tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900687574143803352024-03-13T16:55:24.523-07:00Laochra Uladh A salute to Ireland's patriots from the "Border Campaign" era.Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.comBlogger168125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-86755359731886993712021-11-29T08:21:00.000-08:002021-11-29T08:21:10.994-08:00"Sinn Fein Tell How They Would Run the Country"- 1957<p> In an interview with the Irish Times, Paddy McLogan addresses Sinn Fein's political program. </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Irish Times, February 8, 1957 (Page 20) </span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWEZI5IO96A0rdm1OqP7YApZYhVd3XY_RgwNoxU-MzNzM-cIrNHgrFvzI5SrpRwPRlIen3vam5PPUuCEHzMaB6yw5fdSgslmZhqF5eDB7Th9u5Ri-QskQfGrYc-ApgPvfKD0C4a-R2lw/s2048/mclogan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1852" data-original-width="2048" height="579" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWEZI5IO96A0rdm1OqP7YApZYhVd3XY_RgwNoxU-MzNzM-cIrNHgrFvzI5SrpRwPRlIen3vam5PPUuCEHzMaB6yw5fdSgslmZhqF5eDB7Th9u5Ri-QskQfGrYc-ApgPvfKD0C4a-R2lw/w640-h579/mclogan.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-63031925271410023302021-03-15T14:51:00.000-07:002021-03-15T14:51:33.357-07:00Books by Uinseann MacEoin - Now Online<p><br /></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span></span></i></p><blockquote><i><span> </span>Republicans have the most adventurous stories to tell; what tales must exist
about the present epoch! They should be got down; they should not be lost.</i></blockquote><p></p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><i></i></p><blockquote><i>- Uinseann MacEoin</i></blockquote><p></p></blockquote><p> </p><div style="text-align: left;">Uinseann MacEoin's books are gold for Irish republican historians and history lovers; detailed with invaluable first hand accounts, they are hard to find and expensive when they can be found. <i>Survivors </i>consisted of interviews with those survivors of the Irish Revolution and Civil War who were still alive in the 1970's and 80s. <i>Harry </i>told the saga of Harry White, Chief of Staff during the 1940's who spent most of his time on the run. His magnum opus was<i> The IRA in the Twilight Years,</i> a collection of over 30 accounts by IRA veterans of the time between the end of the Civil War and 1948. The latter two are perhaps the primary sources for information on republican activity during that period.<br /> The Bureau of Military History recently added PDFs of all three books, which can now be accessed at the links below: </div><p><a href="https://www.militaryarchives.ie/en/digital-resources/uinseann-maceoin-publications">https://www.militaryarchives.ie/en/digital-resources/uinseann-maceoin-publications</a> </p><p><a href="https://www.militaryarchives.ie/fileadmin/user_upload/Harry_uinseann_mac_eoin.pdf">Harry</a></p><p><a href="https://www.militaryarchives.ie/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/Survivors_-_Uinseann_Mac_Eoin_compressed-x.pdf">Survivors</a><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.militaryarchives.ie/fileadmin/user_upload/The_IRA_in_the_Twilight_Years_1923_to_1948_Uinseann_Mac_Eoin-compressed.pdf">Twilight Years</a><br /></p><p>There is also an excellent biography of MacEoin himself and his work for Dublin which you can read <a href="https://comeheretome.com/2017/09/07/uinseann-maceoin-a-tireless-fighter-for-dublin/">here</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-90256931789519510172021-03-12T12:15:00.001-08:002021-03-12T12:15:34.935-08:00Belfast and Dublin in the 30's by Bob Bradshaw<p> (Originally published in the Irish Times, March 13 &14 1969, and July 9th 1970. Retrieved from https://www.irishtimes.com/archive. No copyright infringement is intended.)</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">BELFAST IN THE 30’s</span></h2><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Irish Times Thursday, March 13th 1969 </span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">By Bob Bradshaw</h3>
<p class="MsoNormal">IT IS MOSTLY FORGOTTEN NOWADAYS THAT WITHIN LIVING MEMORY
FIERCE RIOTS OCCURRED IN BELFAST WHICH WERE NON_SECTARIAN, ECONOMIC IN ORIGIN,
AND WHICH INVOLVED BOTH PROTESTANTS AND CATHOLICS IN CITY-WIDE STRUGGLES WITH
THE RUC.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>PART ONE</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />
The first of these riots occurred in 1931-1932 and the first cause was the high
unemployment in the city. While naturally this was much higher amongst the
minority third of the population it was also very bad in such areas as Shankill
and Sandy Row. Unemployment was endemic in the ‘30’s, but in ’31 the shock
waves from the great American crash had rippled across the Atlantic, making a
hopeless situation desperate. Discontent in the city rose to revolutionary
dimensions and in the great Belfast fitting-shops, the Queen’s island, and the
densely populated labour exchanges, Socialist and Communist opinions were easy
to hear. (I worked in the fitting shops and was also on the dole at periods.)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “dole” as
unemployment benefit was called, was dependent on stamps paid for when working;
when the stamps were exhausted the unemployed were left to their own devices.
But the very large numbers who were without stamps forced the government to do
something for discontent was clearly not far from violence. A system of outdoor
relief was set up, whose salient features were that the dole-less unemployed
should do a hard week’s navvying on the roads for a mere pittance- 25s. and 30s
a week and even less. In accordance with the enlightened economic views of the
day, as far as possible this work had to be useless- otherwise it might
interfere with private profit. Famine follies were another example. Maynard
Keynes had already published the theories which showed the nonsense of such
attitudes; but in Unionist (synonymous with capitalist) Belfast such views were
hated even more viciously than textual deviations from the Holy Book. They were
not, of course, popular with the rest of the country either. About the beginning
of 1933 Keynes gave a public lecture at Abbey Theatre and a very well known
Dublin economics lecturer was heard to say, leaving the building, that “very
dangerous nonsense” had been uttered there that night.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>UNEMPLOYED “STRIKE”</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Outdoor relief
worked for a little while but by the end of ’31 the relief workers were setting
up committees and organizing rapidly. After a few incidents in very bad
weather, which involved the downing of picks and shovels, a city wide strike
was proclaimed. It was the only “strike” of the unemployed that I have ever
heard of.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the day of
the strike I went down town in the morning to see what was to happen. It was
about half-past ten when I reached the half-way point down the Falls road and
found that things were already happening. The street paving stones were being
dug up, the traditional source of ammunition for street-fighting Belfast. Rough
barricades were going up. A few small groups of RUC men, armed with rifles, and
revolvers, peered around corners. Small groups of men, some with pick handles,
some parrying paving stones, rushed around looking for something to attack.
When they got hold of a street tram they threw it on its side and set it on
fire. If they saw armed police they rushed straight at them hurling their
stones. In nearly all cases the police retreated, looking quite frightened,
sometimes firing a few shots but mostly just pointing their rifles at the
charging men, obviously expecting them to stop or run. In most cases the men
pressed home their attack and it was the police who ran. However, they were
from the local barracks, mostly Catholic, and some were old RIC men from the
South of Ireland. They didn’t want to shoot anybody really, and know, too, that
when the riots were over they would still have to patrol these narrow streets
where dark-night revenge on over-enthusiastic policemen was far from unknown. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>IRA INACTICE</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was a very active member of the IRA, although still in my
teens. The views of the IRA at that time in Belfast were fairly far to the Left
and I couldn’t understand why the organization had given no instructions to
members, and seemed to be taking it no part in what seemed like a revolutionary
situation. However, I considered it a duty to rush around with the gangs of
men, sometimes giving them instructions, although many were twice my age and
old hands at rioting- most of that generation were. Sometimes they listened to
me and afterwards I realized that this was probably because I was wearing the
tricolor emblem of an illegal organization which most of them would recognize. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One incident I
remember sharply. Running our of the falls road near the public baths, I found
about ten men , some with weapons, holding am idle aged man against a wall
shouting that he was a police spy and should be killed or beaten- in practice
there would not be much difference. I leapt in front of him before the blows
could land, for he did not look like a police spy to me and I knew enough about
mobs to distrust that kind of cry. He cowered behind me screaming in perfectly
justified panic, for there was nothing in sight but a burning tram. The local
police had made off to safer areas. Instead of pleading with them I just
ordered them to leave him alone. Much to my surprise, they fell silent and then
moved off. This convinced me I had the “Daniel O’Connell touch” but of course
it was my metal button which some of them would have recognized. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By afternoon news
of rioting in the Unionist areas had drifted in. “B” Specials were now arriving
in the nationalist areas and now the bullets were finding targets. By the
following morning, over twenty had been wounded and, I think, five shot dead-
all in nationalist areas. I immediately left the Falls road and rushed off to
Royal avenue to which, I had been told, a crowd of Shankill road strikers had
marched. It says something for the different atmosphere of those days that it
never occurred to me to remove my tricolor button, the insignia of a proscribed
and armed organization. I saw no reason why Loyalists should not riot with me
in what I naively hoped was the first stage in a Socialist revolution. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>THE SHANKILL ROAD</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I reached Royal
Avenue a fairly large crowd of Shankill road strikers were there milling around
and looking angry but not very active. After looking at them for a while I
picked a tall athletic looking young man with a long, rather handsome and very
angry face. “Any fighting?” I said. He looked disgusted and jerked a thumb at
the mob. “That gutless lot won’t fight,” he said. This was my chance. “Why
don’t you go to Falls road,” I said, watching him. “Why,” he said, “Is there
trouble there?” “They have been fighting all day and many people have been
shot,” I said.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While we spoke
his eye fell on my lapel button. For at least half a minute we stared at each
other without speaking and his face clearly showed his changing emotions-
ancestral dislike for tricolors and Fenians slowly changing to friendliness as
he realized this particular Fenian spoke his language and that we were both in
something a bit more important than the religious squabbles of our native city
and attempting to deal with forces not likely to respond to placatory speeches.
Our long eye-lock broke. “If that’s where the fighting is, that’s the place for
me,” he said. He shouted to a couple of his mates and the three of them
disappeared in the direction of the Falls road at the run.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I moved around and
tried the same tactic again, but did not have the same success. It was getting
late, and it was clear the moment had passed in this area with this crowd.
After half an hour I started off for Falls road again. It was beginning to
darken by the time I reached it. A few armoured lorries prowled cautiously with
very nervous looking policemen holding their rifles at the ready, sticking to
the main road and keeping their guns pointed down the small streets. In this
area the strikers know their business. They had cut off all the street lighting
and trenched all the main streets leading into the area, bounded by the falls
and Grosvenor roads. One armored car poked into the darkness and ran into a
trench. The crew jumped out and ran hastily back to the safer main road. The area
was held that night by the strikers with no trouble from the police. In the
fighting ten years before, many Tans and policemen died in the very area. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been
surprised, and indeed elated, at the extreme caution and nervousness that the
well armed and protected policemen were showing. I spent all my spare time
learning the use of arms and explosive for what I believed would shortly be a
head-on clash with just these forces. This belief turned out to be false, but I
did not know that then. If the police were so worried about paving stones, how
would they behave under fire? OF course this optimism on my part was not
justified, but I was a teenager and knew less about such matters than I
thought. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next morning I
went out early for the papers, as I hoped to read accounts of Shankill and
Sandy row rioting on much the same scale as in the Nationalist areas. There had
been rioting in Shankill but on a small scale, and of course nobody dead from
rifle fire as in the “rebel” areas, a disappointment. This callousness about
casualties is repellant in our far more compassionate time, but in the ‘30’s
people died in large numbers from actual starvation. All, except a few, existed
in a sea of malnutrition. Women worried seven days a week about food for their
children. Sickness in the family was a disaster, and very often untended
medically for want of money- unemployment was a Grey Death less dramatic than
the Red or Black Death of the Middle Ages. But if it took fewer lives, a matter
of doubt, it made the lives of far larger numbers of people not worth living.
Most of the young men with whom I associated talked about these matters and
preferred revolution to their continuance, and the twenty odd who took the
bullet were not uselessly sacrificed. An amelioration did take place. The harsh
theological capitalism of Belfast began to learn a lesson, in profit and loss,
that took a decade or two to sink in. In the end they learned it better than
some of their counter-parts in the south. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>“B” SPECIALS</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next Day there was
some mild rioting but by the afternoon all was over. On the fourth day police
and armed “B” Specials were in the area in force. They seized adults and youths
wherever they could find them and made them start to clean up and repair the
littered streets. A squad of “B’s” got hold of me just off the Falls road. I
might have escaped, as I looked about 15, but they spotted the seditious emblem
I still stupidly wore.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With rifles
fronted, they ordered me to get busy. I stood still and said nothing but “no”.
One, somewhat drunk and flushed with anger, put his rifle muzzle in the middle
of my chest and having put a round in the breech, began to pull the cocking piece
back and forth. I knew how dangerous this was, for one night in a small room a
few doors from the ancestral pub of one of our former 26 County Government
ministers (also noted for his theological brand of capitalism and patriotism)
one of our instructors had started to pull back the cocking piece on a rifle,
that, for lack of room, had to be pushed against my chest. As he dripped the
small oily plunging cocking piece he suddenly shouted for me to move. This was
difficult as the room was crowded. I had scarcely got out of the way when the
cocking-piece slipped and the heavy service bullet plunged into the wall where
my chest had been ten seconds earlier.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the drunken
“B” pulled the cocking piece for the second time I realized that death was perhaps
seconds away. The obvious remedy, to kneel down and put back a few paving
stones until the band moved on a bit, was not even considered. A fanatical
hatred of Specials made it unthinkable. The Special gave a third angry order. I
knew he had nothing to fear from authority if there was an “accident.” As we
looked at each other a mill whistle was blowing, the mill gates opened, a
hundred mill girls, “doffers,” hurled through the gates in a phalanx as they
did every day. They took in the situation in a flash for they all lived nearby.
They hurled themselves straight at the Specials, screaming and pushing. In
seconds there was a wall of them between the Specials and myself. How it ended
I do not know for I was around the corner and away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shortly afterwards the same group of
“doffers” soundly beat myself and a couple of friends for distributing
republican propaganda at one of “Wee Joe” Devlin’s meetings. In my case they
had earned the right, but they broke their banner poles on us. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <b>THE DEVLINITES</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Wee Joe’s”
supporters were not republican, and we tended to despise them as being, among
other things, sectarian. My father was a loyal Devlinite, and had got himself,
in a fighting capacity, to places like Spion Kop, Magersfonstein, and the Tugela
River, fighting on what separatist Ireland has always regarded as the wrong
side, but which the slow wheel of time has made look remarkably like the right
side. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When all was
over I asked the Battalion Adjutant why an organization drilling and arming for
revolution had ignored what seemed to be the textbook situation for the start
of a revolt. He said that the Battalion Staff had met and considered the matter
and decided that the participation of the IRA would be immediately know, as it
was not a stone-throwing organization, and returning the fire of the B Specials
with Mausers and Lugers, which constituted a large part of its armament would
amount to a proclamation of intent. This would have split the strikers along
the old lines of sectarian demarcation. When left to themselves, they might
have forged a new unity. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The argument had
some force as the events of the following year showed. But his regretful one
showed he had some doubts and I shared them. I knew that it was from Protestant
journey-men in the great Belfast textile fitting shops, then still the greatest
in the world as streams of German and Japanese students showed, that I had
first learnt that there were men in the world who did not believe that the
hunger, squalor, and futility which darkened the lives of almost everyone knew was
heaven-ordained and reducible only by prayer.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>SOCIALISM </b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of them was
called Billy Hall, who hoped to be a Methodist Minister. By my standards at the
time he was a well read man and spoke earnestly about the evils of capitalism
and about Keir Hardie. He told me about socialism before I read Connolly, and
when I did read Connolly I did so by getting his work from a Public Library on
the Upper Shankill road where King Billy beamed nobly from every wall. When I
presented my ticket and made my request, the librarian glared savagely at me
and said they did not have them. His glare made it clear he knew what he was
being asked for. I said I thought it was usual for libraries to procure for
students any kind of nook of a serious nature which they required. He glared
again, then said “Come back in a fortnight,” which I did and received my
Connolly. I never had the opportunity to show it to Billy Hall, although if my
memory is not playing tricks, he mentioned Connolly to me and said he was a
good man, great praise from a fundamentally Loyalist, putative Methodist
preacher who sometimes talked of founding a chapel, for a very disloyal Fenian.
