'THE PRESS' Newspaper , October 1797 - March 1798 .
Too Radical for the Radicals .......

....... the two 'main men' behind ' The Press' newspaper were Arthur O'Connor and 'Lord' Edward Fitzgerald .......


'Lord' Edward Fitzgerald was born on 15th October 1763 , in Carton House , County Kildare ; he was the 12th child of the first 'Duke' of Leinster and Emilia Mary , who was the daughter of the 'Duke' of Richmond .

At 16 years young he joined the 'Sussex Militia' and was posted to America on 'active service' - he was severely wounded at the battle of Eutaw Springs , when he was 18 years young (in 1781) and returned to Ireland.

At 25 years young he went to Canada and re-joined the British Army , following which 'adventure' he again returned to Ireland and was elected as M.P. for Kildare .

The events at a political 'Dinner Party' which he attended one night was to have a profound effect on his 'career' .......

(MORE LATER).


A STICKY END.......
Rise and decline of the 'Officials' .
No by-line.
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , Volume 1 , No. 2 , November 1981 , pages 76 and 77.

Re-published here in 8 parts .
(5 of 8).

The logic of this course was to become ' Sinn Fein-The Workers Party' in 1977 and one wonders why they did not drop the Sinn Fein tag altogether . The collapse of this reformist course came in the 1981 local elections in the North when they lost their three seats in Belfast .

In their journal 'Workers Life' [June 1981] they say that this was due to " an assault from two ultra-left groupings .... " referring to the two councillors elected for 'Peoples Democracy' and IRSP on a H-Block ticket : the remaining 'Sticky' prisoners had long since been disowned by their organisation .

But , bemoaning the fate of Gerry Fitt who lost his seat , they say that the results " indicate a sharp swing to the right in the Roman Catholic ghettoes ....... "

(MORE LATER).


HAMMER AND TONGS.......
'Survivors' : collected by Uinseann MacEoin .
Reviewed by Tim Pat Coogan.

First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , December 1980 , page 53.
Re-published here in 7 parts .
(6 of 7).

Sometimes one could have done with more rather than less from some of the survivors interviewed : Sean MacBride after all was not alone a survivor but a very active and significant participant in the Clan na Poblachta Inter-Party Government era of the late 1940's and early 1950's ; his insights on this decade would have been literally priceless .

And a figure like Connie Neenan could have opened that closed treasure house of information about the activities of the Irish Hospitals Sweepstakes network in America which he and the late Joe McGrath did so much to build-up on the shoulders of the old Clan na Gael organisation .

Both as a journalist and am an amateur historian myself I feel strongly that if people of this calibre and significance are going to talk they should talk the whole way , as it were , because , in many ways , public men's lives are not really their own exclusive property .......

(MORE LATER).

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'THE PRESS' Newspaper , October 1797 - March 1798 .
Too Radical for the Radicals .......


....... in 1803 , Arthur O'Connor was deported to France , where he became a General in Napoleon's Army - he quickly rose to the rank of General-of-Division .......


Arthur O'Connor married Elisa de Condorcet , daughter of the French philospher and statesman , the Marquis de Condorcet . Arthur became known as ' General Condorcet O'Connor of the French Service' ; his wife was a niece of the Marshal de Grouchy who himself actually commanded an abortive expedition to Ireland between 1796 and 1797 to assist the Irish Rebels .

On 25th April 1852 , Arthur O'Connor died , at 92 years of age (or 87 years of age , depending on your source) . Arthur had a brother , Roger (1763-1834) , who was also a barrister , and was a member of the United Irishmen , too - and , like Arthur , Roger O'Connor had 'done time' for 'membership' in Fort George Prison , in Scotland . And full marks to that side of the O'Connor (Conner) Clan - a thorn in the side of the Brits ! :


' There's not an Irishman today would ever wish to roam
unto a foreign land to live , if he could live at home ,
So give us our liberty , let our banners be unfurled -
In Ireland , then , her children shall prove a credit to the world ! '

The other 'main man' behind the launch of 'The Press' newspaper was 'Lord' Edward Fitzgerald , an interesting character .......

(MORE LATER).


A STICKY END.......
Rise and decline of the 'Officials' .
No by-line.
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , Volume 1 , No. 2 , November 1981 , pages 76 and 77.

Re-published here in 8 parts .
(4 of 8).

On this basis Hitler's Third Reich was also 'legitimate' ; the 'two nations' theory was , of course , one of the reactionary justifications for partition - loyalists had ' the right to national self-determination ' .

However , this theory has absolutely no historical or practical validity , it is just an imperialist smoke-screen to maintain an anti-Nationalist 'beachhead' in Ireland . As the 1970's wore on , the 'Officials' settled down to an electoralist path , regularly running candidates in the North and South , and trying to win official positions in the trade unions .

In the North , particularly , they entered enthusiastically into local councils , trying to replicate William Walker's 'gas and water socialism' , so soundly criticised by James Connolly .......

(MORE LATER).


HAMMER AND TONGS.......
'Survivors' : collected by Uinseann MacEoin .
Reviewed by Tim Pat Coogan.

First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , December 1980 , page 53.
Re-published here in 7 parts .
(5 of 7).

But it is important to remember that , for example , my generation born in the mid-thirties , was the first to emerge into the political arena in which the old 'catch-cries' about "Blueshirts" , "the 77" , "the Treaty" , "the Oath " and the rest of it began to be overlain by debate about the new men and the new ideas that Sean Lemass , Ken Whitaker , and Sean O Connchubair brought forward and thereby allowed the careers of contemporary figures such as Charles Haughey to take their rise .

But it was this earlier feeling of bitterness which shaped and mis-shaped the political and economic climate in which we were brought up ; not that all the memories are bitter . The phenomenal Sean MacBride , for instance , is his usual urbane and multi-faceted self and the memoirs of Sighle Ui Dhonnchadaha , May Dalaigh , Eithne Coyle and indeed of all the women generally , are a joy .

Then , to the left , the recollection of Frank Edwards and John Swift cannot be faulted on the grounds of either objectivity or clarity or charity .......

(MORE LATER).

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'THE PRESS' Newspaper , October 1797 - March 1798 .
Too Radical for the Radicals .......


....... in January 1799 , Arthur O'Connor was locked-up in Fort George Prison in Scotland - the Brits left him there , without a 'trial' , for three years and two months .......


Then , in March 1802 , as one of the conditions insisted on by the French under the 'Peace Of Amiens' Treaty (signed between the French and the British on 25th March 1802) the Irish political prisoners in Fort George were released .

Incidentally - under the 'Peace Of Amiens' Treaty , the Brits agreed to relinquish 'control' over all the territories they had 'taken' , except for two - Trinidad and Ceylon . In return , France agreed to evacuate Italy ; if only Ireland had been part of that deal .... missed opportunity !

In 1803 , Arthur O'Connor was deported to France , where he became a General in Napoleon's Army ; within two years he had risen to the rank of General-of-Division . He was to marry into a family which had attempted to assist the Irish fight for freedom by leading an armed expedition to Ireland .......

(MORE LATER).


A STICKY END.......
Rise and decline of the 'Officials' .
No by-line.
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , Volume 1 , No. 2 , November 1981 , pages 76 and 77.

Re-published here in 8 parts .
(3 of 8).

Reaction throughout Ireland to the heroic hunger-strikers shows how real the question of British imperialism is - the 'Officials' now refer to " a mythical national question ... " diverting our attention from the 'real' (?) issues .

By 1972 , the 'Officials' had declared a unilateral ceasefire on the grounds that a continued military campaign would cause sectarian conflict ; it is hard to take this justification seriously . The Six County 'State' was built on sectarian discrimination and thrived on it until the 1970's when the final stage of the liberation struggle began .

Sectarian conflict is there because British imperialism built up a pro-imperialist minority in Ireland with the crumbs from its imperial table - the Labour 'aristocracy' .

The truth is that by this stage the 'Officials' , or 'Sticks' as they became known , had moved towards ' a two nations' theory . The collapse of Stormont in March 1972 , which was a great victory for the risen Nationalist people , was bemoaned by them because Loyalists saw it as their institution and hence it was 'legitimate' ('1169...' Comment - note that it is now the Provos themselves who " bemoan .... the collapse of Stormont ... " ; what a tangled web etc !!) .......

