1169 And Counting.....

Monday, November 13, 2006

THE SEEDS OF A POLICE STATE .......
There is substantial evidence that a major crime was perpetrated within the Garda Siochana five years ago .
The evidence for this crime has certainly been available to senior Gardai ever since then , but no enquiry whatsoever has taken place , let alone any Garda being disciplined in connection with that crime .
By Vincent Browne and Derek Dunne .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1983 .

Dr. Noel Smith , the Breathnach family doctor , said in evidence that Osgur Breathnach's head was painful and tender and that he had a lump on it , that his left leg had bruises over the top lower third , lateral , to the side and back ; that there were the early stages of bruising on Breathnach's buttocks . In Dr. Smith's opinion , Osgur Breathnach was dangerously ill , suffering from concussion as a reslt of the head injury and suffering from other injuries which could not have been self inflicted . As a resesult of an application to the State High Court , Breathnach was removed to the Richmond Hospital , in Dublin .

He was examined by a Dr. Leech of the Richmond on his arrival on the Wednesday afternoon , April 7th , 1976 : Dr. Leech said in evidence that he found Breathnach to be in an anxious condition , that there was a small bruise on the left-hand side of his chest , a small bruise on the inside left ankle , bruises over the lower one-third of one of his legs , and tenderness over the triceps of the left arm . Dr. Leech said the injuries which he found were consistent with an assault of minor degree .

A Dr. Carey , a senior neuro-surgeon at the Richmond Hospital , who examined Osgur Breathnach on Thursday morning , April 8th , 1976 , said in evidence that he found no injury to the accused's head , no evidence of loss of consciousness , no evidence of external injury to the head or neck - there was , however , tenderness of the scalp , on the left side of the jaw , and bruising on the left arm , left chest , back of the right calf and on the left ankle . The bruisings on the arms was stated by Dr. Carey to be consistent with a punch , behind the right leg would be consistent with a kick or a knock . Osgur Breathnach was discharged from hospital later that day , April 8th , 1976 . That medical evidence was to prove useful , as was the non-medical evidence : a State Counsel involved in the case described Breathnach as "....distressed .....dehumanised....a human animal..".......
(MORE LATER).

(Martin McGuinness , left , with Henry Kissinger , as usual , on the right ...)

DISARMING MARTIN .......
All (P)Sinn Fein leaders have a series of mantras and mini-speeches which they seek to get into every interview , regardless of the question .
The task of the journalist is to avoid setting off these reflex responses : the problem with Martin McGuinness is that he does it so pleasantly that it seems impolite to interrupt him .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , March 1999 .
By John Waters .

If the 'Good Friday Agreement' does collapse , Mr. David Trimble , as of this moment , looks like the one who will have to shoulder most of the historical blame . The question arises : is his failure to adequately meet the moment to do with a lack , in the wake of the 'GFA' , of courage , determination , independence of mind , or some more calculating purpose which predates the Agreement ?

Martin McGuinness states - " You've got to ask yourself , say , of , from Good Friday on , David Trimble had wholeheartedly embraced the agreement , and faced down the Paisleys of this world , then those people who celebrated the achievement of the agreement , wouuld have been justified in their view . I think they had an expectation that that might happen . And the history of the last nine months has shown that David Trimble has failed his people . But , at the same time , I think you have to give Trimble a certain amount of credit for saying 'Yes' on Good Friday , for whatever reason , and even though he has been part of this infuriating delay and stalling tactic that has been deployed over the last nine months , he still has continued to say 'Yes' , which clearly shows that that section of unionism that he represents , for whatever reason , has been shifted by the process .

Now , again , it comes down to whether or not you think that , at the end of all this , David Trimble is going to walk away from a process that he too has been part of constructing with the rest of us . I think it's inconceivable that he will do that . I think that for him the honourable thing to do is to face down the rejectionist unionists and press on with the implementation of the agreement , because in the long run , the implementation of the agreement is going to absolutely marginalise and isolate the rejectionists who are trying to destroy it . "

'Rejectionists' and revisionists too : McGuinness says - " There is a lot of anger within republican areas in the North that this , if you like , offensive , by the revisionists and others in the South , appears to be all about blaming republicans for the current impasse...... " ('1169....' Comment - those 'rejectionists and revisionists' are the same people that have always blamed Irish Republicans for the Struggle : the Provos have handed them a new stick with which to hit them with ie 'you are not surrendering quickly enough' , an outcome which does not surprise Republicans but does seem to have caught PSF by surprise . Have they mis-judged their opposition that much ?)
(MORE LATER).

Friday, November 10, 2006

Disgusting behaviour , once again , from the 'State guardians of law and order' : in July 2005 , Ruairi O Bradaigh issued a statement in support of the 'Shell To Sea' campaign in which , amongst other things , he said the following - " It would now appear that Bertie Ahern and his government are also willing to lock up its citizens whilst at the same time allowing Shell to dictate the energy and environmental policy of the 26 Counties ... "
Not only lock-up its citizens , but terrorise them into not protesting against injustices - Irish Republicans have been at the receiving end of such treatment for countless years : this corrupt and money-grabbing State , and the gombeen men and women that are presently in charge of it , now apparently feel confident enough to extend their terrorist tactics beyond the realm of attacking Irish Republicans . These career politicians must never be allowed to forget the injustices they have inflicted on the citizens of this State . Their God may forgive them , but we should'nt.......

THE SEEDS OF A POLICE STATE .......
There is substantial evidence that a major crime was perpetrated within the Garda Siochana five years ago .
The evidence for this crime has certainly been available to senior Gardai ever since then , but no enquiry whatsoever has taken place , let alone any Garda being disciplined in connection with that crime .
By Vincent Browne and Derek Dunne .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1983 .

In the tunnel , Osgur Breathnach stated that Detective Garda Thomas Fitzgerald and Detective Inspector John Murphy attempted to pull his coat off , that he was slapped , punched , kneed , banged against a wall , that his arms were held , and that he was shouted at . He alleged further that his alleged part in the Sallins mail train robbery was being repeated over and over again to him .

