1169 And Counting.....

Saturday, October 23, 2010

GIVE GENEROUSLY - OR ELSE YOUR KIDS WILL BE FORCED TO EMIGRATE WITHOUT AN EDUCATION.....

We all know by now that those in Leinster House have been living beyond our means.
This is because our means are not sufficient to keep them in the style they deserve. Yes , readers - it's our fault. The up-coming State budget will ensure that most of us (but not all of us) will have less money available to maintain the lifestyles of our professional career politicians : with this worrying development in mind , we at this blog feel it's time to offer-up one possible solution , first mooted by those that have our best interests at heart - Fine Gael.

One of our Fine Gael leaders-in-waiting , Therese Ridge , a State Senator amongst other fine attributes ,
first suggested this worthy approach in ensuring that the money stopped from your wagepacket each week should not be wasted on health or education initiatives to the point that there will not be enough left over to maintain the lifestyles of our professional career State politicians. The suggestion from the lovely Senator also ensured that the unemployed could contribute as well as they , too , have hall doors (...even if , like the employed , they can't really afford those hall doors..)

For the good of our politicians , we MUST fill buckets like these...

Foolproof!
We wrote about this brave and sensible proposal before and , indeed - to the credit of some of our readers - we received a few messages of 'support' (!) and, as such , we feel it is time to resurrect this noble idea and to campaign for it to be included in the up-coming State budget initiatives.
However , we realise that there are begrudgers out there who won't be happy until the Therese Ridges's of our taxpayer-funded gated communities are down in the gutter where they are , and to those small-minded individuals we have this message : would ye ever go and feck off with yourselves!
Those begrudgers have no idea of the strain our leaders are under and we ask that our readers ignore people like that , put the 'Welcome!' mat out on the doorstep and boil-up the kettle.
It's the least you owe Therese and the hundreds of others like her , that are simply trying to ensure - at your expense , naturally - that they remain insulated from the troubling , 'penny-pinching' and worrying day-to-day financial difficulties that you and I endure.
Dig DEEP , won't you.......?

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

AN EXPERIMENT IN JAMES STREET : THE DEATH OF NIALL RUSH.......
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1984.
By Derek Dunne.

The Institute of Clinical Pharmachology in Dublin has about 1,000 volunteers a year , most of whom are male : even though Irish women have the highest incidence of cardio vascular disease in Europe, these drugs are not tested on females.

Volunteers are paid a standard £20 a day for their service , which works out at about 83p an hour. Grants to the Clinic of up to 50% are available from the IDA if the drug under test is to be manufactured here.

In the 1970's , the Institute was known as a place where students could go if they wanted some 'handy' money. Predominantly , volunteers were students taking time out to collect money for fees or rent etc but , towards the end of the decade, things began to change : the prevailing economic conditions left more and more people without work , without money , and unemployed Dubliners took 'advantage' of the £20 a day on offer from the Institute , as a single unemployed person gets about £30 a week on the dole.

The prospect of £20 a day for , say, a 26-day straight test - total 'earned' £520 - must amount to an inducement , as it would take four months to get that amount on the dole.......
(MORE LATER).

Viva le France!

At the time of writing , industrial unrest in France is on-going and , with a bit of luck, will spread from France to elsewhere - like here , in Ireland , for instance.
We Irish used to have that 'back-bone' - to take to the streets over injustices , to strike from our jobs when the bosses attempted to take back or reduce that which we had won by standing together , to riot in the streets when those same bosses - backed by a complient media and supported by the political establishment and the brute force of that establishment and silently (and sometimes not that silently) supported by a weak trade union leadership - attempted to increase their profits by "reducing their expenditure" ie by reducing the workforce and/or reducing the wage paid to each employee as well as by attempting to change whatever terms , conditions and work practices which that workforce had obtained to make their working life that bit more bearable.
That 'Spirit of Resistance' is still present , albeit not as prevalent or as widespread as it once was : people seem to be , for the most part , 'browbeaten' , subjuded by a combination of malignant forces that has left them scared to raise their head above the parapet.
We on this blog have helped place pickets on the offices of those politicians who have introduced and/or supported financial and social cutbacks on workers and the unemployed , we have protested at the presence of State politicians at a community function when the actions of those same politicians have devestated that same community and we have been on the streets protesting against the unreal and unfair 'bank bailouts' and , as trade union members ourselves, we are in full agreement with like-minded observers who point out that those in the leadership of the trade union movement - whilst promoted as 'radicals' by the establishment - are , in actual fact , the paid-for 'pet rebels' of that same State establishment.
And , whilst we fully intend to continue doing all of the above , it would make it all the more worthwhile to us if we could do so in the company of others that also had the 'Esprit of the French'. But we won't let the (temporary) absence of same deter us...!
Thanks!
Sharon.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

REPUBLICAN BALLAD SESSION IN 79'r PUB , DUBLIN , SATURDAY 16th OCTOBER 2010 - BRIEF REPORT AND A FEW PICS.

Two of the six raffle prizes won on the night.

Full marks to the lads and lassies from the Ballyfermot-based James Connolly/Frank Carroll/Denis O Donovan Cumann , Republican Sinn Féin , who organised this fund raiser : they know their stuff and run a 'tight ship' !
They managed to sell more than 400 tickets for the event , book three acts for the night - Paddy Sweeney , Pato Cullen and Willie Nolan - acquire six items for raffle prizes (two framed Republican mirrors , a Bodhrón , two books ['Between Comrades' and 'Women of Ireland'] and a framed 1916 Proclamation ) and accomodate a crew from Armagh who came down specially to see how to do it right ;-) (only joking, Cait !) !