(MORE LATER).


HAMMER AND TONGS.......
'Survivors' : collected by Uinseann MacEoin .
Reviewed by Tim Pat Coogan.

First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , December 1980 , page 53.
Re-published here in 7 parts .
(4 of 7).


Uinseann MacEoin deliberately chose to interview those who had been on the Republican side in the Civil War ; I don't know whether this is intended to convey to the reader that the people he interviewed were not 'coloured' by the 'great parting' but I feel that he made a mistake in not including the Free Staters .

They were Irishmen too and fought gallantly during the Anglo/Irish War ; they did not become retrospectively less patriotic , or in some way reverse their earlier roles by the choices made . It would have been illuminating and balancing if the interviews had been carried out on both sides .

But even the note of bitterness which some of the survivors occasionally strike in ungenerous references to their opponents will be salutory in reminding younger readers of what the post Civil War bitterness was like . Obviously , reading of the executions carried out during the Civil War against Republicans , this generation is going to have an insight into why such feelings are still held by old men .......

(MORE LATER).

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'THE PRESS' Newspaper , October 1797 - March 1798 .
Too Radical for the Radicals .......

....... both Arthur O'Connor and 'Lord' Edward Fitzgerald were in favour of staging an immediate armed Rising in Ireland against British mis-rule ; but Thomas Addis Emmet , amongst others that were also in the leadership of the United Irishmen organisation , were not so sure .......


Thomas Addis Emmet managed to convince the United Irishmen leadership that they should hold-off on an armed Rising and , again , seek French help . Arthur O'Connor was sent to France to plead the Irish case - but he never got there .

Whilst passing through Margate , in England , he was arrested by British police , 'tried' in May 1798 (in Maidstone - having been charged with "talk or action exciting discontent or rebellion .... " ie 'sedition') but found 'Not Guilty' ! He was released .... only to be immediately re-arrested , transported to Kilmainham Jail in Dublin and charged , again , with ' sedition ' .

Probably fearful of a second 'trial' - or maybe they just did'nt give a damn either way ! - the Brits held Arthur O'Connor , without 'trial' , for seven months (ie until January 1799) and then moved him to Fort George Prison in Scotland .

A cell in that prison became his 'home' for the following three years and two months .......

(MORE LATER).


A STICKY END.......
Rise and decline of the 'Officials' .
No by-line.
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , Volume 1 , No. 2 , November 1981 , pages 76 and 77.

Re-published here in 8 parts .
(2 of 8).

In 1970 , the media attached the titles of Sinn Fein 'Provisional' and 'Official' which have stuck . The Provisionals have moved ahead to become the undisputed Republican Movement , whereas the Officials have written themselves out of the republican tradition . How did this happen ?

In 1971 , the Officials still posed as a revolutionary current ; in their journal 'Teoiric' (No. 1 , Summer 1971) we already see the seeds of their future trajectory -

- " There is a danger that our fight to establish ourselves among the people , and in our fight to establish the rights of the people .... we would tend to ignore ... the question of National Independence . " This is precisely what was happening .

Uniting Protestant and Catholic workers is something we all want to see , but it cannot be done by ignoring the partition of our country and the presence of British imperialism here . Likewise , taking up 'day to day' issues does not mean setting aside the question of British troops on our streets , which is very much a 'day to day' question for many people .......('1169...' Comment : ironic , now , that the Provos are doing just that - because that's where their 'votes' are ie in 'local issues' like street lighting , trimmimg grass verges in housing estates etc . They have abandoned a 'Brits Out' policy in favour of the 'nationalist'-type agenda of "let them stay if they want , just as long as they treat us better" !)

(MORE LATER).


HAMMER AND TONGS.......
'Survivors' : collected by Uinseann MacEoin .
Reviewed by Tim Pat Coogan.

First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , December 1980 , page 53.
Re-published here in 7 parts .
(3 of 7).

Tomas O Maoileoin's (Sean Forde's) fascinating if sometimes chilling account of his IRA connection ends as follows -

- " I must say after a lifetime of struggle on behalf of Irish culture and freedom for the Irish people , I see no differences in the fighting being waged against England's domination of this country today and the fight we fought in Westmeath in 1916 and in East Limerick in 1920 and 1921 . As far as I am concerned they are the same people at grips with the same enemy . "

That is the voice of the physical force tradition in Irish politics . Other voices include Frank Edwards , Peadar O'Donnell , Sean McBride , Connie Neenan , Eithne Coyle , Sighle Bean Ui Dhonnchadha , Tom Maguire and many more . There are in fact some two dozen in all .

Uinseann MacEoin says in his preface that he deliberately chose people who had been on the Republican side in the Civil War because if he had chosen people who " at the great parting had gone Free State , much of their story would undoubtedly be coloured to account for it ....... "

(MORE LATER).

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'THE PRESS' Newspaper , October 1797 - March 1798 .
Too Radical for the Radicals .......

....... two well-known Irish Rebels were the 'main men' behind the launch of the ' The Press ' newspaper in October 1797 : Arthur O'Connor and 'Lord' Edward Fitzgerald .......


Arthur O'Connor (born Arthur O'Conner) was a Cork man ; he was a barrister and an M.P. in Westminster - and a member of the United Irishmen . In June of 1796 he travelled to Paris , France , with Edward Fitzgerald and Wolfe Tone to seek assistance from the French Directory (Revolutionary Government) for an armed Rising in Ireland .

The French agreed , which led to the 21st December 1796 'Hoche Expedition' of thirty-five ships which failed to land in Ireland due to a storm . But Arthur O'Connor did not give up ; Edward Fitzgerald and O'Connor were amongst those in the United Irishmen organisation who pushed repeatedly for an armed Rising against the British .

As prominent members of the Leinster Directory of the United Irishmen , both men had 'pull' in Rebel circles ; but so had those who were not in favour of staging an armed campaign at that particular time , notably Thomas Addis Emmet .......

(MORE LATER).


A STICKY END.
Rise and decline of the 'Officials' .
No by-line.
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , Volume 1 , No. 2 , November 1981 , pages 76 and 77.

Re-published here in 8 parts .
(1 of 8).

In August 1969 , the Nationalist ghettos of Belfast were virtually defenceless when a fierce Orange pogrom was unleashed . This was mainly the result of a turn by the Republican Movement of the time towards social and economic agitation (quite laudable in itself) but which also meant a total run-down of the military organisation .

On top of this , the reformist and electoral direction of the Movement was taking it towards recognition of the puppet parliaments of the twenty-six counties (Leinster House) and the six counties (Stormont). ('1169...' Comment - NOTE : the above WAS penned in November 1981 - but could have been written today in relation to the Provisional movement !)

By the end of 1969 , militant Republicans in the North were beginning to reform the IRA , supported by people up and down the country . The split-off of the reformist elements was consumated in 1970 .......

(MORE LATER).


HAMMER AND TONGS.......
'Survivors' : collected by Uinseann MacEoin .
Reviewed by Tim Pat Coogan.

First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , December 1980 , page 53.
Re-published here in 7 parts .
(2 of 7).

Tomas O Maoileoin ('Sean Forde') , Commandant General of the IRA , was tortured after being captured while attemptiung to take on a group of four armed Black and Tans with his bare hands . He was part of the 'school' of Irish Republicanism which could endure - but would also inflict , as this anecdote concerning his escape from Spike Island illustrates -

- " Half creeping , half running , I made up the slope to him . He saw me alright , but he had no bullet up the breech of his rifle , and he did not know but that this might be a game . When he attempted to pull the bolt , I was already upon him , expertly swinging the hammer at his temple .

I had to prevent a shot being fired , or the whole barracks would be alerted . He went down pole-axed . To make sure , I struck his head a second blow ....... "

(MORE LATER).

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'THE PRESS' Newspaper , October 1797 - March 1798 .
Too Radical for the Radicals .......

....... Ireland , January 1792 ; the first issue of the 'United Irishmen' newspaper , 'The Northern Star' , was published . Westminster did'nt like the look of it and set about closing it down : five years later (ie 1797) they sent in a 'heavy-gang' .......


