'THE IRISH PEOPLE' ; an Irish Rebel Newspaper , 1863 - 1865 .
" Our only hope is in revolution ; but most of the Bishops and many of the Clergy are opposed to revolution . We have over and over declared it was our wish that the people should respect and be guided by their Clergy in spiritual matters .
But when priests turn the altar into a platform , when it is pronounced a "mortal sin" to read the 'The Irish People' newspaper , a "mortal sin" even to wish that Ireland should be free , when Priests actually call upon the people to turn informer , when , in a word , Bishops and Priests are doing the work of the enemy , we believe it is our duty to tell the people that Bishops and Priests are bad politicians and worse Irishmen . "
-- Charles J. Kickham , writing in the 'The Irish People' newspaper .
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .......
"....... The British Auxiliaries , two lorries of them , were less than three-hundred-yards from the farm-workers and myself . If I ran , the workers would be shot as suspected Rebels ; if I stayed , I could be recognised by the Brits ......."
" One thing was certain , and that was that the haggard and every man in it would be searched . That would be the least misfortune - worse might happen . If a man ran and was seen running , he was shot down . He could possibly be shot , too , for standing still ! That was the order of the day . Nobody doubted it , not even the inhabitants of the ' lost valley '.
I looked at the farm-workers . I knew them all . Most of them had gone to school with me . Not a Volunteer among them . All physically fit , and a good few athletes among them ; no good or harm in them , excepting some who covertly sneered at us . I thought of my comrades who had suffered and died and who were still doing so daily , and made a quick comparison . There was a great difference .
Suddenly I made up my mind - why were the workers watching me ? The time to do something was very short ... Ah , I know - they were waiting for me to run . Of course they were . Now they would see , they thought , this IRA man running out of sight before the British lorries reached the gate . Then the workers would be model industrious citizens in the eyes of John Bull's terrorists , and , after being searched and interrogated , all would be well again .
Very clearly , in their eyes , it was my duty to do the running . They were to be disappointed ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
[12 of 12].
When the Civil Rights marches started twenty years ago (ie 1968), the six men killed in Armagh would barely have been born . Some were'nt even born . At the '68 Conference' , there was a feeling that very little had changed , that the RUC now were the same as the B-Specials .
The issues now were more complex , but some things were clear - the RUC had killed six unarmed men . John Stalker had come to investigate the RUC . He got co-operation from the relatives of the dead men and Irish nationalists generally . He was stalled by the RUC . Then he was removed from his investigation and silenced .
And then the British Government said that nothing further would take place , that the matter was closed . " What else did you expect ? " asked one man in Coalisland . " The British will never do anything that threatens themselves . How can we expect justice from a British peeler ? "
[END of -' THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER .....'].
( Tomorrow - from 1989 ; a tax on fishing water ..... ).
Sunday, April 18, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
....... 1926 - de Valera left the Irish Republican Movement and formed Fianna Fail ; the 'AARIR' , already weakened by the 1921 Treaty of Surrender , was now operating practically in name only , and was but a shadow of its former self .......
The 'AARIR' (the 'GROWL') was an organisation established by Eamon de Valera and others to assist the Irish Republican Cause , but it was to be allowed to drift and die by de Valera because that was the fate he hoped would befall Irish Republicanism - that it would drift and die .
Yet , 84 years after the establishment of the 'AARIR' , and 78 years after it faded , Irish Republicanism still exists . And its objective is the same - a full British military and political withdrawal from Ireland , and the establishment of a true 32-County Federal Democratic Socialist Republic .
Even if it takes another 835 years .......
[ END of - ' The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' ].
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .......
".......I was enjoying the break on my uncle Patsy's farm - a working holiday ! All was going well ... but then silence : all the other workers were looking to the south . The Black-and-Tans were coming ......."
" I knew where to look for them and where they were heading for . There was only one road from the south and that was past the haggard gate . The haggard was on a plateau overlooking the road along which they were coming . They would have to move along in front of us and beneath us for four hundred yards and through a right-angle and come sharply uphill to the haggard gate . There they would be higher than we and from the added height of the lorries would be looking down on us .
I saw the lorries - first one , then the other , fifty yards behind the first . They were coming fast on the level and were less than three-hundred-yards from the corner . The time was short ; I had to make a quick decision . In any other place there would have been only one course for me - I would have slipped off the haystack , run to the horse-cart , torn off the cushion and the cover of the well , taken the guns and perhaps leaving the coat , which had nothing in its pockets , run back through the haystacks to the cover of a fence with a hedge on top . This would safely lead me to rough ground where I would quickly be lost to them .
I took my eyes off the lorries . I had identified the Brits - They were the Auxiliaries from Macroom Castle . A tough crowd ; I knew them well . I had seen them jump walls with their rifles in their hands , hampered by their revolvers and other equipment . They travelled by night and day on bye-roads , and came from totally unexpected directions . I had plenty experience of their physical fitness when I had to run from them on several occasions , and when, were it not for darkness, they would have caught me .
But here - things were different . I looked from the lorries to the men who had been working with me . Now that they were sure , like myself , of the coming of hostile forces , they turned their eyes on me ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(11 of 12).
On Sunday , the day after John Stalker flew out of Ireland , there was a meeting in Coalisland , County Tyrone , in St. Patricks Hall ; this meeting was called the '68 Conference'. Bernadette McAliskey chaired it . Twenty years earlier , as Bernie Devlin , she had been involved in civil rights marches . The Civil Rights Movement had asked for reasonable and moderate demands - one man , (sic) one vote ; one man , (sic) one job ; one man , (sic) one house . They were batoned off the streets by the B-Specials .
Twenty years on , the '68 Conference' was called to remember those twenty years and to find out if there was now a way forward . There were 250 people there . Coming from the South of Ireland , cars were stopped at checkpoints by RUC men . At one roadblock , there were between fifteen and twenty RUC men each of whom carried a rifle , always at the ready , and a handgun in a holster by his(sic) side . Cars were stopped , and each person in each car was asked for identification . Each person was asked their home address , their destination , their business at that destination , their date of birth , their occupation , and so on .
There was a palpable air of fear in each car ; people were held up , and felt that it was a deliberate attempt to keep them late for the meeting . Indeed , one RUC man , moving around each car , kept saying - " You'll be late for the meeting at this rate ....... "
(MORE LATER).
....... 1926 - de Valera left the Irish Republican Movement and formed Fianna Fail ; the 'AARIR' , already weakened by the 1921 Treaty of Surrender , was now operating practically in name only , and was but a shadow of its former self .......
The 'AARIR' (the 'GROWL') was an organisation established by Eamon de Valera and others to assist the Irish Republican Cause , but it was to be allowed to drift and die by de Valera because that was the fate he hoped would befall Irish Republicanism - that it would drift and die .
Yet , 84 years after the establishment of the 'AARIR' , and 78 years after it faded , Irish Republicanism still exists . And its objective is the same - a full British military and political withdrawal from Ireland , and the establishment of a true 32-County Federal Democratic Socialist Republic .
Even if it takes another 835 years .......
[ END of - ' The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' ].
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .......
".......I was enjoying the break on my uncle Patsy's farm - a working holiday ! All was going well ... but then silence : all the other workers were looking to the south . The Black-and-Tans were coming ......."
" I knew where to look for them and where they were heading for . There was only one road from the south and that was past the haggard gate . The haggard was on a plateau overlooking the road along which they were coming . They would have to move along in front of us and beneath us for four hundred yards and through a right-angle and come sharply uphill to the haggard gate . There they would be higher than we and from the added height of the lorries would be looking down on us .
I saw the lorries - first one , then the other , fifty yards behind the first . They were coming fast on the level and were less than three-hundred-yards from the corner . The time was short ; I had to make a quick decision . In any other place there would have been only one course for me - I would have slipped off the haystack , run to the horse-cart , torn off the cushion and the cover of the well , taken the guns and perhaps leaving the coat , which had nothing in its pockets , run back through the haystacks to the cover of a fence with a hedge on top . This would safely lead me to rough ground where I would quickly be lost to them .
I took my eyes off the lorries . I had identified the Brits - They were the Auxiliaries from Macroom Castle . A tough crowd ; I knew them well . I had seen them jump walls with their rifles in their hands , hampered by their revolvers and other equipment . They travelled by night and day on bye-roads , and came from totally unexpected directions . I had plenty experience of their physical fitness when I had to run from them on several occasions , and when, were it not for darkness, they would have caught me .
But here - things were different . I looked from the lorries to the men who had been working with me . Now that they were sure , like myself , of the coming of hostile forces , they turned their eyes on me ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(11 of 12).
On Sunday , the day after John Stalker flew out of Ireland , there was a meeting in Coalisland , County Tyrone , in St. Patricks Hall ; this meeting was called the '68 Conference'. Bernadette McAliskey chaired it . Twenty years earlier , as Bernie Devlin , she had been involved in civil rights marches . The Civil Rights Movement had asked for reasonable and moderate demands - one man , (sic) one vote ; one man , (sic) one job ; one man , (sic) one house . They were batoned off the streets by the B-Specials .
Twenty years on , the '68 Conference' was called to remember those twenty years and to find out if there was now a way forward . There were 250 people there . Coming from the South of Ireland , cars were stopped at checkpoints by RUC men . At one roadblock , there were between fifteen and twenty RUC men each of whom carried a rifle , always at the ready , and a handgun in a holster by his(sic) side . Cars were stopped , and each person in each car was asked for identification . Each person was asked their home address , their destination , their business at that destination , their date of birth , their occupation , and so on .
There was a palpable air of fear in each car ; people were held up , and felt that it was a deliberate attempt to keep them late for the meeting . Indeed , one RUC man , moving around each car , kept saying - " You'll be late for the meeting at this rate ....... "
(MORE LATER).
Saturday, April 17, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
....... Joseph McGarrity continued to support the 1921 Treaty of Surrender , with gusto , until he realised that Eamon de Valera , Cathal Brugha , Austin Stack and others were against it ; he then changed his position on the issue . In 1926 , de Valera formed Fianna Fail and left the Republican Movement - in 1927 , Fianna Fail entered Leinster House . McGarrity continued in his support for de Valera and Fianna Fail .......
Fianna Fail had by now strayed so far from the Republican path that Joe McGarrity began to 'go cool' in his relationship with them - this happened in the early 1930's , when IRA people were being not only jailed by Fianna Fail , but executed by them , too . Also in the mid-1930's , McGarrity became the 'main man' behind the new ' Irish Hospitals Sweepstakes ' organisation , a fantastic money-spinner in its day . But that's another tangent.....
Anyway - back to the 1921 Treaty of Surrender ; it caused a split in the Republican Movement in Ireland and , of course , the 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' , which was by then just 13 months on the go , followed suit - and split ; it found itself in a weakened position and unable to provide proper assistance to the Irish Republican cause during the 1922-1923 Civil War .
By the time Eamon de Valera left the Republican Movement to establish Fianna Fail (1926), the 'AARIR' existed , to all intent and purpose , in name only .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .......
".......I arrived at my uncle Patsy's farm , to help with the threshing ; when I took off my coat , I realised that all eyes were on me . I was armed with two revolvers ; I took them off and hid them , in a horse-cart . My uncle approached me ......."
" " Does your father know you are here today ? " , my uncle asked me . " He sent me ," I replied . " My Gor," he said . " What's wrong , Patsy ?" I asked . " Those things you brought - does he know you have them ? " " He does well ," I said . "Oh my!" said Patsy , and left it at that ...
Raising my pike , I made a run to the haystack and quickly reached the top . From my point of vantage I had a full view of everything ; it was a pleasant sight . The well-made stacks , as yet untouched , but with a man on each poised for work . Around and on the thresher others stood ready . All watched the long belt between the steam engine and mill as it gathered speed . Soon the whine of the drum reached its peak and its music changed abruptly as the first sheaf went down .
Then the steady tune again as the even feed was maintained ; the work had started . I waited for the man on the next stack to me and nearer the thresher to remove the top . When he had made a level platform I started to throw the sheaves from my stack to his . He caught them and threw them on to the thresher platform . The work was easy . I enjoyed the exercise , the brilliant day , the general activity . I forgot about the Black and Tans , the Auxiliaries and all disturbing things .
I could see and sense that my neighbours working around me had forgotten me and that all were enjoying themselves . I was glad . I even regretted a little that I had come down into their happy valley and caused them perhaps not a little uneasiness . However , that, I reflected , was now forgotten and the chances of any enemy coming this way were very small . Half an hour passed . I was now wholly engrossed in the work . It was easy and pleasant . I passed the sheaves to my neighbour and he removed them at the same speed . Suddenly I became aware that I was gaining on him .
He was not removing the sheaves ; I glanced upwards - he had stopped , and had turned through a right-angle and was now gazing earnestly to the south and in a downward direction . I looked at the others - all those in the high positions were in just the same posture : soon all work ceased . I listened . I heard nothing but the even whine of the now idle machine-drum . Then a shout went up : "The Black-and-Tans - up the road . Two lorries ! " Then I heard that then dreaded sound made by the engines and gears of the Crossley Tenders ....... "
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(10 of 12).
The day after John Stalker appeared on the 'Late Late Show' was dry and cool , and from early morning the queues outside Waterstone's Bookshop on Dawson Street , Dublin , had started to gather . John Stalker came into the shop at around eleven , and a wild cheer went up . Hundreds stood outside and queued to get their copy of the book (price £12.95p) signed . He smiled and chatted to each and every customer , and looked somewhat birdlike sitting behind a mound of books . Chic music played from the public address system as customers ringed right around the shop .
The soft English-accented British policeman-turned-author was popular . By early afternoon , Waterstone's had to close the shop for security reasons . Across the road , at Hodges Figgis book-shop , the queue was starting . Prominent at its head was a tall and balding Special Branch man , of a senior rank . He had waited for hours . And then the March passed by ...
...The crowd on the Anti-Extradition March was estimated at five-thousand people by some observers , and was the largest for any issue relating to the North since the Hunger-Strike marches of 1981 . It was a political response to the Stalker Affair and the Birmingham Six decision . The large crowd walked past the queue at Hodges Figgis chanting " Stop shoot-to-kill " and " Release the Birmingham Six " .
