JOSEPH BRENAN ; 1828-1857 : 'Young Ireland' Leader .......
Joseph Brenan was born into Daniel O'Connell's time ; huge crowds attended meetings of 'The Catholic Association' , and one eye-witness gave the following account .......
" The whole district was covered with people . The population within a days march began to arrive on foot shortly after daybreak and continued to arrive , on all sides and by every available approach , 'till noon . It was impossible from any one point to see the entire meeting - the number is supposed to have reached between 500,000 and 700,000 persons ."
The population was upset ; they had to contend with hunger , evictions and early death . They were living like animals - a visitor from France , Gustav de Beaumont , described the conditions that Joseph Brenan , too, would have seen in Ireland at that time (ie the early 19th Century) -
- " Imagine four walls of dried mud , which the rain , as it falls, easily restores to its primitive condition , having for its roof a little straw of some sods , for its chimney a hole cut in the roof , or very frequently the door through which alone the smoke finds an issue . One single appartment (sic ?) contains father , mother , children and sometimes a grandfather or grandmother ; there is no furniture in this wretched hovel - a single bed of straw serves the entire family .
Five or six half-naked children may be seen crouched near a miserable fire , the ashes of which cover a few potatoes , the sole nourishment of the whole family . "
The English 'Establishment' and their 'Landlord' puppets had their fine gala-balls and sporting-days , while the Irish 'lived' in " wretched hovels ...". However - we all of us have to answer to our God one day .......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A DRIVE TO CORK CITY .......
".......If left alone , we would pass as a mixture of Black and Tans and Auxiliaries and we all struck a superior posture in the car , as they do . We were ready to engage them if we had to , but they were not our target this day ......."
" We were now in Washington Street , Cork , and soon we could see to the end of it . We watched the junction with Main Street - all clear , but what would the Grand Parade reveal ? We swept gracefully into it in a right hand quarter-circle , while our eyes instinctively swept from Patrick Street corner to the Mall , noting particularly Tuckey Street corner . Soon we were past that abode of a vile mix - RIC and Black and Tans . Turning left , we were in the South Mall ; a few hundred yards , and we turned right over Parliament Bridge , across the south channel of the River Lee .
Crossing the quay , we went up Barrack Street and past Cat Fort Gate , where a Black and Tan sentry stood with sloped rifle . He brought his right hand across to the small of the butt , then down smartly to his side - a salute for us ! The first half of it looked bad , but good manners carry one a long way ; a few of us returned the salute wearily ! Some little time after passing by Cat Fort , we over-ran our road to the left - there was some doubt as to where the next road to the left led , and we decided to enquire . This proved to be more troublesome than we expected : we could see people approaching us as if hurrying to work , yet they never reached us . They turned in a doorway or a gateway or a street , so we rushed to the corner of the street to shout after them but they had vanished !
We felt that we were not popular . At length we chased a young man going in our own direction , and grabbed him as he turned in a wicket-gate - he was frightened , but would tell us nothing ......."
(MORE LATER).
BREAKAWAY PARTIES HAVE POOR RECORD .......
By Carol Coulter.
(First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper on Monday 22nd April 1985).
Reproduced here in 7 parts .
[7 of 7].
In the next election , in 1981 , the 'Workers Party' , formed ten years earlier out of a split in Sinn Fein , won a seat in the Dail (sic- Leinster House) after three attempts in the three previous elections . In 1982 it won three seats , with 2.3 per cent of the vote , but lost one in the subsequent election , though its share of the vote remained almost the same .
The only other small party to have won seats in the Dail (sic) is Sinn Fein , which contested the 1957 election on an abstentionist platform and won four seats ; it lost them all in 1961 , and did not contest another election until 20 years later , in 1981 , when it was heavily involved in the election campaigns of the H-Block prisoners who ran to highlight the Hunger-Strike .
Of obvious necessity , they ran on an abstentionist platform and two of the Republican prisoners , Paddy Agnew and Kieran Doherty , were elected ; Doherty died on Hunger-Strike , and Paddy Agnew did not run in 1982 .
[END of -'BREAKAWAY PARTIES HAVE POOR RECORD...'].
(Tomorrow - 'GETTING OUT' ; from 'New Statesman and Society' magazine , 1988).
Friday, May 28, 2004
JOSEPH BRENAN ; 1828-1857 : 'Young Ireland' Leader .
Ireland , 1828 ; twenty-one months after the subject of our previous article , Philip Grey , was born in Dublin , a baby was born in Cork (ie in November 1828) - Joseph Brenan . He , too, was born when Daniel O'Connell's star was burning brightly - O'Connell had organised the Irish 'peasantry' (as Westminster referred to them) into what was , in all intent and purpose , a political party .
As stated in the previous article , the Catholic Church was in support of 'The Catholic Association' and allowed (indeed , encouraged) its Priests to act not only as that organisations 'spiritual advisers' , but also as political activists !
British mis-rule was reflected in the general state of unrest throughout the country - huge crowds attended 'Association' meetings , with one eye-witness account of the time stating - " The whole district was covered with people ......."
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A DRIVE TO CORK CITY .......
".......Our mission took us through Coolea , Ballyvourney and Liscarragane ; we thought of old heros - Canon O'Leary and Art O'Laoghaire - we were now on the Donoughmore-Blarney-Cork road......."
" For a time we enjoyed the long straight stretches where we could see well ahead of us ; for there was the possibility of meeting with a strong British Army raiding-party of many lorries . That would be their time for such a job - should they come , we would have time to stop and take up defensive positions . But , leaving the Blarney highway , we did not appreciate the lovely woodland road which changed direction so often .
However , we met no enemy and reached St. Ann's safely ; on then to the Kerry Pike where one of our lads stopped to see his mother . Estimating that our time would now be right , without a further stop , we dropped down to the Asylum Road , and got to the end of it without incident ; we crossed the bridge over the northern branch of the Lee . A run of a few hundred yards , and we were moving at a smart pace down the Western Road .
Safety catches were 'off'. There was to be no delay in case of an attempt to interfere with us ; any enemy agents we met who took us for friends were to be given the benefit of the mistake , and we should hope to maintain that relation for some time . Although we were ready for instant action , and the Lewis-Gun and rifles were plain to be seen , we reclined apparently at ease as befitted British Auxiliaries of the better-off class - not those fellows who sat stiffly on hard seats on their Crossley Tenders ......."
(MORE LATER).
BREAKAWAY PARTIES HAVE POOR RECORD .......
By Carol Coulter.
(First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper on Monday 22nd April 1985).
Reproduced here in 7 parts .
(6 of 7).
Neil Blaney adopted a different course , describing the group around him as 'Independent Fianna Fail', and appearing as an independent in all the results . Although there were other candidates on this ticket , none of them was ever elected .
In 1977 there was another attempt to form a radical party , again involving Noel Browne : he and a number of prominent Labour Party members split to form the Social Labour Party , with Browne as its only TD (sic - Leinster House member).
Quite soon , however , differences emerged between him and other leading members , and when he left Leinster House , the party collapsed .......
(MORE LATER).
Ireland , 1828 ; twenty-one months after the subject of our previous article , Philip Grey , was born in Dublin , a baby was born in Cork (ie in November 1828) - Joseph Brenan . He , too, was born when Daniel O'Connell's star was burning brightly - O'Connell had organised the Irish 'peasantry' (as Westminster referred to them) into what was , in all intent and purpose , a political party .
As stated in the previous article , the Catholic Church was in support of 'The Catholic Association' and allowed (indeed , encouraged) its Priests to act not only as that organisations 'spiritual advisers' , but also as political activists !
British mis-rule was reflected in the general state of unrest throughout the country - huge crowds attended 'Association' meetings , with one eye-witness account of the time stating - " The whole district was covered with people ......."
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A DRIVE TO CORK CITY .......
".......Our mission took us through Coolea , Ballyvourney and Liscarragane ; we thought of old heros - Canon O'Leary and Art O'Laoghaire - we were now on the Donoughmore-Blarney-Cork road......."
" For a time we enjoyed the long straight stretches where we could see well ahead of us ; for there was the possibility of meeting with a strong British Army raiding-party of many lorries . That would be their time for such a job - should they come , we would have time to stop and take up defensive positions . But , leaving the Blarney highway , we did not appreciate the lovely woodland road which changed direction so often .
However , we met no enemy and reached St. Ann's safely ; on then to the Kerry Pike where one of our lads stopped to see his mother . Estimating that our time would now be right , without a further stop , we dropped down to the Asylum Road , and got to the end of it without incident ; we crossed the bridge over the northern branch of the Lee . A run of a few hundred yards , and we were moving at a smart pace down the Western Road .
Safety catches were 'off'. There was to be no delay in case of an attempt to interfere with us ; any enemy agents we met who took us for friends were to be given the benefit of the mistake , and we should hope to maintain that relation for some time . Although we were ready for instant action , and the Lewis-Gun and rifles were plain to be seen , we reclined apparently at ease as befitted British Auxiliaries of the better-off class - not those fellows who sat stiffly on hard seats on their Crossley Tenders ......."
(MORE LATER).
BREAKAWAY PARTIES HAVE POOR RECORD .......
By Carol Coulter.
(First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper on Monday 22nd April 1985).
Reproduced here in 7 parts .
(6 of 7).
Neil Blaney adopted a different course , describing the group around him as 'Independent Fianna Fail', and appearing as an independent in all the results . Although there were other candidates on this ticket , none of them was ever elected .
In 1977 there was another attempt to form a radical party , again involving Noel Browne : he and a number of prominent Labour Party members split to form the Social Labour Party , with Browne as its only TD (sic - Leinster House member).
Quite soon , however , differences emerged between him and other leading members , and when he left Leinster House , the party collapsed .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, May 27, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
.......Following the collapse of the Rebel Rising in 1849 (in the Tipperary / Waterford area), Philip Grey made his way to Dublin .......
Although young in years (he was only 22) Philip Grey must have been physically and mentally exhausted - trying to organise men and women into an armed force to hit back against the English , while those same men and women were watching each other , and their children and family "dropping into their graves" must have aged Philip Grey in mind and body ; he died in Dublin on 28th February , 1857 , at 30 years of age , having dedicated the last ten years (ie 1847-1857) of his short life to the Irish Republican Cause.
His name would probably mean nothing to most Irish people today ; we found no mention of the man in three of the reference books we consulted - another 'forgotten hero' , with whom we are proud to be associated .......
[END of 'PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN'].
(Tomorrow - 'Joseph Brenan ; 1828-1857 : 'Young Ireland' Leader.').
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A DRIVE TO CORK CITY .......
".......Our driver , Jim Grey , always started an operation with the one saying - by telling us how he felt . And he always felt the same way .......!"
" Jim Grey took his place at the wheel of the Buick . Sean Murray sat next to him , then Hughie with the Lewis-Gun resting on the windscreen frame . In the back seat Corney sat immediately behind Jim Grey , with Dan Donovan ('Sandow') in the middle , behind Sean Murray . I sat behind Hughie . On the floor at my feet were the Lewis ammunition drums in their carriers . The car stood in the light from the house , and with its own lights burning ; our driver , Jim Grey , got out and walked around the Buick for a final inspection of tyres . Then he took his place again and , grasping the steering-wheel , said with emphasis - " Well , h'anam an dial , lads , but I'm terribly windy ! " A mighty burst of laughter greeted the pronouncement , and in its heartening atmosphere the grey car slipped quietly away ...
We travelled with lights on dim as a rule ; only in certain valleys were the headlamps used , screened by the hills from enemy posts . At that time if you met a car on the road you could be certain it contained the enemy , for no other was allowed by them to travel . Thus , when we travelled and met people on the road , we passed as Black and Tans or Auxiliaries , which put us in some danger from our own people . There was always the chance that some enterprising IRA man might , like Nelson , put his 'blind eye' to the telescope and his good eye on us ! Otherwise , it generally served us well to be mistaken for the enemy . We passed quietly through Coolea and Ballyvourney , and for a short distance along the road to Macroom . Then by quiet roads through Liscarragane , where the great Canon O'Leary (an t-Ahair Peadar) was born . We passed the door where he stood , as a ragged little boy of eight , to watch
and faithfully record the ghastly procession of the Famine .
Then , a few miles more, and we were at Carraig an Ime , where fell the gallant Art O Laoghaire fighting alone against the English . From Carraig an Ime through Ballinagree and Rylane to Donoughmore our journey was uneventful , but tiring on our driver , especially since lights had to be used sparingly . At Donoughmore we were entertained by the Sixth Battalion IRA , and we rested until dawn ; we had time to spare , as we had to wait until the British curfew patrols and armoured cars were withdrawn at 7.30 a.m. We had breakfast and we started off on the Donoughmore-Blaney-Cork road ......."
(MORE LATER).
BREAKAWAY PARTIES HAVE POOR RECORD .......
By Carol Coulter.
(First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper on Monday 22nd April 1985).
Reproduced here in 7 parts .
(5 of 7).
During the rest of the 1960's , only the three main parties - Fianna Fail , Fine Gael and Labour - were represented in the Dail (sic- Leinster House). Then the 'Arms Trial' produced a crisis in Fianna Fail and the beginnings of two further parties . The first of these was Aontacht Eireann , formed by Kevin Boland in 1971 ; he was joined by Sean Sherwin and Captain James Kelly , one of the key figures in the 'Arms Trial' .
But Sean Sherwin failed to retain his seat in 1973 , and in 1976 Kevin Boland resigned as leader and the party folded . Neil Blaney adopted a different course of action .......
(MORE LATER).
.......Following the collapse of the Rebel Rising in 1849 (in the Tipperary / Waterford area), Philip Grey made his way to Dublin .......
Although young in years (he was only 22) Philip Grey must have been physically and mentally exhausted - trying to organise men and women into an armed force to hit back against the English , while those same men and women were watching each other , and their children and family "dropping into their graves" must have aged Philip Grey in mind and body ; he died in Dublin on 28th February , 1857 , at 30 years of age , having dedicated the last ten years (ie 1847-1857) of his short life to the Irish Republican Cause.
His name would probably mean nothing to most Irish people today ; we found no mention of the man in three of the reference books we consulted - another 'forgotten hero' , with whom we are proud to be associated .......
[END of 'PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN'].
