1169 And Counting.....

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Dublin Fine Gael Councillor Therese Ridge : 'Do a door-to-door collection for money if you want your kids with learning disabilities educated in school...'
(UPDATE - photo of article and more comment here.)

'Flying a kite' for her Fine Gael party bosses ? Or genuinely out of touch with the 'man on the street'?
In an interview with the 'Clondalkin Echo' newspaper (entitled 'Collection For Child Services' , issue dated 25 February 2009) local Fine Gael Councillor and State Senator Therese Ridge declared that she had "read with horror" the news that her fellow career politicians in Leinster House had cut special teaching posts in the 'Budget Extra' - " If they don't get the support now these children will need even more help and care when they get older . This is just anti-child and anti-family ," she said . And rightly so , we feel . "The Minister must be mad to take this away," the good Councillor and State Senator added. Right again , we feel.
When asked what could be done about it , Therese replied that if this cutback is not reversed then something would have to be done about it - " Could there be some sort of national* collection ? Surely we could do something about this ? I don't think anyone would mind giving to something like that ? " Now that's not right , we feel. A "collection" (on-going, as it happens) is already taking place - it's called 'income tax' and 'VAT' and , in a good few cases , a 'Pension Levy' . The parents of those children are paying tax and/or VAT and/or an increased 'pension levy' every day/week/month into State coffers , out of which a portion is supposed to be removed to pay for the educational requirements of children . Most people resent paying these taxes (not least because they are squandered by those who collect them as it appears that this money is diverted to keep them in the fine lifestyles to which they believe they are entitled) but they have no choice but to pay up as this 'collection' is stopped at source. Wealthy politicians like Therese Ridge see nothing wrong in being part of a corrupt system which takes this money out of your pocket , and which will grab even more from you if it can , whilst giving you little or nothing in return for it, and then knocking on your door with a collection bucket and , whilst practically filling their back pockets and brown envelopes with your money , telling you that if you want your kids educated at school then you'd better put even more of your money in their bucket! Unbelievable.
We find it impossible to believe that this lady sees nothing wrong in her 'plan' , which leads us back to the two questions we asked at the beginning of this post - is she 'flying a kite' for her Fine Gael party bosses on this issue , in the hope of obtaining Party brownie points for herself or is she genuinely out of touch with the 'man on the street'? Either way , such a remark shows the contempt which those wealthy political leeches hold the rest of us in. They should all be stripped of their ill-gotten wealth and deported to a small island and left there. Their greed and short-sightedness is more than we can afford.
(*"National" - by which this Fine Gael representative would mean the 26 Counties,as per her party's website.)
Sharon.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

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

IRA : " The British are sliding into their 1977 mistake of predicting our defeat . They're fighting a statistical war , we're not . We're fighting a political war . The Brits are saying the Provos are beaten , operations are down , that there's less poundage of explosives used , four British soldiers less have died this year etc . But that's a false confidence and that's OK with us because we will wreck that notion when we choose to ."

ED MALONEY : " Have the tough security policies of Charlie Haughey contributed to those "circumstances forced on you" ? "

IRA : " No . The majority of our operations are carried on by personnel who live within the Six Counties . Belfast , for instance , is the spearhead of our campaign . People there don't run back across the Border - the IRA Volunteers who set up road blocks in Carrickmore last October didn't run back across the Border . Our people are based in the North and our attacks occur there......."
(MORE LATER).

SPIES UNDER A SPOTLIGHT.......
'British Intelligence And Covert Action' , by Jonathan Bloch and Patrick FitzGerald. Published by Brandon/Junction ,1983. Reviewed here by Peter Hayes.

This book reveals , for instance , how the post-war Labour government in Britain set up an 'Information Research Department' to create 'grey' propaganda - a mixture of slanted facts and total fiction - against what it called "international communism" . As well as sponsoring publishing houses who would publish propagandist tracts , 'IRD' set up a number of news organisations in the Middle East that were little other than 'fronts' for MI6 . One of these , the 'Arab News Agency', became Reuters' sole news gathering agent in the Middle East between 1954-1969.

The shadowy use of supposedly 'retired' members of the SAS to 'stiffen the ranks' of mercenary forces recruited by 'security specialists' - a practice officially frowned on by the British Foreign Office - is perhaps one of the most illuminating areas covered by the authors Jonathan Bloch and Patrick FitzGerald .

The SAS are perceived primarily as a specialist assassination unit , and assassination - unofficially , of course - is an integral feature of British covert operations -MI6 , for instance, repeatedly plotted to kill the Egyptian premier Gamal Abdul Nasser, then regarded as the Ghaddafi of the Arab world , in the years after 1952.......
(MORE LATER).

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

As soon as we arrived in Manchester they tried to force us on to an identity parade , but we were determined not to do so before we had seen a solicitor , and physically resisted them . Eileen was struck on the head by a police officer while resisting and she was cut on the forehead . Eventually , having seen a solicitor , we went on the identity parade and soon after that we were charged with conspiracy , arson , and possession of explosives . But they had absolutely no evidence at all .

