JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce' .......
.......the Brits encouraged people to believe that the 1921 'Truce' was 'the beginning of the end' of 'the Irish Question' but , in that same year , 128 deaths were recorded in Belfast alone , and British troops in that part of Ireland were being strengthened .......
.....a 'tangent' here , concerning a major incident which took place in May 1921 , weeks before the 'Truce' came into operation ; in late May that year , the IRA decided to burn-down the centre of British Administration in Ireland - the Custom House in Dublin . The Dublin Brigade of the IRA (consisting of approximately 120 Volunteers) moved in on the building during working hours . Positions were taken-up around the Custom House by armed IRA Volunteers , while other (armed) members entered the building , carrying cans of petrol .
The civil servants working in the offices were told to get out , which all did , except for one woman who , having being told to leave immediately (incidentally , she was given that instruction by one of the IRA men who had been active on 'Bloody Sunday' , as the Brits called it , when Michael Collins hit out at British Intelligence operatives) replied - "You can't do that ..."
The IRA man showed the woman his revolver and the can of petrol he was carrying , and she is alleged to have said - " Can I get my hat and coat ?" to which he replied "Lady , you'll be lucky if you get your life ." She left the building immediately .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......our IRA Column consisted of fifty rifle men , with about twenty other IRA Volunteers 'on call' from Macroom ; we had no field pieces , having to make do with small arms and two Lewis-Guns....... "
" In one engagement which lasted for four hours , a section of the Column combined with the Macroom men to a total of only thirty , had put about forty out of ninty British Auxiliaries 'hors de combat' ; the intervention of overwhelming forces of the British regular Army saved the Auxies - we lost no man . Ever present in our minds was the thought that one day we would return to the Auxies the compliment of their often inopportune visits . In other words , we were anxious to give them the pleasure of playing the game of war with us on their own grounds .
Suggestions were invited from Officer and Private alike and all were examined ; the Macroom men were asked to investigate a legend we had heard about - an underground passage between the cellars of the Castle and the river bank . Such a gift was not for us , however , but we would be always welcome at the front door ! Eventually it was the front door that was decided upon , if we could get that far ...
During the second week of May 1921 , the Column left Ballyvourney to assist at the attack on a British Barracks in Kilgarvan , County Kerry ; we arrived in Kilgarvan in the afternoon to find that the Barracks had been evacuated only a few hours earlier . The Kerrymen invited us to stay in the neighbourhood for a few days as there was a prospect of meeting with a strong convoy of British military lorries - we agreed , and stayed at a small village or group of farmhouses on the southern slope of Mangerton Mountain . On Friday morning we had breakfast with these decent people , then we sat with them on the low walls outside their white-washed houses while the sun shone brightly .
We talked of many things , but one old man always brought the conversation back to earth , to the land : he would like to go with us to the good land , and fight for it too . The good land that had been taken from us - the land that would grow the big , strong men . That , the old man said , was the way to undo the conquest of Ireland , to put the people back again on the good land . Time has proved him right , but the wrong has not yet been made right . We were discussing this matter when a local IRA Volunteer arrived with a message ......."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
5 of 12.
Another man who vouched for Manucher Ghorbanifar , the Iranian arms dealer , was Michael A. Ledeen , a 'Consultant' to General Alexander Haig when he was U S Secretary of State , and later attached to the National Security Council . Mr. Ledeen is a frequent visitor to Israel - in the spring of 1985 he met Mr. Peres . When George Shultz heard about it , he warned Robert McFarlane that Israel had its own interests in Iran and they were not necessarily the same as those of the United States.
Robert McFarlane replied that Mr. Ledeen was acting for himself - Ledeen went back to Israel in July 1985 and there met Mr. Ghorbanifar ; they talked about arms and hostages with the Israelis .
Also interested in arranging an arms deal was Adnan Khasshoggi , a Saudi Arabian businessman and international arms dealer .......
(MORE LATER).
Sunday, July 11, 2004
JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce' .......
....... "Sure what more do the Irish want ...?" ; thus the Brits whispered to anyone that would listen to them , as they spread 'the big lie' that the 'Truce' was the end of the 'Irish Question' . In Ireland , however , events said otherwise .......
In Belfast alone , in 1921 , the death toll was 128 ; 13 members of the 'Crown Forces' and 115 civilians (comprising 72 Catholics and 43 Protestants). Needless to say , the Brits were not publicising this part of the 'Irish Question' ...
Much was made of the fact that the British Government had started (very publicly!) to re-arrange their military forces in South , East and West Ireland - orders were issued that all British Troops , Black and Tans and Auxiliaries were to base themselves in major barracks' only , in preparation for withdrawal .
In the 'shadow' of that "major advance" , however , the Brits were arranging to strengthen 'security' in the six north-eastern Counties of Ireland ; British troops were to remain , the RUC and the 'B-Special Corps' were given 26,000 extra rifles and a consignment of First World War uniforms , dyed black .
But 'the big lie' (ie "...sure what more do the Irish want ..?") had taken root .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......it was a gentleman of a British Auxie who questioned my mother as to the whereabouts of "her boys" ; we were only yards away from him , hiding and armed - had he been abusive , we would have shot him dead and suffered the consequences ......."
" We climbed over the garden fence through a narrow gap in the whitethorn hedge , at its junction with the school wall . As we stood on the fence our heads were just almost level with the heads of three Auxies who had climbed by way of a laurel tree in the corner at the other side of the wall . Another half-foot higher and they could have looked down on us , but a branch they were on gave way at that moment .With a crash they fell back in a heap into the school yard ; we slipped off our fence and stole along the wall at right angles to the one they had tried to mount . The language we heard , as they sought to extricate themselves , and the energy expended on it , would, had they thought of it in time , have lifted them to any desired height !
The castle was a veritable fortress as far as our war material was concerned ; given a reasonable time and even a single field piece we could manage it , but we had neither gun nor mortar . Even if we had , we would have had to work quickly , since Ballincollig , with its large forces of mechanised infantry , was only sixteen miles distant . For that matter , every town in the southern counties could send forces against us at short notice .
The IRA Brigade Flying Column was largely drawn from our area and never exceeded a strength of fifty rifle men : with the Macroom area included , our total strength would be about seventy , a small number , but high in quality as fighting men . Our heaviest armament consisted of two Lewis-Guns . Elsewhere I have described some clashes between the Auxiliaries from the castle and our IRA Column ; our men had proved themselves more than the equals of the " war-men of Britain " .......
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
4 of 12.
From 1982 , Israel had been arranging private deals involving the sale of U S arms to Iran . Robert McFarlane , the U S President's National Security Adviser in 1985 , did not know about this and the CIA did not tell him . Mr. McFarlane was poorly informed on many matters ; when he asked the CIA about news reports of Israeli arms shipments to Iran he was told the reports were false . Israel's then Prime Minister , Mr. Shimon Peres , reportedly told the U S there was no such trade ...
Mr. McFarlane also thought that Manucher Ghorbanifar , an Iranian arms dealer who , according to some accounts , had links with Israeli intelligence , was an adviser of the Iranian Government . The CIA distrusted Ghorbanifar and he failed a lie-detector test . But Robert McFarlane , the U S President's Security Adviser , was told none of this .......
(MORE LATER).
....... "Sure what more do the Irish want ...?" ; thus the Brits whispered to anyone that would listen to them , as they spread 'the big lie' that the 'Truce' was the end of the 'Irish Question' . In Ireland , however , events said otherwise .......
In Belfast alone , in 1921 , the death toll was 128 ; 13 members of the 'Crown Forces' and 115 civilians (comprising 72 Catholics and 43 Protestants). Needless to say , the Brits were not publicising this part of the 'Irish Question' ...
Much was made of the fact that the British Government had started (very publicly!) to re-arrange their military forces in South , East and West Ireland - orders were issued that all British Troops , Black and Tans and Auxiliaries were to base themselves in major barracks' only , in preparation for withdrawal .
In the 'shadow' of that "major advance" , however , the Brits were arranging to strengthen 'security' in the six north-eastern Counties of Ireland ; British troops were to remain , the RUC and the 'B-Special Corps' were given 26,000 extra rifles and a consignment of First World War uniforms , dyed black .
But 'the big lie' (ie "...sure what more do the Irish want ..?") had taken root .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......it was a gentleman of a British Auxie who questioned my mother as to the whereabouts of "her boys" ; we were only yards away from him , hiding and armed - had he been abusive , we would have shot him dead and suffered the consequences ......."
" We climbed over the garden fence through a narrow gap in the whitethorn hedge , at its junction with the school wall . As we stood on the fence our heads were just almost level with the heads of three Auxies who had climbed by way of a laurel tree in the corner at the other side of the wall . Another half-foot higher and they could have looked down on us , but a branch they were on gave way at that moment .With a crash they fell back in a heap into the school yard ; we slipped off our fence and stole along the wall at right angles to the one they had tried to mount . The language we heard , as they sought to extricate themselves , and the energy expended on it , would, had they thought of it in time , have lifted them to any desired height !
The castle was a veritable fortress as far as our war material was concerned ; given a reasonable time and even a single field piece we could manage it , but we had neither gun nor mortar . Even if we had , we would have had to work quickly , since Ballincollig , with its large forces of mechanised infantry , was only sixteen miles distant . For that matter , every town in the southern counties could send forces against us at short notice .
The IRA Brigade Flying Column was largely drawn from our area and never exceeded a strength of fifty rifle men : with the Macroom area included , our total strength would be about seventy , a small number , but high in quality as fighting men . Our heaviest armament consisted of two Lewis-Guns . Elsewhere I have described some clashes between the Auxiliaries from the castle and our IRA Column ; our men had proved themselves more than the equals of the " war-men of Britain " .......
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
4 of 12.
From 1982 , Israel had been arranging private deals involving the sale of U S arms to Iran . Robert McFarlane , the U S President's National Security Adviser in 1985 , did not know about this and the CIA did not tell him . Mr. McFarlane was poorly informed on many matters ; when he asked the CIA about news reports of Israeli arms shipments to Iran he was told the reports were false . Israel's then Prime Minister , Mr. Shimon Peres , reportedly told the U S there was no such trade ...
Mr. McFarlane also thought that Manucher Ghorbanifar , an Iranian arms dealer who , according to some accounts , had links with Israeli intelligence , was an adviser of the Iranian Government . The CIA distrusted Ghorbanifar and he failed a lie-detector test . But Robert McFarlane , the U S President's Security Adviser , was told none of this .......
(MORE LATER).
Saturday, July 10, 2004
JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce' .......
....... Ireland 1921 - TRUCE ! ...but all was not what it seemed . In America , the 'Truce' was projected as the end of the issue . Irish-American supporters of the struggle were led to believe that the Irish 'Question' had been resolved .......
....and that was a ploy pushed by the Brits in all media outlets which owed them favours . The issues of Home Rule , self-determination , dominion status , partition , devolution etc were brushed aside in favour of the sound-bite , the 'big lie' - 'Victory !' , 'British Withdrawal' ! , 'Irish Independence!' ... Indeed , the 'Establishment' in both England and Ireland made much the same claim in 1973 for the Sunningdale Agreement , again in 1985 for the Hillsborough Treaty and , more recently , in 1998 , for the Stormont Treaty ('GFA') - all were classed as a form of 'stepping-stone' ie "freedom to achieve freedom ," which they were not .
All four Treaties did , however , 'succeed' on one level - that of allowing the (anti-Republican) 'Establishment' to publicly 'wash their hands' of the 'Irish Question' and mutter , albeit , for the most part under their breath - ..."sure what more do the Irish want ?" Meanwhile , the Brits themselves were re-grouping in the background , while spreading 'the big lie' that the 'Irish Question' was ("almost") resolved .
However , for those that bothered to look for themselves , the truth was just under the surface .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......the British Auxies were outside - it was a surprise raid . My brother and I , both of us armed , were hiding in the garden . Then we heard a loud whisper ......."
" "Georgie ! Georgie ! Get on with your men . Quick ! " Three tall forms approached us from the gate and stopped at the front door . One stepped forward from the gravelled path and on to a low wide step outside the doorstep proper . He knocked with his left hand on the open door , a gentle knock . Soon we heard the kitchen door opening and a diffused light fell on the three men ; we knew that my mother had brought the table lamp with her to the hall . We heard her voice , speaking as if to friends as yet unknown to her - " Good evening , boys ," she said gently .
" Oh ! good evening , madam ," a cultured voice replied . " Are the boys at home , madam ? " " No , the boys are not at home , " my mother replied . " I am very glad indeed , madam , very glad indeed . I am very sorry for disturbing you . Good evening , madam ! Good evening ! " So saying , this decent man turned away and walked quickly back to the gate , followed by his comrades . A man like him is all too rare in the world , for undoubtedly he must exert a powerful influence for good , even on the worst companions . His gentlemanly behaviour most probably was the means of saving our lives , his own and those of some of his men .
For , armed as we were , it is not likely that we would stand idly by if he were otherwise than the courteous gentleman we had heard addressing my mother . As it was , we managed to get outside their circle without clashing with them ..."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
3 of 12.
The Senate Intelligence Committee decided to withhold its findings because there were too many gaps and no conclusions ; there were so many leaks that the new Senate Intelligence Committee reversed the decision . It called its statement a "preliminary report" and found "no evidence" that Mr. Reagan knew of the Contra connection but no evidence to the contrary either .
It did find that Mr. Reagan's main interest in the arms sales was to win the release of U S hostages in Lebanon . This report is the most authoritative account we have of the affair . After Mr. Reagan's "deep concern" for the hostages - one of whom was William Buckley , CIA Station Chief at Beirut , who was later tortured and killed by the Iranians - the second driving force in the affair was "Israel's strong and continuing interest in furthering contacts with Iran ."
A third factor in the Iran initative was pressure by "international arms dealers and others" , who were used as messengers mainly.......
(MORE LATER).
(Ni bheimid anseo De Sathairn , 17/7/04 : We won't be here on Saturday , 17/7/04 .
HOLIDAYS ! The '1169....' crew are taking a break in the sunny south-east of Ireland (Waterford) for at least one week - and possibly longer , if the few bob holds out !
I've been outvoted on this issue , folks - Sharon and 'Junior' can be very persuasive ; when the pair of them first started on about wanting out of the '1169....' Office I stood my ground -
"Bi go maith anois . Na bi am' chra , stad den amaidi " , says I ("Be good now . Don't be annoying me , stop the nonsense .") But - DAMMIT ! - Sharon's Irish is better than mine , and 'Junior' can work this PC thingy better than either of us . So.....
...holiday's it is ! Beginning on Saturday , July 17th next , so I'm told.......