(Tomorrow - 'Joseph Brenan ; 1828-1857 : 'Young Ireland' Leader.').
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A DRIVE TO CORK CITY .......
".......Our driver , Jim Grey , always started an operation with the one saying - by telling us how he felt . And he always felt the same way .......!"
" Jim Grey took his place at the wheel of the Buick . Sean Murray sat next to him , then Hughie with the Lewis-Gun resting on the windscreen frame . In the back seat Corney sat immediately behind Jim Grey , with Dan Donovan ('Sandow') in the middle , behind Sean Murray . I sat behind Hughie . On the floor at my feet were the Lewis ammunition drums in their carriers . The car stood in the light from the house , and with its own lights burning ; our driver , Jim Grey , got out and walked around the Buick for a final inspection of tyres . Then he took his place again and , grasping the steering-wheel , said with emphasis - " Well , h'anam an dial , lads , but I'm terribly windy ! " A mighty burst of laughter greeted the pronouncement , and in its heartening atmosphere the grey car slipped quietly away ...
We travelled with lights on dim as a rule ; only in certain valleys were the headlamps used , screened by the hills from enemy posts . At that time if you met a car on the road you could be certain it contained the enemy , for no other was allowed by them to travel . Thus , when we travelled and met people on the road , we passed as Black and Tans or Auxiliaries , which put us in some danger from our own people . There was always the chance that some enterprising IRA man might , like Nelson , put his 'blind eye' to the telescope and his good eye on us ! Otherwise , it generally served us well to be mistaken for the enemy . We passed quietly through Coolea and Ballyvourney , and for a short distance along the road to Macroom . Then by quiet roads through Liscarragane , where the great Canon O'Leary (an t-Ahair Peadar) was born . We passed the door where he stood , as a ragged little boy of eight , to watch
and faithfully record the ghastly procession of the Famine .
Then , a few miles more, and we were at Carraig an Ime , where fell the gallant Art O Laoghaire fighting alone against the English . From Carraig an Ime through Ballinagree and Rylane to Donoughmore our journey was uneventful , but tiring on our driver , especially since lights had to be used sparingly . At Donoughmore we were entertained by the Sixth Battalion IRA , and we rested until dawn ; we had time to spare , as we had to wait until the British curfew patrols and armoured cars were withdrawn at 7.30 a.m. We had breakfast and we started off on the Donoughmore-Blaney-Cork road ......."
(MORE LATER).
BREAKAWAY PARTIES HAVE POOR RECORD .......
By Carol Coulter.
(First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper on Monday 22nd April 1985).
Reproduced here in 7 parts .
(5 of 7).
During the rest of the 1960's , only the three main parties - Fianna Fail , Fine Gael and Labour - were represented in the Dail (sic- Leinster House). Then the 'Arms Trial' produced a crisis in Fianna Fail and the beginnings of two further parties . The first of these was Aontacht Eireann , formed by Kevin Boland in 1971 ; he was joined by Sean Sherwin and Captain James Kelly , one of the key figures in the 'Arms Trial' .
But Sean Sherwin failed to retain his seat in 1973 , and in 1976 Kevin Boland resigned as leader and the party folded . Neil Blaney adopted a different course of action .......
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
....... Ireland 1849 - Philip Grey was surviving in tough times ; starvation , people hoping for death to relieve their suffering (and the rodents to feast on them , as the dead were left lying where they fell) . Those that could help were asked by their own people to do so .......
One of those not directly effected by 'The Great Hunger' and its accompanying diseases was a certain Protestant clergyman (name not known to this scribbler) who wrote to the then British Prime Minister , 'Lord' John Russell (Russell replaced Robert Peel in that position in June 1846)-
- " My Lord - I have a right to speak for I am a Minister of God . Let me then importune and implore you , my Lord , to stand in the breach between the living and the dead . Tell the assembled Parliament that the people must not any more be left to die . " The good Reverend got his answer from Mr. 'Lord' Russell (May 1849 , British House of 'Commons') -
- " I do not think any effort of this House would , in the present unfortunate state of Ireland , be capable of preventing the dreadful scenes of suffering and death that are now occurring in Ireland . I distinctly repeat that I do not believe it is in the power of this House to do so . I do not feel justified in asking the House for an additional advance of £100,000 which at least would be necessary if the House should say there should be no possible cause of starvation in Ireland . "
Callous bastard .
However , I digress - in September 1849 , Philip Grey , 22 years of age , arrived in Dublin following the collapse of the proposed Rising in the Tipperary / Waterford area , and settled in the town.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A DRIVE TO CORK CITY .......
"....... March 1921 ; we had been told that a British Army patrol would be on the river in two days time - a plan of attack was put together , and travel arrangements made ......."
" The Buick Tourer was a silent and powerful car that Jim Grey maintained at its original efficiency - we had no fears on that score . Neither had anyone any fears as regards the driving ; Jim himself always proclaimed that he was in mortal terror of coming events - " Glory be to God , lads ," he would exclaim piously , " I'm terribly windy . " This was treated as a standard joke , and now we waited for it as the finale to our preparations !
The car-hood was lowered and strapped down , the top half of the windscreen was removed and a rectangular piece of plate glass was cut and removed from the corner of the lower half , remote from the driver - this was done to provide a convenient rest for the Lewis-Gun when facing forward . Tea was announced , and we adjourned to the house . After grub , night had fallen , which was our best ally . Without its aid , the weak could hardly hope to fight or resist the strong . Now under its friendly cover , we were about to move nearer to the enemy .
Fully armed , we took our places in the Buick . Most of the IRA Column stood around to wish us God speed , and I also suspect , to listen to our drivers usual valedictory ......."
(MORE LATER).
BREAKAWAY PARTIES HAVE POOR RECORD .......
By Carol Coulter.
(First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper on Monday 22nd April 1985).
Reproduced here in 7 parts .
(4 of 7).
In 1954 , Clann na Poblachta won three seats , but a smaller share of the poll (3.8 per cent). In 1957 , the party got 1.7 per cent of the vote and one seat , and this remained its representation in the Dail (sic- Leinster House) until it was wound-up in 1965 .
The 1940's also saw a split in the Labour Party vote : in 1944 , the 'Irish Transport And General Workers Union' (ITGWU - now known as SIPTU) split from the Labour Party over the latter's relationship with Big Jim Larkin , bringing five TD's (sic- Leinster House members) with it to form the 'National Labour Party' .
The 'National Labour Party' won four seats in the 1944 election , and five in 1948 , when it too joined the first inter-party (Free State) government . In that Administration , it re-united with the Labour Party in 1950 . The split between Noel Browne and Sean MacBride in Clann na Poblachta brought with it the seeds of yet another political party , though these did not come to fruition until 1961 .
In that year (1961) Noel Browne , along with Jack McQuillan , formed the 'National Progressive Democrats' . They fought the General Election and got only 1 per cent of the vote , but it brought two seats . In 1963 , they joined the Labour Party .......
(MORE LATER).
....... Ireland 1849 - Philip Grey was surviving in tough times ; starvation , people hoping for death to relieve their suffering (and the rodents to feast on them , as the dead were left lying where they fell) . Those that could help were asked by their own people to do so .......
One of those not directly effected by 'The Great Hunger' and its accompanying diseases was a certain Protestant clergyman (name not known to this scribbler) who wrote to the then British Prime Minister , 'Lord' John Russell (Russell replaced Robert Peel in that position in June 1846)-
- " My Lord - I have a right to speak for I am a Minister of God . Let me then importune and implore you , my Lord , to stand in the breach between the living and the dead . Tell the assembled Parliament that the people must not any more be left to die . " The good Reverend got his answer from Mr. 'Lord' Russell (May 1849 , British House of 'Commons') -
- " I do not think any effort of this House would , in the present unfortunate state of Ireland , be capable of preventing the dreadful scenes of suffering and death that are now occurring in Ireland . I distinctly repeat that I do not believe it is in the power of this House to do so . I do not feel justified in asking the House for an additional advance of £100,000 which at least would be necessary if the House should say there should be no possible cause of starvation in Ireland . "
Callous bastard .
However , I digress - in September 1849 , Philip Grey , 22 years of age , arrived in Dublin following the collapse of the proposed Rising in the Tipperary / Waterford area , and settled in the town.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A DRIVE TO CORK CITY .......
"....... March 1921 ; we had been told that a British Army patrol would be on the river in two days time - a plan of attack was put together , and travel arrangements made ......."
" The Buick Tourer was a silent and powerful car that Jim Grey maintained at its original efficiency - we had no fears on that score . Neither had anyone any fears as regards the driving ; Jim himself always proclaimed that he was in mortal terror of coming events - " Glory be to God , lads ," he would exclaim piously , " I'm terribly windy . " This was treated as a standard joke , and now we waited for it as the finale to our preparations !
The car-hood was lowered and strapped down , the top half of the windscreen was removed and a rectangular piece of plate glass was cut and removed from the corner of the lower half , remote from the driver - this was done to provide a convenient rest for the Lewis-Gun when facing forward . Tea was announced , and we adjourned to the house . After grub , night had fallen , which was our best ally . Without its aid , the weak could hardly hope to fight or resist the strong . Now under its friendly cover , we were about to move nearer to the enemy .
Fully armed , we took our places in the Buick . Most of the IRA Column stood around to wish us God speed , and I also suspect , to listen to our drivers usual valedictory ......."
(MORE LATER).
BREAKAWAY PARTIES HAVE POOR RECORD .......
By Carol Coulter.
(First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper on Monday 22nd April 1985).
Reproduced here in 7 parts .
(4 of 7).
In 1954 , Clann na Poblachta won three seats , but a smaller share of the poll (3.8 per cent). In 1957 , the party got 1.7 per cent of the vote and one seat , and this remained its representation in the Dail (sic- Leinster House) until it was wound-up in 1965 .
The 1940's also saw a split in the Labour Party vote : in 1944 , the 'Irish Transport And General Workers Union' (ITGWU - now known as SIPTU) split from the Labour Party over the latter's relationship with Big Jim Larkin , bringing five TD's (sic- Leinster House members) with it to form the 'National Labour Party' .
The 'National Labour Party' won four seats in the 1944 election , and five in 1948 , when it too joined the first inter-party (Free State) government . In that Administration , it re-united with the Labour Party in 1950 . The split between Noel Browne and Sean MacBride in Clann na Poblachta brought with it the seeds of yet another political party , though these did not come to fruition until 1961 .
In that year (1961) Noel Browne , along with Jack McQuillan , formed the 'National Progressive Democrats' . They fought the General Election and got only 1 per cent of the vote , but it brought two seats . In 1963 , they joined the Labour Party .......
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
.......An attack on the English Barracks in Cappoquin , Waterford , by the Irish Rebels , on 16th September 1849 , went wrong - Philip Grey escaped from the area and made his way to Dublin . The wretchedness of 'living' conditions in those days , which Philip Grey would have witnessed on his travels around Ireland , would have turned any proud Irish person into a Rebel .......
The Catholic Church had gone on record in that same year of the Cappoquin incident (ie 1849) as stating - " The great majority of poor located here are in a state of starvation , many of them hourly expecting death to relieve them of their sufferings ." Incidentally , that statement was issued in February 1849 , the same month that a 'Grand Ball' was held in Dublin's Mansion House at which it was reported that " ...dancing continued until a late hour of the night and refreshments of a most recherche description were supplied with inexhaustible profusion ..." Thus did the British enjoy themselves during 'The Great Hunger' .
Also making the news that same year (1849) was the statement of an eye-witness to 'living' conditions outside of 'Grand Balls' - " Every village has dead bodies lying unburied for many days . Almost every hovel in the suburb of this town (Ballinrobe , Galway) has its corpse . May God forgive our rulers for this cruel conduct towards God's creatures here . The poor are dropping into their graves in multitudes . "
However , not all on the island of Ireland were effected by 'The Great Hunger'.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A DRIVE TO CORK CITY .
" Early in March 1921 , our IRA Column was located at Cumuiclumhain , Ballyvourney . Things had quietened down since Coolnacahera , and the days were peaceful . Then one evening I heard : " Hughie , you're wanted . Mick , you're wanted ." Hughie was Eugene O'Sullivan , our Lewis-Gunner , and Mick was myself , his assistant . The speaker was Dan Donovan ('Sandow'). Dan's eyes were bright and he was smiling . We knew something was afoot ; we followed him into Twomey's , our headquarters .
Within , we found our Brigadier , Sean O'Hegarty ; my brother Pat , our Commandant ; Jim Grey , our driver ; Sean Murray , our instructor , and Corney O'Sullivan , our engineer . Sean came to the point quickly - with him and with all his Officers there was no formality . While the highest proficiency in military skill had been attained in the use of arms and by necessary exercises , yet formal salutations and the like were intolerable to him , and indeed to all concerned . Now he addressed us thus -
- " Flurrie has found out that Strickland and a party will be going on a trip down the river from Cork the day after tomorrow . We'll try and sink them at the Marina . Dan will be in charge ; Jim will drive the Buick , Sean and Corney are going , and Hughie and Mick with the Lewis . Ye will go to Donoughmore tonight by the old route . After the British curfew patrols are withdrawn in the morning in the city , ye must get to the southern-side of the river . Then stay tomorrow night at Ballygarvan . Mick Murphy will meet ye at Kaper Daly's pub , Farmers Cross , on the following morning , and take ye in to the city . Be as careful as ye can . "
We had a job ; it was time to get ready for our journey ......."
(MORE LATER).
BREAKAWAY PARTIES HAVE POOR RECORD .......
By Carol Coulter.
(First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper on Monday 22nd April 1985).
Reproduced here in 7 parts .
(3 of 7).
Clann na Talmhan (1938-1965) had a rival political party in the form of Clann na Poblachta , which is perhaps better remembered , although it only briefly had as much support as Clann na Talmhan and did not last as long . It was founded as a radical Irish Republican party by Sean MacBride in 1946 , and the following year won two out of three by-elections , defeating Fianna Fail .
The General Election of 1948 marked its high point ; it won 13 per cent of the vote and 10 seats . It too entered the first inter-party (Free State) government , and one of its members , Noel Browne , held the key Ministry of Health . This provoked the 'Mother and Child' controversy , when Browne's progressive proposals were repudiated by the government , including his own party colleagues .