A good-sized crowd , which almost filled the hall, was welcomed to the venue by Josephine Hayden, General Secretary of RSF , who dedicated the night to Kevin and Seán , and , to loud applause, spoke briefly of how important events like this are to the Movement , as they raise much-needed funds and help to 'get the word out' re the Republican position on the on-going struggle for full self-determination and on the Republican position regarding the financial crisis being experienced by workers and the unemployed due to the incompetence and greed of "...the expense-account time-servers in Leinster House.." .

Josephine also said a few words about the CABHAIR Christmas Swim , reminding the crowd that this soon-to-be 34-years 'young' event will be held on Christmas Day next at the 3rd Lough of the Grand Canal , about a mile in distance from the venue we were in now. Also , Josephine mentioned that the 79'r had been booked , again, for Friday 17th December next, for another ballad session - details to follow. And with that , she introduced the first act of the night - Pato Cullen - and another great night (and early morning!) in the 79'r got underway...

Finally : thanks to Frank , Robbie , Paddy and Matt for 'doing the door' , to Pat , Barney , Steve and Harold [;-)] for looking after the other entry/exit point , to Cait for doing the raffle (I didn't win anything and Cait can't hold her cider !) and to the manager and staff of the pub for looking after us so well. Much appreciated!
We publish with this brief report a few pics from the event :

RSF Cumann banner used as stage backdrop on the night - incidentally , Denis O Donovan Jnr was present at this function.

A section of the crowd.

Edentubber Martyrs mirror.

Four of the six raffle prizes won on the night.

Another section of the crowd.

Thanks for reading - see you on the 17th in the 79'r and/or on the 25th for the 34th...!
Sharon.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

AN EXPERIMENT IN JAMES STREET : THE DEATH OF NIALL RUSH.......
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1984.
By Derek Dunne.

The routine for a test for a company might go something like this : a case arrives from the drug company containing the complete range of doses for each volunteer for the entire trial. Each individual would be marked out from start to finish , and the doses would have been made up by the drug companies in many cases. The protocol would also come with the drugs , and it would set out the rationale for the test , why it is being done at all and a description of the drug.

It would set out how the 'subjects' should be selected and what sort of people should be excluded by virture of age or gender. The design of the study is also indicated : whether it is 'single' or 'double-blind' ie a 'single blind test' is where the volunteer does not know what he/she is being given but the doctor does and a 'double-blind test' is where neither of them know what is being administered !

The protocol also deals with the assessments to be made , how adverse effects are to be dealth with, and whether the samples taken will be analysed by the clinic or the company. At the end of the protocol , there is the name and telephone number (day and night) of a doctor , usually in the country of origin of the drug , to be contacted in case anything goes wrong. Sometimes , in the case of 'double-blind tests' , there is a sealed code accompanying the drugs in case of an emergency.......
(MORE LATER).

THE PETER BERRY PAPERS....... The Top Secret Memoirs of Ireland's Most Powerful Civil Servant : Dirty Tricks, Election '69/ Spying on a Unionist Politician/ Keeping the (State) Taoiseach informed/ The Garda Fallon Murder/ Advice to Jack Lynch- 'Fire the pair of them...'/ Vivion De Valera's advice to O'Malley/ Rumours of a Coup D'Etat/ The Internment Plot, November 1970/ Secret Meeting with William Craig.
From 'MAGILL' magazine , June 1980.

" On this account I got an encyclopaedic knowledge of subversive elements and the process of writing and re-writing in preparation for the printed volumes imprinted in my memory a great deal of information which was to prove very useful to ministers in the course of Dail debates and so on.

In 1938 I became Private Secretary to the Minister , Mr Ruttledge and , in September 1939 , to his successor , Mr Gerald Boland. In June 1940 , the minister signed warrants for the detention of 500 alleged members of the IRA and an 'Intelligence Division' , consisting of a Principal Officer and a Higher Executive Officer - formerly Mr Ruttledge's private secretary - was established to advise the minister and to sift the value of police recommendations. Mr Boland had a very healthy question mark placed over every recommendation for a detention order and he was not satisfied to keep a person in detention without trial on police recommendations alone *.

In the next eight months he became increasingly dis-satisfied with the lack of independence from the police of the Departmental advice and he insisted on a change of personnel. On the Secretary's advice the minister assigned me to the job and I had daily , sometimes hourly , contact with the minister during the 'War Years' and attended him in the Dail debates on political matters and when he was receiving deputations. I signed all correspondence in connection with matters such as parole and came to be recognised in political circles as the minister's 'eminence grise'.

When things got slack I carried on with my research with a result that a second printed volume was produced for the years 1941/47 to supplement the volume for the years ending in 1940 in relation to the IRA. I also produced a dossier in manuscript form in relation to communist activities for the same period . The period 1948/51 of a coalition government , the period 51/54 of Fianna Fail and another period of 54/57 of coalition government were quiet years , politically , but on 12th December 1956 the Border Campaign erupted and it was to continue until February 1962......"

(* '1169...' Comment - that opinion would not be, to put it mildly, shared by Irish Republicans , as Boland and his colleagues in Fianna Fail were (and are) of the one mind as to a 'solution' to British interference in Irish affairs ie brand those who oppose it as as 'criminals' , give them a 'trial' in front of a State Military Court and then intern and/or execute them.)
(MORE LATER).