We were held at Risley remand centre for nine months before the trial started . From the moment of our arrest we were treated as Category 'A' maximum security prisoners and were kept in punishment cells in Risley all the time - these had cement floors and beds raised four feet off the ground . We were locked up for 23 hours a day in solitary confinement , and had to fight and argue with the Screws for the right to exercise , which was the only time we could see each other .

All the rights extended to other remand prisoners were denied to us . For example , we couldn't get food parcels or sets of clothing , of which we had only one . Every day at 4pm our cells were stripped of everything for the night and our one set of clothes removed . This went on for the full time we were at Risley.......
(MORE LATER).

Sunday, February 22, 2009

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 21st 2009 IN DUBLIN : RSF MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS PICKET , PROTEST AND PARTY...

.....the usual monthly picket for Irish political prisoners was held at the GPO in O'Connell Street ; the starting time , which was set for 1.45pm , was brought forward one hour to allow some of the participants to take part in the ICTU-organised anti-pension levy/'golden circle' protest which was also being held in Dublin on that afternoon , with the remainder of the 30-odd group remaining at the GPO.

'LEINSTER HOUSE - THE GOLDEN CIRCLE YOU CAN BANK ON!'

'Bodies'(!) assembling for the protest , Sat Feb 21st , 2009.

Getting ready to move off.

As stated above , Republican Sinn Féin members and supporters took part in the ICTU-organised anti-pension levy/'golden circle' protest march through Dublin city centre: we were proud to be part of the almost 200,000 people (including on-lookers , who lined the entire parade route , clapping and cheering) and were the first political organisation to 'set-up shop' in the city that day - RSF members first assembled at 11.30am at the Parnell Monument , facing the Ambassador Cinema , and held their ground there until 3pm . Incidentally , the lead banner passed us at that monument at 2.05pm and the very last banner passed us at 3.05pm !

'Ballad Session' sign outside 'The Village Inn' pub in Finglas.

The main raffle prize - a signed Celtic jersey.

And finally : we finished up the day by having a few drinks and a good yap with our friends from the 'North Inner City Celtic Supporters Club' at the fund-raising ballad session they had organised in 'The Village Inn' in Finglas last night , and had a ball! It was a fantastic way to finish-off a busy day , and Kevin and the Crew spoiled us rotten - we had the best seats in the house , table service and some hot food . In fact it was so good that it was after 4am this morning before I got home , and I can still hear the ballads and the Celtic Anthems in my poor head ;-).... !
Back to the leaba now for an hour or two for me : click-off gently when you're finished , and I'll be in touch during the week!
Thanks for reading!
Sharon.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Republican Sinn Féin placard for the trade union-organised street protest in Dublin on Saturday 21st February 2009.

Republican Sinn Féin will be represented on the ICTU-organised street protest against the cut-backs imposed by State politicians in Leinster House ; we were there for the pensioners and the students and we will be there , too, for the workers and the unemployed who are being penalised by the millionaire and wannabe-millionaire political class who only have two concerns - to save their own rich but worthless skins and that of their equally rich but worthless big business buddies. Like other groups taking part in this trade union-organised street protest , we are hopeful of a large turnout for this event , which will begin at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin at 2pm.
Some of us will be attending another Dublin event that night - you're welcome to join us at one or both of these events!
Thanks!
Sharon.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

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

Ed Maloney : " There has been a considerable reduction in IRA activity in 1980 compared with the two previous years . What is the reason for that lull ? "

IRA : " First of all we're not at all dismayed by what we have achieved this year . We have to maintain a certain level of armed activity to effect political change within the Six Counties , to make 'political progress' impossible . We have effectively done that this year . For example , the Atkins' proposals are getting nowhere and the SDLP , who have risen to power on the back of our armed struggle , and the Loyalists , have mutually incongruous political manifestos which we have helped to temper on both sides , although saying that the Loyalists are inherently sectarian anyway.

The other aspect of our armed struggle is to affect the morale of the British Army and to create an impact on the British people .

We have not managed to match last year's performance this year , because circumstances have been forced upon us and there have been some material problems . But we are totally confident that we can overcome these short term problems..... "
(MORE LATER).

SPIES UNDER A SPOTLIGHT.
'British Intelligence And Covert Action' , by Jonathan Bloch and Patrick FitzGerald. Published by Brandon/Junction ,1983. Reviewed here by Peter Hayes.

The 'Casuro Holidays Affair'- in which two Irish couples revealed that they had unwittingly been guests of British Intelligence on expensive 'prize' holidays in Spain , in failed bids to recruit them as informers - might well make it appear that there's more money involved than actual intelligence in the murky world of British covert operations .