).
....... Ireland 1921 - TRUCE ! ...but all was not what it seemed . In America , the 'Truce' was projected as the end of the issue . Irish-American supporters of the struggle were led to believe that the Irish 'Question' had been resolved .......
....and that was a ploy pushed by the Brits in all media outlets which owed them favours . The issues of Home Rule , self-determination , dominion status , partition , devolution etc were brushed aside in favour of the sound-bite , the 'big lie' - 'Victory !' , 'British Withdrawal' ! , 'Irish Independence!' ... Indeed , the 'Establishment' in both England and Ireland made much the same claim in 1973 for the Sunningdale Agreement , again in 1985 for the Hillsborough Treaty and , more recently , in 1998 , for the Stormont Treaty ('GFA') - all were classed as a form of 'stepping-stone' ie "freedom to achieve freedom ," which they were not .
All four Treaties did , however , 'succeed' on one level - that of allowing the (anti-Republican) 'Establishment' to publicly 'wash their hands' of the 'Irish Question' and mutter , albeit , for the most part under their breath - ..."sure what more do the Irish want ?" Meanwhile , the Brits themselves were re-grouping in the background , while spreading 'the big lie' that the 'Irish Question' was ("almost") resolved .
However , for those that bothered to look for themselves , the truth was just under the surface .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......the British Auxies were outside - it was a surprise raid . My brother and I , both of us armed , were hiding in the garden . Then we heard a loud whisper ......."
" "Georgie ! Georgie ! Get on with your men . Quick ! " Three tall forms approached us from the gate and stopped at the front door . One stepped forward from the gravelled path and on to a low wide step outside the doorstep proper . He knocked with his left hand on the open door , a gentle knock . Soon we heard the kitchen door opening and a diffused light fell on the three men ; we knew that my mother had brought the table lamp with her to the hall . We heard her voice , speaking as if to friends as yet unknown to her - " Good evening , boys ," she said gently .
" Oh ! good evening , madam ," a cultured voice replied . " Are the boys at home , madam ? " " No , the boys are not at home , " my mother replied . " I am very glad indeed , madam , very glad indeed . I am very sorry for disturbing you . Good evening , madam ! Good evening ! " So saying , this decent man turned away and walked quickly back to the gate , followed by his comrades . A man like him is all too rare in the world , for undoubtedly he must exert a powerful influence for good , even on the worst companions . His gentlemanly behaviour most probably was the means of saving our lives , his own and those of some of his men .
For , armed as we were , it is not likely that we would stand idly by if he were otherwise than the courteous gentleman we had heard addressing my mother . As it was , we managed to get outside their circle without clashing with them ..."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .......
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
3 of 12.
The Senate Intelligence Committee decided to withhold its findings because there were too many gaps and no conclusions ; there were so many leaks that the new Senate Intelligence Committee reversed the decision . It called its statement a "preliminary report" and found "no evidence" that Mr. Reagan knew of the Contra connection but no evidence to the contrary either .
It did find that Mr. Reagan's main interest in the arms sales was to win the release of U S hostages in Lebanon . This report is the most authoritative account we have of the affair . After Mr. Reagan's "deep concern" for the hostages - one of whom was William Buckley , CIA Station Chief at Beirut , who was later tortured and killed by the Iranians - the second driving force in the affair was "Israel's strong and continuing interest in furthering contacts with Iran ."
A third factor in the Iran initative was pressure by "international arms dealers and others" , who were used as messengers mainly.......
(MORE LATER).
(Ni bheimid anseo De Sathairn , 17/7/04 : We won't be here on Saturday , 17/7/04 .
HOLIDAYS ! The '1169....' crew are taking a break in the sunny south-east of Ireland (Waterford) for at least one week - and possibly longer , if the few bob holds out !
I've been outvoted on this issue , folks - Sharon and 'Junior' can be very persuasive ; when the pair of them first started on about wanting out of the '1169....' Office I stood my ground -
"Bi go maith anois . Na bi am' chra , stad den amaidi " , says I ("Be good now . Don't be annoying me , stop the nonsense .") But - DAMMIT ! - Sharon's Irish is better than mine , and 'Junior' can work this PC thingy better than either of us . So.....
...holiday's it is ! Beginning on Saturday , July 17th next , so I'm told.......
).
Friday, July 09, 2004
JULY-DECEMBER 1921 : Revenge Attacks on Republicans During The 'Truce' .
Ireland 1921 - the 'Irish Bond' drive was into its second year (having started in January 1920) and was doing well ; certificates were sold on a guarantee of exchange for Irish Republican Bonds after the Irish Republic (all 32 Counties) was recognised .
Approximately $5.5 million dollars was in the kitty already from sales in America alone ; unfortunately , also in America , the fact that a Truce between the Brits and Irish Republican forces had come into effect in July that year (1921) sent a wrong signal to Irish Republican supporters ...
... they were led to believe that the 'Irish Question' had been settled .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
"....... the British Auxiliaries were known to be blackguards ; to kill even if for no reason . One evening in 1920 , my brother and I went home - it was dusk , and we considered ourselves safe from a British rading party ; we were wrong ......."
" It was one short screech from brake drums that gave us warning - the Auxies had inaugurated a new technique to take us by surprise . Coming over the hill from the north , they had cut off the engines and slipped downhill noiselessly to our gate ; they had already tried this method , but on the night in question they had improved on it . Stopping the lorries further uphill they had dropped a number of men who , passing through the school grounds , had surrounded the house on the west and north sides .
We were now in a trap since the south side was completely blocked by the high and blind wall of a neighbouring house . The noise of the brake drums had found us in the kitchen talking to our mother ; a bright lamp , just lighted, stood on the table . Very swiftly but silently we passed from the kitchen to the hallway , closing the door behind us to cut off the light . Guns in hand we went through the front door which was open and , turning right , we were soon at the corner of the house and in a small garden . Here we stopped . North of us we could hear men trying to get over the school wall which had a coping of rough and pointed stones .
To the west , and facing us , others were trying to scale an earth fence with a strong whitethorn hedge on top . We listened and narrowly watched the intervening ground where gooseberry bushes and small apple trees grew . Then we heard a loud whisper from the gate ......."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE .......'
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
2 of 12.
President Reagan says he has told the country all he knows of the 'Irangate' affair and is as anxious as everyone else to find out what really happened . But his public statements are contradictory and most people suspect that he is lying . He keeps playing down the scandal and says the country should drop it - or at least put it in the past .
Last month (ie January 1987) the outgoing Senate Intelligence Committee summoned witnesses to private hearings to tell what they knew of the case . Three key figures refused to talk least they incriminate themselves ; they are Vice Admiral John Poindexter , the Presidents National Security Adviser until November 25th 1986 /
Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North , a staff officer of the National Security Council staff / and Major General Richard Secord (retired) who organised the Contra-supply airlift which became public last October (1986) when a plane was shot down over Nicaragua , three of the crew were killed , and a fourth , Eugene Hasenfus , was captured , tried and sent home for Christmas by the Sandinistas .......
(MORE LATER).
Ireland 1921 - the 'Irish Bond' drive was into its second year (having started in January 1920) and was doing well ; certificates were sold on a guarantee of exchange for Irish Republican Bonds after the Irish Republic (all 32 Counties) was recognised .
Approximately $5.5 million dollars was in the kitty already from sales in America alone ; unfortunately , also in America , the fact that a Truce between the Brits and Irish Republican forces had come into effect in July that year (1921) sent a wrong signal to Irish Republican supporters ...
... they were led to believe that the 'Irish Question' had been settled .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
"....... the British Auxiliaries were known to be blackguards ; to kill even if for no reason . One evening in 1920 , my brother and I went home - it was dusk , and we considered ourselves safe from a British rading party ; we were wrong ......."
" It was one short screech from brake drums that gave us warning - the Auxies had inaugurated a new technique to take us by surprise . Coming over the hill from the north , they had cut off the engines and slipped downhill noiselessly to our gate ; they had already tried this method , but on the night in question they had improved on it . Stopping the lorries further uphill they had dropped a number of men who , passing through the school grounds , had surrounded the house on the west and north sides .
We were now in a trap since the south side was completely blocked by the high and blind wall of a neighbouring house . The noise of the brake drums had found us in the kitchen talking to our mother ; a bright lamp , just lighted, stood on the table . Very swiftly but silently we passed from the kitchen to the hallway , closing the door behind us to cut off the light . Guns in hand we went through the front door which was open and , turning right , we were soon at the corner of the house and in a small garden . Here we stopped . North of us we could hear men trying to get over the school wall which had a coping of rough and pointed stones .
To the west , and facing us , others were trying to scale an earth fence with a strong whitethorn hedge on top . We listened and narrowly watched the intervening ground where gooseberry bushes and small apple trees grew . Then we heard a loud whisper from the gate ......."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE .......'
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
2 of 12.
President Reagan says he has told the country all he knows of the 'Irangate' affair and is as anxious as everyone else to find out what really happened . But his public statements are contradictory and most people suspect that he is lying . He keeps playing down the scandal and says the country should drop it - or at least put it in the past .
Last month (ie January 1987) the outgoing Senate Intelligence Committee summoned witnesses to private hearings to tell what they knew of the case . Three key figures refused to talk least they incriminate themselves ; they are Vice Admiral John Poindexter , the Presidents National Security Adviser until November 25th 1986 /
Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North , a staff officer of the National Security Council staff / and Major General Richard Secord (retired) who organised the Contra-supply airlift which became public last October (1986) when a plane was shot down over Nicaragua , three of the crew were killed , and a fourth , Eugene Hasenfus , was captured , tried and sent home for Christmas by the Sandinistas .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, July 08, 2004
JULY 15th , 1976 : IRA PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM DUBLIN'S 'SPECIAL COURT' .......
....... 1.30pm , Thursday , 15th July 1976 - a loud explosion blew the gates of Green Street Courthouse off their hinges and five Irish Republican prisoners ran through the gap - and into a scene of confusion ; rubble , dust-clouds . people running and screaming . The five men could'nt find the get-away cars and had'nt time to look for them ; they took off on foot .......
.....but the area was quickly filling-up with Gardai and armed Special Branch . Within minutes , three of the men - John Hagan , Jim Monaghan and Joe Reilly - were pulled-in by the Special Branch on Granby Place and re-arrested . Meanwhile , the other escapee , Michael O'Rourke , was by now on O'Connell Street getting into a taxi...
Michael O'Rourke was taken safely out of the State and put-up in a safe-house in America , but was arrested in 1980 ; a four-year legal battle began but , in 1984 , Michael O'Rourke was extradited to Ireland and imprisoned in Portlaoise Prison .
The break-out made international headlines and embarrassed the then Dublin Administration , led by Fine Gael's Liam Cosgrave . It also proved , once again , to the Free Staters , that the spirit of Irish Republicanism cannot be incarcerated .......
[END of 'JULY 15th , 1976 : IRA PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM DUBLIN'S 'SPECIAL COURT' ...].
(Tomorrow : 'JULY-DECEMBER 1921 - REVENGE ATTACKS ON REPUBLICANS DURING THE TRUCE ').
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
"....... Macroom Castle should at least have been rendered uninhabitable , but was'nt ; in August 1920 , the British Auxiliaries moved in - these were men who had seen service in the 1914-1918 war , now in Ireland for the money and the 'adventure' ......."
" On the evening of 1st November 1920 , the Auxiliaries raided the Village of Ballymakeera , in the parish of Ballyvourney , Cork , in our area ; one of their number entered a house where lived a quiet , inoffensive married man named Jim Lehane . He had just returned home after his day's work as a labourer - he was not an IRA Volunteer and had no martial characteristic or inclination . He was talking to his wife the while he filled his pipe : the Brit Auxie asked him his name , Jim told him , and the Auxie said - "Follow me."
The poor man followed across the road to the village cross and a few yards down the road beyond it ; here the Brit turned and emptied a revolver into him at close range . Unsuspectingly , Jim Lehane had walked to his death . It was just a cruel and callous murder without the slightest justification , near or remote . And it was only one of many .
There is a saying that a blackguard will be found in every crowd - and the converse is also true ; you will find a decent man among a crowd of blackguards . A small incident will illustrate this . One evening in the harvest of 1920 , my brother Pat and I had come home . Dusk had fallen heavily and the critical time for a raid had , we thought , gone by . But we were wrong ..."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'.
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
1 of 12.
The Iran arms scandal now shaking the Presidency of Ronald Reagan is made up of plots and sub-plots , puzzles within puzzles , and enough sinister agents and freelance adventurers to fill a dozen thrillers by Graham Greene . Four Governments are involved in one way or another , as well as the Sultan of Brunei , who gave 10 million dollars to Nicaragua's Contras .
A select committee of the US Senate , a select committee of the US House , a special counsel chosen by three judges , and a three-member panel of "wise men" , headed by the former Texas Republican , Senator John Tower , are all trying to discover what happened , and why , and who broke the law and should be tried and possibly go to prison .
The Congressional Committees will hold public hearings as soon as they can get themselves organised , which may be later this month (ie February 1987)...
(MORE LATER).
....... 1.30pm , Thursday , 15th July 1976 - a loud explosion blew the gates of Green Street Courthouse off their hinges and five Irish Republican prisoners ran through the gap - and into a scene of confusion ; rubble , dust-clouds . people running and screaming . The five men could'nt find the get-away cars and had'nt time to look for them ; they took off on foot .......
.....but the area was quickly filling-up with Gardai and armed Special Branch . Within minutes , three of the men - John Hagan , Jim Monaghan and Joe Reilly - were pulled-in by the Special Branch on Granby Place and re-arrested . Meanwhile , the other escapee , Michael O'Rourke , was by now on O'Connell Street getting into a taxi...
Michael O'Rourke was taken safely out of the State and put-up in a safe-house in America , but was arrested in 1980 ; a four-year legal battle began but , in 1984 , Michael O'Rourke was extradited to Ireland and imprisoned in Portlaoise Prison .
The break-out made international headlines and embarrassed the then Dublin Administration , led by Fine Gael's Liam Cosgrave . It also proved , once again , to the Free Staters , that the spirit of Irish Republicanism cannot be incarcerated .......
[END of 'JULY 15th , 1976 : IRA PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM DUBLIN'S 'SPECIAL COURT' ...].
(Tomorrow : 'JULY-DECEMBER 1921 - REVENGE ATTACKS ON REPUBLICANS DURING THE TRUCE ').
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
"....... Macroom Castle should at least have been rendered uninhabitable , but was'nt ; in August 1920 , the British Auxiliaries moved in - these were men who had seen service in the 1914-1918 war , now in Ireland for the money and the 'adventure' ......."