In 1797 , the five-years-young newspaper ' The Northern Star ' was finally put out of business when its Offices and printing-press were destroyed by pro-British militia ; please note that this 'blog' already covered , in far greater detail than the above two posts , 'The Northern Star' newspaper (see 'Archives' list) .

However - within a few months of the closure of ' The Northern Star ' newspaper , a new 'star' (!) was born ; 'The Press' newspaper . The two 'main movers' behind the new newspaper were Arthur O'Connor ( a nephew of British 'Lord' Longueville ) and 'Lord' Edward Fitzgerald (whom we have mentioned on this blog before) .

Both those men were known by other members of the United Irishmen organisation , and by its leadership , to be amongst the more militant element in that group .

Arthur O'Connor was born in Cork in 1760 (or 1765 - different dates given by different sources) to the Conner family ; Arthur later changed his surname , put himself through school , became a barrister and , later , an M.P. in Westminster - and , along the way , he joined the United Irishmen .......

(MORE LATER).


HOW THE GAY LIFE KILLED MOUNTBATTEN.......
Encounters with youths exposed him to IRA.
BY FRANK DOHERTY.

First published in 'NOW' magazine , Volume 1 , No. 4 , October 1989 , page 37 .
Re-published here in 5 parts .
[5 of 5].

'Lord' Mountbatten was particularly attracted to boys in their early teens ; it was this characteristic which made him especially vulnerable to the IRA , because he needed to slip away from his personal bodyguards to keep dates with such boys , some of whom came in contact with IRA men .

His vice habit was similar to that of the former British Secret Service Chief , 'Sir' Maurice Oldfield , who was appointed ' Ulster (sic) Security Co-Ordinator ' by Margaret Thatcher in the wake of the Mountbatten assassination .

'Sir' Maurice also slipped away from his 'personal protection detail' - a team of handpicked , plain-clothes British 'Royal' Military Policemen - on various occasions while he was living in Stormont House , beside Stormont Castle in Belfast . But a plan by the IRA to kill him during one such expedition into County Down failed when he was unexpectedly moved back to London .

[END of ' HOW THE GAY LIFE KILLED MOUNTBATTEN ' ].
(Monday 7th - ' A STICKY END ; THE OFFICIALS ' , from 1981 ).


HAMMER AND TONGS.
'Survivors' : collected by Uinseann MacEoin .
Reviewed by Tim Pat Coogan.

First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , December 1980 , page 53.
Re-published here in 7 parts .
(1 of 7).

My judgement on this book can be summed up in two words - get it ! Apart from being produced with fine illustrations by Colman Doyle , large print and so on , at the contemporary market level for hard cover books it is reasonably priced . It is a " good read " in itself and a thoroughly significant collection of memoirs which , though they deal (as the title suggests) with survivors of the Anglo/Irish War and Civil War period , also throw a very significant light , or shadow , depending on how one looks at the predominantly Republican viewpoint of the survivors , on the present Northern situation .

For instance , one of the most formidable guerrilla fighters of the Tan War was Tomas O Maoileoin of Westmeath , better known as Sean Forde , Commandant General of the IRA . A couple of his reminiscences give the calibre of the man -

- " At that moment the tongs , reddened in a fire , was carressed along my back . I fell forward with the shock and pain . Struggling to my feet , I let them have the weight of my tongue for treating a prisoner so . They forgot the tongs and lunged at me instead . I received a rain of blows before I collapsed again ....... "

(MORE LATER).

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'THE PRESS' Newspaper , October 1797 - March 1798 .
Too Radical for the Radicals .


In January 1792 , the 'United Irishmen' organisation published the first edition of their newspaper , ' The Northern Star ' ; it was published in Belfast , and edited by Samuel Neilson .

It is believed to be the first instance of an Irish newspaper being 'controlled' by what was , in effect , a 'Board of Directors' which , in turn , appointed a 'sub-committee' to oversee the running of the newspaper .

However - within one year of its start-up , the Brits attempted to close it down ; but they failed . They then began a campaign of harassment against those that worked on 'The Northern Star' newspaper and eventually extended that campaign to include those that bought it , too !

It took the Brits five years but , in 1797 , they got their way - a gang of 'bully-boys' was sent in to deal with the 'problem' .......

(MORE LATER).


HOW THE GAY LIFE KILLED MOUNTBATTEN.......
Encounters with youths exposed him to IRA.
BY FRANK DOHERTY.

First published in 'NOW' magazine , Volume 1 , No. 4 , October 1989 , page 37 .
Re-published here in 5 parts .
(4 of 5).

The IRA bomb which killed 'Lord' Mountbatten was detonated from a car parked on the shore ; a pulse-coded transmitter of a type not used before was brought in from South Armagh because the IRA believed that British security officers may have fitted ECM (Electronic Counter-Measure) equipment in Classiebawn Castle which would have prematurely detonated any radio-bomb they attempted to plant .

The IRA spent nearly two months setting-up the assassination , relying on information from 'Lord' Mountbatten's homosexual contacts to track his movements . Mountbatten was an uncle of both (British) 'Queen' Elizabeth and her husband , 'Prince' Phillip , and was interested in what homosexuals call " the rough trade " and liked to have 'contacts' with 'working-class' youths .

He was particularly attracted to boys in their early teens .......

(MORE LATER).


DE VALERA AND THE AMERICAN CONNECTION .......
By Micheal MacGiolla Phadraig .
From 'NOW' magazine , Volume 1 , Number 4, October 1989 , pages 28 and 29 .
Re-published here in 6 parts .
[6 of 6].

In 1925 , the 'Republican Daily Press Fund' was set-up , with Austin Stack as Chairperson and Molly Childers , widow of Erskine , as Treasurer .

During de Valera's fund-raising visits to the U.S. in 1922 , 1927 , and 1929 , when he solicited money for the organisation which was known at various times as 'Cumann na Poblachta' , 'The Republican Party' and then 'Fianna Fail- The Republican Party' , it was made clear that the funds being raised were for the setting up of a party newspaper - 'The Irish Press' .

The question must then be asked : who are the real owners of 'Irish Press Plc' ? That's one that may be answered eventually either in Dublin or in the United States , one way or another .

[END of ' DE VALERA AND THE AMERICAN CONNECTION '] .
(Tomorrow : ' Hammer and Tongs - Survivors' ; from 'Magill' magazine , December 1980 ).

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THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......

....... in December 1925 , the pro-British 'A' and 'C' Special Constabulary (in the Six-Occupied Counties) had mutinied and taken their own Officers as hostages ; they were about to become unemployed (and , for most of them , unemployable !) and wanted a better deal . On 16th December 1925 , they handed in their demands to the Stormont 'Minister for Home Affairs' , 'Sir' Richard Dawson Bates , who was not impressed with their conduct .......


The 'A' and 'C' Specials were looking for more money ; they demanded a £200 tax-free 'bonus' for each member that was to be made redundant . Two days later (ie on 18th December 1925) 'Sir' Bates replied to the Special 'Rebels' (!) that not only would they not be getting the £200 'bonus' but if they did'nt back down immediately they would loose whatever few bob they were entitled to for being made redundant !

That message was delivered to the 'mutiniers' on 18th December 1925 ; on 19th December 1925 the 'rebels' all but apologised to Bates , released their hostages and signed on for the dole - the 'hard men' of the 'Specials' had been put in their place by a bigger thug than they were ! By Christmas Day , 1925 , the 'A' and 'C' Sections of the 'Ulster (sic) Special Constabulary Association - the 'Specials' - were disbanded . A sort of ' Peace on Earth' , if you like !

And , regarding the other group of 'hard men' on this island - the Free Staters - let us not forget their 'contribution to World Peace' in that same Christmas month in 1925 ; for it was on the 3rd December in that year that they sold-out to the Brits once again by agreeing that the conclusions of the Boundary Commission should be ignored and the Commission itself be abolished .

And they have been selling-out to the Brits ever since .

[END of ' THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 '].
(Tomorrow - 'The Press' newspaper : October 1797-March 1798 ; Too Radical for the Radicals ... ?).


HOW THE GAY LIFE KILLED MOUNTBATTEN.......
Encounters with youths exposed him to IRA.
BY FRANK DOHERTY.

First published in 'NOW' magazine , Volume 1 , No. 4 , October 1989 , page 37 .
Re-published here in 5 parts .
(3 of 5).