In the next election the party lost heavily , emerging with 4.1 per cent of the vote and only two seats . Even Sean MacBride lost his seat .......
(MORE LATER).
.......An attack on the English Barracks in Cappoquin , Waterford , by the Irish Rebels , on 16th September 1849 , went wrong - Philip Grey escaped from the area and made his way to Dublin . The wretchedness of 'living' conditions in those days , which Philip Grey would have witnessed on his travels around Ireland , would have turned any proud Irish person into a Rebel .......
The Catholic Church had gone on record in that same year of the Cappoquin incident (ie 1849) as stating - " The great majority of poor located here are in a state of starvation , many of them hourly expecting death to relieve them of their sufferings ." Incidentally , that statement was issued in February 1849 , the same month that a 'Grand Ball' was held in Dublin's Mansion House at which it was reported that " ...dancing continued until a late hour of the night and refreshments of a most recherche description were supplied with inexhaustible profusion ..." Thus did the British enjoy themselves during 'The Great Hunger' .
Also making the news that same year (1849) was the statement of an eye-witness to 'living' conditions outside of 'Grand Balls' - " Every village has dead bodies lying unburied for many days . Almost every hovel in the suburb of this town (Ballinrobe , Galway) has its corpse . May God forgive our rulers for this cruel conduct towards God's creatures here . The poor are dropping into their graves in multitudes . "
However , not all on the island of Ireland were effected by 'The Great Hunger'.......
(MORE LATER).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
A DRIVE TO CORK CITY .
" Early in March 1921 , our IRA Column was located at Cumuiclumhain , Ballyvourney . Things had quietened down since Coolnacahera , and the days were peaceful . Then one evening I heard : " Hughie , you're wanted . Mick , you're wanted ." Hughie was Eugene O'Sullivan , our Lewis-Gunner , and Mick was myself , his assistant . The speaker was Dan Donovan ('Sandow'). Dan's eyes were bright and he was smiling . We knew something was afoot ; we followed him into Twomey's , our headquarters .
Within , we found our Brigadier , Sean O'Hegarty ; my brother Pat , our Commandant ; Jim Grey , our driver ; Sean Murray , our instructor , and Corney O'Sullivan , our engineer . Sean came to the point quickly - with him and with all his Officers there was no formality . While the highest proficiency in military skill had been attained in the use of arms and by necessary exercises , yet formal salutations and the like were intolerable to him , and indeed to all concerned . Now he addressed us thus -
- " Flurrie has found out that Strickland and a party will be going on a trip down the river from Cork the day after tomorrow . We'll try and sink them at the Marina . Dan will be in charge ; Jim will drive the Buick , Sean and Corney are going , and Hughie and Mick with the Lewis . Ye will go to Donoughmore tonight by the old route . After the British curfew patrols are withdrawn in the morning in the city , ye must get to the southern-side of the river . Then stay tomorrow night at Ballygarvan . Mick Murphy will meet ye at Kaper Daly's pub , Farmers Cross , on the following morning , and take ye in to the city . Be as careful as ye can . "
We had a job ; it was time to get ready for our journey ......."
(MORE LATER).
BREAKAWAY PARTIES HAVE POOR RECORD .......
By Carol Coulter.
(First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper on Monday 22nd April 1985).
Reproduced here in 7 parts .
(3 of 7).
Clann na Talmhan (1938-1965) had a rival political party in the form of Clann na Poblachta , which is perhaps better remembered , although it only briefly had as much support as Clann na Talmhan and did not last as long . It was founded as a radical Irish Republican party by Sean MacBride in 1946 , and the following year won two out of three by-elections , defeating Fianna Fail .
The General Election of 1948 marked its high point ; it won 13 per cent of the vote and 10 seats . It too entered the first inter-party (Free State) government , and one of its members , Noel Browne , held the key Ministry of Health . This provoked the 'Mother and Child' controversy , when Browne's progressive proposals were repudiated by the government , including his own party colleagues .
In the next election the party lost heavily , emerging with 4.1 per cent of the vote and only two seats . Even Sean MacBride lost his seat .......
(MORE LATER).
Monday, May 24, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
....... November 1848 - informers in the ranks of 'The Young Ireland' Movement had told their British pay-masters about the proposed jail-break of William Smith O'Brien from Clonmel Jail ; Irish Rebel leader John O'Leary and about twenty other Irish Rebels were 'arrested' by the Brits , but Philip Grey escaped and fled to France , where he landed in April/May 1849 .......
Philip Grey was not long in Paris , France , when he was told that one of the Rebel leaders in Ireland , James Fintan Lalor , was organising for another challenge against English mis-rule in Ireland ; he returned to the South of Ireland (Tipperary/Waterford area) and , working with Lalor's men and women , soon established a network of Rebel fighters , numbering several-hundred strong , and set-about organising the importation of arms for the proposed Rising ... but fate intervened -
- an attack on the English Barracks in Cappoquin , Waterford , by the Irish Rebels , on 16th September 1849 , went wrong and led to the collapse of the insurgent Movement in the area ; in the confusion that followed , Philip Grey escaped and made his way to Dublin . It was a wonder in itself that any armed opposition at all could be raised against the English , at that time .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... The British Auxiliaries were questioning old Liam Jer as to the whereabouts of any " Shinners " ; Liam told them he had seen some "soldiers" earlier on that day ......."
" The British Auxiliaries were interested in these 'soldiers' - " How were they dressed ? Had they helmets on them ? What did they wear on their heads ? "
" Nothing at all on their heads ," said Liam .
" How were they dressed , old man ? "
" They had overcoats on their shoulders and breeches like them , " pointing to an Auxie's riding breeches , " and they had brown boots and gaiters . "
" Ah !" , said the Brits , " were there many of them ? "
" About two hundred , " said Liam.
" What did they look like ? What kind of men were they ? "
" Oh , fine , strapping young men , only one old man with grey hair , and I had great pity for him . "
" Why ? " , asked the Auxies .
" He was carrying a very heavy gun . It must be one of those machine-guns . Indeed , I had no pity for any other one of them , whoever they were . "
The Auxies looked doubtfully at Liam's small yard and the narrow road . Then one of them spoke - " Can I turn my car here ? "
" Begor , I always turn mine there anyway , " Liam replied .
Liam's car was one donkey-power .......
[END of 'COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY'].
(Tomorrow - March 1921 : 'A Drive To Cork City').
BREAKAWAY PARTIES HAVE POOR RECORD .......
By Carol Coulter.
(First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper on Monday 22nd April 1985).
Reproduced here in 7 parts .
(2 of 7).
The next new party was radical : this was Clann na Talmhan , founded in 1938 to represent the small farmers of the West . Together with a number of independent farmers' candidates , it won 10.6 per cent of the vote and 14 seats in the 1943 general election ; ten of those seats going to Clann na Talmhan . In the general election the following year it won nine seats , and , in 1948 , seven seats . It entered the first inter-party government along with Clann na Poblachta , the Labour Party , the National Labour Party , Fine Gael and a number of independents .
In the next election , three years later (1951) its number of seats fell again , to six . It declined steadily thereafter , winning five seats in 1954 , three in 1957 - following which it supported the second inter-party government - and two in 1961 .
Clann na Talmhan collapsed in 1965 , twenty-seven years after its foundation .......
(MORE LATER).
....... November 1848 - informers in the ranks of 'The Young Ireland' Movement had told their British pay-masters about the proposed jail-break of William Smith O'Brien from Clonmel Jail ; Irish Rebel leader John O'Leary and about twenty other Irish Rebels were 'arrested' by the Brits , but Philip Grey escaped and fled to France , where he landed in April/May 1849 .......
Philip Grey was not long in Paris , France , when he was told that one of the Rebel leaders in Ireland , James Fintan Lalor , was organising for another challenge against English mis-rule in Ireland ; he returned to the South of Ireland (Tipperary/Waterford area) and , working with Lalor's men and women , soon established a network of Rebel fighters , numbering several-hundred strong , and set-about organising the importation of arms for the proposed Rising ... but fate intervened -
- an attack on the English Barracks in Cappoquin , Waterford , by the Irish Rebels , on 16th September 1849 , went wrong and led to the collapse of the insurgent Movement in the area ; in the confusion that followed , Philip Grey escaped and made his way to Dublin . It was a wonder in itself that any armed opposition at all could be raised against the English , at that time .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... The British Auxiliaries were questioning old Liam Jer as to the whereabouts of any " Shinners " ; Liam told them he had seen some "soldiers" earlier on that day ......."
" The British Auxiliaries were interested in these 'soldiers' - " How were they dressed ? Had they helmets on them ? What did they wear on their heads ? "
" Nothing at all on their heads ," said Liam .
" How were they dressed , old man ? "
" They had overcoats on their shoulders and breeches like them , " pointing to an Auxie's riding breeches , " and they had brown boots and gaiters . "
" Ah !" , said the Brits , " were there many of them ? "
" About two hundred , " said Liam.
" What did they look like ? What kind of men were they ? "
" Oh , fine , strapping young men , only one old man with grey hair , and I had great pity for him . "
" Why ? " , asked the Auxies .
" He was carrying a very heavy gun . It must be one of those machine-guns . Indeed , I had no pity for any other one of them , whoever they were . "
The Auxies looked doubtfully at Liam's small yard and the narrow road . Then one of them spoke - " Can I turn my car here ? "
" Begor , I always turn mine there anyway , " Liam replied .
Liam's car was one donkey-power .......
[END of 'COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY'].
(Tomorrow - March 1921 : 'A Drive To Cork City').
BREAKAWAY PARTIES HAVE POOR RECORD .......
By Carol Coulter.
(First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper on Monday 22nd April 1985).
Reproduced here in 7 parts .
(2 of 7).
The next new party was radical : this was Clann na Talmhan , founded in 1938 to represent the small farmers of the West . Together with a number of independent farmers' candidates , it won 10.6 per cent of the vote and 14 seats in the 1943 general election ; ten of those seats going to Clann na Talmhan . In the general election the following year it won nine seats , and , in 1948 , seven seats . It entered the first inter-party government along with Clann na Poblachta , the Labour Party , the National Labour Party , Fine Gael and a number of independents .
In the next election , three years later (1951) its number of seats fell again , to six . It declined steadily thereafter , winning five seats in 1954 , three in 1957 - following which it supported the second inter-party government - and two in 1961 .
Clann na Talmhan collapsed in 1965 , twenty-seven years after its foundation .......
(MORE LATER).
Sunday, May 23, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
....... Philip Grey was in County Meath in mid-1848 when he learned that 'The Young Ireland' Rising had started ; he tried to organise the Rebels in Meath , but failed - so he left for Tipperary .......
He joined-up with William Smith O'Brien and James Stephens and took part in the 'Battle Of Ballingarry' . On 29 July 1848 , the Rising collapsed and those involved dispersed . One of those in command of the Irish Rebels , John O'Mahony , placed Philip Grey and John Savage in charge of organising the Waterford area , and an attack on the British Military Barracks in Portlaw was carried out ; however , before the Irish Rebels could take things further , the Rebel leader John O'Leary requested Philip Grey to assist his team to 'spring' William Smith O'Brien and other Rebels from prison - they were being held in Clonmel Jail in Tipperary .
Arrangements were put in place for the rescue attempt , and a date agreed - 8th November 1848 . But informers were at work , and the English were aware of the Rebel plans ; John O'Leary and about twenty of his men were 'arrested' by the Brits , but Philip Grey escaped and went 'on-the-run' in County Waterford for a few months but , such was the 'man-hunt' for him by the enemy , he was forced to flee the Country for France , where he arrived in April/May , 1849 .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... February 1921 ; there was fifty-two British Army lorries in our vicinity ; one IRA man severely wounded , two cottages , two farmhouses and a hayshed burned to the ground by the Brits. But there was also humour that same day ......."
" Paddy Beag and another old man were behind the rocks at Coolnacahera , unconscious of any impending disturbance . Suddenly the firing started and deflected bullets whined high over them . At their highest speed , the two old men started home . Presently , in comparative safety , they stopped to draw their breath ; " Is'nt it an awful thing , Paddy , to see two oul'lads like us having to run like this . Or what is the country coming ta ? " " It is then ," said Paddy , " but these times won't last always . God is good . " " Ah, " said the other oul'fella , " sure I know He's good , BUT WHAT CAN HE DO ? "
Liam Jer was an old man whose legs were somewhat reduced in efficiency by the march of time , but whose peculiar wit and tongue flourished unimpaired . He lived in a small farmhouse on the side of the narrow road from Poul na Bro to Kilnamartyra . The rocky and steep Rahoona Hill cast its shadow , in the evening , on Liam's hacienda . We scarcely ever passed by without meeting Liam . " Conas ta'n sibh . Bhfuil aon oul'news agaibh ? " (or - in 'Dub-speak' : " How'ya - what's the story ? ") was always his greeting . He took the greatest pleasure in answering questions put to him by enemy forces . This evening Liam met the British Auxiliaries just as they stopped a Crossley truck opposite his door . They dismounted and quickly came to the point - " Did you see any Shinners today ? "
"What !" said Liam ; " Any Shinners , " they repeated , " seen any ? " " What are Shinners ? " asked Liam . " Oh , Shinners - the IRA , you know . " " I don't know them either , " he said , " but I saw soldiers passing ..." " Soldiers ! No soldiers passed this way today ! " the Brits replied . " Oh, but they did ," said Liam to them , " they went up that way , " pointing with his stick to Rahoona . " Were they some of our men ? " " They could be , " said Liam , " but they were not dressed like ye ......."
(MORE LATER).
BREAKAWAY PARTIES HAVE POOR RECORD .
By Carol Coulter.
(First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper on Monday 22nd April 1985).
Reproduced here in 7 parts .
(1 of 7).
The history of breakaway parties in Ireland is not encouraging for those who may be thinking of staking their political careers on the formation of a new one .
Most of the smaller parties which littered the political landscape in the 1930's , 1940's and 1950's either collapsed or merged with larger ones . The first such party was The Centre Party , formed in 1932 by a number of independent TD's (sic- ie Leinster House members), including Paddy Belton . They were joined later by James Dillon .
The Centre Party was conservative and pro-Treaty (ie - the 6th December 1921 'Treaty of Surrender') and won over 9 per cent of the vote and eleven seats in 1932 . In 1937 , it merged with the Blueshirts and Cumann na nGaedhail to form Fine Gael .