" On the evening of 1st November 1920 , the Auxiliaries raided the Village of Ballymakeera , in the parish of Ballyvourney , Cork , in our area ; one of their number entered a house where lived a quiet , inoffensive married man named Jim Lehane . He had just returned home after his day's work as a labourer - he was not an IRA Volunteer and had no martial characteristic or inclination . He was talking to his wife the while he filled his pipe : the Brit Auxie asked him his name , Jim told him , and the Auxie said - "Follow me."
The poor man followed across the road to the village cross and a few yards down the road beyond it ; here the Brit turned and emptied a revolver into him at close range . Unsuspectingly , Jim Lehane had walked to his death . It was just a cruel and callous murder without the slightest justification , near or remote . And it was only one of many .
There is a saying that a blackguard will be found in every crowd - and the converse is also true ; you will find a decent man among a crowd of blackguards . A small incident will illustrate this . One evening in the harvest of 1920 , my brother Pat and I had come home . Dusk had fallen heavily and the critical time for a raid had , we thought , gone by . But we were wrong ..."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'.
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
1 of 12.
The Iran arms scandal now shaking the Presidency of Ronald Reagan is made up of plots and sub-plots , puzzles within puzzles , and enough sinister agents and freelance adventurers to fill a dozen thrillers by Graham Greene . Four Governments are involved in one way or another , as well as the Sultan of Brunei , who gave 10 million dollars to Nicaragua's Contras .
A select committee of the US Senate , a select committee of the US House , a special counsel chosen by three judges , and a three-member panel of "wise men" , headed by the former Texas Republican , Senator John Tower , are all trying to discover what happened , and why , and who broke the law and should be tried and possibly go to prison .
The Congressional Committees will hold public hearings as soon as they can get themselves organised , which may be later this month (ie February 1987)...
(MORE LATER).
JULY 15th , 1976 : IRA PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM DUBLIN'S 'SPECIAL COURT' .......
....... 1.30pm , Thursday , 15th July 1976 - a loud explosion blew the gates of Green Street Courthouse off their hinges and five Irish Republican prisoners ran through the gap - and into a scene of confusion ; rubble , dust-clouds . people running and screaming . The five men could'nt find the get-away cars and had'nt time to look for them ; they took off on foot .......
.....but the area was quickly filling-up with Gardai and armed Special Branch . Within minutes , three of the men - John Hagan , Jim Monaghan and Joe Reilly - were pulled-in by the Special Branch on Granby Place and re-arrested . Meanwhile , the other escapee , Michael O'Rourke , was by now on O'Connell Street getting into a taxi...
Michael O'Rourke was taken safely out of the State and put-up in a safe-house in America , but was arrested in 1980 ; a four-year legal battle began but , in 1984 , Michael O'Rourke was extradited to Ireland and imprisoned in Portlaoise Prison .
The break-out made international headlines and embarrassed the then Dublin Administration , led by Fine Gael's Liam Cosgrave . It also proved , once again , to the Free Staters , that the spirit of Irish Republicanism cannot be incarcerated .......
[END of 'JULY 15th , 1976 : IRA PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM DUBLIN'S 'SPECIAL COURT' ...].
(Tomorrow : 'JULY-DECEMBER 1921 - REVENGE ATTACKS ON REPUBLICANS DURING THE TRUCE ').
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
"....... Macroom Castle should at least have been rendered uninhabitable , but was'nt ; in August 1920 , the British Auxiliaries moved in - these were men who had seen service in the 1914-1918 war , now in Ireland for the money and the 'adventure' ......."
" On the evening of 1st November 1920 , the Auxiliaries raided the Village of Ballymakeera , in the parish of Ballyvourney , Cork , in our area ; one of their number entered a house where lived a quiet , inoffensive married man named Jim Lehane . He had just returned home after his day's work as a labourer - he was not an IRA Volunteer and had no martial characteristic or inclination . He was talking to his wife the while he filled his pipe : the Brit Auxie asked him his name , Jim told him , and the Auxie said - "Follow me."
The poor man followed across the road to the village cross and a few yards down the road beyond it ; here the Brit turned and emptied a revolver into him at close range . Unsuspectingly , Jim Lehane had walked to his death . It was just a cruel and callous murder without the slightest justification , near or remote . And it was only one of many .
There is a saying that a blackguard will be found in every crowd - and the converse is also true ; you will find a decent man among a crowd of blackguards . A small incident will illustrate this . One evening in the harvest of 1920 , my brother Pat and I had come home . Dusk had fallen heavily and the critical time for a raid had , we thought , gone by . But we were wrong ..."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'.
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
1 of 12.
The Iran arms scandal now shaking the Presidency of Ronald Reagan is made up of plots and sub-plots , puzzles within puzzles , and enough sinister agents and freelance adventurers to fill a dozen thrillers by Graham Greene . Four Governments are involved in one way or another , as well as the Sultan of Brunei , who gave 10 million dollars to Nicaragua's Contras .
A select committee of the US Senate , a select committee of the US House , a special counsel chosen by three judges , and a three-member panel of "wise men" , headed by the former Texas Republican , Senator John Tower , are all trying to discover what happened , and why , and who broke the law and should be tried and possibly go to prison .
The Congressional Committees will hold public hearings as soon as they can get themselves organised , which may be later this month (ie February 1987)...
(MORE LATER).
....... 1.30pm , Thursday , 15th July 1976 - a loud explosion blew the gates of Green Street Courthouse off their hinges and five Irish Republican prisoners ran through the gap - and into a scene of confusion ; rubble , dust-clouds . people running and screaming . The five men could'nt find the get-away cars and had'nt time to look for them ; they took off on foot .......
.....but the area was quickly filling-up with Gardai and armed Special Branch . Within minutes , three of the men - John Hagan , Jim Monaghan and Joe Reilly - were pulled-in by the Special Branch on Granby Place and re-arrested . Meanwhile , the other escapee , Michael O'Rourke , was by now on O'Connell Street getting into a taxi...
Michael O'Rourke was taken safely out of the State and put-up in a safe-house in America , but was arrested in 1980 ; a four-year legal battle began but , in 1984 , Michael O'Rourke was extradited to Ireland and imprisoned in Portlaoise Prison .
The break-out made international headlines and embarrassed the then Dublin Administration , led by Fine Gael's Liam Cosgrave . It also proved , once again , to the Free Staters , that the spirit of Irish Republicanism cannot be incarcerated .......
[END of 'JULY 15th , 1976 : IRA PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM DUBLIN'S 'SPECIAL COURT' ...].
(Tomorrow : 'JULY-DECEMBER 1921 - REVENGE ATTACKS ON REPUBLICANS DURING THE TRUCE ').
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
"....... Macroom Castle should at least have been rendered uninhabitable , but was'nt ; in August 1920 , the British Auxiliaries moved in - these were men who had seen service in the 1914-1918 war , now in Ireland for the money and the 'adventure' ......."
" On the evening of 1st November 1920 , the Auxiliaries raided the Village of Ballymakeera , in the parish of Ballyvourney , Cork , in our area ; one of their number entered a house where lived a quiet , inoffensive married man named Jim Lehane . He had just returned home after his day's work as a labourer - he was not an IRA Volunteer and had no martial characteristic or inclination . He was talking to his wife the while he filled his pipe : the Brit Auxie asked him his name , Jim told him , and the Auxie said - "Follow me."
The poor man followed across the road to the village cross and a few yards down the road beyond it ; here the Brit turned and emptied a revolver into him at close range . Unsuspectingly , Jim Lehane had walked to his death . It was just a cruel and callous murder without the slightest justification , near or remote . And it was only one of many .
There is a saying that a blackguard will be found in every crowd - and the converse is also true ; you will find a decent man among a crowd of blackguards . A small incident will illustrate this . One evening in the harvest of 1920 , my brother Pat and I had come home . Dusk had fallen heavily and the critical time for a raid had , we thought , gone by . But we were wrong ..."
(MORE LATER).
' COLONEL OLIVER NORTH WOULD'NT DO ANYTHING THAT REAGAN DID'NT APPROVE ' .
'The chain of events that has become known as IRANGATE is circling ever tighter around President Reagan . Sean Cronin draws together some of the links in the bizarre story'.
First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper , Tuesday , February 10th , 1987 , page 14 .
Re-produced here in 12 parts.
1 of 12.
The Iran arms scandal now shaking the Presidency of Ronald Reagan is made up of plots and sub-plots , puzzles within puzzles , and enough sinister agents and freelance adventurers to fill a dozen thrillers by Graham Greene . Four Governments are involved in one way or another , as well as the Sultan of Brunei , who gave 10 million dollars to Nicaragua's Contras .
A select committee of the US Senate , a select committee of the US House , a special counsel chosen by three judges , and a three-member panel of "wise men" , headed by the former Texas Republican , Senator John Tower , are all trying to discover what happened , and why , and who broke the law and should be tried and possibly go to prison .
The Congressional Committees will hold public hearings as soon as they can get themselves organised , which may be later this month (ie February 1987)...
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
JULY 15th , 1976 : IRA PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM DUBLIN'S 'SPECIAL COURT' .......
.......a final meeting had been held on Wednesday , July 14th , 1976 , to re-check the rescue operation ; all seemed in order . The next morning , the IRA Unit took up their positions around Green Street Courthouse .......
At 1.30pm , a loud explosion lifted the locked gates off their hinges and crumbled most of the walls either side of where the gates had been - at that time, too , the five Republican prisoners had broke free from their captors and were running towards the remains of the gates - one of the prisoners , Donal Murphy , was dazed by the explosion and lost his bearings ; he ended up in the actual Courtroom , was recognised and jumped on and held by the Gardai .
The other four escapees - Jim Monaghan , Michael O'Rourke , John Hagan and Joe Reilly - ran into a scene of total confusion ; the gates were smoking and still rattling on the ground , bits of concrete and brick were still flying through the air , a dust-cloud made it near impossible to see more than a few yards and people were running in all directions .
The escapees could'nt locate the get-away cars and made off on foot ; but by now the immediate area was filling-up with Gardai and armed Special Branch and , within minutes , things went wrong .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......the party of British 'toffs' and armed militia had spent a long , weary and fruitless day searching the brushwood and swampy forest for Sean Rua an Ghaorthaig - they gave up the hunt and retired to Macroom Castle for supper . They were about to eat when a musket ball blew the candle beside the 'Lord' of the Manor to pieces ......."
" A stunned silence followed ; the shot had sounded well forward from the front of the castle , not from near the window ; 'Mine Host' had turned pale , but was the first to recover himself - "That was Sean Rua," he said . His voice loosened other tongues , and there were many admonitions to 'Mi'Lord' to move clear of the window , some suggestions for the immediate evacuation of the dining-room , others for the pursuit of Sean Rua , vivid descriptions of the latter and of the ultimate accommodation which they heartily wished him . But 'Mi'Lord' , with a wave of his hand , silenced them all -
- " The man who shot out that candle could , much more easily , have shot me ," he said . And never again did he chase down Sean Rua ...
Someone had blundered by allowing the castle to stand unoccupied and in good working order while smaller mansions in less strategic positions had been destroyed ; such was the case , however , and, in August 1920 , the building was occupied by the Auxiliaries - they numbered one-hundred and fifty men , all ex-Officers who had served in the 1914-1918 war . They had been attracted to Ireland by the good pay , the prospect of adventure and the assurance of an easy discipline . I cannot say whether the rate of pay and the degree of discipline during their sojourn at Macroom were up to their expectations , but I am certain that they had no cause for complaint in the matter of adventure .
For when the Truce of 11th July 1921 brought hostilities to an end , their casualties had reached half their original number . Unfortunately for themselves , as well as for their victims , they added cold-blooded murders to their ordinary activities ......."
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
12 of 12 .
For the second time within three years , the British Government had negotiated a cease-fire with the Provisional IRA - this time it was with a Labour Government whose Prime Minister , Harold Wilson had hinted throughout his long political career at the need to set the wheels in motion towards ultimate British dis-engagement from Ireland .
That , and the fact that an elaborate monitoring-system had been agreed , meant that this second attempt had a better chance of survival . Negotiations about the more specific issue of British dis-engagement from Ireland continued for almost a year before the entire exercise collapsed . But that is another story which , hopefully , Merlyn Rees will outline in some detail when his book of memoirs is published .......
[END of ' TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS....... '].
(Tomorrow - ' Colonel Oliver North would'nt do anything that Reagan did'nt approve ....' : from 'The Irish Times' newspaper , 1987).
.......a final meeting had been held on Wednesday , July 14th , 1976 , to re-check the rescue operation ; all seemed in order . The next morning , the IRA Unit took up their positions around Green Street Courthouse .......
At 1.30pm , a loud explosion lifted the locked gates off their hinges and crumbled most of the walls either side of where the gates had been - at that time, too , the five Republican prisoners had broke free from their captors and were running towards the remains of the gates - one of the prisoners , Donal Murphy , was dazed by the explosion and lost his bearings ; he ended up in the actual Courtroom , was recognised and jumped on and held by the Gardai .
The other four escapees - Jim Monaghan , Michael O'Rourke , John Hagan and Joe Reilly - ran into a scene of total confusion ; the gates were smoking and still rattling on the ground , bits of concrete and brick were still flying through the air , a dust-cloud made it near impossible to see more than a few yards and people were running in all directions .
The escapees could'nt locate the get-away cars and made off on foot ; but by now the immediate area was filling-up with Gardai and armed Special Branch and , within minutes , things went wrong .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......the party of British 'toffs' and armed militia had spent a long , weary and fruitless day searching the brushwood and swampy forest for Sean Rua an Ghaorthaig - they gave up the hunt and retired to Macroom Castle for supper . They were about to eat when a musket ball blew the candle beside the 'Lord' of the Manor to pieces ......."
" A stunned silence followed ; the shot had sounded well forward from the front of the castle , not from near the window ; 'Mine Host' had turned pale , but was the first to recover himself - "That was Sean Rua," he said . His voice loosened other tongues , and there were many admonitions to 'Mi'Lord' to move clear of the window , some suggestions for the immediate evacuation of the dining-room , others for the pursuit of Sean Rua , vivid descriptions of the latter and of the ultimate accommodation which they heartily wished him . But 'Mi'Lord' , with a wave of his hand , silenced them all -
- " The man who shot out that candle could , much more easily , have shot me ," he said . And never again did he chase down Sean Rua ...