Inside the book shop , John Stalker signed copies of his book , still shaking hands with the customers . When the march reached the GPO , there were various speakers ; one of the female speakers stated - " Never in the history of Ireand since partition has so much been surrendered by so few in such a short space of time . " She was referring to Charlie Haughey , the (Leinster House) Administration , the Hillsborough Treaty and Extradition .
(MORE LATER).
....... Joseph McGarrity continued to support the 1921 Treaty of Surrender , with gusto , until he realised that Eamon de Valera , Cathal Brugha , Austin Stack and others were against it ; he then changed his position on the issue . In 1926 , de Valera formed Fianna Fail and left the Republican Movement - in 1927 , Fianna Fail entered Leinster House . McGarrity continued in his support for de Valera and Fianna Fail .......
Fianna Fail had by now strayed so far from the Republican path that Joe McGarrity began to 'go cool' in his relationship with them - this happened in the early 1930's , when IRA people were being not only jailed by Fianna Fail , but executed by them , too . Also in the mid-1930's , McGarrity became the 'main man' behind the new ' Irish Hospitals Sweepstakes ' organisation , a fantastic money-spinner in its day . But that's another tangent.....
Anyway - back to the 1921 Treaty of Surrender ; it caused a split in the Republican Movement in Ireland and , of course , the 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' , which was by then just 13 months on the go , followed suit - and split ; it found itself in a weakened position and unable to provide proper assistance to the Irish Republican cause during the 1922-1923 Civil War .
By the time Eamon de Valera left the Republican Movement to establish Fianna Fail (1926), the 'AARIR' existed , to all intent and purpose , in name only .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .......
".......I arrived at my uncle Patsy's farm , to help with the threshing ; when I took off my coat , I realised that all eyes were on me . I was armed with two revolvers ; I took them off and hid them , in a horse-cart . My uncle approached me ......."
" " Does your father know you are here today ? " , my uncle asked me . " He sent me ," I replied . " My Gor," he said . " What's wrong , Patsy ?" I asked . " Those things you brought - does he know you have them ? " " He does well ," I said . "Oh my!" said Patsy , and left it at that ...
Raising my pike , I made a run to the haystack and quickly reached the top . From my point of vantage I had a full view of everything ; it was a pleasant sight . The well-made stacks , as yet untouched , but with a man on each poised for work . Around and on the thresher others stood ready . All watched the long belt between the steam engine and mill as it gathered speed . Soon the whine of the drum reached its peak and its music changed abruptly as the first sheaf went down .
Then the steady tune again as the even feed was maintained ; the work had started . I waited for the man on the next stack to me and nearer the thresher to remove the top . When he had made a level platform I started to throw the sheaves from my stack to his . He caught them and threw them on to the thresher platform . The work was easy . I enjoyed the exercise , the brilliant day , the general activity . I forgot about the Black and Tans , the Auxiliaries and all disturbing things .
I could see and sense that my neighbours working around me had forgotten me and that all were enjoying themselves . I was glad . I even regretted a little that I had come down into their happy valley and caused them perhaps not a little uneasiness . However , that, I reflected , was now forgotten and the chances of any enemy coming this way were very small . Half an hour passed . I was now wholly engrossed in the work . It was easy and pleasant . I passed the sheaves to my neighbour and he removed them at the same speed . Suddenly I became aware that I was gaining on him .
He was not removing the sheaves ; I glanced upwards - he had stopped , and had turned through a right-angle and was now gazing earnestly to the south and in a downward direction . I looked at the others - all those in the high positions were in just the same posture : soon all work ceased . I listened . I heard nothing but the even whine of the now idle machine-drum . Then a shout went up : "The Black-and-Tans - up the road . Two lorries ! " Then I heard that then dreaded sound made by the engines and gears of the Crossley Tenders ....... "
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(10 of 12).
The day after John Stalker appeared on the 'Late Late Show' was dry and cool , and from early morning the queues outside Waterstone's Bookshop on Dawson Street , Dublin , had started to gather . John Stalker came into the shop at around eleven , and a wild cheer went up . Hundreds stood outside and queued to get their copy of the book (price £12.95p) signed . He smiled and chatted to each and every customer , and looked somewhat birdlike sitting behind a mound of books . Chic music played from the public address system as customers ringed right around the shop .
The soft English-accented British policeman-turned-author was popular . By early afternoon , Waterstone's had to close the shop for security reasons . Across the road , at Hodges Figgis book-shop , the queue was starting . Prominent at its head was a tall and balding Special Branch man , of a senior rank . He had waited for hours . And then the March passed by ...
...The crowd on the Anti-Extradition March was estimated at five-thousand people by some observers , and was the largest for any issue relating to the North since the Hunger-Strike marches of 1981 . It was a political response to the Stalker Affair and the Birmingham Six decision . The large crowd walked past the queue at Hodges Figgis chanting " Stop shoot-to-kill " and " Release the Birmingham Six " .
Inside the book shop , John Stalker signed copies of his book , still shaking hands with the customers . When the march reached the GPO , there were various speakers ; one of the female speakers stated - " Never in the history of Ireand since partition has so much been surrendered by so few in such a short space of time . " She was referring to Charlie Haughey , the (Leinster House) Administration , the Hillsborough Treaty and Extradition .
(MORE LATER).
Friday, April 16, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
....... In America , Joseph McGarrity was going 'hell for leather' to 'sell' the alleged 'benefits' of the 1921 Treaty to his fellow Irish-American comrades ; he apparently believed himself that that Treaty was the answer to the question of the British presence in Ireland .......
However , when it was brought to Joseph McGarrity's attention that , amongst others , Cathal Brugha , Austin Stack and Eamon de Valera had stated that the 1921 Treaty was " ...in violent conflict with the wishes of the Irish people " , he re-evaluated his position to that Treaty (!), thus 'repairing' his position with the Anti-Treaty forces . There is another article to be recorded here regarding the McGarrity 'thread' (another tangent.....!)....
.....about how McGarrity continued to support de Valera even when de Valera left the Republican Movement and formed Fianna Fail in 1926 ; about how McGarrity even continued his support for Fianna Fail when they entered Leinster House in 1927 (a move which even the remnants of the 'Clan na Gael' organisation in America could not stomach , thus prompting THEM to dis-own the Fianna Fail group !) .
But Joseph McGarrity did have his limits .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .......
".......My father was concerned that the Brits would raid our house that very day ; he suggested that I visit his brother , my uncle Patsy , in the neighbouring village of Ballyvoig ....... "
" As I descended the 'glittering hill' into Balyvoig , I could see in my uncles haggard that the farm-work was ready to start . I turned in the gateway from the public road as if I came full of anxiety for the work . Nor was I disappointed - my uncle Patsy approached and , full of a genuine desire to get me working immediately , handed me a pike , saying - " Go up on that hay-stack there ." " Very well ," I answered and , taking the pike from him , stuck it in the ground .
Quickly I removed my coat and , turning , walked back to where a horse side-car rested on its heels on the field just inside the gate . As I turned , I saw , and felt , the impact of a score of eyes on my back ; I knew the reason . As I entered the gateway I had looked fairly harmless . True , I wore the riding breeches and gaiters of the IRA , but that was not alarming . What was very alarming was the military equipment which the removal of my coat disclosed - a Sam Brown belt with two cross belts , and holsters which showed the butts of two .45 Smith and Wesson service revolvers .
Quickly I opened the waist belt and , removing the middle or top cushion of the side-car , I opened the 'well' and placed in my guns and ammunition . Back went the cover and cushion , and , throwing my coat carelessly on top , I walked back to my pike . I plucked it up and started towards the stack indicated by my uncle . He lifted a warning hand to me . I stopped ....... "
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(9 of 12).
Then there was the weekend that John Stalker came to Ireland . He appeared on the 'Late Late Show' ('1169...' comment - a television programme on RTE [Free State] Television , hosted by Gay Byrne , a favourite of 'The Establishment') and gave a stunning performance . He came across as an honest copper who was shafted . He expressed the belief that nobody would ever take the job of investigating the RUC again . He did'nt want to be a hero , or portrayed as a knight in shining armour . That's how it appeared .
But Irish people were looking to a British 'bobby' for justice for Irish people ! Some hours before Stalker made his appearance to a million viewers , a relative of each of the six dead men held a press conference at the O'Lehane Hall in Cavendish Row , off O'Connell Street , in Dublin . There were five women and one man seated behind a table . It was a wet and windy day .
Photographers and journalists looked on quietly as each of the relatives was asked a question or made a point . The television cameras were there - so , too, was Charlie Bird , from RTE - ('1169...' comment -another favourite of 'The Establishment') it's 'Chief Reporter' ; he asked Gervaise McKerr's mother what her view of violence was . Was she against it , for example ? Yes , she was against violence . Was she against the violence of the IRA ? She was against all violence . Charlie Bird pushed her a little further - Mrs. McKerr broke down and cried .
The substantive issue of State-authorised murder , perjury and cover-up was forgotten . And from the safety of his Dublin home , Charlie Bird was only interested in what she thought of the IRA . When the conference was over , the journalists looked as if they had been , to borrow a phrase , struck by plastic bullets . All of the relatives obliged camera people by staying behind for photos . Behind the camera was a poster which read - 'BRITISH JUSTICE' and 'STOP EXTRADITION' . It had photos of the 'Birmingham Six' on it . The press people took it down before they took shots ...
As the press dismantled their microphones and cameras , the six relatives went downstairs to get a cup of tea . Then they were going to Leinster House , they said , to hand in a letter . The letter would ask for justice .......
(MORE LATER).
....... In America , Joseph McGarrity was going 'hell for leather' to 'sell' the alleged 'benefits' of the 1921 Treaty to his fellow Irish-American comrades ; he apparently believed himself that that Treaty was the answer to the question of the British presence in Ireland .......
However , when it was brought to Joseph McGarrity's attention that , amongst others , Cathal Brugha , Austin Stack and Eamon de Valera had stated that the 1921 Treaty was " ...in violent conflict with the wishes of the Irish people " , he re-evaluated his position to that Treaty (!), thus 'repairing' his position with the Anti-Treaty forces . There is another article to be recorded here regarding the McGarrity 'thread' (another tangent.....!)....
.....about how McGarrity continued to support de Valera even when de Valera left the Republican Movement and formed Fianna Fail in 1926 ; about how McGarrity even continued his support for Fianna Fail when they entered Leinster House in 1927 (a move which even the remnants of the 'Clan na Gael' organisation in America could not stomach , thus prompting THEM to dis-own the Fianna Fail group !) .
But Joseph McGarrity did have his limits .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .......
".......My father was concerned that the Brits would raid our house that very day ; he suggested that I visit his brother , my uncle Patsy , in the neighbouring village of Ballyvoig ....... "
" As I descended the 'glittering hill' into Balyvoig , I could see in my uncles haggard that the farm-work was ready to start . I turned in the gateway from the public road as if I came full of anxiety for the work . Nor was I disappointed - my uncle Patsy approached and , full of a genuine desire to get me working immediately , handed me a pike , saying - " Go up on that hay-stack there ." " Very well ," I answered and , taking the pike from him , stuck it in the ground .
Quickly I removed my coat and , turning , walked back to where a horse side-car rested on its heels on the field just inside the gate . As I turned , I saw , and felt , the impact of a score of eyes on my back ; I knew the reason . As I entered the gateway I had looked fairly harmless . True , I wore the riding breeches and gaiters of the IRA , but that was not alarming . What was very alarming was the military equipment which the removal of my coat disclosed - a Sam Brown belt with two cross belts , and holsters which showed the butts of two .45 Smith and Wesson service revolvers .
Quickly I opened the waist belt and , removing the middle or top cushion of the side-car , I opened the 'well' and placed in my guns and ammunition . Back went the cover and cushion , and , throwing my coat carelessly on top , I walked back to my pike . I plucked it up and started towards the stack indicated by my uncle . He lifted a warning hand to me . I stopped ....... "
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(9 of 12).
Then there was the weekend that John Stalker came to Ireland . He appeared on the 'Late Late Show' ('1169...' comment - a television programme on RTE [Free State] Television , hosted by Gay Byrne , a favourite of 'The Establishment') and gave a stunning performance . He came across as an honest copper who was shafted . He expressed the belief that nobody would ever take the job of investigating the RUC again . He did'nt want to be a hero , or portrayed as a knight in shining armour . That's how it appeared .
But Irish people were looking to a British 'bobby' for justice for Irish people ! Some hours before Stalker made his appearance to a million viewers , a relative of each of the six dead men held a press conference at the O'Lehane Hall in Cavendish Row , off O'Connell Street , in Dublin . There were five women and one man seated behind a table . It was a wet and windy day .
Photographers and journalists looked on quietly as each of the relatives was asked a question or made a point . The television cameras were there - so , too, was Charlie Bird , from RTE - ('1169...' comment -another favourite of 'The Establishment') it's 'Chief Reporter' ; he asked Gervaise McKerr's mother what her view of violence was . Was she against it , for example ? Yes , she was against violence . Was she against the violence of the IRA ? She was against all violence . Charlie Bird pushed her a little further - Mrs. McKerr broke down and cried .
The substantive issue of State-authorised murder , perjury and cover-up was forgotten . And from the safety of his Dublin home , Charlie Bird was only interested in what she thought of the IRA . When the conference was over , the journalists looked as if they had been , to borrow a phrase , struck by plastic bullets . All of the relatives obliged camera people by staying behind for photos . Behind the camera was a poster which read - 'BRITISH JUSTICE' and 'STOP EXTRADITION' . It had photos of the 'Birmingham Six' on it . The press people took it down before they took shots ...
As the press dismantled their microphones and cameras , the six relatives went downstairs to get a cup of tea . Then they were going to Leinster House , they said , to hand in a letter . The letter would ask for justice .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, April 15, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......Joseph McGarrity was doing his best to 'sell' the 1921 Treaty of Surrender to his fellow Irish-Americans ; he was questioned by his 'doubting-Thomas' comrades as to the title of the new Brit-free State .......