(MORE LATER).
....... Philip Grey was in County Meath in mid-1848 when he learned that 'The Young Ireland' Rising had started ; he tried to organise the Rebels in Meath , but failed - so he left for Tipperary .......
He joined-up with William Smith O'Brien and James Stephens and took part in the 'Battle Of Ballingarry' . On 29 July 1848 , the Rising collapsed and those involved dispersed . One of those in command of the Irish Rebels , John O'Mahony , placed Philip Grey and John Savage in charge of organising the Waterford area , and an attack on the British Military Barracks in Portlaw was carried out ; however , before the Irish Rebels could take things further , the Rebel leader John O'Leary requested Philip Grey to assist his team to 'spring' William Smith O'Brien and other Rebels from prison - they were being held in Clonmel Jail in Tipperary .
Arrangements were put in place for the rescue attempt , and a date agreed - 8th November 1848 . But informers were at work , and the English were aware of the Rebel plans ; John O'Leary and about twenty of his men were 'arrested' by the Brits , but Philip Grey escaped and went 'on-the-run' in County Waterford for a few months but , such was the 'man-hunt' for him by the enemy , he was forced to flee the Country for France , where he arrived in April/May , 1849 .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... February 1921 ; there was fifty-two British Army lorries in our vicinity ; one IRA man severely wounded , two cottages , two farmhouses and a hayshed burned to the ground by the Brits. But there was also humour that same day ......."
" Paddy Beag and another old man were behind the rocks at Coolnacahera , unconscious of any impending disturbance . Suddenly the firing started and deflected bullets whined high over them . At their highest speed , the two old men started home . Presently , in comparative safety , they stopped to draw their breath ; " Is'nt it an awful thing , Paddy , to see two oul'lads like us having to run like this . Or what is the country coming ta ? " " It is then ," said Paddy , " but these times won't last always . God is good . " " Ah, " said the other oul'fella , " sure I know He's good , BUT WHAT CAN HE DO ? "
Liam Jer was an old man whose legs were somewhat reduced in efficiency by the march of time , but whose peculiar wit and tongue flourished unimpaired . He lived in a small farmhouse on the side of the narrow road from Poul na Bro to Kilnamartyra . The rocky and steep Rahoona Hill cast its shadow , in the evening , on Liam's hacienda . We scarcely ever passed by without meeting Liam . " Conas ta'n sibh . Bhfuil aon oul'news agaibh ? " (or - in 'Dub-speak' : " How'ya - what's the story ? ") was always his greeting . He took the greatest pleasure in answering questions put to him by enemy forces . This evening Liam met the British Auxiliaries just as they stopped a Crossley truck opposite his door . They dismounted and quickly came to the point - " Did you see any Shinners today ? "
"What !" said Liam ; " Any Shinners , " they repeated , " seen any ? " " What are Shinners ? " asked Liam . " Oh , Shinners - the IRA , you know . " " I don't know them either , " he said , " but I saw soldiers passing ..." " Soldiers ! No soldiers passed this way today ! " the Brits replied . " Oh, but they did ," said Liam to them , " they went up that way , " pointing with his stick to Rahoona . " Were they some of our men ? " " They could be , " said Liam , " but they were not dressed like ye ......."
(MORE LATER).
BREAKAWAY PARTIES HAVE POOR RECORD .
By Carol Coulter.
(First published in 'The Irish Times' newspaper on Monday 22nd April 1985).
Reproduced here in 7 parts .
(1 of 7).
The history of breakaway parties in Ireland is not encouraging for those who may be thinking of staking their political careers on the formation of a new one .
Most of the smaller parties which littered the political landscape in the 1930's , 1940's and 1950's either collapsed or merged with larger ones . The first such party was The Centre Party , formed in 1932 by a number of independent TD's (sic- ie Leinster House members), including Paddy Belton . They were joined later by James Dillon .
The Centre Party was conservative and pro-Treaty (ie - the 6th December 1921 'Treaty of Surrender') and won over 9 per cent of the vote and eleven seats in 1932 . In 1937 , it merged with the Blueshirts and Cumann na nGaedhail to form Fine Gael .
(MORE LATER).
Saturday, May 22, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
....... Philip Grey , in his early 20's , lived in a time when 2,466,414 Irish people emigrated or died because of 'The Great Hunger' of 1845-1849 .......
Philip Grey wanted justice ; his family had taken an active part in the 1798 Rising and now , he, too, wanted to play his part . He joined the Dublin Branch of 'The Irish Confederation' (which had its Offices in Queen Street , Dublin) and soon became Dublin Secretary for the organisation .
Not apparently inspired by politics (due perhaps to Daniel O'Connell's political failure to convince the British to change , or at least ease , its position re Ireland), Philip Grey studied military tactics and weapons use and , although by now working as a railway clerk in Drogheda , he could be found each night in the Queen Street Office in Dublin training other Rebels in all matters military.
In mid-1848 , while he was in County Meath , Philip Grey heard that 'The Young Ireland' Rising had began ; he tried to gather a fighting-force around him in that county (Meath) , but failed - he left for Tipperary , where he joined-up with William Smith O'Brien and James Stephens and took part in the 'Battle of Ballingarry'.......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......We were outnumbered and outgunned - but we were also lucky. Three British Army soldiers were wounded in the engagement , as was one of our men ......."
" The Dunmanway Auxiliaries arrived at Kilnamartyra , a few miles south of Coolnacahera , early in the forenoon while fighting was in progress . From several hilltops they viewed the scene and listened to the gun-fire ; instead of going straight towards it by a very direct road which would have brought them out at Poul na Bro , just where they were wanted on the western flank of the Column , they continued westward to Renanirree , four miles away . Turning north , they went in the general direction of Ballyvourney , but by the most intricate network of bye roads .
They arrived there , of course in time to be late , but that does not appear to have depressed them unduly . Indeed , at one of their stops in Kilnamartyra , one of them was heard to remark that they would be there quite soon enough ! An unarmed man running away from them would perhaps have roused their enthusiasm ; like their comrades who waited on the Killarney Road , the noise of battle did not appeal to them ! Fifty-two lorries of British Army Regular and Auxiliary soldiers were present at or near the scene of battle at noon . Excepting the Brit troops that entered Coomnaclohy , the others did not show any great desire to follow up our IRA Column .
Instead , they choose a more congenial occupation - they burned the two cottages that had sheltered the Auxiliaries and saved their comrades lives , and burned a neighbouring hayshed and two farmhouses . North of Ballyvourney Village , they shot down an unarmed IRA Volunteer , severely wounding him . But the day was not without its humour ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
[9 of 9].
Ironically , the judge who finally ordered William Quinn's extradition in the United States' Ninth Circuit Court , had said - " Clearly the evidence...linking Quinn with the Tibble murder is not overwhelming . If that were all the evidence introduced at a murder trial , Quinn could not be cinvicted . "
That was before the details of the "secret" identification had come to light . Meanwhile , Gareth Peirce is also disturbed at the role played by the Gardai in setting up an identification which she claims denied William Quinn all the safeguards normally insisted on in such cases .
[END of 'THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'Breakaway Parties Have Poor Record ...' ; from 1985).
....... Philip Grey , in his early 20's , lived in a time when 2,466,414 Irish people emigrated or died because of 'The Great Hunger' of 1845-1849 .......
Philip Grey wanted justice ; his family had taken an active part in the 1798 Rising and now , he, too, wanted to play his part . He joined the Dublin Branch of 'The Irish Confederation' (which had its Offices in Queen Street , Dublin) and soon became Dublin Secretary for the organisation .
Not apparently inspired by politics (due perhaps to Daniel O'Connell's political failure to convince the British to change , or at least ease , its position re Ireland), Philip Grey studied military tactics and weapons use and , although by now working as a railway clerk in Drogheda , he could be found each night in the Queen Street Office in Dublin training other Rebels in all matters military.
In mid-1848 , while he was in County Meath , Philip Grey heard that 'The Young Ireland' Rising had began ; he tried to gather a fighting-force around him in that county (Meath) , but failed - he left for Tipperary , where he joined-up with William Smith O'Brien and James Stephens and took part in the 'Battle of Ballingarry'.......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......We were outnumbered and outgunned - but we were also lucky. Three British Army soldiers were wounded in the engagement , as was one of our men ......."
" The Dunmanway Auxiliaries arrived at Kilnamartyra , a few miles south of Coolnacahera , early in the forenoon while fighting was in progress . From several hilltops they viewed the scene and listened to the gun-fire ; instead of going straight towards it by a very direct road which would have brought them out at Poul na Bro , just where they were wanted on the western flank of the Column , they continued westward to Renanirree , four miles away . Turning north , they went in the general direction of Ballyvourney , but by the most intricate network of bye roads .
They arrived there , of course in time to be late , but that does not appear to have depressed them unduly . Indeed , at one of their stops in Kilnamartyra , one of them was heard to remark that they would be there quite soon enough ! An unarmed man running away from them would perhaps have roused their enthusiasm ; like their comrades who waited on the Killarney Road , the noise of battle did not appeal to them ! Fifty-two lorries of British Army Regular and Auxiliary soldiers were present at or near the scene of battle at noon . Excepting the Brit troops that entered Coomnaclohy , the others did not show any great desire to follow up our IRA Column .
Instead , they choose a more congenial occupation - they burned the two cottages that had sheltered the Auxiliaries and saved their comrades lives , and burned a neighbouring hayshed and two farmhouses . North of Ballyvourney Village , they shot down an unarmed IRA Volunteer , severely wounding him . But the day was not without its humour ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
[9 of 9].
Ironically , the judge who finally ordered William Quinn's extradition in the United States' Ninth Circuit Court , had said - " Clearly the evidence...linking Quinn with the Tibble murder is not overwhelming . If that were all the evidence introduced at a murder trial , Quinn could not be cinvicted . "
That was before the details of the "secret" identification had come to light . Meanwhile , Gareth Peirce is also disturbed at the role played by the Gardai in setting up an identification which she claims denied William Quinn all the safeguards normally insisted on in such cases .
[END of 'THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'Breakaway Parties Have Poor Record ...' ; from 1985).
Friday, May 21, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
....... Ireland , mid-19th Century - in his early 20's , Philip Grey would have witnessed ' The Irish Confederation ' being established to challenge the Brits regarding their mis-rule in Ireland ; but another plague was stalking the land - ' The Great Hunger ' . A pro status-quo newspaper , ' The Freemans Journal ' , wrote the following Editorial in February 1849 ...
" We ask again - is it not possible to contrive some means of saving the people from this painful and lingering process of death from starvation ? Do we live under a regular or responsible government ? Is there justice or humanity in the world that such things could be , in the middle of the nineteenth century and within twelve hours' reach of the opulence , grandeur and power of a court and capital the first upon the earth ? "
As mentioned in '1169.....' recently , 'The Freemans Journal' newspaper was a 'Castle-Catholic' organ , fully constitutionally-minded , regardless of the suffering of the population . A tangent - In 1841 , the population of Ireland was 8,175,124 ; a (then) normal rate of population increase for a ten-year period should have seen , by 1851 , at least 9,018,799 people on this island : however , the 1851 census recorded only 6,552,385 people 'living' in Ireland .
Emigration and death , caused by 'The Great Hunger' of 1845-1849 took away 2,466,414 Irish people .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......I never got my mug of tea ; in the distance we could see the line of British Army lorries heading towards us - they were full of armed soldiers ......."
" Our men had lined a fence parallel to the road and back a few hundred yards . The lorries stopped on the road opposite them ; the Brits must have seen someone . I saw one of our men stand up just before they stopped . At any rate , they dismounted and deployed as if on field exercise . Rapidly advancing , they reached the middle of the field - our men opened fire , and the enemy fell flat and returned a volley . Then rising , they again rushed forward .
I noticed that they had yet no casualty ; their flanks were extended beyond our line and they greatly outnumbered our men , who began to withdraw and shoot in like manner . The shooting on both sides was equally bad . Now our men had to face the hill and were doing so in the worst possible way - here , my brother intervened and directed them into a cumar , or bed of a stream , which ran slantwise to the enemy and so gave shelter . With a few men he held back the enemy while the others escaped . The British soldiers continued to fire but did not attempt to follow up .
When they reached us , Corney asked why we had not fired over their heads with the Lewis-Gun ; we replied that we could have done little or no damage at that range to the extended enemy , and might have caused confusion among some of our own men coming uphill . Three British soldiers were wounded in this skirmish , and one of our men got a very slight wound in the hand . While the shooting lasted and for some time afterwards , British Army lorries stood a few miles south of us on the Killarney Road .
Had they had the will to do so , they could actually have driven up behind us ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(8 of 9).
William Quinn's U.S. lawyer , Ms. Carlene Rohan , who was in court for the trial , commented that no American court would have admitted the evidence of identification . Gareth Peirce says it is a deeply worrying case and she has lodged an appeal on the grounds that British Police Constable Blackledge's identification should never have been put to the jury .
The result will be watched closely in the U.S. where a new Extradition Treaty with Britain was passed in 1986 only on the understanding that extraditees would get a fair trial before British courts .......
(MORE LATER).
....... Ireland , mid-19th Century - in his early 20's , Philip Grey would have witnessed ' The Irish Confederation ' being established to challenge the Brits regarding their mis-rule in Ireland ; but another plague was stalking the land - ' The Great Hunger ' . A pro status-quo newspaper , ' The Freemans Journal ' , wrote the following Editorial in February 1849 ...
" We ask again - is it not possible to contrive some means of saving the people from this painful and lingering process of death from starvation ? Do we live under a regular or responsible government ? Is there justice or humanity in the world that such things could be , in the middle of the nineteenth century and within twelve hours' reach of the opulence , grandeur and power of a court and capital the first upon the earth ? "
As mentioned in '1169.....' recently , 'The Freemans Journal' newspaper was a 'Castle-Catholic' organ , fully constitutionally-minded , regardless of the suffering of the population . A tangent - In 1841 , the population of Ireland was 8,175,124 ; a (then) normal rate of population increase for a ten-year period should have seen , by 1851 , at least 9,018,799 people on this island : however , the 1851 census recorded only 6,552,385 people 'living' in Ireland .
