserted that the offence of escaping from Newry Courthouse was political , and were not extradited .
The latter case of John Patrick Quinn turned completely on its head the traditional assumption of a " political offence " . Senior Counsel and President of the Irish Bar Council , Paddy MacEntee , says that the case of John Patrick Quinn " presents a most disquieting set of facts " and that " it needs to be looked into in all its aspects as a matter of urgency . " John Patrick Quinn faced three years of High and Supreme Court battles without any legal aid .
Both the Irish Attorney General , John Rodgers , and his British counterpart , Michael Havers , have refused to comment .
[END of ' THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .....' ].
(Tomorrow - 'Noraid's Untold Millions' ; from 1987.)
Monday, December 13, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... on 24th May 1921 , British General 'Sir' Nevil Macready informed Westminster that the IRA could not be militarily defeated ; on 22nd June 1921 , British 'King' George V , in coded language , offered the Irish Rebels the opportunity to talk and , on 9th July 1921 , Eamon de Valera led an Irish Republican delegation to meet the Brits .......
On 11th July 1921 , in Dublin , a 'Truce' was signed between the Crown Forces and the IRA and then , in London on 6th December 1921 , the 'Treaty of Surrender' was signed , bringing this cursed Free State into being .
We have had other 'Treaty's ' since then : 1973 (Sunningdale) , 1985 (Hillsborough) and 1998 (Stormont) - and no doubt we will suffer more of them in the future . But until such time as a Treaty contains a date for British military and political withdrawal from Ireland , it will not 'solve the Irish problem' ; we have not endured an 835-years long struggle for freedom only to now say to Westminster , as the Provos and others in the Free State 'parliament' , and system , have said - ' Stay if you want , just treat us better .....' .
Likewise , we have had dozens of elections (both 'local' and 'general') since that election of 15th January 1920 , and the Provisional political party have done well out of them ; they went in to local Councils , Leinster House , Stormont , Westminster (currently abstaining from their seats in the latter institution) and Brussels , to " change the system ..." ; but the system changed them .
In order to keep their seats (and win new ones) they will have to "look after things" ie acquire / inquire after medical cards , street lighting , grass verges to be cut , representation re social welfare claims etc etc - all laudable pursuits , right enough , but ... .. what about that which we Irish Republicans consider to be 'the big picture' ? - the British political and military presence in our country , and their continuing claim of jurisdiction over part of this island ?
No votes in it for the Provisionals . For Irish Republicans there does'nt have to be .......
[END of ' IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921 - 1925 : A BRITISH 'SLEIGHT-OF-HAND' WHICH CAUSED A MUTINY WITHIN BRITISH FORCES IN IRELAND .' )
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(2 of 11).
May 6th , 1981 . Bridget Maguire , mother of six , Belfast . Shot by RUC . Received twenty-six stitches to face . She was kneeling at an open-air prayer meeting when shot .
May 7th , 1981 . Paul Logue , 16 years of age , Waterside , Derry . Shot by RUC . Received six stitches to forehead .
May 8th , 1981 . Patrick Doherty , 68 years of age , Shantallow , Derry . Shot at close range by British soldier . Kicked on ground after shooting , suffered fractured skull . Shot near home , no rioting in area .
May 8th , 1981 . Derry man , 21 years of age , Creggan , Derry . Shot at point-blank range by RUC . Lost an eye , which was completely shattered , despite two-and-a-half hours in surgery . He was returning home from a night out with two friends . No rioting in area .
May 8th , 1981 . John Wasson , 22 years of age , Ardoyne , Belfast . Shot with two bullets . Injured in head and chest . Paralysed down one side . No riot in area .
May 8th , 1981 . Alfred Parker , 36 years of age , Whiterock , Belfast . Shot in head , received sixteen stitches .
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(12 of 13).
The second case coming before the High Court is that of Brendan Burns ; he was arrested on foot of fifteen warrants from the North , five relating to the killing of five British soldiers at Camlough , County Down , in May 1981 . Another warrant relates to the killing of a British soldier at Crossmaglen in October 1982 .
The remaining nine warrants relate to explosions , possession and control of explosives and conspiracy ; it is claimed that the offences are political and thus exempt from extradition . What is significant about both the Robert Russell and Brendan Burns cases is that no evidence need ever be produced in a court in the Republic ( ie the Free State) linking either of the men to the alleged offences .
The normally conservative senior and junior counsel who work the High and Supreme Courts are now saying that the entire Extradition issue was carefully engineered from the start . First , there was Dominic McGlinchey , extradited for the killing of a sixty-seven year-old woman , Hester McMullan ; it later emerged that there was much more evidence linking him with other killings than there was with Hester McMullan .......
(MORE LATER).
....... on 24th May 1921 , British General 'Sir' Nevil Macready informed Westminster that the IRA could not be militarily defeated ; on 22nd June 1921 , British 'King' George V , in coded language , offered the Irish Rebels the opportunity to talk and , on 9th July 1921 , Eamon de Valera led an Irish Republican delegation to meet the Brits .......
On 11th July 1921 , in Dublin , a 'Truce' was signed between the Crown Forces and the IRA and then , in London on 6th December 1921 , the 'Treaty of Surrender' was signed , bringing this cursed Free State into being .