Someone had blundered by allowing the castle to stand unoccupied and in good working order while smaller mansions in less strategic positions had been destroyed ; such was the case , however , and, in August 1920 , the building was occupied by the Auxiliaries - they numbered one-hundred and fifty men , all ex-Officers who had served in the 1914-1918 war . They had been attracted to Ireland by the good pay , the prospect of adventure and the assurance of an easy discipline . I cannot say whether the rate of pay and the degree of discipline during their sojourn at Macroom were up to their expectations , but I am certain that they had no cause for complaint in the matter of adventure .
For when the Truce of 11th July 1921 brought hostilities to an end , their casualties had reached half their original number . Unfortunately for themselves , as well as for their victims , they added cold-blooded murders to their ordinary activities ......."
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
12 of 12 .
For the second time within three years , the British Government had negotiated a cease-fire with the Provisional IRA - this time it was with a Labour Government whose Prime Minister , Harold Wilson had hinted throughout his long political career at the need to set the wheels in motion towards ultimate British dis-engagement from Ireland .
That , and the fact that an elaborate monitoring-system had been agreed , meant that this second attempt had a better chance of survival . Negotiations about the more specific issue of British dis-engagement from Ireland continued for almost a year before the entire exercise collapsed . But that is another story which , hopefully , Merlyn Rees will outline in some detail when his book of memoirs is published .......
[END of ' TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS....... '].
(Tomorrow - ' Colonel Oliver North would'nt do anything that Reagan did'nt approve ....' : from 'The Irish Times' newspaper , 1987).
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
JULY 15th , 1976 : IRA PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM DUBLIN'S 'SPECIAL COURT' .......
.......the escape plan was , on paper at least , well-organised , and it was decided to run with it . At an agreed time , the five Irish Republican prisoners were to force their way into the courtyard of Green Street Courthouse and run towards the gates - where the explosives were .......
Seconds before the men were to have started their run , the gates were to have been blown off their hinges by an explosives charge . The confusion caused by the explosion would , it was expected, allow the five men to make it to the cars which would be waiting for them , and then driven to pre-arranged safe-houses . The explosion at the gates of Green Street Courthouse was to be timed for 1.30 PM , lunch-break , because it was known that security would be slacker than usual .
On Wednesday , July 14th , 1976 , about one dozen IRA men held a last meeting to finalise the next days action ; the Dublin Brigade QM and Engineering Officer , the Brigade Adjutant and the Intelligence Officer were present , and each man re-checked their role in the job . Satisfied that they could do no more , the men went their separate ways .
Early on Thursday morning , July 15th , 1976 , the plan came together ; the IRA Unit met-up , as arranged, and took up their positions . And waited .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......one of our old Irish Rebels , Sean Rua an Ghaorthaig , lived for years in a brushwood forest and used guerrilla tactics on the enemy ; he beat a local British Sergeant in a shooting contest , disguised , but let it be known afterwards that it was he that won ......."
" The Sergeant wanted revenge , and a determined effort to eliminate Sean Rua was decided on - starting at the dawn of a mid-summer day all the 'Gentry' and the British militia surrounded the Gaortha and , gradually and thoroughly , they beat the cover as they contracted their circle . Towards evening they had some indications of success when shots were fired , and some parties alleged that they had actually seen Sean Rua and thought that they had wounded him . But when the twilight deepened over that place of gloom , all had to consider the day's work over and retire to terra firma without delay .
The 'Lord' of the Manor had invited a number of the 'gentry' to dine with him that evening . Mounting their horses , they reached the castle after sunset ; the day had been a strenuous one , wading and struggling through water , mud and undergrowth . Riding equipment was discarded , and the company sat down to dine . The night was warm , windows stood open here and there in the dining room , and 'Mine Host' sat opposite one wide-open window , but well back from it in the deep room . A tall candle stood beside him , and other lighted candles stood beside the guests .
A musket ball passing through the open window knocked the 'Lord' of the Manor's candle to bits ......."
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
11 of 12 .
The then British Secretary for 'Northern Ireland' (sic) , Merlyn Rees , stated that they (the Brits) would continue "to explain British Government policy" to Sinn Fein , and "to outline and discuss the arrangements that might be made to ensure that any ceasefire did not break down ." He also outlined details of the 'Incident Centres' which had been set up "to ensure that any ceasefire did not break down ." The Provisional IRA , on Sunday 9th February , 1975 , issued its statement as follows -
- " In the light of discussions which have taken place between representatives of the Republican Movement and British Officials , on effective arrangements to ensure that there is no break-down of a new truce , the Army Council of Oglaigh na hEireann has renewed the order suspending offensive military action . Hostilities against Crown Forces will be suspended from 6.00 pm , February 10th , 1975 ."
For the second time within three years , the British Government had negotiated a cease-fire with the Provisional IRA .......
(MORE LATER).
.......the escape plan was , on paper at least , well-organised , and it was decided to run with it . At an agreed time , the five Irish Republican prisoners were to force their way into the courtyard of Green Street Courthouse and run towards the gates - where the explosives were .......
Seconds before the men were to have started their run , the gates were to have been blown off their hinges by an explosives charge . The confusion caused by the explosion would , it was expected, allow the five men to make it to the cars which would be waiting for them , and then driven to pre-arranged safe-houses . The explosion at the gates of Green Street Courthouse was to be timed for 1.30 PM , lunch-break , because it was known that security would be slacker than usual .
On Wednesday , July 14th , 1976 , about one dozen IRA men held a last meeting to finalise the next days action ; the Dublin Brigade QM and Engineering Officer , the Brigade Adjutant and the Intelligence Officer were present , and each man re-checked their role in the job . Satisfied that they could do no more , the men went their separate ways .
Early on Thursday morning , July 15th , 1976 , the plan came together ; the IRA Unit met-up , as arranged, and took up their positions . And waited .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......one of our old Irish Rebels , Sean Rua an Ghaorthaig , lived for years in a brushwood forest and used guerrilla tactics on the enemy ; he beat a local British Sergeant in a shooting contest , disguised , but let it be known afterwards that it was he that won ......."
" The Sergeant wanted revenge , and a determined effort to eliminate Sean Rua was decided on - starting at the dawn of a mid-summer day all the 'Gentry' and the British militia surrounded the Gaortha and , gradually and thoroughly , they beat the cover as they contracted their circle . Towards evening they had some indications of success when shots were fired , and some parties alleged that they had actually seen Sean Rua and thought that they had wounded him . But when the twilight deepened over that place of gloom , all had to consider the day's work over and retire to terra firma without delay .
The 'Lord' of the Manor had invited a number of the 'gentry' to dine with him that evening . Mounting their horses , they reached the castle after sunset ; the day had been a strenuous one , wading and struggling through water , mud and undergrowth . Riding equipment was discarded , and the company sat down to dine . The night was warm , windows stood open here and there in the dining room , and 'Mine Host' sat opposite one wide-open window , but well back from it in the deep room . A tall candle stood beside him , and other lighted candles stood beside the guests .
A musket ball passing through the open window knocked the 'Lord' of the Manor's candle to bits ......."
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
11 of 12 .
The then British Secretary for 'Northern Ireland' (sic) , Merlyn Rees , stated that they (the Brits) would continue "to explain British Government policy" to Sinn Fein , and "to outline and discuss the arrangements that might be made to ensure that any ceasefire did not break down ." He also outlined details of the 'Incident Centres' which had been set up "to ensure that any ceasefire did not break down ." The Provisional IRA , on Sunday 9th February , 1975 , issued its statement as follows -
- " In the light of discussions which have taken place between representatives of the Republican Movement and British Officials , on effective arrangements to ensure that there is no break-down of a new truce , the Army Council of Oglaigh na hEireann has renewed the order suspending offensive military action . Hostilities against Crown Forces will be suspended from 6.00 pm , February 10th , 1975 ."
For the second time within three years , the British Government had negotiated a cease-fire with the Provisional IRA .......
(MORE LATER).
Monday, July 05, 2004
JULY 15th , 1976 : IRA PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM DUBLIN'S 'SPECIAL COURT' .......
.......time was short to free the five Irish Republicans from Free State custody ; a second meeting to discuss the operation was held on 6th July 1976 , as the IRA GHQ Staff were not satisfied that the job could be done successfully .......
The Intelligence Officer of the Dublin Brigade IRA was at the 6th July meeting , as was the Adjutant of the Dublin Brigade , the Acting-Adjutant General , the IRA Director of Intelligence , the IRA Director of Finance , and a GHQ/Dublin Brigade Officer . Detailed plans of the lay-out of the inside of Green Street Courthouse had been acquired , as had the roster by which the Gardai on duty worked too.
The five prisoners themselves had been contacted re the rescue attempt and were prepared to take part in it , so the 'go-ahead' was given for an agreed date : 12th July 1976 , a Monday , although this was later changed to Thursday , 15th July 1976 , for reasons unknown to this scribbler .
The plan called for simultaneous action by the five prisoners and the IRA Unit - at an agreed time , the five men were to force their way into the courtyard of Green Street Courthouse and run towards the gates , where the explosives were .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......beaten down by disease and poverty , some natives tended to 'doff their cap' to the denizens of the Castles , and stare in awe as they passed in their finery ......."
" Not everyone bowed the head ; even in the worst times , when all organised opposition to tyranny had been crushed , an individual arose and struck a blow for the motherland "to show that still she lives ." My father often told me of one of those warriors , a stout fellow known as Sean Rua an Ghaorthaig ; true , he was known as an outlaw or 'rapparree' to 'the powers that were' and to most 'respectable' people , but in Irish history he would be classed with Redmond O'Hanlon and Eamonn an Chnuic . In England he would be with Robin Hood or Locksley - history would be very poor stuff , in any country , without such men !
To the south of Macroom Castle and immediately in front of it Sleibhin Hill rises green and fairly steep - its other side, also green and steep , overlooks the Gaortha , a low-lying area of a few square miles in extent , covered with brushwood , mostly alder, and water-logged by innumerable channels of the River Lee . Here it was that Sean Rua retired from his enemies and for many years baffled all their attempts to dislodge him . He made his own gunpowder for his firearms , and it was said to be practically smokeless . He did not spend all his time hiding and inactive in the Gaortha ; now and again he sallied forth and exacted tribute from some Planter . Often did the 'Gentry' muster against him with all the available local yeomanry and militia , but Sean Rua always managed to elude them in the sheltering tangle of his natural fortress .
Sean Rua an Ghaorthaig was a crack shot - once , in disguise , he competed at a Yeomanry musketry test in Macroom : a local Sergeant , an expert shot , tied with him for the final . The 'unknown Yeoman' , from a distant company , beat the Sergeant and great was the chagrin when , too late , it was discovered that Sean Rua had gone home with the prize . Sean had a high sense of humour and was prepared to run risks to gratify it ; but the Sergeant wanted his revenge .......
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
10 of 12 .
Because the Provisionals did not wish to apply for permits to the RUC it was necessary for the British to give "a personal assurance" from the 'Northern Ireland (sic) Office' that "if all that stands between us and the successful conclusion of our present arrangement is 24 permits , we shall find a way around that difficulty ." ('1169...' Comment - the Provisionals now request permits from the Brits and the Free Staters to carry-out Easter Lily collections , to hold parades and street demonstrations : for shame , applying to those that put brave Irish men and women in their graves for 'permission' to 'remember and honour' those same men and women put there by the same foe . If that is 'success' , we want no part of it ...)
The break-through came on 7th February 1975 , and the next day the formulae of words to be issued by both Mr. Rees and the Republican Movement on the coming into operation of the new Cease-Fire were agreed . In his statement , Mr. Rees recalled a previous statement about the talks , confirming that they had taken place but being very vague about details , either of what had been agreed or what the talks would involve in the future .......
(MORE LATER).
.......time was short to free the five Irish Republicans from Free State custody ; a second meeting to discuss the operation was held on 6th July 1976 , as the IRA GHQ Staff were not satisfied that the job could be done successfully .......
The Intelligence Officer of the Dublin Brigade IRA was at the 6th July meeting , as was the Adjutant of the Dublin Brigade , the Acting-Adjutant General , the IRA Director of Intelligence , the IRA Director of Finance , and a GHQ/Dublin Brigade Officer . Detailed plans of the lay-out of the inside of Green Street Courthouse had been acquired , as had the roster by which the Gardai on duty worked too.
The five prisoners themselves had been contacted re the rescue attempt and were prepared to take part in it , so the 'go-ahead' was given for an agreed date : 12th July 1976 , a Monday , although this was later changed to Thursday , 15th July 1976 , for reasons unknown to this scribbler .
The plan called for simultaneous action by the five prisoners and the IRA Unit - at an agreed time , the five men were to force their way into the courtyard of Green Street Courthouse and run towards the gates , where the explosives were .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......beaten down by disease and poverty , some natives tended to 'doff their cap' to the denizens of the Castles , and stare in awe as they passed in their finery ......."
" Not everyone bowed the head ; even in the worst times , when all organised opposition to tyranny had been crushed , an individual arose and struck a blow for the motherland "to show that still she lives ." My father often told me of one of those warriors , a stout fellow known as Sean Rua an Ghaorthaig ; true , he was known as an outlaw or 'rapparree' to 'the powers that were' and to most 'respectable' people , but in Irish history he would be classed with Redmond O'Hanlon and Eamonn an Chnuic . In England he would be with Robin Hood or Locksley - history would be very poor stuff , in any country , without such men !
To the south of Macroom Castle and immediately in front of it Sleibhin Hill rises green and fairly steep - its other side, also green and steep , overlooks the Gaortha , a low-lying area of a few square miles in extent , covered with brushwood , mostly alder, and water-logged by innumerable channels of the River Lee . Here it was that Sean Rua retired from his enemies and for many years baffled all their attempts to dislodge him . He made his own gunpowder for his firearms , and it was said to be practically smokeless . He did not spend all his time hiding and inactive in the Gaortha ; now and again he sallied forth and exacted tribute from some Planter . Often did the 'Gentry' muster against him with all the available local yeomanry and militia , but Sean Rua always managed to elude them in the sheltering tangle of his natural fortress .
Sean Rua an Ghaorthaig was a crack shot - once , in disguise , he competed at a Yeomanry musketry test in Macroom : a local Sergeant , an expert shot , tied with him for the final . The 'unknown Yeoman' , from a distant company , beat the Sergeant and great was the chagrin when , too late , it was discovered that Sean Rua had gone home with the prize . Sean had a high sense of humour and was prepared to run risks to gratify it ; but the Sergeant wanted his revenge .......
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
10 of 12 .