Emigration and death , caused by 'The Great Hunger' of 1845-1849 took away 2,466,414 Irish people .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......I never got my mug of tea ; in the distance we could see the line of British Army lorries heading towards us - they were full of armed soldiers ......."
" Our men had lined a fence parallel to the road and back a few hundred yards . The lorries stopped on the road opposite them ; the Brits must have seen someone . I saw one of our men stand up just before they stopped . At any rate , they dismounted and deployed as if on field exercise . Rapidly advancing , they reached the middle of the field - our men opened fire , and the enemy fell flat and returned a volley . Then rising , they again rushed forward .
I noticed that they had yet no casualty ; their flanks were extended beyond our line and they greatly outnumbered our men , who began to withdraw and shoot in like manner . The shooting on both sides was equally bad . Now our men had to face the hill and were doing so in the worst possible way - here , my brother intervened and directed them into a cumar , or bed of a stream , which ran slantwise to the enemy and so gave shelter . With a few men he held back the enemy while the others escaped . The British soldiers continued to fire but did not attempt to follow up .
When they reached us , Corney asked why we had not fired over their heads with the Lewis-Gun ; we replied that we could have done little or no damage at that range to the extended enemy , and might have caused confusion among some of our own men coming uphill . Three British soldiers were wounded in this skirmish , and one of our men got a very slight wound in the hand . While the shooting lasted and for some time afterwards , British Army lorries stood a few miles south of us on the Killarney Road .
Had they had the will to do so , they could actually have driven up behind us ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(8 of 9).
William Quinn's U.S. lawyer , Ms. Carlene Rohan , who was in court for the trial , commented that no American court would have admitted the evidence of identification . Gareth Peirce says it is a deeply worrying case and she has lodged an appeal on the grounds that British Police Constable Blackledge's identification should never have been put to the jury .
The result will be watched closely in the U.S. where a new Extradition Treaty with Britain was passed in 1986 only on the understanding that extraditees would get a fair trial before British courts .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, May 20, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
.......When Philip Grey was one month away from his 20th birthday , William Smith O'Brien MP established a pro-Irish organisation - 'The Irish Confederation' ; that was in January 1847 .......
For all his "stiff and stilted mannerisms , his [posh English] accent " and his fine clothes , William Smith O'Brien was said to have traced his Irish ancestry back to the 11th Century - to Brian Boru , the High King of Ireland !
' The Irish Confederation' organisation was established with the intention of pushing harder against the British than Daniel O'Connell was prepared to do ; at that time in our History (ie between 1845 and 1849) the 'Great Hunger' [so-called 'Famine'] was upon the people .
The situation was that bad that one of the most prominent Dublin newspapers of the day , which was a pro-'Establishment' organ , 'The Freemans Journal' , was actually driven to publish an Editorial piece which , had same been published in another newspaper , it would in all probability have condemned .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... Ireland , 1921 - We were 'on-the-run' from the British Auxiliaries ; it was nine hours since we last had something to eat . Tired , hungry and thirsty , we stopped at a farmhouse for a bite and some tea . I was sitting , facing the window , about to put milk in my mug of tea ......."
" Away to the south-east , I could see a white ribbon of road ; I saw a speck appear on it , then another and another - they were coming , one behind the other ... " What do you think those are ? " I asked the girl of the house , indicating to her the road . With the teapot clasped between her hands , she regarded them : " I think they are bicycles, " she replied , still watching them . Then she said again - " No , they are lorries . " They were lorries , sure enough . We went outside , the better to investigate .
The lorries were on the Top Road which runs on high ground to the north of Ballyvourney Village , and parallel to the main road to Killarney . They were coming down to the junction with the mountain road to Millstreet - would they turn down to the Mills , Ballyvourney ? If they did we could return to our tea ; but they did not turn left for Ballyvourney , they turned right and came up the Millstreet Road . There was still a chance for us - would they turn right below Sean Hyde's place and go on to Millstreet ? They did not . They kept left and came on into Coomnaclohy .
We ran forward to a high meadow where we could be seen from the farmhouse below ; I whistled with my fingers , and one of the lads came out . We pointed down to the road . All the men came out of the farmhouse and we signalled them forward , and then to cover , behind a fence . They lined the fence , but my brother said he would go down to them . " If anything goes wrong , " he said , " the city lads may go the wrong way out of here - I'll have to talk to them . " Instructing us to keep an eye on the Killarney Road behind us , he ran downhill from us . Meanwhile , the British Army lorries kept coming , carrying soldiers from their regular army .......
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(7 of 9).
The only evidence against William Quinn was the fingerprints associating him with the Balcombe Street Four , who had the murder weapon , and the identification . The fingerprints of about a dozen other people had also been found in the house and Patrick Bishop and Eamonn Mallie in their recent book on the Provisional IRA name another associate of the Balcombe Street Group as having shot British PC Tibble .
Mr. Justice Rose told the jury that the circumstances of the identification were unsatisfactory but he refused to rule it out . The jury , by now aware from the details of the identification that William Quinn had been convicted of IRA membership in Ireland , convicted him of murder .......
(MORE LATER).
.......When Philip Grey was one month away from his 20th birthday , William Smith O'Brien MP established a pro-Irish organisation - 'The Irish Confederation' ; that was in January 1847 .......
For all his "stiff and stilted mannerisms , his [posh English] accent " and his fine clothes , William Smith O'Brien was said to have traced his Irish ancestry back to the 11th Century - to Brian Boru , the High King of Ireland !
' The Irish Confederation' organisation was established with the intention of pushing harder against the British than Daniel O'Connell was prepared to do ; at that time in our History (ie between 1845 and 1849) the 'Great Hunger' [so-called 'Famine'] was upon the people .
The situation was that bad that one of the most prominent Dublin newspapers of the day , which was a pro-'Establishment' organ , 'The Freemans Journal' , was actually driven to publish an Editorial piece which , had same been published in another newspaper , it would in all probability have condemned .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... Ireland , 1921 - We were 'on-the-run' from the British Auxiliaries ; it was nine hours since we last had something to eat . Tired , hungry and thirsty , we stopped at a farmhouse for a bite and some tea . I was sitting , facing the window , about to put milk in my mug of tea ......."
" Away to the south-east , I could see a white ribbon of road ; I saw a speck appear on it , then another and another - they were coming , one behind the other ... " What do you think those are ? " I asked the girl of the house , indicating to her the road . With the teapot clasped between her hands , she regarded them : " I think they are bicycles, " she replied , still watching them . Then she said again - " No , they are lorries . " They were lorries , sure enough . We went outside , the better to investigate .
The lorries were on the Top Road which runs on high ground to the north of Ballyvourney Village , and parallel to the main road to Killarney . They were coming down to the junction with the mountain road to Millstreet - would they turn down to the Mills , Ballyvourney ? If they did we could return to our tea ; but they did not turn left for Ballyvourney , they turned right and came up the Millstreet Road . There was still a chance for us - would they turn right below Sean Hyde's place and go on to Millstreet ? They did not . They kept left and came on into Coomnaclohy .
We ran forward to a high meadow where we could be seen from the farmhouse below ; I whistled with my fingers , and one of the lads came out . We pointed down to the road . All the men came out of the farmhouse and we signalled them forward , and then to cover , behind a fence . They lined the fence , but my brother said he would go down to them . " If anything goes wrong , " he said , " the city lads may go the wrong way out of here - I'll have to talk to them . " Instructing us to keep an eye on the Killarney Road behind us , he ran downhill from us . Meanwhile , the British Army lorries kept coming , carrying soldiers from their regular army .......
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(7 of 9).
The only evidence against William Quinn was the fingerprints associating him with the Balcombe Street Four , who had the murder weapon , and the identification . The fingerprints of about a dozen other people had also been found in the house and Patrick Bishop and Eamonn Mallie in their recent book on the Provisional IRA name another associate of the Balcombe Street Group as having shot British PC Tibble .
Mr. Justice Rose told the jury that the circumstances of the identification were unsatisfactory but he refused to rule it out . The jury , by now aware from the details of the identification that William Quinn had been convicted of IRA membership in Ireland , convicted him of murder .......
(MORE LATER).
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
....... Ireland in the early 19th Century ; Catholics banned from sitting in the English Parliament , Daniel O'Connell striding the Nationalist stage - and a baby born , in February 1827 , in Dublin : Philip Grey .......
Philip Grey was born 24 years after Robert Emmets Rising and 21 years before the 'Young Irelanders' were themselves to rise-up in arms against the British ; the pro-British 'Orange Order' was 32 years on the go (formed in 1795) and , five years before the birth of Philip Grey (ie in 1822), an Ulster (ie- the Nine Counties) Presbyterian Clergyman , a Rev. James Law , was born ; he was later to become the father of a child , whom he christened 'Andrew Bonar' , a then-future leader of the British Conservative Party ... . Interesting times .
When Philip Grey was a young man of almost 20 years of age (in 1847), a Harrow-educated upper-class Protestant (and member of the British Parliament), a William Smith O'Brien (intially a supporter of Daniel O'Connell) established 'The Irish Confederation' organisation (in January 1847). Philip Grey was one month away from his 20th birthday at that time .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... Thirty-six lorry loads of British reinforcements were on their way to save their comrades in the cottages ; we had to retreat , which we did reluctantly - but we were due another clash with the Brits within the next two hours ......."
" We had no reserve forces to come to our relief . Our only hope lay in a speedy action , and a retreat in the right direction , before the net could be closed . Nevertheless , before we left , the British Auxiliaries were quiet boys ; fourteen had been killed and twenty-six wounded . Half of them , roughly, were out of action and it was only the certainty of relief that caused the remainder to hang on . We had no casualties and had , therefore , much to be thankful for .
We crossed over Cnoc an Uir and descended to Ullanes Valley ; turning west , we ascended Ullanes Hill and kept along its ridge until we came down to cross the mountain road from Ballyvourney to Millstreet . A branch of this road runs into the glen of Coomnaclohy - here , in the cul-de-sac from a military point of view , the city men of our IRA Column insisted on stopping for a cup of tea at Dinneen's Farmhouse . My brother Pat strongly opposed that proposal , pointing out to the men that , while we were safe from attack from behind us , a sudden invasion by lorry-borne British troops would compel us to ascend the steep sides of the glen where there was difficult footing and little cover .
Taking the Lewis-Gun Section with him , Pat went up to Muing Lia where , from a height , he could look down from the west on the valley we had just crossed . We went into the farmhouse and soon we were seated at a table , very much at our ease and about to enjoy a cup of tea which a young girl had just poured for each of us . Nine hours had passed since we had anything to eat - over forty years have passed since I saw that cup of tea poured out , and I have forgotten many things , but I can still see that cup of tea : I put sugar in it and I had the jug in my hand to put milk in it , but that was as far as I got . I had been looking through the window which was straight in front of me ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(6 of 9).
The British police did not apply for William Quinn's extradition while he was in Portlaoise Prison or after his release in early 1976 , although the Gardai kept them informed about his whereabouts during 1976 and 1977 . A British Crown lawyer told Quinn's trial that they did not want to get involved in complex extradition proceedings and they hoped he might return to Britain , where he might lead them to his accomplices and then be picked-up .
The Balcombe Street group had already been arrested by then , however - the hope that William Quinn might return to Britain was also given as a reason for not informing him about the identification . The British finally applied for Quinn's extradition in 1979 but by then he had retured to America , where he was working quite openly in his uncle's shop in San Francisco where he was arrested two years later .......
(MORE LATER).
....... Ireland in the early 19th Century ; Catholics banned from sitting in the English Parliament , Daniel O'Connell striding the Nationalist stage - and a baby born , in February 1827 , in Dublin : Philip Grey .......
Philip Grey was born 24 years after Robert Emmets Rising and 21 years before the 'Young Irelanders' were themselves to rise-up in arms against the British ; the pro-British 'Orange Order' was 32 years on the go (formed in 1795) and , five years before the birth of Philip Grey (ie in 1822), an Ulster (ie- the Nine Counties) Presbyterian Clergyman , a Rev. James Law , was born ; he was later to become the father of a child , whom he christened 'Andrew Bonar' , a then-future leader of the British Conservative Party ... . Interesting times .
When Philip Grey was a young man of almost 20 years of age (in 1847), a Harrow-educated upper-class Protestant (and member of the British Parliament), a William Smith O'Brien (intially a supporter of Daniel O'Connell) established 'The Irish Confederation' organisation (in January 1847). Philip Grey was one month away from his 20th birthday at that time .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... Thirty-six lorry loads of British reinforcements were on their way to save their comrades in the cottages ; we had to retreat , which we did reluctantly - but we were due another clash with the Brits within the next two hours ......."
" We had no reserve forces to come to our relief . Our only hope lay in a speedy action , and a retreat in the right direction , before the net could be closed . Nevertheless , before we left , the British Auxiliaries were quiet boys ; fourteen had been killed and twenty-six wounded . Half of them , roughly, were out of action and it was only the certainty of relief that caused the remainder to hang on . We had no casualties and had , therefore , much to be thankful for .
We crossed over Cnoc an Uir and descended to Ullanes Valley ; turning west , we ascended Ullanes Hill and kept along its ridge until we came down to cross the mountain road from Ballyvourney to Millstreet . A branch of this road runs into the glen of Coomnaclohy - here , in the cul-de-sac from a military point of view , the city men of our IRA Column insisted on stopping for a cup of tea at Dinneen's Farmhouse . My brother Pat strongly opposed that proposal , pointing out to the men that , while we were safe from attack from behind us , a sudden invasion by lorry-borne British troops would compel us to ascend the steep sides of the glen where there was difficult footing and little cover .
Taking the Lewis-Gun Section with him , Pat went up to Muing Lia where , from a height , he could look down from the west on the valley we had just crossed . We went into the farmhouse and soon we were seated at a table , very much at our ease and about to enjoy a cup of tea which a young girl had just poured for each of us . Nine hours had passed since we had anything to eat - over forty years have passed since I saw that cup of tea poured out , and I have forgotten many things , but I can still see that cup of tea : I put sugar in it and I had the jug in my hand to put milk in it , but that was as far as I got . I had been looking through the window which was straight in front of me ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(6 of 9).