We have had other 'Treaty's ' since then : 1973 (Sunningdale) , 1985 (Hillsborough) and 1998 (Stormont) - and no doubt we will suffer more of them in the future . But until such time as a Treaty contains a date for British military and political withdrawal from Ireland , it will not 'solve the Irish problem' ; we have not endured an 835-years long struggle for freedom only to now say to Westminster , as the Provos and others in the Free State 'parliament' , and system , have said - ' Stay if you want , just treat us better .....' .
Likewise , we have had dozens of elections (both 'local' and 'general') since that election of 15th January 1920 , and the Provisional political party have done well out of them ; they went in to local Councils , Leinster House , Stormont , Westminster (currently abstaining from their seats in the latter institution) and Brussels , to " change the system ..." ; but the system changed them .
In order to keep their seats (and win new ones) they will have to "look after things" ie acquire / inquire after medical cards , street lighting , grass verges to be cut , representation re social welfare claims etc etc - all laudable pursuits , right enough , but ... .. what about that which we Irish Republicans consider to be 'the big picture' ? - the British political and military presence in our country , and their continuing claim of jurisdiction over part of this island ?
No votes in it for the Provisionals . For Irish Republicans there does'nt have to be .......
[END of ' IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921 - 1925 : A BRITISH 'SLEIGHT-OF-HAND' WHICH CAUSED A MUTINY WITHIN BRITISH FORCES IN IRELAND .' )
PLASTIC BULLETS.......
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(2 of 11).
May 6th , 1981 . Bridget Maguire , mother of six , Belfast . Shot by RUC . Received twenty-six stitches to face . She was kneeling at an open-air prayer meeting when shot .
May 7th , 1981 . Paul Logue , 16 years of age , Waterside , Derry . Shot by RUC . Received six stitches to forehead .
May 8th , 1981 . Patrick Doherty , 68 years of age , Shantallow , Derry . Shot at close range by British soldier . Kicked on ground after shooting , suffered fractured skull . Shot near home , no rioting in area .
May 8th , 1981 . Derry man , 21 years of age , Creggan , Derry . Shot at point-blank range by RUC . Lost an eye , which was completely shattered , despite two-and-a-half hours in surgery . He was returning home from a night out with two friends . No rioting in area .
May 8th , 1981 . John Wasson , 22 years of age , Ardoyne , Belfast . Shot with two bullets . Injured in head and chest . Paralysed down one side . No riot in area .
May 8th , 1981 . Alfred Parker , 36 years of age , Whiterock , Belfast . Shot in head , received sixteen stitches .
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(12 of 13).
The second case coming before the High Court is that of Brendan Burns ; he was arrested on foot of fifteen warrants from the North , five relating to the killing of five British soldiers at Camlough , County Down , in May 1981 . Another warrant relates to the killing of a British soldier at Crossmaglen in October 1982 .
The remaining nine warrants relate to explosions , possession and control of explosives and conspiracy ; it is claimed that the offences are political and thus exempt from extradition . What is significant about both the Robert Russell and Brendan Burns cases is that no evidence need ever be produced in a court in the Republic ( ie the Free State) linking either of the men to the alleged offences .
The normally conservative senior and junior counsel who work the High and Supreme Courts are now saying that the entire Extradition issue was carefully engineered from the start . First , there was Dominic McGlinchey , extradited for the killing of a sixty-seven year-old woman , Hester McMullan ; it later emerged that there was much more evidence linking him with other killings than there was with Hester McMullan .......
(MORE LATER).
Friday, December 10, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... it took a few months before British General 'Sir' Nevil Macready realised that Westminster had given him a ' poisoned chalice ' by appointing him as the 'Commander-in-Chief' of the British Forces in Ireland .......
On 24th May 1921 , Macready sent his political boss in London a memorandum in which he stated that a full British military victory in Ireland , against the guerilla troops of the IRA " was almost an impossibility ... " . The Brits were apparently of the opinion that if 'Sir' Nevile could'nt do it , then it could'nt be done .
So , on 22nd June 1921 , British 'King' George V , who was in Belfast to open the new 'Home Rule Parliament' at Stormont , issued the following statement -
- " I speak from a full heart when I pray that my coming to Ireland today may prove to be the first step towards an end of strife amongst her peoples , whatever their race or creed . In that hope , I appeal to all Irishmen to pause , to stretch out the hand of forebearance and conciliation , to forgive and forget and to join in making for the land which they love a new era of peace , contentment and goodwill . "
Things moved quickly after that signal from the Brits - on 9th July 1921 , Eamon de Valera led an Irish Republican delegation in a pre-arranged meeting with , amongst others , British General Macready and his Under-Secretary , Andy Cope .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(1 of 11).
APRIL 22nd , 1981 . * Paul Withers , 15 years of age , Derry . Shot from three yards by British soldier . Suffered massive fracture of skull and died later . Paul was shot near the scene of a minor riot .
April 23rd , 1981 . Brendan Kelly , 21 years of age , Dungiven , Co. Derry . Shot at close range by RUC . Lost his right eye , seventeen stitches to head , teeth loosened by impact . No riot was going on at the time .