When he was taken back upstairs to the Bridewell Garda Station , he alleged that Detective Garda Thomas Fitzgerald and Detective Inspector John Murphy pulled a chair from under him causing him to fall to the ground , and that he was pulled from one Garda Detective to another , that he was by this time dizzy , sore all over , confused , and had difficulty in breathing . He also alleged that he was beaten by other detectives whom he could not identify , that the statement he signed was not his own , but was concocted by the Gardai , and that he was forced to sign it in order to avoid further beatings .

The time on his statement is 6.00am on Wednesday , April 7 , 1976 - he had been in custody 41 hours at the time of his making a 'confession' . Dr. Noel Smith , who had been the Breathnach family doctor for some years , was asked by relatives to go to the Four Courts to examine Osgur Breathnach prior to the Habeas Corpus application on the afternoon of Wednesday , April 7 , 1976 : he examined Breathnach at 5.15pm that evening , just under 12 hours after the self-incriminatory statement had been signed . The report the doctor gave was shocking.......
(MORE LATER).

(Martin McGuinness , left , with Henry Kissinger , as usual , on the right ...)

DISARMING MARTIN .......
All (P)Sinn Fein leaders have a series of mantras and mini-speeches which they seek to get into every interview , regardless of the question .
The task of the journalist is to avoid setting off these reflex responses : the problem with Martin McGuinness is that he does it so pleasantly that it seems impolite to interrupt him .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , March 1999 .
By John Waters .

The moment of truth is now upon us : as we spoke , at the start of the last week in February , the stalemate remained . And , while the word on the wind , ably assisted by UUP spin doctors , was that Tony Blair was preparing to back the Trimble position on decommissioning in the run up to the March 10th deadline , Martin McGuinness was laying much store on earlier indications from Mo Mowlam that , in the wake of the 'cross-community vote of determination' , she would move to trigger the d'Hondt mechanism which would automatically form the Six County 'executive' complete with two (P) Sinn Fein members .

As Martin McGuinness put it - " From here , it's over , effectively , to the British government , to Tony Blair and Mo Mowlam . The British government has the authority ('1169...' Comment - sic . What 'authority' does the British government have in Ireland ?) now to establish the shadow executive , and have indicated publicly that they would do that in the first few days of March , and that it's their intention then to have powers devolved from both Dublin and London around the 10th of March . Now , the question is : what are Ulster Unionists going to do to stop that , or do the Ulster Unionists want to stop that ? Or are they going to go ahead with that ? Or are they going to , as some people have speculated , bring a proposal before the assembly that (P) Sinn Fein be excluded , have that debate , lose the debate and then press on with the implementation of the agreement , blaming the two governments and so on ? "

That we have reached this state of deja vu is disturbing indeed , given in particular the manner in which the 'Good Friday Agreement' was greeted throughout the world , ('1169...' Comment - " greeted throughout the world " because the Establishments involved in promoting it did so in a misleading fashion ie 'the big lie' that it was 'the end of the age old conflict in Ireland' was pushed by all anti-Republican groups , including those who really should have known better : remember the 'Tri-colour car cavalcade' on the Falls Road ?) culminating in the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize jointly to John Hume and David Trimble.......
(MORE LATER).

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

(Martin McGuinness , left , with Henry Kissinger , as usual , on the right ...)

DISARMING MARTIN .......
All (P)Sinn Fein leaders have a series of mantras and mini-speeches which they seek to get into every interview , regardless of the question .
The task of the journalist is to avoid setting off these reflex responses : the problem with Martin McGuinness is that he does it so pleasantly that it seems impolite to interrupt him .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , March 1999 .
By John Waters .

Martin McGuinness stated - " The decommissioning argument is all a bit of a nonsense , because over the years , the leading generals in the British army , and those in charge of the RUC , have all identified the home-made weapons that the (P) IRA have made as the most lethal weapons used against them . Things like fertiliser bombs , the rocket launchers that the (P)IRA made . All of these weapons were identified by leading military strategists as the most dangerous weapons of all . So , if the (P) IRA were totally cynical about this process , they could go tomorrow and decommission five tonnes of explosives and by the weekend make fifty tonnes ! ('1169...' Comment - ....and they could have , too , at one stage , before they also decommissioned the mindset to do so , that is . Besides - their objective of obtaining increased civil rights does not call for the use of explosives or other munitions .)

So for us in (P) Sinn Fein , more important than decommissioning is to decommission all of the injustice of the past * and to show people that there is a new future , and that politics actually works . Then we can effectively set about , in a very real way , taking all the guns out of Irish politics . " ('1169 .... ' Comment * - Claptrap ! Those "injustices of the past " were caused by the same people that are responsible for the 'injustices of the present'- Westminster . What "new future" can Irish Republicans secure by assisting Westminster in securing its 'writ' on this isle ?)

This , however , would seem to place the De Chastelain body in a political role , rather than the 'technocratic' one which it has been assumed it would adopt . But Martin McGuinness stated - " People like John De Chastelain and Senator George John Mitchell brought a much-needed wisdom to this process : these were people who were prepared to look at the global situation . They used very potent phrases , like , ' Decommissioning , if it happens , will have to be a voluntary exercise ... ' . ('1169...' Comment - .... Martin knew in his heart that his two new best friends , John and George , wouldn't let him down - they had only his best interests at heart . And this is the man the Provos chose to be their 'Chief Negotiator' ?) They (John and George , that is...) said that there should be no concept whatsoever of surrender or humiliation or defeat - for anybody . ('1169...' Comment - Picture the scene : Martin , the 'Chief Negotiator' , being interviewed by the media - " Mr McGuinness , do you feel that the Provos have surrendered ? Is the Provo organisation humiliated ? Have PIRA been defeated ... ? " Martin - " No . John and George tell me it didn't happen like that ..." !)