Indeed , Jonathan Bloch and Patrick FitzGerald's comprehensive account of the British government's covert attempts to give an added impetus to its official diplomacy , particularly in the affairs of the Middle East and post-colonial Africa , is frequently a tale of costly British Foreign Office and MI6 miscalculations and follies that at best delay rather than fundamentally alter the course of political events .

Nevertheless , the centrality of intelligence operations in every aspect of British political affairs , both domestic and foreign , is well argued by Bloch and FitzGerald , particularly in their detailed survey of the links between intelligence and the popular media , and the use of the SAS in 'unofficial' and often mercenary wars.......
(MORE LATER).

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

The Gillespie family emigrated to England from Donegal on August 18th 1962 . We were children (Anne was twelve and Eileen was nine) and our father had gone to England about two years earlier to look for work , so rather than split the family up we all went to live in England together .

After we left school we both worked in a hospital , one of us as a nurse and the other as a receptionist . We were working in that hospital up until our arrest ; when that happened , we were detained at the docks at Hollyhead as we were driving on to the boat and held by the Welsh police before being taken to Manchester where we were held for three days and then charged .

It was a very frightening experience - in Manchester they stripped us , they hardly let us go to the toilet , we weren't allowed to wash ourselves , and we didn't get anything to eat or drink until the third day. During those three days we were constantly interviewed . When one interrogator stopped another would take over and at night they played a radio outside our cell doors so that we couldn't get any sleep.......
(MORE LATER).

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

'FULL HOUSE' ON THE CARDS , THANKS TO SOCCER !

"They arent an official supporters club but more of a group of friends having a function.."

"Anyway, Liverpool and Everton supporters were always renown for not having the same violent antipathy towards one another that you find in other cities. It's certainly not like Glascow!"

"If you dont wanna go to it then dont but dont try and spoil it for those of us that do wanna go..."

"There are a few of us coming over from Aberdeen for this, Arrive on Friday morning, Can't wait for it to be honest! Great Work and Hail Hail...!"

"There are a group coming over from Aberdeen purely to support a new CSC. We were invited over by one of the lads in the club who used to stay in Aberdeen. Looking forward to it and the weekend in finglas...."

An unexpected 'result' . Of sorts! The above quotes are taken from a thread we started on this site, to help friends of ours promote a function they have organised (see below) : if you have an opinion , feel free to join in . If you want a good night out , then read on....

'Mad Kevin' and the lads and lassies that he hangs around with are fantastic supporters of Republicanism and have , on more than one occasion, gone out of their way to attend gigs organised by the Republican Movement in Dublin : so now it's pay-back time!
As stated on the above-pictured ticket , a ballad session featuring Allan and Padráig Mór from Shebeen will be held on Saturday 21st February 2009 in The Village Inn, Finglas, Dublin. A raffle will be held on the night and 'halftime' entertainment has been organised. Doors open at 9pm and admission is €10 per person.
Kevin and that particular 'Celtic Crew' are a lively bunch, to put it mildly (!) so a good night is guaranteed. This blog will be represented on the night , even if we do have to pay full price at the door ;-) ... !
If you're in Dublin yourself on February 21st next , see you there!
(One of the Organisers for this Celtic ballad night , Kevin , has asked that a contact mobile-phone number be made available for those wishing to inquire re ticket availability etc .
That number is : 085-8376208.)
Thanks!
Sharon.
( Post Script : my own knowledge of those type of sports is limited to being aware that rugby is a game played by men with odd-shaped balls.... ;-) )

Saturday, February 14, 2009

"Cozened, coerced and scared..."

WHERE IS THE FLAG OF ENGLAND ?

And the winds of the world made answer -
North, south and east and west;
Wherever there's wealth to covet
Or land that can be possessed,

Wherever there are 'savage' races
To cozen, coerce and scare
You will find the vaunted ensign,
For the English flag is there.

Aye, it waves o'er the blazing hovels,
Whence African victims fly,
To be shot by explosive bullets,
Or to wretchedly starve and die.

And where the beachcomber harries
The Isles of the southern sea
At the peak of his devilish vessel
'Tis the English flag flies free.

The Maori fall off has cursed it
With his bitterest dying breath,
And the Arab hath hissed his hatred
As he spits at its folds in death.

The hapless fellah has feared it
On Tel-el-Kebir's parched plain,
And the Zulu's blood has stained it
With a deep indelible stain.

It has floated o'er scenes of pillage;
It has flaunted o'er deeds of shame;
It has waved o'er the fell marauder
As he ravished with sword and flame.

It has looked upon ruthless slaughter,
And massacres dire and grim;
It has heard the shrieks of the victims
Drown even the jingo hymn.

Where is the flag of England?
Seek the land where the natives rot,
Where decay and assured extinction
Must soon be the people's lot.

Go search for the once glad islands
Where disease and death are rife,
And the greed of a callous commerce
Now fattens on human life.