Because the Provisionals did not wish to apply for permits to the RUC it was necessary for the British to give "a personal assurance" from the 'Northern Ireland (sic) Office' that "if all that stands between us and the successful conclusion of our present arrangement is 24 permits , we shall find a way around that difficulty ." ('1169...' Comment - the Provisionals now request permits from the Brits and the Free Staters to carry-out Easter Lily collections , to hold parades and street demonstrations : for shame , applying to those that put brave Irish men and women in their graves for 'permission' to 'remember and honour' those same men and women put there by the same foe . If that is 'success' , we want no part of it ...)
The break-through came on 7th February 1975 , and the next day the formulae of words to be issued by both Mr. Rees and the Republican Movement on the coming into operation of the new Cease-Fire were agreed . In his statement , Mr. Rees recalled a previous statement about the talks , confirming that they had taken place but being very vague about details , either of what had been agreed or what the talks would involve in the future .......
(MORE LATER).
Sunday, July 04, 2004
JULY 15th , 1976 : IRA PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM DUBLIN'S 'SPECIAL COURT' .......
....... Five Irish Republicans were in Free State custody in connection with an alleged 'bomb factory' which was 'found' in Donabate , North County Dublin in mid-January 1976 : Jim Monaghan , Donal Murphy , Michael O'Rourke , John Hagan and Joe Reilly . The (then) IRA wanted the men out .......
At the end of June 1976 , it became known that the 'trial' of the five men would see them together in the one building for a short time during the following month , July 1976 ; the then IRA's Acting Adjutant General and the Adjutant of the IRA's Dublin Brigade held a meeting - it was known that the 'trial' would be over by mid-July 1976 , and it was then the end of June 1976 .
Things would have to move fast . However , the IRA GHQ Staff asked if a successful rescue operation could be mounted in such a short period of time and another meeting was arranged ; this was held on 6th July 1976 , and those present from IRA GHQ Staff asked for detailed plans on how the rescue attempt would proceed . The requested details were handed over by the Intelligence Officer of the Dublin Brigade IRA and discussed between the 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 CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
"....... Irish Castles were used by the 'Landlord' class and the rest of the invaders to monitor the 'natives' and demoralise them into submission ......."
" The main gateway to the Castle of Macroom opens on to the Square of the town ; it is a 'feudal' gateway , arched and battlemented . The main building stands back from it , just far enough for respectability and defence . A strong-walled , plain , rectangular , three-storied house , it had a flat roof with crenellated parapet . Its ground extended for one mile along the River Sullane . A high wall , of course, enclosed them ; the denizens of these places claimed to be exclusive in their ways and fastidious in their tastes .
Yet , for years, they managed to tolerate the sight of three heads impaled on the spikes on the highest point of the Bridewell , which overlooked the castle gates . But I think that Irish heads , artistically arranged , appealed to their aesthetic natures . Not until less than a hundred years ago was the practice discontinued - the people were themselves responsible for the lapse of this uplifting branch of the arts . They never appreciated it properly even though it was , for them, part of a system of 'higher education' . I think there is nothing so melancholy to contemplate as a mental picture of those times that are past ; the groups that stand on the Square to watch the carriages and their escorts as they enter or leave the castle .
Most of them came to get a glimpse of the 'Lords' and 'Ladies' - the 'Gentry' , well fed and well dressed aliens . A few serfs actually doff their caps as they pass - the people have sunk to the lowest depth in the mire of slavery . But they are not yet altogether lost : among them are a few who sigh deeply and turn away in sorrow and disgust . They belong to the 'Hidden Ireland' , which is found everywhere , a fragment here and there , even in the most unexpected places . Above this sordid scene three heads stare disdainfully into space - they can see far and away beyond the range of the poor mortals who abridged their earthly vision . For now the road of time stretches interminably before them . A very short distance down that road they can see happening events that bring them joy .
The flames of the castle and the poorhouse light their way for many a long and mortal year ......."
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
9 of 12 .
On the question of 'Free Movement' for all Provisional IRA people , the legal issue of "immunity" was recognised , but resolved , by a promise of 'Incident Centres' , and an assurance that " the British Army will be pulled back , the RUC will not enter designated areas and the Republican Movement can check , in advance, through the liaison system , regarding the position of specific Republican personnel .
The right of Republicans to bear arms , even short arms for their personal protection , was also a major difficulty ; this was resolved by a written British response which stated that "The law provides for permits to be granted for people to carry arms for self-defence . The issue of firearms permits will take account of the risk to individuals . The need to protect individuals who may be at risk of assassination is recognised ."
(' 1169...' comment - Irish Republicans applying for 'permits' from the Brits ....?)
(MORE LATER).
....... Five Irish Republicans were in Free State custody in connection with an alleged 'bomb factory' which was 'found' in Donabate , North County Dublin in mid-January 1976 : Jim Monaghan , Donal Murphy , Michael O'Rourke , John Hagan and Joe Reilly . The (then) IRA wanted the men out .......
At the end of June 1976 , it became known that the 'trial' of the five men would see them together in the one building for a short time during the following month , July 1976 ; the then IRA's Acting Adjutant General and the Adjutant of the IRA's Dublin Brigade held a meeting - it was known that the 'trial' would be over by mid-July 1976 , and it was then the end of June 1976 .
Things would have to move fast . However , the IRA GHQ Staff asked if a successful rescue operation could be mounted in such a short period of time and another meeting was arranged ; this was held on 6th July 1976 , and those present from IRA GHQ Staff asked for detailed plans on how the rescue attempt would proceed . The requested details were handed over by the Intelligence Officer of the Dublin Brigade IRA and discussed between the 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 CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
"....... Irish Castles were used by the 'Landlord' class and the rest of the invaders to monitor the 'natives' and demoralise them into submission ......."
" The main gateway to the Castle of Macroom opens on to the Square of the town ; it is a 'feudal' gateway , arched and battlemented . The main building stands back from it , just far enough for respectability and defence . A strong-walled , plain , rectangular , three-storied house , it had a flat roof with crenellated parapet . Its ground extended for one mile along the River Sullane . A high wall , of course, enclosed them ; the denizens of these places claimed to be exclusive in their ways and fastidious in their tastes .
Yet , for years, they managed to tolerate the sight of three heads impaled on the spikes on the highest point of the Bridewell , which overlooked the castle gates . But I think that Irish heads , artistically arranged , appealed to their aesthetic natures . Not until less than a hundred years ago was the practice discontinued - the people were themselves responsible for the lapse of this uplifting branch of the arts . They never appreciated it properly even though it was , for them, part of a system of 'higher education' . I think there is nothing so melancholy to contemplate as a mental picture of those times that are past ; the groups that stand on the Square to watch the carriages and their escorts as they enter or leave the castle .
Most of them came to get a glimpse of the 'Lords' and 'Ladies' - the 'Gentry' , well fed and well dressed aliens . A few serfs actually doff their caps as they pass - the people have sunk to the lowest depth in the mire of slavery . But they are not yet altogether lost : among them are a few who sigh deeply and turn away in sorrow and disgust . They belong to the 'Hidden Ireland' , which is found everywhere , a fragment here and there , even in the most unexpected places . Above this sordid scene three heads stare disdainfully into space - they can see far and away beyond the range of the poor mortals who abridged their earthly vision . For now the road of time stretches interminably before them . A very short distance down that road they can see happening events that bring them joy .
The flames of the castle and the poorhouse light their way for many a long and mortal year ......."
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
9 of 12 .
On the question of 'Free Movement' for all Provisional IRA people , the legal issue of "immunity" was recognised , but resolved , by a promise of 'Incident Centres' , and an assurance that " the British Army will be pulled back , the RUC will not enter designated areas and the Republican Movement can check , in advance, through the liaison system , regarding the position of specific Republican personnel .
The right of Republicans to bear arms , even short arms for their personal protection , was also a major difficulty ; this was resolved by a written British response which stated that "The law provides for permits to be granted for people to carry arms for self-defence . The issue of firearms permits will take account of the risk to individuals . The need to protect individuals who may be at risk of assassination is recognised ."
(' 1169...' comment - Irish Republicans applying for 'permits' from the Brits ....?)
(MORE LATER).
Saturday, July 03, 2004
JULY 15th , 1976 : IRA PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM DUBLIN'S 'SPECIAL COURT' .......
....... Michael Collins was in charge of the funeral of Irish hunger-striker Thomas Ashe in 1917 ; another Irish hunger-striker of that period , Terence MacSwiney , summed-up the Irish feeling at that time (a feeling and determination which is still prominent to this day).......
" The contest on our side is not one of rivalry or vengeance but of endurance . It is not those who can inflict the most but those who can suffer the most who will conquer . Those whose faith is strong will endure to the end in triumph ."
In mid-January 1976 , the Free State Gardai (police) located what they claimed to be a "bomb factory" in the Donabate area of North Dublin ; five Irish Republicans were in Free State custody in connection with that 'find' - Jim Monaghan , Donal Murphy , Michael O'Rourke , John Hagan and Joe Reilly .
And the leadership of the then IRA wanted those men out .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......built in the 12th Century , owned by the MacCarthys , besieged by Wilmot's forces in 1602 , burned down in 1641 , restored within a few years and 'gifted' by Cromwell in 1656 ....... "
" After Judge Bernard 'purchased' it from The Hollow Sword Blade Company , he 'sold' it to Robert Hedges Eyre , whose daughter married Simon White of Bantry , and their eldest son , Richard , was created 'Viscount Bantry' in 1800 , and Earl of Bantry in 1816 . The 'Third Earl' modernised the castle and it passed on to his sister , 'Lady' Ardilaun .
In 1920 , it was taken over by the Auxiliaries - these were its last British occupants and , in fairness to them , I must say that they were no worse than some of its former tenants . Generally speaking , after the Battle of Kinsale , the castle in Ireland became an instrument of slavery and repression . The seat of alien government was housed in Dublin Castle , and the other castles through the country were occupied by Planters , or by people Irish in name , perhaps, but no better than the Planters .
Hugh O'Neill , of Tyrone , brought up at an English 'court' , well knew the value of the influence of the castle : passing by Mourne Abbey on his way to the fatal field of Kinsale , he saw a castle on a hill - " Who lives there ?" he asked a local man . " Oh, Barret is his name ," answered the man , " he is here a long time , nearly two hundred years , and he is a Catholic . " " I hate the bodach as if he came only yesterday , " O'Neill replied !
'The Big House' had a powerful denationalising effect on the people - from time to time it pauperised , demoralised and tried to Anglicise them . The castle might be referred to as 'the Great Big House' : it co-ordinated the activities of all the 'Big Houses' around it , as well as demoralising its own vicinity ....... "
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
8 of 12 .
It emerged , on 7th February 1975 , at which the British produced a new version of their (by now) 16-point document , that the early removal of the 'Emergency Provisions Act' was foreshadowed : they also made three other central points , on which the fate of the Truce ultimately hung -
1. The highest possible consultation had taken place on their (H.M.G.'s) side , involving the Prime Minister , the Attorney General , the Director of Public Prosecutions and a named British Civil Servant who acted as 'link-man' between Whitehall and the negotiators .
2. All points had been considered , and they had gone the furthest possible distance .
3. They were now presenting an 'amended version' of their previous document , and they had also prepared a document containing possible forms of words for the public announcement on both sides .
The bulk of the Republican demands were then conceded , though in phrases that, in some cases, differed from the original Provisional 12-point document .......
(MORE LATER).
....... Michael Collins was in charge of the funeral of Irish hunger-striker Thomas Ashe in 1917 ; another Irish hunger-striker of that period , Terence MacSwiney , summed-up the Irish feeling at that time (a feeling and determination which is still prominent to this day).......
" The contest on our side is not one of rivalry or vengeance but of endurance . It is not those who can inflict the most but those who can suffer the most who will conquer . Those whose faith is strong will endure to the end in triumph ."
In mid-January 1976 , the Free State Gardai (police) located what they claimed to be a "bomb factory" in the Donabate area of North Dublin ; five Irish Republicans were in Free State custody in connection with that 'find' - Jim Monaghan , Donal Murphy , Michael O'Rourke , John Hagan and Joe Reilly .
And the leadership of the then IRA wanted those men out .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .......
".......built in the 12th Century , owned by the MacCarthys , besieged by Wilmot's forces in 1602 , burned down in 1641 , restored within a few years and 'gifted' by Cromwell in 1656 ....... "
" After Judge Bernard 'purchased' it from The Hollow Sword Blade Company , he 'sold' it to Robert Hedges Eyre , whose daughter married Simon White of Bantry , and their eldest son , Richard , was created 'Viscount Bantry' in 1800 , and Earl of Bantry in 1816 . The 'Third Earl' modernised the castle and it passed on to his sister , 'Lady' Ardilaun .
In 1920 , it was taken over by the Auxiliaries - these were its last British occupants and , in fairness to them , I must say that they were no worse than some of its former tenants . Generally speaking , after the Battle of Kinsale , the castle in Ireland became an instrument of slavery and repression . The seat of alien government was housed in Dublin Castle , and the other castles through the country were occupied by Planters , or by people Irish in name , perhaps, but no better than the Planters .
Hugh O'Neill , of Tyrone , brought up at an English 'court' , well knew the value of the influence of the castle : passing by Mourne Abbey on his way to the fatal field of Kinsale , he saw a castle on a hill - " Who lives there ?" he asked a local man . " Oh, Barret is his name ," answered the man , " he is here a long time , nearly two hundred years , and he is a Catholic . " " I hate the bodach as if he came only yesterday , " O'Neill replied !
'The Big House' had a powerful denationalising effect on the people - from time to time it pauperised , demoralised and tried to Anglicise them . The castle might be referred to as 'the Great Big House' : it co-ordinated the activities of all the 'Big Houses' around it , as well as demoralising its own vicinity ....... "
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
8 of 12 .
It emerged , on 7th February 1975 , at which the British produced a new version of their (by now) 16-point document , that the early removal of the 'Emergency Provisions Act' was foreshadowed : they also made three other central points , on which the fate of the Truce ultimately hung -
1. The highest possible consultation had taken place on their (H.M.G.'s) side , involving the Prime Minister , the Attorney General , the Director of Public Prosecutions and a named British Civil Servant who acted as 'link-man' between Whitehall and the negotiators .
2. All points had been considered , and they had gone the furthest possible distance .
3. They were now presenting an 'amended version' of their previous document , and they had also prepared a document containing possible forms of words for the public announcement on both sides .
The bulk of the Republican demands were then conceded , though in phrases that, in some cases, differed from the original Provisional 12-point document .......
(MORE LATER).
Friday, July 02, 2004
JULY 15th , 1976 : IRA PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM DUBLIN'S 'SPECIAL COURT' .......
.......towards the end of 1975 , the Brits announced (through their spokesperson Merlyn Rees) that as of from March 1976 , political status for political prisoners was being withdrawn . Republican POW's referred the Brits back to the aftermath of the 1916 Rising when Thomas Ashe went on hunger-strike over the same issue and died after being force-fed .......