The British police did not apply for William Quinn's extradition while he was in Portlaoise Prison or after his release in early 1976 , although the Gardai kept them informed about his whereabouts during 1976 and 1977 . A British Crown lawyer told Quinn's trial that they did not want to get involved in complex extradition proceedings and they hoped he might return to Britain , where he might lead them to his accomplices and then be picked-up .
The Balcombe Street group had already been arrested by then , however - the hope that William Quinn might return to Britain was also given as a reason for not informing him about the identification . The British finally applied for Quinn's extradition in 1979 but by then he had retured to America , where he was working quite openly in his uncle's shop in San Francisco where he was arrested two years later .......
(MORE LATER).
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.......
....... Ireland in 1827 - Daniel O'Connell was the 'name of the day ' ; his 'Catholic Association' was supported by the majority of the Catholic population .......
However , what Daniel O'Connell often referred too as "the horror of popular violence" (that which this scribbler , amongst others , would view as "self-defence") was not part of the agenda as far as O'Connell and his 'Association' were concerned . The SDLP / Provisional Sinn Fein of its day ...
With that huge support-base in place , Daniel O'Connell contested a seat in Clare (for the British Parliament - incidentally , Catholics were at that time banned from sitting in that Parliament unless they took an oath abjuring their Catholic beliefs !) in 1828 and won the seat . (Another tangent - Commenting on O'Connell's win , the then British Home Secretary , Robert Peel , spoke about "the fearful exhibition of sobered and desperate enthusiasm" with which 'The Catholic Association' ran their campaign ; Peel must have been glad that O'Connell was not a military man ...)
Philip Grey was born into this atmosphere , in February 1827 , in Dublin .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... The British Auxiliaries , all ninty of them , were now easy targets ; those in the cottages were stationary and confined , and those wanting in had no cover worth talking about ......."
" Our IRA Column stood in a line along a fence . Every grenade we had was in a man's hand . We were ready for the final dash at them ; then suddenly we heard an exclamation from Sean O'Hegarty - " Look , lads , look ...! " He raised his Parabellum pistol and fired in the direction of an unbroken line of British lorries extended far to the east . The new enemy , thirty-six lorries strong , had come in time to save the Auxiliaries in the cottages . For a little time while they were massed together we fired at them in their hiding-place , then slowly we drew away to the high ground north of us . It was midday when we left them - the action had started at 7.45 a.m...
As we moved uphill we felt very disappointed - we had been very near victory despite many agencies working against us . First , the enemy had been forewarned , and arrangements had been made to send reinforcements from all quarters , then someone had blundered in the handing over of a vital position and a powerful weapon , to the incompetent and wretched "X" . Again there was the case of an IRA Section Leader who , though highly efficient in a town , could not understand the prolonged action and , thinking they were being encircled , withdrew a large number of the best men of the IRA Column . Thus was our striking-force much weakened and valuable time lost .
Looking at the bright side of the picture , the small number of us who engaged the British Auxiliaries had proved more than a match for those 'warriors' ; only six miles from their base , the strong Castle of Macroom , they had that day the heartening assurance of reinforcements converging on us from Cork and Ballincollig , Bandon , Dunmanaway , Bantry , Killarney , Millstreet and Macroom . We had fired on those reinforcements before we broke off the fight , and were destined to clash with more within two hours ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(5 of 9).
The lawyer Gareth Peirce says British Police Constable Adrian Blackledge literally had tunnel vision that day . He was brought into court along a corridor which left him facing the dock ; " The whole arrangements were so suggestive as to effectively point William Quinn out to him ," she says . She also notes that none of the other eye witnesses of the shooting were ever asked to identify William Quinn .
Quinn first learnt about the identification when he was arrested in America in 1981 . Chief Superintendent Patrick Doocey , who was in charge of William Quinn's case in the 'Special Criminal Court' that day , told the Old Bailey trial that no records were kept of the description of the two other men who were in the court or what any of the three were wearing . William Quinn himself cannot remember any details of an event which he dd not know was happening .......
(MORE LATER).
....... Ireland in 1827 - Daniel O'Connell was the 'name of the day ' ; his 'Catholic Association' was supported by the majority of the Catholic population .......
However , what Daniel O'Connell often referred too as "the horror of popular violence" (that which this scribbler , amongst others , would view as "self-defence") was not part of the agenda as far as O'Connell and his 'Association' were concerned . The SDLP / Provisional Sinn Fein of its day ...
With that huge support-base in place , Daniel O'Connell contested a seat in Clare (for the British Parliament - incidentally , Catholics were at that time banned from sitting in that Parliament unless they took an oath abjuring their Catholic beliefs !) in 1828 and won the seat . (Another tangent - Commenting on O'Connell's win , the then British Home Secretary , Robert Peel , spoke about "the fearful exhibition of sobered and desperate enthusiasm" with which 'The Catholic Association' ran their campaign ; Peel must have been glad that O'Connell was not a military man ...)
Philip Grey was born into this atmosphere , in February 1827 , in Dublin .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... The British Auxiliaries , all ninty of them , were now easy targets ; those in the cottages were stationary and confined , and those wanting in had no cover worth talking about ......."
" Our IRA Column stood in a line along a fence . Every grenade we had was in a man's hand . We were ready for the final dash at them ; then suddenly we heard an exclamation from Sean O'Hegarty - " Look , lads , look ...! " He raised his Parabellum pistol and fired in the direction of an unbroken line of British lorries extended far to the east . The new enemy , thirty-six lorries strong , had come in time to save the Auxiliaries in the cottages . For a little time while they were massed together we fired at them in their hiding-place , then slowly we drew away to the high ground north of us . It was midday when we left them - the action had started at 7.45 a.m...
As we moved uphill we felt very disappointed - we had been very near victory despite many agencies working against us . First , the enemy had been forewarned , and arrangements had been made to send reinforcements from all quarters , then someone had blundered in the handing over of a vital position and a powerful weapon , to the incompetent and wretched "X" . Again there was the case of an IRA Section Leader who , though highly efficient in a town , could not understand the prolonged action and , thinking they were being encircled , withdrew a large number of the best men of the IRA Column . Thus was our striking-force much weakened and valuable time lost .
Looking at the bright side of the picture , the small number of us who engaged the British Auxiliaries had proved more than a match for those 'warriors' ; only six miles from their base , the strong Castle of Macroom , they had that day the heartening assurance of reinforcements converging on us from Cork and Ballincollig , Bandon , Dunmanaway , Bantry , Killarney , Millstreet and Macroom . We had fired on those reinforcements before we broke off the fight , and were destined to clash with more within two hours ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(5 of 9).
The lawyer Gareth Peirce says British Police Constable Adrian Blackledge literally had tunnel vision that day . He was brought into court along a corridor which left him facing the dock ; " The whole arrangements were so suggestive as to effectively point William Quinn out to him ," she says . She also notes that none of the other eye witnesses of the shooting were ever asked to identify William Quinn .
Quinn first learnt about the identification when he was arrested in America in 1981 . Chief Superintendent Patrick Doocey , who was in charge of William Quinn's case in the 'Special Criminal Court' that day , told the Old Bailey trial that no records were kept of the description of the two other men who were in the court or what any of the three were wearing . William Quinn himself cannot remember any details of an event which he dd not know was happening .......
(MORE LATER).
Monday, May 17, 2004
PHILIP GREY ; 1827 - 1857 : AN IRISH MILITARY MAN.
Ireland , 1827 : The 'Catholic Association' , led by Daniel O'Connell (known as 'The Liberator' - not because he liberated this country from English 'rule' [which has still to be done] but because the majority of the country's population at that time considered O'Connell to be liberating them from political irrelevance), was a huge organisation ; 'associate membership' of 'The Catholic Association' cost one penny a month and , with the tens of thousands of members and associate members, the funds mounted-up ...
The small land-owners , those that worked for them , the many who had no jobs or land , the so-called 'middle class' and even the Catholic Clergy - all either joined or strongly supported 'The Catholic Association .......'
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......We had the British Auxiliaries 'on the run' - except they had no safe exit ! One of their drivers was attempting to turn his lorry around......."
" A fierce fire was opened on the man and the lorry ; but it got away , and went off at a high speed towards Macroom . The driver was a stout fellow and made skilful use of available cover while he quickly completed the manoeuvre . We could now expect their reinforcements - it transpired that they were on the way in any case . Meanwhile , the Auxies were crowding into the cottages . To make more firing positions , they started to break loopholes in the cottage walls . For this they used every kind of tool available , including their bayonets . The loopholes were to prove , for them, very unprofitable...
...for , immediately the outer plaster was broken , the hole in the wall became the target for every marksman who fancied himself ; several British Auxiliaries were mortally wounded inside these breaches . We were now called on to follow up the enemy and move with the Lewis-Gun to a point due north of the cottages - this we did easily . The windows and doors were now under Lewis-Gun fire and that of about fifteen riflemen . The Auxiliaries were in a bad way ; their total strength of the morning must have been nearly ninty men . Apart from those strewn around the road and further afield as casualties , the remainder were packed into the two cottages and lying close to cover around outside them .
Now and again a man would rise and dash for the door - but none succeeded in getting in to the cottage . We saw an Auxie fall on the doorstop , wounded , yet not one of his own attempted to drag him in . To do so would have entailed no risk for those inside since our fire was parallel to that particular doorway , yet there the wounded man was allowed to remain ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(4 of 9).
Once in Dublin , the Gardai told British Police Officer Adrian Blackledge that William Quinn had refused to take part in an identification parade and he would have to identify him in court ; Quinn claims he had never been asked to participate in a parade . PC Blackledge was secretly brought into Green Street Courthouse in Dublin where William Quinn was in the centrally positioned dock , flanked by two prison officers . The Gardai had put two other men nearby , one of whom had a moustache . The man who killed British Police Officer Stephen Tibble was clean-shaven ; so was William Quinn .
PC Blackledge identified the man in the dock as the killer , although it seems his appearance did not tally with the description Blackledge had given at the time.......
(MORE LATER).
Ireland , 1827 : The 'Catholic Association' , led by Daniel O'Connell (known as 'The Liberator' - not because he liberated this country from English 'rule' [which has still to be done] but because the majority of the country's population at that time considered O'Connell to be liberating them from political irrelevance), was a huge organisation ; 'associate membership' of 'The Catholic Association' cost one penny a month and , with the tens of thousands of members and associate members, the funds mounted-up ...
The small land-owners , those that worked for them , the many who had no jobs or land , the so-called 'middle class' and even the Catholic Clergy - all either joined or strongly supported 'The Catholic Association .......'
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......We had the British Auxiliaries 'on the run' - except they had no safe exit ! One of their drivers was attempting to turn his lorry around......."
" A fierce fire was opened on the man and the lorry ; but it got away , and went off at a high speed towards Macroom . The driver was a stout fellow and made skilful use of available cover while he quickly completed the manoeuvre . We could now expect their reinforcements - it transpired that they were on the way in any case . Meanwhile , the Auxies were crowding into the cottages . To make more firing positions , they started to break loopholes in the cottage walls . For this they used every kind of tool available , including their bayonets . The loopholes were to prove , for them, very unprofitable...
...for , immediately the outer plaster was broken , the hole in the wall became the target for every marksman who fancied himself ; several British Auxiliaries were mortally wounded inside these breaches . We were now called on to follow up the enemy and move with the Lewis-Gun to a point due north of the cottages - this we did easily . The windows and doors were now under Lewis-Gun fire and that of about fifteen riflemen . The Auxiliaries were in a bad way ; their total strength of the morning must have been nearly ninty men . Apart from those strewn around the road and further afield as casualties , the remainder were packed into the two cottages and lying close to cover around outside them .
Now and again a man would rise and dash for the door - but none succeeded in getting in to the cottage . We saw an Auxie fall on the doorstop , wounded , yet not one of his own attempted to drag him in . To do so would have entailed no risk for those inside since our fire was parallel to that particular doorway , yet there the wounded man was allowed to remain ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(4 of 9).
Once in Dublin , the Gardai told British Police Officer Adrian Blackledge that William Quinn had refused to take part in an identification parade and he would have to identify him in court ; Quinn claims he had never been asked to participate in a parade . PC Blackledge was secretly brought into Green Street Courthouse in Dublin where William Quinn was in the centrally positioned dock , flanked by two prison officers . The Gardai had put two other men nearby , one of whom had a moustache . The man who killed British Police Officer Stephen Tibble was clean-shaven ; so was William Quinn .
PC Blackledge identified the man in the dock as the killer , although it seems his appearance did not tally with the description Blackledge had given at the time.......
(MORE LATER).
Sunday, May 16, 2004
WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......
.......Are William Rooney and the countless others who were born into political conflict , common criminals? Are those same people guilty of keeping a criminal conspiracy going for over 800 years ...?
William Rooney dedicated at least ten full years of his 29 years on this earth campaigning against the British onslaught on Irish ways and culture , and went to an early grave because of those colonisers . If this small article , on this small weblog , inspires just one person to support the Irish Cause then William Rooney will still be fighting the British...
Be green upon their graves O happy Spring,
for they were young and eager who are dead.
With all things that are young and quivering with eager life be they remembered ,
for they move not here - they are gone to the clay .
They cannot die again for liberty ; be they remembered in their land , for aye ...
...green be their graves , green be their memory .
-- James Stephens.
Leabe i measc na bhFininni go raibh acu.
[END of ' WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......'].
(Tomorrow - Philip Grey ; 1827-1857 - An Irish Military Man).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......We were well spread-out , and had the British Auxiliaries pinned-down from all angles......."
" I believe the first two shots were fired by John Riordan ('Jack The Rookery') and Jer Casey ('Strac') - they had no other option since the two British Auxiliaries rushed up to their positions . The Lewis-Gun and about twenty rifles opened fire on the Auxies while most of them were still on the lorries , and though they quickly sought cover , many fell dead on the road and along the dykes . Seafield Grant , the British Officer Commanding of the Macroom Auxiliaries , escaped the first burst of gunfire ; standing on a patch of green, south of the road , he gazed north-west towards the rocks . Two bullets scored tracks in the sod in front of him and , stooping , he examined the scars . Straightening up , he looked back along the direction indicated by the bullets , but just then a third bullet came which killed him .