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">PART TWO - THE HAVES AND HAVE NOTS</h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Irish Times Friday, March 14th 1969 </span></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal">THE NEXT YEAR (1933) a transport strike brought all heavy
transport to a stop and a very tense situation arose in the city. The bulk of
the strikers were of course Loyalist and Protestant, but when the railways and
lorry services recruited strikebreakers some violence occurred. Strikebreakers
were attacked by loyalist strikers. At that time, everywhere tended to
violence. World Capitalism was in chaos, and local conditions in Northern
Ireland accentuated the Great Slump. The contraction in Belfast engineering,
partly due to the know-how they dispensed generously to German and Japanese
engineers, had begun and still goes on. I saw these engineers myself in the big
engineering works standing, notebooks in hand, from eight in the morning to
five-thirty in the evening, hardly speaking to anyone, watching all day and
making sketches. They were treated with humorous contempt, if noticed at all,
and nobody guessed how quickly they would be making the stuff themselves.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether the large
number of unemployed was due to general conditions or, as was widely believed
by workers and tradesmen in Belfast at the time, it was the result of a
shortsighted policy by Belfast employers, who knew that a large pool of
unemployed men had a strongly depressing effect on wages, is now irrelevant.
What is certain is that the strikes and the violence arose spontaneously as a
result of living conditions so harsh as to be unimaginable to the young workers
of today. Protestant workmen in a place like Belfast, where Protestantism and
unionism automatically commanded a degree of caste benefit, would not have been
striking and rioting at all had it been otherwise. And underneath it all, the
unemployed, straight from Gorki’s “Lower Depths.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Drinking Ideal<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What would the IRA
do? To me, it was the organization that would either perish fighting in the
streets or end all this by establishing the republic that would cherish all her
children equally. Dream of fairytale, this was the notion that in that time and
place gave the illegal and left wing organizations in the north their passion
and driving force. To a considerable extent what would happen would depend on
M., for the titular head of the four Belfast companies was in jail serving a
three-year sentence for an arms raid. I was now a year older, but still a
teenager, and, though I held some exalted rank or other in the companies, I was
not privy to decisions of the Battalion Council, though I knew its members well
enough to discuss such matters with them.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">M. Worried me. If this second opportunity, as it seemed to
me, were to pass, why did we spend all our leisure in little rooms in the
winter, out in the fields in summer, learning all we could about arms and
explosives? Better to stop it and concentrate on political activities, to which
most of us were not necessarily adverse. We chose the IRA because we had seen
absolutely nothing from the electioneering of “Wee Joe” and other
parliamentarians except talk. At the moment, talk is proving a decisive weapon
in Northern Ireland, as it should in any free society, but what could talk
achieve in the far more ruthless North of that far-off day, untouched by the
more humane and democratic views which have altered the climate in Western
Europe- including Northern Ireland- in spite of Paisely and Bunting. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>M. was a worry
simply because he was a devout Catholic and in strict logic it might be argued
he should not have been in the IRA at all, much less trying to change a strike
into a revolution. It is necessary to remind to-day’s readers that in that time
Catholic clerics in Belfast ranted against Socialism and the “agitators” who
brought it about. Between the ages of 13 and 16 years, at Confraternity
meetings on Monday evenings and sometimes on Wednesday, I listened to
outrageous ignoramuses togged out in clerical garb thump the pulpit and
denounce the “socialist agitators” who were the cause of all this unrest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a series of Monday night lectures, the
Director of Confraternity proved conclusively that no Government could
nationalize any large industry, quoting tonnage, numbers employed, etc, and
other statistics to show, not the immorality of the proceedings but their total
impossibility. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That capitalist
governments were busy doing it had escaped his unskibbereen eyes, e.g. Lloyd
George had nationalized the huge British munitions industry during the First
World War. In a war where the gun was still the Queen of Battle, the British
army had entered the Marne able to fire on four rounds a day per gun. There had
been an error in probably profitability by private enterprise in the production
of shells.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>REAL DANGER</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">SO the priests ranted on, unaware of the real crisis of
conscience on the part of their flock. M. was the kind of man they should have
been concerned with, but in spite of such a major aid to psychological
knowledge as the confessional, they did not seem to know he existed. M. was, in
his personal life, about as Christian as could be expected of anybody brought
up in his terrible circumstances. Given the choice between death at the stake
and abjuration of his faith, nobody who knew him would doubt the result. But
the savage experiences of his life forced him to ignore the rantings of the
Belfast Priests. Yet if “agitators,” that portmanteau word, had anything to do
with getting me into the IRA at a very early age, then, irrevocably Catholic
men like M. were “agitators.” The real “agitators” were the barbarous
circumstances of our lives. The people who knew least about this were not the
wicked capitalist owners of the great shipyards and fitting shops, but the clergy.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Considering how
strong the Catholic faith of a man like M. was, there was reason for a
congenial agnostic like myself to worry when it was a question of committing an
organization to a strike in such a way that men might soon die. For if the
priests ceaselessly condemned the IRA, which they certainly did, their
condemnation of social revolutionaries was of a kind that only the serum
developed by Pasteur could have been expected to combat. Yet the same ranting
director of Confraternity had, about 1929, told us how glad he was that in Mexico
the Pope had called on the people to rise in arms, he stressed “IN ARMS” in a
shouting voice, against the wicked socialist government then supposed to be
ruling th county. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This may seem
funny at a time when the Catholic Left has leap-frogged far ahead of the
Communist Party, not scorned by the more embullient of the New Christians as
square and conservative. Certainly one would have to strain one’s ears to hear
any denunciations of Socialism in that quarter these days, then not even
fornication had a higher decibel count in the pulpit, and was not considered a
more certain bringer of eternal fire and brimstone. Of course it is very
“bigoted” to recall all that now. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>INTO ACTION</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A day or two after the violence had been inflicted on
strike-breakers by protestant strikers, M. told me we were “in”. The first
operation, mild enough, but carried out by armed squads, was the cutting down
of telegraph poles. IRA activities were to be limited to see if Unionist
Workers would go along; if they did, participation would be all-out. In the next
couple of weeks activities grew in scope; demolition squads attacked the Great
Northern Railway at far-flung points. Lisburn, for instance, seven miles from
Belfast. This tactic may have been intended to give the impression that arms
and explosives were being used by the same loyalists who had been beaten by the
strikebreakers, but all it achieved was to put the operating squads, usually three
or four men, in extreme peril of their lives without deceiving the Northern
Government for two seconds. B Specials and RUC, all heavily armed, ceaselessly
patrolled the railways and all goods moved in great convoys under armed guard.
IRA squads escaped death by minutes. On one occasion a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>three-man and one-woman squad returning from
a fairly successful demolition effort many miles outside Belfast saw the
heavily-armed barricades thrown up 150 yards in the rear of their small,
speeding car.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their revolvers
and automatics were kept under the bed of the elderly maiden aunt of one of the
car occupants. She always prayed loudly and blessed herself when her nephew
rushed into the room and began dragging out guns. On that night the operation
had run into trouble in its early stages, as the area selected for planting a
large mine was heavily patrolled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Late
at night, her mud-stained and disheveled nephew staggered into her room and began
shoving half a dozen guns under her bed. Her praying that night rose to a loud
wail that threatened to wake the whole house. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, a
heavily guarded convoy of lorries leaving the Great Northern Station in central
Belfast was ambushed. The RUC guard returned fire and in a ten-minute gun
battle a policeman was shot dead. The Belfast papers carried head-lines about “gunmen
imported from Eire” but this was a bit like the priests and their agitators- it
was a local job.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">EARLY BEHAN</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Republican life in Dublin of the 30’s and 40’s</h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Irish Times, </o:p>Thursday, July 9, 1970</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>AT THE BEGINNING</b> of 1933, for reasons outside my control I
came to live in Dublin. My first night was spent in a hotel in Parnell square,
and next morning I had my first view of the Gate Theatre known only to me by my
odd reading of the theatre reviews in the Dublin papers- as a result of which
all I knew of the cultural life of Dublin was that there was a painter called
Harry Kernoff, and a very exciting theatre called the Gate, where two people
named MacLiammoir and Edwards made some kind of magic that my own harsh and
embattled city seemed to have none of. I was in my late teens. I knew a lot of
political stuff as well: ’16, Hamman Hotel, Four Courts, etc. By my first
surprise was my excitement at seeing the fabulous Gate Theatre through a front
window of the hotel. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next day two
women well known in the Republican movement of those days took me to a large
house in Elgin road, and afterwards to a house that I was told would be safe
and friendly, one of my earliest experiences of a major understatement. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The house was
occupied by an old lady in her late 60’s named Furlong, who became a permanent
influence on me, and still gives the sieve of memory a shake when I think about
her as I frequently do.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was from Co.
Meath, a type of Irish woman whose presence over many generations explained
much about the tenacious survival of ideas associated with Irish history, and
the men who on one level or another tried to make the ideas a reality. Warm and
generous in her ways and manner, she was tolerant towards those who did not
share her fervent belief in the IRA and accepted, as I did not then, that there
was more than one kind of Republican and therefore, more than one kind of
truth.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one occasion
she asked me for a small subscription for political opponents who would
certainly have put me in jail if they knew enough about my activities. We
argued and she slowly explained that political opponents were often good people
who just saw things differently and were not necessarily dishonest . . .a very
un-Irish view. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such views were not
common in a movement whose emotional intensity made it comparable to say, the
Spanish anarchists, and in which personality distortion was far from uncommon
due to historical torque.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He son, Jack, had
been a ’16 man who died shortly after release from internment. His widow,
Kathleen, had married Stephen Behan and they took a Georgian house in nearby
Russell street. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>STRAY IRA MEN</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The house, close
to Mountjoy square, had around it some of the finest Georgian doorways in
existence, which were falling into ruin. The big basement kitchen, made into a
living room, often housed an unusual collection of people. . . three or four
wanted men, eccentrics like Captain Pat Fox of the Citizen Army, called by
Connolly “The Impossible Man,” who threw a priest through a hedge for pulling
Parnell’s flag off his house, plus stray IRA men with curious and varied
histories. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day, about
the end of 1933, Emily, Mrs Furlong’s daughter, a music teacher, said she
specifically wanted us to meet her little nephew Brendan and would bring him
next morning. Although some of us were still late teenagers, or just out of
that age, we were sufficiently precocious in certain forms of experience to
regard ourselves as elders of the Republican Church, and understood that for
the young nephew meeting us would be part of his education. It turned out to be
part of ours. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember
looking at the very bright faced boy in short pants who trotted through the
door at Emily’s skirts. He stopped with his back to the window and burst at
once into a speech, possibly prepared, about O’Casey, Shaw and Wilde, with
quotations. He had a ferocious stammer which sometimes brought him to a halt,
but he persevered and finished his speech. The moment he did so he said goodbye
politely and vanished out the door leaving us a bit silent and with the feeling
we were at the wrong end of a little bit of unconscious iconoclasm.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emily beamed
pridefully back from the door and said: “and he’s only nine.” I had seen one
O’Casey play (thanks to Mad Pat Fox who kept a box at the Olympia) and read a
little Shaw, and knew the anmes of Wilde’s plays. It was at least six months
later that I bought an anthology of Wilde, just published. When young Brendan
made his comments I would have been much more authoritative abiout the inside
of a Mills bomb. The little boy came to see us now and again and made good use
of his eyes. When the Furlongs went to Clontarf we went with them and nearly 20
years later in Fitzwilliam place, in the “catacombs”, he told the equally
curious but much more varied clientele, stories about stealing into my room in
his “Granny’s” and sampling the contents. . . handbooks on machine-guns
including the Thompson, then as much a favourite with the IRA as with the
Chicago gangsters; military manual, Marx, the English edition of “Mein Kampf”,
and the work of Nicolai Berdyaev, a Russian writer of the spiritual Right, then
much in the news, plus a load of Communist, anarchist, and pacifist literature
to take up any vacant space. . .a real ‘30’s bag.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NEAR ZENITH</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This period, about the end of the ‘40’s, was near zenith in
Brendan’s young energy, power to amuse, dance to sing, tell stories, mimic, and
begin the famous take-offs- DH Lawrence, Toulouse Lautrec- which flagged not
from pub-shut until dawn. Later when the terrible syndrome of disease, drink
and publicity had made him into a megalomaniac hulk, streeling through the pubs
looking for rows and ructions, this kind of quality and largely disappeared. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he did not
make up stories about old Mrs. Furlong, nor use of her bantering tone natural
to him when talking about relations. When she was mentioned, at any rate by me,
he tended to grow serious and a bit silent. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the mid-30’s
when Brendan could not have been much more than 14, a small prophetic incident
occurred. I was alone one evening when Brendan came in looking agitated. He was
big and precocious and I always talked to him as an adult. He was insistent
that I go out beyond Donnycarney to hear some records which he said were part
of a very interesting collection belonging to a friend of his. I had other
things to think about, but I was a gramophone maniac at the time, as Brendan
well knew. He almost used force getting me to the bus. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first two
records were very good and I began to be glad he had dragged me away. However,
while the records were playing, Brendan called the host out to the kitchen and
I was left alone. After four or five records he rushed outside the house and I
could hear the sound of vomiting. The host who had followed him, came back and
said: “he’s drunk.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that time
anyway, this was highly unusual in one so young and it rushed on me that my
being there at all was part of a ploy by Brendan to get more drink. He had been
drinking before he called for me. It was my first experience of a new force in
Brendan’s life and the deviousness to which it would often drive him</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being landlady to
IRA men was an occupation with a built-in path to bankruptcy. A few of us who
were more or less full time with the IRA and could not live at home received I
pound, or sometime 25/- per week. . . though not when down the country on
training trips or when part-time work could be found. Mrs. Furlong insisted on
giving us back five shillings if she had not fed us as well as she might have
managed. . . or not kept our beds empty when we went on extended trips down the
country. To have taken in real “payers” would have endangered the wandering
patriots, so the bad money drove out the good, and economic breakdown sent Mrs.
Furlong to live in an English city. One evening in the early days of the war, Brendan
called to me as I was passing Nelson’s Pillar. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was not
almost 16, and told me he was leaving for England that night and would stay
with Mrs. Furlong. The bombing campaign in England was underway and Brendan was
on a mission. I pointed out that the Furlong house was pretty sure to be under
observation and that arrest was certain. He said curtly that he was “going
anyway.” </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had been raised to believe that not to
go to jail for Ireland was something of a disgrace- execution of course, being
better. He sailed that evening, and whether he laid that particular train or
was just caught up in it when the fuse had been lit. In ten days or so the
journey to Borstal had begun, followed by the writing of “Borstal Boy,” perhaps
the best jail journal there is.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>FURLONGS SENTENCED</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the age of 77, old Mrs Furlong was sentenced to seven
years imprisonment. Her daughters Emily and Evelun receiving five and three
years respectively. As far as I knew her only statement in court was the one
with which the Fenian prisoners were apt to greet sentence: “God Save Ireland.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Towards the end of
the war she was found to be dying and was hurriedly put aboard the same ship on
which young Brendan had sailed years before, and landed back on the Liffey
where the journey had begin. She walked up along the Liffey for the last time and collapsed on O’Connell Bridge. Later, Emily, then released, told me that
another daughter, living in Castleknock, on her way to the bus saw a crowd on O’Connell
Bridge and went to have a look. She found her mother lying on the ground. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During much of
this time my relations with Brendan were a bit like the two figures on an
old-fashioned weather vane. When he was “in” I was “out,” and vice versa. I was
out in the middle of 1943 when Brendan was doing 14 years for firing at armed
policemen. One morning I received a copy of his first play, the Landlady, by
post. I read the play and wrote to him about it and received from him a very
long, discursive and amusing letter, now in New York University. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Women like Mrs.
Furlong must have been plentiful in Ireland for hundreds of years and the host
of outlaws, Rapparees, and wanted men who crowd the near, middle, and far
distance of the Irish historical Landscape must have owed much to them, The hard
revolutionary world of the 30’s, beginning for Brendan, was the end for Mrs.