And those are the very emotions which the unionists and the securicrats within the British military establishment bring to all of this , because we are actually dealing with people , if the truth be told , who have never been able to come to terms with the fact that , in thirty years of struggle (sic) , they could not militarily defeat the IRA , and who have now set about , in a time of peace , trying to achieve that very objective ." ('1169...' Comment - Not so . Those people simply gave the Provos enough rope [from the Good Ship 'GFA'] to defeat themselves with .)
(MORE LATER).

GUNS TO BREAD AND BUTTER .......
EDDIE ROONEY looks at the transformation of the Official Republican movement from a revolutionary organisation run by its military wing to a social democratic electoral party .
From 'Fortnight' magazine , 1983 .

The position of long-term members of The Workers Party has become marginal , and for many of those supporters their continued support has been more due to a way of life* than to support for party policies . ('1169...' Comment * - ...which is where PSF are now : they are top heavy with 'wannabe' Chiefs and middle-management types , who , now that PSF are well on the road to 'respectability' , are elbowing each other out of the way to pick-up a salaried position within 'the party' . Their foot-soldiers [ie paper-sellers etc] are a rare sight in the pubs , clubs etc , except when they're having a few pints themselves ! It is obviously near-impossible for them to promote a political point of view of which they are not confident with themselves .)

This has been coupled with the attraction of some support centred around the academic world which has contributed to a small but growing new Protestant (sic) membership - there is , however , a considerable gap between the political rhetoric which has attracted such new members , and the reality of the party's organisation , which has retained many of its traditional features . ('1169...' Comment - the Provos , too - for now - have also 'retained many of their traditional features' , such as Easter Commemorations etc , and will continue to do so until such time as their membership has been 'churned-over' sufficiently to allow their leadership to drop said 'traditions' . After all , those commemorated did not give their lives in a fight to obtain the 'right' to implement British policy in Ireland !)

Although , symbolically , the Workers Party's present Springfield Road headquarters may seem like a world away from Cyprus Street , it is still well within Catholic (sic) West Belfast : there have been discussions concerning the possible relocation of party headquarters to a more 'central' area but so far there is no sign of a move . The party's recent considerable investment in new social clubs has been confined to republican strongholds.......
(MORE LATER).

Monday, November 06, 2006

THE SEEDS OF A POLICE STATE .......
There is substantial evidence that a major crime was perpetrated within the Garda Siochana five years ago .
The evidence for this crime has certainly been available to senior Gardai ever since then , but no enquiry whatsoever has taken place , let alone any Garda being disciplined in connection with that crime .
By Vincent Browne and Derek Dunne .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1983 .

Subsequently , new charges were preferred against four of the original accused : John Fitzpatrick and Michael Barrett were not charged , even though Fitzpatrick had signed a statement incriminating himself in the Sallins mail train robbery , which meant that there was precisely the same 'evidence' against him as there was against Nicky Kelly and Osgur Breathnach ! No reason was ever offered for this , and John Fitzpatrick was never called as a witness to confirm or deny allegations that it was he who beat up Brian McNally on the Wednesday night of the crucial remand from a special sitting of the State District Court , back into Garda custody .

The trial of the four was aborted on the fiftieth day on the death of one of the Judges , Judge John William O' Connor : a new trial was set , and in the first few days of this new trial , Michael Plunkett was acquitted : Breathnach , McNally and Nicky Kelly were found guilty and sentenced on December 13 , 1978 . Upon appeal , Breathnach and McNally had their convictions quashed on May 20 , 1980 . Nicky Kelly was unsuccessful in his appeal to both the State Court of Criminal Appeal and the State Supreme Court : he is still in jail , serving a 12 year sentence .

THE CASE OF OSGUR BREATHNACH :
Osgur Breathnach was arrested under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act , 1939 , at 3.15pm on the 31st March , 1976 . He was taken to the Bridewell Garda Barracks , Dublin , where his detention order was extended : he was released at 2.45pm on Friday , the 2nd of April , 1976 - he had spent forty-seven-and-a-half hours in Garda custody .

He was arrested again under Section 30 at 1.30pm on Monday , the 5th of April , 1976 , and taken to the Bridewell , where his detention order was again extended , and he was released at 1.30pm on Wednesday , the 7th of April , 1976 : a total of 48 hours in Garda custody . It was during the latter part of his detention that he alleges he was beaten and forced to sign a statement , incriminating himself in the Sallins mail train robbery.......
(MORE LATER).

(Martin McGuinness , left , with Henry Kissinger , as usual , on the right ...)

DISARMING MARTIN .......
All (P)Sinn Fein leaders have a series of mantras and mini-speeches which they seek to get into every interview , regardless of the question .
The task of the journalist is to avoid setting off these reflex responses : the problem with Martin McGuinness is that he does it so pleasantly that it seems impolite to interrupt him .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , March 1999 .
By John Waters .

Martin McGuinness stated - " When you take away the reasons why people feel they have to fight , you can then be involved in a serious project which is about removing guns from Irish politics . ('1169...' Comment - ...time was , when , for Martin and his type , the only "serious project" in town was to do with removing from this island the un-wanted British military and political presence . Not trying to make a living from same.) But the mistake that's being made is that people look at this in the context that , in their view , there has to be a parallel approach to how you resolve that . And I actually don't think that can succeed .

The key objective of the peace process has to be showing people that politics works . I think John De Chastelain understands perfectly what the situation is . ('1169...' Comment - De Chastelain's "situation" , and that of his superiors and supporters, was to neuter the Provisionals . He must have been surprised at the level of assistance he received from the leadership of said grouping !) Now it's very important that people not misquote what's in the Good Friday Agreement , because right throughout this process we have worked on the basis that if we give our word we will keep it . ('1169...' Comment - A 'Gentlemans Agreement' , if you like , Martin . Between robber barons and those they have purchased .) We are not about leading anybody up blind alleys , (...except their own gullible supporters..) and that includes the (P) IRA and the other participants to the agreement . (....yet Martin and his colleagues were first out of the trap , whenever the PIRA were suspected of pulling a job , to tell all and sundry that 'the PIRA themselves never actually signed-up to the 1998 'agreement' !)