McGarrity told them - " Many people will say that the name 'Republic' has been dropped . No such thing has happened . Ireland is to be a Gaelic , not an English , Nation , and at the first sitting of Dail Erin (sic and sic - McGarrity was referring to the 26-County Parliament) the Gaelic name for the re-created nation (sic) was adopted . That name is 'Saorstat' , pronounced 'Seer Sthath' . If England prefers the correct English translation of the Gaelic term , which is 'Free State' , instead of the Latin word , 'Republic' , Ireland should be quite happy that England has made such a choice . "
McGarrity opined further about the 1921 Treaty of Surrender , stating that - " (If) it is approved and carried into effect , Ireland again becomes an independent sovereign nation (sic) among the nations ." He said the British would then leave and the Irish would then take possession of their rightful heritage and that - " ...every Irish heart (would) be lifted up to his (sic) maker in gratitude . "
it should be noted that not even Michael Collins (who turned on his comrades in the IRA and attempted to enforce the 'writ' of the new Free State) had made such outlandish claims about the Treaty which bore his signature .......!
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .
" A splendid morning about nine o'clock . I was alone at home in the village of Kilnamartyra (The Cross). My father came in - " This is a very fine day , Michael , and a likely one for a visit from those fellows . " By "those fellows" he meant two lorries of British Auxiliaries who often paid us an unexpected 'visit' . They had given us two close runs during the previous week . My father added - " You are all alone and my brother Patsy is threshing in Ballyvoig today . The devil a fear will they call there today or maybe ever call to the same place . You will have a fine peaceful day there . "
I took him at his word and went off to the threshing . Now , Ballyvoig , although but a mile due south of The Cross was a "lost valley." It was near enough to everywhere and as near to Macroom as my own village , and yet no enemy of any description had set foot on it ! All the inhabitants , including my uncle Patsy , were honest , peaceful and law-abiding . By this it must not be inferred that a gangster was descending on them this peaceful morning . Not so , but that none of the young men of the valley was even a nominal Volunteer.
One old man in the valley was enthusiastic about Ireland , and helped every movement , military and otherwise , to set her free . His name was Jack Lehane ( May he rest in peace , and all the others for that matter , for they ever hated to be disturbed)....... "
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(8 of 12).
John Stalker had managed to talk to three hundred RUC Officers before he was muzzled . Of their false and lying press statements about all three incidents , he said - " In rare circumstances ...(lies)... may be a legitimate tactic in a dirty war of disinformation , designed to fool the enemy . "
But , by then , the damage had been done - if the press could not trust simple press-releases coming from the RUC , what chance was there that the RUC could in any way be trusted by large sections of the nationalist community in the North who had always believed that the RUC was sectarian ?
John Stalker also talked to the men who carried out the killings , and he did offer a judgement on them ; " They responded positively and helpfully , but above all, honestly . I saw a great deal more to admire in that small group of RUC Constables and Sergeants than I did in far more of their senior colleagues . "
In January 1988 , the British Attorney-General decided that in the interest of 'national security' (sic) there would be no further prosecutions following Colin Sampson's report . Meanwhile , John Stalker had gathered all the information that was in the public domain and written a book on the entire affair (published in February 1988). This , he said , was to avoid the legal minefield that is the 'Official Secrets Act' .
(MORE LATER).
.......Joseph McGarrity was doing his best to 'sell' the 1921 Treaty of Surrender to his fellow Irish-Americans ; he was questioned by his 'doubting-Thomas' comrades as to the title of the new Brit-free State .......
McGarrity told them - " Many people will say that the name 'Republic' has been dropped . No such thing has happened . Ireland is to be a Gaelic , not an English , Nation , and at the first sitting of Dail Erin (sic and sic - McGarrity was referring to the 26-County Parliament) the Gaelic name for the re-created nation (sic) was adopted . That name is 'Saorstat' , pronounced 'Seer Sthath' . If England prefers the correct English translation of the Gaelic term , which is 'Free State' , instead of the Latin word , 'Republic' , Ireland should be quite happy that England has made such a choice . "
McGarrity opined further about the 1921 Treaty of Surrender , stating that - " (If) it is approved and carried into effect , Ireland again becomes an independent sovereign nation (sic) among the nations ." He said the British would then leave and the Irish would then take possession of their rightful heritage and that - " ...every Irish heart (would) be lifted up to his (sic) maker in gratitude . "
it should be noted that not even Michael Collins (who turned on his comrades in the IRA and attempted to enforce the 'writ' of the new Free State) had made such outlandish claims about the Treaty which bore his signature .......!
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A HARVEST DAY IN 1920 .
" A splendid morning about nine o'clock . I was alone at home in the village of Kilnamartyra (The Cross). My father came in - " This is a very fine day , Michael , and a likely one for a visit from those fellows . " By "those fellows" he meant two lorries of British Auxiliaries who often paid us an unexpected 'visit' . They had given us two close runs during the previous week . My father added - " You are all alone and my brother Patsy is threshing in Ballyvoig today . The devil a fear will they call there today or maybe ever call to the same place . You will have a fine peaceful day there . "
I took him at his word and went off to the threshing . Now , Ballyvoig , although but a mile due south of The Cross was a "lost valley." It was near enough to everywhere and as near to Macroom as my own village , and yet no enemy of any description had set foot on it ! All the inhabitants , including my uncle Patsy , were honest , peaceful and law-abiding . By this it must not be inferred that a gangster was descending on them this peaceful morning . Not so , but that none of the young men of the valley was even a nominal Volunteer.
One old man in the valley was enthusiastic about Ireland , and helped every movement , military and otherwise , to set her free . His name was Jack Lehane ( May he rest in peace , and all the others for that matter , for they ever hated to be disturbed)....... "
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(8 of 12).
John Stalker had managed to talk to three hundred RUC Officers before he was muzzled . Of their false and lying press statements about all three incidents , he said - " In rare circumstances ...(lies)... may be a legitimate tactic in a dirty war of disinformation , designed to fool the enemy . "
But , by then , the damage had been done - if the press could not trust simple press-releases coming from the RUC , what chance was there that the RUC could in any way be trusted by large sections of the nationalist community in the North who had always believed that the RUC was sectarian ?
John Stalker also talked to the men who carried out the killings , and he did offer a judgement on them ; " They responded positively and helpfully , but above all, honestly . I saw a great deal more to admire in that small group of RUC Constables and Sergeants than I did in far more of their senior colleagues . "
In January 1988 , the British Attorney-General decided that in the interest of 'national security' (sic) there would be no further prosecutions following Colin Sampson's report . Meanwhile , John Stalker had gathered all the information that was in the public domain and written a book on the entire affair (published in February 1988). This , he said , was to avoid the legal minefield that is the 'Official Secrets Act' .
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......The issue which split the already weakened Clan na Gael organisation , the 1921 Treaty of Surrender , was , at first , supported by one of the main Irish-American leaders in the U.S. - Joseph McGarrity .......
Joseph McGarrity claimed that the 1921 Treaty confirmed that " Irelands sovereign Independence is acknowledged by the British Cabinet and their action is approved by Britain's King . This much is certain ." He verbally attacked those in America who doubted that the Treaty was a legitmate conclusion to the centuries of occupation because of , amongst other reasons , the clause demanding an Oath of Allegiance to the British Crown contained in it .
Those who raised the issue of the Oath were , said McGarrity , " doubters (who) were guilty of a despicable attempt to make it appear that the citizens of the Republic (sic) of Ireland are to give allegiance to (Britains) King George . "
McGarrity dismissed the Oath ( "supposed Oath" , as he called it) as " a very clever juggling with words " on the part of the British - he suggested that it was simply a face-saving exercise by the Brits " to give as little hurt to the British Ministers and to the King's pride as possible . "
McGarrity was , at this stage , 'in for a penny , in for a pound'- some of his comrades in America were doubtful about the 'benefits' of the 1921 Treaty , while others had already rejected it and still others were in support of it ; amongst the questions raised about the Treaty was one concerning the name of the new ('officially' Brit-free) State .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......We were on our way home , through the fields and hills ; on coming-up from a hollow , we spied two British Army lorries heading straight for us ......."
" Now they were quite near us , and if we turned back we would be quite exposed to them . We ran towards the only cover , the two pillars of the gate of the field which we were in , and which opened on to the road almost opposite Yankee Lyons's gate .
Yankee's wife stood in her own gateway , and watched us make ourselves as small as possible behind the pillars while the lorries tore past to Ballyvourney with troops to search for the perpetrators of the Slippery Rock "outrage" .
The British Army lorries kept going and , as we passed by Mrs. Lyons , through the gateway , she murmured fervently - " The Lord save us , lads , the Lord save us ! "
[END of -' THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'A HARVEST DAY IN 1920').
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(7 of 12).
There was a political outcry over British 'Lord Justice' Gibson's remarks . The 'Irish Times' newspaper called for a reform of the system of justice ('1169...' comment.... that gives an indication of just how serious the situation was ; that particular newspaper was then , and still is today , an 'establishment' newspaper - be it Irish [ie Free State] or British establishment...) and the disbandment of what would be termed "death squads" in Latin America .
But by now it had become clear that the evidence prepared against those charged was less than satisfactory , and the Deputy Chief Constable of the Manchester Police , John Stalker , was appointed to investigate the killings . That was in May 1984 , and the Chief Constable , John Hermon , and the British Director of Public Prosecutions for the Six Counties , Barry Shaw , were starting to fight in public .
It is a curious anomaly that Mr. Stalker had no legal authority to question anybody in relation to anything in the North . John Hermon drew up his terms of reference ; nonetheless , he picked his team of six , and ploughed away . But he found much resistance and silence , and ample evidence to charge dozens of RUC men with everything from obstruction to attempting to pervert the course of justice . There was also possibly murder charges. But the tape relating to the killing of Michael Tighe was outside his grasp - John Hermon refused to hand it over !
And just before Stalker was due to hear that tape for the first time , he was removed ; the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire , Colin Sampson , was appointed in his place . At that same time , Sampson was also appointed to investigate Stalker himself , as some alleged 'criminal connections' had been made . None transpired . ('1169...' comment - "No honour amongst thieves" is right ....).
(MORE LATER).
.......The issue which split the already weakened Clan na Gael organisation , the 1921 Treaty of Surrender , was , at first , supported by one of the main Irish-American leaders in the U.S. - Joseph McGarrity .......
Joseph McGarrity claimed that the 1921 Treaty confirmed that " Irelands sovereign Independence is acknowledged by the British Cabinet and their action is approved by Britain's King . This much is certain ." He verbally attacked those in America who doubted that the Treaty was a legitmate conclusion to the centuries of occupation because of , amongst other reasons , the clause demanding an Oath of Allegiance to the British Crown contained in it .
Those who raised the issue of the Oath were , said McGarrity , " doubters (who) were guilty of a despicable attempt to make it appear that the citizens of the Republic (sic) of Ireland are to give allegiance to (Britains) King George . "
McGarrity dismissed the Oath ( "supposed Oath" , as he called it) as " a very clever juggling with words " on the part of the British - he suggested that it was simply a face-saving exercise by the Brits " to give as little hurt to the British Ministers and to the King's pride as possible . "
McGarrity was , at this stage , 'in for a penny , in for a pound'- some of his comrades in America were doubtful about the 'benefits' of the 1921 Treaty , while others had already rejected it and still others were in support of it ; amongst the questions raised about the Treaty was one concerning the name of the new ('officially' Brit-free) State .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......We were on our way home , through the fields and hills ; on coming-up from a hollow , we spied two British Army lorries heading straight for us ......."
" Now they were quite near us , and if we turned back we would be quite exposed to them . We ran towards the only cover , the two pillars of the gate of the field which we were in , and which opened on to the road almost opposite Yankee Lyons's gate .
Yankee's wife stood in her own gateway , and watched us make ourselves as small as possible behind the pillars while the lorries tore past to Ballyvourney with troops to search for the perpetrators of the Slippery Rock "outrage" .
The British Army lorries kept going and , as we passed by Mrs. Lyons , through the gateway , she murmured fervently - " The Lord save us , lads , the Lord save us ! "
[END of -' THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'A HARVEST DAY IN 1920').
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(7 of 12).
There was a political outcry over British 'Lord Justice' Gibson's remarks . The 'Irish Times' newspaper called for a reform of the system of justice ('1169...' comment.... that gives an indication of just how serious the situation was ; that particular newspaper was then , and still is today , an 'establishment' newspaper - be it Irish [ie Free State] or British establishment...) and the disbandment of what would be termed "death squads" in Latin America .
But by now it had become clear that the evidence prepared against those charged was less than satisfactory , and the Deputy Chief Constable of the Manchester Police , John Stalker , was appointed to investigate the killings . That was in May 1984 , and the Chief Constable , John Hermon , and the British Director of Public Prosecutions for the Six Counties , Barry Shaw , were starting to fight in public .
It is a curious anomaly that Mr. Stalker had no legal authority to question anybody in relation to anything in the North . John Hermon drew up his terms of reference ; nonetheless , he picked his team of six , and ploughed away . But he found much resistance and silence , and ample evidence to charge dozens of RUC men with everything from obstruction to attempting to pervert the course of justice . There was also possibly murder charges. But the tape relating to the killing of Michael Tighe was outside his grasp - John Hermon refused to hand it over !
And just before Stalker was due to hear that tape for the first time , he was removed ; the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire , Colin Sampson , was appointed in his place . At that same time , Sampson was also appointed to investigate Stalker himself , as some alleged 'criminal connections' had been made . None transpired . ('1169...' comment - "No honour amongst thieves" is right ....).
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......Formed in November 1920 , the 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic' (the 'GROWL') was doing well , financially , for the IRA campaign in Ireland ; but - in December 1921 , the 'Treaty of Surrender' was to change that .......
The remnants of Clan na Gael (now dis-owned by the Republican Movement in Ireland), led by John Devoy , supported the pro-Treaty side (ie the Free Staters). But the Clan , already weak compared with what it used to be , was weakened further by this acceptance of the 1921 Treaty - a section of it left and called itself the 'Clan na Gael Reorganised' (or 'Clan na Gael and the IRA' , as it was perhaps better known ).