Where is the flag of England?
Go, sail where rich galleons come
With shoddy and loaded cottons,
With beer and Bibles and rum.

Go, too, where brute force has triumphed,
And hypocrisy makes its lair;
And your question will find its answer,
FOR THE FLAG OF ENGLAND IS THERE.

-Henry Labouchère.

(My thanks to Jimmymac for bringing this to my attention.)
Thanks for reading!
Sharon.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

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

IRA: " The object of our armed struggle is two fold : further destabilise the inherently unstable Six County State and also to wear down the will of the British government . Either the British government itself comes to the conclusion that it must leave or that conclusion will be forced on them by British public opinion .

We can make the occupation of the North extremely expensive * - present costs are running at £1000 million annually and of course we will be hitting at their soldiers continually and causing their morale to be so low that they will find that they are incapable of maintaining any sort of order in the North ** . "

( * '1169...' Comment : and "extremely expensive" it surely must be for Westminster , as the PIRA are now a Westminster-funded armed militia acting as a "bulwark" against republicanism / ** : how ironic that that same organisation , the PIRA , are now paid assistants in trying to insure that "order" - albeit British 'order' - is maintained in the Six Counties!)
(MORE LATER).

THE KITSON EXPERIMENT.......
Review by Cathal McGivern of Roger Faligot's 1983 book 'Britain's Military Strategy in Ireland : The Kitson Experiment'.
From 'IRIS' Magazine , 1983.

Active support for the British Army of occupation in Ireland from the British press has on occasions been so obvious that it gave rise to jokes like the one quoted by Roger Faligot, which is doing the rounds in Irish press circles - " I never remember which one is which : The Observer is MI6 and The Sunday Times is MI5 . Or is it the other way around ? "

The history of the 'Peace People' is admirably traced : as early as 1971 Frank Kitson had dreamed up the creation of 'a movement for peace' which would stimulate the political isolation of the IRA from the population of the Northern ghettos , on the lines of a similar tactic that had already been used in Vietnam and Algeria .

The tragedy that actually sparked off the formation of the 'Women's Peace Movement' in August 1976 is also examined . Contrary to the story put out by the British Army within an hour of the incident , only British soldiers fired shots . IRA Volunteer Danny Lennon was already shot dead at the wheel of the car when it careered into the Maguire children . Moreover , according to various statements , including those of the late Mrs Maguire , and to indications that filtered down from the post-mortems (the findings of which the authorities have always declined to reveal) her children had been hit by British Army SLR bullets before the car struck them . Such realities did not of course prevent the British cynically manipulating for political ends the initially emotional response that occurred .

I have really only managed to skim the surface of an excellent , information-crammed book . Get it and study it.
[END of 'The Kitson Experiment' .]
(Next : 'Spies Under A Spotlight' - from 1983.)

THE UNDAUNTED WOMEN IN ARMAGH.......

The full story of the republican prisoners in Armagh Jail has yet to be told. It has yet to be sung , and properly described , other than as an after-thought in public speeches - "...and of course the women in Armagh.." Republicans have a right to be proud of those women who, from the Divis Flats grandmother doing six months for what an Orange judge called "riotous behaviour" to the young IRA Volunteer inside for the second time and not yet 25-years-old , have managed, whether they numbered 12 or 120 , to maintain their resistance to the most vicious prison system in Europe. The words that follow , says writer Patricia Collins , were written to encourage more of those women to come forward and tell their story , and are based on conversations with several
ex-prisoners , and on visits and letters from those women presently imprisoned. They were written in the hope of jogging the memory of all those women who wrongly think their contribution to Ireland's future peace is not worth mentioning.
From 'IRIS' magazine , August 1984.

On the ordeal of prison visiting , Marion Coyle's mother says - " We leave Derry at 3am and arrive in Limerick at 10am after seven hours of travelling on the PDF minibus. When we finally got into the waiting room it could be an hour before the prison Screws will search us and bring us over to see Marion . Then you are under the strict supervision of two Screws and aren't allowed to discuss the conditions in the jail .

Our Marion has not been out for exercise in well over a year and because of the ruling I can't even ask her how the solitary confinement is affecting her for fear that my visit will be ended .

At the end of the visit , it's another seven hours back to Derry . We feel no wiser , no happier , but I know in my heart that Marion is suffering an unnatural 'justice' at the hands of a Free State bent on revenge."

[END of 'The Undaunted Women In Armagh'.]
(Next :'Ten Years In English Jails' - from 1984.)

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

REPUBLICAN COMMEMORATIONS FOR EASTER 2009 , DUBLIN .
(Above photograph from here.)

Easter Saturday , 11th April 2009 , 3pm on the bridge in Balbriggan. (See last year's Easter Saturday Commemoration here.)

Easter Sunday , 12th April 2009 , 1pm at the Cemetery gates in Deansgrange. (See last year's Easter Sunday Commemoration here.)