We had very forthright discussions with the Irish government (sic) about the decommissioning issue and we told them - 'We can't deliver decommissioning' . (...you and yours would deliver your granny on a platter , Martin , if you thought it would further your political careers !) So it's not that we signed up to decommissioning . We didn't ! What we were prepared to do was to work with all the other participants to try to bring that about within a two-year period....... "
(MORE LATER).

GUNS TO BREAD AND BUTTER .......
EDDIE ROONEY looks at the transformation of the Official Republican movement from a revolutionary organisation run by its military wing to a social democratic electoral party .
From 'Fortnight' magazine , 1983 .

In Craigavon , County Armagh , where The Workers' Party holds two council seats , (P) Sinn Fein's recent reorganisation has led to the emergence of a young and enthusiastic political machine , intent on removing Tom French and Paddy Breen from their seats .

Some senior Workers' Party members have interpreted (P) Sinn Fein's success as signifying the need to revive the party's radical 'republican' links : however , so far all that has emerged has been a renewed interest in commemoration ceremonies , a slightly stronger line on repression , and a sporadic slackening of the reins on the Official IRA - measures designed to retain the loyality of remaining republican-minded members rather than to attract broader support . On the other hand , the leadership's anti-nationalist line has been publicly reinforced and there are even signs of pressure from Southern members to sever links with the party in the North .

The success of (P) Sinn Fein is unlikely in itself to cause the political demise of the Workers Party in the North : hatred of the Provisionals remains one of the strongest bonds uniting Workers' Party members , and if nothing else , it is likely to retain a residual anti-Provo vote - but major long-term problems are likely to arise within the party , as many party members who would consider themselves 'radical republicans' , and who have not drifted away or been expelled , have for some time been disillusioned with the current leadership and its political stance ....... (.....history repeats itself..)
(MORE LATER).

Saturday, November 04, 2006

.....but they have moved with the times - Fianna Fail no longer publicly carry a placard like that featured in our picture . But the intention of that organisation remains the same .

Less than one mile from where we type this post , the Fianna Fail party are holding their '70th Ard Fheis ' in the salubrious surroundings of City West Hotel in Saggart , County Dublin . It is expected (!) that , before this weekend is out , the party delegates will rise up and challenge Bertie Ahern and the other millionaire suits on why the aims and objectives of those that founded the party in 1926 are no longer a priority for the party :
1) IRISH UNITY .
2) THE IRISH LANGUAGE .
3) IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROGRAMME .
4) TO MAKE THE RESOURCES OF THE COUNTRY SUBSERVIENT TO THE PEOPLE .
5) DECENTRALISATION OF INDUSTRY .
6) SELF-SUFFICIENCY .
7) TO KEEP THE IRISH PEOPLE ON IRISH LAND .

None of the above have been achieved . And , actually , five of them have been either quietly dropped or reversed , while two (language revival and unity) exist only as pieties , for raising cheers at party meetings.
The Fianna Fail party helped itself to €87,500 a week , every week , from the State taxpayer , in 2003 (Source - 'The Sunday Business Post' newspaper , 3rd April 2005) : it would be fair to suggest that its 'take' from the State taxpayer now would be at least €100,000 per week . The political parties in Leinster House deemed it necessary to award themselves taxpayers money in order that they remove the temptation for funding from other institutions . And we all know what happened then (see above picture) .
However , it has to be said that , in our opinion, Fianna Fail are no better or worse than any of the other worthless political leeches in Leinster House . A plague on all their houses .

Friday, November 03, 2006

THE SEEDS OF A POLICE STATE .......
There is substantial evidence that a major crime was perpetrated within the Garda Siochana five years ago .
The evidence for this crime has certainly been available to senior Gardai ever since then , but no enquiry whatsoever has taken place , let alone any Garda being disciplined in connection with that crime .
By Vincent Browne and Derek Dunne .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1983 .

The purpose of this article is not to examine the conduct of the judicial system in relation to this case , it is to examine the conduct of the Gardai . This examination requires an exhaustive presentation of the background and evidence in the case and we start with the stories of the three accused persons - Osgur Breathnach , Brian McNally and Nicky Kelly .

THE STORY OF THE ARRESTS
On the 5th , 6th and 7th days of April , 1976, there were in excess of twenty persons arrested under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act , 1939 , in connection with the robbery of the Sallins mail train which had taken place on the 31st of March , 1976 : the arrests were made in Dublin , Cork , Wicklow , Limerick and Carlow .

Among those subsequently charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery and with actual robbery of the mail from the Cork-Dublin train on the morning of the 31st of March , 1976, were Osgur Breathnach , Brian McNally , Michael Plunkett , John Fitzpatrick , Michael Barrett and Nicky Kelly . Four of the accused signed statements whilst in Garda custody , incriminating themselves in the robbery : Breathnach , McNally , Fitzpatrick and Kelly .

They alleged that the statements , amounting to confessions , were signed in order to stop beatings they were receiving at the hands of the Gardai . All six charged were discharged by State Justice O hUadhaigh the following December, because of the failure of the prosecution to produce a book of evidence against the accused . But the State wasn't finished yet.......
(MORE LATER).

(Martin McGuinness , left , with Henry Kissinger , as usual , on the right ...)

DISARMING MARTIN .......
All (P)Sinn Fein leaders have a series of mantras and mini-speeches which they seek to get into every interview , regardless of the question .
The task of the journalist is to avoid setting off these reflex responses : the problem with Martin McGuinness is that he does it so pleasantly that it seems impolite to interrupt him .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , March 1999 .
By John Waters .

The most likely scenario is that (P) Sinn Fein will 'use its influence' to ask the (P) IRA to decommission ; the (P) IRA will refuse * - end of obligation under the agreement . The guns will then remain in the dumps , and the issue unresolved . ('1169...' Comment * - that did not happen : instead , on August 8 , 2001 , the PIRA stated that it had agreed [with the British decommissioning body] " ...to put its arms completely and verifiably beyond use.." , then , on October 23 , 2001 , the PIRA implemented the scheme agreed with that British body to put its arms beyond use ! The PSF membership were told by their own people that the Adams leadership would "use its influence" with PIRA , which would then refuse , allowing Adams and company to 'play both sides of the fence' . The PSF membership were 'sucker-punched' by their own leadership , but most of them stayed , unwilling to admit even to themselves that they had been lied to .)