May 5th , 1981 - day of Bobby Sands death ; Martin Hamill , 15 years of age , Turf Lodge , Belfast . shot at close range by British soldier . Hit by two bullets . Severe damage to face . He was walking home with a friend when shot . No rioting in area .
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(11 of 13).
Those wishing to claim the " political " exception from extradition , must first therefore admit to the 'crime' ; this poses a particularly acute problem for those who are completely innocent . There guilt or innocence cannot be an issue in extradition proceedings as the law now stands . And in order to have even an opportunity of exempting themselves from extradition , they must incriminate themselves and plead guilty .
Dominic McGlinchey , Seamus Shannon and John Patrick Quinn could all have been charged in the 'Republic' with the 'offences' they were wanted for in the North and Britain under the Criminal Law Jurisdiction Act 1976 ; however , the British authorities chose not to proceed along those lines .
Robert Russell is wanted by the RUC in the North for " escape from lawful custody " ; he was one of the 38 Maze escapees in September 1983 . Russell , 27 , was interned when he was 16 . In 1976 , he was arrested and charged with a killing but the charges were later dropped . In 1982 , he was sentenced to 20 years for the attempted murder of Superintendent Drew in Belfast ; he was also convicted of wounding with intent , and having firearms and ammunition .
He was granted a retrial but the conviction was upheld . In 1984 , another escapee , Philip McMahon , was granted an order by the Supreme Court restraining his extradition .......
(MORE LATER).
( To the " descendant of P.McG " : thank you for the comments - much appreciated . / Annabel ; that site is 'down' for now , but keep checking - I'm sure they will be able to help you - Sharon . ).
....... it took a few months before British General 'Sir' Nevil Macready realised that Westminster had given him a ' poisoned chalice ' by appointing him as the 'Commander-in-Chief' of the British Forces in Ireland .......
On 24th May 1921 , Macready sent his political boss in London a memorandum in which he stated that a full British military victory in Ireland , against the guerilla troops of the IRA " was almost an impossibility ... " . The Brits were apparently of the opinion that if 'Sir' Nevile could'nt do it , then it could'nt be done .
So , on 22nd June 1921 , British 'King' George V , who was in Belfast to open the new 'Home Rule Parliament' at Stormont , issued the following statement -
- " I speak from a full heart when I pray that my coming to Ireland today may prove to be the first step towards an end of strife amongst her peoples , whatever their race or creed . In that hope , I appeal to all Irishmen to pause , to stretch out the hand of forebearance and conciliation , to forgive and forget and to join in making for the land which they love a new era of peace , contentment and goodwill . "
Things moved quickly after that signal from the Brits - on 9th July 1921 , Eamon de Valera led an Irish Republican delegation in a pre-arranged meeting with , amongst others , British General Macready and his Under-Secretary , Andy Cope .......
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS.
First published in 'IRIS' Magazine , Volume 1 , Number 2 , November 1981 .
In April 1981, 1,955 plastic bullets were fired - a rate of one every 20 minutes over the month . This was more than in the whole of 1980 .
Plastic bullets do not arouse the indignation that normal bullets excite . Over 7,000 have been fired since the death of Bobby Sands (ie May 1981 - November 1981) .
The intent of the British is that the mass protests can be shot off the streets without international opinion responding , as it would to news of large numbers of civilians being shot-up with buck shot or live rounds in , for example , South Africa .
Cases since April 1981 ; ' * ' denotes plastic bullet death .
Re-published here in 11 parts .
(1 of 11).
APRIL 22nd , 1981 . * Paul Withers , 15 years of age , Derry . Shot from three yards by British soldier . Suffered massive fracture of skull and died later . Paul was shot near the scene of a minor riot .
April 23rd , 1981 . Brendan Kelly , 21 years of age , Dungiven , Co. Derry . Shot at close range by RUC . Lost his right eye , seventeen stitches to head , teeth loosened by impact . No riot was going on at the time .
May 5th , 1981 - day of Bobby Sands death ; Martin Hamill , 15 years of age , Turf Lodge , Belfast . shot at close range by British soldier . Hit by two bullets . Severe damage to face . He was walking home with a friend when shot . No rioting in area .
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(11 of 13).
Those wishing to claim the " political " exception from extradition , must first therefore admit to the 'crime' ; this poses a particularly acute problem for those who are completely innocent . There guilt or innocence cannot be an issue in extradition proceedings as the law now stands . And in order to have even an opportunity of exempting themselves from extradition , they must incriminate themselves and plead guilty .
Dominic McGlinchey , Seamus Shannon and John Patrick Quinn could all have been charged in the 'Republic' with the 'offences' they were wanted for in the North and Britain under the Criminal Law Jurisdiction Act 1976 ; however , the British authorities chose not to proceed along those lines .
Robert Russell is wanted by the RUC in the North for " escape from lawful custody " ; he was one of the 38 Maze escapees in September 1983 . Russell , 27 , was interned when he was 16 . In 1976 , he was arrested and charged with a killing but the charges were later dropped . In 1982 , he was sentenced to 20 years for the attempted murder of Superintendent Drew in Belfast ; he was also convicted of wounding with intent , and having firearms and ammunition .
He was granted a retrial but the conviction was upheld . In 1984 , another escapee , Philip McMahon , was granted an order by the Supreme Court restraining his extradition .......