SINGING AND SHOUTING AND GAMBLING....

.....and not all of it will be at the 2010 Ard Fheis !

To get the vocal chords in good working order (!) for the up-coming RSF Ard Fheis , a ballad session will be held in the 79'r Pub on Saturday 16th October 2010.
The ever-reliable and very popular Paddy Sweeney has been booked , and various friends of his - and he has a lot of them ! - will be helping him out and filling-in for him when he goes for a 'cup of tea'......
The doors open for this event at 9pm , admission is a fiver per person and the usual raffle will be held.
ALL WELCOME!

106Ú RSF ARD FHEIS - Saturday and Sunday , 13th and 14th November 2010.

On the above dates , in a Dublin venue, the Republican Movement will hold its 106th Ard Fheis at which various motions - in this vein - will be discussed. A brief report and a few pics from last years Ard Fheis can be viewed here.
Members of this blog have been given a 'Visitors Pass' and , if we're not working elsewhere on that weekend (see below) , we will write-up a brief report on same for this blog.
However - either way - we congratulate the RSF leadership , its members and its supporters on actually surviving to this point , as we have first-hand experience of the many ways in which the Administration of this corrupt State constantly attempt to put that political organisation out of business. But whilst Westminster continues to claim jurisdictional control over any part of Ireland , Irish Republicans will continue to oppose them and their illegal , immoral and unwanted 'claim'.
RSF ABÚ!

ROLL UP ! ROLL UP......!

Also on that same Sunday (14th November 2010) , in a different venue , RSF will be holding a raffle for which more than 600 tickets will have been sold and at which over €400 will be handed-out , there and then , in prize money.
It's a testament to the commitment of RSF that it can manage to hold two such major events on the same weekend - each of which demands that dedicated 'crews' be assigned to each such event if same is to be held in a correct and successful manner - whilst those who have placed themselves 'outside the fold' scream loud and shrill of how that organisation is 'too weak to survive etc ' .
Those 'screamers' invest more time and energy in trying to cause damage to RSF than they do in battling Westminster or in challenging the corrupt regime in Leinster House and , as such - to put it mildly - their objectives must be questioned.
Thanks for reading !
Sharon.

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

AN EXPERIMENT IN JAMES STREET : THE DEATH OF NIALL RUSH.......
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1984.
By Derek Dunne.

The Institute of Clinical Pharmachology in Dublin was first set up in 1965 with the backing of the Swiss pharmaceutical company , Hoffmann La Roche. Dr Austin Darragh was its director and, in 1979, Hoffmann La Roche sold its interest and Austin Darragh now owns and runs the Institute with managing director Dr Ian Brick and John Murphy , its financial controller.

Although the Institute is situated in the grounds of St James Hospital in Dublin , there are no links between the two places. Austin Darragh intends opening a new Institute some distance from the present site with the aid of a £1.1 million IDA approved grant. The present Institute employs just over one hundred people and its operations extend into the White Cross Clinic at Stillorgan which carries out similar testing.

The Elan Corporation based in Athlone , County Westmeath, is another company which carries out tests on healthy volunteers and , at one time or another, the following multi-national pharmaceutical companies have had clinical trials carried out for them in Ireland : Pfizer , Hoffmann La Roche , Kali Chemie , Beechams, Janssen , Bayer , Squibb , Astra, Warner Lambert , Bristol Myers, Schering Plough , Revlon, Wellcome, GD Searle, Pharmuka , Boehringer , Ingelheim , Organnon , Chemibiotic and Hoechst.......
(MORE LATER).

THE PETER BERRY PAPERS....... The Top Secret Memoirs of Ireland's Most Powerful Civil Servant : Dirty Tricks, Election '69/ Spying on a Unionist Politician/ Keeping the (State) Taoiseach informed/ The Garda Fallon Murder/ Advice to Jack Lynch- 'Fire the pair of them...'/ Vivion De Valera's advice to O'Malley/ Rumours of a Coup D'Etat/ The Internment Plot, November 1970/ Secret Meeting with William Craig.
From 'MAGILL' magazine , June 1980.

Peter Berry talked to us about his job - " When I joined the secreariat of the Department of Justice in January 1927 it was a very small unit , housed on the top floor of government buildings (on Merrion Street) . In those early years I was moved from pillar to post, wherever a handyman was wanted. I was baptised on the Intoxicating Liquor Act 1927 which then , in Bill form, was going through the Dail. I spent endless wearying days on alien administration and when the Censorship of Publications Act became law in 1929 I was thrown some dozens of books and periodicals which had been seized in customs clearance and told to lodge a complaint to the Censorship of Publications Board that this book or that periodical was "...in its general tendency indecent or obscene or advocated the unnatural prevention of conception".....

It was a good thing for me that I had been an omnivorous reader from infancy and that my library , ranging from Charles Carvice to Mrs Henry Woods to Ouida to Shakespeare to Shaw had prepared me for the forbidden fruits of Henry Miller et al.

My 'catholic' taste in literature had been developed by sea-chests of books sent from ports all over the world by my eldest brother , who was a ship's radio officer during World War 1 , and in the twenties. Even so , if there was any semblance of meaning in the prohibitory provisions of the Act , it was not good for a boy of nineteen to spend night after night reading salacious matter . In 1936, I was appointed Private Secretary to the Secretary of the Department and thus became one of a nucleus who had access to police reports dealing with subversive organisations. Part of my job was researching the history and activities of the IRA and the Communist movement with a view to keeping records in printed books for easy reference by the minister and government....... "
(MORE LATER).