Easter Monday , 13th April 2009 , Garden of Remembrance , Dublin City Centre at 1.45pm : the parade will leave at that time to arrive at the GPO for 2pm. (See last year's Easter Monday Commemoration here.)

Further details regarding each of the three commemorations will be published on this blog between now and then.
Thanks!
Sharon.

Saturday, February 07, 2009

"Up the Celts!
Up the Celts!"

"What in the name of Jeepers has being a 'Republican' to do with following a Scottish football team, or indeed any team?"

"By the way, who did most of the infamous Black Watch regiment (Belfast early 70s) support would you say?"

"Black Watch in those early days were in large part Glascow Tims who supported, yes, the Celts! Probably the only Celtic supporters in Belfast in those days......."

"I dont need any tickets thanks......"

"Theres about 7 of us from the area will be making it our business to get to this - sounds like the makings of a good night......"

"It was the massive migration from Ireland throughout the 19th century of thousands of Protestants and Catholics in search of work -- particularly after the Famine -- that coloured the soccer clubs in some major British industrial cities."

"I am always amazed at the Irish obsession of a foreign game played by foreigners in a foreign country."

"This emotional attachment Irish people have for these teams is a bit odd. Glasgow people do not follow Bohs or Rovers, or Linfield and Cliftonville for that matter!"

"Liverpool were and possibly still are the Protestant soccer side in that city. Can any Liverpool fan prove otherwise?"

"I would prefer it if Irish citizens supported and promoted their local Irish soccer clubs, particularly, at this time, as they are in dire need of financial support. There is something incredibly unpatriotic about promoting and supporting a wealthy Scottish club....."

"How'd you make out Celtic FC to be sectarian ? You wouldn't be mixing them up with a certain club that wouldn't sign a Catholic until 1989 would you?"

An unexpected 'result' . Of sorts! The above quotes are taken from a thread we started on this site, to help friends of ours promote a function they have organised (see below) : if you have an opinion , feel free to join in . If you want a good night out , then read on....

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

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

Journalist Ed Moloney speaks to a leading member of the Provisional IRA who has been authorised to speak on behalf of the IRA Army Council :

Ed Moloney : " The PIRA and its campaign of violence have been going on for nearly 10 years now . The British are still in the North despite that. Why go on? "

IRA : " First of all the IRA is not ten years old , it's over 60 years old . As for why we continue the campaign , nothing has changed in the Occupied Six Counties but there is a lot of evidence that things can be changed . We have been wearing down successive British administrations , we have worn down their will . There are indications now of changes taking place within the British political scene - the 'Young Liberals', for example, have come out in support of a policy of disengagement from Ireland and there are at present discussions going on within the National Executive of the Labour Party .

There is also evidence that a lot of British soldiers are fed up with what's going on in the North and Document 37 shows that the present commander of British land forces in the North of Ireland , Brigadier-General James Glover, knows that we are not a spent force and that we will continue . And he also admitted the cause of the trouble was the presence of British forces....... "

(MORE LATER).

THE KITSON EXPERIMENT.......
Review by Cathal McGivern of Roger Faligot's 1983 book 'Britain's Military Strategy in Ireland : The Kitson Experiment'.
From 'IRIS' Magazine , 1983.

The book contains detailed and well-documented evidence on events about which the general public were successfully hoodwinked by British Army propagandists and an eagerly collaborationist establishment media . I myself clearly recall how, on the day the IRA successfully executed five agents of the British Army's 'Military Reconnaissance Force' in the 'Four Square Laundry' van in Twinbrook , and in a 'massage parlour' on the Antrim Road , an inhabitant of Twinbrook , prompted by a TV reporter , supplied the ritual remark for the TV screens , about "....an ordinary man (the MRF driver of the van!) just going about his daily work.."

Roger Faligot shows that among British reporters and editors there were always plenty willing to put out any story , however fantastic, as long as it served the British war effort in this country .

Eamonn McCann of the Dublin-based 'Sunday World' 'newspaper' states - " The media have been active participants in the war , not disinterested observers of it . History has proven that the artificial state of 'Northern Ireland' cannot be maintained except by force of arms . To support the existence of the State is therefore to accept the necessity for violence . No newspaper which supports the British troops in Ireland can afford to tell the truth."

(MORE LATER).

THE UNDAUNTED WOMEN IN ARMAGH.......

The full story of the republican prisoners in Armagh Jail has yet to be told. It has yet to be sung , and properly described , other than as an after-thought in public speeches - "...and of course the women in Armagh.." Republicans have a right to be proud of those women who, from the Divis Flats grandmother doing six months for what an Orange judge called "riotous behaviour" to the young IRA Volunteer inside for the second time and not yet 25-years-old , have managed, whether they numbered 12 or 120 , to maintain their resistance to the most vicious prison system in Europe. The words that follow , says writer Patricia Collins , were written to encourage more of those women to come forward and tell their story , and are based on conversations with several
ex-prisoners , and on visits and letters from those women presently imprisoned. They were written in the hope of jogging the memory of all those women who wrongly think their contribution to Ireland's future peace is not worth mentioning.
From 'IRIS' magazine , August 1984.