Author 'Richard Deacon' , whose real name is Donal McCormick , quotes an unnamed former CIA Officer as saying - " What we could never understand was how Mountbatten , a known homosexual and therefore a security risk , managed to achieve the kind of promotion and jobs he got . " 'Deacon' says - " It was known inside the (British) Navy long before World War Two that he was a homosexual , sometimes even risking such conduct in his cabin when at sea . "

The author describes 'Lord' Mountbatten as " ... devious and egotistical . "

The IRA bomb was detonated from a car parked on the shore as 'Lord' Mountbatten sailed past a couple of hundred feet away .......

(MORE LATER).


DE VALERA AND THE AMERICAN CONNECTION .......
By Micheal MacGiolla Phadraig .
From 'NOW' magazine , Volume 1 , Number 4, October 1989 , pages 28 and 29 .
Re-published here in 6 parts .
(5 of 6).

When the Anglo-Irish Treaty (the 'Treaty of Surrender' - 6th December 1921) was signed , Anti-Treaty Dail Deputies formed a new political group ; Cumann na Poblachta - the Republican Party . Both the English and Irish versions of its name were used interchangeably .

One of its main concerns was the effect on public opinion which the pro-Treaty establishment press was having . Five years later ( in 1926 ) Fianna Fail was founded and incorporated in its title the name " The Republican Party " : this was taken to be a sign that it wished to continue as the reformed Cumann na Poblachta , since the title " Republican Party " is not a translation of Fianna Fail .......

(MORE LATER).

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THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......

....... in 1935 , 'Sir' Richard Dawson Bates' friends in the Orange Order called his bluff (between 23rd and 27th June that year) after forcing him to either take them on or 'back down' - he choose the latter . But he was still arrogant ; he introduced internment for Republicans in 1938 .......


'Sir' Bates was born in 1877 , and was a solicitor (in Belfast) by profession . He was Secretary to the Ulster Unionist Council at 28 years young , and held that position until he was aged 44 (ie from 1905 to 1921) . In 1921 , he was elected to Stormont and was appointed as the 'Minister of Home Affairs' , a position he held for 22 years (ie from 1921 to 1943) .

At 66 years of age (in 1943) he retired to the 'back benches' , where he stayed until 1945 . He died four years later (in 1949) at 72 years of age , having been a 'proud Orangeman' for all his adult life .

And this was the man to whom the 'A' and 'C' Specials , who had mutinied and taken their own Officers as hostages had , on 16th December 1925 , handed their letter of demands to : 'Sir' Bates was not impressed .......

(MORE LATER).


HOW THE GAY LIFE KILLED MOUNTBATTEN.......
Encounters with youths exposed him to IRA.
BY FRANK DOHERTY.

First published in 'NOW' magazine , Volume 1 , No. 4 , October 1989 , page 37 .
Re-published here in 5 parts .
(2 of 5).

'Lord' Mountbatten regularly slipped away from his Irish Special Branch guards for homosexual encounters . The IRA had expected his cabin cruiser to be used for such a meeting with a teenage boy on the day he died .

They planted a radio-controlled bomb in the engine compartment on the boat , killing 'Lord' Mountbatten and three others , including a 15-year-old Enniskillen boy ; the bombing brought widespread condemnation and an immediate crack-down on the IRA on both sides of the Border .

It came on the same day as 18 British Paratroopers were killed at Narrow Water , near Warrenpoint , County Down , in an IRA double ambush .

The new book , ' The Greatest Treason' by Richard Deacon , claims that Mountbatten passed secret information to the Russians ; Deacon , whose real name is Donal McCormick , is an ex-intelligence Officer who was a close friend of the former head of the British Secret Service , 'Sir' Maurice Oldfield .......

(MORE LATER).


DE VALERA AND THE AMERICAN CONNECTION .......
By Micheal MacGiolla Phadraig .
From 'NOW' magazine , Volume 1 , Number 4, October 1989 , pages 28 and 29 .
Re-published here in 6 parts .
(4 of 6).

Thousands of subscribers were involved , many having given only tiny amounts of around three dollars each . De Valera , with an astuteness for which he had already become famous , announced that any subscriber who wished to have his Dail External Loan bonds converted into cash to help a new Irish Republican venture could do so ; that venture was a new national daily newspaper - 'The Irish Press' .

Dev followed this up by making a fund-raising tour of the U.S. in 1929 , appealing for money to give the Republican Movement its own voice , needed in the face of a hostile establishment press in Ireland .

Throughout his time in America , de Valera used the term " ... the Republican Party ... " when referring to the organisation behind the newspaper idea . The Judge in the New York court case also referred in his summing up to ".. the Republican Party in Ireland . "

The terminology is crucial to Fianna Fail's claim to ownership of ' The Irish Press' .......

(MORE LATER).

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THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......

....... in Ireland in 1935 , the Stormont 'Minister for Home Affairs' , a 'Sir' Richard Dawson Bates , apparently believed he could walk on water - on 18th June that year (1935) he issued an 'Order' banning all parades ; his friends in the Orange Order objected immediately , and told him that they would be holding a parade on June 23rd (1935) . 'Sir' Bates was not amused .......


Bates put his troops on notice , and repeated his 'banning Order' . On the 23rd June (1935) , the Orange Order took to the streets , as intended - and the RUC , and 'Sir' Bates , stood and watched !

At that parade , the then Orange Grand Master , a 'Sir' Joseph Davison , 'put it up' to his friend , 'Sir' Bates - " You may be perfectly certain that on the 12 July the Orangemen will be marching throughout Northern Ireland (sic) . I do not acknowledge the right of any government , Northern or Imperial , to impose conditions as to the celebration . "

Four days later (ie on the 27th June 1935) 'Sir' Bates backed-down and lifted the 'ban' . Three years later ( on 22nd December [1938] ) 'Sir' (or 'Master' ?) Bates introduced internment for Republicans , saying - " The (Stormont) Government decided there was no alternative other than to arrest and intern well-known leaders and prominent members of this illegal organisation (IRA) . " No 'backing-down' on that one ...

'Sir' Richard Dawson Bates was a 'product' of the times and 'class' he was born into ; he could not help but be arrogant .......

(MORE LATER).


HOW THE GAY LIFE KILLED MOUNTBATTEN.
Encounters with youths exposed him to IRA.
BY FRANK DOHERTY.

First published in 'NOW' magazine , Volume 1 , No. 4 , October 1989 , page 37 .
Re-published here in 5 parts .
(1 of 5).

'Royal' uncle 'Lord' Louis Mountbatten was killed because of his homosexuality , according to Irish Republican sources ; 'Lord' Mountbatten died in August 1979 when his boat was blown up at Mullaghamore , County Sligo , by the Provisional IRA .

A book to be published in Britain next month (ie October 1989) by a former British Intelligence Officer will give details of 'Lord' Mountbatten's gay life and claim that he was a risk to British State security ; but , ironically , 'Lord' Mountbatten proved to be a bigger threat to his own security ...

It was his liaisons with three young Irish boys which led to his assassination - it was information obtained indirectly from one of the boys which drew the attention of the IRA to 'Lord' Mountbatten's presence in Ireland . The same source provided details about his movements .......

(MORE LATER).


DE VALERA AND THE AMERICAN CONNECTION .......
By Micheal MacGiolla Phadraig .
From 'NOW' magazine , Volume 1 , Number 4, October 1989 , pages 28 and 29 .
Re-published here in 6 parts .
(3 of 6).

The orgins of The Irish Press can be traced to the early years of the Irish State ; in a bid to raise money for the Rebel Government set up by the First Dail (32-County body) , an 'external loan' was authorised . Eamon de Valera , Bishop Fogarty and James O'Mara were appointed trustees for a $5,800,000 loan which was raised in the U.S. , collected mostly by Irish-American organisations .

More than half the money was sent to Ireland , the rest - about $2,500,000 - was lodged in New York banks to act as a reserve for the fledging State .

When the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in 1922 , the Cosgrave Government and the anti-Treaty side both laid claim to the New York funds , with de Valera and O'Mara claiming the money had been subscribed for the Irish Republican cause . In 1927 , the New York State Supreme Court ruled that the money belonged to neither side - and ordered that it be returned to those who had given it .......

(MORE LATER).

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THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......