This 'Reorganised Clan' was led by Joseph McGarrity and Luke Dillon - the 1921 Treaty of Surrender was apparently the 'straw that broke the camels back '; McGarrity and John Devoy were said to be 'chalk and cheese' anyway , and did not get on well together . And , actually , Joseph McGarrity had at first promoted and supported the 1921 Treaty of Surrender ! In a statement at the time , McGarrity claimed that " Ireland's sovereign Independence is acknowledged by the British Cabinet and their action is approved by Britain's King . This much is certain ." (!)
Again , at that particular time , McGarrity was fulsome in his praise of that Treaty .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......We gathered up the spoils of the ambush - guns , equipment and their bicycles . We left the British soldiers in as comfortable a position as we could ......."
" The British Officer , Lieutenant Sharman , had been killed outright . Four of his soldiers had been wounded , not badly . We were about to cycle home along the road to Clondrohid , as far as Drohidin Clia , then turn south for kilnamartyra , when our scouts reported lorries from that direction . We had to take the bicycles on our shoulders up the steep side of Cnoc an Uir .
We got away in that direction . John Harrington of Coolavokig was our first rest - he invited us in to tea , which we gladly accepted as we had not eaten since 7.30 am . We left John's house soon after tea , for it was a likely place for an early raid . We descended the sloping fields of Coolavokig , to cross the main Macroom-Ballyvourney Road at Yankee Lyons's gate . As we neared our crossing point we were in a slight hollow and for a minute or two lost sight of the road .
In that short time two British Army lorries from Macroom had turned the corner at Geata Ban , unknown to us at the time ....... "
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(6 of 12).
It came out in court that RUC member John Robinson was part of an elite SAS-trained RUC squad ; E4A . That squad were trained in "firepower , speed and aggression ." And members of the same squad had been involved in all six killings .
The following year (ie 1985) Sergeant William Montgomery , RUC 'Constables' David Brannigan and Frederick Robinson appeared before British 'Lord Justice' Gibson on a charge of killing Eugene Toman ; again , they were not charged with killing Sean Burns and Gervaise McKerr as they were found in the car , whereas Eugene Toman had made it as far as the ground . 'Lord Justice' Gibson acquitted all three Brit operatives .
Gibson actually commended the three RUC men for their " courage and determination in bringing the three deceased men to justice , in this case , the final court of justice ." It came out then that the three dead men had been 'tailed' for days , and that two of them were wanted on a murder charge . But no explanation was forthcoming as to why they were not arrested , rather than killed , if such was the case .
(MORE LATER).
.......Formed in November 1920 , the 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic' (the 'GROWL') was doing well , financially , for the IRA campaign in Ireland ; but - in December 1921 , the 'Treaty of Surrender' was to change that .......
The remnants of Clan na Gael (now dis-owned by the Republican Movement in Ireland), led by John Devoy , supported the pro-Treaty side (ie the Free Staters). But the Clan , already weak compared with what it used to be , was weakened further by this acceptance of the 1921 Treaty - a section of it left and called itself the 'Clan na Gael Reorganised' (or 'Clan na Gael and the IRA' , as it was perhaps better known ).
This 'Reorganised Clan' was led by Joseph McGarrity and Luke Dillon - the 1921 Treaty of Surrender was apparently the 'straw that broke the camels back '; McGarrity and John Devoy were said to be 'chalk and cheese' anyway , and did not get on well together . And , actually , Joseph McGarrity had at first promoted and supported the 1921 Treaty of Surrender ! In a statement at the time , McGarrity claimed that " Ireland's sovereign Independence is acknowledged by the British Cabinet and their action is approved by Britain's King . This much is certain ." (!)
Again , at that particular time , McGarrity was fulsome in his praise of that Treaty .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......We gathered up the spoils of the ambush - guns , equipment and their bicycles . We left the British soldiers in as comfortable a position as we could ......."
" The British Officer , Lieutenant Sharman , had been killed outright . Four of his soldiers had been wounded , not badly . We were about to cycle home along the road to Clondrohid , as far as Drohidin Clia , then turn south for kilnamartyra , when our scouts reported lorries from that direction . We had to take the bicycles on our shoulders up the steep side of Cnoc an Uir .
We got away in that direction . John Harrington of Coolavokig was our first rest - he invited us in to tea , which we gladly accepted as we had not eaten since 7.30 am . We left John's house soon after tea , for it was a likely place for an early raid . We descended the sloping fields of Coolavokig , to cross the main Macroom-Ballyvourney Road at Yankee Lyons's gate . As we neared our crossing point we were in a slight hollow and for a minute or two lost sight of the road .
In that short time two British Army lorries from Macroom had turned the corner at Geata Ban , unknown to us at the time ....... "
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(6 of 12).
It came out in court that RUC member John Robinson was part of an elite SAS-trained RUC squad ; E4A . That squad were trained in "firepower , speed and aggression ." And members of the same squad had been involved in all six killings .
The following year (ie 1985) Sergeant William Montgomery , RUC 'Constables' David Brannigan and Frederick Robinson appeared before British 'Lord Justice' Gibson on a charge of killing Eugene Toman ; again , they were not charged with killing Sean Burns and Gervaise McKerr as they were found in the car , whereas Eugene Toman had made it as far as the ground . 'Lord Justice' Gibson acquitted all three Brit operatives .
Gibson actually commended the three RUC men for their " courage and determination in bringing the three deceased men to justice , in this case , the final court of justice ." It came out then that the three dead men had been 'tailed' for days , and that two of them were wanted on a murder charge . But no explanation was forthcoming as to why they were not arrested , rather than killed , if such was the case .
(MORE LATER).
Monday, April 12, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
....... November 1920 ; under direction from the leadership of the Irish Republican Brotherhood in Ireland , the Clan na Gael organisation was disbanded . The 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' group also suffered because of that directive . A new organisation was established - the 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic' - 'AARIR' (or 'GROWL' , because of its acronym).......
Eamon de Valera was back in Ireland by December that year (ie 1920), but had left his mark in America ; the publicity generated by the fall-out between the Clan na Gael and Friends Of Irish Freedom organisations , and the establishment of the new 'AARIR' group had put the Irish situation back on 'Page One' - it was a hot topic again .
The Brits were , of course, watching every move - they realised that the millions of Irish people in America , with their sympathy , support and money for an armed campaign in Ireland , plus good support amongst the Irish population in England itself for an armed campaign , was perhaps more than they could successfully counter in the short-term ; they were losing the propaganda war . A willingness to hold truce talks with the Irish Rebels was signalled , which led to the 'Treaty Of Surrender' in December 1921 .
Thirteen months after it was formed (ie November 1920 - December 1921) , the 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic' was thrown into disarray because of the 'Treaty of Surrender' ; splits and divisions loomed - " divide and conquer ......."
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......The ambush was over ; the British Army Officer in charge of the patrol was dead . His men had surrendered to us , and we were rounding them up and taking what weapon's they had . I stood over a Brit soldier I had shot at - his rifle was still beside him . His face was to the ground ......."
" I caught him by the shoulder and called out " Hallo ! " ; no reply . I thought him dead . My left hand grasping his right shoulder , I rolled him over . A fresh smiling face looked up at me out of humorous eyes : " I thought you were dead " , I said . "No" , he replied lazily . " You are wounded , then , or ought to be . " " I don't think so , " was his reply .
I opened his tunic , button by button . Not a scratch on him . " I am very glad indeed , " I said . " Thanks " , he said , smiling . The two bullets fired at him had torn deeply into the road under him as he lay . He had been lucky to escape the worst kind of wound . I caught another British soldier by the shoulder as he lay face down on the grass of the northern dyke . He rolled over and put up his hands , saying - " Paddy , don't shoot ! " " We won't harm you now , " I replied . He unbuckled his equipment and handed it to me . I picked up his rifle and replaced it on his bicycle , with his steel cap and trench equipment . I saw Mick the Soldier do the same .
We had already settled on cycling home ; a wounded British soldier asked me for a cigarette . I had not a single one . I assured him I would get one for him . I tried all our own lads - no cigarettes . Neither had any British soldier got one ; I could do nothing but tell him how sorry I was . "
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(5 of 12).
The killing of Seamus Grew and Roddy Carroll brought to more than one-hundred-and-sixty the number of unarmed civilians who had been killed by the UDR , RUC and British Army in circumstances which suggested they were murdered . In that twelve-year period (ie 1970 - 1982) no-one had been charged with murder . But there were such grave irregularities in the RUC files on these six killings that it was difficult to ignore them . Inquests could not be held until criminal proceedings were completed .
The Chief Constable of the RUC had complete confidence in his men . The criticism of his force from Catholic priests and community leaders was starting to build up . In January 1984 , more than a year after the six killings , he said - " Of course there is anti-police feeling in the province (sic) , inevitable when there are the political affiliations that we have here . We are responsibly reported in the media , with the only sniping coming from fringe elements that don't cause us any concern and which the community as a whole sees to be superficial . There are not many fools in Northern Ireland (sic) . The RUC are quite extraordinary men , doing quite an extraordinary job . "
In April 1984 , RUC man John Robinson was charged with the murder of Seamus Grew . He was acquitted by Mr. 'Justice' McDermott , who considered that he had used reasonable force in the circumstances . The reason he had been charged with the killing of Seamus Grew only , and not of both Grew and Roddy Carroll , was that Seamus Grew was found outside the car , which meant that he had lived and was shot on the ground . Those circumstances were " the general wartime situation in Northern Ireland " (sic) , said the good 'Justice' .
RUC man Robinson was commended for his sharpshooting by 'Justice' McDermott ! But other rocks were turned over in court also.......
(MORE LATER).
....... November 1920 ; under direction from the leadership of the Irish Republican Brotherhood in Ireland , the Clan na Gael organisation was disbanded . The 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' group also suffered because of that directive . A new organisation was established - the 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic' - 'AARIR' (or 'GROWL' , because of its acronym).......
Eamon de Valera was back in Ireland by December that year (ie 1920), but had left his mark in America ; the publicity generated by the fall-out between the Clan na Gael and Friends Of Irish Freedom organisations , and the establishment of the new 'AARIR' group had put the Irish situation back on 'Page One' - it was a hot topic again .
The Brits were , of course, watching every move - they realised that the millions of Irish people in America , with their sympathy , support and money for an armed campaign in Ireland , plus good support amongst the Irish population in England itself for an armed campaign , was perhaps more than they could successfully counter in the short-term ; they were losing the propaganda war . A willingness to hold truce talks with the Irish Rebels was signalled , which led to the 'Treaty Of Surrender' in December 1921 .
Thirteen months after it was formed (ie November 1920 - December 1921) , the 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic' was thrown into disarray because of the 'Treaty of Surrender' ; splits and divisions loomed - " divide and conquer ......."
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......The ambush was over ; the British Army Officer in charge of the patrol was dead . His men had surrendered to us , and we were rounding them up and taking what weapon's they had . I stood over a Brit soldier I had shot at - his rifle was still beside him . His face was to the ground ......."
" I caught him by the shoulder and called out " Hallo ! " ; no reply . I thought him dead . My left hand grasping his right shoulder , I rolled him over . A fresh smiling face looked up at me out of humorous eyes : " I thought you were dead " , I said . "No" , he replied lazily . " You are wounded , then , or ought to be . " " I don't think so , " was his reply .
I opened his tunic , button by button . Not a scratch on him . " I am very glad indeed , " I said . " Thanks " , he said , smiling . The two bullets fired at him had torn deeply into the road under him as he lay . He had been lucky to escape the worst kind of wound . I caught another British soldier by the shoulder as he lay face down on the grass of the northern dyke . He rolled over and put up his hands , saying - " Paddy , don't shoot ! " " We won't harm you now , " I replied . He unbuckled his equipment and handed it to me . I picked up his rifle and replaced it on his bicycle , with his steel cap and trench equipment . I saw Mick the Soldier do the same .
We had already settled on cycling home ; a wounded British soldier asked me for a cigarette . I had not a single one . I assured him I would get one for him . I tried all our own lads - no cigarettes . Neither had any British soldier got one ; I could do nothing but tell him how sorry I was . "
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(5 of 12).
The killing of Seamus Grew and Roddy Carroll brought to more than one-hundred-and-sixty the number of unarmed civilians who had been killed by the UDR , RUC and British Army in circumstances which suggested they were murdered . In that twelve-year period (ie 1970 - 1982) no-one had been charged with murder . But there were such grave irregularities in the RUC files on these six killings that it was difficult to ignore them . Inquests could not be held until criminal proceedings were completed .
The Chief Constable of the RUC had complete confidence in his men . The criticism of his force from Catholic priests and community leaders was starting to build up . In January 1984 , more than a year after the six killings , he said - " Of course there is anti-police feeling in the province (sic) , inevitable when there are the political affiliations that we have here . We are responsibly reported in the media , with the only sniping coming from fringe elements that don't cause us any concern and which the community as a whole sees to be superficial . There are not many fools in Northern Ireland (sic) . The RUC are quite extraordinary men , doing quite an extraordinary job . "
In April 1984 , RUC man John Robinson was charged with the murder of Seamus Grew . He was acquitted by Mr. 'Justice' McDermott , who considered that he had used reasonable force in the circumstances . The reason he had been charged with the killing of Seamus Grew only , and not of both Grew and Roddy Carroll , was that Seamus Grew was found outside the car , which meant that he had lived and was shot on the ground . Those circumstances were " the general wartime situation in Northern Ireland " (sic) , said the good 'Justice' .
RUC man Robinson was commended for his sharpshooting by 'Justice' McDermott ! But other rocks were turned over in court also.......
(MORE LATER).
Sunday, April 11, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......The dispute between the Clan na Gael organisation and the Friends Of Irish Freedom group was now over , with the FOIF resolution (ie 'gentle prodding') winning out in the end . But the dispute had been noticed by the Irish Republican Brotherhood leadership in Ireland .......