Furlong. That world has vanished, and they have too, but they are two people I find
it very hard to forget.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-59412803207616066172021-03-09T11:53:00.134-08:002021-04-09T07:41:36.675-07:00Dan Moore <p><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">"'Man's dearest possession', said Mayakovski, "is life"</div><div style="text-align: center;">Alive or dead, that life and its style</div><div style="text-align: center;">May only be lived for man's fellow man</div><div style="text-align: center;">If the living of it is to be worthwhile."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>- Dominic Behan, "Bas, Fas, Blas"</i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><b>DAN MOORE</b></p><p> Dan was born in 1939 to a family of ten children on the outskirts Newry. He joined the Fianna in the 50’s. Shortly after graduating to the IRA in 1957, he was arrested while posting manifestos around Newry <a href="http://laochrauladh.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-newry-curfew-making-war-on-rebellion.html">(click here to read the story and background)</a> He was sent to the juvenile wing of Crumlin Road Gaol for 12 months, and when his sentence was up he was interned. He recounted some memories of prison life for the Newry Journal, which are reposted together <a href="http://laochrauladh.blogspot.com/2014/11/prison-memories-of-dan-moore.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p> He was released in the early 60’s and rejoined his unit, but he returned to prison several times throughout the decade. Growing up his father would hoist the tricolor every Easter, and now Dan did the same as part of the IRA's color party, though the flag was banned under the Emblems Act. His recurring prison terms made him a local legend and to this day, for old-timers, his name brings back memories of those principled stands. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcnWv7RYgCxejMfSrEDnr3HUsv1UMxNSY6HWeXUVd1vEOlWWxAKBhdiN3W555vtxsRZxy443AP6T5tKN2Ly_TPoTjUvNCIyjksB1SwOENhGQrF_22dSLNCd0s7DQe_uNIN2OctWDG_VwE/s2048/1399688_545264718895250_540481482_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcnWv7RYgCxejMfSrEDnr3HUsv1UMxNSY6HWeXUVd1vEOlWWxAKBhdiN3W555vtxsRZxy443AP6T5tKN2Ly_TPoTjUvNCIyjksB1SwOENhGQrF_22dSLNCd0s7DQe_uNIN2OctWDG_VwE/w387-h290/1399688_545264718895250_540481482_o.jpg" width="387" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dan, third from the left, at a commemoration in the early 60's</span>.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>In 1961 he was carrying the tricolor when the police attempted to seize the flag mid-parade. A scuffle inevitably broke out and Dan was arrested for "conduct likely to lead to a breach of peace."</p><p> In 1962 he was jailed for two months for organizing the Easter commemoration in Newry, and his brother Eugene was given two months for assisting him. </p><p> In 1964 it was for organizing a parade without permission in a town a few miles away in Armagh, where the Newry republicans were helping to re-organize. Dan was arrested some time after the fact along with John Lynch, Hugh Trainor, and Patrick Crilly.</p><p> In 1966 he carried the flag for the 50th anniversary of 1916. With thousands watching, the police made no interference and Dan was left in peace for once.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJu7RPY9FyO0J0d8OUhqoKJXTZtiqVwUCAf2UIuB8SiMuq9pds7TMIPOD5csF_U0MMSsG5aXSoVWed2gQInVolmUKP41zJAwdVn1a2zVxhdFYqeFRKw6cJPDiFLAHtFExeC9hHyGWCpQ/s2048/1495400_562814423806946_861868219_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJu7RPY9FyO0J0d8OUhqoKJXTZtiqVwUCAf2UIuB8SiMuq9pds7TMIPOD5csF_U0MMSsG5aXSoVWed2gQInVolmUKP41zJAwdVn1a2zVxhdFYqeFRKw6cJPDiFLAHtFExeC9hHyGWCpQ/w601-h450/1495400_562814423806946_861868219_o.jpg" width="601" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dan Moore, holding the tricolor aloft at the bottom center.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><b>THE CIVIC WEEK HUNGERSTRIKE</b></p><p> His most dramatic arrest was that of the Civic Week Hungerstrike in 1967. </p><p> Civic Weeks were designed in the mid 60’s as a "bridge" event to bring people together through shared pride in their communities. They were part festival, part expo for trade, local, and government organizations, and the founders hoped it would close the sectarian divide. Newry was one of seven towns to host the new event in 1966, and was overall considered a wonderful success, which organizers hoped to repeat. </p><p> Then in 1967 the Newry town council invited the British Army. The Royal Ulster Rifles were to give a concert, show off their military equipment, and some recruiting was planned. The republicans supported Civic Week but took exception to this latter step, which in a mostly nationalist town was no surprise. On behalf of the Oliver Craven Republican Club, Dan Moore, a 50's veteran and ex-prisoner, announced he would start a hungerstrike until the invitation was rescinded. "The Civic week previous to this was a very good thing for the town" he explained later, "but on this the committee went a step too far. . . In the protest we stated that the main reason for objecting was that the B.A. were recruiting young Newry men, and the possibility was that within a few years they could be used to shoot people from Newry."(1) </p><p> Dan seated himself outside the town hall, placard in hand. He made a fairly lonesome sight, but he wasn’t there for long. A policeman approached and asked him to move somewhere else, as the Town Hall was in a Unionist area; protests usually confined themselves to Margaret Square, a Nationalist area, and where one of them was seen protesting more were sure to join. But the object of his protest - the council - met in the town hall and outside the town hall Dan would stay. He was asked again shortly after and again refused. Finally, a little later he was arrested for "conduct likely to lead to a breach of the peace."(2) </p><p> He was given the option of 10 pounds bail and one year of good behavior, or two weeks in the Crum. Like any republican he opted for the Crum, and announced the hungerstrike would continue in prison. Several vital organizations pulled their support, including the National Cycling Association and the local GAA club. The Nationalist Party expressed their displeasure with the Army's invitation and their support for Moore. The Council was left with no option but to cancel it. With that, Dan Moore was released from prison and called off his hungerstrike. </p><p> Civic Week went ahead, was a great success, and all seemed well except for the fact that in the treasurer's report there was no mention of the money paid to the Army, which was not reimbursed. Dan raised issue with this several times to no avail. "Sad to say the B.A. did come to the town a few years later and shot young men carrying out quite legal business at the Post Office."(3) <i>(a reference to the 1971 "Newry Killings" by the Royal Green Jackets.)</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEv2tE8keWFnWExuF8XrBNwz-aeQf2OgbrlYlUHGvTwX71H5_OenqDXHgBWiNims3g3cmh2klDQ2ipUfiQ979Lp-9tQcuegLlb_gbzPFgeNMQQeUo83Fv4I17QmKtJ2EB1HQB6cvJoSJw/s1080/12885754_1018125768275807_3433254650852665869_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="1080" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEv2tE8keWFnWExuF8XrBNwz-aeQf2OgbrlYlUHGvTwX71H5_OenqDXHgBWiNims3g3cmh2klDQ2ipUfiQ979Lp-9tQcuegLlb_gbzPFgeNMQQeUo83Fv4I17QmKtJ2EB1HQB6cvJoSJw/w397-h303/12885754_1018125768275807_3433254650852665869_o.jpg" width="397" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p> In between bouts in jail, he found time to help with the "Wolfe Tone Societies," an invitation-only think tank for the movement's "new direction." They acquired a membership of various personalities from across the political spectrum. Dan Moore represented his home town.(4) Dan was also one of the founding members of the local Citizen's Action Committee, set up to organize civil rights events, and chief steward of the People's Democracy march through Newry in January of 1969. He was an outspoken advocate for the Republican Clubs, quickly banned by the state but whose branch in Newry was a popular vehicle for local activism. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQog4h67-XqhRdG29YX9crpXnQxBy3q7Q4STSEWhjukBVylZpAdjZAAAVilMuy0se-tFS8AehK9avcrymBo_Z6kO2evtfhFR5vKiX-EVQzmAhtWvVTR8fh4NB9lUEpkeACymXoR_UbSc/s2048/12496047_961006830654368_2477863426540306200_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1352" data-original-width="2048" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQog4h67-XqhRdG29YX9crpXnQxBy3q7Q4STSEWhjukBVylZpAdjZAAAVilMuy0se-tFS8AehK9avcrymBo_Z6kO2evtfhFR5vKiX-EVQzmAhtWvVTR8fh4NB9lUEpkeACymXoR_UbSc/w435-h287/12496047_961006830654368_2477863426540306200_o.jpg" width="435" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dan, flanked by Old IRA veterans, carrying the tricolor at the 1969 commemoration.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>1969</b><br /><p> In August of 1969 he helped with activities organized to divert the police’s resources from the beleaguered Bogside in Derry. This took the form of barricades and attacks on police stations. "The support of the people that night and each night after was amazing." After several days, their objective being realized, they set the barricades alight and Dan and the volunteers fled to the safety of Omeath. On the way some had the idea to attack the Killeen customs hut. "Reluctantly I agreed." His misgivings were well founded; his former O/c’s son, Colman Rowntree, almost died in the burning embers. "We broke in and doused the place in petrol. Most had then retreated outside but before we were all out someone struck a light and the place went up. I was knocked to the floor and was crawling to the door when I heard a shout from inside. It could have been one of us or a security man but I went back and managed to drag him out. It was then that I discovered it was Colman. We loaded up and headed for the Alexian brothers at Calvary on the far side of Omeath. (They) opened their house to us and arranged for ambulances to take our injured to (Dundalk)." Colman was later shot after being taken prisoner by the British Army. (5) Dan spent three months recovering from his burns.</p><p><b>ANTI-SECTARIANISM</b></p><p> Dan’s republicanism (like the other Newry veterans as a group) was socially conscious. They stewarded marches, organized protests, and worked through the Republican Clubs to address day-to-day issues that affected the people of Newry. "He was never a narrow Nationalist,” a former comrade eulogized, “and the respect he commanded allowed him to cross the sectarian divide to make clear the difference between Nationalism and Republicanism, and he done all he could to dispel the myths and stereotypes that feed the evil of sectarianism."(6) "I worked in Haldane Shields's <i>(prior to his 1957 arrest),</i>” Dan recalled, “and we had all sorts there. When I was in prison Bob Haldane came down to me in prison to confirm that my job was still there and that none of the staff were against me coming back. That was Catholic, Protestant and dissenter, the whole lot. They would have been glad for me to come back after coming out of prison. . . Newry always was a happy town, a happy city where people lived together irrespective of their class or creed. There never was any troubles among the people that way, but others, to justify themselves, helped to create sectarianism into republicanism and that was more an attack on the official republican movement, nothing more nothing less. The official republican movement incidentally was founded more by Protestants than Catholics so it never was a Catholic or a Protestant organisation."(7) </p><p> When the split happened he remained with the Officials, as did almost all of the Newry veterans, from Operation Harvest going back to 1916. “(They) were first at the time to recognize," he later said, "that armed conflict was counter-productive and was leading the people into a bloody sectarian cul-de-sac driving the people further apart.”(8) His brother Tom recalled for the Irish Times that “He was very much against what the Provisional IRA were doing and saw it as pure sectarianism. He was sorry and disgusted to learn about so many killings but there was one particular murder, of Bob Mitchell, that stayed with him. I remember him calling me after and asking ‘how bad are things going to get before people notice what’s happening?’”(9)</p><p><b>LATER YEARS</b></p><p> After leaving the hospital he continued to support the movement but stayed in the Free State to "recover from it all." He found work as a bartender around the east and southeast. During this period he met his wife Noreen, and they moved to her hometown of Dublin. There he became a social worker and this vocation he pursued for many years (other Newry exiles like veteran republican Sam Dowling and Fr. Peter McVerry took up the same cause in the city as well). "He spent some years working with young people affected by addiction through the Merchant’s Quay drugs project and worked closely with the Daughters of Charity and the St Vincent de Paul Society to help set up the Rendu Apartments initiative which provides housing to women and children experiencing homelessness. He also helped set up the Money, Advice and Budgeting Service to support people on dealing with debt issues."(10) He was also a horse enthusiast, and pursued this passion through the Irish Draught Horse Society.</p><p> In his later years he, along with most of the Newry veterans of the 50's and 60's, aligned with the Official Republican Movement (ORM). Dan served on the organization's National Executive Committee. "He would often travel to meetings and events all over Ireland, even though his health was failing, and he sometimes found it difficult to walk but he would always find a way to be there, many times travelling by bus or train from Dublin to Newry, Belfast, Derry or wherever and always arriving early and ready to lead by example." [11] </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMsAu6nn6h6B1Ox4XSGglj7a7mRPvOJRVinM1F2j2BSh_Mxe7Gp982t9X5WKa94ZM06J6P5uj4aRb75_MJmXRskjoxNwh-212leudVUKpTH6fNaObY_1HtLMTmKxKhNO9rIWb9jpkfUw/s1280/148189206_10224589830284293_9097110619296587496_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMsAu6nn6h6B1Ox4XSGglj7a7mRPvOJRVinM1F2j2BSh_Mxe7Gp982t9X5WKa94ZM06J6P5uj4aRb75_MJmXRskjoxNwh-212leudVUKpTH6fNaObY_1HtLMTmKxKhNO9rIWb9jpkfUw/s320/148189206_10224589830284293_9097110619296587496_o.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">At the newly dedicated memorial to Colman Rowntree and Martin McAlinden in 2014</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p> Dan died on February 8th, 2021.</p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span></span> Dan
Moore</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span> <span face=""Segoe UI Historic", sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #050505;">Irish
Independent Friday, June 02, 1967; Page: 9</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span> Dan
Moore</span></p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span> Sean
Swan, Official Irish Republicanism</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[5] </span><span>Quoted in commemorative pamphlet on Colman Rowntree and Martin McAlinden</span></span></div>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span>
Oration by Martin Mckevitt</span></p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span> https://www.newry.ie/news/newry-civil-rights-commemoration-takes-to-the-streets</span></p><p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[8 ]</span>Dan Moore, oration at the 40<sup>th</sup> anniversary of Colman Rowntree and Martin McAlinden https://cedarlounge.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/vols-colman-rowntree-martin-mcalinden-40th-commemoration/</span></p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;">[9]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span> Irish Times Obituary </span>https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/lives-lost-to-covid-19-dan-moore-dedicated-his-life-to-helping-others-in-need-1.4499211</span></p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;">[10] </span></span></span></span> Ibid</span></p><p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;">[11]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span> McKevitt</span></p><div>Many thanks to Gerard Byrne for the photos.</div>Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-27764208873202336212021-02-26T12:50:00.005-08:002021-02-27T07:26:03.375-08:00Bonfires on the Border<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>BONFIRES ON THE BORDER:</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Saor Uladh, the Hard Border, and the Road to Operation Harvest </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">THE HARD BORDER</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> Customs in Northern Ireland was complicated prior to the open border so familiar to today’s generation.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span><span style="font-family: times;"> Motorists could only cross the border on certain “approved roads.” There were fifteen of these on the entire border. They could only cross at certain times, and there were a number of very official restrictions on what day of the week one could cross and whether you were going in or out. [i] The rules were enforced by lightly trained agents in small makeshift huts, usually of wood or corrugated tin, known by the Kipling-esque title "frontier posts." All the other roads, visible today by their narrow, rocky, footpath-like quality, were reserved for foot traffic with heavy penalties for transgressors. "A motorist crossing the frontier on roads other than (approved ones)" the law said, "is liable to very severe penalties, including confiscation of his car."[ii]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> These customs posts were a favorite all-occasion target for Republicans. The general population disliked the posts, attacks involved no great threat to life or limb, and the border made getting away a simple matter of driving across it. Brendan Behan's first operation was burning down Customs in honor of the Royal investiture in 1937. "We burned them down on both sides with great liberality"[iii] he recalled. A song by Brian O'Higgins on a customs attack in the 20's expressed the sentiment behind them:</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">"Here´s to the lads that played the game,<br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">Here´s to the minds that planned it,<br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">Here´s to the hands that lit the flame,<br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">Here´s to the winds that fanned it:<br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">May it blaze again from shore to shore<br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">Consuming our land´s disorder:<br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">May it leap and roar from shore to shore<br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">Till it burns away the Border!"</span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">SAOR ULADH</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> Three of these frontier posts, Culmore, Galliagh, and Kildrum, were on the border of Derry city and Donegal, a semicircle of land only a few miles long with the river Foyle on one side and Irish border on the other. The next closest crossing is in Strabane, 15 miles south. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> In 1953 Saor Uladh celebrated Easter vigil by blowing up the huts in this strategically vulnerable area, or so they aimed.[iv] At Culmore and Galliagh they sprinkled the huts with tar and set them alight. At the former, the fire brigade responded almost immediately, and put out the blaze before it caused any damage. Gallaigh was not ignited at all, leading to speculation the raiders were spooked before they could set it alight. At the third, Kildrum they threw a bomb through the window. It only shattered the windows and left the hut perfectly operable.[v] </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> The IRA denied involvement and the RUC quickly pinned responsibility on a new group consisting of former volunteers assembled around the former Tyrone O/c, Liam Kelly. It was their third operation as a separate entity from the IRA- the previous being a takeover of Pomeroy at night to hold an Easter Commemoration, and a hold-up for funds. The organization had no public name or face yet, and did not claim the operation (nor most of their operations).</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> They returned in 1956 with better results. Much had transpired in the interim, and this time they were reinforced by the Christle Group’s men, material, and expertise. In the early hours of Armistice Day that year, they launched their new alliance with a joint operation that destroyed 6 customs huts along a 150 mile stretch, mostly in Kelly’s newly adopted home base of County Monaghan. Participants included Kelly, Joe Christle, Gerry Lawless, and Christle's right hand man Pat Murphy.[vi]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> The new modus operandi was to fill suitcases with timed explosives, and, posing as ordinary gentlemen, hand them over to the Customs officials for safe keeping, supposedly to be picked up the next day. The explosives would then go off in the early hours when the hut was unattended. [vii]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> At Clontivern- near Monaghan- they handed over a briefcase, asking the guard to hold it in a safe until they could pick it up later. The customs man was more friendly than cautious, and when he retired that night he briefly considered leaving the suitcase in the safety of a friend’s house, just in the event the hut should be destroyed. He had it in hand, on his way to the house, when he changed his mind and left it at the post. In the wee hours the briefcase exploded through the safe, leveling the hut. [viii] It was the most powerful of all the explosions that night. The safe, embedded in several layers of concrete, “was rent in pieces, giving some idea of the powerful explosives used. The concrete foundations were also ripped up.” Residents living nearby were lifted out of their beds by the explosion, but there was, incredibly, no injury to their homes. Thanks to a “first rate”[ix] but unknown demolitions expert in the Christle group, “the contrivance was so manipulated as to send . . .most of its force away from the homes.”[x]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> That same night the IRA’s Charlie Murphy and Noel Kavanagh were driving past a hut they planned on burning down themselves in the near future. They had a routine in which they would drop a gas cap out the window, stop, and walk around looking for it as a ruse to spy on the site. They were in the middle of doing this when the hut exploded before their eyes. [xi]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> Near Newtownbutler two RUC men on their nightly patrol took refuge from a downpour under the eaves of the customs hut. They finally decided to resume their beat, and were only a couple minutes' walk away when the explosion happened.[xii] The near-misses are an example of the fine line that separates a successful operation from tragedy.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> The total roster of customs posts destroyed were Mullan and Clontivern in Fermanagh; Moybridge and Aghnacloy in Tyrone, and Middletown, Carnagh and Tullyodonnell in Armagh. These formed a ring comprising the approved roads connecting County Monaghan and the 6 counties. Of them, 5 were destroyed with explosives and one burnt down.[xiii]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> The next day was spent cleaning up, and there was much to clean. “The smell of explosives was still strong on Sunday evening” at Mullan. A ring of shattered wood, papers, tables, and tiles lay strewn for a hundred yards around making it "impossible to walk without trampling on some of the shattered hut.” Remarkably, whether by chance or another feat of engineering the direction of the blast, a cattle owner’s van parked a couple yards away was unscathed.[xiv] At Agnacloy, district inspectors scrambled about the fields to salvage records among the ring of glass and wreckage, while locals assembled to gawk and collect souvenirs[xv]. At Clontivern “all day long, hundreds of sightseers from Clones . . .visited the scene to view the destruction. . .Official documents and records were clinging to the tops of trees and bushes along the road for over 200 yards.”