(MORE LATER).
( To the " descendant of P.McG " : thank you for the comments - much appreciated . / Annabel ; that site is 'down' for now , but keep checking - I'm sure they will be able to help you - Sharon . ).
Thursday, December 09, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... in 1980 , a Black and Tan member spoke about why he and thousands like him joined that group ; political motivation had nothing to do with it .......
" ... the pay in the [French] Foreign Legion was only ten centimes a day for a five-year period . On going back to my room - where I lived - I happened to pick-up a current edition of ' The Daily Mail ' newspaper and I saw in it this advert for recruits wanted for the RIC with good pay , danger money , prospects for promotion and a pension at the end .
So I thought to myself ; why should I risk my life and perhaps my limbs for ten centimes a day when I could join the RIC for good money ? So I decided to join up there and then .
And , of course , there was good money [in the RIC]. It was £6 per week and I think I'd been getting 28 shillings (£1.40) a week when I'd finished up in the (British) Army . The average wage in the RIC was about two to three times what the men could have earned in England . "
However - Westminsters 'Plan B' , General 'Sir' Nevil Macready , and his band of unstable looters , the Black and Tans , were fought every inch of the way ; by May 1921 (on the 24th of that month) the 'penny dropped' for 'Sir' Nevile Macready - he finally realised that westminster had handed him a 'poisoned chalice' .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
[8 of 8].
The Sallins robbery took place at the height of the Coalition's hysteria about 'law and order' - a time when the Gardai would have been most encouraged to believe that the authorities would stand behind them in whatever they did to stamp out " subversive crime . "
As stated above , the handling by the Special Criminal Court of the case was less than satisfactory and the Court of Criminal Appeal has proved entirely unprepared to deal with the issues which the court throws up . At the end of it all Nicky Kelly is in Portlaoise Prison doing a 12-year sentence ; apart from the material fact that he is entirely innocent , there is the point that the processes whereby he has ended up serving this sentence have proved entirely unsatisfactory .
There is only one correct course of action now - Release Nicky Kelly and then institute an enquiry into the entire background to the case .
[END of ' RELEASE NICKY KELLY '].
(Tomorrow - 'PLASTIC BULLETS' : from 1981).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(10 of 13).
Sources close to the (FS) government deny that there is any embarrassment over the John Patrick Quinn-extradition affair and say that there are " no plans to change the law " in relation to the production of prima facie evidence in Irish courts for people wanted in the North and Britain . Nonetheless , Quinn's case is bound to have a bearing on the cases now due before the courts in the Republic. The fact that the law had been altered significantly in the case , and then all charges dismissed , is bound to be an issue .
For three years , John Patrick Quinn had the threat of prosecution and charge hanging over him ; and then on the day , the British authorities could not apparently produce enough evidence in court to proceed with their case . The fact that the British police were taking steps to acquire Quinn's affidavit also shows that they did not have the proof required to proceed .
This fact assumes a new importance when one considers that in the Shannon judgement last year (ie 1984) , the Supreme Court intimated that the motive of those committing 'criminal acts' was an important consideration in whether or not the 'crimes' were political and thus exempt from extradition . Those wishing to claim ' political exception from extradition ' must first therefore admit to the 'crime' .......
(MORE LATER).
(Annabel - you could try posting your request here ; you will have to register first , but its free , quick , and cheerful ! I hope they can help you out - Sharon .)
....... in 1980 , a Black and Tan member spoke about why he and thousands like him joined that group ; political motivation had nothing to do with it .......
" ... the pay in the [French] Foreign Legion was only ten centimes a day for a five-year period . On going back to my room - where I lived - I happened to pick-up a current edition of ' The Daily Mail ' newspaper and I saw in it this advert for recruits wanted for the RIC with good pay , danger money , prospects for promotion and a pension at the end .
So I thought to myself ; why should I risk my life and perhaps my limbs for ten centimes a day when I could join the RIC for good money ? So I decided to join up there and then .
And , of course , there was good money [in the RIC]. It was £6 per week and I think I'd been getting 28 shillings (£1.40) a week when I'd finished up in the (British) Army . The average wage in the RIC was about two to three times what the men could have earned in England . "
However - Westminsters 'Plan B' , General 'Sir' Nevil Macready , and his band of unstable looters , the Black and Tans , were fought every inch of the way ; by May 1921 (on the 24th of that month) the 'penny dropped' for 'Sir' Nevile Macready - he finally realised that westminster had handed him a 'poisoned chalice' .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
[8 of 8].
The Sallins robbery took place at the height of the Coalition's hysteria about 'law and order' - a time when the Gardai would have been most encouraged to believe that the authorities would stand behind them in whatever they did to stamp out " subversive crime . "
As stated above , the handling by the Special Criminal Court of the case was less than satisfactory and the Court of Criminal Appeal has proved entirely unprepared to deal with the issues which the court throws up . At the end of it all Nicky Kelly is in Portlaoise Prison doing a 12-year sentence ; apart from the material fact that he is entirely innocent , there is the point that the processes whereby he has ended up serving this sentence have proved entirely unsatisfactory .
There is only one correct course of action now - Release Nicky Kelly and then institute an enquiry into the entire background to the case .