GAMBLE....AND GUESS ?

GAMBLE -
This weekend ,in a venue on the Dublin/Kildare border , the monthly raffle will be held , at which over 600 tickets will be sold and over €400 in prize money will be won : the profit made from this raffle , which has been held on a monthly basis since the late 1970’s , will go to the CABHAIR POW support group and, as usual , no expenses and/or admin fees etc will be deducted..... (More here)

.....AND GUESS -
In the 12th in the 10 , the 34th will be held on the 25th.....?

Monday, October 04, 2010

TEST POST - new templet: the pic shows RSF members taking part in the 'anti-cutbacks' protest which was held in Dublin city centre on Wednesday 29th September 2010. More pics and a brief report can be viewed on our 'Sister' site , here.
(Please Note - on changing the templet , we automatically lost our old stat counter , which showed a figure of close to 380,000 hits : with your support , we'll have our new counter inching its way upwards again...!)
Thanks!
Sharon.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

(PLEASE NOTE : this is our usual 'three-in-one' post - we have also posted a brief report and some pics re the anti-cutbacks Dublin protest , which was held today , Wednesday 29th September 2010 , on our 'Sister' blog , here.)

AN EXPERIMENT IN JAMES STREET : THE DEATH OF NIALL RUSH.......
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1984.
By Derek Dunne.

The Institute of Clinical Pharmachology in Dublin is one of the top three centres of its kind in the world : it exists as a profit-making limited liability company and carries out 'Phase One' clinical drug trials for dozens of foreign pharmaceutical companies. 'Phase One' trials are those which are being conducted for the very first time on humans, having previously been tried only on animals.

Millions of people may be treated on the basis of results from clinical trials. 'Phase One' (or 'Phase I') involves giving the drug to healthy volunteers , 'Phase One One A' (or 'Phase II A') involves giving the drug to patients in a limited way , 'Phase One One B' (or 'Phase II B') seeks to define the dose level and 'Phase One One One' (or 'Phase III') testing is full preregistration studies. With the exception of 'Phase One (I)' testing , all the others are carried-out in ordinary hospitals , and all the teaching hospitals in Dublin carry-out such tests , whilst between 20 and 25 hospitals in the State carry-out such tests for drug companies.

Between 400 and 1,400 people may take part in all the various trials before the drug may be marketed in this State but, in order to market a drug, it must come under the scrutiny of the 'National Drugs Advisory Board'(sic). However , even if a drug is refused for marketing , it may still be prescribed by a doctor and given to a patient. Many different types of drugs have been tested in the Institute including anti-cancer drugs , anti-coagulants (to prevent blood clots) , hormones , cardiac drugs , analgesics (painkillers) , antibiotics , anti-depressants , diuretics (to alleviate fluid retention) and most other blood pressure drugs.......
(MORE LATER).

'BEST BUSINESS PERSON OF THE MONTH' IS REALLY A "HARDLINE MILITANT RADICAL" !

In an article entitled 'Peter Will Be Missed' , published on Saturday January 9th last (page 25) in the 'Oirish' edition of the British 'Daily Mail' anti-Republican and anti-trade union chip-wrap of a 'newspaper' , right-wing columnist Richard Waghorne wrote -
"THE announcement of the retirement of Peter McLoone (more here) ,leading trade union negotiator, is bad news for the Government. Though fairly truculent in his own right, he was regarded as that mildly tautologic creation, a moderate union boss. He was seen within trade union circles as a restraining influence on Siptu boss and militant radical Jack O'Connor. We can expect the unions to finish up with an even more hardline position, now that one more obstacle to Mr O'Connor getting his way is about to quit the scene."

Now, perhaps, you understand why it has taken us so long to write this piece - we've been laughing too hard at it since Richie 'Wag-The-Finger' wrote it in January last ! To describe Jack O'Connor as a "....(hardline) militant radical...." is absolutely ludicrous and bears no resemblance to the actual reality of the situation. Mr O'Connor is just another time-server and seat-warmer at the top of an institution which has it within its power to at least try to effect a political and economic change which would not only serve the interests of its membership but would encourage other trade union leaders to themselves make a stand against the corrupt administration and their colleagues in the millionaire property market and banks - instead , people like that are content to let rip a verbal fart every now and again , whilst counting down the days to their retirement and an even cushier number on the Board of FÁS or some other useless over-paid doss-house of an institution.

Mr O'Connor's true value to the political 'establishment' in this poxy State was more recently properly evaluated here, with that 'Bible of the Elite' bestowing on him its gratitude for helping to remove what remains of his members backbones.
Well done , Jack , you "militant radical" you......
Thanks!
Sharon.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

AN EXPERIMENT IN JAMES STREET : THE DEATH OF NIALL RUSH.......
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1984.
By Derek Dunne.

In early May 1984 , Niall Rush had undergone the first of a two-part drug test in the ICP Clinic at James Street Hospital in Dublin ; he had been in Bowe's Pub with a large group of friends and was due into ICP at 7pm. But there was a good 'buzz' with the crowd and he was reluctant to leave , so he decided to call the Clinic and tell them he would be delayed. He talked for about five minutes on the phone, came back to the bar and announced that he did not have to be in there until 8.30pm. People present who had also been in there for tests made jokes about the place and about staggering in drunk.