</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> But by the end of the day it was “business as usual.” The roads remained open and the police took time out of their cleaning efforts to process vehicles. Mullan, Carnagh, and Clontivern were handily replaced by using nearby huts normally used to process cattle across the border. Caravans were rented for Aughnacloy and Tullydonnel, and in Middletown they simply rented a room in a private house near the road. The chief of customs declared that the only actual result achieved “was the inconvenience caused to officials.”[xvi]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> The attacks garnered some headlines, but the spotlight was stolen by events in Hungary, where the Soviets launched a final offensive to crush the Hungarian revolution that very morning. The local events were raised at the House of Commons, where Northern politicians tried to explain the situation:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> "Christopher Armstrong (representing County Armagh), asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the blowing up and burning of Customs stations on the Irish border on Remembrance Day.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Mr Henry Brooke: Customs land boundary posts were destroyed as a result of explosion and fire. There was no loss of life or injury. Arrangements have been made for the Customs to operate from temporary accommodation, and investigations by the Royal Ulster Constabulary are continuing into these outrages.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Christopher Armstrong (Co Armagh): As it seems unlikely that it will be possible to take effective steps to stop the periodic explosions on the Irish border, can my right hon. Friend say whether it is proposed to rebuild these Customs huts in the cheapest possible material, as they have been built before, and, if so, whether arrangements will be made for important papers to be removed at night?</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> Henry Brooke: I would not like to make any forecast about the steps that we shall take when we have done all we can to clear up what happened on these occasions. I fully appreciate the importance of looking after papers, and that is always done.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> Patrick Gordon Walker: Can the right hon. Gentleman say why these stations were not guarded?</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> Henry Brooke: They were unmanned that night—</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> Patrick Gordon Walker: Why?</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> Henry Brooke: —because it would be most helpful to smugglers if they knew that Customs officers throughout the night always sat in the same place."[xviii]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> Soviet papers for their part praised them as ‘a new stage in the struggle of the long suffering Irish people against hated English oppression.’[xvii] Ironically, Kelly and Christle would not have welcomed the endorsement had they heard it. The two were back in Dublin a couple days later, as if nothing had happened, to address an “Anti Communist, Anti-Imperialist Rally.” It was organized by the Student Council, an organization heavily influenced by Christle Group members which “made Dublin, on occasion, a locus of student anti-colonial agitation.”[xix] Students from Hungary and Egypt (on the brink of war with England after nationalizing the Suez Canal) spoke on the situation in those countries, and there was much talk in solidarity with the Cypriot rebellion. Kelly had strong words, declaring “the acts by both Russia and Britain in recent weeks were acts of aggression and the time must come when they both would fail.” “The Hungarian people, he said, had asserted in arms the right to national freedom and sovereignty, and in that assertion there was a lesson which they might well learn in Ireland. . . the people down here should make up their minds that if they really wanted freedom they should adopt the means of the Cypriots, the Hungarians and Egyptians. . .”[xx] </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span><span style="font-family: times;"> THE IRA REACTS</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> The IRA denied involvement. The Garda confirmed as much to the RUC and the press, further confirmed the attacks were not connected to the large group of IRA men drilling in Meath that weekend, and were not called on by the RUC to help their investigation. The men drilling in Meath were part of a contingent preparing for the IRA’s own campaign, which began December 11th. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> Did the attack force the IRA into Operation Harvest prematurely? Gardai intelligence, Sean Cronin, Ruari O'Bradaigh, Mick Ryan, and Joe Cahill in their respective writings all concur, as do T.P. Coogan and Bowyer Bell in their histories. But the decision to go ahead had more facets to it than that. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> The three chiefs of staff – Magan, MacLogan and MacCurtain- as a group were tepid about having a campaign to begin with. They preferred to accumulate strength over time. “They wanted a successful military campaign” and not simply a go at the enemy.[xxi] They caved to those impatient for action in early 1956 and set about laying infrastructure for a campaign. It tentatively set for sometime in the winter of ’56 or spring of ’57. Volunteers spent the summer training intensively several days a week, with bootcamps held periodically in Wicklow and Meath. The question was not if, but when, but the leadership wanted “when” to still be further away. Mac Curtain thought the Nationalist population was unprepared and 1958- the next election year- would serve better. [xxii] But it was not to be.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> Cork volunteer Seamus Linehan was one of those training in Meath that weekend and he gives a picture in his memoir: </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><blockquote> Billy Early came out of the house and got the entire Cork contingent together and said there had been a change of plans. It seems that the initial plan was to spend at least ten days in that place being <span> </span>briefed on the areas we would be going to and what the likely targets in the areas would be and also that the Cork group would operate as a flying column in one specific area. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, that plan would have to be changed, and I had to go in with him to meet the brass. When we went in there were about fifteen others in the room and when the meeting convened it was headed up by five members of the Army Council including, Tony Magan, Chief of Staff, Sean Cronin, Director of Operations and architect of the plan of campaign called Operation Harvest, and three other senior officers.</blockquote><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><blockquote> Tony Magan opened the meeting by explaining to us that at least three years of hard work and detailed planning had gone into the preparation of Operation Harvest and nothing was left to chance. Senior Officers and Volunteers had made many trips across the Border to size up targets, map out the terrain, gather intelligence, and record the movements of the R.U.C. and the British Army, procure the necessary weapons, arrange for billets and safe houses and prepare the units around the country for active service. They were very happy and satisfied with the preparations and every detail and source of information had been checked and rechecked over and over again. It was decided that the Campaign should start on the night of the eighteenth of December but an incident had occurred a few days previously that necessitated a change of plans.</blockquote><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> That incident was the disappearance of the O/c of Belfast Paddy Doyle, who was made privy to extensive plans just before being arrested. That knowledge jeopardized vital ingredients such as the organization of the columns and their targets. That precipitated a much-criticized mash-up of the brigades in which men who had trained together were split up amongst other units. While they were in the middle of debating the ramifications of the arrest, news came that SU had attacked.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Tony Magan then said that another incident had occurred that very morning which necessitated a change of plans. He explained that if Saor Uladh carried out any further attacks before the eighteenth the possibility was that the R.U.C. might seal off the border and it would totally up scuttle our plans. After some further discussion, sometimes heated, it was agreed that we would go ahead with the change in plans. After the meeting we went back out to the lads and informed them as to what was happening and in fairness to them they were all happy to go along with the leaders. [xxiii]</span></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> Organizers began filtering across the border immediately and the IRA launched their operation on December 11th.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> The IRA’s fears were reinforced as SU conducted scattered follow-up raids on more huts in the coming weeks. Results were less spectacular. In Clogher, an SU volunteer forced his way into the newly constructed hut at night, placed a biscuit tin with gelignite, and lit the fuse. The fuse burned out before reaching the explosives. A farmer passing by next morning noticed the door to the hut flapping open and shut, and upon investigating found the biscuit tin.[xxiv] </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> A Fourth International memo analyzing Saor Uladh insightfully points out that none of the IRA's campaigns were started by the organization itself, but rather by individuals who pushed it into action. Even the hallowed War of Independence was begun by the unauthorized shootout at Soloheadbeg. However, time proved correct the “Three Mac’s” reservations about a premature campaign. “It is impossible to estimate,” one commentator writes, “what might have been the result if the IRA leaders had been allowed to prepare and consolidate, as they had wished, for another two years” [xxv]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">THE ROAD TO ARMISTICE DAY</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> The road between the attacks of 1953 and those of 56 was not a direct one. In between Kelly embraced politics. He was a prominent figure in local organizations around Tyrone, and in 1953 the Anti-Partition League nominated him as their candidate. He won, and afterwards he and his supporters used his election platform as a template for a new party, Fianna Uladh, which combined northern-focused republicanism with support of the Free State and its institutions. His ability to speak to people’s concerns and play the authorities when needed worked wonders. Between the launch of Fianna Uladh in late 1953, and when he went to the Seanad in 1954, the party accumulated 3000 members with 18 chapters across the north, with more in Dublin, Cork, and London, and an overwhelming number of Old IRA men among its vocal supporters. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> This was a promising foundation, but it came to naught with a two-punch blow. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> The first came from the Seanad. In 1954 Kelly was elected to the 26 county government on the Labour ticket (thanks to a legal technicality that allowed a party the right to nominate anyone) as part of a plan to allow northern senators, both Nationalist and Unionist, to be represented in the Southern Government. He gave a lengthy address touching on the benefits of the idea and how further tension in the north could be diffused by adopting the motion. "</span><span style="font-family: times;">It would be the first step towards the extension of the Constitution to the whole of Ireland," he told the senators. "It would restore the confidence of the people not only in the Six Counties but of the whole of Ireland and in her national institutions." </span><span style="font-family: times;">A couple of senators spoke in support. "T</span><span style="font-family: times;">here is no use in deploring physical force," Senator Frank O'Donnell said, "if we do not do something ourselves. Let us at least make this gesture; let us show in so far as we can that, whether they be of practical value or otherwise, we will open this House and the Dáil to the people of Northern Ireland who want to come down here to voice whatever grievances they may have."</span><span style="font-family: times;"> The response was disheartening; only 12 voted aye to the proposal, and 36 against it.[xxvi] His reference at the rally to "people down here" "making up their minds" betrays some of his frustration with the indifference.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> The second, and most devastating, came when Sinn Fein participated in the 1955 elections. Kelly's own election was fraught with infighting, and a divided nationalist vote empowered Unionist parties for decades. He determined Fianna Uladh would not be responsible for reenacting that scenario. Fianna Uladh stepped aside, and had its voters support Sinn Fein’s candidates with their votes and manpower. The stand was principled and secured Mid Ulster for Sinn Fein's Tom Mitchell, but consigned Fianna Uladh to history books.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> Although he remained visible and vocal in the political sphere, after the election his energies turned to building up Saor Uladh. And stated with the IRA above, it is impossible to tell what strengths Fianna Uladh could have gone on to had Kelly not stepped aside for Sinn Fein, or directed his energies to military action. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> BORDER POSTS - AGAIN</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> Once the IRA’s campaign was launched, b</span><span style="font-family: times;">order posts were attacked frequently</span><span style="font-family: times;">. The crossing at Killeen alone (the primary road for traffic between Belfast and Dublin) was burned down about half a dozen times between 1956 and 1962. As per the IRA’s General Order 8, forbidding hostilities against the southern government, the posts were no longer attacked on both sides as they were in Behan’s day. As the campaign progressed authorities responded with a variety of measures against the unapproved roads to force traffic onto the easily monitored approved ones. Some were spiked, a phrase often used but little known to outsiders, referring to iron contraptions akin to anti-tank defenses from World War Two. Others were blocked with barriers. Many had craters blown in them, usually several yards deep, or had key bridges blown up. This not only disrupted the roads, it often interfered with water supply lines and electricity, and locals had short walks turned into many miles of detours. Locals, republicans, and smugglers responded by filling in the craters. Some livestock owners even invented makeshift bridges over the spikes. Despite the armed campaign, unionist appeals, and drastic security measures, the border was never sealed off as the IRA had feared.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> THE END OF THE BORDER</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> In the end, the hard border was brought down not by explosions but by trade. "The IRA did its best to blow away border posts but it was the 1986 Single European Act, the Single Market, and the Belfast Agreement that ultimately have given us our soft Border" one commentator writes.[xxvii] Or as Tim Pat Coogan writes a little less optimistically, "</span><span style="font-family: times;">The nationalist slogan of “Hands across the border” has been translated into reality as – hands across the counter."[xxviii] Gone are the "frontier posts" and crossing now entails no effort at all, though in the shadow of complications entailed by Brexit many look back in fear to the days of the hard border, which in the 70's and 80's became far more bloody than the incidents described above. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span><span style="font-family: times;"> When Liam Kelly died in 2011, he was carried home to Tyrone over an unapproved border road.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: times;"> Further reading on the border:</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>Unapproved Routes</i> by Peter Leary is an excellent history of the border roads and the culture around them. Another good resource is the Border Road Memories Project, which is assembling an oral history archive, viewable on their website: http://www.borderroadmemories.com/</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[i] https://sites.google.com/site/kennyallenswebsite/home/crossing-the-irish-border-after-partition</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[ii] https://cunninghamsway.com/2012/07/05/cross-border-smuggling-in-the-1940s-and-1950s/</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[iii] "Brendan Behan Sings Irish Rebel Songs" retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=MqgRylrsZRYe</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[iv] Sean McConville, <i>Irish Political Prisoners 1920-1962 Pilgrimage of Desolation </i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[v] Irish Examiner, Saturday, April 04, 1953; Page 7 </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[vi] TP Coogan, <i>The IRA</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[vii]</span><span style="font-family: times;">Monaghan Argus, 17.11.1956, page 5</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[viii] Ibid</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[ix] Bowyer Bell’s word’s describing a “first rate demolitions expert” who was recruited in the latter half of 56. <i>The Secret Army</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[x] </span>Donegal News 17.11.1956, page 5</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xi] TP Coogan, </span><i style="font-family: times;">The IRA</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xii] </span><span style="font-family: times;">Monaghan Argus, 17.11.1956, page 1</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xiii] ibid</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xiv] Donegal News, 24.11.1956, page 5</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xv] Monaghan Argus, 17.11.1956, page 5</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xvi] Evening Echo 1896-current, 12.11.1956, page 1</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xvii] USSR paper "Trud", quoted in Cork Evening Echo, quoted in Matt Treacy, <i>Rethinking the Republic</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xviii] http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=1956-11-15a.1114.2</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xix] <i>Ireland and the End of the British Empire : The Republic and Its Role in the Cyprus Emergency</i> Helen O’Shea, 2015</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xx] Irish Press, Thursday, November 15, 1956; Page: 5</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xxi] Robert W White, <i>Ruairí Ó Brádaigh: The Life and Politics of an Irish Revolutionary</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xxii] ibid</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xxiii] Seamus Linnehan,<i> A Rebel Spirit</i>, published online.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xxiv] Donegal News, 24.11.1956, page 3</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xxv] McConnville,<i> Pilgrimage of Desolation</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xxvi] </span><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1954-11-25/</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xxvii] https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/david-shanks-an-irishman-s-diary-on-the-hard-border-of-the-1950s-1.3174759</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">[xxviii] http://www.timpatcoogan.com/blog/2009/04/border-shopping-will-end-partition/</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></p><div style="mso-element: endnote-list;"><div id="edn28" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-15680630411047748752021-01-05T12:59:00.004-08:002021-01-16T07:57:43.936-08:00The Newry Curfew- Making War on Rebellion<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Men of the
North - Part 4: Making War on Rebellion<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"WHAT
WE CANNOT STOP."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
"Pour les Irish" TE Lawrence wrote to a bedraggled English
general during the Irish War of Independence, "Only one horrid word: you cannot make war upon
rebellion."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
General Brian Kimmins assumed charge of British troops in the north in 1955
and, a veteran of both World Wars with experience in directing raids, he
appreciated Lawrence's view. So did the Prime Minister, Lord Brookborough,
"What we cannot stop are these sporadic raids," Brookeborough told
the press. "You can disperse the military all over the country but you
would lose your striking force."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[ii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
Meaning: the army would cease to be effective combating the threat and become
targets themselves. By summer of 1957 it was not hard to figure out that
although fond of land mines, ambushes, and timed explosions, the IRA was no
longer capable of organized assaults. Instead of confronting a ghost, Kimmins
kept the army in a highly subdued role in which they withdrew into their
barracks like a turtle into its shell and refused the IRA's enticements to come
out. The better informed, locally-run RUC and B-Specials took up the dirty day
to day business. This deprived the IRA of the targets it sought - needed- for
its war to gain momentum, and forced them to settle for inglorious
"incidents." "Though the people might be irritated by the
pin-pricks," Brookeborough reminded Unionist leaders, "the important
was that the IRA were not accomplishing their objective."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[iii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Despite the latter's efforts to soothe feelings, Unionist
politicians continued to hold the view that the stricter the measure the
better. In early July the Home Minister, W.B. Topping assured them the question of
"curfew, armored vehicles and allied matters were continually under
consideration and review."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[iv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
"The situation in Newry seemed touch and go for a while," Bowyer Bell
writes, "to the delight of the IRA GHQ."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[v]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
Jim Rowntree and his unit were depleted by arrests but still present, as
sporadic attacks over the summer months showed. On the night of July 14, they
planted a bomb, consisting of 22 sticks of gelignite inside a tin, at the base
of the War Memorial- a granite pillar- and timed it to go off in the early
hours. A second bomb of the same make was planted at an electric terminal just
outside the town. An Orange march was to go through the area the next day as
part of the "Marching Season" and since the memorial commemorated the
British army it was a non-sectarian way for the IRA to voice its position. The
memorial bomb was discovered the next morning, burned out during the last 3
inches of fuse, and the terminal bomb was similarly found. The nuances of
timing and intent were lost on the 1,000 or so Orangemen.<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[vi]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
Towards the end of the month an army lorry was hijacked and set alight in an
unclaimed and unexplained incident. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DAN
MOORE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
In August the IRA wrote up a notice addressing the people. Copies were
posted up simultaneously across the north, as well as to embassies, and
Republicans in New York distributed it to UN Delegates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><blockquote><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"The manifesto said the
Resistance campaign 'is now more firmly based among our people and grows
stronger by the day'. It said that attempts to portray the struggle as
sectarian had failed and it was clearly a fight for national unity and independence.