The recreation facilities are pitiful . Even a plan to build a gymnasium/workshop will be confined to use by male prisoners . The women have no cooking facilities either , although the transferred prisoners from Portlaoise do . Marion Coyle's enforced restriction on letters - she is allowed to receive only two each week - has frequently been abused by the prison authorities who have allowed her crank letters and anonymous letters while withholding letters from close friends .

For a long time Marion Coyle received verbal abuse from the Free State soldiers who patrol the prison's perimeter walls and who were able to look directly into her cell . However , that abuse did cease , for a while at least , after a complaint by independent Leinster House member Tony Gregory was voiced in that institution . On the ordeal of prison visiting , her mother outlines the difficulties involved.......

(MORE LATER).

Saturday, January 31, 2009

LAUNCH OF RSF FRANK DRIVER CUMANN , NORTH KILDARE , FRIDAY 30th JANUARY 2009.

RSF Frank Driver Cumann banner.

"The Special Branch had him (Frank Driver) on their list....his contacts, his friends and his services made possible, after 1970, an extensive net that absorbed , stored and distributed most of the imported IRA arms..."
(From here.)

On Friday 30th January 2009 , a new Cumann of Republican Sinn Fein was officially launched in the Town House Hotel in Naas , County Kildare : the Frank Driver Cumann , which is based in North Kildare . A crowd of about fifty supporters and well-wishers assembled in one of the function rooms and , at about 8.30pm , the Chairperson of the new Cumann , Damien Dillon , welcomed the crowd , introduced himself and gave a brief history of Frank Driver , stressing that the new Cumann intends to be as steadfast , honest and dedicated to the aims and objectives of Irish republicanism as the man they are named in honour of.
The musical entertainment (a mad ballad session , loudly appreciated!) was supplied by Liam Bridgeman and friends of Celbride, Kildare , Des Dalton ,Kildare, Vice President of RSF and Ger Foran from Mooncoin in County Kilkenny both delivered rousing speeches throughout the night , as did Sean Fleming from the Francis Hughes Cumann, Glasgow, who spoke about the Palestinian Conflict.
Peter Fitzsimons was amongst those in the audience , and best wishes in his election campaign was extended to him by all present.
We publish with this post a few photographs from the event , and more of same can be viewed on our 'Sister' blog , here. (Apologises for the poor quality of some of these pics , as we were working with borrowed equipment . It has nothing at all to do with this stuff, which someone (!) insisted on plying me with all night...;-) !)

Setting the Stage.

Two members of the Group in action!

Frank Driver Cumann Plaque.

RSF Francis Hughes Cumann banner , Glasgow.

Some of the raffle prizes on the night.

Some of the items for sale on the night at the Shop set up in the function room.

Part of the audience.

More pic's at the above-mentioned link.
Thanks!
Sharon.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

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

Since the 1979 Athlone Conference , the Provisionals have spent their time healing wounds . Daithi Ó Conaill was elected joint Vice President with Gerry Adams at the 1978 Ard Fheis and Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, a consummate wound healer if ever there was one , symbolically spans the gap between .

Between May and July this year (1980) leading Ard Comhairle members representing both 'wings' have toured the country : in a public show of unity , Ó Brádaigh , Ó Conaill , Joe Cahill, Charlie McGlade and Niall Fagan of the 'Traditionalists' and Gerry Adams, Foreign Affairs spokesperson Richard Behal and 'AP/RN' editor Danny Morrison for the 'radicals' (!) took pains to assure Sinn Féiners throughout Ireland that the trouble was over and that unity and peace reigned once again in the Movement .

As part of this strategy , an interview was arranged for journalist Ed Moloney to speak to a leading member of the Provisional IRA who has been authorised to speak on behalf of the IRA Army Council.......

(MORE LATER).

THE KITSON EXPERIMENT.......
Review by Cathal McGivern of Roger Faligot's 1983 book 'Britain's Military Strategy in Ireland : The Kitson Experiment'.
From 'IRIS' Magazine , 1983.

Within the British politico-military establishment , British Army General Frank Kitson pushed the view that the situation had developed to such a point that , in order to isolate the IRA , it would be necessary to take a number of immediate steps - initiate a fake peace movement (done!) , manipulate loyalist gangs and orchestrate a campaign of assassinations that would terrorise the population , and wage a massive psychological war , using the SAS and other 'special' units to discredit the IRA and, in the short term, to try and split them between left/right , 'doves/hawks' , North/South and military/political axes.

The programme was too ambitious however for the William Whitelaw regime who , apart from implementing the propaganda war and an invasion of the no-go areas to engage in control of populations , adopted a more traditional plan - direct rule , brutal repression , indiscriminate internment without trial and Bloody Sunday.