Michael Collins organised the funeral of Thomas Ashe and transformed it into a national demonstration against British mis-rule in Ireland ; armed Irish Republican Brotherhood Volunteers in full uniform flanked the coffin , followed by 9,000 IRB Volunteers and approximately 30,000 people , who lined the streets . A volley was fired over Ashe's grave , following which Michael Collins stated -
- " That volley which we have just heard is the only speech which it is proper to make over the grave of a dead Fenian . " The London -based 'Daily Express' newspaper perhaps summed it up best when it stated , re the funeral of Thomas Ashe , that what had happened had made " 100,000 Sinn Feiners out of 100,000 constitutional nationalists . " Another Irish hunger-striker of that period , Terence MacSwiney (who was imprisoned for possessing 'anti-British' documents) summed it up for the Irish people in a famous short , sharp statement he issued to the Brits .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .
" The Castle of Macroom stands on the banks of the Sullane , a few miles beyond the eastern boundry of our area . Yet it is relevant to speak of it , since it played a part , and not a helpful one , in the lives of our people . Again , Macroom was our nearest or home town . The Castle was first built by the O'Flynns in the twelfth century ; later it came into the possession of the MacCarthys - in 1602 it was besieged and damaged by 'Sir' Charles Wilmot .
This must have been its last stand as an Irish Castle - it was burned down in 1641 . Donogh MacCarthy restored it and the Papal Nuncio , Rinuccini , stayed in it for a short time in October 1645 , while on his way from Kenmare to Kilkenny . Cromwell , in 1656 , 'gave' it to Admiral 'Sir' William Penn . MacCarthy got it back on the Restoration , but finally lost it in 1691 .
The 'Hollow Sword Blade Company' of London bought it by auction and sold it , at a profit, of course, to Judge Bernard , ancestor of the Earls of Bandon....... "
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
7 of 12 .
By 31 January 1975 , the British had suggested that the key to progress lay in keeping "off principle" and getting on with practical arrangements . Towards this end , they handed over two formal documents ; one was a comprehensive system of liaison involving two alternative schemes , the other was a questionnaire regarding the running of proposed Incident Centres .
In the process of reporting back to London , the initial impression was that there was welcome for the constructive discussions that had taken place . But work on the two schemes , the proposals for Incident Centres to monitor a Truce , and other matters , continued into February 1975 - on the third of that month , the British added four points to the 12-point document which the Republicans had prepared , and which formed the ultimate basis of the bilateral ceasefire .
Three of these new points concerned the types of paramilitary activity in which the IRA could not engage during a cessation of hostilities : the fourth new point promised that "the rate of release will be speeded up with a view to releasing all detainees" as soon as violence had come to a complete end .......
(MORE LATER).
.......towards the end of 1975 , the Brits announced (through their spokesperson Merlyn Rees) that as of from March 1976 , political status for political prisoners was being withdrawn . Republican POW's referred the Brits back to the aftermath of the 1916 Rising when Thomas Ashe went on hunger-strike over the same issue and died after being force-fed .......
Michael Collins organised the funeral of Thomas Ashe and transformed it into a national demonstration against British mis-rule in Ireland ; armed Irish Republican Brotherhood Volunteers in full uniform flanked the coffin , followed by 9,000 IRB Volunteers and approximately 30,000 people , who lined the streets . A volley was fired over Ashe's grave , following which Michael Collins stated -
- " That volley which we have just heard is the only speech which it is proper to make over the grave of a dead Fenian . " The London -based 'Daily Express' newspaper perhaps summed it up best when it stated , re the funeral of Thomas Ashe , that what had happened had made " 100,000 Sinn Feiners out of 100,000 constitutional nationalists . " Another Irish hunger-striker of that period , Terence MacSwiney (who was imprisoned for possessing 'anti-British' documents) summed it up for the Irish people in a famous short , sharp statement he issued to the Brits .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
THE CASTLE OF MACROOM .
" The Castle of Macroom stands on the banks of the Sullane , a few miles beyond the eastern boundry of our area . Yet it is relevant to speak of it , since it played a part , and not a helpful one , in the lives of our people . Again , Macroom was our nearest or home town . The Castle was first built by the O'Flynns in the twelfth century ; later it came into the possession of the MacCarthys - in 1602 it was besieged and damaged by 'Sir' Charles Wilmot .
This must have been its last stand as an Irish Castle - it was burned down in 1641 . Donogh MacCarthy restored it and the Papal Nuncio , Rinuccini , stayed in it for a short time in October 1645 , while on his way from Kenmare to Kilkenny . Cromwell , in 1656 , 'gave' it to Admiral 'Sir' William Penn . MacCarthy got it back on the Restoration , but finally lost it in 1691 .
The 'Hollow Sword Blade Company' of London bought it by auction and sold it , at a profit, of course, to Judge Bernard , ancestor of the Earls of Bandon....... "
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
7 of 12 .
By 31 January 1975 , the British had suggested that the key to progress lay in keeping "off principle" and getting on with practical arrangements . Towards this end , they handed over two formal documents ; one was a comprehensive system of liaison involving two alternative schemes , the other was a questionnaire regarding the running of proposed Incident Centres .
In the process of reporting back to London , the initial impression was that there was welcome for the constructive discussions that had taken place . But work on the two schemes , the proposals for Incident Centres to monitor a Truce , and other matters , continued into February 1975 - on the third of that month , the British added four points to the 12-point document which the Republicans had prepared , and which formed the ultimate basis of the bilateral ceasefire .
Three of these new points concerned the types of paramilitary activity in which the IRA could not engage during a cessation of hostilities : the fourth new point promised that "the rate of release will be speeded up with a view to releasing all detainees" as soon as violence had come to a complete end .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, July 01, 2004
JULY 15th , 1976 : IRA PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM DUBLIN'S 'SPECIAL COURT' .
Near the end of the year 1975 , the then British Secretary of State for 'Northern Ireland' (sic), Merlyn Rees , announced that as of from March 1976 , those found guilty of " terrorist offences " (sic) would be treated as " criminals"; Irish Republicans at that time highlighted the issue in question (ie political status) by referring back to the aftermath of the 1916 Rising , when Republican prisoners in Dublin's Mountjoy Jail demanded to be treated as Prisoners Of War , not as " commom criminals ".
The Brits refused , and a hunger-strike was called - Irish Republican Brotherhood leader Thomas Ashe went on hunger-strike and died after being force-fed by the British . Michael Collins took control of the burial .......
(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.
1921 - The Big Round-Up.......
"....... Den Buckley , from Toames , later shot dead by the Brits , was in his pub with about one dozen customers when 'Percival's Crowd' ('The Essex Regiment') entered , and all were ordered outside ......."
"The customers were lined-up along the wall at right-angles to the road and had to remain there until the first of the main body of British troops arrived . Percival was on horseback and his attention was called to the prisoners ; he did not leave his position to have a frontal view of them , but called a sergeant - " Have a look at those " , he instructed . The sergeant marched smartly to the end of the line remote from him and started his scrutiny as he walked slowly back to the other end . Eyes front again , he marched up to Percival and , saluting , he reported - " There's not a Shinner amongst them , Sir ! "
Later on in the evening I came home to find my mother and Mrs. Buckley , the wife of the owner of the pub , at our gate ; both were laughing heartily . Mrs. Buckley had seen and heard the scene from an upstairs window . " Not a Shinner amongst them , said he , and sure the man was right ," said Mrs. Buckley to us , " what were they , too, but a lot of little dravelisheens . "
I must explain that it was not at any lack of physical fitness that the people laughed , but that the group so contemptously rejected by the sergeant had long before been rejected by "the Shinners" as hostile but harmless !
[END of ' The Big Round-Up.......'].
(Tomorrow - ' THE CASTLE OF MACROOM ...').
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
6 of 12 .
Discussions continued from 23 January 1975 , with substantial progress being made on what was seen as the less difficult points in the Republican demands . Freedom of movement for all Republicans during the period of the Truce was a particular sticking-point , in spite of a precedent set during the course of the negotiations with Mr. Whitelaw and the Tories in 1972 .
Towards the end of the month , the Gardiner Report and its implications were discussed . The Republican negotiators emphasised , once again , the " terrible consequences " that would follow any attempt to deny political status ; they also re-iterated their original aim in entering the dialogue ie - " If Her Majesty's Government wished to disengage from Ireland the Republican Movement would help them , but if their aim was to reconstruct British Rule in Ireland in some type of more acceptable form , then Republicans would contest the ground with them ......."
('1169.....' comment - in our opinion , the 1998 Stormont Treaty ('GFA') was an agreement between the Brits , the Free Staters and the Provos "to reconstruct British Rule in Ireland" : Irish Republicans will not accept any agreement which seeks to do that.)
(MORE LATER).
Near the end of the year 1975 , the then British Secretary of State for 'Northern Ireland' (sic), Merlyn Rees , announced that as of from March 1976 , those found guilty of " terrorist offences " (sic) would be treated as " criminals"; Irish Republicans at that time highlighted the issue in question (ie political status) by referring back to the aftermath of the 1916 Rising , when Republican prisoners in Dublin's Mountjoy Jail demanded to be treated as Prisoners Of War , not as " commom criminals ".
The Brits refused , and a hunger-strike was called - Irish Republican Brotherhood leader Thomas Ashe went on hunger-strike and died after being force-fed by the British . Michael Collins took control of the burial .......
(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.
1921 - The Big Round-Up.......
"....... Den Buckley , from Toames , later shot dead by the Brits , was in his pub with about one dozen customers when 'Percival's Crowd' ('The Essex Regiment') entered , and all were ordered outside ......."
"The customers were lined-up along the wall at right-angles to the road and had to remain there until the first of the main body of British troops arrived . Percival was on horseback and his attention was called to the prisoners ; he did not leave his position to have a frontal view of them , but called a sergeant - " Have a look at those " , he instructed . The sergeant marched smartly to the end of the line remote from him and started his scrutiny as he walked slowly back to the other end . Eyes front again , he marched up to Percival and , saluting , he reported - " There's not a Shinner amongst them , Sir ! "
Later on in the evening I came home to find my mother and Mrs. Buckley , the wife of the owner of the pub , at our gate ; both were laughing heartily . Mrs. Buckley had seen and heard the scene from an upstairs window . " Not a Shinner amongst them , said he , and sure the man was right ," said Mrs. Buckley to us , " what were they , too, but a lot of little dravelisheens . "
I must explain that it was not at any lack of physical fitness that the people laughed , but that the group so contemptously rejected by the sergeant had long before been rejected by "the Shinners" as hostile but harmless !
[END of ' The Big Round-Up.......'].
(Tomorrow - ' THE CASTLE OF MACROOM ...').
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
6 of 12 .
Discussions continued from 23 January 1975 , with substantial progress being made on what was seen as the less difficult points in the Republican demands . Freedom of movement for all Republicans during the period of the Truce was a particular sticking-point , in spite of a precedent set during the course of the negotiations with Mr. Whitelaw and the Tories in 1972 .
Towards the end of the month , the Gardiner Report and its implications were discussed . The Republican negotiators emphasised , once again , the " terrible consequences " that would follow any attempt to deny political status ; they also re-iterated their original aim in entering the dialogue ie - " If Her Majesty's Government wished to disengage from Ireland the Republican Movement would help them , but if their aim was to reconstruct British Rule in Ireland in some type of more acceptable form , then Republicans would contest the ground with them ......."
('1169.....' comment - in our opinion , the 1998 Stormont Treaty ('GFA') was an agreement between the Brits , the Free Staters and the Provos "to reconstruct British Rule in Ireland" : Irish Republicans will not accept any agreement which seeks to do that.)
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
MARTIN McDERMOTT , 1823-1905 : YOUNG IRELANDER .......
....... Martin McDermott was 'Chief Architect' to the Egyptian Government when , in 1882 , the Brits bombed the City of Alexandria (July 11th , 1882) ; he designed new buildings to replace those destroyed , then, at sixty years of age , he retired and moved to London , England .......
Whilst living in London , Martin McDermott became involved in the thriving literary scene ; he helped to establish the Southwark Library Club in the same year that he moved there (1883) and , at 68 years of age , he was a founding member of the Irish Library Society (in 1891). He published a number of books ('The Coulin' , 'The Exile') and , at 71 years of age , wrote 'The New Spirit of The Nation' , perhaps his best known work .
His old friend Charles Gavan Duffy assisted him , in 1896 , when he was 73 years of age , in publishing his 'Songs and Ballads of Young Ireland' . After a life which saw him born into a wealthy family , become a leading architect , hold political discussions with a revolutionary government and spend 35 years in Egypt , Martin McDermott died in Bristol , England , on April 25th , 1905 . He was 82 years of age .
Again , we found it difficult to obtain the above information on this man - like many of those we attempt to write about on this 'blog' , the name 'Martin McDermott' did not 'jump-out' at us from the history books , and we can only hope we have done him justice . The man made his mark in his day but , like many others , todays commercialised society sees no value in remembering him .
To us , Martin McDermott is another link to our past , part of an 835-year-old saga . And Counting .......
[END of ' MARTIN McDERMOTT , 1823-1905 : YOUNG IRELANDER.......'].
(Tomorrow - '1976: IRA Jail Break.......').
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
1921 - The Big Round-Up.......
".......the 'Big Round-Up' was over ; the Brits were pulling-out of the area . The last to leave were 'The Essex Regiment' ('Percival's Crowd') and I knew the direction in which they were leaving - I had my Lewis-Gun , I was high up on Candroma Rock and I had the advantage of surprise ......."
"I would have given much for a shot at that murderous crowd . As they passed me by , I recognised John J. Quill , a prisoner among them ; I was in no doubt about what the result for him would be if I fired on them . Some hours later they wantonly fired at and killed Den Buckley at Toames . At the same time I must give the devil his due , and tell how one of 'Percival's Crowd' saved the life of my uncle before their rearguard had passed out of my sight ; my uncle had come to the Cross for some provisions , and left his horse and cart near the door of Den Buckley's shop and pub , which stood at the corner made by two roads .