That had been the first phase. Now it was three weeks later and Niall was going in for the second time. There wasn't the same 'buzz' in the pub as there had been three weeks earlier. He lifted a bag over his shoulder containing clothes , books and writing materials , using his weight-lifter type of act, exaggerating the weight of the bag. From the door of the bar he gave a dramatic wave to the crowd in the corner. He arrived at the Institute of Clinical Pharmacology at about 7.30pm , and spent that night in there. Sometime between 8am and 10am the following morning , a Tuesday, he was infused with Eproxindine 4/0089 , a drug developed by a multi-national drugs company to regulate the rhythm of the heart, especially following heart attacks.

By 10.15am , Niall Rush was dead.......
(MORE LATER).

THE PETER BERRY PAPERS....... The Top Secret Memoirs of Ireland's Most Powerful Civil Servant : Dirty Tricks, Election '69/ Spying on a Unionist Politician/ Keeping the (State) Taoiseach informed/ The Garda Fallon Murder/ Advice to Jack Lynch- 'Fire the pair of them...'/ Vivion De Valera's advice to O'Malley/ Rumours of a Coup D'Etat/ The Internment Plot, November 1970/ Secret Meeting with William Craig.
From 'MAGILL' magazine , June 1980.

The Berry Papers document the phone conversation between Mr Berry and Mr Charles Haughey on the evening of Saturday , April 18th ,1970, concerning the attempted importation of arms at Dublin Airport. They also reveal for the first time that there was corroboration for Mr Berry's version of that conversation in that he spoke immediately afterwards about his conversation with Mr Haughey to Chief Superintendent Malone of C3 at Garda Headquarters. The terms of that conversation were crucial in the arms trial.

Mr Haughey denied that he ever mentioned anything about a guarantee of the arms going directly to the North ; about the 'man from Mayo' (Michael O Morain , the then State Minister for Justice) knowing anything about it ; and declaring that the operation would have to be called off. If Mr Berry's version were accepted as being the authentic one, then Mr Haughey would have been incorrect on insisting that he didn't know what the importation in question was.

The Berry Papers also document the meeting between Mr Berry and Mr Lynch on April 30th, 1970 , where Mr Lynch informed Mr Berry that he had decided to take no action against the two ministers who had been implicated in the allegations of an attempted illegal importation of arms. Also revealed is that it was inadequate garda surveillance that was responsible for the killing of Garda Fallon on Aston Quay , Dublin , on April 3rd, 1970. Elsewhere in his papers , Mr Berry says that the gun which shot Garda Fallon was imported through Dublin Airport in September 1969 with the knowledge of a member of the Government (26-County Administration).......
(MORE LATER).

COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARY SECTOR (CDP's , JI , CE) TO TAKE TO THE STREETS AGAIN IN PROTEST......

As part of a European-wide initiative, the trade union movement in this State has decided to try and give the impression that they are genuine in their concern for what remains here of 'the working class'.

At 12.30pm next Wednesday , 29th September 2010, those in favour of being paid a living wage and those against the unjustified financial penalities being forced on those who still have a job , will assemble outside the plush surrounds of Anglo Irish Bank in Stephen’s Green , Dublin, and march to Leinster House in Kildare Street , another corrupt institution , morally , politically and financially.

As with previous such protests , Republican Sinn Féin Poblachtach will be represented , in keeping with the beliefs of their leadership and their membership : some of the politicians , trade union leadership , the bankers and the millionaire property speculators who, between them - either through action or inaction on their part - infected the rest of us with this malaise will themselves be present , believe it or not , in an attempt to convince the more naive amongst us that 'they share our pain' : that type should be forcibly removed by the genuine protestors and, before being exiled, put into a stock on O'Connell Street where ordinary people can 'express' themselves to them....

However : for now , we will have to settle on a different type of 'street expression' - 12.30pm , Wednesday 29th September 2010 , Anglo Irish Bank in Stephen’s Green , Dublin . Be there , if you can , and be loud!
Thanks!
Sharon.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

REPUBLICAN SINN FÉIN POBLACHTACH 'EVE OF ALL-IRELAND RALLY' , DUBLIN , SATURDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER 2010 : brief report and some pics....

On a damp , dark, grey and drizzly Saturday afternoon in Dublin , hundreds of Irish Republicans , on-lookers , the curious ,tourists - and the Special Branch (Political Police)- all stood outside , around, on the traffic isle and across the road from the GPO , in O' Connell Street , for between sixty and ninty minutes , as Republican Sinn Féin Poblachtach held its Annual 'Eve Rally' , at which a 'state-of-play' address is given to the crowd.

Led by a Piper (from the Glens Of Antrim) , followed by representatives from Cumann na mBan and Na Fianna Éireann , those that had assembled at the Garden of Remembrance in Parnell Square fell-in behind an RSF Colour Party and marched down O'Connell Street to the GPO , where a small stage and lectern had been assembled.
The Chairperson , Andy Connolly , Dublin, welcomed those present and took a few minutes to explain to tourists and locals alike the reason why Irish Republicans continue to hold street rallies , to recruit , organise and 'steady' themselves - because of the on-going political situation in the North-East of this country, in part of which the British writ still holds and is being enforced ,
financially ,politically and militarily , despite the impression giving by the 'establishment' and the media , that 'we have moved on from all that...' : Andy stated that before we can 'move on' , Westminster will have to 'move out'!