To the literal eye , unless David Trimble and Co. back off , this suggests an irreconcilable dilemma which can be met only by some form of fudge . But it's not that simple , according to Martin McGuinness - " The decommissioning section of the agreement dealt with the reality of the situation , which is that we were working against a background of the non-acceptance of all of the armed groups of the decommissioning issue . Now , against that background, an agreement was made that all of the participants would try and use whatever influence they had to try and make that happen within a two-year period . And we are absolutely committed to trying to do that . In fact , I have met John De Chastelain more often than all the other parties put together * . " ( '1169...' Comment * - ...winner of 'The Puppy Most Likely To Please Its New Master' Award !)

So , what do they talk about after the initial "no way!" and "right , so... " have been dispensed with , we asked Martin ? - " What I say is what I say to you in this interview . A conflict resolution situation in my mind is about taking away the reasons why people feel they have to fight * ....... " ('1169 ...' Comment * - those "reasons" do not include the 'objective' of obtaining 'better' civil rights and financial crumbs from a 'bad master' .)
(MORE LATER).

GUNS TO BREAD AND BUTTER .......
EDDIE ROONEY looks at the transformation of the Official Republican movement from a revolutionary organisation run by its military wing to a social democratic electoral party .
From 'Fortnight' magazine , 1983 .

The Alliance Party appreciates the healthy trasfer of votes received from Workers' Party candidates : in 1974 , the Officials (WP/OIRA) described The Alliance Party as a "...bunch of political vagabonds....based on middle-class venality and cowardice.." . More recently , the Officials have complimented The Alliance Party on their "...progressive.." stand and their commitment to "...democracy.." !

The quest for 'political respectabilty' and the obsessive hatred for the Provisionals have led the Workers' Party into embarrassing situations . ('1169....' Comment - ....and that same quest has had that effect on the Provisionals - not only are they taking salaries and expenses from the State 'establishment' and from Westminster , but they see it as a badge of honour to be photographed on stage with the likes of Henry Kissinger !) Although they had been at the forefront of the original campaign for the introduction of special category status , they opposed the H-Block campaign for its re-introduction . ('1169...' Comment - ....much the same with the Provisionals - campaigned long and hard for political status for Irish republican prisoners , then signed that status away in 1998 in part-payment for their 'foot-in-the-door' part-admittance to 'respectable' politics.) Their own prisoners (OIRA) , however , retained their special category status .

Seamus Lynch's response to this was to publicly deny the existence of his own prisoners (....the Provisionals have done much the same - see #8 here) , a move which did little to promote his own credibility or that of his party in nationalist working-class circles . The electoral success of (P) Sinn Fein , which has adopted a rhetoric reminiscent of the Officials in their more radical days , has placed a major constraint on the Workers' Party - although their numerical vote has so far not dropped dramatically , it is clear that the already difficult task of translating votes into seats is going to cause even more problems for it in the future.......
(MORE LATER).

Thursday, November 02, 2006

1905 - 2006 .

Congratulations to the Republican Movement on its 102nd Ard Fheis , which will be held in a Dublin venue on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th November next . It is a long , hard road that members and supporters of this Movement are on - its Offices are under constant surveillance by those that wish to drive it out of 'business', its people are continually harassed by those same groupings and attempts have been made to financially cripple the organisation . But still it persists , and long may it do so : the many injustices on this island need to be addressed by morally uncorrupted , and uncorruptible , people , such as those in that Movement . Congratulations again !

Confirmation received in relation to the group of Irish republicans who have been under water for the past 29 years : soon to be 30 years !
The event , which will surface (!) on Christmas day next , in Inchicore , Dublin , will feature before then on this blog . Stay tuned....

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

THE SEEDS OF A POLICE STATE .......
There is substantial evidence that a major crime was perpetrated within the Garda Siochana five years ago .
The evidence for this crime has certainly been available to senior Gardai ever since then , but no enquiry whatsoever has taken place , let alone any Garda being disciplined in connection with that crime .
By Vincent Browne and Derek Dunne .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1983 .

In this article we are attempting to show that there is substantial evidence of a great deal of collusion between individual Gardai in the presentation of their evidence , notably in their statements in the Book of Evidence and that this suggests strongly that there was in fact a conspiracy among some Gardai to commit perjury ie to subvert the course of justice .

We further seek to show that at no stage did the Gardai or any other authority attempt to investigate these matters , in spite of the persuasive nature of the evidence involved . And we seek to show that those recommendations to ensure that these abuses could not happen again have been entirely ignored by successive Dublin governments . The case raises the most serious questions about the character of the Garda Siochana , especially the failure to hold any investigation into the affair.

Of course there are serious inferences in respect of the courts - the (State) Special Criminal Court , the (State) Court of Criminal Appeal and even the (State) Supreme Court - as well . All these courts failed to come to grips with essential evidence in the case , notably the extraordinary circumstances whereby the accused persons were remanded into Garda custody having been charged in the (State) District Court on the evening of April 7 , 1976 : it was that remand which created the sceanario whereby the Gardai could claim that the injuries suffered by the accused were mutually inflicted.......
(MORE LATER).

(Martin McGuinness , left , with Henry Kissinger , as usual , on the right ...)

DISARMING MARTIN .......
All (P)Sinn Fein leaders have a series of mantras and mini-speeches which they seek to get into every interview , regardless of the question .
The task of the journalist is to avoid setting off these reflex responses : the problem with Martin McGuinness is that he does it so pleasantly that it seems impolite to interrupt him .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , March 1999 .
By John Waters .