Down the hill from Caherdaha came the Advance Party of British troops on bicycles ; some one ran to the pub door and gave the alarm and my uncle Dan ran out , jumped on his cart and went off at a fast trot . Reaching the corner , the Brits saw him go and dismounted , unslung their rifles and shouted at him to stop . He kept going . " Open fire on him ," a British Officer ordered : " No , do not," said another , " he does not hear us with the noise of the cart . I'll follow him ." Mounting his bicycle , the Brit chased after and overtook the cart . My uncle pulled up , feigning surprise as well as he could . " Did you not hear us calling you ?" the soldier asked . " No " , my uncle said , " I heard nothing until you spoke . "
A few simple questions about his business at the village and where he was going to were put to him , and he was allowed to go . Meanwhile , the rest of the British Advance Party entered the pub ; the day was warm and a dozen customers were on the premises ; nearly all were past military age and none could be accused of having a military appearance . But that did'nt matter to 'Percival's Crowd'......."
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
5 of 12 .
The game of bluff ended on 22 January 1975 , when the British returned to the bargaining table , handing over a copy of the Rees Statement in the Commons , and emphasising two points in particular which stressed a positive role for Sinn Fein as the political wing of the Republican Movement , if a Truce came into operation on a permanent basis , and steps were needed to ensure it did not break down .
They also stressed that they would have to break off the talks if two acts like those which had happened in Belfast the previous day , were repeated . On this and on several other occasions , while the British stressed the need for an over-all ceasefire , the impression was given that IRA attacks on Britain were particularly resented . They had a political effect on Westminster far outweighing much greater horrors in 'Northern Ireland' (sic) though this did not mean , of course , that London was in any way over-looking the suffering which violence had caused there .......
(MORE LATER).
....... Martin McDermott was 'Chief Architect' to the Egyptian Government when , in 1882 , the Brits bombed the City of Alexandria (July 11th , 1882) ; he designed new buildings to replace those destroyed , then, at sixty years of age , he retired and moved to London , England .......
Whilst living in London , Martin McDermott became involved in the thriving literary scene ; he helped to establish the Southwark Library Club in the same year that he moved there (1883) and , at 68 years of age , he was a founding member of the Irish Library Society (in 1891). He published a number of books ('The Coulin' , 'The Exile') and , at 71 years of age , wrote 'The New Spirit of The Nation' , perhaps his best known work .
His old friend Charles Gavan Duffy assisted him , in 1896 , when he was 73 years of age , in publishing his 'Songs and Ballads of Young Ireland' . After a life which saw him born into a wealthy family , become a leading architect , hold political discussions with a revolutionary government and spend 35 years in Egypt , Martin McDermott died in Bristol , England , on April 25th , 1905 . He was 82 years of age .
Again , we found it difficult to obtain the above information on this man - like many of those we attempt to write about on this 'blog' , the name 'Martin McDermott' did not 'jump-out' at us from the history books , and we can only hope we have done him justice . The man made his mark in his day but , like many others , todays commercialised society sees no value in remembering him .
To us , Martin McDermott is another link to our past , part of an 835-year-old saga . And Counting .......
[END of ' MARTIN McDERMOTT , 1823-1905 : YOUNG IRELANDER.......'].
(Tomorrow - '1976: IRA Jail Break.......').
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
1921 - The Big Round-Up.......
".......the 'Big Round-Up' was over ; the Brits were pulling-out of the area . The last to leave were 'The Essex Regiment' ('Percival's Crowd') and I knew the direction in which they were leaving - I had my Lewis-Gun , I was high up on Candroma Rock and I had the advantage of surprise ......."
"I would have given much for a shot at that murderous crowd . As they passed me by , I recognised John J. Quill , a prisoner among them ; I was in no doubt about what the result for him would be if I fired on them . Some hours later they wantonly fired at and killed Den Buckley at Toames . At the same time I must give the devil his due , and tell how one of 'Percival's Crowd' saved the life of my uncle before their rearguard had passed out of my sight ; my uncle had come to the Cross for some provisions , and left his horse and cart near the door of Den Buckley's shop and pub , which stood at the corner made by two roads .
Down the hill from Caherdaha came the Advance Party of British troops on bicycles ; some one ran to the pub door and gave the alarm and my uncle Dan ran out , jumped on his cart and went off at a fast trot . Reaching the corner , the Brits saw him go and dismounted , unslung their rifles and shouted at him to stop . He kept going . " Open fire on him ," a British Officer ordered : " No , do not," said another , " he does not hear us with the noise of the cart . I'll follow him ." Mounting his bicycle , the Brit chased after and overtook the cart . My uncle pulled up , feigning surprise as well as he could . " Did you not hear us calling you ?" the soldier asked . " No " , my uncle said , " I heard nothing until you spoke . "
A few simple questions about his business at the village and where he was going to were put to him , and he was allowed to go . Meanwhile , the rest of the British Advance Party entered the pub ; the day was warm and a dozen customers were on the premises ; nearly all were past military age and none could be accused of having a military appearance . But that did'nt matter to 'Percival's Crowd'......."
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
5 of 12 .
The game of bluff ended on 22 January 1975 , when the British returned to the bargaining table , handing over a copy of the Rees Statement in the Commons , and emphasising two points in particular which stressed a positive role for Sinn Fein as the political wing of the Republican Movement , if a Truce came into operation on a permanent basis , and steps were needed to ensure it did not break down .
They also stressed that they would have to break off the talks if two acts like those which had happened in Belfast the previous day , were repeated . On this and on several other occasions , while the British stressed the need for an over-all ceasefire , the impression was given that IRA attacks on Britain were particularly resented . They had a political effect on Westminster far outweighing much greater horrors in 'Northern Ireland' (sic) though this did not mean , of course , that London was in any way over-looking the suffering which violence had caused there .......
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
MARTIN McDERMOTT , 1823-1905 : YOUNG IRELANDER .......
.......one of the Irish Rebels on the French Delegation in 1848 with Martin McDermott , Thomas Francis Meagher , dedicated twenty-four of his forty-four years on this earth to challenging British mis-rule in Ireland .......
The 'Young Ireland' Movement staged a Rising against the British in 1848 , but this was soon put down by the Brits ; Martin McDermott fled to Egypt and eventually secured a job there as the Official Architect to the Egyptian Government ; he was still in that job when , in 1882 , at 59 years of age , the British bombarded the City of Alexandria (on July 11th , 1882) - a munitions store at Marsa-el-Kanet exploded , levelling everything around it and other landmark buildings , such as the Meks Fort and Fort Napoleon , were also destroyed .
The British 'Daily Telegraph' newspaper reported at the time that ".....the Grand Square and all streets leading from it were burning . The whole European quarter of Alexandria is doomed to destruction . "
As Chief Architect , it was Martin McDermott who designed the buildings which replaced those that were destroyed by the Brits . He retired from his job when he was sixty years of age (in 1883) and moved to London , England , where he became involved in the thriving literary scene .......
(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.
1921 - The Big Round-Up.......
".......during their 'round-up' operation , the Brits did indeed capture a few IRA men , but were not sure themselves that this was the case . A group of British Army Officers told the prisoners that they would be sleeping on the floor that night , in captivity ; one of the captured (IRA) men , Patsy Cronin , slouched and shuffled around the room , with the Brits watching him in disbelief - he was stooping down to press on the floorboards every few feet ......."
" What the devil are you after ? " one of the Brits shouted at Patsy . With a vacuous stare , Patsy replied - " I am looking for a soft board to lie on , sir . " Aghast at this revelation , it was now the Brit Officer's turn to stare ....then , a smile of triumph flooded his features and , turning , he quickly walked back to his colleagues , laughing . " Did ye hear that ? " he said , " Now who was right ? We have picked-up all the imbeciles of the county ! " For that night , the prisoners had to be content with the 'bed' that Patsy thought too hard ; on the following day , they were , with one exception , all released .
They were far from being "imbeciles " - the man detained by the Brits was a giant IRA Volunteer , John J. Quill , from Bardincha , Coolea . He was taken by the (British) Essex Regiment to Toames , on Wednesday evening , en route for Kinsale . When captured , John became the target of jibes from the British Tommies , because of his height and build . They referred to him as "Enormous Paddy" , and wondered if he were as strong as he looked . At length ,exasperated , John turned on them - " I'd take any four of ye in the arse of me breeches for the whole day and never feel ye were there at all , " he told them . They became quite respectful after that retort , and did not further annoy him !
The Essex Regiment , or 'Percival's Crowd' , as they were called , were the last to leave Ballyvourney on Wednesday afternoon . I had been watching their exodus , since the day before , from Rahoona Hill , Candroma Rock and other vantage points overlooking the Ballyvourney Road . All had , so far , returned by the way they had come , along that highway . I actually saw 'Percival's Crowd' turn off the main road at Poul na Bro and come along by the foot of Rahoona ; with plenty of time to spare , I reached Candroma Rock ahead of them . My intention was to catch them with enfilading fire from the Lewis-Gun as they ascended the long steep Hill of Caherdaha ....... "
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
4 of 12 .
The initial 'off-the-cuff' British reaction to these demands was as follows -
1. Difficult ;
2. No trouble in principle ;
3. Do ;
4. Difficult where political charges were concerned ;
5. Timing and extent an issue ;
6. 'A rock' ;
7. OK ;
8. Difficult ;
9. Would have to involve the Republican Movement and the Northern Ireland (sic) Office ;
10. OK ;
11. Yes ;
12 . Fact.
There were a few days of indecision , during which the IRA had resumed limited operations in both Britain and the North , leading to a threat from the British side that " if any further activity takes place in Britain or Belfast , the meetings will probably end . "
The Republican response was to note that there had been " a genuine and sustained cessation of violence for 25 days during the Christmas and New Year Truces and there had been no worthwhile response from the British Government ." A game of bluff.......
(MORE LATER).
.......one of the Irish Rebels on the French Delegation in 1848 with Martin McDermott , Thomas Francis Meagher , dedicated twenty-four of his forty-four years on this earth to challenging British mis-rule in Ireland .......
The 'Young Ireland' Movement staged a Rising against the British in 1848 , but this was soon put down by the Brits ; Martin McDermott fled to Egypt and eventually secured a job there as the Official Architect to the Egyptian Government ; he was still in that job when , in 1882 , at 59 years of age , the British bombarded the City of Alexandria (on July 11th , 1882) - a munitions store at Marsa-el-Kanet exploded , levelling everything around it and other landmark buildings , such as the Meks Fort and Fort Napoleon , were also destroyed .
The British 'Daily Telegraph' newspaper reported at the time that ".....the Grand Square and all streets leading from it were burning . The whole European quarter of Alexandria is doomed to destruction . "
As Chief Architect , it was Martin McDermott who designed the buildings which replaced those that were destroyed by the Brits . He retired from his job when he was sixty years of age (in 1883) and moved to London , England , where he became involved in the thriving literary scene .......
(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.
1921 - The Big Round-Up.......
".......during their 'round-up' operation , the Brits did indeed capture a few IRA men , but were not sure themselves that this was the case . A group of British Army Officers told the prisoners that they would be sleeping on the floor that night , in captivity ; one of the captured (IRA) men , Patsy Cronin , slouched and shuffled around the room , with the Brits watching him in disbelief - he was stooping down to press on the floorboards every few feet ......."
" What the devil are you after ? " one of the Brits shouted at Patsy . With a vacuous stare , Patsy replied - " I am looking for a soft board to lie on , sir . " Aghast at this revelation , it was now the Brit Officer's turn to stare ....then , a smile of triumph flooded his features and , turning , he quickly walked back to his colleagues , laughing . " Did ye hear that ? " he said , " Now who was right ? We have picked-up all the imbeciles of the county ! " For that night , the prisoners had to be content with the 'bed' that Patsy thought too hard ; on the following day , they were , with one exception , all released .
They were far from being "imbeciles " - the man detained by the Brits was a giant IRA Volunteer , John J. Quill , from Bardincha , Coolea . He was taken by the (British) Essex Regiment to Toames , on Wednesday evening , en route for Kinsale . When captured , John became the target of jibes from the British Tommies , because of his height and build . They referred to him as "Enormous Paddy" , and wondered if he were as strong as he looked . At length ,exasperated , John turned on them - " I'd take any four of ye in the arse of me breeches for the whole day and never feel ye were there at all , " he told them . They became quite respectful after that retort , and did not further annoy him !
The Essex Regiment , or 'Percival's Crowd' , as they were called , were the last to leave Ballyvourney on Wednesday afternoon . I had been watching their exodus , since the day before , from Rahoona Hill , Candroma Rock and other vantage points overlooking the Ballyvourney Road . All had , so far , returned by the way they had come , along that highway . I actually saw 'Percival's Crowd' turn off the main road at Poul na Bro and come along by the foot of Rahoona ; with plenty of time to spare , I reached Candroma Rock ahead of them . My intention was to catch them with enfilading fire from the Lewis-Gun as they ascended the long steep Hill of Caherdaha ....... "
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
4 of 12 .
The initial 'off-the-cuff' British reaction to these demands was as follows -
1. Difficult ;
2. No trouble in principle ;
3. Do ;
4. Difficult where political charges were concerned ;
5. Timing and extent an issue ;
6. 'A rock' ;
7. OK ;
8. Difficult ;
9. Would have to involve the Republican Movement and the Northern Ireland (sic) Office ;
10. OK ;
11. Yes ;
12 . Fact.
There were a few days of indecision , during which the IRA had resumed limited operations in both Britain and the North , leading to a threat from the British side that " if any further activity takes place in Britain or Belfast , the meetings will probably end . "
The Republican response was to note that there had been " a genuine and sustained cessation of violence for 25 days during the Christmas and New Year Truces and there had been no worthwhile response from the British Government ." A game of bluff.......
(MORE LATER).
Monday, June 28, 2004
MARTIN McDERMOTT , 1823-1905 : YOUNG IRELANDER .......
....... Martin McDermott was a member of the 'Young Ireland' delegation which travelled to Paris , France , in 1848 , to present the case , and seek support , for Irish Freedom ; they met with the French Minister for Foreign Affairs , Alphonse de Lamartine .......
...de Lamartine was well-respected by his own people ; the French President at that time , Dupont de L'Eure , was more or less a 'figurehead' , with de Lamartine holding the real power in the new French Administration . He admired the 'Young Irelanders' and supported their cause to end British mis-rule in Ireland and , as a gesture of goodwill , presented the 'Young Ireland' Movement representatives with a gift for the Irish Nation - a Tricolour Flag of Green , White and Orange , which the Irish Rebels returned with to Dublin in April 1848 .
A member of that delegation which went to Paris , Thomas Francis Meagher , was only 25 years young when he sat down with the Government of the Second French Republic ; he was born in Waterford on August 3rd , 1823 , and was only 20 years young when he decided to challenge British mis-rule in Ireland . At 23 years of age (in 1846) he became one of the leaders of the 'Young Ireland' Movement and , at the age of 29 , wrote what is perhaps his best known work - ' Speeches on the Legislative Independence of Ireland ' , of which six editions were published .