A Speaker representing the 'Southern Contingent' [!](Cork), Lita Ni Chathmhaoil , outlined some of the history behind the decades-old 'Eve Rally' , mentioning Cork Republicans who had risen-up to challenge Westminster over its interference in this country and assured those listening that Irish Republicans from Cork will be out in support of their Republican colleagues next year , when a British 'queen' is due to grace us with her presence (!) , a theme also used by the Speaker representing the 'Northern Contingent' (County Down , one of the six occupied Irish counties), Fergal Moore , who , to loud applause, gave a guarantee that, win or lose at the match on Sunday, Irish Republicans will 'win out' in the end when it comes to the 'match' between them and the British and pro-British forces ranged against them , as they have, amongst other attributes, historical rights , natural justice and sheer perseverance in their 'armoury'.

The Chairperson asked the Piper to play a Lament for the Dead , following which he outlined the political position of Republican Sinn Féin Poblachtach , thanked Cumann na mBan ,Na Fianna Éireann , the RSF Colour Party , the two Speakers and the crowd for standing their ground against both the bad weather and the Political Police (who were being their normal intrusive selves) and asked all those present to stand to attention as the Piper played the National Anthem , bringing proceedings to a close.
We publish with this post six more photographs from today - please note that a full report and more photographs will be published in the October 2010 issue of 'SAOIRSE' , which goes to print on Wednesday the 6th of that month :

At the front of the crowd.

Lita Ni Chathmhaoil ,'Southern Contingent'(!)....

....and Fergal Moore , 'Northern Contingent' (!)

Cumann na mBan rep and RSF Colour Party.

Piper , RSF Colour Party and Cumann na mBan.

Piper and RSF Banner , Dublin 'EVE RALLY' , Saturday 18th September 2010.

Finally - this blog offers it congratulations to all who took part today in, once again , visibly and vocally bringing Republicanism on to the streets of Dublin : 'Well Done' to Republican Sinn Féin Poblachtach for keeping the Flag flying!
Thanks!
Sharon.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

AN EXPERIMENT IN JAMES STREET : THE DEATH OF NIALL RUSH.......
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1984.
By Derek Dunne.

At Burton Hall , Niall Rush received a deep intra-muscular injection of a slow-acting tranquilliser. The drug involved is intended as a slow release , and normally lasts two to four weeks. He went once a month for this treatment.

On his way back from Burton Hall later that afternoon , he called into the Institute of Clinical Pharmacology in James Street to see Joe Claffey who was undergoing a drug test and, from there , he went back into town by bus. He had borrowed one pound from a friend in Iona Road that morning to cover the bus fare out to Burton Hall and back. He rejoined his Spanish friends in Bowe's Pub , arriving there shortly before Shay O' Brien, at 5.10pm.

All the usual people were not there on account of the time , and also because it was a Monday. Niall drank about three pints of Heineken with his friends and at 7pm he left to get a bus to the ICP Clinic in the grounds of James Street Hospital . That day he was going in to complete the second phase of a two-part test - it was three weeks earlier , in early May 1984, that Niall had gone in for the first phase.......
(MORE LATER).

ANNUAL EVE OF ALL-IRELAND RALLY, SATURDAY 18th SEPTEMBER 2010.

" One of the largest public rallies seen in Dublin for years was held by Sinn Féin at the GPO on the eve of the All-Ireland Football Final . Headed by a Colour Party and a pipe band , a parade of more than 2,000 people marched from Parnell Square through the main city thoroughfare as a protest against the continued unjust imprisonment of Irishmen without charge or trial .
Contingents from all over the country took part and many carried banners and placards including groups from England and Scotland . In the Ulster section was a strong representation of the Derry supporters who thronged the capital city for the Final . One placard they carried asked - ' Why are Six-County Nationalists interned in the Curragh?' ....."
(From 'An tÉireannach Aontaithe/The United Irishman' newspaper , November 1958)

The Annual Eve Of All-Ireland Rally will be held this year on Saturday 18th September : those attending are asked to assemble at the Garden of Remembrance in Parnell Square at 1.45pm from where the parade will leave for the GPO .

Thanks!
Sharon.

Friday, September 10, 2010

REPUBLICAN SINN FÉIN PRESENT AT ARAS RUALACH JI / CE MEETING IN CLONDALKIN , DUBLIN ,THURSDAY 9th SEPTEMBER 2010.

Members of the local Maire Drumm / Kevin Barry Cumann of Republican Sinn Féin Poblachtach , Clondalkin , were present at the 'CEEDS' Open Day in Aras Rualach , Clondalkin , at which (some) local politicians were present - all local politicians were invited , but only John Curran (FF) , Paul Gogarty (Greens/Yellows) , Joanne Tuffy (Labour) and Derek Keating (FG) took up the offer , with Frances Fitzgerald (FG) noticable by her absence , having stated that she would be present.

Paul Gogarty and John Curran under questioning in Clondalkin on Thursday 9th September 2010.

A member of the local RSF Cumann - and a current JI employee - was asked to give an outline at the meeting on just how Community Sector (JI/CE) services have already been badly affected by the cutbacks , which he did, and he then highlighted how any extra cutbacks will almost definitely result in some of those services (ie employees in Community Centres , creches , local sporting organisations etc) closing altogether or being forced to scale back their opening hours and/or services offered , resulting in more suffering in the communities that depend on those services and more 'anti-social behaviour' on the part of those who were otherwise being kept occupied when those services were running properly.