In 1972 Frank Kitson had failed to convince his superiors of the need for a co-ordinated counter-insurgency 'offensive' , but some of his more brutal suggestions , like the assassination campaign against Catholics , were kept in mind . And , even though on April 22nd 1972 he was returned to Britain , gradually his ideas made headway in the North , so that- to quote Roger Faligot - "From 1975 onwards , they were totally implemented and his theories reached the top circles in the British Army , research centres , lobbies and think-tanks with NATO , and the ruling classes within Europe , beginning with West Germany , where he continued his career."

(MORE LATER).

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

We don't normally do 'requests' on this blog, but....

...on this occasion , we are happy to give the above-mentioned function a wee bit of a plug!

'Mad Kevin' and the lads and lassies that he hangs around with are fantastic supporters of Republicanism and have , on more than one occasion, gone out of their way to attend gigs organised by the Republican Movement in Dublin : so now it's pay-back time!
As stated on the above-pictured ticket , a ballad session featuring Allan and Padráig Mór from Shebeen will be held on Saturday 21st February 2009 in The Village Inn, Finglas, Dublin. A raffle will be held on the night and 'halftime' entertainment has been organised. Doors open at 9pm and admission is €10 per person.
Kevin and that particular 'Celtic Crew' are a lively bunch, to put it mildly (!) so a good night is guaranteed. This blog will be represented on the night , even if we do have to pay full price at the door ;-) ... !
If you're in Dublin yourself on February 21st next , see you there!
(One of the Organisers for this Celtic ballad night , Kevin , has asked that a contact mobile-phone number be made available for those wishing to inquire re ticket availability etc .
That number is : 085-8376208.)
Thanks!
Sharon.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

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

The unease and leftward shift in Republicanism allied to the change of attitude on Federalism has led inevitably to talk of there being two identifiable wings in the Movement , one led by the spokesman for the 'radicals' , Gerry Adams, and the other led by Dáithí Ó Conaill.

Twice last year (1979) the tensions between the two men surfaced briefly - the first was in reaction to Gerry Adams' fiercly socialist oration at Bodenstown and the other was at a special weekend conference of 200 Sinn Fein leaders in Athlone last October : by co-incidence , the Dublin 'Sunday World' 'newspaper' published that weekend an essentially accurate report claiming that Federalism was about to be abandoned and the Provos were about 'to lurch to the left' . The article also talked about the "waning influence" of Ruairí Ó Brádaigh and Dáithí Ó Conaill .

The effect of the article when it landed on breakfast tables at the Hudson's Bay and Shamrock Lodge hotels , where the Provo delegates were staying , was to say the least traumatic . According to one source the uproar from rural delegates was such that Adams was forced to deny other reports that there were Marxists in the Provos : another source stated that there would have been a walkout had he not denied it . Needless to say leading Provisionals are not keen to talk about that Athlone conference - " We wouldn't want to air that sort of thing in the press" , said Dáithí Ó Conaill , " we don't have any fundamental differences and any we do have will be settled internally ." But according to another source , Athlone was something of a victory for the traditionalists in that Marxism is now a dirty word in the Provos.......

(MORE LATER).

THE KITSON EXPERIMENT.
Review by Cathal McGivern of Roger Faligot's 1983 book 'Britain's Military Strategy in Ireland : The Kitson Experiment'.
From 'IRIS' Magazine , 1983.

This book is a detailed survey of Britain's military confrontation with the IRA . Roger Faligot, a well-known Breton-French journalist and author , argues that with the putting into practice of British General Frank Kitson's theory of low intensity operations , the deployment of the SAS, M16's dirty tricks department , and tough measures against political prisoners , the Occupied Six Counties have become a laboratory to experiment with new methods of controlling civilian populations .

Frank Kitson , who became a full general in July 1982 and commander-in-chief of the British Land Forces had served in British colonial wars in Kenya , Malaya and Cyprus before coming to Ireland . His book 'Low Intensity Operations : Subversion , Insurgency and Counter Insurgency' was published in 1971 , but later withdrawn from circulation . From 1970 to 1972 , Kitson was in Ireland commanding the British Army's 39th Infantry Brigade which covered Belfast . Roger Faligot's account of the implementation of Kitson's theories in Ireland , which came into full operation about 1975 , makes fascinating , if chilling , reading .

Though Kitson had no sympathy for the hundreds of Irishmen thrown into prison without trial on August 9th 1971 he was a reluctant participant in internment for he knew that , carried out as it was without any real knowledge of IRA infrastructure , it would not only fail to put the IRA out of action , but would intensify support for it in the nationalist areas.......

(MORE LATER).

THE UNDAUNTED WOMEN IN ARMAGH.......