Martin McGuinness stated - " Quentin Thomas and Stephen Leach , from British Intelligence , were , in my view , always the two people who had invented decommissioning , and effectively gave the weapon to John Major as a plausible reason why he shouldn't involve himself in negotiations with (P) Sinn Fein . And the agenda , obviously , was to stop negotiations and to prevent (P) Sinn Fein's participation , and to effectively rebuff the juggernaut of the Irish government , (sic) the SDLP , (P) Sinn Fein , Irish-America , supported by the international community ie - the peace process (sic) . "

" But there is also another military dimension to it , which is absolutely about people injecting an issue into the process that they knew hadn't a snowball's chance in hell of ever succeeding *. Because the very people who invented the decommissioning issue knew the mindset of the (P) IRA better than anyone else in the equation . And while it had both a military and a political objective in preventing negotiations taking place , it was always my view that this was an issue about dividing republicans (sic - McGuinness was referring to fellow constitutional nationalists , as he lost the right to speak on behalf of republicans in 1986 : * .....but succeed it did , with the same Martin McGuinness leading the charge for the PIRA to decommission !) and causing confusion . "

While there is no doubt that no precondition exists in the agreement* (*the 1998 Stormont Treaty) requiring (P) Sinn Fein to achieve (P)IRA decommissioning in advance of being admitted to the Stormont Executive , there is , however , a difficulty in that some process of decommissioning is envisaged . The (P) IRA has said , unambiguously , there will be no decommissioning - ever ! ('1169...' Comment - the PIRA has , since then , not only decommissioned its arms and munitions, but also its mindset of active opposition to British interference in Irish affairs . They now implement British policy on this isle as Michael Collins , amongst others , did , before them . It remains to be seen if they will get the same 'reward' as Collins did ).......
(MORE LATER).

GUNS TO BREAD AND BUTTER .......
EDDIE ROONEY looks at the transformation of the Official Republican movement from a revolutionary organisation run by its military wing to a social democratic electoral party .
From 'Fortnight' magazine , 1983 .

Immediately after the 1975 feud between the Officials and the Provisionals , sweeping changes were brought in to bring the Official organisation in the North of Ireland fully into line with their more 'moderate' comrades in the South of the country . 'Militants' within the ranks were condemned at the Ard Fheis (the annual conference) in January 1976 , and a decision was taken to set up the 'Irish Democratic Youth Movement' (IDYM) as a replacement for Na Fianna Eireann , considered to be the IRA's youth movement . Billy McMillen had taken a great personal interest in the development of the Fianna , and they had remained committed to his brand of socialist thinking .

The 'IDYM' was carefully vetted by the leadership of the Officials and never really got off the ground : in one move, the Officials in effect wiped out their own youth wing in the name of ideological conformity . In the North , the members were told to prepare themselves for "... a period in the wilderness.. " while attention was focussed on building up the political wing in the South .

The new mood was embodied in the name changes and the publication of 'The Irish Industrial Revolution' , a thoroughly confused document which reflected the end of the Officials' anti-imperialism and their emergence into the arena of social democratic reformism . Seamus Lynch portrays the new image of the Workers' Party - more 'working-class-kid-made-good' than explicity middle-class : he had earned the respect of those once considered his main enemies . Gerry Fitt has recently listed seeing Seamus Lynch's future political success among his remaining ambitions....... !
(MORE LATER).

Monday, October 30, 2006

Correction/Clarification/Update.......

.......we received the following today , Monday 30 October 2006 :
" Hey dude could you please remove the bit of news about my dad as he wasn't a loyalist and he was apparently murdered cos the UVF wanted his mates legally held gun : " ' 19th April : Francis Galbraith (29) was shot by loyalists near the Sydenham by-pass , close to his parents home in east Belfast . A nephew of loyalist supergrass Joseph Bennett , Mr. Galbraith was apparently killed in an internal loyalist dispute over weapons . He leaves four children .' " Thanks."
The above is in reference to a piece we published here on March 8 , 2005 , which we came across in 'MAGILL' magazine , July 1989 .
That killing is also covered here and here .
We hope this post goes some way to clearing up the matter .
Sharon .

(Martin McGuinness , left , with Henry Kissinger , as usual , on the right ...)

DISARMING MARTIN .......
All (P)Sinn Fein leaders have a series of mantras and mini-speeches which they seek to get into every interview , regardless of the question .
The task of the journalist is to avoid setting off these reflex responses : the problem with Martin McGuinness is that he does it so pleasantly that it seems impolite to interrupt him .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , March 1999 .
By John Waters .

The (P) Sinn Fein position is already well documented , but Martin McGuinness has a certain fascination with the manner in which the idea was introduced to and maintained within the 'peace process' for almost five years : " I think it's absolutely vital that people contexualise why all of this is happening . I remember before the (P) IRA ceasefire ever took place , in the summer of 1994 , decommissioning was a word none of us ever heard of . I had been given responsibility within theleadership of (P) Sinn Fein to open up a channel of communication with the British government * , which I did in October of 1990 ." ('1169...' Comment * - ...much the same , in all probability , as Denis Donaldson was .)

" And right through from then until the (P) IRA ceasefire of1994 , I could have contacted the British government , 10 Downing Street * , within seconds , and they could have contacted me , any day of the week , any hour of the day , night-time , whatever . " ('1169...' Comment * - Notice how well got Martin considered himself to be with Westminster . And how comfortable he felt in being able to speak openly about his ability to contact Westminster "within seconds" , should he need assistance . Sickening .) " And never once during that whole period was the word decommissioning ever mentioned . And when it was mentioned eventually , I had to get a dictionary and look it up . " ('1169...' Comment - It was obviously a faulty dictionary as it informed Martin that decommissioning had nothing to do with handing over arms and munitions.)

" And the very first meetings of the delegation that I led , with the British government civil service , was to this very building . ('1169...' Comment- Most men would speak like that in such fond terms of their first date with their then girl-friend ; but Martin , with tears in his eyes , no doubt , fondly remembers one of his first encounters with his future employers !) And the first people we met , it was clear , that the architects of the decommissioning issue were across the table from us , people like Quentin Thomas and Stephen Leach , from British Intelligence....... "
(MORE LATER).

Saturday, October 28, 2006

British 'Lord' Salisbury .

In 1883 , 'Lord' Salisbury stated - " Ireland must be kept , like India , at all costs ; by persuasion , if possible , if not - by force ."