As stated here previously , the American Clan na Gael organisation recognised the Supreme Council of the Irish Republican Brotherhood as the Government of the (all-Ireland) Irish Republic so , when , within weeks of the Clan / FOIF dispute , an order came from the leadership of the Irish Republican Brotherhood in Ireland directing the Clan na Gael group "to stand down" , it obeyed - but under protest .
Without the support of the Irish Republican Brotherhood in Ireland , both the Clan and the FOIF were severely weakened and could not now claim to be linked to the Republican Movement in Ireland .
In November 1920 , Eamon de Valera (and other leadership figures in Ireland) set-up a new organisation - the 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic' ; known as 'GROWL' , because of the sound of its acronym , 'AARIR' . With the backing and promotion of the IRB leadership , and the support in America of figures such as Joseph McGarrity , the 'AARIR' was successful , and raised thousands of dollars for the then IRA in Ireland.
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
"....... The British patrol were now within thirty yards of us . We watched as Paddy Donncha Eoin got to his feet , with a revolver in his hand ......."
" Paddy called on them to surrender ; the British Army Officer looked back over his left shoulder . He said nothing , but stood-up on his push-bike pedals and threw his weight down on them , put his head down and rode forward . All his men did likewise . There was no doubt about their intention - it was to break through our ranks . A revolver barked and a volley rang our - the Brit Officer fell but his men cycled on ; I jumped to my feet - we had been lying against the sloping face of the hillock . As I rose , a rifle exploded close to my left ear , almost knocking me down again . It was 'Mick the Soldier' , who had risen before me and had fired across my back at some of the British soldiers who were almost abreast of us . We stepped out on the road .
There was another burst of rifle fire ; we saw a British soldier lying in the dust , half way down the road . He lay quite flat , his heels turned inwards , and he was engaged in releasing rapid fire upwards at the top of the Slippery Rock . We fired simultaneously at him - both bullets struck a foot apart under his body and raised a column of dust , which gave me the impression that we had cut his body in two ; he let his rifle drop . Then there came silence ...
Our lads were coming out on the road . I walked past Jamie , Con Sean Jer and Ned Micky Sweeney as they disarmed a group of British soldiers . One of the Brits struggled with Ned Sweeney to retain his rifle , but Ned wrenched it from him . I came to the man whom we had last fired at - he lay in exactly the same position , with his left hand stretched in the firing posture and his right hand down on the road near the small of the rifle-butt . The rifle lay with a cartridge half thrust forward into the breech .
His face was to the ground ....."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(4 of 12).
The third incident was eighteen days later . It was just about 8.30pm on 12th December 1982 when 'Irish National Liberation Army' (INLA) member Seamus Grew drove his Allegro car up towards his home at Mullacreevie Park in Armagh City . He had just been into the Free State for a funeral . Roddy Carroll , another INLA man , was sitting in the passenger seat . Driving along , Seamus Grew recognised a neighbour , Joseph Graham , and he waved to him . Another car suddenly came up very fast behind Grew's car and pulled up in front of it . There were at least two men in it .
Then the shooting started ; it was like a "cracking noise" , according to Joseph Graham . It stopped , and then it started again . On either side of the road , the RUC were patrolling the fields , and there was an RUC car blocking off the bottom of the hill . It was a closed-off area . The RUC decided to lie once more ...
They put out the story that Seamus Grew had driven through a road-block , injuring an RUC man , and that they were then forced to fire on the car . They changed that story later . What had actually happened was that the RUC had followed Grew into the Free State , but he had somehow managed to avoid a road-block on his way back up to the North . Further up the road , an undercover British Army car and an undercover RUC car were involved in an accident and , in the ensuing mess , Seamus Grew drove through undetected . The RUC man following Grew saw the accident , picked up RUC man John Robinson , passed the Allegro and halted it .
RUC man Robinson then got out of his car , fired fifteen times at Roddy Carroll , walked around the car , re-loaded his gun , and shot Seamus Grew four times . Robinson was driven from the scene immediately by an RUC Special Branch Inspector ....
(MORE LATER).
.......The dispute between the Clan na Gael organisation and the Friends Of Irish Freedom group was now over , with the FOIF resolution (ie 'gentle prodding') winning out in the end . But the dispute had been noticed by the Irish Republican Brotherhood leadership in Ireland .......
As stated here previously , the American Clan na Gael organisation recognised the Supreme Council of the Irish Republican Brotherhood as the Government of the (all-Ireland) Irish Republic so , when , within weeks of the Clan / FOIF dispute , an order came from the leadership of the Irish Republican Brotherhood in Ireland directing the Clan na Gael group "to stand down" , it obeyed - but under protest .
Without the support of the Irish Republican Brotherhood in Ireland , both the Clan and the FOIF were severely weakened and could not now claim to be linked to the Republican Movement in Ireland .
In November 1920 , Eamon de Valera (and other leadership figures in Ireland) set-up a new organisation - the 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic' ; known as 'GROWL' , because of the sound of its acronym , 'AARIR' . With the backing and promotion of the IRB leadership , and the support in America of figures such as Joseph McGarrity , the 'AARIR' was successful , and raised thousands of dollars for the then IRA in Ireland.
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
"....... The British patrol were now within thirty yards of us . We watched as Paddy Donncha Eoin got to his feet , with a revolver in his hand ......."
" Paddy called on them to surrender ; the British Army Officer looked back over his left shoulder . He said nothing , but stood-up on his push-bike pedals and threw his weight down on them , put his head down and rode forward . All his men did likewise . There was no doubt about their intention - it was to break through our ranks . A revolver barked and a volley rang our - the Brit Officer fell but his men cycled on ; I jumped to my feet - we had been lying against the sloping face of the hillock . As I rose , a rifle exploded close to my left ear , almost knocking me down again . It was 'Mick the Soldier' , who had risen before me and had fired across my back at some of the British soldiers who were almost abreast of us . We stepped out on the road .
There was another burst of rifle fire ; we saw a British soldier lying in the dust , half way down the road . He lay quite flat , his heels turned inwards , and he was engaged in releasing rapid fire upwards at the top of the Slippery Rock . We fired simultaneously at him - both bullets struck a foot apart under his body and raised a column of dust , which gave me the impression that we had cut his body in two ; he let his rifle drop . Then there came silence ...
Our lads were coming out on the road . I walked past Jamie , Con Sean Jer and Ned Micky Sweeney as they disarmed a group of British soldiers . One of the Brits struggled with Ned Sweeney to retain his rifle , but Ned wrenched it from him . I came to the man whom we had last fired at - he lay in exactly the same position , with his left hand stretched in the firing posture and his right hand down on the road near the small of the rifle-butt . The rifle lay with a cartridge half thrust forward into the breech .
His face was to the ground ....."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(4 of 12).
The third incident was eighteen days later . It was just about 8.30pm on 12th December 1982 when 'Irish National Liberation Army' (INLA) member Seamus Grew drove his Allegro car up towards his home at Mullacreevie Park in Armagh City . He had just been into the Free State for a funeral . Roddy Carroll , another INLA man , was sitting in the passenger seat . Driving along , Seamus Grew recognised a neighbour , Joseph Graham , and he waved to him . Another car suddenly came up very fast behind Grew's car and pulled up in front of it . There were at least two men in it .
Then the shooting started ; it was like a "cracking noise" , according to Joseph Graham . It stopped , and then it started again . On either side of the road , the RUC were patrolling the fields , and there was an RUC car blocking off the bottom of the hill . It was a closed-off area . The RUC decided to lie once more ...
They put out the story that Seamus Grew had driven through a road-block , injuring an RUC man , and that they were then forced to fire on the car . They changed that story later . What had actually happened was that the RUC had followed Grew into the Free State , but he had somehow managed to avoid a road-block on his way back up to the North . Further up the road , an undercover British Army car and an undercover RUC car were involved in an accident and , in the ensuing mess , Seamus Grew drove through undetected . The RUC man following Grew saw the accident , picked up RUC man John Robinson , passed the Allegro and halted it .
RUC man Robinson then got out of his car , fired fifteen times at Roddy Carroll , walked around the car , re-loaded his gun , and shot Seamus Grew four times . Robinson was driven from the scene immediately by an RUC Special Branch Inspector ....
(MORE LATER).
Saturday, April 10, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......Members of both the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' and the 'Clan na Gael' organisations dis-agreed on the amount of pressure which should be applied to those running in the U.S. Presidential elections in relation to Ireland ; plus , there was 'bad blood' between U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and the 'Clan' leadership .......
At the National Convention of the U.S. Republican Party , the delegates were being canvassed by Judge Daniel Cohalan (a U.S. Democrat) and his people when Eamon de Valera arrived with his team to canvass the same crowd - Judge Cohalan had previously requested that de Valera and his team stay away , and a verbal row between both camps ensued , in full view of those they were trying to canvass !
By June 1920 , however , both the (U.S.) Republican and Democratic candidates had accepted the 'gentle prodding' approach towards the situation in Ireland , as recommended by John Devoy , Judge Cohalan and others in the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' - the other resolution (ie 'put-it-in-writing-or loose-the-Irish-vote'), which was supported by Eamon de Valera , Harry Boland and Clan na Gael , was rejected by both U.S. camps .
However - the dispute between the Clan and the FOIF had been closely monitored by the Irish Republican Brotherhood leadership in Ireland ; they were not at all pleased with either group.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......We were dug-in on the Slippery Rock , where children usually played ; Paddy Donncha Eoin and three men with shotguns would be the nearest to the British soldiers when the action started ......."
" Paddy had often slid down the Slippery Rock on his way home from school , and knew the lay-out of the area well . The road straightened out again for one hundred yards ; along its southern side there was no fence at that time . Along the northern side was a low fence and a few low little rocks . Behind these were disposed the remainder of the shotgun men and two with revolvers . At the extreme western end , and on the southern side , was a little hillock facing the approach road ; behind it were stationed Mick the Soldier and myself , with our two rifles .
We had plenty of men besides , but had no guns for them . 'Free' Kelleher put his eye on my Smith-and-Wesson revolver - I gave it to him . Then we settled down to another period of waiting . Sometime about four p.m. , the scout on the hill above us signalled the approach of the patrol . We watched the bend at the Slippery Rock for any movement ...
Riding their push-bikes at a steady pace they came , one by one, their British Army Officer in the lead . They were like beads on a string set apart at the same intervals , and they fitted exactly into the trap laid for them : as their last man rounded the bend , their Officer was within thirty yards of us . Then we saw Paddy Donncha Eoin standing upright , his revolver in his hand ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(3 of 12).
The RUC said they had seen a man with a gun go into the shed ; that they had heard a rifle mechanism and muffled voices ; that an RUC Sergeant had shouted - "Police , throw out your weapons " ; that the warning was repeated ; that through a space in the door they saw Martin McCauley pointing a rifle at them ; that two RUC men opened fire ; that they saw Michael Tighe point a rifle at them ; that they fired at him ; that McCauley re-appeared and they fired again .
They found no ammunition in the shed . The electronic bug had picked up everything that had happened . There was a tape , and it was when John Stalker got close to this tape in his investigation of the killings that he was removed . The tape could have proved that the RUC were lying . Martin McCauley was charged with possession of a firearm , found guilty , and given a two-year suspended sentence . The RUC admitted they had lied about a man with a gun near the scene . They admitted they had been staking the place out .
Michael Tighe had no connections with any paramilitary organisations . He was seventeen years old . Of this shooting , John Stalker had the following to say --
-- " As an individual I also passionately believe that if a police force of the United Kingdom could , in cold blood ,kill a seventeen-year-old youth with no terrorist or criminal convictions , and then plot to hide the evidence from a senior policeman deputed to investigate it , then the shame belonged to us all . This is the act of a Central American assassination squad - truly of a police force out of control " .
(MORE LATER).
.......Members of both the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' and the 'Clan na Gael' organisations dis-agreed on the amount of pressure which should be applied to those running in the U.S. Presidential elections in relation to Ireland ; plus , there was 'bad blood' between U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and the 'Clan' leadership .......
At the National Convention of the U.S. Republican Party , the delegates were being canvassed by Judge Daniel Cohalan (a U.S. Democrat) and his people when Eamon de Valera arrived with his team to canvass the same crowd - Judge Cohalan had previously requested that de Valera and his team stay away , and a verbal row between both camps ensued , in full view of those they were trying to canvass !
By June 1920 , however , both the (U.S.) Republican and Democratic candidates had accepted the 'gentle prodding' approach towards the situation in Ireland , as recommended by John Devoy , Judge Cohalan and others in the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' - the other resolution (ie 'put-it-in-writing-or loose-the-Irish-vote'), which was supported by Eamon de Valera , Harry Boland and Clan na Gael , was rejected by both U.S. camps .
However - the dispute between the Clan and the FOIF had been closely monitored by the Irish Republican Brotherhood leadership in Ireland ; they were not at all pleased with either group.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......We were dug-in on the Slippery Rock , where children usually played ; Paddy Donncha Eoin and three men with shotguns would be the nearest to the British soldiers when the action started ......."
" Paddy had often slid down the Slippery Rock on his way home from school , and knew the lay-out of the area well . The road straightened out again for one hundred yards ; along its southern side there was no fence at that time . Along the northern side was a low fence and a few low little rocks . Behind these were disposed the remainder of the shotgun men and two with revolvers . At the extreme western end , and on the southern side , was a little hillock facing the approach road ; behind it were stationed Mick the Soldier and myself , with our two rifles .
We had plenty of men besides , but had no guns for them . 'Free' Kelleher put his eye on my Smith-and-Wesson revolver - I gave it to him . Then we settled down to another period of waiting . Sometime about four p.m. , the scout on the hill above us signalled the approach of the patrol . We watched the bend at the Slippery Rock for any movement ...
Riding their push-bikes at a steady pace they came , one by one, their British Army Officer in the lead . They were like beads on a string set apart at the same intervals , and they fitted exactly into the trap laid for them : as their last man rounded the bend , their Officer was within thirty yards of us . Then we saw Paddy Donncha Eoin standing upright , his revolver in his hand ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(3 of 12).