Thomas Francis Meagher died , aged only 44 , in Montana , USA , (near Fort Benton) on July 1st , 1867 .......
(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.
1921 - The Big Round-Up.......
".......I had no choice other than to abandon my plan to turn the Lewis-Gun on the British troops in their camp ; they were holding some of my comrades as prisoners and would have killed them had I gone ahead as planned ......."
" The British military from Tralee , who took part in the round-up , carried with them two IRA Volunteers but , on the following day they released them , having failed to identify them . Among the prisoners in the school at Ballyvourney were the two brothers Cronin , from Toureen , across the border in Kerry ; both were IRA Volunteers and their home , like the neighbouring houses of Muing , was always our refuge when we needed a rest . Indeed , having once crossed their hospitable threshold , one found it hard to leave again - to sit by the fireside , listening to the mother and her two sons discussing even very ordinary affairs , was a great joy in itself . A rich humour enveloped the most trivial matter but , when one of the three began to tell a story , we held our breath in gleeful anticipation .
For the story-teller could assume the role of every character in the tale , merely by the change of facial expression and the inflexion of the voice . This natural talent was to prove of great value to them , and to others , while prisoners in the school on Monday evening : a group of British Army Officers stood regarding the men they had hoped to classify as Units of the IRA . If there were some among them who thought their 'catch' was good , there were others with a more discerning eye who thought otherwise . The matter was soon put to the test , as a Brit Officer stepped forward and spoke to the prisoners -
- "Here , you fellows , you will remain here for tonight ; you may sleep there ," indicating the timber floor at large . The announcement was not received with enthusiasm , and there was no great rush to get to bed . Patsy Cronin slowly detached himself from the group of prisoners and , with a well-simulated slouch , he crossed , in full view of the Brits, to the farthest corner of the room .Here , stooping , he pressed the floor with the palms of both hands and , evidently not satisfied , straightened himself a little and moved a few yards further along the wall . Again stooping , he tested the area of floor around him within the radius of his hands .
With a frown he arose , and moving quickly forward , dropped down on his hands and knees to investigate again . The British Army Officers were watching this , with interest ......."
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
3 of 12 .
The document which the Irish Republican leaders handed over to the British at a meeting on 21st January 1975 called for -
1. Freedom of movement for all members of the Republican Movement .
2. Cessation of all harassment of the civilian population .
3. A cessation of raids on lands , homes and other buildings .
4. A cessation of arrests of members of the Republican Movement .
5. An end to screening , photographing and identity checks .
6. Members of the Republican Movement reserve the right to carry concealed short arms solely for the purpose of self-defence .
7. No provocative displays of force by either side .
8. No re-introduction of RUC and UDR into designated areas .
9. Agreement of effective liasion system between British and Republican forces .
10. A progressive withdrawal of British troops to barracks to begin with the implementation of the bi-lateral Truce .
11. Confirmation that discussions between representatives of the Republican Movement and H.M.G. will continue towards securing a permanent ceasefire .
12. In the event of any of these terms being violated , the Republican Movement reserves the right of freedom of action .......
(MORE LATER).
....... Martin McDermott was a member of the 'Young Ireland' delegation which travelled to Paris , France , in 1848 , to present the case , and seek support , for Irish Freedom ; they met with the French Minister for Foreign Affairs , Alphonse de Lamartine .......
...de Lamartine was well-respected by his own people ; the French President at that time , Dupont de L'Eure , was more or less a 'figurehead' , with de Lamartine holding the real power in the new French Administration . He admired the 'Young Irelanders' and supported their cause to end British mis-rule in Ireland and , as a gesture of goodwill , presented the 'Young Ireland' Movement representatives with a gift for the Irish Nation - a Tricolour Flag of Green , White and Orange , which the Irish Rebels returned with to Dublin in April 1848 .
A member of that delegation which went to Paris , Thomas Francis Meagher , was only 25 years young when he sat down with the Government of the Second French Republic ; he was born in Waterford on August 3rd , 1823 , and was only 20 years young when he decided to challenge British mis-rule in Ireland . At 23 years of age (in 1846) he became one of the leaders of the 'Young Ireland' Movement and , at the age of 29 , wrote what is perhaps his best known work - ' Speeches on the Legislative Independence of Ireland ' , of which six editions were published .
Thomas Francis Meagher died , aged only 44 , in Montana , USA , (near Fort Benton) on July 1st , 1867 .......
(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.
1921 - The Big Round-Up.......
".......I had no choice other than to abandon my plan to turn the Lewis-Gun on the British troops in their camp ; they were holding some of my comrades as prisoners and would have killed them had I gone ahead as planned ......."
" The British military from Tralee , who took part in the round-up , carried with them two IRA Volunteers but , on the following day they released them , having failed to identify them . Among the prisoners in the school at Ballyvourney were the two brothers Cronin , from Toureen , across the border in Kerry ; both were IRA Volunteers and their home , like the neighbouring houses of Muing , was always our refuge when we needed a rest . Indeed , having once crossed their hospitable threshold , one found it hard to leave again - to sit by the fireside , listening to the mother and her two sons discussing even very ordinary affairs , was a great joy in itself . A rich humour enveloped the most trivial matter but , when one of the three began to tell a story , we held our breath in gleeful anticipation .
For the story-teller could assume the role of every character in the tale , merely by the change of facial expression and the inflexion of the voice . This natural talent was to prove of great value to them , and to others , while prisoners in the school on Monday evening : a group of British Army Officers stood regarding the men they had hoped to classify as Units of the IRA . If there were some among them who thought their 'catch' was good , there were others with a more discerning eye who thought otherwise . The matter was soon put to the test , as a Brit Officer stepped forward and spoke to the prisoners -
- "Here , you fellows , you will remain here for tonight ; you may sleep there ," indicating the timber floor at large . The announcement was not received with enthusiasm , and there was no great rush to get to bed . Patsy Cronin slowly detached himself from the group of prisoners and , with a well-simulated slouch , he crossed , in full view of the Brits, to the farthest corner of the room .Here , stooping , he pressed the floor with the palms of both hands and , evidently not satisfied , straightened himself a little and moved a few yards further along the wall . Again stooping , he tested the area of floor around him within the radius of his hands .
With a frown he arose , and moving quickly forward , dropped down on his hands and knees to investigate again . The British Army Officers were watching this , with interest ......."
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
3 of 12 .
The document which the Irish Republican leaders handed over to the British at a meeting on 21st January 1975 called for -
1. Freedom of movement for all members of the Republican Movement .
2. Cessation of all harassment of the civilian population .
3. A cessation of raids on lands , homes and other buildings .
4. A cessation of arrests of members of the Republican Movement .
5. An end to screening , photographing and identity checks .
6. Members of the Republican Movement reserve the right to carry concealed short arms solely for the purpose of self-defence .
7. No provocative displays of force by either side .
8. No re-introduction of RUC and UDR into designated areas .
9. Agreement of effective liasion system between British and Republican forces .
10. A progressive withdrawal of British troops to barracks to begin with the implementation of the bi-lateral Truce .
11. Confirmation that discussions between representatives of the Republican Movement and H.M.G. will continue towards securing a permanent ceasefire .
12. In the event of any of these terms being violated , the Republican Movement reserves the right of freedom of action .......
(MORE LATER).
Sunday, June 27, 2004
MARTIN McDERMOTT , 1823-1905 : YOUNG IRELANDER .......
....... John Mitchel was one of the many who left the 'Repeal Association' to support the more militant 'Young Ireland' Movement ; Martin McDermott agreed with the stand that Mitchel and the others took - they were all of the opinion that "Ireland will be avenged..."
Martin McDermott continued writing for 'The Nation' newspaper , which supported armed action in defence of Irish Nationhood : he soon joined the 'Young Irelanders' and became one of its leading members and was on the deputation (along with , amongst others , William Smith O'Brien and Thomas Francis Meagher) which travelled to Paris , France , in 1848 , to highlight the demand for Irish Freedom to the Government of the Second French Republic which had been established following the French Revolution of February 1848 .
The new French Constitution affirmed the rights of " Liberty , Equality and Fraternity , Family , Work , Property and Public Order ..." ; that which the 'Young Ireland' Movement sought for Ireland . The 'Young Irelanders' met with Alphonse de Lamartine , the French Minister for Foreign Affairs , who was well-respected by his own Revolutionary colleagues in Government and by the French workers and poor - the French 'peasant class ...
(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.
1921 - The Big Round-Up.......
".......a group of young lads from Ballyvourney were trying to escape the British round-up but were , instead , going towards another British Army camp . I pointed them in a safer direction and asked for any news they had on my comrades - I was told that a few of them had been captured by the Brits ....... "
" This news was most depressing to hear , and I could scarcely refrain from telling the bearers of the tidings how much everybody , including themselves , would benefit by their staying at home . However , I said nothing but , long after they had left , I sat among the rushes trying to decide on what I ought to do . Until I had heard of the prisoners taken , I had been very happy about my project ; I could have got one or more of my comrades to accompany me willingly , but would not think of risking anybody's life on such a scheme . Now , I was confronted with the same responsibility .
I argued the consequences with myself and , finally , had to admit to the voice of reason that , as a reprisal for my actions , the death of the prisoners would follow were I to shoot-up the British Army camp . In a very vicious humour , I shouldered my gun and marched down the road to my uncle's gate . I had kept to the by-ways to avoid meeting people and lo , they had nearly trampled me , as they came laden with bad news ! My comrades who went to Kerry were early on Monday hard pressed to avoid capture ; actually , they were within the 'circle' which had , at dawn , started to join its various arcs . Moving quickly towards the on-coming enemy , they slipped through a gap which soon closed behind them .
Other members of our IRA Column did likewise , in other directions : some who had gone to Kerry had , on Sunday night , returned to the east of Ballyvourney . Thus , on Monday evening , when the net was drawn , the British had little in it . Among a large number of prisoners assembled at Ballyvourney National School , the British had two members of our Column and a few other IRA Volunteers ....... "
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
2 of 12 .
Two days of general discussion and some 'shadow-boxing' ensued , complicated by the fact that the British side wanted the first two points kept secret but not point three (see yesterday's article...) . The formula about speaking to Provisional Sinn Fein but not directly to the (P)IRA was set out in (the British) Parliament on January 14th , 1975 by Mr. Merlyn Rees , the Northern Ireland (sic) Secretary , and became the basis of policy for the months ahead , even when, later on , (P)IRA Commanders from Derry and Belfast joined with Provisional Sinn Fein leaders in direct negotiations with the (British) Stormont Officials about monitoring and maintaining the Truce which finally was agreed to come into operation on 11th February , 1975 .
The basis of that Truce was laid in a 12-point document entitled 'Terms for a Bi-lateral Truce' which the Republican leaders handed over at a meeting on 21st January , 1975 .......
(MORE LATER).
....... John Mitchel was one of the many who left the 'Repeal Association' to support the more militant 'Young Ireland' Movement ; Martin McDermott agreed with the stand that Mitchel and the others took - they were all of the opinion that "Ireland will be avenged..."
Martin McDermott continued writing for 'The Nation' newspaper , which supported armed action in defence of Irish Nationhood : he soon joined the 'Young Irelanders' and became one of its leading members and was on the deputation (along with , amongst others , William Smith O'Brien and Thomas Francis Meagher) which travelled to Paris , France , in 1848 , to highlight the demand for Irish Freedom to the Government of the Second French Republic which had been established following the French Revolution of February 1848 .
The new French Constitution affirmed the rights of " Liberty , Equality and Fraternity , Family , Work , Property and Public Order ..." ; that which the 'Young Ireland' Movement sought for Ireland . The 'Young Irelanders' met with Alphonse de Lamartine , the French Minister for Foreign Affairs , who was well-respected by his own Revolutionary colleagues in Government and by the French workers and poor - the French 'peasant class ...
(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.
1921 - The Big Round-Up.......
".......a group of young lads from Ballyvourney were trying to escape the British round-up but were , instead , going towards another British Army camp . I pointed them in a safer direction and asked for any news they had on my comrades - I was told that a few of them had been captured by the Brits ....... "
" This news was most depressing to hear , and I could scarcely refrain from telling the bearers of the tidings how much everybody , including themselves , would benefit by their staying at home . However , I said nothing but , long after they had left , I sat among the rushes trying to decide on what I ought to do . Until I had heard of the prisoners taken , I had been very happy about my project ; I could have got one or more of my comrades to accompany me willingly , but would not think of risking anybody's life on such a scheme . Now , I was confronted with the same responsibility .
I argued the consequences with myself and , finally , had to admit to the voice of reason that , as a reprisal for my actions , the death of the prisoners would follow were I to shoot-up the British Army camp . In a very vicious humour , I shouldered my gun and marched down the road to my uncle's gate . I had kept to the by-ways to avoid meeting people and lo , they had nearly trampled me , as they came laden with bad news ! My comrades who went to Kerry were early on Monday hard pressed to avoid capture ; actually , they were within the 'circle' which had , at dawn , started to join its various arcs . Moving quickly towards the on-coming enemy , they slipped through a gap which soon closed behind them .
Other members of our IRA Column did likewise , in other directions : some who had gone to Kerry had , on Sunday night , returned to the east of Ballyvourney . Thus , on Monday evening , when the net was drawn , the British had little in it . Among a large number of prisoners assembled at Ballyvourney National School , the British had two members of our Column and a few other IRA Volunteers ....... "
(MORE LATER).
TALKING TO THE PROVISIONALS.......
" The British Government has twice entered into detailed negotiations with representatives of the IRA . Nollaig O Gadhra recalls the talks that took place exactly ten years ago between the Northern Ireland (sic) Office and the Provisional Republican Movement . "
By Nollaig O Gadhra .
(From 'The Sunday Press' newspaper , 10th February 1985).
Re-produced here in 12 parts .
2 of 12 .
Two days of general discussion and some 'shadow-boxing' ensued , complicated by the fact that the British side wanted the first two points kept secret but not point three (see yesterday's article...) . The formula about speaking to Provisional Sinn Fein but not directly to the (P)IRA was set out in (the British) Parliament on January 14th , 1975 by Mr. Merlyn Rees , the Northern Ireland (sic) Secretary , and became the basis of policy for the months ahead , even when, later on , (P)IRA Commanders from Derry and Belfast joined with Provisional Sinn Fein leaders in direct negotiations with the (British) Stormont Officials about monitoring and maintaining the Truce which finally was agreed to come into operation on 11th February , 1975 .
The basis of that Truce was laid in a 12-point document entitled 'Terms for a Bi-lateral Truce' which the Republican leaders handed over at a meeting on 21st January , 1975 .......
(MORE LATER).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)