His fall must have disheartened the enemy very much ; at first their fire was vigorous - bullets struck the flat surface of vertical rocks with a loud thud , or curved high into the air with a wailing note when a sloping rockface was hit. A Hotchkiss gunner appeared to have an idea of the location of our Lewis , as his shooting was getting better - it cracked over our heads for a while , prompting Hughie to shout at me - " Keep a look out for that fellow ." At length we located him - " ...just below Diarmaid na gComharsan's cottage ": one sharp burst from the Lewis and the Brit gunner , frightened or hit , dragged his gun backwards . We did not hear any more from him ...
The Auxiliaries' fire weakened and now and then a man or two made a dash for the cottages . We also saw other indications that they were hard-pressed ; one of the lorries was being turned about on the road by its driver ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(3 of 9).
In February 1975 , British Police Constable Stephen Tibble was shot dead on a West-London street ; in a follow-up search , British police discovered bomb-making equipment in a nearby house . William Quinn's fingerprints and those of an IRA Unit (later known as 'The Balcombe Street Four') were found in the house and , later that year, when the IRA Unit was captured after a siege in Balcombe Street , one of them was found to have the gun that killed British Police Constable Stephen Tibble .
None of this connected William Quinn all that directly with the Tibble shooting but , a few hours before Quinn was due to appear in the 'Special Criminal Court' on the assualt and IRA membership charges , PC Blackledge was ordered to fly to Dublin . He was told a man suspected of the killing was being held there and he was to see if he could identify him ; he was not told why the man was suspected .......
(MORE LATER).
.......Are William Rooney and the countless others who were born into political conflict , common criminals? Are those same people guilty of keeping a criminal conspiracy going for over 800 years ...?
William Rooney dedicated at least ten full years of his 29 years on this earth campaigning against the British onslaught on Irish ways and culture , and went to an early grave because of those colonisers . If this small article , on this small weblog , inspires just one person to support the Irish Cause then William Rooney will still be fighting the British...
Be green upon their graves O happy Spring,
for they were young and eager who are dead.
With all things that are young and quivering with eager life be they remembered ,
for they move not here - they are gone to the clay .
They cannot die again for liberty ; be they remembered in their land , for aye ...
...green be their graves , green be their memory .
-- James Stephens.
Leabe i measc na bhFininni go raibh acu.
[END of ' WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......'].
(Tomorrow - Philip Grey ; 1827-1857 - An Irish Military Man).
WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :
war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.
By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......We were well spread-out , and had the British Auxiliaries pinned-down from all angles......."
" I believe the first two shots were fired by John Riordan ('Jack The Rookery') and Jer Casey ('Strac') - they had no other option since the two British Auxiliaries rushed up to their positions . The Lewis-Gun and about twenty rifles opened fire on the Auxies while most of them were still on the lorries , and though they quickly sought cover , many fell dead on the road and along the dykes . Seafield Grant , the British Officer Commanding of the Macroom Auxiliaries , escaped the first burst of gunfire ; standing on a patch of green, south of the road , he gazed north-west towards the rocks . Two bullets scored tracks in the sod in front of him and , stooping , he examined the scars . Straightening up , he looked back along the direction indicated by the bullets , but just then a third bullet came which killed him .
His fall must have disheartened the enemy very much ; at first their fire was vigorous - bullets struck the flat surface of vertical rocks with a loud thud , or curved high into the air with a wailing note when a sloping rockface was hit. A Hotchkiss gunner appeared to have an idea of the location of our Lewis , as his shooting was getting better - it cracked over our heads for a while , prompting Hughie to shout at me - " Keep a look out for that fellow ." At length we located him - " ...just below Diarmaid na gComharsan's cottage ": one sharp burst from the Lewis and the Brit gunner , frightened or hit , dragged his gun backwards . We did not hear any more from him ...
The Auxiliaries' fire weakened and now and then a man or two made a dash for the cottages . We also saw other indications that they were hard-pressed ; one of the lorries was being turned about on the road by its driver ......."
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(3 of 9).
In February 1975 , British Police Constable Stephen Tibble was shot dead on a West-London street ; in a follow-up search , British police discovered bomb-making equipment in a nearby house . William Quinn's fingerprints and those of an IRA Unit (later known as 'The Balcombe Street Four') were found in the house and , later that year, when the IRA Unit was captured after a siege in Balcombe Street , one of them was found to have the gun that killed British Police Constable Stephen Tibble .
None of this connected William Quinn all that directly with the Tibble shooting but , a few hours before Quinn was due to appear in the 'Special Criminal Court' on the assualt and IRA membership charges , PC Blackledge was ordered to fly to Dublin . He was told a man suspected of the killing was being held there and he was to see if he could identify him ; he was not told why the man was suspected .......
(MORE LATER).
Saturday, May 15, 2004
WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......
....... William Rooney died , aged 29 , on 6th May 1901 , in Dublin - he had wore himself out . His friend , Arthur Griffith later published material that William Rooney had left behind .......
The name ' William Rooney ' means little , if, indeed, anything , to most people today , as unfortunately is the case with so many other unsung hero's , who would , or could (and should) have lived completely different and possibly longer , more comfortable lives were it not for the political situation they were born into .
And that same political situation (ie British interference in Irish affairs) exists today ; how many more Irish men and women must endure the same fate as William Rooney and the countless others like him ? What is the potential being lost to this Irish Nation due to the continuing British military and political presence here ?
Whatever the loss , however it is judged or calculated - it is a crime against this proud country . If it is , as the Free Staters and their friends in the 'Establishment' tell us - "...over 800 years of crime , " then it is the Brits and the Free Staters that are the criminals , not Irish Republicans .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... Jim Grey and myself had fitted-out a second Lewis-Gun , which our Column Officer then handed to "X" , whom most of us suspected to be an informer ; during the ambush , he had the opportunity to use the weapon ......."
" But , leaving the Lewis-Gun , "X" ran and demoralised others around him . A young lad , Dick Kingston from Ballyvourney , picked-up the Lewis and brought it away . I used it afterwards and found it excellent - "X" alleged that it failed to work for him at the ambush . Across the road from his position were two labourer's cottages , which stood about forty yards apart and were screened from the road by a stone fence . Their acre plots were also enclosed by a similar fence . The cottages and plots were on a hillock which sloped to the south and west .
The British Auxiliaries had no option but to retire into and defend this ground when they were driven off the road ; the Macroom men were admirably posted to prevent them escaping or fighting their way to the south or west , and admirably well they did their task . Not alone did our lads hold the Brits in the plots , but finally their steady and accurate fire drove them uphill to the immediate environs of the cottage . A few men with Ned Neville of Rusheen occupied a hillock , the most easterly point of the Macroom men's positions . Once the Auxiliaries contemplated taking some of our lads on from behind them ; keeping away to the east , the Brits started to creep south . Ned shot down the leader and that finished that project for them .......
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(2 of 9).
William Quinn was born into an Irish-American family in California . Moved by the events in the North of Ireland in 1969 - 1971 , he threw up his job in the U.S. post office and flew to Ireland to join the IRA . In April 1975 , he was arrested in Dublin and charged with assaulting a garda and with membership of the IRA ; he appeared at the 'Special Crimial' Court in May 1975 and was acquitted of the assault charge but convicted of IRA membership and jailed for a year .
Before Quinns imprisonment , in February 1975 , a British policeman , PC Adrian Blackledge , stopped a man in a West London street and was about to search him - the man ran away and when PC Stephen Tibble , who was off duty and passing the scene at the time , tried to stop him , the man shot PC Tibble dead .......
(MORE LATER).
....... William Rooney died , aged 29 , on 6th May 1901 , in Dublin - he had wore himself out . His friend , Arthur Griffith later published material that William Rooney had left behind .......
The name ' William Rooney ' means little , if, indeed, anything , to most people today , as unfortunately is the case with so many other unsung hero's , who would , or could (and should) have lived completely different and possibly longer , more comfortable lives were it not for the political situation they were born into .
And that same political situation (ie British interference in Irish affairs) exists today ; how many more Irish men and women must endure the same fate as William Rooney and the countless others like him ? What is the potential being lost to this Irish Nation due to the continuing British military and political presence here ?
Whatever the loss , however it is judged or calculated - it is a crime against this proud country . If it is , as the Free Staters and their friends in the 'Establishment' tell us - "...over 800 years of crime , " then it is the Brits and the Free Staters that are the criminals , not Irish Republicans .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
"....... Jim Grey and myself had fitted-out a second Lewis-Gun , which our Column Officer then handed to "X" , whom most of us suspected to be an informer ; during the ambush , he had the opportunity to use the weapon ......."
" But , leaving the Lewis-Gun , "X" ran and demoralised others around him . A young lad , Dick Kingston from Ballyvourney , picked-up the Lewis and brought it away . I used it afterwards and found it excellent - "X" alleged that it failed to work for him at the ambush . Across the road from his position were two labourer's cottages , which stood about forty yards apart and were screened from the road by a stone fence . Their acre plots were also enclosed by a similar fence . The cottages and plots were on a hillock which sloped to the south and west .
The British Auxiliaries had no option but to retire into and defend this ground when they were driven off the road ; the Macroom men were admirably posted to prevent them escaping or fighting their way to the south or west , and admirably well they did their task . Not alone did our lads hold the Brits in the plots , but finally their steady and accurate fire drove them uphill to the immediate environs of the cottage . A few men with Ned Neville of Rusheen occupied a hillock , the most easterly point of the Macroom men's positions . Once the Auxiliaries contemplated taking some of our lads on from behind them ; keeping away to the east , the Brits started to creep south . Ned shot down the leader and that finished that project for them .......
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .......
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(2 of 9).
William Quinn was born into an Irish-American family in California . Moved by the events in the North of Ireland in 1969 - 1971 , he threw up his job in the U.S. post office and flew to Ireland to join the IRA . In April 1975 , he was arrested in Dublin and charged with assaulting a garda and with membership of the IRA ; he appeared at the 'Special Crimial' Court in May 1975 and was acquitted of the assault charge but convicted of IRA membership and jailed for a year .
Before Quinns imprisonment , in February 1975 , a British policeman , PC Adrian Blackledge , stopped a man in a West London street and was about to search him - the man ran away and when PC Stephen Tibble , who was off duty and passing the scene at the time , tried to stop him , the man shot PC Tibble dead .......
(MORE LATER).
Friday, May 14, 2004
WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......
....... William Rooney was mixing in Irish Republican 'dissident' circles (ie with the Fenians , IRB etc) , hoping to increase membership to the 'Gaelic League' , GAA and other similar organisations . He could understand where those 'dissidents' were coming from .......
When he was 28 years of age , William Rooney was in chronic bad health , but still politically active - he was openly condemning the very-limited 'offer' of so-called 'Home Rule' with which the British hoped to placate those opposed to their interference in this country and , both verbally and in his writing , took every opportunity to argue his point with those who would settle for 'Home Rule' or less . He was still travelling the country even though he was weak and sick...
...but the workload proved too much for him ; on the 6th May , 1901 , at only 29 years of age , William Rooney died in Dublin - he was physically and mentally worn out . Had he chosen a different path , he could have lived longer - but it was not in his structure to do so . His friend Arthur Griffith was later to collate un-seen material left behind by William Rooney , some of which were published in the year following his death (ie 1902).
Seven years later (1909) , the last of his material was published under the title 'Prose Writings'.......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......It was obvious to us that the force of British Auxiliaries had been 'tipped-off' about our intention to ambush them ; a member of our IRA Column , "X" , was thought to be responsible ......."
" "X" was involved , a few weeks later , in an incident which led to the murder of six of his comrades at Clogheen . That the creature who brought the murder-and-torture-gang to fall on his sleeping comrades did so to save himself is the most just and charitable thing I can say about him . For some argue that he had already started on his fiendish work as an informer . Certainly he had been over inquisitive about the names of people and places while with this IRA Column , but that proves nothing .
The poor wretch has enough to his account anyway , without adding to it , and I pray God that his like may not be there again . A few weeks before this day , Jim Grey and I , after considerable labour with indifferent tools , had fitted out and tested another Lewis-Gun . We had hoped to be allowed to use it in action against the enemy , and were astonished when "X" got charge of it ; nearly all of us doubted his integrity . So it was that , when the first shots were fired , "X" , stationed near the extreme end , was in a position to wreak the utmost destruction on the enemy massed under him ........
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(1 of 9).
" It must have been the worst ever identification anywhere in the whole world , " London lawyer Gareth Peirce says about the evidence that convicted American-born IRA supporter William Quinn of the murder of a London policeman in 1975 . Quinn was jailed for life at the Old Bailey .
William Quinn made legal history in October 1986 when he was extradited from the U.S. to face a charge of murdering British Police Constable Stephen Tibble in West London in February 1975 - a charge he denies . He was the first person ever extradited from the U.S. on an IRA-related charge .
Quinn also set something of a record for pre-trial detention . He had spent five years in jail in California fighting extradition and another seventeen months in custody in England before his trial .......
(MORE LATER).
....... William Rooney was mixing in Irish Republican 'dissident' circles (ie with the Fenians , IRB etc) , hoping to increase membership to the 'Gaelic League' , GAA and other similar organisations . He could understand where those 'dissidents' were coming from .......
When he was 28 years of age , William Rooney was in chronic bad health , but still politically active - he was openly condemning the very-limited 'offer' of so-called 'Home Rule' with which the British hoped to placate those opposed to their interference in this country and , both verbally and in his writing , took every opportunity to argue his point with those who would settle for 'Home Rule' or less . He was still travelling the country even though he was weak and sick...
...but the workload proved too much for him ; on the 6th May , 1901 , at only 29 years of age , William Rooney died in Dublin - he was physically and mentally worn out . Had he chosen a different path , he could have lived longer - but it was not in his structure to do so . His friend Arthur Griffith was later to collate un-seen material left behind by William Rooney , some of which were published in the year following his death (ie 1902).
Seven years later (1909) , the last of his material was published under the title 'Prose Writings'.......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......It was obvious to us that the force of British Auxiliaries had been 'tipped-off' about our intention to ambush them ; a member of our IRA Column , "X" , was thought to be responsible ......."
" "X" was involved , a few weeks later , in an incident which led to the murder of six of his comrades at Clogheen . That the creature who brought the murder-and-torture-gang to fall on his sleeping comrades did so to save himself is the most just and charitable thing I can say about him . For some argue that he had already started on his fiendish work as an informer . Certainly he had been over inquisitive about the names of people and places while with this IRA Column , but that proves nothing .