The RUC said they had seen a man with a gun go into the shed ; that they had heard a rifle mechanism and muffled voices ; that an RUC Sergeant had shouted - "Police , throw out your weapons " ; that the warning was repeated ; that through a space in the door they saw Martin McCauley pointing a rifle at them ; that two RUC men opened fire ; that they saw Michael Tighe point a rifle at them ; that they fired at him ; that McCauley re-appeared and they fired again .
They found no ammunition in the shed . The electronic bug had picked up everything that had happened . There was a tape , and it was when John Stalker got close to this tape in his investigation of the killings that he was removed . The tape could have proved that the RUC were lying . Martin McCauley was charged with possession of a firearm , found guilty , and given a two-year suspended sentence . The RUC admitted they had lied about a man with a gun near the scene . They admitted they had been staking the place out .
Michael Tighe had no connections with any paramilitary organisations . He was seventeen years old . Of this shooting , John Stalker had the following to say --
-- " As an individual I also passionately believe that if a police force of the United Kingdom could , in cold blood ,kill a seventeen-year-old youth with no terrorist or criminal convictions , and then plot to hide the evidence from a senior policeman deputed to investigate it , then the shame belonged to us all . This is the act of a Central American assassination squad - truly of a police force out of control " .
(MORE LATER).
Friday, April 09, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
....... U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and the leader of Clan na Gael , Judge Daniel Cohalan , were old enemies - they had 'fallen-out' with each other over the 'League of Nations' , which Judge Cohalan was set against .......
Also , while U.S. President Woodrow Wilson was travelling America on a speaking tour during the last few months of 1919 , he was closely shadowed by Clan na Gael operatives and , in every town and city that Wilson spoke in (and indeed towns and cities neighbouring same !) , full-page advertisements were placed in newspapers attacking him for not taking a stronger stand against the British . Wilson was aware that Cohalan and the Clan were responsible for same .
Judge Daniel Cohalan was known to be serious about his involvement with the Irish Rebel cause but , occasionally , he would put domestic issues first - he was known to be of the opinion that the 'League of Nations' was a ploy by the British to integrate themselves into American society . Irish supporters were being pulled in many different directions ...
However - I digress (again ; another tangent , I know ....!) : within both the 'Clan na Gael' and 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' groups there were those who supported the 'FOIF' 'gentle prodding' approach and those who supported the 'Clan' option of 'put-it-in-your-manifesto-or-loose-the-Irish-vote' position - indeed , (another tangent....)
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......We were now in position to carry-out the ambush ; the waiting was the worse - knowing that we would soon have to inflict suffering on other men ......."
" But we knew , in our case , it was an effort to counter a long established terror . Every other means had been tried . But still the tragedy persisted . The ordinary British soldier , whom we would meet that day , was but the unwilling tool of the war-monger . There was nothing left for us to do but fight the tools , since we could not meet the masters . We would fight them as fairly as possible , but they would not have the advantage of the morning , their firearms versus our sticks .
The British lorries passed by at two p.m. on their return journey to Macroom . With regret we let them go . With the garrison only a mile and a half away to the west , and the patrol the same distance east of us , and with our poor armament , we could not do otherwise . We descended to the road and each group took the place allotted to them . The road from Clondrohid , hardly the width of two cars , bent sharply around the Slippery Rock which sloped upwards from its southern side . It was called 'The Slippery Rock' by children coming home from school , who , seating themselves on flat stones , used to slide down its sloping face .
It was now occupied by Paddy Donncha Eoin and three men with shotguns ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(2 of 12).
The next killing was thirteen days later and was related to a previous incident . MI5 bugged a hayshed belonging to the widow of a Republican at Ballyneery Road , outside Lurgan . The hayshed was constructed of breeze blocks and corrugated iron , and the electronic bug was placed in the rafters . The IRA moved explosives into the building and the British Army and RUC monitored all of this . The entire area around there and Kinnego was on high alert . This was 27th October 1982 .
The RUC had been instructed not to enter the area ; RUC Sergeant Sean Quinn and Constables Paul Hamilton and Alan McCloy asked for permission to go into the area . Checks were carried out and they were given permission to proceed . They were also told that the explosives were still in the shed . They were'nt ....
The IRA had managed to take them out despite the surveillance . The three RUC men were killed in an explosion of those same explosives . An informer allegedly came forward and gave the names of four men who were involved . On 11th November 1982 , three of those named were killed in the above-mentioned ambush (see '1 of 12') . But the RUC and the British Army still had the shed under surveillance , and by now the RUC had also planted three sixty-year-old rifles in the shed .
The owner of the shed was away , and Martin McCauley had been asked to look after it . With his friend Michael Tighe , he noticed that the window of the shed was open - both entered and spotted the weapons ; as they moved closer to them , two shots rang out and Michael Tighe disappeared . Then there was a shout - " Right , come on out " , followed by a burst of gunfire . Martin McCauley was hit and could'nt move . He was dragged from the shed and an RUC man threatened to finish him off , and put a gun to his head .
The RUC story was much different.......
(MORE LATER).
....... U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and the leader of Clan na Gael , Judge Daniel Cohalan , were old enemies - they had 'fallen-out' with each other over the 'League of Nations' , which Judge Cohalan was set against .......
Also , while U.S. President Woodrow Wilson was travelling America on a speaking tour during the last few months of 1919 , he was closely shadowed by Clan na Gael operatives and , in every town and city that Wilson spoke in (and indeed towns and cities neighbouring same !) , full-page advertisements were placed in newspapers attacking him for not taking a stronger stand against the British . Wilson was aware that Cohalan and the Clan were responsible for same .
Judge Daniel Cohalan was known to be serious about his involvement with the Irish Rebel cause but , occasionally , he would put domestic issues first - he was known to be of the opinion that the 'League of Nations' was a ploy by the British to integrate themselves into American society . Irish supporters were being pulled in many different directions ...
However - I digress (again ; another tangent , I know ....!) : within both the 'Clan na Gael' and 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' groups there were those who supported the 'FOIF' 'gentle prodding' approach and those who supported the 'Clan' option of 'put-it-in-your-manifesto-or-loose-the-Irish-vote' position - indeed , (another tangent....)
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......We were now in position to carry-out the ambush ; the waiting was the worse - knowing that we would soon have to inflict suffering on other men ......."
" But we knew , in our case , it was an effort to counter a long established terror . Every other means had been tried . But still the tragedy persisted . The ordinary British soldier , whom we would meet that day , was but the unwilling tool of the war-monger . There was nothing left for us to do but fight the tools , since we could not meet the masters . We would fight them as fairly as possible , but they would not have the advantage of the morning , their firearms versus our sticks .
The British lorries passed by at two p.m. on their return journey to Macroom . With regret we let them go . With the garrison only a mile and a half away to the west , and the patrol the same distance east of us , and with our poor armament , we could not do otherwise . We descended to the road and each group took the place allotted to them . The road from Clondrohid , hardly the width of two cars , bent sharply around the Slippery Rock which sloped upwards from its southern side . It was called 'The Slippery Rock' by children coming home from school , who , seating themselves on flat stones , used to slide down its sloping face .
It was now occupied by Paddy Donncha Eoin and three men with shotguns ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(2 of 12).
The next killing was thirteen days later and was related to a previous incident . MI5 bugged a hayshed belonging to the widow of a Republican at Ballyneery Road , outside Lurgan . The hayshed was constructed of breeze blocks and corrugated iron , and the electronic bug was placed in the rafters . The IRA moved explosives into the building and the British Army and RUC monitored all of this . The entire area around there and Kinnego was on high alert . This was 27th October 1982 .
The RUC had been instructed not to enter the area ; RUC Sergeant Sean Quinn and Constables Paul Hamilton and Alan McCloy asked for permission to go into the area . Checks were carried out and they were given permission to proceed . They were also told that the explosives were still in the shed . They were'nt ....
The IRA had managed to take them out despite the surveillance . The three RUC men were killed in an explosion of those same explosives . An informer allegedly came forward and gave the names of four men who were involved . On 11th November 1982 , three of those named were killed in the above-mentioned ambush (see '1 of 12') . But the RUC and the British Army still had the shed under surveillance , and by now the RUC had also planted three sixty-year-old rifles in the shed .
The owner of the shed was away , and Martin McCauley had been asked to look after it . With his friend Michael Tighe , he noticed that the window of the shed was open - both entered and spotted the weapons ; as they moved closer to them , two shots rang out and Michael Tighe disappeared . Then there was a shout - " Right , come on out " , followed by a burst of gunfire . Martin McCauley was hit and could'nt move . He was dragged from the shed and an RUC man threatened to finish him off , and put a gun to his head .
The RUC story was much different.......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, April 08, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......dis-agreement in the Irish camp ; some wanted to gently persuade the U.S. Presidential candidates to remember the Irish situation , others wanted a more forceful approach - circumstances , grudges and in-fighting were by now joining the fray .......
A few years previously (ie around 1916), the Clan na Gael group (as powerful then as it was now in 1920) had brought pressure to bear on U.S. President Wilson to demand from the British that they get out of Ireland . Wilson was not overtly concerned about the Irish situation , but was damned if he was going to support any proposals /requests /demands from a man he dis-liked ; U.S. Democrat (and Irish Fenian) Judge Daniel Cohalan !
It was Cohalan and the Clan organisation that financed the opposition to U.S. President Wilson's ' League of Nations ' proposal - indeed , of the estimated $900,000 dollar 'war fund' that the Clan had , only $115,000 dollars was spent in Ireland ; the other $785,000 dollars was spent in attacking the 'League of Nations ' , or "Britains League" , as Judge Daniel Cohalan and John Devoy called it .
The 'Big Guns' of the day - Henry Cabot Lodge and William Borah , for instance - addressed huge rallies against Wilson's /'Britains' League organised and financed by Clan na Geal .....
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......On our way to ambush a British Army patrol on the Clondrohid Road , we walked across Paddy Beag's field ; there was about twenty of us , including Paddy's son , Jer ......."
" We told Paddy that it was a shame to be working on that fine day . Were it not that we had so much to do we would now make up the hay for him . Did he not know that we were all coming back in the near future , perhaps that very evening , to give him a hand ? It would be advisable for him , therefore , to sit down and take things easy until we returned . This provoked his ironic laughter , and the last I heard of his satire as we streamed over the hill was something about " idle cadays ".
From the northern slope of Cnoc an Uir we looked down on the Clondrohid Road . The Vice-Commandant of our Battalion , Paddy O'Sullivan (Paddy Donncha Eoin), was with us , and the IRA Company Area Captain , Patsy Lynch . They held a council of war to which we were all admitted - no IRA Volunteer was debarred from making a suggestion . That was one of the ways in which we differed from a regular army . From our height , we looked down on the positions we were to occupy . Each man , or group , was directed where to go .
In the meantime , we would have to wait until the two British Army military lorries which had gone on to Ballyvourney returned . While we would be hidden from the British patrol coming from the east , we could not remain unseen by anyone coming from the west . We had to wait a long time for the return of the lorries . Waiting was always a strain . The thought inevitably recurred to the mind of the normal man of the tragedy of lying across the path of his fellow man , to cut short his life , or more or less maim him and cause him suffering . It did not require much intelligence to visualise that .
The mind then asked why such a savage procedure was necessary ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(1 of 12).
The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) shot dead six men in three separate incidents around Armagh towards the end of 1982 . Here's how they did it --
-- It was shortly before 7pm on 11th November , 1982 . Eugene Toman and Sean Burns returned to Lurgan , having just returned to active service with the IRA . Burns had been identified on an IRA operation and had been advised to leave Lurgan . He refused . And so , on this Thursday evening , both men slipped quietly back into the town .
The night was dark as they drove towards Gervaise McKerr's house . They were going to wait there for another car to take them to a safe-house for the night . Eugene Toman ate tea and toast and Sean Burns had cornflakes . Both men were cracking jokes with a girl in the house . Gervaise McKerr left the house in his green Ford Escort (reg UPF 77S). By 9.30pm he had returned and he drove both men away .
At Tullygally Road East , the RUC were waiting . McKerr's car was well known and they had the men under surveillance . Three RUC men ambushed the car , fired 108 bullets into it from a Sterling sub-machinegun , Rurer rifles and a handgun . All of the men in the car , unarmed, died instantly . The killing area extended to five hundred yards . The RUC told lies about what happened . They said there was a roadblock ; that McKerr had driven through , injuring one of their men .
They said they believed they were being fired on , that they returned fire and the Escort left the road . The RUC claimed that when they got to the car all three men were dead . All the RUC men were instructed to leave the scene at once and they took their cars and guns . They were de-briefed by Special Branch men . About twenty empty cartridges were removed deliberately from the scene .
McKerr's house was raided by the RUC after the killings , but his wife was never told that he was dead ; a Catholic Priest told her more than six hours later . None of the relatives of the three dead men was ever contacted by the RUC officers investigating the killings .......
(MORE LATER).
.......dis-agreement in the Irish camp ; some wanted to gently persuade the U.S. Presidential candidates to remember the Irish situation , others wanted a more forceful approach - circumstances , grudges and in-fighting were by now joining the fray .......
A few years previously (ie around 1916), the Clan na Gael group (as powerful then as it was now in 1920) had brought pressure to bear on U.S. President Wilson to demand from the British that they get out of Ireland . Wilson was not overtly concerned about the Irish situation , but was damned if he was going to support any proposals /requests /demands from a man he dis-liked ; U.S. Democrat (and Irish Fenian) Judge Daniel Cohalan !
It was Cohalan and the Clan organisation that financed the opposition to U.S. President Wilson's ' League of Nations ' proposal - indeed , of the estimated $900,000 dollar 'war fund' that the Clan had , only $115,000 dollars was spent in Ireland ; the other $785,000 dollars was spent in attacking the 'League of Nations ' , or "Britains League" , as Judge Daniel Cohalan and John Devoy called it .
The 'Big Guns' of the day - Henry Cabot Lodge and William Borah , for instance - addressed huge rallies against Wilson's /'Britains' League organised and financed by Clan na Geal .....