It regretted that the members of the RUC and B-Specials had ignored the IRA’s
statement at the start of its campaign that they would not be attacked if they
did not co-operate with the British Army. Now the RUC and B-Specials 'have been
put on a war footing and are used in conjunction with British forces'.<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[vii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> (The
full text can be found in the endnotes below.)</span></blockquote><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> On
the night of August 8th two young volunteers drove out with a stack of these to
tack up around Newry. One was Dan Moore, an 18 year old with a day job at a saw
mill. He had recently graduated to the army from the Fianna. </span>As they went up Drumolane they were accosted by an RUC constable; the police duly found Dan's car, complete with a stack of announcements. Dan was sentenced
to the Crum, where he was placed in the juvenile wing. <span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[viii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
(Police throughout the north spent the day removing the posters).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Dan later recalled for the Newry Journal:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
"The authorities were convinced that a bit of military discipline was
enough to correct the misguided views and attitudes of the miscreant youths in
their care. Joe Leslie, Moody and the other screws in charge of us were
ex-marines. In good old-fashioned British war-film tradition they
interpreted this as the need for regular ‘square-bashing’. It was supposed to
frighten us and turn us into ‘good citizens’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
“I really enjoyed this square-bashing and threw myself enthusiastically
into these exercises. I felt I was learning something every morning. As a young
volunteer of just eighteen years who hadn’t yet had any drill training on the
outside I was convinced I was doing something useful! Arms training we had had,
but not drill. Priorities, I suppose!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
“After about two months Joe Leslie approached me and asked why I was so
patently enjoying the drill exercises. I was young and lacking in subtlety. I
answered immediately and with transparent honesty that if we were to do this on
the outside, it would be sufficient reason – if one were needed – to imprison
us. Sadly, that was the end of my square-bashing!"</span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
As a punishment he was tasked with chopping wood but the sawmill worker
naturally enjoyed this as well. Dan was interned when his sentence ended, and
remained in prison for the duration of the campaign although it would not be
his last term. <span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[ix]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> CURFEW<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
The posters were preliminary to a renewed offensive. On August 10th and 11th
units in South Derry, Tyrone, and Fermanagh launched attacks on a variety of
targets, from customs posts to police barracks at Swartagh and Cranagh. South
Down's contribution was a blitz on infrastructure on the night of the 11th.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
That night a "very heavy bomb" which "must have
been centrally planted" destroyed the Northern Ireland Electricity Board's
offices. It "completely wrecked the interior of the building and blew off
the roof," and people returning home late had a “first hand view of the
explosion, which littered the street with debris, account bills, and other
items of office furniture.”<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[x]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
Nearby windows were shattered and debris rained down for 50 yards around. A simultaneous
attack on the GPO's garage destroyed 12 heavy vehicles. "The fire was so
intense that the gates of the garage glowed white in the flames, which licked
the walls of the nearby Town Hall."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xi]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
The firemen abandoned attempts to put out the GPO fire and focused on
preventing the conflagration from spreading to the Hall.<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Within hours Topping made good on his promise of “curfew, armored
vehicles and allied matters.” He announced that a curfew was placed on Newry
from 11pm to 5:30 am, effective that night. The curfew was applied to 9 areas
that stretched for 20 miles around the town. The order enumerated that those who
needed to be out after hours could obtain a pass from the police. The penalty
for breaking curfew was 3 years imprisonment and/or 500 pounds. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Designating curfew was within the legal rights assigned to Topping, but an explanation as to <i>why Newry</i> and <i>why then</i> wasn’t given in his order. Newry's bombings paled in comparison to East Tyrone and Fermanagh, where full
scale attacks on the police happened almost nightly. It was unclear to people,
one commentator calling it “a mystery buried in the mind of the Six County
Minister of Home Affairs."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xiii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> Bowyer Bell analyzed that Topping "felt it advisable to impose
a curfew rather than risk the Nationalist population being converted to open
defiance of the government."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xiv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
Topping himself was unclear, giving a variety of explanations after the fact. In one of his statements after the curfew he explained
it “was necessary because the large number of outrages there could not have
been carried out without the connivance of sympathisers in the area."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xv] In another he ascribed it to the region's uncooperative response to police investigations. </span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
In still another he said it was “owing to the number of incidents involving loss of
property,”<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xvi] an aspect that indeed distinguished Newry from the rest of the north.</span></span></span></span> In
this latter point one can read a certain level concession to those unionist objectors who
had been hounding him for some sort of reaction. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Aside from Topping, the RUC Inspector General Sir Richard Pike
Pim is sometimes credited with the idea. If true, then to understand the Curfew
it helps to consider the man behind it. Pim was a soldier like General
Kimmins, and unlike the homegrown bigots (a la Brookeborough) that dominated
the Unionist political scene. During World War Two he headed Churchill's map
room, a veritable google
earth that collected information on every allied plane, ship, and unit, and
translated the data to maps. Its
effectiveness was such that it earned the envy of President Roosevelt, who subsequently
designed one for himself. After the war he returned home to Belfast and became
the RUC's inspector General, in which position he combated rising crime rates
by plotting out areas as he had in the war. As a professional rather than a loyalist, Pim sympathized with the
plight of Catholics in their relation to the police. He went so far as to
oppose the Emblems act which caused so many altercations around the flying of
the Tricolor throughout the 50's. What that background, one can safely
assume that Pim's suggestion of a curfew in Newry, if indeed his suggestion, was a strategically educated one rather than a
knee-jerk response to the bombing. South
Down, via the Newry Brigade, was the primary facilitator in smuggling arms and men across the border, and many of the attacks on communications and electricity were to provide cover for units going through the area (explained by Mick Ryan in his 2018 memoir <i>My Life in the IRA</i>.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There has been little or no scholarly
examination of the curfew through government documents, and only cursory
reference in the major histories of the period. As more files are declassified
we may be able to draw a more complete picture.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">REACTION<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> The demographic most affected by the measure were the youth and workers.
Irish night life does typically not commence until around 10 pm and ends long
after midnight. Workers typically worked late and the late evening and early
hours after that were their time to wind down at pubs, clubs, cinemas, and
sporting events- all of which now closed at 11, and taking into account the
time needed for people to conclude business and get home, the effective end of
social time was fairly earlier than that. Newry also was and remains the
primary passage for traffic between north and south on the east coast.
Travelers and commuters found themselves diverted from the highways to rural,
winding back roads. It took up to an hour to navigate through what used to be a
brief drive. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
On the first night of the curfew, youths gathered around Margaret square
to defy the curfew. Others, movie-goers and , who came out to stand in line for
films (now cancelled) and other events swelled the numbers until about a thousand
people had assembled in an impromptu protest. The atmosphere was like a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fleadh</i> as music started and a
sympathetic bottle plant owner allowed cases of beer to be passed around. When
the bell struck 11 the lights went out on cue, and the crowd took to the
forbidden streets, marching in the direction of the town hall. <span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xvii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
As they did they started singing The anthem of the Republic, "The
Soldiers Song," which vividly expressed spirits that night:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We'll
sing a song, a soldier's song,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With
cheering rousing chorus,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As
round our blazing fires we throng,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
starry heavens o'er us;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Impatient
for the coming fight,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And
as we wait the morning's light,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here
in the silence of the night,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We'll
chant a soldier's song.<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xviii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Among those who were marching that night was Dickie Rodgers, a laborer
in between stints working abroad in England. Breaking curfew was the least
exciting thing he had done: "I joined the British Army when I was just
fourteen (and) fought through the Second World War. I was a paratrooper. I was injured
three times; shot twice, once in the shin and once in the groin."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xix]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
He stayed on with the Paras after the war and served in Jerusalem, where one of
his regiment's duties was to enforce a curfew on Zionist guerillas. Rather than
reducing their activity it stoked tensions. He had the correct march and
brusque manner of a Para, but when it came to his hometown his sympathies were
increasingly on the side of the insurgents. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
A convoy of police tenders raced ahead of the crowd, and a line of 50
policemen in riot gear formed across the road. A voice echoed over a
loudspeaker entreating the crowd to turn back. They pressed on; the police
charged, batons flew, and the protester reversed their course. The lucky ones,
including Dickie Rodgers, were able to reach a series of side roads which
provided cover. "I can vividly recall the feeling of real fear, fleeing
along with the crowd," a journalist wrote later. "I could hear the
heavy thud of boots from the pursuing, baton-wielding “Specials,” a few yards
behind. Nipping down O’Hagan Street I escaped, as the chase continued up Mill
Street."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xx]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> A
handful were injured –from 3 to twelve depending on the source- and 12
arrested. A republican, Barney Larkin, was alone charged with "breach of
the order" and fined one pound. His defense pointed out the curfew was
enforced only 6 hours after being announced. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Although it was commonly described in the papers as a "riot"
there was little or no actual disturbance that night, and no attacks on people
or property. It was however the opening salvo of a month of unrest. The next
night the crowd grew to over 1500, overseen by several hundred policemen.
Protests continued nightly, following the pattern of the first with communal
gathering and good-natured "great craic."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xxi]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
The objective was to break the measure symbolically. When the baton charges
became tiresome to both police and protestors, they took to using police cars
to force the people back. Wee Joe Campbell, no doubt miffed to not be involved
himself, recalled anxiously awaiting news in his cell.<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xxii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
The town took on the appearance of one at war. A visitor from the James
Connolly Society described "sandbagged strongpoints with ominous
machine-gun slits, yards-deep barbed wire entanglements up the walls and all
around the roof, the armoured car of the 'border patrol,'...tenders for
carrying loads of abuse-shouting B-Specials careening around the streets after
dark..."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xxiii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
The B-Specials tasked with enforcing the curfew were unruly, made their
authority known with violence, and were hostile to Catholics regardless of
politics. Although no one was killed during the curfew a number of people had
died in recent years through B-Special carelessness with arms and the possibility
was very real to the people of Newry. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Some youths commandeered an abandoned linen factory known as Linenhall
to make a stand. In a different life it served as a police barracks and its
layout, a square with a courtyard with two entrances, was ideally designed for
the task of repelling invaders. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
They "barricaded themselves into their own self-made citadel.
They would then light a bonfire and wait to repel assailants. Sometime after
the appointed hour for the beginning of the curfew the Crown forces would make
an appearance. . . The outcome was simple to predict. The B-Specials would
drive their Commer armoured tender through the barricade at one of the gates,
and the youths of Linenhall Square would try to prevent them from doing so by
whatever means they deemed necessary. After a bit of a scuffle and stone
throwing the youths would make a tactful withdrawal back to their homes. They
had made their point and honour was upheld."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xxiv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Another barricade was thrown up on High Street, a steep, narrow
lane that winds up "to where the first purpose built Protestant church in
Ireland, St. Patrick's stands, (which may have inspired Sean Jonathan Swift's
famous rhyme about the town 'High church, low steeple, dirty town proud
people'), in the predominantly Protestant North Ward of Newry. The United
Irishman Patrick Cochrane is buried in its cemetery. Some of Newry's oldest and
best known families came from there, and it had a strong Republican
tradition." A barricade like the one at Linenhall was erected, built and
manned by "crowds of mainly young people, boys and girls." They
defied the B Specials sent to quell the scene and sang songs atop the
barricade. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
There was, appropriately, "We Won't go home till the morning:"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We won't go
home till the morning<br />
We won't go home till the morning<br />
We won't go home till the morning<br />
Til daylight has appeared.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Then
there was "Step Together," now little known, but then a classic
marching song from the Tan War:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Step
together, boldly tread<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Firm each
foot, erect each head<br />
Fixed in front be every glance<br />
Forward at the word advance<br />
Serried files that foes may dread<br />
Like the dear in mountain heather<br />
Steady boys! And step together.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Despite or because of the threat of baton-charges, children across town
snuck away to join the excitement. From his bedroom in nearby Drumolane 9 year
old Brian could hear the singing on High Street and watched his friends run off
to join the festivities. His father Frank, an Old IRA man, was watching too and
chuckled to himself at seeing the old spirit of defiance rekindled. Brian had
his own curfew of 9pm which Frank enforced. His day to protest would come
later.<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xxv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"THE
NEWRY BRIGADE" <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
A series of notices from the Newry unit were posted up encouraging
people to join in the resistance, but aside from these the IRA remained in the
background.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
The curfew inspired a song in their honor sung to the tune of the
"The Belfast Brigade" (based on the American "Battle Hymm of the
Republic") <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">W. B. Topping put the curfew
on Newry Town<br />
He thought that he could keep the Newry people down<br />
But he got a rude awakening at eleven o' clock that night <br />
When all the people came out to shout, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Glory, Glory,
to old Ireland,<br />
Glory, Glory to the Sireland<br />
Glory to the memory of the men who fought and died, <br />
No surrender is the warcry of the Newry Brigade<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Overnight,
the IRA had turned from unknowns with a curious choice of targets into folk
heroes. "We never had the full backing of the people up to that
point," Oliver McCaul remembered, "after that, we did." Oliver
arrived home from at midnight one night: "The streets were deserted, I was
walking over Francis Street when a door opened, and the lady of the house
called me and said 'Come in son, they are due any minute' meaning a patrol was
due. I went into her house and sure enough, within minutes, a patrol passed.
She then said to me, you can go now, they won't be back for another half hour.
She never asked me who I was, or what I was doing out after curfew. This was
the spirit of the people."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xxvi]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CURFEW
ENDS<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
The curfew was removed in early September as quickly as it was instated.