British 'Lord' Hugh Cecil .

In 1918 , 'Lord' Hugh Cecil stated - " We must accept the fact of Irish nationality . It is regrettable , it is unhistorical ; in view of Ulsters feelings it is even absurd . But it is a fact - the majority of Irishmen do think Ireland a nation and we must do the best we can in the circumstances . "

British 'Sir' Patrick Barnabas Burke Mayhew, Baron Mayhew of Twysden (as he liked to be called) , British 'Secretary of State for Northern Ireland' from 1992 to 1997 .

In 1993 , 'Sir' Patrick Mayhew stated - " The British government would very happily release Northern Ireland , to be perfectly frank with you .... " : he then withdrew the word "happily" , and stated that the cost of the Six Counties to the British exchequer was .... "...three billion pounds a year net , for one-and-a-half million people ! "

The "cost" should not only be measured in pounds or euro's , and should not be only applied to what it "costs" the British people : it has 'cost' us on this isle countless dead over more than eight centuries , and has been a blight on each generation during those eight centuries . The British no longer control an 'Empire on which the sun never sets...' , nor are they the 'world power' they once judged themselves to be . For the sake of all of us on these two isles , they will have to move on by removing their jurisdictional claim to any part of this island and withdrawing their military and political presence . We deserve , and demand , no less . And will accept no other .

Friday, October 27, 2006

THE SEEDS OF A POLICE STATE .
There is substantial evidence that a major crime was perpetrated within the Garda Siochana five years ago .
The evidence for this crime has certainly been available to senior Gardai ever since then , but no enquiry whatsoever has taken place , let alone any Garda being disciplined in connection with that crime .
By Vincent Browne and Derek Dunne .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1983 .

Furthermore , no agency , such as the (State) Department of Justice , has undertaken any investigation of the above-mentioned crime , and at least one (State) Minister for Justice , Gerry Collins , baulked at the opportunity to institute a formal investigation into what occured , even though he had earlier called for such an investigation !

The failure to hold an enquiry into the very persuasive prima facie evidence of this criminal conspiracy is made all the more significant by the subsequent promotion of a great number of Gardai involved in the case , although it would be quite wrong to suggest that those Gardai who we later name as having both been involved and promoted were individually guilty of any wrongdoing .

The crime in question concerns a conspiracy to subvert the course of justice and this involved a significant number of Gardai being involved in a plot to commit perjury.......
(MORE LATER).

Thursday, October 26, 2006

The Elizabethan and Cromwellian wars laid waste the Irish land and its people, and resulted in massive land confiscations , amounting to some 11 million acres out of the islands total of 20 million acres .
The population was halved between 1845 and the turn of the century , decimated by Great Hungers and related disease, and enforced emigration . More than 5 million people fled the country : 4,750,000 to America , 370,000 to Australia and 70,000 to Canada . The record of the British in Ireland was known to those who followed in Cromwells footsteps :
British General 'Sir' Hubert Gough said in 1921 - " Law and order (in Ireland) have given place to a bloody and brutal anarchy in which the armed agents of the Crown violate every law in aimless and vindictive and insolent savagery . England has departed further from her own standards and further from the standards even of any nation in the world , not excepting the Turk and Zulu , than has ever been known in history before . "

Democratic decisions by the Irish people were made in every general election from the introduction of the secret ballot in 1872 : in each election from then until 1918 , the wish of the Irish people to govern themselves was expressed through the ballot box .

In 11 general elections in succession through almost half a century , Irish voters used the ballot to show their will - 60 per cent of those elected by the county and borough constituencies in Ireland in 1874 were 'Home Rulers' and , as more people qualified to vote , this demand grew accordingly : over 80 per cent of Irish representatives from 1885 onwards were elected to win self-government for the country. Britain failed to accept the ballot results and , in 1920 , when Britain partitioned the country , they again ignored the votes of the people whom they insisted in keeping under the Union Jack. Constituencies which in every election for years had voted for Irish self-government were kept within the Unionist 'state' , established at that time .
No 'treaty' , 'deal' or so-called 'Agreement' which fails to include a date for British military and political withdrawal will be accepted by Irish Republicans , regardless of whether said 'deal' is signed in London , Scotland or elsewhere , and regardless of who signs that 'deal' . And that position remains solid .

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

PILLARS OF SOCIETY : MICHAEL O' LEARY .......
From 'Phoenix' magazine , April 1986 .

Michael O' Leary's credibility problem would , of course linger on , even in the PD's. But what are his options? Recent opinion polls have confirmed the message of last year's local elections - that there is no longer a Fine Gael seat in Dublin South West - and he has long since worn out the guarded welcome he received from the local Fine Gael Party organisation .

Unless he gambles on another double departure , the seventh and final age of Michael O' Leary could well be , as one colleague in the bar library put it - "...second childishness and mere oblivion.." : sans teeth , sans balls , and , worst of all , sans a seat in Leinster House !
[END of ' PILLARS OF SOCIETY : MICHAEL O' LEARY']
(Next- 'The Seeds Of A Police State' : from 1983)

GUNS TO BREAD AND BUTTER .
EDDIE ROONEY looks at the transformation of the Official Republican movement from a revolutionary organisation run by its military wing to a social democratic electoral party .
From 'Fortnight' magazine , 1983 .

In the heart of Belfast's Lower Falls , the Cyprus Street club is one of the few remaining buildings in a redevelopment wasteland : it used to be the Headquarters of the Official IRA's Northern Command and of its political wing , the 'Republican Clubs'.

It now houses the Lower Falls branch of the Workers Party - the club is one of the last relics of the Official Republican Movement , which has 'evolved' , through intermediate name changes , into 'The Workers Party' . On the wall beside the door to the main hall there is a mural portraying an armed man in silhouette flanked by the words ' Army Of The People' . On the far wall , an image of James Connolly overlooks a quote : ' The cause of Ireland is the cause of Labour ; the cause of Labour is the cause of Ireland'. Such nationalist and militarist sentiments are a long way from the public image currently being projected by the leaders of The Workers Party .