[END of ' RELEASE NICKY KELLY '].
(Tomorrow - 'PLASTIC BULLETS' : from 1981).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(10 of 13).
Sources close to the (FS) government deny that there is any embarrassment over the John Patrick Quinn-extradition affair and say that there are " no plans to change the law " in relation to the production of prima facie evidence in Irish courts for people wanted in the North and Britain . Nonetheless , Quinn's case is bound to have a bearing on the cases now due before the courts in the Republic. The fact that the law had been altered significantly in the case , and then all charges dismissed , is bound to be an issue .
For three years , John Patrick Quinn had the threat of prosecution and charge hanging over him ; and then on the day , the British authorities could not apparently produce enough evidence in court to proceed with their case . The fact that the British police were taking steps to acquire Quinn's affidavit also shows that they did not have the proof required to proceed .
This fact assumes a new importance when one considers that in the Shannon judgement last year (ie 1984) , the Supreme Court intimated that the motive of those committing 'criminal acts' was an important consideration in whether or not the 'crimes' were political and thus exempt from extradition . Those wishing to claim ' political exception from extradition ' must first therefore admit to the 'crime' .......
(MORE LATER).
(Annabel - you could try posting your request here ; you will have to register first , but its free , quick , and cheerful ! I hope they can help you out - Sharon .)
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... on 29th December 1920 , in Midleton , County Cork , three RIC/Tan members were killed in a gunfight with the IRA ; on 3rd January 1921 , 'The Cork Examiner' newspaper printed a statement from the Brits , outlining their position , and intentions , regarding that IRA attack .......
That British statement declared that the " Authorities " were going to destroy some nearby houses " ... as the inhabitants were bound to have known of the ambush and attack , and they neglected to give any information either to the military or police authorities . "
Seven houses were chosen ; the families in them were given one hour to remove any money or valuables , but not furniture . The houses were then destroyed . Four months before those January 1921 'reprisals' in Cork (ie in September [20th] 1920) , four pubs in Balbriggan , County Dublin , were looted and then burned-down by the Black and Tans who , for good measure , raided and wrecked 49 houses in the neighbourhood and , before withdrawing , bayoneted two 'suspects' to death .
Those armed thugs and ruffians had no political motivation - in an interview with author Taylor Downing , in 1980 , a Black and Tan told him the following :
: " I came back from the First War and I thought that anything was better that standing in a queue . There were so many millions out of work . And then I saw this advertisement for the Royal Irish Constabulary and it said apply to Scotland Yard and I joined , and then I had to do down to Chelsea to pass a test which I did . The next night I caught the train from Euston and I was in Dublin the next morning .
I had a flare for a little adventure , and I was about to join the (French) Foreign Legion . But on enquiring , I found that the pay was only ten centimes a day ......."
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(7 of 8).
Nicky Kelly's appeal was turned down by the Court of Criminal Appeal ; the technical grounds for his appeal differed from those in the cases of Osgur Breathnach and Brian McNally , and he was returned to Portlaoise Prison . The Appeal Court have allowed an appeal to the Supreme Court on a technicality but it will be possible there to argue the point whether the Appeal Court should examine the basis for the admission of statements in evidence - the point at the heart of the Nicky Kelly case , which was entirely ruled out of contention by established practice by the Court of Criminal Appeal .
The entire Sallins robbery case had proved to be a major national scandal - at one point Gerry Collins , then spokesperson on 'Justice' for Fianna Fail , demanded an enquiry into the actions of the Gardai in the case but when he became Minister he not alone did'nt institute an enquiry but promoted several Gardai who were prominent in the affair .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(9 of 13).
In the weeks following the release of John Patrick Quinn , the ' London Evening Standard ' newspaper said that he " had been on the point of giving valuable information about bombings and assassinations , and appeared to be about to turn informer . Now he has fled to Dublin and what he could have told about the INLA and its organisation will never be known . He flew to Dublin where he is now staying at a secret address .... " Quinn was living openly in Ballina , County Mayo , and had not been interviewed by Special Branch detectives since his arrival in London .
His solicitor , Michael Fisher , says that " following his release , Scotland Yard tried to cover-up their embarrassment by blaming the Magistrate and alleged that he was on the point of giving information to the Special Branch about INLA activities . This was a lie and black propaganda and dangerous to Quinn ." Fisher further added that the case " was dismissed because the police lied in court , both orally and in a witness statement . I had no doubt that Quinn's case was selected by lawyers in both countries in order to change the extradition laws without anyone realising what was happening . This squalid manouvre deserves to fail ....... "
(MORE LATER).
....... on 29th December 1920 , in Midleton , County Cork , three RIC/Tan members were killed in a gunfight with the IRA ; on 3rd January 1921 , 'The Cork Examiner' newspaper printed a statement from the Brits , outlining their position , and intentions , regarding that IRA attack .......
That British statement declared that the " Authorities " were going to destroy some nearby houses " ... as the inhabitants were bound to have known of the ambush and attack , and they neglected to give any information either to the military or police authorities . "
Seven houses were chosen ; the families in them were given one hour to remove any money or valuables , but not furniture . The houses were then destroyed . Four months before those January 1921 'reprisals' in Cork (ie in September [20th] 1920) , four pubs in Balbriggan , County Dublin , were looted and then burned-down by the Black and Tans who , for good measure , raided and wrecked 49 houses in the neighbourhood and , before withdrawing , bayoneted two 'suspects' to death .