The people celebrated with an 11 pm march down Main street,
jubilantly singing and banging pans. "The order has now been in force for
four weeks," Topping said, "During which there has not been any
further incidents."<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xxvii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
The IRA punctuated its end with an attack in Newcastle, a resort town on the
rocky coast, sleepier then than today, that destroyed a transformer and empty
prefab buildings that comprised a camp for the Girl Guides (the RUC's female
equivalent of the Scouts or Fianna.) At the end of the month, Kimmins and
Topping met along with a select few government officials and cryptically
announced a new security policy would be put in place. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
A question loomed: did the curfew affect the IRA's movement or did
they only step back to let the civil resistance take its course? Both answers,
locked in the memory of men unknown and not given to talking, are equally
possible. Non-involvement in popular events had precedent going back to the
Outdoor Relief Strike of 1931, when republican leaders feared IRA involvement
would be used as a reason to crack down, while if the strikers were left to
themselves, real unity might develop. This is the popularly accepted reason
which the "dogs on the street" tell to this day. And republicans were
confident the tactic worked. The ever-informed Sean Cronin wrote in a booklet
published during the campaign that:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“</span>Stormont grew afraid of what it saw
happening in Newry. It had over-reached itself. The mood of the people was ugly.
The people were being driven and their point of no return seemed not far away.
One week later when in Coalisland, Co. Tyrone, an R.U.C. sergeant was killed
after military and police surrounded a deserted house and a booby-trap
exploded, Home Affairs Minister Topping was asked if he would apply the curfew
to East Tyrone. His reply was “No.” The curfew weapon had failed.”<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[xxviii]</span></span></span></span></blockquote><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
But the curfew had no political sequel. It did not spark
risings in other cities. The IRA tried to capitalize on it with yet more posters,
for which Two Tan war veterans in Belfast were arrested (one died from lack of
medical treatment.) But without the infrastructure to attack barracks, and
political power to supplant the Northern State, the IRA receded once more into
little more than a nuisance, just as Brookeborough had predicted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
September and October were checkered with a few, but only a few,
“pin-pricks”. Then a column from Wexford, the Vinegar Hill Column, arrived in
Dundalk to recover after a frustrating stint in Armagh before venturing back out. Newry
continued to be one of the few areas that could field columns of their own, and
the Dundalk O/c assigned a handful of on-the-run Newry volunteers to supplement
the Wexford men. Their enterprise resulted in a tragedy that reshaped the war.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div style="mso-element: endnote-list;"><!--[if !supportEndnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="edn1" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">http://www.telstudies.org/writings/letters/1919-20/201116_newcombe.shtml<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn2" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[ii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Irish Independent 08.03.1957, page 6<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn3" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[iii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Ibid<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn4" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[iv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Irish times <span style="color: #515151;">Friday, July 5,
1957</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn5" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[v]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Bell, The Secret Army<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn6" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[vi]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Irish News, July 15<sup>th</sup> 1957<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn7" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[vii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">9 August 2007 Edition “The Resistance
Campaign 50 years on” An Phoblacht</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn8" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[viii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> https://www.newryjournal.co.uk/history/living-history/prison-notes/<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn9" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[ix]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> ibid<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn10" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[x]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
Irish Examiner 1841-current, 12.08.1957, page 5</p>
</div>
<div id="edn11" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xi]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> http://www.newrymemoirs.com/stories_pages/postofficeaccolade_2.html<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn12" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span>Irish Independent 1905-current, 12.08.1957,
page 7<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn13" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xiii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Irish Democrat, October 1957, page 3;
http://www.connollyassociation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/154-Oct57.pdf<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn14" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xiv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Bowyer Bell, The Secret Army<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn15" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
Northern Whig, Wednesday 21 August 1957 </p>
</div>
<div id="edn16" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xvi]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
Fermanagh Herald 1903-current, 14.09.1957, page 3</p>
</div>
<div id="edn17" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xvii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
http://www.newrymemoirs.com/stories_pages/newrycurfew_2.html</p>
</div>
<div id="edn18" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xviii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Cork Examiner, Tuesday August 13<sup>th</sup> 1957<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn19" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xix]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> https://www.newryjournal.co.uk/reminiscence/places/dickie-the-paratrooper/
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn20" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xx]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> http://www.newrymemoirs.com/stories_pages/newrycurfew_1.html<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn21" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xxi]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> ibid<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn22" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xxii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> ibid<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn23" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xxiii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Irish Democrat, October 1957, page 3;
http://www.connollyassociation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/154-Oct57.pdf<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn24" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xxiv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> https://www.newryjournal.co.uk/reminiscence/places/barracks-curfew-2/ <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn25" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xxv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span>Brian Patterson<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn26" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xxvi]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Song and account from Oliver McCaul, to author.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn27" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xxvii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Fermanagh Herald 1903-current, 14.09.1957, page 3<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn28" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[xxviii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
Sean Cronin, Resistance, retrieved from https://www.cym.ie/documents/Resistance.pdf </p><p class="MsoEndnoteText"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoEndnoteText"> The full text of the appeal from the IRA that was posted in early August (printed in Cronin's 'Resistance", see above)</p><p class="MsoEndnoteText"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> "</span>To the people of
Occupied Ireland </p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText">The campaign of Resistance in Occupied Ireland which
opened on December 12, 1956, is now more firmly based among our people than
ever before and grows stronger by the day. The fight is directed against
British Occupation of the Six Counties only. Attempts by our enemies to
misrepresent the struggle for national unity and independence, and, to further
their own ends, channel it along sectarian lines, have failed and will continue
to fail. No Irish man or woman is deceived any longer by this blatant British
propaganda tactic. When events during the last nine months exposed the
falseness of the ‘cross-border’ raiding cry, the new one of ‘Nationalist versus
Unionist’ had to be adopted. </p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText">The struggle of the Resistance Movement is most
certainly not against the Unionist population of the Six Counties. It is not
directed against any section of the Irish people or against any Irish man or
woman. Its only target is the British Occupation of our country and it will
continue until that Occupation ends The Irish people know this well, as they
know that British interference in Irish affairs is backed up by military, naval
and air garrisons and bases. They know that Ireland will have no peace until
this imperial garrison is withdrawn. When this has been done the Irish people
themselves will resolve their differences and their nation’s future in
friendship, mutual understanding and peace. False propaganda slogans, which are
designed to divide us, serve 57 only to maintain British Imperial control over
the affairs of the Irish nation. At this hour we appeal to all our people to
rally around the banner of a free Ireland and to ignore the differences that
have kept us divided in the past. We must end foreign exploitation of our
country so that its resources will be handed back to their true owners, the
Irish people, and used for the benefit of all. We want to build here a free
nation and people with full control over their own political, social and
economic life. If this nation is to survive beset as we are by emigration,
unemployment and poverty—this is an imperative need. </p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText">In a proclamation issued to the people of Occupied
Ireland on December 12. 1956, we warned members of the R.U.C. and BSpecial
Constabulary that they had nothing to fear from the Resistance provided they
did not allow themselves to become the tools of Britain’s armed forces We told
them their place was on the side of the freedom fighters. We asked them to
stand aside from the struggle altogether if they found such a step too big at
this time. Since then these forces have been put on a war-footing and are used
in conjunction with British forces to screen military installations, terrorise
the civilian population, patrol and search the countryside, engage in punitive
expeditions, and generally hound, harry, torture and imprison Irish freedom
fighters. This is doing England’s bidding with a vengeance.</p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Resistance
can hardly be expected to differentiate between men, trained, organised and
equipped along military lines (although clad in police uniforms) and British
troops. To members of the R.U.C. and B-Special Constabulary, we repeat our call
of December 12, 1956. We ask them to remember that they are Irishmen. We ask
them to stop being England’s dupes in Ireland. We regret to see the 26-County
authorities embarking on a policy of coercion and repression. We ask them to
look at Irish history and recall the ruinous effects for Ireland and her people
in the past of political repression. </p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText">Such measures are no solution for the problems facing
our people. Such policies can only result in giving aid and comfort to British
Occupation. They do not have the consent of the Irish people to proceed against
Republicans. Their actions will not stop the Resistance although they may make
more difficult the lot of our people in Occupied Ireland. The people had hoped
for, at least, the moral support of that part of Ireland styling itself free. </p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText">To all the Irish people, to our glorious dead, to our
imprisoned comrades, we pledge this struggle will go on until British
Occupation ends and our country is allowed settle its affairs in 58 peace. In
the days ahead, the men and women of the Resistance will find courage in the
knowledge that history is watching them and is on their side; that their cause
is great and is unconquerable.”<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-39068237288156473692021-01-04T14:47:00.070-08:002021-01-04T15:03:52.305-08:00Memoirs from the Cuban Revolution<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"> Memoirs
from the Cuban Revolution</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHmZ5Q1UZrjt3JofYtnx4KGpGXqranW19LK98Dlsm13mXicxfYolqACxRCEkY7mltukPwwgIWaxexClymObte47mp5-jBjeKc_WKHAtvHxX0MQbY3QAKJwCtV02dIrdPDWwpUIZHDsuo/s1600/cuba.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="1600" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHmZ5Q1UZrjt3JofYtnx4KGpGXqranW19LK98Dlsm13mXicxfYolqACxRCEkY7mltukPwwgIWaxexClymObte47mp5-jBjeKc_WKHAtvHxX0MQbY3QAKJwCtV02dIrdPDWwpUIZHDsuo/w435-h306/cuba.jpg" width="435" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"I
do not wish that this fragmentary history, based on memories and a few hasty
notes, should be regarded as a full account. On the contrary, I hope that those
who lived through each event will further elaborate....There are many survivors
of this battle and each of them is encouraged to fill out the story by
contributing what they remember. I ask only that such a narrator be strictly
truthful"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> - Che Guevara, "Reminisces of the Cuban Revolution." </span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
<br />
The Cuban revolution of 1959 is a textbook example of a
successful revolution and the kind of underdog story everyone loves. It
provided inspiration to fledgling nations like no event had in decades.
"All our heroes were losers," Irish Republican leader Thomas Mac
Giolla recalled later; "Che and Fidel were the first winners."(1) Much
ink has been spilled over the event, but polarization of academics along Cold
War political lines renders impartial studies difficult to find, and there was
unfortunately only scattered follow-up to Che's appeal for the rank and file to
tell their story. (ie, there was no collection along the lines of the Irish
Military History Bureau's collection of accounts from the 1916-23 period, or
Cypriot Government's archive from EOKA members). But for all
that, many participants did tell their stories. The following is a
compendium of books by those who took an active part in the revolution as
combatants, activists, or opponents. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">General Histories<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <br />
</span> <span style="font-size: medium;">Two general histories by participants stand out: <br />
<i>Cuban Insurrection 1952-1959 </i>by Ramon L.
Bonachea is possibly the finest and most complete history, written in the
tradition of Anthony Beevor or Alistair Horne.<br />
Bonachea has the historian's eye for what details to magnify and
minimize when telling a story on a grand scale, and in this case it involves
far more than the simple guerillas-in-the-jungle narrative. There is an
alphabet soup of organizations, each with their own industrial strikes,
actions, failed coups, political statements, and feuds, which Bonachea distills
into a readable narrative. His status as a former revolutionary (he now lives
in the US) gave him access to other former participants, enabling him to
reconstruct otherwise unknowable background information to events, especially
where minor players and organizations are concerned.<br />
The history is supplemented by charts illustrating battle plans
and structure, making it a uniquely helpful stand-alone resource.<br />
<br />
Armando Hart wrote a history of the urban conflict in his
book <i>Aldabonazo: Inside the Cuban Revolutionary Underground, 1952–58.</i><br />
<i>Aldabonazo </i>(meaning a "knock on the
door") is meant as a gap-filler, as most histories focus on the war in the
countryside. The book tells of the activists in the cities ("llanos")
who carried on their own conflict in sync with the guerillas in the mountains.
The dominant figure is not Castro but Frank Pais, leader of the Llanos, who
organized and directed urban unrest before his death in 1958.<br />
Hart writes with the cautious use of information,
characteristic of underground men once responsible for others' lives, detailing
strategy and ideology rather than nitty-gritty details of ambushes. He backs up
his narrative with dozens of letters and documents.<br />
The one major drawback is that it is uncritical to the point of
feeling artificial, and may not be as complete as it seems. In a telling
passage he notes that some "were omitted from this history of glory"
for having turned against the revolution afterwards. Many people receive a nod
at some point in the book but several major players who later defected are
unmentioned- one only wonders who, at ground level, was also written out.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p>
<h4 style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Memoirs</span></b></h4><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> A good many personal accounts can be found in periodicals and newspapers
(particularly the early issues of <i>Granma)</i>, but there has been no
concerted effort to collect accounts into a single, authoritative archive That
aside, most major players in the conflict published memoirs.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> The starting point remains Che Guevera's <i>Reminisces</i>,
both military history and a personal story. The prose that later elevated
the <i>Motorcycle Diaries</i> to literary fame serves him well
here. Like one iconic scene:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;">"A
compañero dropped a box of ammunition at my feet. I pointed to it, and he
answered me with an anguished expression, which I remember perfectly, and which
seemed to say, 'It’s too late for ammunition.' He immediately took the path to
the cane field. (He was later murdered by Batista’s henchmen.) This might have
been the first time I was faced, literally, with the dilemma of choosing
between my devotion to medicine and my duty as a revolutionary soldier. There,
at my feet, was a backpack full of medicine and a box of ammunition. They were
too heavy to carry both. I picked up the ammunition, leaving the medicine, and
started to cross the clearing, heading for the cane field."</span></blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
Many things can be debated about Che's politics, but he is brutally
honest on paper regarding war, and rarely digresses when discussing
it. The book was studied by fighters in contemporary conflicts like
Palestine, yet its focused realism turned out to be a pitfall for this
audience as they were left uninformed of other key ingredients- like the urban
movement and Castro's masterful PR - which were outside the scope of Guevera's
experiences. "For him," Robert Oltuski writes, "the guerrilla
forces in the Sierra Maestra were the reason for everything." The <i>Reminisces</i> is
complimented by his <i>Diary of a Combatant</i>, the raw, unedited diary
he kept during the revolution. There's no factual difference but the
latter <i>Diary</i> chronicles day-to-day events which, like a
microscope, shows life details a little more powerfully than his initial
work. <br />
<br />
Many people have written memoirs around Che and how they knew
him. The most deserving of the accounts by former comrades is that of his
second wife, Aleida Guevera March. A soldier in the July
26th Movement, Aleida met him while fighting in the Sierra Maestra. Her
memoir <i>Remembering Che</i> is deeply felt and simply told, and as
much a story of a woman at war as it is the titular subject. His first wife,
Hilda Gadea, covered the early part of his career- meeting Castro, early days
of training- with remarkable honesty in <i>My Life With Che</i>.