....... in Ireland in the early 1920's , a 'Sir' Richard Dawson Bates (the Stormont 'Minister for Home Affairs') gave himself unprecedented powers to , for instance , " ... outlaw organisations..to detain or intern people indefinitely without charge or trial ..(and)..to destroy houses and buildings .... " , amongst other things . He was to become the envy of others with a similar mind-set .......


Some 40 years later (ie in [April] 1963) a Mr. Vorster , then South African 'Minister for Justice' , was introducing a new Coercion Bill in the South African Parliament when , no doubt thinking of 'Sir' Bates and his colleagues in Stormont and Westminster , stated that he "... would be willing to exchange all the legislation of that sort for one clause of the Northern Ireland (sic) Special Powers Act . " Birds of a feather indeed ...

'Sir' Richard Dawson Bates was a known bigot , and apparently took it as a compliment when it was said of him in Stormont (by a Senior Civil Servant) - " (He) has such a prejudice against Catholics that he made it clear to his Permanent Secretary that he did not want his most juvenile clerk or typist , if a Papist (Catholic) , assigned for duty to his ministry ." In 1935 , however , he seemed to believe that he could treat everyone like shit (pardon the language) regardless of their religion -

- on 18th June that year (1935) , 'Sir' Bates issued an Order banning all parades , not just those with a Republican/Nationalist 'flavour' : the Orange Order objected and told Bates and his people that it was their intention to hold a parade on the 23rd June (1935) and that said parade would be going ahead . Bates was not pleased - it was one thing to trample over the rights of the 'Papists' , but the Orange Order were his own people .......

(MORE LATER).


THE POLITICS OF H-BLOCK .......
By Vincent Browne .

From 'MAGILL' magazine , December 1980 , pages 26 and 27 .
Re-published here in 10 parts .
[10 of 10].

The State Coalition Government , and recently Garret Fitzgerald (Fine Gael) , have at all times maintained that at no stage did they surrender to a threat of a hunger strike but the facts seem to suggest otherwise ; the fact of the matter is that changes of a kind being demanded by the Republican prisoners during the hunger strike occurred immediately after the protest .

The obvious conclusion must be that the Coalition Government has capitulated to hunger strikes but that the integrity of the prison system was in no way threatened by the nature of the concessions granted . The next big protest in the campaign comes on Saturday , December 6th , when there will be a protest outside the British Embassy ; the National H-Block Committee will be hoping for a demonstration at least as big as that to Leinster House on November 22 last , when as many as 30,000 people marched .

But whatever the outcome , the divide between the Catholic community in the North and the rest of the population on this island is deeper now than ever . The Catholic minority must now bear whatever further tribulations arise very much as an isolated case , ignored and reviled by the rest of Ireland .

[END of ' THE POLITICS OF H-BLOCK '].
(Monday , 31st : 'How The Gay Life Killed Mountbatten' - from 1989).


DE VALERA AND THE AMERICAN CONNECTION .......
By Micheal MacGiolla Phadraig .
From 'NOW' magazine , Volume 1 , Number 4, October 1989 , pages 28 and 29 .
Re-published here in 6 parts .
(2 of 6).

The Irish Press newspaper group wrote a lot about Ralph Ingersoll , the second-generation American newspaper magnate who was to take half-control of the Group , but nothing about the Irish Press Plc company structure .

This was not surprising ; the Irish Press group of companies has been shrouded in secrecy since its formation in the year before Fianna Fail first took power in 1932 . Added to this secretiveness there is now a confusing permutation of company structures involving Irish Press Plc and its subsidiaries - Corduff Investments Ltd , Press Group Ltd , Irish Press Corporation , Irish Press Newspapers Ltd , and Irish Press Publications ; Ralph Ingersoll is to take a 50 per cent stake in the latter .

The Concerned Shareholders Group believes that if all the facts are revealed , the Fianna Fail Party would have a strong legal and moral claim to ownership . Letters concerning this claim have been sent to the Board of Irish Press Plc - so far , no reply has been received . Fianna Fail General Secretary , Frank Wall , has also been informed of the results of research carried out in Ireland and the U.S. for the Concerned Shareholders Group .......

(MORE LATER).

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THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......

....... December 1921 : the Stormont 'Minister for Home Affairs' , a 'Sir' Richard Dawson Bates , introduced a new 'law' (on 6th December 1921) compelling all local authorities (ie County Councils etc) in the (then 'new') Six-County 'State' to recognise and work with the new Stormont 'Government' . Tyrone County Council refused the order , and 'Sir' Bates instructed the RIC to close that Council down , which they did . Then , on 21st December 1921 , Fermanagh County Council ,too , issued a statement refusing to do as 'Sir' Bates had 'ordered' .......


Bates put together his RIC raiding-party and stormed the Offices of Fermanagh County Council ; the building was seized , the Council Officials were expelled and the institution itself was dissolved ! In the following four months (ie up to April 1922) , 'Sir' Richard Dawson Bates and his RIC raiding-party were kept busy ; Armagh , Keady and Newry Urban Councils , Downpatrick Town Commissioners , Cookstown , Downpatrick , Kilkeel , Lisnaskea , Strabane , Magherafelt and Newry No. 1 and No. 2 Rural Councils and a number of Boards of Poor Law Guardians had all been dissolved and (pro-Stormont) 'Commissioners' appointed to carry out their functions !

The people of those areas (ie the voters !) were not asked their opinion on whether their Council should be closed down or not , nor were they asked if they agreed with the 'appointment' of a new 'Commissioner' ; in all cases , the new 'boss' understood what his 'job' was - to do as instructed by 'Sir' Bates and his bigoted colleagues in Stormont. In actual fact , the new 'Commissioner' for Armagh and Keady Councils , for instance , was a Colonel Waring , who later 'progressed' through the ranks to become a County Commandant of the 'B' Specials !

'Sir' Bates must have considered himself an all-powerful 'God' by this stage , because he then gave himself the 'legal authority' to -

- ".... outlaw organisations , to detain or intern people indefinitely without charge or trial , to make it an offence to refuse to answer questions put by a policeman , Special Constable or soldier , to impose curfews , make exclusion orders , to examine bank accounts and seize same if required , to block roads and bridges , and to evacuate or destroy houses and buildings . " The man was only short of issuing a decree that he should live forever and walk on water if he wanted to ..... !

That 'law' was introduced in Ireland in the early 1920's ; some forty years later , a certain South African Minister for 'Justice' was to make reference to it .......

(MORE LATER).


THE POLITICS OF H-BLOCK .......
By Vincent Browne .

From 'MAGILL' magazine , December 1980 , pages 26 and 27 .
Re-published here in 10 parts .
(9 of 10).

Concessions were wrung out of the (Free State) Coalition government by a hunger strike by a number of prisoners , including former IRA Chief of Staff , Joe Cahill . In an affadavit which Cahill swore during another hunger strike in 1975 , he states that the 1973 hunger strike ended when the Governor of Mountjoy , Frawley , read a letter to the prisoners in which the authorities conceded a list of demands , including that the Provisional IRA prisoners would be segregated from all other prisoners , would'nt have to do prison work etc .

The prison leadership replied that the hunger strike would continue until the government recognised the political status of the prisoners . The Prison Governor withdrew , according to the affadavit , and returned later to inform the protesting prisoners -

- " (a) since 1922 the Government had refused to afford any group of prisoners recognition as political prisoners .
(b) that in the present circumstances , because of the situation in the North , the government recognised that because of the involvement of the Provisional Republican Movement in the Northern situation , the prisoners were in a special category . "

On the basis of this assurance the hunger strike was ended . Shortly afterwards there was the helicopter escape from Mountjoy Prison and subsequently the Provisional IRA prisoners were moved to Portlaoise Prison .......

(MORE LATER).


DE VALERA AND THE AMERICAN CONNECTION .
By Micheal MacGiolla Phadraig .
From 'NOW' magazine , Volume 1 , Number 4, October 1989 , pages 28 and 29 .
Re-published here in 6 parts .
(1 of 6).

Money to launch The Irish Press newspaper in 1931 came from thousands of Irish-Americans . Contributing dollars and dimes at fund-raiser events , poor emigrants - many driven out of Ireland in the aftermath of the Civil War - helped build up a multi-million dollar fund that was to achieve the dream of the Fianna Fail party ; owning a daily newspaper .