Those armed thugs and ruffians had no political motivation - in an interview with author Taylor Downing , in 1980 , a Black and Tan told him the following :
: " I came back from the First War and I thought that anything was better that standing in a queue . There were so many millions out of work . And then I saw this advertisement for the Royal Irish Constabulary and it said apply to Scotland Yard and I joined , and then I had to do down to Chelsea to pass a test which I did . The next night I caught the train from Euston and I was in Dublin the next morning .
I had a flare for a little adventure , and I was about to join the (French) Foreign Legion . But on enquiring , I found that the pay was only ten centimes a day ......."
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(7 of 8).
Nicky Kelly's appeal was turned down by the Court of Criminal Appeal ; the technical grounds for his appeal differed from those in the cases of Osgur Breathnach and Brian McNally , and he was returned to Portlaoise Prison . The Appeal Court have allowed an appeal to the Supreme Court on a technicality but it will be possible there to argue the point whether the Appeal Court should examine the basis for the admission of statements in evidence - the point at the heart of the Nicky Kelly case , which was entirely ruled out of contention by established practice by the Court of Criminal Appeal .
The entire Sallins robbery case had proved to be a major national scandal - at one point Gerry Collins , then spokesperson on 'Justice' for Fianna Fail , demanded an enquiry into the actions of the Gardai in the case but when he became Minister he not alone did'nt institute an enquiry but promoted several Gardai who were prominent in the affair .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(9 of 13).
In the weeks following the release of John Patrick Quinn , the ' London Evening Standard ' newspaper said that he " had been on the point of giving valuable information about bombings and assassinations , and appeared to be about to turn informer . Now he has fled to Dublin and what he could have told about the INLA and its organisation will never be known . He flew to Dublin where he is now staying at a secret address .... " Quinn was living openly in Ballina , County Mayo , and had not been interviewed by Special Branch detectives since his arrival in London .
His solicitor , Michael Fisher , says that " following his release , Scotland Yard tried to cover-up their embarrassment by blaming the Magistrate and alleged that he was on the point of giving information to the Special Branch about INLA activities . This was a lie and black propaganda and dangerous to Quinn ." Fisher further added that the case " was dismissed because the police lied in court , both orally and in a witness statement . I had no doubt that Quinn's case was selected by lawyers in both countries in order to change the extradition laws without anyone realising what was happening . This squalid manouvre deserves to fail ....... "
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... a British 'hardman' , General 'Sir' Nevil Macready , went to 'great lengths' (!) to ensure that the local Irish people that he was about to terrorise could prepare themselves for his " punishment " ; he gave them one hours notice ....... !
It was British policy that those to be " punished " would be given one hour " to remove any valuable foodstuffs , hay or corn , but not furniture ... " from their homes , which were then reduced to rubble by the use of explosives . However , generous to a fault as the Brits are/were , a slightly different variation of this " punishment " was applied to those who lived in terraced houses - the furniture was to be removed from the dwelling and burned in the street !
On 3rd January 1921 , in Middleton , Cork , the Brits reduced seven houses to rubble " in Official reprisal ... " for an IRA ambush carried-out in the area , on 29th December 1920 , in which three RIC/Tan members were killed . 'The Cork Examiner' newspaper carried a report of that particular IRA operation -
'Attack on Police at Midleton ,
Followed by Ambush ,
Two constables dead .
Closing on to ten o'clock at night when the police patrol standing at a corner of the main street were attacked by a large number of men who fired on them from three directions . The firing was of rapid but short duration . The ten policemen were considerably outnumbered , and taken as they were , completely by surprise , they had little time to put up a defence .
One of them , Mullen , was shot by one of the first few shots discharged . He was killed instantly . A telephone call was made to Cork , and some lorries of police and ambulances set out and had nearly got to Midleton by 11.30 pm .
The procession of lorries and ambulances , it is stated , had their way further impeded about two miles from the town , by obstacles , such as heavy branches of trees , lying on the roadway . They were just within two miles of the town , at a point where boreens cut off the main road , when fire was opened on the last lorry .
A sharp encounter ensued . In all , three policemen died as a result of the shooting . '
It was also on that same date (ie 3rd January 1921) that 'The Cork Examiner' newspaper printed a statement from the Brits , in which they outlined their position , and intentions , regarding that IRA attack .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(6 of 8).
That the Court of Criminal Appeal should consistently refuse to look behind the decision of the Special Criminal Court on such matters is a matter for considerable disquiet , for it means that there is effectively no check on the Special Criminal Court's inevitably prejudiced predisposition towards the Gardai .
Nicky Kelly's two co-defendants , Osgur Breathnach and Brian McNally , were discharged on appeal on technical grounds ; by that time Kelly had absconded to Canada - he had jumped bail before the verdict in the Special Criminal Court . However , once his co-defendants were acquitted by the Court of Criminal Appeal he returned to Ireland and gave himself up to the Gardai .
He was immediately imprisoned in Portlaoise Prison and he had considerable difficulty in winning a right to appeal his conviction , not having lodged his appeal within the statutory period .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(8 of 13).