Gadea's intellectual background contrasts starkly to Aleida's simple style and
she is more at terms with events.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> Castro wrote prolifically on the revolution, producing
volumes of his prison letters, a two-part memoir, memories of Che, his youth,
and numerous books of interviews with journalists. The most
comprehensive of these is </span><i style="font-size: large;">My Life: A Spoken Autobiography, </i><span style="font-size: large;">an
interview with Ignaciano Ramonet. This is the complete Castro: in the course of
its 500 pages they discuss everything from his family background to his opinion
of JFK and 911. The revolutionary days are covered in depth and take up the
first half of the book.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> Batista wrote memoirs, entitled </span><i style="font-size: large;">Cuba Betrayed</i><span style="font-size: large;">, part memoir, part
political statement. Simply comparing his autobiography to Castro's give some
insight into the broader conflict: like his nemesis, Batista has an axe to
grind and an array of views which are difficult to substantiate, but he suffers
from not being able to make himself look interesting or heroic. There's little
depth of feeling, no self-analysis, and quite a lot of finger pointing at
everyone else for his loss of power. However, how a person views themselves is
itself informative.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
<i>Vida Clandestina </i>by Robert Oltuski
is possibly the finest memoir after the <i>Reminisces </i>despite its
novelized style<i>. </i>In his introduction Oltuski protests that he did
not intent for this to be treated as a formal "history;" his
intention was rather to present to younger readers what it was like to live
through those times. Yet he surpasses the rest in his vivid descriptions of people,
settings, and events. He describes the nitty-gritty of every day life as a
"Llano"- from balancing work, love, and clandestine activities to the
stains on his hands from newspaper-wrapped bombs. And although a fervent
supporter of Castro, he makes no bones about disputes. He clashes with the
movement on reform issues, calls out dead revolutionaries for incompetence, and
credits those who later defected without questioning their commitment at the
time of the revolution.<br />
(Of all the books on this list, I would recommend it to
anyone who is new to the history of the revolution, or wants to read a
heartfelt "war story" type account as opposed to an academic
history.)<br />
<br />
Carlos Franqui played a crucial role before producing copious
literature from exile. His <i>Diary of the Cuban Revolution</i> was
groundbreaking when first published, and remains a standard reference for
English-speaking students of the revolution (particularly for its information
on left-wing opposition to Castro within the opposition.) He also wrote "<i>The
Twelve</i>" detailing the early days of the revolution, <i>Family
Portrait with Fidel</i> and others.<br />
<br />
<i>Cuba and Castro</i> by Teresa Casuso Morin tells a
story of both adventure and intrigue, and heartbreak. Morin was a classic
Cuban conspirator- a woman of mystery who dabbled in the arts while financing
revolutions. She was heavily involved in the planning of the revolution,
purchasing the Granma, and the training in Mexico but parted ways in the early
60's. She provides a detailed sense of place and writes with the weight of
experience (she was involved with the 1930's revolution against Machado).<br />
<br />
<i>Marianas in Combat</i> by Teté Puebla and Mary-Alice
Waters. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> ""How
can we give rifles to women when there are so many men who are unarmed?'”<br />
"Fidel answered: 'Because they´re better soldiers than you
are.'"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
Tete Puebla joined the revolution in 1956 at the age of 15. She was a part of
the all-female Mariana Grajales Women's Platoon. What it lacks in length, it
makes up for in content. The book is framed through an interview between Puebla
and Waters in which she tells her own story while exploring that of the
Platoon. <br />
<br />
<i>The Cuba Story</i> and <i>Revolution In Cuba</i>,
by Herbert Matthews. A New York Times journalist, Matthews uncovered Castro
when he was long believed to be dead, elevated him as a guerilla-hero, and the
revolution quickly turned in the latter's favor afterwards. Its a Stanley and
Livingston type story that should be a classic when told in Matthew's words;
however the book is falls a little short of that as he struggles to vindicate
his motives for supporting Castro in 1957 in light of events in 1960. Yet his
memoir is a valuable view into a pivotal incident in Cuban
history. Anthony DePalma told the story to critical and popular acclaim
in <i>The Man Who Invented Fidel: Castro, Cuba, and Herbert L. Matthews of
the New York Times.</i><br />
<br />
Niell MaCaulay's <i>A Rebel in Cuba</i> (1970) is the
autobiography of a Korean War veteran who joined the 26th of July Movement,
one of the few to do so. His memoir is part boys-own adventure, part grisly
realism a la <i>The Things they Carried,</i> and could take its place
among classics were it not for the politics surrounding the experience
(MacAulay himself is completely apolitical).<br />
<br />
Victor Dreke, <i>From Escambre to the Congo</i>. Dreke
fought in the jungle during the later stages of the revolution. He later
directed the counterinsurgency operations during the Escambray Rebellion (which
MacAulay was running guns to) and oversaw Cuban expeditions abroad. The focus
is on the latter events but the initial chapters talk about the revolution from
the perspective of one of its most loyal cadres.<br />
<br />
<i>The Unsuspected Revolution</i>, by Mario Llerena is an important
book on the network of supporters that sustained the revolution. Llerena, one
of the "30's generation" that opposed Machado, was the 26th of
July Movement's representative in New York. In his memoir he recounts
activities from gun-running to media statements, and the underground networks
facilitating them in both Cuba and America. Llerena opposed the Communist turn,
and while he touches on that he does not let it dominate his narrative.<br />
<br />
<i>Our History is Still Being Written</i> and <i>Making History:
Interviews with Four Generals of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces,</i> edited
by Mary Alice Walker, The former gives the long-obscured story of the Chinese
immigrant community's involvement through accounts by 3 Chinese revolutionaries
who became generals. The latter documents the experiences of four other
prominent generals. The focus is on post-1959 political developments, but they
still have a good deal of information on their experiences during the war.<br />
<br />
<i>Women in Cuba, the Making of a Revolution Within a Revolution.</i> Also
edited by Mary Alice Walker, presents
interviews with three women activists, Vilma Espin, Asela de los Santos,
and Yolanda Ferrer, from their activities organizing before revolution, to
their days afterwards with the Cuban Federation of Women. <br />
<br />
<i> Fidel Castro & Company,
Inc.: Communist Tyranny in Cuba. </i>Urrita
was selected president in between Batista's abdication and Castro's seizure of
the government. Stylistically reminiscent of Batista's memoir, the author has
little force of personality, and unfortunately is more occupied here with the
issue of communism than his own experiences.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Moncada, Memories of the Attack that Launched the Cuban Revolution, </i>by Haydee Santamaria. Santamaria was one of the key behind-the-scenes players from the very beginning. She unfortunately left no memoir, but in Moncada she describes her memories of the seminal event in her life (and that of the revolution).<br /><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit, serif;"> </span><br />
<i>Before Night Falls </i>by Reinaldo Arenas. Arenas joined the
Revolution as a student and came close to death during the expedition against
Trujilo. Although he saw little action and his story is more concerned with
sexuality, his brief account conveys the tragi-comic atmosphere of those days.<br />
<br />
<i>Revolution in Cuba </i>by Jose Morrell Romero. Romero fought against
Machado in the 30's, and in the 50's, as a supreme court justice, he faced the
wrath of Batista when he called for the latter's impeachment. Like Morin he
writes with the weight of a veteran of two revolutions, and covers a good deal
of general history- what went on behind closed doors- in addition to his own
experiences. (He was sworn in as provisional president of Cuba by the Tampa
community in 1995.) <br />
<br />
<i>Flight 13: 13 Years with Castro</i> by Mike Bove. Bove provided support
to the July 26th movement via his aviation company in Florida, and gave the
same service to anti-Castro rebels in later years. Bove appears to be a Marine
WW2 veteran, but more than that is hard to find as the book is very rare and
information on Bove even rarer.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In Spanish<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Those
who are literate in Spanish have a much more extensive range of material
available to them.<br />
<br />
General Rafael del Pino joined the revolution as a teenager and was a
significant part of a small air force developed at the end of the conflict. He
defected in the 1980's on account of corruption in the government. He
authored <i>Los Anos de la Guerra</i> and<i> 9050 Horas</i> in
Spanish, and <i>Inside Castro's Bunker</i> in English.<br />
<br />
Juan Almeida Bosque, a commander in the Sierra Madre, enjoyed a
singular literary career in Cuba. His most prominent work is a memoir trilogy,
later published in one 400+ page tome titled <i>Atencion! Recuento!</i> A
second history <i>Crónicas de la Revolución Cubana</i> focuses on the
revolution in general. Other writings include a man-versus-nature account of
life after a hurricane in 1963 (<i>Contra el Agua y el Viento</i>), memories,
and biographies. <br />
<br />
<i>Memorias De Un Soldado Cubano / Memories of a Cuban
Soldier</i> by Dariel Alarcon Ramirez. Ramirez joined the revolution in
1957 and fought in the Sierra Maestra under Camilo Cienfuegos. Later he was a
part of the Cuban expeditions to Africa and Bolivia, before defecting to
France, citing the contrast between the revolutionary ideals and the lifestyle
of the government. (Dreke's autobiography, mentioned above, was written partly
in response to Ramirez's). <br />
<br />
<i> Cómo llegó la noche / How the Night Came</i> by Huber
Matos. The first half of his 500+ page memoir details his experiences as a gun
runner and one of Castro's supporters in the Sierra Madre: the second half, the
story of his arrest and imprisonment by his former commander for almost 20
years.<br />
<br />
Colonel José Quevedo was a commander in the government army tasked
with finishing off Castro. Instead he was himself surrounded and captured with
his troops. Quevedo was impressed enough with the benevolent treatment he
received that he switched sides and became a fervent "fidelista." He
later wrote three books on the war: <i>La batalla de Jigue / The Battle of
Jigue, El ultimo semestre / The Final Six Months, </i>and<i> Vale la
pena recordar / Worth Recalling.</i><br />
<br />
<i> Mi aporte a la Revolución Cubana</i> by Alberto Bayo.
Bayo was a veteran of a variety of conflicts and like Morin a conspirator-poet.
Bayo conducted a boot camp for the would-be guerrillas on a ranch in Mexico
prior to their embarking for Cuba. He attempted to recreate the hardship of
actual combat with endurance hikes and tests in which future leaders showed
their rising star. He discusses this, as well as their hide-and-seek conflict
with the Mexican government in his memoir. Paladin Press later released
aptitude tests he gave trainees in book form, titled <i>150 questions for
a Guerrilla.</i><br />
<br />
<i> </i><i><span style="font-family: inherit, serif;">Memorias
del Dueño del Yate Granma </span></i><span style="font-family: inherit, serif;">by
Antonio Del Conde. Another figure in the prehistory of the revolution, De
Conde bought and repaired the Granma in Mexico, at the time a wreck. The story
of buying and refurbishing a scrap-worthy boat is material for Farley Mowat and
while Del Conde doesn't quite reach his level of writing he still delivers a
great tale here. De Conde did not take part in the actual crossing but was a
significant smuggler and gun runner.<br />
<br />
<i> Collado: Timonel del Granma. </i>Collado was a war
hero long before the revolution, having taken part in sinking a U-boat during
World War Two. His anti-Batista sentiments landed him in jail, after which he
joined Castro's circle in Mexico. As one of the few with actual maritime
experience he was tasked with steering the overloaded, leaky <i>Granma </i>from
Mexico to the far tip of Cuba. </span><br />
<br />
<i> Dias de Combate</i> edited by Luis Pavon in the
early 70's, presents a collection of accounts (spanning over 400 pages) by
people involved in various ways in the anti-Batista movement.<br />
<br />
Nicolas Rodriguez Astiazarain, a member of the underground
in Havana, told of the clandestine struggle in that city in<i> Episodios
de la Lucha Clandestina en la Habana 1955-1958</i>/ <i>Memories of the
Underground Struggle in Havana.</i><br />
<i><br />
</i>
Yolanda Portuondo collected memoirs of many former
participants into oral histories, including two reconstructing the life of
Frank Pais (<i>La clandestinidad tiene un nombre: David</i> and <i>Frank:
Sus últimos treinta días</i>), one on the life of his cadre Otto Parellada, and
the chaplain Guilliermo Sardinas.</span><br />
<br />
<b style="font-size: 14pt;">Others </b><br />
<br /><span style="font-size: medium;">
Several key players left no memoir, but a reading list would be incomplete
without mentioning them.<br />
<br />
Celia Sanchez was the real brains behind many of the revolution's successes.
After the war she founded the Cohiba Cigar factory, which only employed women,
a pioneering concept in Cuba's male-dominated factories. She chose obscurity
over hero status, hence she left no autobiography, but Nancy Stout has filled
the gap to some degree with her book <i>One Day in December, </i>a
history drawn from participants that is both comprehensive and delightfully
readable. There are times where she leaves interviewees' accounts at face value
when it would have been nice if she pried deeper into their motives and
feelings, but its a minor complaint into an otherwise excellent book.<br />
<br />
As mentioned above, Frank Pais was the urban counterpart to Castro from the
early 50's to his death in 1958. His life (and controversy surrounding his
death) is covered in <i>Frank Pais: Architect of Cuba's Betrayed
Revolution. </i>The writing is clunky, even choppy at times, and
pales in its appeal to readers compared to Stout's breezy biography of Sanchez,
but it fills in a critical gap and presents Pais as an equal to Castro as a
leader and organizer. Pais, who appealed to groups across the political divide,
may in fact have surpassed Castro in influence had he not died in 1958- a point
whose implications Alvarez explores. Alvarez was a member of the July 26th
movement and drew on his experience in writing this as well as other books on
Cuban-related topics.<br />
<br />
Tad Szulc's biography of Castro, <i>Fidel,</i> stands head and
shoulders above its counterparts for completeness, readability, and
impartiality. Szulc met with Castro many times from the days of the revolution
right through to the 1980's, and was a key correspondent on the Bay of Pigs. In
his biography Szulc has plumbed the depths of written material, complimented by
his own relationship with the subject, and the result is a biography one can
enjoy and walk away from confident they've learned a true story.<br /></span>
<br />
<b style="font-size: 14pt;">The General History</b><br />
<b style="font-size: 14pt;"> </b><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">
For decades an impartial, accessible, general history for lay readers was non-existent.<i> </i>Tony
Perrottet<i> </i>remedied that in 2019 with his delightfully readable and detailed book, <i>Cuba Libre</i>. The book jacket description in this case
is spot on, and worth reposting: </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit, serif;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;"> In this wildly entertaining
and meticulously researched account, historian and journalist Tony Perrottet
unravels the human drama behind history’s most improbable revolution: a scruffy
handful of self-taught revolutionaries—many of them kids just out of college,
literature majors, and art students, and including a number of extraordinary
women—who defeated 40,000 professional soldiers to overthrow the dictatorship
of Fulgencio Batista.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;">Cuba Libre!’s deep dive into the revolution reveals fascinating details: How did Fidel’s highly organized lover Celia Sánchez whip the male guerrillas into shape? Who were the two dozen American volunteers who joined the Cuban rebels? How do you make land mines from condensed milk cans—or, for that matter, cook chorizo à la guerrilla (sausage guerrilla-style)?</span></blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit, serif;"></span></span></p><blockquote><br /></blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background: white;"></span><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
<br />
<b style="font-size: 14pt;">Conclusion</b><br />
<br /><span style="font-size: medium;">
After 60 years the Cuban revolution continues to polarize
both the Americas and the world. There are times when it would be nice to go
back and see for ourselves what the truth is; we can't in the literal sense,
but in reading the accounts of those who fought we can see for ourselves what
they saw, and how they saw it, and perhaps learn something for today.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">_____________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">1-
Quoted in Brian Hanley and Scott Millar, The Lost Revolution.<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-18365923136721060852020-12-18T18:01:00.006-08:002020-12-18T18:09:48.932-08:00Sean Garland's Account of the Brookeborough Raid<p> From the WP website at https://workersparty.ie/a-first-hand-account-of-the-ira-border-campaign/</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A first hand-account of the IRA Border Campaign</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><i>Seán Garland (1934-2018) joined the Irish Republican Army in the early 1950s, leading the Republican Movement forward with unapologetically socialist republican politics, standing firmly against sectarian nationalists, ultra-leftists and careerist politicians all throughout his life.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>Garland led the 1956 raid of Gough Barracks in Armagh and the 1957 raid of Brookeborough RUC barracks, made popular by the well-known ballads “Seán South of Garryowen” and Dominic Behan’s “The Patriot Game” when Seán South and Fergal O’Hanlon lost their lives.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>While we remember the border campaign and remember proudly the men who lost their lives we also understand the context in which it was undertaken. The failure of the campaign led to the movements change of direction and its new focus on social and political agitation under the direction of people like Cathal Goulding, Tomás MacGiolla and Seán Garland.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>Below is a never-before-seen, first-hand account of the beginning of the Border Campaign, written by Garland himself before his passing.</i></p><p><br /></p><p>Headquarters decided that 11th December would be the opening date for the campaign it was later postponed to 12th December. All the volunteers assembled at a farmhouse in Athboy a week before to sort out which column would do what, in which area of the country and what target they would chose. Headquarters decided that we would only target the British Army and the B-Specials and the RUC would not be targeted. My Column was given Gough Barracks in Armagh.</p><p><br /></p><p>We had a Column of about twenty. We had a lorry which arrived late so we were late starting off. Once we got to Armagh Barracks the team were supposed to jump out and plant a mine but a sentry spotted the lorry and the activity of the men running with the mine and fired a shot into the air.</p><p><br /></p><p>The team dropped the mine on the roadway. With the shot going off we knew the alarm would go off and we retreated. I was in the cab with driver Vince Conlan and Eamon McTomas. Eamon said “fire a few rounds at him” which I did, it had no affect. A voice in the back of the lorry said “ta fear ar an talam” (there is a man on the ground) the voice was that of Seán Sabhat. I got out of the cab and ran back to check but it was in fact the mine that had been dropped. I ran back to the cab, and among other comments, gave instructions to drive away. We sped out of Armagh and headed for Knockatallen in County Monaghan where Big Sean Cronin and Charlie Murphy were waiting.</p><p><br /></p><p>The column split and half went to Fermanagh and the other half to County Down. From 12th December, for about 10 days, we spent moving around Fermanagh. The instructions were clear no attacks on the B-Specials or the RUC, only the British Army. We spent those ten days roaming around Fermanagh seeking British Army targets which didn’t exist.