That same speaker was recently interviewed (page 5) by a local newspaper regarding this issue , as part of an article dealing with proposed future cutbacks in the overall Community Sector workforce.

Paul Hansard (SIPTU) , Paul Gogarty and John Curran at the Aras Rualach 'Open Day' , Clondalkin, Dublin , 9th September 2010.

The State politicians present were , as expected , 'in agreement' with all those who spoke in favour of the work being done by JI and CE workers and who wanted , at the very least, an end to Community Sector cutbacks and previous cuts to be reversed , but it was not lost amongst those present that it is politicians like that who have presided over and/or 'signed-off' on previous cutbacks , a fact reflected in the questions put to and comments directed at the politicians in the room , resulting in a 'Stagg Moment' for Mr Gogarty , who had to be told that he was not in Leinster House and that his language was not necessary or acceptable.

This is the text of the letter of protest which an RSF representative handed to the politicians present -

Thursday , 9th September 2010.

RE - COMMUNITY SECTOR (JI / CE / SE) CUTBACKS .

The threatened closure of Community Sector-based jobs will be felt in Clondalkin more so than in any other part of the State , as there are more than 50 JI employees alone based in over 30 community organisations in the area. The types of projects supported range from football clubs, community centres, educational services and caring organisations. JI employees provide relevant and essential supports to their sponsor organisations such as childcare, caretaking, maintenance, security and administration/clerical roles and, were it not for the input of JI and CE staff , those projects would not function as they now do , if at all.
Considerable resources have been invested in community development as a means of understanding and responding to social exclusion and poverty in disadvantaged areas and amongst disadvantaged groups in the State.

The history of the Community Development Programme in particular is one of building up a social and economic infrastructure in the most deprived areas – involving the most disadvantaged in a process that allows for ongoing needs assessment and the development of appropriate and effective local responses to social exclusion and poverty issues.
It is easy enough to calculate this investment in financial terms. It is a bit more difficult to quantify the resources invested in terms of the thousands of volunteers and low-paid workers who have given their time and expertise to managing and delivering local projects, services and programmes. These thousand of hours prove excellent value for money and contribute hugely to the stabilisation of the local community structure by providing focus, services and responses where they are needed most.
It is deeply worrying to imagine the inevitable cost that will result if this whole infrastructure is dismantled - if the 'spaces' created for the most excluded to participate are closed down - and if all the volunteers and low-paid workers now involved in managing and delivering projects are told they are no longer required.

A good example of the position that JI workers , for instance , now find themselves in can be seen in the fact that , in 2007 , take-home pay (nett pay) averaged €423.86 cents per week whereas today , three years later , that figure is €425.96 cents - two Euro and ten cents more than they earned three years ago. Also , CE workers now earn 12 Euro less per week than they did in 2009.

The Leinster House administration has confirmed that the Community and Voluntary (C and V) sector will be the principal target for severe cuts in the forthcoming December 2010 State budget and, considering that in the time period to date ie between 2009 / 2010, the 'C and V' sector suffered headline cuts of 18% - 20% , it is obvious that these organisations have absorbed enough 'pain' , as these cuts were obtained through redundancies, 3 day weeks, pay cuts and service reductions.
They were not over-paid employees to start with , and they cannot afford to be made pay for the mistakes and incompetence of State politicians and their business friends.
Republican Sinn Féin Poblachtach in Clondalkin , and throughout this State , will continue to support the Community Sector workers as they face into even more undeserved vicious cutbacks.

Signed -
Matt Mullen (Chairperson)
Maire Drumm/Kevin Barry Cumann ,
Republican Sinn Féin Poblachtach ,
Clondalkin,
Dublin 22.

"JI / CE paying for the mistakes of the Fatcats...." : RSF protest , Clondalkin, 9th September 2010.

This blog congratulates the local community in Clondalkin for voicing its objection to the already imposed and future cutbacks , and for doing so directly to some of the politicians responsible , to the Management and Staff of CEEDS and Aras Rualach , to the local JI and CE workers who made sure they were represented at the meeting , and to Republican Sinn Féin Poblachtach for taking the time and making the effort to assist the local community.
In that sense it was a good day all round except , perhaps , for the politicians and especially Mr Gogarty , who got angry at the wrong people for the wrong reason.....
More comment and photographs here (post dated Friday 10th September 2010).
Thanks!
Sharon.

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

AN EXPERIMENT IN JAMES STREET : THE DEATH OF NIALL RUSH.
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1984.
By Derek Dunne.

It was coming up to eight o'clock on the morning of Monday May 28th. At 23 Iona Road , John Kennedy was on the point of leaving for work , making van deliveries across the city and into the country. Shortly before he left the house he went into Niall Rush's bedroom to call him. Niall mumbled something to John , fell back to sleep.

About two hours later , he was woken up by Shay O' Brien , a friend of his who called to the house. Shay went down to boil the kettle , make some tea. Niall and Shay sat in the kitchen , had tea and toast , and discussed what they were going to do over the long weekend coming up. Shay was going to Kerry , other people in the house were thinking about going to Donegal , but Niall was undecided. He still had five days to make up his mind. The next five days he planned to spend in the 'Institute of Clinical Pharmacology' in James Street , Dublin.

Around 11.30am , the two left the house to walk into town . Niall was expecting to meet some Spanish students in Bewleys Cafe and talked about going to Burton Hall in Stillorgan , Dublin , meeting Joe Claffey in White Cross Clinic on the way back and made an arrangement to meet Shay in Bowe's Pub in Fleet Street in the city centre at about 5pm.