One month later , the prosecution wanted the case delayed until after a High Court hearing in Dublin , scheduled for July , in which John Patrick Quinn's affidavits would be a matter for legal argument . Senior Treasury Counsel for the prosecution , Roy Amlot , said that the 'speciality rule' - a rule which allows for an extradited person to be charged only with the offences for which they were extradited - would apply .
Amlot also said that this was an agreement " reached between the Irish Attorney General and the British Attorney General ... " - but 'sources close to the [Dublin] Government' have denied that such an " agreement " was ever reached . All charges were dismissed against Quinn and he returned to Ireland .
In the weeks following his release , the 'London Evening Standard' newspaper and the 'Daily Express' newspaper carried unattributed stories about John Patrick Quinn .......
(MORE LATER).
....... a British 'hardman' , General 'Sir' Nevil Macready , went to 'great lengths' (!) to ensure that the local Irish people that he was about to terrorise could prepare themselves for his " punishment " ; he gave them one hours notice ....... !
It was British policy that those to be " punished " would be given one hour " to remove any valuable foodstuffs , hay or corn , but not furniture ... " from their homes , which were then reduced to rubble by the use of explosives . However , generous to a fault as the Brits are/were , a slightly different variation of this " punishment " was applied to those who lived in terraced houses - the furniture was to be removed from the dwelling and burned in the street !
On 3rd January 1921 , in Middleton , Cork , the Brits reduced seven houses to rubble " in Official reprisal ... " for an IRA ambush carried-out in the area , on 29th December 1920 , in which three RIC/Tan members were killed . 'The Cork Examiner' newspaper carried a report of that particular IRA operation -
'Attack on Police at Midleton ,
Followed by Ambush ,
Two constables dead .
Closing on to ten o'clock at night when the police patrol standing at a corner of the main street were attacked by a large number of men who fired on them from three directions . The firing was of rapid but short duration . The ten policemen were considerably outnumbered , and taken as they were , completely by surprise , they had little time to put up a defence .
One of them , Mullen , was shot by one of the first few shots discharged . He was killed instantly . A telephone call was made to Cork , and some lorries of police and ambulances set out and had nearly got to Midleton by 11.30 pm .
The procession of lorries and ambulances , it is stated , had their way further impeded about two miles from the town , by obstacles , such as heavy branches of trees , lying on the roadway . They were just within two miles of the town , at a point where boreens cut off the main road , when fire was opened on the last lorry .
A sharp encounter ensued . In all , three policemen died as a result of the shooting . '
It was also on that same date (ie 3rd January 1921) that 'The Cork Examiner' newspaper printed a statement from the Brits , in which they outlined their position , and intentions , regarding that IRA attack .......
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(6 of 8).
That the Court of Criminal Appeal should consistently refuse to look behind the decision of the Special Criminal Court on such matters is a matter for considerable disquiet , for it means that there is effectively no check on the Special Criminal Court's inevitably prejudiced predisposition towards the Gardai .
Nicky Kelly's two co-defendants , Osgur Breathnach and Brian McNally , were discharged on appeal on technical grounds ; by that time Kelly had absconded to Canada - he had jumped bail before the verdict in the Special Criminal Court . However , once his co-defendants were acquitted by the Court of Criminal Appeal he returned to Ireland and gave himself up to the Gardai .
He was immediately imprisoned in Portlaoise Prison and he had considerable difficulty in winning a right to appeal his conviction , not having lodged his appeal within the statutory period .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(8 of 13).
One month later , the prosecution wanted the case delayed until after a High Court hearing in Dublin , scheduled for July , in which John Patrick Quinn's affidavits would be a matter for legal argument . Senior Treasury Counsel for the prosecution , Roy Amlot , said that the 'speciality rule' - a rule which allows for an extradited person to be charged only with the offences for which they were extradited - would apply .
Amlot also said that this was an agreement " reached between the Irish Attorney General and the British Attorney General ... " - but 'sources close to the [Dublin] Government' have denied that such an " agreement " was ever reached . All charges were dismissed against Quinn and he returned to Ireland .
In the weeks following his release , the 'London Evening Standard' newspaper and the 'Daily Express' newspaper carried unattributed stories about John Patrick Quinn .......
(MORE LATER).
Monday, December 06, 2004
IRELAND , JANUARY 15th , 1920 : ELECTIONS .......
....... when they failed to get the results they wanted in the 15th January 1920 Elections in Ireland , Westminster went to 'Plan B' - they called-in British Army General 'Sir' Nevil Macready .......
Macready was appointed ' Commander-in-Chief' of the British Forces in Ireland ; he was known to be in favour of martial law and the imposition of a complete military dictatorship on the island . In December 1920 , 'Sir' Macready told his political masters in Westminster that his " military governors " in Ireland had been given 'permission' " to inflict punishments ..." on the local population following any IRA operation in that same area -
- " Punishments will only be carried out on the authority of the Infantry Brigadier who , before taking action , will satisfy himself that the people concerned were , owing to their proximity to the outrage or their known political tendencies , implicated in the outrage . " ('1169...' comment - this was , in effect , 'carte blanche' to the British military to do as they liked in Ireland .)