Control of the money which was invested in The Irish Press was given to the President of Fianna Fail , Eamon de Valera .

Nearly 60 years later , there are signs that White Anglo-Saxon Protestant tycoon Ralph Ingersoll the Second - whose ideas must be poles apart from those Irish emigrant founders of the Press - will get control of the newspaper . But a group of small investors , who call themselves the Concerned Shareholders , have emerged to challenge the secrecy which has surrounded not only the Ingersoll deal , but much of the affairs of The Irish Press Group down the years .

Led by a former Irish Editor of The Irish Press , Michael MacGiolla Phadraig , the Concerned Shareholders have been investigating the organisation and structure of the secretive Irish Press Corporation of America which controls the voting in the Dublin company , Irish Press Plc. It has been suggested that an American court should be asked to rule on a number of matters connected with the mystery American corporation . The possibility is that The Irish Press Group belongs to Fianna Fail and is the responsibility of that Party's present President , Taoiseach Charles Haughey .

When a partnership deal between Ingersoll Publications of the U.S. and Irish Press Plc of Dublin was announced last July (ie July 1989) , The Irish Press gave a front-page report and devoted two inside pages to the joint venture .......

(MORE LATER).

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THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......

....... in December 1925 , the 'A' and 'C' Special Constabulary had 'rebelled' and taken hostages - their own Officers ! They were dealing with (or trying to !) the Stormont 'Minister for Home Affairs' , a 'Sir' Richard Dawson Bates , a solicitor by profession , who was also the then Secretary of the 'Ulster Unionist Council' (1905-1921). He was known as a 'hard-man' .......


'Sir' Richard Dawson Bates 'made his name' (or added to it !) in 1921 , when he ordered the RIC to close-down the Offices of Tyrone County Council as said institution had declared its allegiance to the rebel Dail Eireann (32 County body) !

On 6th December that year (ie 1921) , 'Sir' Bates seen to it that a 'Local Government (Emergency Powers) Bill' was passed into 'law' ; this new 'law' stated - " The Ministry , in the event of any of the local authorities refusing to function or refusing to carry out the duties imposed on them under the Local Government Acts , can dissolve such authority and in its place appoint a Commission to carry on the duties of such authority . "

However , 15 days later (ie on the 21st December 1921) Fermanagh County Council followed the lead set by its counterpart in Tyrone : the following statement was issued by Fermanagh Officials -

- " We , the County Council of Fermanagh , in view of the expressed desire of a large majority of people in this county , do not recognise the partition parliament in Belfast and do hereby direct our Secretary to hold no further communications with either Belfast or British Local Government Departments , and we pledge our allegiance to Dail Eireann . "

Short , sharp , and to the point . And it was (rightly) seen by 'Sir' Richard Dawson Bates as a direct challenge to his 'authority' ; 'Sir' Bates ordered the RIC to ready themselves immediately .......

(MORE LATER).


THE POLITICS OF H-BLOCK .......
By Vincent Browne .

From 'MAGILL' magazine , December 1980 , pages 26 and 27 .
Re-published here in 10 parts .
(8 of 10).

The reaction of the southern political establishment to the H-Block protest is all the more surprising given the fact that the political prisoners in Portlaoise enjoy virtually all the 'privileges' being demanded by the H-Block men .

The Portlaoise political prisoners wear their own clothes , they enjoy free association among themselves and they are segregated from the other prisoners in the jail . They have special recreational and educational facilities and there is a prison shop where they can purchase food and cigarettes .

They have their own jail organisation - their Officer Commanding negotiates on behalf of the prisoners with the prison authorities and they hold classes and lectures on a wide variety of issues , including political subjects . For instance , one of the classes currently being held is on the origins of the war ie the war in the North of Ireland.......

(MORE LATER).


NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......

Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .

' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
[31 of 31].

But NORAID spokesmen have consistently denied that their organisation is providing the funds for IRA weapons ; Martin Galvin is categorical -

- " It matters to me very strongly that when I say this money goes to dependents that it does so - I don't want to deceive people , " he affirmed in 1985 , " but morally I support the IRA's struggle . "

The spokesman for NORAID in San Francisco , Seamus Gibney , told the 'Los Angeles Times' newspaper -

- " We can't prove the money does'nt go for guns . But the British government never offers proof when it says that it does . "

[END of ' NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......'].
(Tomorrow - ' De Valera and the American connection' - from 'NOW' magazine , 1989 .)

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THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......

....... December 1925 : Westminster decided to get rid of the (5 year-old) 'A' and 'C' Special Constabulary , but to hold on to the 'B' Specials ; 'Sir' James Craig (Stormont 'Prime Minister') was given £1,200,000 to 'buy' them off and , on 10th December 1925 , the 'A' and 'C' men were offered two months pay each - the offer got a bad re-action .......


When the 'A' and 'C' Special Constabulary realised that they were to lose their jobs , on the mouth of Christmas (10th December 1925) and with unemployment running at over 20 per cent , whereas the 'B' Specials were to be kept on , discontent in the ranks grew . The 'A' and 'C' Specials held meetings between themselves and , on 14th December 1925 , they mutinied !

'A' and 'C' members in Derry 'arrested' their own Officers (!), as they did in Ballycastle - two days later (ie on 16th December 1925) a demand from the 'A' and 'C' 'rebels' (!) was handed over to 'Sir' Richard Dawson Bates , the Stormont 'Minister for Home Affairs' , a solicitor by trade , who was also Secretary of the 'Ulster Unionist Council' , a position he had held since 1905 . 'Tangent' here , re 'Sir' Bates -

- ... the man 'made his name' in 1921 when , at 44 years of age , he ordered the RIC to close down the Offices of Tyrone County Council - 'Sir' Bates did'nt like the way they were doing their business .......

(MORE LATER).


THE POLITICS OF H-BLOCK .......
By Vincent Browne .

From 'MAGILL' magazine , December 1980 , pages 26 and 27 .
Re-published here in 10 parts .
(7 of 10).

The Provisional IRA leadership on the outside has been apprehensive about this protest for a long time and were fervently opposed to the hunger-strike . Contrary to the frequently asserted belief , the Provo leadership have always tried to dampen down prison protests for these have consequences to the conduct of the military campaign which are entirely unpredictable and , in any event , often conflict with the immediate strategic plans of the IRA Headquarters Staff .

They have been more apprehensive about this present protest and hunger-strike than ever before , recognising that if the protest fades out or is beaten , then the 'loss of face' for the Republican Movement as a whole is almost catastrophic .

They have of course attempted to 'steer' its course - for instance , it was the IRA leadership which managed to hold off the hunger-strike until October 27th and they have had a say on which prisoners were to join the strike , but in no sense could the Provisional IRA leadership be accused of cynically exploting the situation in H-Block for its own advantage .......

(MORE LATER).


NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......

Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .

' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(30 of 31).

The traumatic months of the hunger strikes fused Irish-American emotional sympathy with the IRA's struggle against Britain in the North of Ireland . NORAID went through a resurgence that saw an immediate increase in the number of members . Martin Galvin claims that from that time onward NORAID has been able to raise about $150,000 every six months , double or triple what it was collecting in the years before the protest .

He also notes that now , for the first time , the number of American-born NORAID members exceeds those of Irish origin . The organisation keeps no recruitment figures , so it is not known exactly how many people are involved .

Of its founding members , only Michael Flannery is still alive . He remains steadfast in his identification with the IRA , even when they carry out attacks , such as that outside Harrods department store in London , in which innocent people die . His attitude is -

- " I wait to hear what the IRA have to say . When it happens in London it's good propaganda . I've no qualms when they take the war to England . Innocent people get killed in all wars . ......"

(MORE LATER).

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THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......

....... having spent the previous two years dealing with the new Free Staters in the 26-County State , the Brits had them well-sussed ; Westminster realised that it had no need for the 40,000-strong 'Special Constabulary' force in the Six Counties of Ireland it was (and still is) occupying - the Staters were now known to be no threat to the British-enforced 'border' . 'Sir' James Craig (Stormont 'Prime Minister') was called to Westminster to discuss the proposed redundancies .......