He then headed-off for Burton Hall in Stillorgan.......
(MORE LATER).

THE PETER BERRY PAPERS....... The Top Secret Memoirs of Ireland's Most Powerful Civil Servant : Dirty Tricks, Election '69/ Spying on a Unionist Politician/ Keeping the (State) Taoiseach informed/ The Garda Fallon Murder/ Advice to Jack Lynch- 'Fire the pair of them...'/ Vivion De Valera's advice to O'Malley/ Rumours of a Coup D'Etat/ The Internment Plot, November 1970/ Secret Meeting with William Craig.
From 'MAGILL' magazine , June 1980.

Peter Berry was incensed by the failure of one of his former (State) Ministers , Brian Lenihan, to accept ministerial responsibility for a decision about the disposition of the Secret Service Fund which was to cause uproar in the Dail (Leinster House) in November 1968. He was also gravely disillusioned by the handling of the arms crisis, at all its stages and , finally, he was dismayed that the (State) Government failed to provide him with the recompense for his premature retirement , which he himself precipitated to ease the pressure on the Government over a kidnap plot which involved him.

Mr Berry's stature as a public servant is not in doubt. (State) President de Valera once referred to him as "an outstandingly fine person". Desmond O'Malley, when (State) Minister for Justice , repeatedly expressed his and the (State) Government's admiration and appreciation for his contribution to the State. In the Dail (Leinster House) on May 9th , 1970, Jack Lynch paid public tribute to his service. His original intention was to retire in January 1970 but he was prevailed upon to continue in office . He made known his fixed intention to retire in July 1970 and reiterated this when the kidnap plot was uncovered in November 1970 but, even then, Jack Lynch attempted to prevail on him not to go but Berry's disillusionment by then had run too deep.

While the narrative on the arms crisis is done in chronological order, his papers on his earlier career are diffused. He had only begun to work on this part of his life story when he died suddenly of a heart attack on December 14th, 1978.......
(MORE LATER).

'LANDLORD' ISSUE TO INCREASE ELECTRICITY PRICES IN 26-COUNTY STATE ?

The main supplier of electricity to houses and business premises in this State , the 'ESB', may soon be increasing its prices - apart from this already-announced 1st October 2010 increase - due to its own administrative incompetence in relation to where its approximate 50,000 substations are built.

Most , if not all, of those substations are built on land not 'owned' by the ESB - five such parcels of land with ESB substations on them are 'owned' by a firm of Dublin solicitors who recently found themselves in the State Circuit Court to answer a case brought against them regarding rent issues by the ESB .

As far as this blog understands ,the ESB took the case in order to , as it thought , 'clear the air' regarding it having to pay rent to the 'owners' for the land or , if instructed by those 'owners' to do so , that it would not be legally obliged to remove its equipment from that parcel of land - if the ESB had got a 'ruling' to that affect it could have used same as a precedent in case any of the 'owners' of the other approximate 50,000 parcels of land got 'uppity' re not having the use of , or proper access to , 'their' land.

The ESB , a semi-State organisation, attempted, we believe, to use 'the Landlords and Tenants Act' to obtain a ruling that it did not 'owe rent' for the land and that it could not be placed under an obligation to remove the substation structure/building if told by the 'owners' to do so - but it lost the case.

The State Court decided that the ESB substation should be classed as 'machinery' which was , in this instance, (stored/kept/housed ?) on land on which rent could be charged , if the 'owners' so decided or , again, depending on the 'owners' - land which could be cleared of that which presently occupies it. The owners of that parcel of land have since begun legal cases in relation to the other ESB substation-landparcels it also 'owns'.

This blog believes that the ESB has appealed to the State High Court in relation to that State Circuit Court decision and we have been told by a 'Legal Eagle' friend of ours that the 'landowners' ".....appear to be on safe ground.." (pardon the pun!) re any 'pay rent/vacate the site' instruction from the 'landowners' : if our friend is correct , and the State High Court supports the decision made by the State Circuit Court , then the ESB will either have to pay rent (and 'back money' ?) on possibly all fifty-odd thousand sites or move its equipment - either way , it's more than likely that the expense incurred by either option will not be paid for out of whatever savings or profits it has ; instead , that cost will be borne by its customers.

If we hear more - before or after your next ESB bill arrives in the post - we'll let you know.......

AND FINALLY.......

.......two Republican events taking place this Sunday , 12th September 2010 ,and one postponed event.....

a 1798 Remembrance Day will be held at the Fordtown Memorial Site in County Meath ; those attending are asked to assemble in Fordtown at 3pm. More information regarding this Commemoration can be had by 'phoning 086-7326922.

Republican Sinn Féin in Dublin will be holding one of these in a Dublin hotel - over 600 tickets have been sold already , and about 50 more will be sold between now and Sunday 12th September next.

Due to a double-booking in the 79'r Pub in Ballyfermot , Dublin , the advertised Ballad Session which was to be held on Saturday 25th September 2010 has been postponed untill Saturday 16th October 2010 ; other than the change of date , all details are as were ie group , admission price , raffle etc.

....AND one event to be held on Monday 13th September 2010 -

The Annual Bobby Sands Lecture will be held on that Monday at 7pm in Wynns Hotel , Abbey Street , in Dublin , at which the main address will be delivered by Republican Sinn Féin Poblachtach President , Des Dalton. All Welcome , no admission charge.
Thanks!
Sharon.