Macready continued - " The punishment will be carried out as a Military Operation and the reason why it is being done will be publicly proclaimed . " However , as a 'PR stunt' , in the belief that he could portray himself as something other than the vicious bastard he was , Macready implemented a policy by which those to be " punished " were given one hours notice ....... !
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(5 of 8).
In spite of this persuasive evidence of Garda ill-treatment a statement made by Nicky Kelly , while in custody , was held by the Special Criminal Court to have been made voluntarily (!) ; the Court accepted Garda evidence that there had been no ill-treatment of any of the defendants and insinuated that any injuries they received must have been self-inflicted .
On the basis of a statement made by Nicky Kelly while in Garda custody and on that evidence alone Kelly was convicted of charges in connection with robbery and sentenced to 12 years penal servitude .
The Special Criminal Court's acceptance of Garda assurances that statements were given voluntarily , when there is substantial evidence to show that there was a considerable degree of coercive pressure involved is not unusual .
It is one of the major defects of that court and , to a large extent , an inevitable defect - for the repeated exposure of Justices to Garda 'evidence' versus " subversive " claims , conditions the members of the court in favour of the Gardai .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(7 of 13).
A copy of an affidavit , purporting to be John Patrick Quinn's affidavit in the High Court in Dublin was produced ; no application had been made to the High Court to have this made available . Legal counsel for Quinn , Michael Fisher , immediately took steps to ensure that the British authorities should not have access to the original affidavit without both parties being present .
Quinn applied for bail and was granted it on two sureties of £2,500 each ; Detective Barnes objected to bail on the grounds that Quinn would commit further offences and he would be unlikely to turn up for his hearing . Magistrate Norma Negus responded to this argument by telling Detective Barnes - " We're not in Dublin now . We're dealing with the Bail Act . " The prosecution were accused of " acting in bad faith , abusing the process of the court and inexcusable procrastination . "
Michael Fisher expressed fears at that point that John Patrick Quinn would be charged with offences other than those he had been extradited to face .......
(MORE LATER).
....... when they failed to get the results they wanted in the 15th January 1920 Elections in Ireland , Westminster went to 'Plan B' - they called-in British Army General 'Sir' Nevil Macready .......
Macready was appointed ' Commander-in-Chief' of the British Forces in Ireland ; he was known to be in favour of martial law and the imposition of a complete military dictatorship on the island . In December 1920 , 'Sir' Macready told his political masters in Westminster that his " military governors " in Ireland had been given 'permission' " to inflict punishments ..." on the local population following any IRA operation in that same area -
- " Punishments will only be carried out on the authority of the Infantry Brigadier who , before taking action , will satisfy himself that the people concerned were , owing to their proximity to the outrage or their known political tendencies , implicated in the outrage . " ('1169...' comment - this was , in effect , 'carte blanche' to the British military to do as they liked in Ireland .)
Macready continued - " The punishment will be carried out as a Military Operation and the reason why it is being done will be publicly proclaimed . " However , as a 'PR stunt' , in the belief that he could portray himself as something other than the vicious bastard he was , Macready implemented a policy by which those to be " punished " were given one hours notice ....... !
(MORE LATER).
RELEASE NICKY KELLY .......
By Vincent Browne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , April 1982 , pages 4 and 5 .
Re-published here in 8 parts .
(5 of 8).
In spite of this persuasive evidence of Garda ill-treatment a statement made by Nicky Kelly , while in custody , was held by the Special Criminal Court to have been made voluntarily (!) ; the Court accepted Garda evidence that there had been no ill-treatment of any of the defendants and insinuated that any injuries they received must have been self-inflicted .
On the basis of a statement made by Nicky Kelly while in Garda custody and on that evidence alone Kelly was convicted of charges in connection with robbery and sentenced to 12 years penal servitude .
The Special Criminal Court's acceptance of Garda assurances that statements were given voluntarily , when there is substantial evidence to show that there was a considerable degree of coercive pressure involved is not unusual .
It is one of the major defects of that court and , to a large extent , an inevitable defect - for the repeated exposure of Justices to Garda 'evidence' versus " subversive " claims , conditions the members of the court in favour of the Gardai .......
(MORE LATER).
THE EXTRADITION FIASCO .......
By Derek Dunne .
First published in 'Magill' magazine , October 1985 , pages 9,10 and 11.
Re-published here in 13 parts.
(7 of 13).
A copy of an affidavit , purporting to be John Patrick Quinn's affidavit in the High Court in Dublin was produced ; no application had been made to the High Court to have this made available . Legal counsel for Quinn , Michael Fisher , immediately took steps to ensure that the British authorities should not have access to the original affidavit without both parties being present .
Quinn applied for bail and was granted it on two sureties of £2,500 each ; Detective Barnes objected to bail on the grounds that Quinn would commit further offences and he would be unlikely to turn up for his hearing . Magistrate Norma Negus responded to this argument by telling Detective Barnes - " We're not in Dublin now . We're dealing with the Bail Act . " The prosecution were accused of " acting in bad faith , abusing the process of the court and inexcusable procrastination . "
Michael Fisher expressed fears at that point that John Patrick Quinn would be charged with offences other than those he had been extradited to face .......
(MORE LATER).
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