The poor wretch has enough to his account anyway , without adding to it , and I pray God that his like may not be there again . A few weeks before this day , Jim Grey and I , after considerable labour with indifferent tools , had fitted out and tested another Lewis-Gun . We had hoped to be allowed to use it in action against the enemy , and were astonished when "X" got charge of it ; nearly all of us doubted his integrity . So it was that , when the first shots were fired , "X" , stationed near the extreme end , was in a position to wreak the utmost destruction on the enemy massed under him ........
(MORE LATER).
THE CONVICTION OF WILLIAM QUINN .
' William Quinn was recently jailed for life in Britain having been convicted of the murder of a London policeman on the basis of evidence and an identification which has given rise to considerable controversy . '
BY MICHAEL FARRELL .
(First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1988 , page 18).
Reproduced here in 9 parts.
(1 of 9).
" It must have been the worst ever identification anywhere in the whole world , " London lawyer Gareth Peirce says about the evidence that convicted American-born IRA supporter William Quinn of the murder of a London policeman in 1975 . Quinn was jailed for life at the Old Bailey .
William Quinn made legal history in October 1986 when he was extradited from the U.S. to face a charge of murdering British Police Constable Stephen Tibble in West London in February 1975 - a charge he denies . He was the first person ever extradited from the U.S. on an IRA-related charge .
Quinn also set something of a record for pre-trial detention . He had spent five years in jail in California fighting extradition and another seventeen months in custody in England before his trial .......
(MORE LATER).
Thursday, May 13, 2004
WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......
....... William Rooney was 'on thin ice' in regards to speaking in favour of using political agitation to achieve an 'Irish Ireland' ; the sporting bodies he was affiliated too were politically 'shy' .......
William Rooney was not fully convinced by the arguments put forward by the various leaderships within the broad-based 'Irish Ireland Society' groupings that certain other organisations were either too militant , too Republican , and/or too anti-British for them , and should be worked 'around' , as opposed to being worked 'with' .
But William Rooney seemed to have a better understanding of where the Fenians , the IRB and the Invincibles , amongst others , were coming from , and recognised in those groups a 'kindred spirit' of sorts . He saw nothing wrong in promoting the objectives of the GAA , the IAA ('Irish Athletic Association'), the 'Gaelic League' etc through those 'kindred spirits' (ie at their meetings , in their literature and newspapers and in any other 'vehicle' associated with the 'militants/dissidents').
To do so was not encouraged , to put it mildly , by others within the 'Irish Ireland Societies' .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......During the ambush , one of the hostages held by the British troops dived for cover behind a fence ; a British Auxiliary stood over him , gun drawn , and shouted at the hostage to get up ......."
" Then the Brit standing over the hostage fell dead , shot by one of our riflemen . "Come over here" , shouted another Auxie to the hostage , "Lie down there" , he said , "don't go out . We'll get those fellows after a while . They only have rifles and revolvers ." Just then the Lewis-Gun spoke ... "By God !", shouted the Auxie, "the bastards have got the quick-firing gun !"
Everyone who saw the enemy coming could see that they knew they were nearing the spot where we were . Whether they actually saw something or someone near the extreme eastern or Macroom end of our position is a matter of doubt . At any rate two of them jumped off one of the slow-moving lorries and rushed up a heather-covered rock on the northern side . They were shot dead . Those two shots , of course, set the ball rolling . Had they crept forward another two-hundred yards , they would have been under fire from the whole IRA Column . As it happened , less than twenty men were engaged with the British troops , north of the road , while south of the road the Macroom men were fewer .
The fact that the enemy slowed down did much to rob us of speedy and complete victory ; that was but the fortune of war and we cannot blame the British Auxiliaries for acting on the information they had got that we were waiting for them . But the frailty of a member of our Column did far more that day to weaken our blows and at the same time strengthen the enemy - I am referring to the unspeakable "X" ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
[16 of 16].
The Livingstone Family had been offered £1,500 then , days later , £17,500 , by the British Government to settle their case out of court ...
" We could'nt believe this , " said Mrs. Livingstone , " I did'nt understand how one judge could say our Julie was innocent and another judge say that she was'nt , but we were assured it could very easily happen . " The family took what was at the time the highest amount of compensation paid out for such an incident , but it was'nt a total victory ...
...No one was charged with Julie Livingstone's murder and the British Government has now indicated that it will be stopping the unemployment benefit the Livingstone family receive . There are five unemployed adults in the Livingstone household , which is normal for that area where there is fifty-per-cent unemployment .
" You can't win ," said Mrs. Livingstone looking out on her beautifully kept garden - her one joy in the strife-torn Lenadoon Estate .......
[END of ' PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'The Conviction of William Quinn' ; from 'Magill' magazine , 1988).
....... William Rooney was 'on thin ice' in regards to speaking in favour of using political agitation to achieve an 'Irish Ireland' ; the sporting bodies he was affiliated too were politically 'shy' .......
William Rooney was not fully convinced by the arguments put forward by the various leaderships within the broad-based 'Irish Ireland Society' groupings that certain other organisations were either too militant , too Republican , and/or too anti-British for them , and should be worked 'around' , as opposed to being worked 'with' .
But William Rooney seemed to have a better understanding of where the Fenians , the IRB and the Invincibles , amongst others , were coming from , and recognised in those groups a 'kindred spirit' of sorts . He saw nothing wrong in promoting the objectives of the GAA , the IAA ('Irish Athletic Association'), the 'Gaelic League' etc through those 'kindred spirits' (ie at their meetings , in their literature and newspapers and in any other 'vehicle' associated with the 'militants/dissidents').
To do so was not encouraged , to put it mildly , by others within the 'Irish Ireland Societies' .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......During the ambush , one of the hostages held by the British troops dived for cover behind a fence ; a British Auxiliary stood over him , gun drawn , and shouted at the hostage to get up ......."
" Then the Brit standing over the hostage fell dead , shot by one of our riflemen . "Come over here" , shouted another Auxie to the hostage , "Lie down there" , he said , "don't go out . We'll get those fellows after a while . They only have rifles and revolvers ." Just then the Lewis-Gun spoke ... "By God !", shouted the Auxie, "the bastards have got the quick-firing gun !"
Everyone who saw the enemy coming could see that they knew they were nearing the spot where we were . Whether they actually saw something or someone near the extreme eastern or Macroom end of our position is a matter of doubt . At any rate two of them jumped off one of the slow-moving lorries and rushed up a heather-covered rock on the northern side . They were shot dead . Those two shots , of course, set the ball rolling . Had they crept forward another two-hundred yards , they would have been under fire from the whole IRA Column . As it happened , less than twenty men were engaged with the British troops , north of the road , while south of the road the Macroom men were fewer .
The fact that the enemy slowed down did much to rob us of speedy and complete victory ; that was but the fortune of war and we cannot blame the British Auxiliaries for acting on the information they had got that we were waiting for them . But the frailty of a member of our Column did far more that day to weaken our blows and at the same time strengthen the enemy - I am referring to the unspeakable "X" ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
[16 of 16].
The Livingstone Family had been offered £1,500 then , days later , £17,500 , by the British Government to settle their case out of court ...
" We could'nt believe this , " said Mrs. Livingstone , " I did'nt understand how one judge could say our Julie was innocent and another judge say that she was'nt , but we were assured it could very easily happen . " The family took what was at the time the highest amount of compensation paid out for such an incident , but it was'nt a total victory ...
...No one was charged with Julie Livingstone's murder and the British Government has now indicated that it will be stopping the unemployment benefit the Livingstone family receive . There are five unemployed adults in the Livingstone household , which is normal for that area where there is fifty-per-cent unemployment .
" You can't win ," said Mrs. Livingstone looking out on her beautifully kept garden - her one joy in the strife-torn Lenadoon Estate .......
[END of ' PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......'].
(Tomorrow - 'The Conviction of William Quinn' ; from 'Magill' magazine , 1988).
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
WILLIAM ROONEY , poet and journalist ; 1872-1901 .......
.......As well as a prolific writer , William Rooney was involved with various Irish Nationalist organisations .......
He was known to the Gaelic League , the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) [founded in 1884 to promote Irish sport] , as he was with a similar organisation , the 'Irish Athletic Association' (IAA) [founded in 1885].
Although still only in his mid-twenties (ie in the early 1890's), William Rooney suffered from ill-health but insisted on supporting what were referred to then as the 'Irish Ireland Societies' ie the GAA , the Gaelic League , the IAA and the various Nationalist newspapers that he wrote for ; he travelled the country , night and day , attending meetings of those groups and delivering speeches.
He was known to encourage the use of political agitation in the hope of achieving his objectives , even though such encouragement was frowned upon by , for one , the leadership of the Gaelic League , which took a deliberate decision to stay away from politics - some of those in the 'Irish Ireland Societies' were forming the opinion that William Rooney was 'stirring things up' .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......Seven British Army lorries , led by a touring car , were coming at us - heavily-armed British Auxiliaries . Hughie , our Lewis-Gunner , adjusted the sights on his weapon . Two shots rang out ......."
" Hughie let fly - the 'glen serene' was now awake with a vengeance . The guns were pealing with a joyous abandon . It was a place of echoes , and one got the impression that other battles raged in the distance at every point of the compass . The sound struck the rocky face of Rahoona a mile away to the south-west and returned undiminished . An old man travelling a path along its side stooped in terror at the mouth of a beilic to get cover . A fox jumped from a rock on to his back and vanished into a cave . On Rahoona and away to the south on the hills of Kilnamartyra , people congregated to hear if not to see the battle .
A young man of military age remarked to my mother - " Is there not something inspiring in the crack of the rifle ? " " There is indeed , " she replied , " when one is a good distance away from it ! " The British Auxiliaries had heard of our trap ; there was plenty of evidence of that . As the British lorries approached our position , four hostages were ordered out to walk ahead of them - we saw them and realised what they were . Bullets passed them by to strike down Auxiliaries near them but the hostages remained unhurt . When the first burst of fire struck the British car and lorries , both Auxiliaries and hostages dived for shelter . One of the prisoners got in over a low fence , south of the road ...
... " Get out again , " shouted an Auxie to the prisoner , presenting a revolver ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(15 of 16).
Julie Livingstone's mother stated - " We decided to take the case to the High Court for damages - loss of years - not because we wanted the money , but because the publicity , we thought, would persuade the British Government to ban plastic bullets ." On the weekend before the court hearing , the family was offered £1,500 Sterling to settle out of court : " It was an insult to us and we refused to take the money , " said Mrs. Livingstone .
By the following Monday the offer had been upped to £17,500 Sterling : " At this stage we were all suffering from the pressure . Some of the witnesses were being harrassed and our solicitor advised us to take the money . He pointed out that the sum being offered would attract press attention of itself while on the other hand the verdict of the Coroner might be overturned , " said Mrs. Livingstone .......
(MORE LATER).
.......As well as a prolific writer , William Rooney was involved with various Irish Nationalist organisations .......
He was known to the Gaelic League , the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) [founded in 1884 to promote Irish sport] , as he was with a similar organisation , the 'Irish Athletic Association' (IAA) [founded in 1885].
Although still only in his mid-twenties (ie in the early 1890's), William Rooney suffered from ill-health but insisted on supporting what were referred to then as the 'Irish Ireland Societies' ie the GAA , the Gaelic League , the IAA and the various Nationalist newspapers that he wrote for ; he travelled the country , night and day , attending meetings of those groups and delivering speeches.
He was known to encourage the use of political agitation in the hope of achieving his objectives , even though such encouragement was frowned upon by , for one , the leadership of the Gaelic League , which took a deliberate decision to stay away from politics - some of those in the 'Irish Ireland Societies' were forming the opinion that William Rooney was 'stirring things up' .......
(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.
COOLNACAHERA and COOMNACLOHY .......
".......Seven British Army lorries , led by a touring car , were coming at us - heavily-armed British Auxiliaries . Hughie , our Lewis-Gunner , adjusted the sights on his weapon . Two shots rang out ......."
" Hughie let fly - the 'glen serene' was now awake with a vengeance . The guns were pealing with a joyous abandon . It was a place of echoes , and one got the impression that other battles raged in the distance at every point of the compass . The sound struck the rocky face of Rahoona a mile away to the south-west and returned undiminished . An old man travelling a path along its side stooped in terror at the mouth of a beilic to get cover . A fox jumped from a rock on to his back and vanished into a cave . On Rahoona and away to the south on the hills of Kilnamartyra , people congregated to hear if not to see the battle .
A young man of military age remarked to my mother - " Is there not something inspiring in the crack of the rifle ? " " There is indeed , " she replied , " when one is a good distance away from it ! " The British Auxiliaries had heard of our trap ; there was plenty of evidence of that . As the British lorries approached our position , four hostages were ordered out to walk ahead of them - we saw them and realised what they were . Bullets passed them by to strike down Auxiliaries near them but the hostages remained unhurt . When the first burst of fire struck the British car and lorries , both Auxiliaries and hostages dived for shelter . One of the prisoners got in over a low fence , south of the road ...
... " Get out again , " shouted an Auxie to the prisoner , presenting a revolver ......."
(MORE LATER).
PLASTIC BULLETS - The Child Killers .......
' In Northern Ireland (sic) six children were shot and killed with plastic bullets . Many more were severly injured . Jacinta O'Brien spoke to the families of these innocent victims of violence . '
From 'Womans Way' Magazine , 21st October 1983 , pages 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 .
Reproduced here in 16 parts .
(15 of 16).
Julie Livingstone's mother stated - " We decided to take the case to the High Court for damages - loss of years - not because we wanted the money , but because the publicity , we thought, would persuade the British Government to ban plastic bullets ." On the weekend before the court hearing , the family was offered £1,500 Sterling to settle out of court : " It was an insult to us and we refused to take the money , " said Mrs. Livingstone .
By the following Monday the offer had been upped to £17,500 Sterling : " At this stage we were all suffering from the pressure . Some of the witnesses were being harrassed and our solicitor advised us to take the money . He pointed out that the sum being offered would attract press attention of itself while on the other hand the verdict of the Coroner might be overturned , " said Mrs. Livingstone .......
(MORE LATER).
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