The full story of the republican prisoners in Armagh Jail has yet to be told. It has yet to be sung , and properly described , other than as an after-thought in public speeches - "...and of course the women in Armagh.." Republicans have a right to be proud of those women who, from the Divis Flats grandmother doing six months for what an Orange judge called "riotous behaviour" to the young IRA Volunteer inside for the second time and not yet 25-years-old , have managed, whether they numbered 12 or 120 , to maintain their resistance to the most vicious prison system in Europe. The words that follow , says writer Patricia Collins , were written to encourage more of those women to come forward and tell their story , and are based on conversations with several
ex-prisoners , and on visits and letters from those women presently imprisoned. They were written in the hope of jogging the memory of all those women who wrongly think their contribution to Ireland's future peace is not worth mentioning.
From 'IRIS' magazine , August 1984.

One of the women POW's in Armagh Jail stated - " Strip-searches are used not only to humiliate , but as a deterrent of inter-prison visits , which are the only contact we have with loved ones . We have since the introduction of the practice 15 months ago repeatedly petitioned the British 'NIO' to have the strip-searches regulation withdrawn on moral grounds , but the response has been in favour of prison Governor Murtagh's decision that the measures should stand 'in the interest of security' - a completely invalid argument . Today , strip-searching remains a 'standard practice' , punishments continue , psychological maltreatment is a systematic 'must' . But all these we can , and we will , overcome .

The years have taught us that survival lies in the ability to mentally apply yourself to the situation . What have Murtagh and his administration to show for their efforts to subdue republican prisoners ? And while we maintain our stance , such will be the case , because the system is dependent on us in order to function fully - we can exist without it , and we will ."

Marion Coyle is another republican prisoner who has fought the system from the outside and the inside : she has now served nine years of a fifteen-year sentence imposed on her following her arrest in 1975 . It had been expected that Marion - who has suffered ill health in recent months - would , with remission , be released in January 1986 but she has now been informed that the previous one-third remission granted to women prisoners in Limerick Jail will in future be reduced to one-quarter , which is the remission rate allowed to male prisoners . She will be the main sufferer from this 'reform'.......

(MORE LATER).

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

90th Anniversary of An Céad Dáil Éireann (the First Dáil Éireann) : held in Wynn's Hotel , Dublin , on Tuesday , 20th January 2009.

Ruairí Ó Brádaigh , Wynns Hotel , Dublin , Tuesday 20th January 2009.

Approximately sixty people gathered in a room in Wynn's Hotel , Dublin , on Tuesday 20th January 2009 , to hear various Irish Republican speakers outline what that political event of 90 years ago means to them - all the speeches , and the many contributions from the crowd , shared one common theme : that the present institution in Kildare Street in Dublin , and those that sit in same, share absolutely no linear connection to the people , or the actual institution , which met in Dublin's Mansion House on January 21st , 1919 .
The Wynn's Hotel lecture began at 7.45pm and ended at 10.15pm : proceedings were Chaired by Des Dalton , and amongst the other Irish Republicans that spoke during the evening (in Irish , French and English) was Tomás Ó Clérigh , Richard Walsh , Róisin Hayden , Seán Ó Brádaigh , Séamus Ó Súilleabháin , Ruairí Ó Brádaigh and Séan Ó Sé . Following the main speakers , a 'Question and Answer' session was held , with many from the audience taking part . Our National Anthem was then sung by all present , the audience was thanked for braving the wet and windy elements (and for not being intimidated by the State 'elements' , who were inside and outside the hotel) , the 'Top Table' people were beseeched by autograph hunters (!) and , eventually , all present retired to the private function room where refreshments were being served. Overall , the function was a fitting and proper tribute to An Céad Dáil Éireann , an institution with which Republican Sinn Féin is proud to be associated.
We publish with this post five more photographs from that evening , with another five photographs published on our 'Sister' blog , which we have linked to at the end of this post. A full report and other photographs will be published in the February 2009 issue of 'Saoirse' , which will be published on the 4th of that month.

Comparing notes!

Crowd section.

The view from near the back of the venue.

Reading and writing at the 'Top Table' !

Séan Ó Brádaigh, Richard Behal and Ruairí Ó Brádaigh.

As stated above , five more photographs from that event can be viewed here. Also , please note that our usual 'three-in-one' post will be published this Friday or Saturday.
Thanks!
Sharon.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

90th Anniversary of An Céad Dáil Éireann (the First Dáil Éireann) (Above photo from here.)

"Ireland to-day reasserts her historic nationhood the more confidently before the new world emerging from the war, because she believes in freedom and justice as the fundamental principles of international law; because she believes in a frank co-operation between the peoples for equal rights against the vested privileges of ancient tyrannies; because the permanent peace of Europe can never be secured by perpetuating military dominion for the profit of empire but only by establishing the control of government in every land upon the basis of the free will of a free people, and the existing state of war, between Ireland and England, can never be ended until Ireland is definitely evacuated by the armed forces of England...."
(From here.)

Help us to celebrate our past. And fight for our future!
Thanks!
Sharon.