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......On our way to ambush a British Army patrol on the Clondrohid Road , we walked across Paddy Beag's field ; there was about twenty of us , including Paddy's son , Jer ......."
" We told Paddy that it was a shame to be working on that fine day . Were it not that we had so much to do we would now make up the hay for him . Did he not know that we were all coming back in the near future , perhaps that very evening , to give him a hand ? It would be advisable for him , therefore , to sit down and take things easy until we returned . This provoked his ironic laughter , and the last I heard of his satire as we streamed over the hill was something about " idle cadays ".
From the northern slope of Cnoc an Uir we looked down on the Clondrohid Road . The Vice-Commandant of our Battalion , Paddy O'Sullivan (Paddy Donncha Eoin), was with us , and the IRA Company Area Captain , Patsy Lynch . They held a council of war to which we were all admitted - no IRA Volunteer was debarred from making a suggestion . That was one of the ways in which we differed from a regular army . From our height , we looked down on the positions we were to occupy . Each man , or group , was directed where to go .
In the meantime , we would have to wait until the two British Army military lorries which had gone on to Ballyvourney returned . While we would be hidden from the British patrol coming from the east , we could not remain unseen by anyone coming from the west . We had to wait a long time for the return of the lorries . Waiting was always a strain . The thought inevitably recurred to the mind of the normal man of the tragedy of lying across the path of his fellow man , to cut short his life , or more or less maim him and cause him suffering . It did not require much intelligence to visualise that .
The mind then asked why such a savage procedure was necessary ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE STALKING OF JOHN STALKER ;
Derek Dunne (journalist) traces the background to the 'STALKER AFFAIR' and details the weekend that JOHN STALKER flew to IRELAND as a hero .
(This article was first published in the 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , on 18th February 1988 , pages 14 , 15 and 16 ; we reproduce it here in 12 parts ....)
(1 of 12).
The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) shot dead six men in three separate incidents around Armagh towards the end of 1982 . Here's how they did it --
-- It was shortly before 7pm on 11th November , 1982 . Eugene Toman and Sean Burns returned to Lurgan , having just returned to active service with the IRA . Burns had been identified on an IRA operation and had been advised to leave Lurgan . He refused . And so , on this Thursday evening , both men slipped quietly back into the town .
The night was dark as they drove towards Gervaise McKerr's house . They were going to wait there for another car to take them to a safe-house for the night . Eugene Toman ate tea and toast and Sean Burns had cornflakes . Both men were cracking jokes with a girl in the house . Gervaise McKerr left the house in his green Ford Escort (reg UPF 77S). By 9.30pm he had returned and he drove both men away .
At Tullygally Road East , the RUC were waiting . McKerr's car was well known and they had the men under surveillance . Three RUC men ambushed the car , fired 108 bullets into it from a Sterling sub-machinegun , Rurer rifles and a handgun . All of the men in the car , unarmed, died instantly . The killing area extended to five hundred yards . The RUC told lies about what happened . They said there was a roadblock ; that McKerr had driven through , injuring one of their men .
They said they believed they were being fired on , that they returned fire and the Escort left the road . The RUC claimed that when they got to the car all three men were dead . All the RUC men were instructed to leave the scene at once and they took their cars and guns . They were de-briefed by Special Branch men . About twenty empty cartridges were removed deliberately from the scene .
McKerr's house was raided by the RUC after the killings , but his wife was never told that he was dead ; a Catholic Priest told her more than six hours later . None of the relatives of the three dead men was ever contacted by the RUC officers investigating the killings .......
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......The Irish-American support group , the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' , was 'gently-prodding' the candidates in the November 1920 U. S. Presidential Election not to forget the Irish situation - the candidates were gently , but firmly , reminded that the Irish vote could be of assistance to them in their bid to be elected .......
However , others in the Irish camp did not agree that 'gentle-prodding' was the way to go ; de Valera had support in the Clan na Gael organisation (and some support in the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' organisation as well) for his opinion that , using the huge Irish vote as leverage , both U.S. Presidential candidates could and should be convinced to take a stronger line re the Irish (ie British) problem -
- that is , that if they wanted the Irish vote , then both candidates would have to have it included in their manifesto's that the Irish situation would be a priority for them (ie a 'Brits Out' policy). However , some members of the Clan na Gael were more , or also , supportive of the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' 'gentle-prodding' route ....confusion reigned .
Circumstances , grudges and in-fighting were by now joining the fray .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......Myself and 'Mick the Soldier' were to be the first to make a move against the British Army patrol - we were to disarm the Brit Officer while the rest of the IRA Unit took-on the Brit soldiers . One of our scouts arrived and told us the enemy was on its way ......."
" The scout cycled back towards Ballyvourney village and again returned with the news that they had left the main road and were now travelling on the road to Clondrohid , roughly parallel to ours and behind our backs . The scout remarked that we must wait for another day ; we did not think so at all , as we knew that a mile or less across country would bring us to the Clondrohid Road , where we could intercept them on their way back to Ballyvourney . The ' patrons of the cudgel' claimed that the proposed ground was unsuitable for the use of their weapon , due to open spaces along the road . Here , some wag remarked that the day was not suitable either , that we should wait until next Fair-Day ! Eventually , it was decided to send for seven or eight shotguns , and to man the nearest suitable stretch of road .
On our way over the hill we passed through Paddy Beag's meadow ; Paddy and another old man were at the hay . We must have numbered about twenty , between armed and un-armed men . It was a strange sight , in the middle of a fine harvest day , to see this body of young men pass through the field where two old men worked hard . Paddy thought so too , and told us so emphatically in Irish and English . His son Jer was with us . Under the lee of a group of us , Jer passed by his father , unseen , while we replied cheerfully to Paddy's commentary . The fine day and the waste of labour seemed to be his principal trouble ......."
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part Four).
Yitzhak Shamir , a man of few words who served for a decade as 'Chief of Operations' for the Mossad , Israel's Central Intelligence Agency , has been reticent to respond publicly to questions about his Irgun and Lehi activities .
Lehi gunmen assassinated Lord Moyne , the British Minister of State for the Middle East , in Cairo in 1944 because he favoured halting further Jewish immigration to Palestine in the face of increasing violent Arab opposition .
Shamir was also suspected , in the 1940's , of plotting to launch a letter-bomb campaign against officials in London to sap Britain's determination to remain in Palestine . In Lehi's most egregious act of 'terrorism' , its gunmen assassinated Count Bernadotte , who had been trying to mediate the future of Jerusalem .
Bernadotte was killed on 16th September , 1948 - five months AFTER Israel's independence !
[END of - 'EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER.....'].
(Tomorrow - Armagh , Ireland , 1982 ; six men shot dead by the RUC - in May 1984 , a British Chief Constable , JOHN STALKER , was appointed to 'investigate' the killings : 'THE STALKER AFFAIR').
.......The Irish-American support group , the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' , was 'gently-prodding' the candidates in the November 1920 U. S. Presidential Election not to forget the Irish situation - the candidates were gently , but firmly , reminded that the Irish vote could be of assistance to them in their bid to be elected .......
However , others in the Irish camp did not agree that 'gentle-prodding' was the way to go ; de Valera had support in the Clan na Gael organisation (and some support in the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' organisation as well) for his opinion that , using the huge Irish vote as leverage , both U.S. Presidential candidates could and should be convinced to take a stronger line re the Irish (ie British) problem -
- that is , that if they wanted the Irish vote , then both candidates would have to have it included in their manifesto's that the Irish situation would be a priority for them (ie a 'Brits Out' policy). However , some members of the Clan na Gael were more , or also , supportive of the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' 'gentle-prodding' route ....confusion reigned .
Circumstances , grudges and in-fighting were by now joining the fray .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......Myself and 'Mick the Soldier' were to be the first to make a move against the British Army patrol - we were to disarm the Brit Officer while the rest of the IRA Unit took-on the Brit soldiers . One of our scouts arrived and told us the enemy was on its way ......."
" The scout cycled back towards Ballyvourney village and again returned with the news that they had left the main road and were now travelling on the road to Clondrohid , roughly parallel to ours and behind our backs . The scout remarked that we must wait for another day ; we did not think so at all , as we knew that a mile or less across country would bring us to the Clondrohid Road , where we could intercept them on their way back to Ballyvourney . The ' patrons of the cudgel' claimed that the proposed ground was unsuitable for the use of their weapon , due to open spaces along the road . Here , some wag remarked that the day was not suitable either , that we should wait until next Fair-Day ! Eventually , it was decided to send for seven or eight shotguns , and to man the nearest suitable stretch of road .
On our way over the hill we passed through Paddy Beag's meadow ; Paddy and another old man were at the hay . We must have numbered about twenty , between armed and un-armed men . It was a strange sight , in the middle of a fine harvest day , to see this body of young men pass through the field where two old men worked hard . Paddy thought so too , and told us so emphatically in Irish and English . His son Jer was with us . Under the lee of a group of us , Jer passed by his father , unseen , while we replied cheerfully to Paddy's commentary . The fine day and the waste of labour seemed to be his principal trouble ......."
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part Four).
Yitzhak Shamir , a man of few words who served for a decade as 'Chief of Operations' for the Mossad , Israel's Central Intelligence Agency , has been reticent to respond publicly to questions about his Irgun and Lehi activities .
Lehi gunmen assassinated Lord Moyne , the British Minister of State for the Middle East , in Cairo in 1944 because he favoured halting further Jewish immigration to Palestine in the face of increasing violent Arab opposition .
Shamir was also suspected , in the 1940's , of plotting to launch a letter-bomb campaign against officials in London to sap Britain's determination to remain in Palestine . In Lehi's most egregious act of 'terrorism' , its gunmen assassinated Count Bernadotte , who had been trying to mediate the future of Jerusalem .
Bernadotte was killed on 16th September , 1948 - five months AFTER Israel's independence !
[END of - 'EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER.....'].
(Tomorrow - Armagh , Ireland , 1982 ; six men shot dead by the RUC - in May 1984 , a British Chief Constable , JOHN STALKER , was appointed to 'investigate' the killings : 'THE STALKER AFFAIR').
Tuesday, April 06, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......Both Irish-American support groups in the United States , 'Clan na Gael' and the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' , were well-organised and played their part well .......
In the months following the 1916 Rising , the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' group (then only a few weeks in existence) raised $350,000 dollars for the dependents of Irish Republican prisoners . As well as fund-raising in America in 1920 , Eamon de Valera was there to lobby both of the main political parties which were contesting the U S Presidential Election due to be held in November that year (1920).
The 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' group were gently , but firmly , talking to both the (American) Republican and Democratic candidates , telling them that it would be appreciated by the 'FOIF' (and , by extension , the Irish voters in the election campaign) if both politicians could see their way to voice sympathy for Ireland's position (ie re the British presence) and perhaps express goodwill towards a (hopefully) soon-to-be (re)established United Ireland . Leading members of the 'FOIF' , such as John Devoy and Judge Daniel Cohalan , (a U S Democratic) considered such 'gentle-prodding' to be the best way forward .
Others did not agree .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
"....... the IRA Unit in Ballyvourney had set-up an ambush-point at the eastern end of their village , but had to disperse when a crowd of old Rebel ladies objected , loudly , to someone else having a go at the Brits from their patch ......."
" Paddy Donncha Eoin ordered an immediate retreat . Most of the IRA Unit favoured that decision , but a few maintained that he should have stood his ground . But they were 'highbrows' in the language movement . The old ladies' technique was , they declared , obsolete . Besides , they spoke only English and Irish . That limited their fire power . They , the 'highbrows' , had studied American and other foreign languages , thus vastly increasing their effective volume ! Nevertheless , they were prepared to admit that the 'Old Guard' had done very well .
Now we appeared on the scene . I must say we got a very mixed reception . Excepting my soldier comrade , few of us had as yet much experience of war . I noticed that it was those with the least experience who were the most vociferous - they were also the most parochial minded . They asserted that they were quite capable of dealing with any situation without any help foreign to the parish . We mildly replied that we were born three miles away on that hill to the south , which not so long ago was part of their parish . They gave us the assurance , many times reiterated , that no British soldier was to be shot that day ...
They were to take the rifles from them without bloodshed ; now my comrade was , alas , a 'hard man' , and I cannot therefore record his comments on this pronouncement ! They further intimated that no firearms were to be used in the action - making no reply , we leaned our rifles against a convenient rock and , unbuckling our revolvers and ammunition slings , laid them down . We picked up two cudgels instead and , making ourselves comfortable on improvised seats inside the fence of the road , we waited....
Presently , a Ballyvourney IRA Officer arrived and asked us to recover our revolvers and go to the extreme end of the ambush site , to halt and disarm the British Army Officer leading the Brit patrol . We took up these positions . Soon , an IRA scout on a bicycle arrived with the news that the British Army patrol was on its way ....... "
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part Three).
Retaliating for Arab attacks on Jewish civilians , both the Irgun and Lehi groups machine-gunned passing Arab busses and bombed restaurants and open-air markets , killing more than 300 civilians between 1937 and 1939 .
Pressuring London to surrender its United Nations mandate over Palestine , they assassinated more than 300 British policemen and soldiers and one Government Minister in the 1940's , 'terrorism expert' Maurius Schattner said .
According to Schattner - " They used blind terrorism against Arabs and personal terrorism against the British , " said the French-Jewish author , who is writing a book on the ideological history of the Irgun and Lehi .
(MORE LATER).
.......Both Irish-American support groups in the United States , 'Clan na Gael' and the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' , were well-organised and played their part well .......
In the months following the 1916 Rising , the 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' group (then only a few weeks in existence) raised $350,000 dollars for the dependents of Irish Republican prisoners . As well as fund-raising in America in 1920 , Eamon de Valera was there to lobby both of the main political parties which were contesting the U S Presidential Election due to be held in November that year (1920).