Yet it is from nationalist working-class areas such as the Lower Falls that 'The Workers Party' draws most of its membership - many have been associated with the 'Officials' for more than a decade , and many have seen the inside of prisons as a result of their political activities . These members are truly the party faithful , remaining loyal* through a period which has seen significant changes in the character of their movement's aims and strategy ( '1169...' Comment - * In other words , they followed [ "remained loyal "] to the man , not the Cause) .......
(MORE LATER).

Monday, October 23, 2006

PILLARS OF SOCIETY : MICHAEL O' LEARY .......
From 'Phoenix' magazine , April 1986 .

At a recent meeting in Tallaght , Dublin , Michael O' Leary urged residents to pay their water charges - scarcely popular advice ! But , with characteristic inconsistency he has cleverly avoided taking sides on the travellers' issue .

O' Leary is quite highly thought of in the PD's and the likelihood is that a formal application to join would be favourably received . Clearly there is no room in Tallaght for both Micko and Mary Harney , but that problem is not insoluble .

At the last constituency revision , some 8,000 voters from middle-class Templeogue were transferred out of Dublin South-West : this could provide Micko with a plausible pretext for moving to an adjoining constituency on the PD ticket . Ironically , there is now an obvious Fine Gael vacancy in Dublin Central following Michael Keating's defection to the PD's , but Micko's chances of returning to his old beat in the North Inner City are just about nil.......
(MORE LATER).

(Martin McGuinness , left , with Henry Kissinger , as usual , on the right ...)

DISARMING MARTIN .......
All (P)Sinn Fein leaders have a series of mantras and mini-speeches which they seek to get into every interview , regardless of the question .
The task of the journalist is to avoid setting off these reflex responses : the problem with Martin McGuinness is that he does it so pleasantly that it seems impolite to interrupt him .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , March 1999 .
By John Waters .

Asked , for example , what he thinks of (Free State) Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's rather erratic series of comments in recent months about the emphasis on decommissioning in the 'Good Friday Agreement' , Martin McGuinness leaves no doubt that there is , to say the least , a degree of puzzlement in republican (sic- PSF) circles as to what precisely Bertie Ahern is playing at : the word on the street is that the (P) Sinn Fein leadership (*recent picture here*) was ' incandescent with apoplexy ' ( before the suits and careers they would have just been 'raging' ! - ed) about Bertie Ahern's recent interview with 'The Sunday Times' newspaper , in which Ahern at least allowed the impression to be gained that he believed there needed to be some decommissioning of IRA weapons before (P) Sinn Fein could be admitted to the Stormont executive .

There is no sense , from Martin McGuinness's response , that this 'unhappiness' was not indeed profound , and yet , when one sifts through the entrails of the remarks which one imagined to be somewhat critical of Bertie Ahern , they yield nothing but the merest quizzical expression from McGuinness himself ; " I think the only person who can explain the Taoiseach's contributions to this debate is the Taoiseach himself ..." , says McGuinness , fixing me with his most sincere gaze , " ...although he has told us time and time again that he is committed to the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement , that he's opposed to , as he said in Armagh two weeks ago , any attempt to park it or rewrite it ."

Then Martin hits the 'what-people-are-saying-to-me-in-the-street' programme - " If you go out into the streets of West Belfast or many other parts of the North , and nationalist Ireland , I think it is fair to say that there is concern among people about the mixed messages* which are coming from Dublin . I have met quite a number of people in the nationalist community who are seeking explantions as to why this is happening at this time . " (* '1169...' Comment - "Mixed messages..." from Dublin ? That is a "concern" . We mean considering the fact that 'messages from Dublin' have always been strongly pro-republican and vehemently anti-Westminster in the past......!)
(MORE LATER).

EMPIRES OF DUST .......
Britain's leaders talk about remodelling the world and its historians draw attention to the 'good side of the old empire' . But what about the reality ?
From 'MAGILL' magazine , March 2003 .
By Edel Brosnan .

The British Empire imploded when the cost of fighting two world wars almost bankrupted the 'mother country' , but it might have muddled through if its ungrateful subjects(!) had wanted it to carry on . We did not - most of us broke free at the first chance we got !

No matter how noble the intentions are - and I have yet to be convinced that Pax Americana's intentions are especially noble to begin with - it will backfire sooner or later . As Robespierre once put it - " Nobody likes a missionary with a gun ."
[END of 'EMPIRES OF DUST']
(Next - 'Guns to bread and butter' - from 1983)

Sunday, October 22, 2006

At the time of writing , we have heard early radio reports of Bertie Ahern's speech to his fellow constitutionalists in Bodenstown , at the grave of Wolfe Tone . Apparently , Mr Ahern applauded the position that more discussion is taking place now in connection with what he terms 'Northern Ireland' than in any other period in recent history . To Bertie Ahern and his likes , that represents 'progress' .
Last year at that same spot ,Bertie '(monied)Friends-in-low-places' Ahern stated that "...violence has no place in securing Irish unity..." , ignoring completely the part that violence , unfortunately , played in 'securing Irish dis-unity' and , in doing so , mentally dis-owning those members of his own party who had used violence in an attempt to secure Irish unity . He also stated that " Fianna Fail holds that unity cannot be built on the divisions and fury of ages...." , yet he is far too quick to place responsibility for the 'divisions and fury of ages' at the feet of Irish Republicans , and never where it belongs - Westminster .
Also , at that sacred spot last year , Bertie Ahern stated - " We oppose all efforts to impose unity through violence or the threat of violence...." : this island was partitioned 'through violence and the threat of violence' , as Mr Ahern well knows , yet that fact will never be raised by any Fianna Fail representative in their many 'discussions' with Westminster - such talk will only be directed against those opposed to the continuing military and political partition of this country .
Maintain the border , Bertie , as your type have done in the past and will continue to do in the future , as instructed by Westminster . . But do not do so from the grave of Wolfe Tone , whose objective was "...to break the connection with England .. " . Now , Mr Ahern - get back to the machinations of your greasy till ....