Westminster offered the approximately 40,000-strong 'Special Constabulary' organisation a few bob to 'go away' (!) - £1,200,000 was put on the table , provided most of them agreed to disband (similar to what is happening today , with the PIRA - buying them out with a 'bank-load' of money ...) . 'Sir' James Craig , up to then a great friend and supporter of the Specials , stated that they would have to go : on 10th December 1925 , Craig told the 'A' and 'C' Specials that they were out of work and offered each man two months pay . End of announcement !

The 'B' Specials were to be kept - indeed , it was only in 1969 that that gang of thugs 'disbanded' (ie changed uniform into that of the 'Ulster Defence Regiment' (UDR) and carried-on with their mis-deeds) . It was actually in September 1969 that the (British) 'Cameron Commission' described the 'B' Specials as " a partisan and paramilitary force... " , while the October 1969 'Hunt Report' recommended that the 'B' Specials be disbanded .

However - the 'A' and 'C' Specials were not happy with the ".. disband ..." Order from their old friend , 'Sir' James Craig .......

(MORE LATER).


THE POLITICS OF H-BLOCK .......
By Vincent Browne .

From 'MAGILL' magazine , December 1980 , pages 26 and 27 .
Re-published here in 10 parts .
(6 of 10).

Brendan Hughes , 32 years of age , had been on the Belfast Brigade Staff of the Provisional IRA prior to his capture in 1974 , and was now able to provide the young inexperienced prisoners with the kind of hard determined leadership which their protest campaign had lacked previously . The young prisoners had been pressing for some considerable time for a hunger strike in order to bring their protest to a head . Brendan Hughes had the maturity to resist this pressure , knowing that without adequate support from the outside there would be needless and wasteful deaths .

He went along with the various attempts that were being made for mediation , through Cardinal O Fiaich and Bishop Daly and others but eventually saw that there was no option but to accede to the demand for a hunger strike .

The prison authorities , recognising the pivotal role Brendan Hughes was playing in the unfolding protest , split up the protesting prisoners into different sections of the prison ; therefore , Hughes could no longer effectively act as overall Officer Commanding but his influence was nonetheless decisive .......

(MORE LATER).


NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......

Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .

' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(29 of 31).

In November 1985 , Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams ('1169...' Comment - Adams is now President of a Leinster House-registered political party , 'Provisional Sinn Fein' ) made a speech at Sinn Fein's Ard Fheis that was run in full in 'An Phoblacht' : that speech strongly identified the IRA's struggle with that of third-world liberation struggles , and berated Ronald Reagan , Margaret Thatcher and the Dublin Government .

Soon after the beginning of his address , Adams went on the attack -

- " It is no accident that the Dublin government finds common ground with Thatcher and Reagan in their attitude to liberation struggles . Dublin's attitude on these issues is but an extension of its attitude to the British presence in this country . The natural and logical place for Ireland is alongside the Palestinians , the Chileans , Salvadorans , and Nicaraguans . "

The approximately ninty paragraphs of the address also dealt with Sinn Fein's role in fighting various social evils like drug abuse in Ireland , and its support for social reforms such as divorce . A week later , 'The Irish People' newspaper ran an excerpted version of Gerry Adams' speech , some seventy-six paragraphs in length .

Among the most prominent omissions were the remarks by Adams quoted above , the appeal of Sinn Fein as a radical alternative , and the section on social reform .......

(MORE LATER).

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THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......

....... British Lieutenant-Colonel 'Sir' Charles Wickham was a good 'all-rounder' for the British Crown ; as the 'Divisional Commissioner for Ulster' in the RIC (from 1920 to 1922) , he helped to establish the 'Ulster Special Constabulary' . In 1922 , at 43 years of age , he was appointed as the Inspector-General of the RUC , a position he held until 1945 .......


In 1945 , British Lieutenant-Colonel 'Sir' Charles Wickham was 66 years of age ; but no rest for the wicked ! He was sent to Greece to serve as the 'Head of British Police and Prisons Mission' , where he 'crossed swords' with the ELAS guerilla group . He remained in that position until 1952 (when he was 73 years of age) . The man died in 1972 , at the grand age of 93 .

'Tangents , tangents ' ! : As I was saying (ages and pages ago !) - on 7th October 1924 , British 'Sir' James Craig (Stormont 'Prime Minister') practically threatened Westminster that he would be prepared to lead 40,000 armed men against said institution if same recommended changes to the Six County area (re the 'Boundary Commission' report) . Craig was referring to the 'Special Constabulary' - the Ulster (sic) Special Constabulary Association , a powerful group in its day .

It was estimated that , at the peak of its power , one in every five of the adult male Protestant population was a member ! Following the final report of the Boundary Commission it became clear that the Free Staters were no longer prepared (if , indeed , they ever were) to push for changes regarding the 'border' , and the British realised that they had no further use for the Special Constabulary , so they set-about disbanding them ; money was put on the table .......

(MORE LATER).


THE POLITICS OF H-BLOCK .......
By Vincent Browne .

From 'MAGILL' magazine , December 1980 , pages 26 and 27 .
Re-published here in 10 parts .
(5 of 10).

Inside the prison , the initial H-Block protestors were young inexperienced members of the Movement ; they understood the basic politics of jail protest but they had little sense of leadership . Through the aegis of the authorities , however , this deficiency was rectified by the placement of Brendan Hughes in the H-Blocks , where he quickly became the chief organiser of the protest . Hughes , aged 32 , had been on the Belfast Brigade Staff of the Provisional IRA prior to his capture in 1974 in a flat off the Malone Road in Belfast .

He had previously been arrested and beaten in June 1973 but he escaped from Long Kesh in October 1973 , hidden inside a used mattress which was being dumped .

Brendan Hughes was Officer Commanding of his cage in Long Kesh and was a Special Category Prisoner - the charge on which he was convicted was committed prior to March 1976 , the 'cut-off' date for Special Category status . Hughes got involved in a row between another prisoner and a warder after the latter had insulted the prisoner's wife during a visit .

Hughes was convicted of assualt on the warder , even though another warder had given evidence in support of Hughes' defence that he had moved in to break up the row . As the assualt charge related to a time after March 1976 , Brendan Hughes suddenly lost his Special Category status and was transferred from the compound at Long Kesh to one of the H-Blocks .......

(MORE LATER).


NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......

Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .

' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(28 of 31).

NORAID attracted many conservative Irish-Americans who could only see the Irish 'problem' as a British-versus-Irish struggle ; anything deeper than that , especially with a social and economic analysis smacking of socialism , was rejected angrily . The INAC is aware of this ; they know that if Irish Republican left-wingers had their way in America , supporting blacks and Palestinians and Salvadoran guerrilas , it would alienate many Irish-Americans .

In America , those contradictions are easily resolved by being ignored . The chief platform which the INAC has for expounding Irish Republican views is 'The Irish People' newspaper - though it is not in any sense owned or run by NORAID , it is edited by NORAID's publicity director , Martin Galvin , and its policies generally support those of both the IRA and the INAC . The bulk of 'The Irish People's ' material comes from Sinn Fein's weekly newspaper An Phoblacht but the left-wing world view of that newspaper is not evident from the selections that appear in 'The Irish Preople' .

Though South Africa-related stories have occasionally been reprinted , the Sinn Fein-IRA attitude on most other liberation struggles , which An Phoblacht expresses , is , in general , omitted .......

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THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......

....... on 9th November 1921 , the Divisional Commissioner of the RIC in the Six Counties , a Lieut.-Colonel 'Sir' Charles Wickham , sent a 'secret' circular to his men stating that Westminster was considering hiring more UVF men to work as 'Special Constabulary' ; a copy of his circular ended up in the hands of Michael Collins who threw it at the Brits during the Treaty of Surrender negotiations (on 23rd November 1921) and told them that that circular , alone , could end the Negotiations - so the Brits instructed 'their' man in the Six Counties , 'Sir' James Craig (the Stormont 'Prime Minister') to withdraw and dis-own Wickham's circular .......


'Sir' Charles Wickham had an interesting background - he spent 23 years as the man in charge of the 'B' Specials , and was also Head of the RUC for a period . He was born in 1879 , in England , and was educated at Harrow and Sandhurst , where he no doubt picked-up his 'stiff upper lip' . At 20 years young he joined the British Army and served in the Boer War and in the 'First World War' .