The 'Friends Of Irish Freedom' group were gently , but firmly , talking to both the (American) Republican and Democratic candidates , telling them that it would be appreciated by the 'FOIF' (and , by extension , the Irish voters in the election campaign) if both politicians could see their way to voice sympathy for Ireland's position (ie re the British presence) and perhaps express goodwill towards a (hopefully) soon-to-be (re)established United Ireland . Leading members of the 'FOIF' , such as John Devoy and Judge Daniel Cohalan , (a U S Democratic) considered such 'gentle-prodding' to be the best way forward .
Others did not agree .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
"....... the IRA Unit in Ballyvourney had set-up an ambush-point at the eastern end of their village , but had to disperse when a crowd of old Rebel ladies objected , loudly , to someone else having a go at the Brits from their patch ......."
" Paddy Donncha Eoin ordered an immediate retreat . Most of the IRA Unit favoured that decision , but a few maintained that he should have stood his ground . But they were 'highbrows' in the language movement . The old ladies' technique was , they declared , obsolete . Besides , they spoke only English and Irish . That limited their fire power . They , the 'highbrows' , had studied American and other foreign languages , thus vastly increasing their effective volume ! Nevertheless , they were prepared to admit that the 'Old Guard' had done very well .
Now we appeared on the scene . I must say we got a very mixed reception . Excepting my soldier comrade , few of us had as yet much experience of war . I noticed that it was those with the least experience who were the most vociferous - they were also the most parochial minded . They asserted that they were quite capable of dealing with any situation without any help foreign to the parish . We mildly replied that we were born three miles away on that hill to the south , which not so long ago was part of their parish . They gave us the assurance , many times reiterated , that no British soldier was to be shot that day ...
They were to take the rifles from them without bloodshed ; now my comrade was , alas , a 'hard man' , and I cannot therefore record his comments on this pronouncement ! They further intimated that no firearms were to be used in the action - making no reply , we leaned our rifles against a convenient rock and , unbuckling our revolvers and ammunition slings , laid them down . We picked up two cudgels instead and , making ourselves comfortable on improvised seats inside the fence of the road , we waited....
Presently , a Ballyvourney IRA Officer arrived and asked us to recover our revolvers and go to the extreme end of the ambush site , to halt and disarm the British Army Officer leading the Brit patrol . We took up these positions . Soon , an IRA scout on a bicycle arrived with the news that the British Army patrol was on its way ....... "
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part Three).
Retaliating for Arab attacks on Jewish civilians , both the Irgun and Lehi groups machine-gunned passing Arab busses and bombed restaurants and open-air markets , killing more than 300 civilians between 1937 and 1939 .
Pressuring London to surrender its United Nations mandate over Palestine , they assassinated more than 300 British policemen and soldiers and one Government Minister in the 1940's , 'terrorism expert' Maurius Schattner said .
According to Schattner - " They used blind terrorism against Arabs and personal terrorism against the British , " said the French-Jewish author , who is writing a book on the ideological history of the Irgun and Lehi .
(MORE LATER).
Monday, April 05, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......The Irish were well-organised in America and assisted Eamon de Valera in raising approximately five-and-a-half million dollars for the Irish struggle ; there were two main Irish-American support groups ; 'Clan na Gael' and the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' group (FOIF) , which was itself controlled by 'Clan na Gael'...... .
Members of the 'Clan' were militant , and openly supported the physical force element in the struggle for Irish Freedom - they supported the Irish Republican Brotherhood and recognised the Brotherhood " as the Government of the Irish Republic virtually established . " They had no second-thoughts about the use of force in removing the British presence from Ireland .
On the other hand , the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' group (although guided by the 'Clan') stated that its aim was "to encourage and assist any movement that will tend to bring about the National Independence of Ireland ." Both groups , while perhaps not seeing eye-to-eye on every issue , played their parts well .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......We discussed the proposed ambush on the Brits , and myself and 'Mick the Soldier decided to help out on the operation . We walked the four miles to Ballyvourney ......."
" As we approached Poul na Bro Bridge , we noticed some activity along the far side of the main road . Men appeared to be lining a stretch of it . We wondered at this , as Seainin had told us that the village , nearly a mile to the west , would be the scene of the venture . We sent Seainin ahead to investigate ; in a short time he returned with the news - as he approached we could tell that something amusing had happened . So it had ...
The lads had , as they thought , unobtrusively occupied the eastern half of the village . Certainly , from the military point of view , it appears that they did it well - there were small disused houses , sheds , laneways and corners that could fairly be described as no-man's land . These they had quietly garrisoned , but they reckoned without another enemy worse than the foreign one ; a number of active old ladies also occupied that zone at that particular period of history . If there was a war to be waged in their terrority , they were well able to cope with their own end of it .
Already , the old Rebel ladies had , on many occasions and from time immemorial , triumphed over enemies , both foreign and domestic . They now appeared , in battle array , before Paddy Donncha Eoin and his men . Simultaneously with their ultimatum for the instant evacution of all occupied buildings and terrain , they demonstrated the morale-shaking effect of vocal warfare ......."
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part Two).
Yitzhak Shamir's 'IRGUN' organisation , and the activities of the 'LEHI' group , have been recounted in several books and articles . But as he began his third term as Prime Minister last month (ie December 1988) , Shamir's past was raised again by Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) officials anxious to neutralise their own image as 'terrorists' .
" Americans deny Yasser Arafat a visa because he's a 'terrorist' but make Shamir their best friend . Is that justice ? " asked Bassam Abu Sharif , a top aide to the PLO chairman , in an interview in Geneva .
There is no doubt that many of the attacks that Irgun and Lehi staged in fighting both Arabs and British to make a Jewish state out of Palestine fall within any generally accepted definition of 'terrorism' .....
(MORE LATER).
.......The Irish were well-organised in America and assisted Eamon de Valera in raising approximately five-and-a-half million dollars for the Irish struggle ; there were two main Irish-American support groups ; 'Clan na Gael' and the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' group (FOIF) , which was itself controlled by 'Clan na Gael'...... .
Members of the 'Clan' were militant , and openly supported the physical force element in the struggle for Irish Freedom - they supported the Irish Republican Brotherhood and recognised the Brotherhood " as the Government of the Irish Republic virtually established . " They had no second-thoughts about the use of force in removing the British presence from Ireland .
On the other hand , the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' group (although guided by the 'Clan') stated that its aim was "to encourage and assist any movement that will tend to bring about the National Independence of Ireland ." Both groups , while perhaps not seeing eye-to-eye on every issue , played their parts well .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......We discussed the proposed ambush on the Brits , and myself and 'Mick the Soldier decided to help out on the operation . We walked the four miles to Ballyvourney ......."
" As we approached Poul na Bro Bridge , we noticed some activity along the far side of the main road . Men appeared to be lining a stretch of it . We wondered at this , as Seainin had told us that the village , nearly a mile to the west , would be the scene of the venture . We sent Seainin ahead to investigate ; in a short time he returned with the news - as he approached we could tell that something amusing had happened . So it had ...
The lads had , as they thought , unobtrusively occupied the eastern half of the village . Certainly , from the military point of view , it appears that they did it well - there were small disused houses , sheds , laneways and corners that could fairly be described as no-man's land . These they had quietly garrisoned , but they reckoned without another enemy worse than the foreign one ; a number of active old ladies also occupied that zone at that particular period of history . If there was a war to be waged in their terrority , they were well able to cope with their own end of it .
Already , the old Rebel ladies had , on many occasions and from time immemorial , triumphed over enemies , both foreign and domestic . They now appeared , in battle array , before Paddy Donncha Eoin and his men . Simultaneously with their ultimatum for the instant evacution of all occupied buildings and terrain , they demonstrated the morale-shaking effect of vocal warfare ......."
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part Two).
Yitzhak Shamir's 'IRGUN' organisation , and the activities of the 'LEHI' group , have been recounted in several books and articles . But as he began his third term as Prime Minister last month (ie December 1988) , Shamir's past was raised again by Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) officials anxious to neutralise their own image as 'terrorists' .
" Americans deny Yasser Arafat a visa because he's a 'terrorist' but make Shamir their best friend . Is that justice ? " asked Bassam Abu Sharif , a top aide to the PLO chairman , in an interview in Geneva .
There is no doubt that many of the attacks that Irgun and Lehi staged in fighting both Arabs and British to make a Jewish state out of Palestine fall within any generally accepted definition of 'terrorism' .....
(MORE LATER).
Sunday, April 04, 2004
The Irish-American 'GROWL' ; the 'AARIR'- 'American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic ' .......
.......As President of the (32-County) Irish Republic , Eamon de Valera was in America - it was early in 1920 .......
In January 1920 , de Valera launched a 'Bond Drive' - printed certificates were sold with a guarantee that same could be exchanged for an Irish Republican Bond after British dis-engagement had occured and an (all-island) Irish Republic had been declared .
It was apparently envisaged that 'Bond Holders' would be in a financial position to assist with the development of industry in the New Ireland ; approximately five-and-a-half million dollars was raised in this way , out of which over four million dollars was sent back to Ireland . At that time , there were two main Irish support groups in America - 'Clan na Gael' (founded in June 1867 by Jerome J. Collins) and the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' (FOIF) organisation , founded in March 1916 by different Irish groups collectively known as the ' Irish Race Convention '.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......One of the IRA Volunteers from Ballyvourney , Seainin Donncha Eoin , told myself and 'Mick the Soldier' of a plan his men were putting together to ambush a British Army patrol . It was not much of a plan......."
" The time for such a job was past . My ex-soldier comrade thought less of it . Seainin did not fancy it either , but would do exactly as he was directed . " Well , Seainin ," I said , " we will give you our revolvers now , but if you have no objection we will go with you since we are leisurely and we would like to see the fun in any case . " " I have no objection ," replied Seainin . " I was told to bring two revolvers , and if I turn up with two men armed with rifles and revolvers so much the better . "
Here I must explain that IRA Company areas were in reality parish or half-parish areas , and that between them there was a certain rivalry , the same rivalry that spurred the youth of one parish in hurling or other games against the neighbouring parishes . The arms of the enemy were now the goal of all , but who would be the first to reach it ?
Ballyvourney was four miles distant , due north . A road led us straight down steep Caherdaha (Cathair Daithi) across the little bridge at Atha Tiompain over the Sulainin Beag , up Ceann Droma , past Clohina , down Ceapach na Coille , by the foot of Rahoona Hill , to cross the Sullane at Poul na Bro Bridge , a hundred yards from the Macroom-Ballyvourney Road ....... "
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part One).
On a hot July morning in 1938 , Jewish 'terrorists' retaliating against Arab 'terrorist' attacks on Jews rolled an explosive-laden drum into a bus stop in the city of Haifa and killed 25 Arab civilians .
Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir was then a 23-year-old member of the group that carried out the attack , the National Military Organisation , known as the 'IRGUN' . On September 16 , 1948 , 'terrorists' from an Irgun splinter group assassinated the United Nations mediator for Palestine , Sweden's Count Folk Bernadotte , in a Jewish suburb .
Shamir was then 'Chief of Operations' for the splinter group , which was known as the 'Israel Freedom Fighters' or 'LEHI' , by its Hebrew acronym - but called The Stern Gang by the British military policemen who were the targets of its attacks ....
(MORE LATER).
.......As President of the (32-County) Irish Republic , Eamon de Valera was in America - it was early in 1920 .......
In January 1920 , de Valera launched a 'Bond Drive' - printed certificates were sold with a guarantee that same could be exchanged for an Irish Republican Bond after British dis-engagement had occured and an (all-island) Irish Republic had been declared .
It was apparently envisaged that 'Bond Holders' would be in a financial position to assist with the development of industry in the New Ireland ; approximately five-and-a-half million dollars was raised in this way , out of which over four million dollars was sent back to Ireland . At that time , there were two main Irish support groups in America - 'Clan na Gael' (founded in June 1867 by Jerome J. Collins) and the 'Friends of Irish Freedom' (FOIF) organisation , founded in March 1916 by different Irish groups collectively known as the ' Irish Race Convention '.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE SLIPPERY ROCK .......
".......One of the IRA Volunteers from Ballyvourney , Seainin Donncha Eoin , told myself and 'Mick the Soldier' of a plan his men were putting together to ambush a British Army patrol . It was not much of a plan......."
" The time for such a job was past . My ex-soldier comrade thought less of it . Seainin did not fancy it either , but would do exactly as he was directed . " Well , Seainin ," I said , " we will give you our revolvers now , but if you have no objection we will go with you since we are leisurely and we would like to see the fun in any case . " " I have no objection ," replied Seainin . " I was told to bring two revolvers , and if I turn up with two men armed with rifles and revolvers so much the better . "
Here I must explain that IRA Company areas were in reality parish or half-parish areas , and that between them there was a certain rivalry , the same rivalry that spurred the youth of one parish in hurling or other games against the neighbouring parishes . The arms of the enemy were now the goal of all , but who would be the first to reach it ?
Ballyvourney was four miles distant , due north . A road led us straight down steep Caherdaha (Cathair Daithi) across the little bridge at Atha Tiompain over the Sulainin Beag , up Ceann Droma , past Clohina , down Ceapach na Coille , by the foot of Rahoona Hill , to cross the Sullane at Poul na Bro Bridge , a hundred yards from the Macroom-Ballyvourney Road ....... "
(MORE LATER).
EX-'TERRORIST' , NOW PREMIER .
(From 'The Evening Press' newspaper , Saturday , 28th January 1989 ).
One man's 'terrorist'.....
(In four parts - Part One).
On a hot July morning in 1938 , Jewish 'terrorists' retaliating against Arab 'terrorist' attacks on Jews rolled an explosive-laden drum into a bus stop in the city of Haifa and killed 25 Arab civilians .
Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir was then a 23-year-old member of the group that carried out the attack , the National Military Organisation , known as the 'IRGUN' . On September 16 , 1948 , 'terrorists' from an Irgun splinter group assassinated the United Nations mediator for Palestine , Sweden's Count Folk Bernadotte , in a Jewish suburb .
Shamir was then 'Chief of Operations' for the splinter group , which was known as the 'Israel Freedom Fighters' or 'LEHI' , by its Hebrew acronym - but called The Stern Gang by the British military policemen who were the targets of its attacks ....
(MORE LATER).
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