Between the years 1918 and 1920 he served as a Lieutenant-Colonel with the British military 'mission' in the Russian Civil War , following which (at 41 years young) he was the 'Divisional Commissioner for Ulster' in the RIC , from 1920 to 1922 .

It was at that time in his 'career' that he helped to establish the Ulster Special Constabulary . At 43 years young he was appointed as the Inspector-General of the RUC , a position he held until 1945 when , at 66 years of age , his paymasters in Westminster formed the opinion that the 'johnnies' in the 'colonies' would benefit from a spot of ' Wickham-ism ' .......

(MORE LATER).


THE POLITICS OF H-BLOCK .......
By Vincent Browne .

From 'MAGILL' magazine , December 1980 , pages 26 and 27 .
Re-published here in 10 parts .
(4 of 10).

Perhaps the most important of these has been has been the failure of successive political initiatives on the part of the British Government . An indication of the Catholic frustration with the stalemate is the refusal of the SDLP to participate in another round of elections for another convention or assembly which does'nt offer them guaranteed power-sharing . Also the renewed interest by the SDLP in the all-Ireland dimension . Whatever else the SDLP may be , it is a good barometer of feeling within the Catholic community , even if it lags behind on the more hard line issues , such as H-Block .

Then , of course , there has been the continued tale of brutality and torture emanating from Castlereagh - it was'nt difficult to link this with the H-Block issue , as virtually all the prisoners of H-Block have graduated through Castlereagh and many of them have undoubtedly been brutalised and made to sign forced confessions .

And finally there was the apparent reasonableness of the demands of the prisoners ; whatever else the Catholic community thinks of the Provisional IRA , they know that there is a political motivation involved in their campaign and the refusal to acknowledge this by the authorities seems merely vindictive .......

(MORE LATER).


NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......

Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .

' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(27 of 31).

While Sean Flynn , an IRSP Belfast City Councillor , was in America , he undertook a tour of his own , organised by a small left-wing support group , the H-Block Armagh Committee , based in New York . Outside the INAC circuit , Sean Flynn spoke to mainly small , radical groups , not prime fund-raising sources . However , INAC people would occasionally show up .

On one occasion , on the West Coast , Flynn met a NORAID supporter who was a millionaire warehouse owner ; the wealthy Irish-American at first assumed that Flynn was just another IRA or Sinn Fein activist on the 'stomp' looking for dollars , not realising his left-wing background . Flynn mentioned the need for funds to cover the funeral expenses of two of the hunger strikers , and the millionaire generously offered to write a cheque out the following morning for whatever the cost was .

Flushed with this offer , the IRSP spokesman invited the would-be patron along to hear him speak that evening : the millionaire showed-up , only to find himself in the company of radicals , blacks , and various leftist politicos . He was appalled when Flynn spoke , comparing North of Ireland Catholics and their struggle with that of the blacks in South Africa .

The millionaire got up to leave - he told Sean Flynn their morning appointment was cancelled . Shocked , Flynn asked why . " I don't like niggers , " he was told .......

(MORE LATER).

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THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION , 1921-1925 .......
A British 'sleight-of-hand' which caused a mutiny within British forces in Ireland.......

....... the 'Special Constabulary' had been formed , mainly from the ranks of the 'Ulster Volunteer Force' (UVF) , a pro-British militia - but the UVF was still in existence , with a British Colonel , F.H. Crawford , in charge of it . It had 20,000 armed members , and the politicians in Westminster were looking at Crawford and his organisation , and wondering if they could use it , too .......


The RIC was in favour of such a move by Westminster ; on the 9th November 1921 , the Divisional Commissioner of the RIC in the Six Counties , a Colonel 'Sir' Charles Wickham , stated , in a 'secret' circular which he sent to other RIC bosses in the Six Counties -

- " Owing to the number of reports which have been received as to the growth of unauthorised Loyalist defence forces , the (British) Government have under consideration the desirability of obtaining the services of the best elements of these organisations . They have decided that the scheme most likely to meet the situation would be to enrol all who volunteer and are considered suitable into Class 'C' (of the 'Special Constabulary') and to form them into regular military units .

There is no necessity to produce the maximum possible number of units ; what is required is to ensure that every unit recommended for formation can be constituted from a reliable section of the population . "

Note how the supposed 'neutral' RIC described the UVF paramilitary organisation as a "... loyalist defence force .." and as " .. a reliable section of the population ... " - the Brits were then , and still are today , 'in charge' of said Loyalist paramilitary organisations , and use them to carry-out 'jobs' which Westminster wants done , but not 'officially' . Also , about two weeks after 'Sir' Wickham wrote and dispatched his 'secret' circular , a copy of it found its way into the hands of Michael Collins who , on 23rd November 1921 , whilst attending Treaty negotiations with the British in London , produced it to the startled Brits and told them it may very well signal the end of the 'negotiations' .

Westminster called-in its top man in the Six Counties - 'Sir' James Craig , the Stormont 'Prime Minister' - and told him that the 'secret' circular would have to be withdrawen ; Craig then instructed his 'Minister for Home Affairs' , a Mr. Richard Dawson Bates (a UVF man himself) to withdraw the circular . However , by way of a 'two-fingered salute' to his political masters in Westminster , when he returned to Belfast , Craig increased the number of 'A Specials' by 700 men , and the 'B Specials' by 5,000 men ! If they could'nt 'hire' " ... from a reliable section of the population ... " in one way , then they'd find another way to do it !

Colonel 'Sir' Charles Wickham had an interesting background - a Brit through and through .......

(MORE LATER).


THE POLITICS OF H-BLOCK .......
By Vincent Browne .

From 'MAGILL' magazine , December 1980 , pages 26 and 27 .
Re-published here in 10 parts .
(3 of 10).

The Provos themselves eventually agreed on a broad front strategy and took part in a Relatives Action Conference in the Green Briar Hotel , Belfast , in September 1979 . Even then they were ambiguous about their commitment to co-operation with other groups . The Chairperson of the meeting was a committed Provo and although there was a rule that no person could speak more than once , Gerry Adams , Vice President of Provisional Sinn Fein , spoke on at least ten occasions and managed to dominate preceedings .

Resolutions from other organisations were hindered and of course any criticisms of the Provo campaign went unheard . In spite of this a broad-based National H-Block movement got off the ground , with support from the IRSP , the Peoples Democracy , Bernadette McAliskey's organisation in mid-Ulster and a number of other small groups , as well as Provisional Sinn Fein .

The progress of the campaign has been classically successful ; there was a gradual build up of activity , with demonstrations attracting greater and greater support . But of course it was'nt just the astute organisation of the campaign which led to the vast volume of support it has won across the Northern Catholic community .

Other factors were of greater significance .......

(MORE LATER).


NORAID'S UNTOLD MILLIONS .......

Irish-Americans have long had complex and contradictory relations with Ireland and the 'Irish Question' . On Saint Patrick's Day , all the ambiguities are apparent .
This year (ie 1987) , on Saint Patrick's Day , the latest book by Irish writer , Jack Holland was published in New York , exploring the tangled web of links between Irish-Americans and the Irish in Ireland , the IRA and the Irish government .

' The American Connection ' describes the activities of leading Irish-American politicians , of romanticising writers and of gun-runners .
In this edited extract , the author tells how Noraid was set up and how it has resisted pressures to disclose all the sources and uses of its funds .
First published in 'MAGILL' magazine , April 1987 .
Re-published here in 31 parts .
(26 of 31).

The Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) sent over one of its leading members , Sean Flynn , a Belfast city councillor , to meet INAC officials in New York ; he was asking for one-third of the money , since in the cold arithmetic of death , approximately one-third of the ten men who died on hunger-strike were INLA members . Sean Flynn also pointed out that Liz O'Hara had played an important part in the tour which raised the money .

Sean Flynn met INAC officials in New York ; he told them that the families of two of the dead INLA men still owed money for the funerals of their sons . In one case , they did'nt have enough to cover the cost of their electricity bills and travelling expenses . When Flynn went to the home of a prominent INAC member , he was told that NORAID knew nothing about giving money to the IRSP .

Their meeting deteriorated into a shouting match , and Sean Flynn was asked to leave .......

(MORE LATER).

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