</p><p><br /></p><p>In Dublin GHQ some idiot decided to have a truce for Christmas. The Column spent Christmas sitting around in Dublin waiting. We then began assembling a few days after Christmas in Dublin. A few volunteers had dropped out and a number of new ones joined these included Paddy O’Regan from Dublin and Fergal O’Hanlon from Monaghan Town.</p><p><br /></p><p>We picked Fergal up at his home where we met his mother and his family. After a friendly meeting and a warm goodbye we headed to Fermanagh where we met with Dave O’Connell who had been there for months. Dave was second in command of the column and had got to know the county very well and had secured billets. We then began to develop a plan for an attack on the RUC.</p><p><br /></p><p>The rules governing a column’s activity not to engage B-men or RUC from 12th December had changed over Christmas. There was a notable lack of British Army activity in Fermanagh. Operation Harvest, which had been created by Big Sean Cronin and had commenced on 12th December had a very sporadic first couple of weeks. An attack on Lisnaskea in which a member of the RUC garrison was killed along with damage to the barracks, a Derry train had been disrupted and a courtroom destroyed. Many men had been captured. After a number of days we decided to carry out an attack on Brookborugh barracks. Reading newspapers at the time it didn’t seem that as much progress had been made, significant numbers of captures of IRA members was one feature so we felt that an attack on Brookborough was a prestige target named after a six county Prime Minster, a well know sectarian bigot who gloried in imposing harsh and vindictive laws and denial of civil and human rights to the minority population who were Roman Catholic Nationalists who gave their loyalty in the main to the Dublin Government, itself a right wing reactionary force.</p><p><br /></p><p>As usual the Column was late setting out for Brookborough. All volunteers were in good form and looking forward to the attack. They had spent the days tramping around Fermanagh anxious to engage the enemy. The truck did not take long for its journey from the farmhouse to Brookborough.</p><p><br /></p><p>In the cabin were Vince Conlon, Dave O’Connell and local guide Pat Connelly. The members of the Column were in the body of the truck. Each volunteer had a specific role to play in the attack. Sean Sabhat and Paddy O’Regan were to stay in the truck manning the Bren Gun. Mick O’Brien was to remain at the entry of the town to ensure that no other people could enter and Mickey Kelly to remain at the exit of the town to do the same. Dave O’Connell and a number of volunteers had the task of planting the mine at the barracks door and Fergal O’Hanlon along with rest of the Column remained in the truck to give cover.</p><p><br /></p><p>The first and most deadly error was the lorry driving on the right hand side on the same side of the street as the barracks. The lorry stopped just at the gable end of the barracks building. Once having stopped all the men moved to take up specific roles. From that moment we were doomed to fail.</p><p><br /></p><p>The plan was for the truck to stop opposite the barracks on the left side of the road. In such a position the bren gun manned by Sean Sabhat and Paddy O’Regan would have had an open field of fire. Giving cover to the group of volunteers planting the mine. There were also a number of rifle men in the back of the truck which would have almost guaranteed the safety of all volunteers in the truck.</p><p><br /></p><p>Years later I was told the reason the truck pulled up in the wrong place was because children were playing opposite the barracks. As events turned out the RUC Sergeant Cordner had a field day being able to use the gable window which over looked where the lorry parked. Any volunteer who was shot was shot in the lorry. After a short period of time, with no mine exploding I ran forward and called on the volunteers to withdraw. Some bullets from the Sergeants gun had entered the lorries cabin hitting Vincent Conlan’s foot. Mick O’Brien who had been guarding the entry of the town was getting left behind with the truck moving away and he had to run after it, shouting for it to hold on. He got up and was able to get to the truck. I was shot in the left leg as I got back into the truck.</p><p><br /></p><p>The task began of assessing our overall situation. It was clear that Seán and Fergal were most serious. When the body of Seán was brought down from the lorry and I put my arms around him, I knew that my comrade was dead. Their two bodies were brought to some outbuildings and the emphasis was to get the column moving. I suggested to Dave O’Connell who was second in command that he should take over the Column and should leave myself and the other wounded behind to give comrades an opportunity to get away. Dave O’Connell rejected this and we organised a retreat.</p><p><br /></p><p>Having left the bodies of our two fallen comrades the Column headed over the mountains to Monaghan. We could see the actions of the large force of RUC and B-Specials which had been called out to take part in a search for the column. I recall very clearly hearing Pat Connelly’s voice shouting out “we’re in the State, we’re in the State” meaning of course the Free State. We eventually found a farmhouse where the family opened their door and did all they could to help. Dave O’Connell organised to have the weapons put safely away and then went to seek help for the wounded. He found a police and national army road block not far from the farm house and very soon an ambulance arrived and took the wounded to hospital, and lots of Gardai who took the rest of the column into custody.</p><p><br /></p><p>Within days they were in court and they were sent to prison. The wounded remained in Monaghan Hospital and then transferred to the Mater Hospital in Dublin. On arrival Phil O’Donahue got out of the ambulance and just wandered off.</p><p><br /></p><p>For myself an abiding memory is watching from the hospital window in Monaghan hospital the funeral cortege of, my comrade, Volunteer Fergal O’Hanlon proceeding slowly through the streets and roads of Monaghan.</p>Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-27285498230006794142020-12-18T07:10:00.000-08:002020-12-18T07:10:38.963-08:00"Donal O Se- The Passing of a 1950's Veteran"<p>This, and all photos, were originally posted by Eirigi on their website - see the original at:</p><p><a href="https://eirigi.org/latestnews/2020/11/26/donal-s-the-passing-of-a-1950s-veteran">Donal Ó Sé - The Passing Of A 1950s Veteran — Éirígí For A New Republic (eirigi.org)</a></p><p><br /></p><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-0537abbc4769a50127c2" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 0px 17px 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><h1 style="color: #5e9122; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 32px; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: center; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; white-space: pre-wrap;"><strong style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">Donal Ó Sé - The Passing Of A 1950s Veteran</strong></h1><p class="" style="margin-bottom: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">Republican activists in South Dublin woke to the sad news last Thursday morning that the 1950's veteran Donal Ó Sé had passed away. Although Donal had lived in the same house on the Dundrum Road for the last forty years, his life story began far away in the village of Kilgarvan in South Kerry where he was born in 1937.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1606397453101_31592" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1608060809418_145"><div class="
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" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1608060809418_198" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 805px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Eoin and Donal Ó Sé in happier times" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="2048x2048" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5fc02c03e6d49a06bba2780b" data-image-resolution="1000w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c360d69b40b9d183e7a9ef6/1606429707735-LMTRCVMXQUJBMW2HZ56Q/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kO6t_FIigFZlD-2ukJs68NZ7gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLfrh8O1z5QPOohDIaIeljMHgDF5CVlOqpeNLcJ80NK65_fV7S1UdQnRCmyfmE32mt8hf8jTbpNOvskeoRv-ygqK_y0NLe3pygZMNSAPtQr-kV0SxGO-A/127192017_795680874611112_4850082771040086087_o.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c360d69b40b9d183e7a9ef6/1606429707735-LMTRCVMXQUJBMW2HZ56Q/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kO6t_FIigFZlD-2ukJs68NZ7gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLfrh8O1z5QPOohDIaIeljMHgDF5CVlOqpeNLcJ80NK65_fV7S1UdQnRCmyfmE32mt8hf8jTbpNOvskeoRv-ygqK_y0NLe3pygZMNSAPtQr-kV0SxGO-A/127192017_795680874611112_4850082771040086087_o.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c360d69b40b9d183e7a9ef6/1606429707735-LMTRCVMXQUJBMW2HZ56Q/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kO6t_FIigFZlD-2ukJs68NZ7gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLfrh8O1z5QPOohDIaIeljMHgDF5CVlOqpeNLcJ80NK65_fV7S1UdQnRCmyfmE32mt8hf8jTbpNOvskeoRv-ygqK_y0NLe3pygZMNSAPtQr-kV0SxGO-A/127192017_795680874611112_4850082771040086087_o.jpg?format=1000w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 805px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 805px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p class="" style="font-size: 0.875em; line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eoin and Donal Ó Sé in happier times</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1606397453101_75786" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px 17px 0px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p class="" style="background-color: white; color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.7); font-family: Roboto; font-size: 15px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">Donal Ó Sé was a quiet, unassuming man of few words. That quietness was not borne out of shyness or lack of confidence. Quite the opposite. It was a quietness borne of a deep understanding of the modern world and an absolute belief in Irish republicanism. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.7); font-family: Roboto; font-size: 15px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">Donal had no need to shout from the hilltops about his exploits or his politics. He knew exactly who he was and what he believed in. Like thousands of other republican activists of his generation he did what he did because it was the right thing to do and he did so without any expectation of fame or fortune.</p><p class="" style="background-color: white; color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.7); font-family: Roboto; font-size: 15px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">His republicanism manifested itself in the support that he offered to friend and stranger alike - in his instinctive rallying against injustice - in his support for oppressed people across the globe - in his political campaigning - in the unconditional love that he gave to his family. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.7); font-family: Roboto; font-size: 15px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">Éirígí For A New Republic takes this opportunity to offer our deepest condolences to Donal’s wife Geraldine, his son Eoin and to their wider family during this most difficult of times. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam<em style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">.</em></p><div><em style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></em></div></div></div>Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-77894706057784798522020-10-03T08:15:00.001-07:002020-10-03T08:29:48.720-07:00"Phil Clarke - An Appreciation"<p> <span style="font-family: times;">Phil Clarke - An Appreciation</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"> Fermanagh Herald, Wednesday, August 23, 1995</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"> Forty years ago, a young Dubliner was selected as the sole anti-Unionist candidate for Fermanagh-South Tyrone. Like his colleague in Mid-Ulster, Tom Mitchell, Phil Clarke was tolerating Her Majesty's hospitality in Crumlin Road prison' having been convicted for his part in the raid on the armaments depot in Omagh. With staunch support from Fermanagh's best known clergyman of the time, Canon Tom Maguire of Newtownbutler, Clarke was elected to represent the constuency of Churchill's dreary steeples in the "Mother of Parliaments".</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"> Not for the first time, nor, as it transpired the last, the mandate of the Fermanagh-Tyrone electorate was ignored by a Tory government and Clarke, like Mitchell, was disqualified; eventually the constituency fell to a Unionist who held it for a long time.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"> Four decades is a long time- long enough for memories to fade. Last week, Phil Clarke passed unexpectedly to his eternal reward without even a whimper of acknowledgement from his erstwhile constituents. Phil packed more into his sixty-one years than most. An international cyclist prior to his incarceration and a member of the only Irish cycling team to defeat England in a full international, he represented Ireland at a time when Ireland's international representation was adversely affected by Britain's refusal to acknowledge the N.A.C.A.'s right to nominate an International team for the 1948 and 1952 Olympic Games. His interest in cycling never waned; few Irishmen saw more stages of the Tour de France over the years; every year his continental holiday coincided with a major cycling event; and right up to his untimely death, he continued his Sunday morning stint on the bicycle as his gesture to fitness.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"> A civil servant before his imprisonment, Clarke returned to the public sector on his release from Crumlin Road. Having secured a primary degree before being head-hunted by the Irish Management Institute where his innovative and imaginative approach to management development led to his appointment as Executive Director responsible for In-Company Development. While employed there he was awarded a Master's Degree by Trinity College for a thesis on management development and action-learning which was, then, a relatively new concept.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"> Never one to suffer fools gladly, Clarke made no secret of his views when the I.M.I.’ s proposed policy indicated a change of direction which he felt was not in the best interests of the Irish economy. After a period of considerable confusion and some personal criticism, Phil left the I.M.I- with a not inconsiderable cash "gratuity" and set up a new consulting company with two of his former I.M.I colleagues. As a consultant he made a huge reputation for himself in the areas of industrial relations and wage payment systems. Regularly, articles by him appeared in management publications and contribution to the Journal of Industrial Relations on Gain-Sharing indicated a novel way of allowing workers to participate in the benefits from improved efficiency; it was a model which subsequently found favour in several of the country's leading companies and, indeed, in National Wage bargaining.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"> Many, including his former colleague, Noel Mulcahy, now a Professor and Dean of Research at the University of Limerick, had often suggested to Phil that he should chronicle his involvement in political affairs, for he had a strong philosophical bent when discussing such matters. He always resisted. Then earlier this year, he produced a novel entitled "True Blue" (as befitted a died-in-the-wool Dubliner). He vehemently denied any autographical dimension to the book, but his trenchant criticism of politics and of politicians suggested to those who knew him well that part of it, at least, came from his own experiences and all of it came from his heart.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"> Two weeks ago, he produced a first draft of a second novel to get the reactions of some of his closest friends. No doubt it too will be published even if it may need some re-drafting for its predecessor was rewritten at least three times before it was acceptable to a publisher. But Phil had enough friends to guarantee that his labour will not have been in vain.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"> Seven years in Crumlin Road have their effects; Phil could survive well in his own company, but for those who made the effort to get to know him the reward was worthwhile; he was loyal to a fault; he had an outstanding intellect; despite his involvement with multinationals and big business, his political philosophy remained "left of centre"; he was a great communicator and an outstanding teacher — I know, for most of what I learned Phil Clarke taught me and I am eternally grateful.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"> He will be missed by many; by Maeve, his wife his six daughters, Mary, Emer, Nuala, Philomena, Niamh and Ruth, by Adam, his son and fellow Dublin supporter, by his business partner and soulmate, Aileen, and by his brothers and sisters.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"> Forty years ago Phil was deprived of electoral success; last week he lost an even bigger battle. Those of us who knew him, who considered ourselves his friends, also lost. Ar dheis Dhe go raibh se.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">P. O'C July 1995</span></p><div><br /></div>Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-49224081744023960722020-10-02T13:36:00.092-07:002020-10-03T08:28:08.991-07:00Tom Mitchell<h2 style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal">Tom
Mitchell<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">This past
July saw the death of Tom Mitchell of Dublin, volunteer and MP for Mid-Tyrone at the age of 89.
Mitchell was a significant figure in Irish history as the first Sinn Fein
member to win an election in the north since 1918.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The
following articles summarize his life and times, including his account of the Omagh Raid in which he was arrested.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">A few
notes may be added to what's below: Inside the Crum, Mitchell was elected O/c
of the Republican Prisoners, and in Bowyer Bell's words, "proved capable
of getting along with everyone and smoothing down the rough edges of
faction."(1) Although he adhered strictly to Army policy, there was no
crippling infighting such as split the movement in the Curragh at the same
time. He stood down in favor of Sean Garland in 1960. Upon his release in 1961, he served on the Army Council and voted to end Operation Harvest the next year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">After his release he returned to Dublin and became a planner on the Dublin Corporation. He retained a close connection to his Tyrone constituents, and appeared in almost any republican rally, commemoration, or funeral in the area. More than one former comrade notes he was wary of far left ideology, but firmly believed in popular politics and the political process.(2) He was active in the NICRA, was a member of Official Sinn Fein, and
supported the WP-affiliated Republican Clubs through the 1980's. According to his Irish Time
obituary, he "often played a significant role as peacemaker behind the
scenes."(3) </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Thomas MacGiolla described him as "a quiet man who hated the limelight, and had no desire for publicity."(4)</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1- Bowyer Bell, The Secret Army</span></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div style="text-align: left;">2- Obituary by Matt Treacy <a href="https://gript.ie/tom-mitchell-twice-elected-as-a-westminster-mp-while-a-republican-prisoner/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">https://gript.ie/tom-mitchell-twice-elected-as-a-westminster-mp-while-a-republican-prisoner/</span></a></div></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div style="text-align: left;">3- <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/tom-mitchell-obituary-one-of-sinn-f%C3%A9in-s-first-mps-after-partition-1.4318017" style="text-align: center;">https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/tom-mitchell-obituary-one-of-sinn-f%C3%A9in-s-first-mps-after-partition-1.4318017</a></div></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div style="text-align: left;">4- Ulster Herald, October 22, 1955</div></span></div>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">(Click to
view larger versions)</span><o:p></o:p></p></h2><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9orNEVoCrHF0w_2lkSnfUuTis8VwzQzAJ77CYON0AuIXIBSAilTjpf6FJBS8b9FU5fbw56Mr3cvNHjjQl-Z3a6uDuSSBUDJ6sHS-aDejidRH1SFT8f4yVutZbXor-XDzRco10IVG0UB0/s2048/mitchell+obit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2023" height="754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9orNEVoCrHF0w_2lkSnfUuTis8VwzQzAJ77CYON0AuIXIBSAilTjpf6FJBS8b9FU5fbw56Mr3cvNHjjQl-Z3a6uDuSSBUDJ6sHS-aDejidRH1SFT8f4yVutZbXor-XDzRco10IVG0UB0/w680-h754/mitchell+obit.jpg" width="680" /></a></div> <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_g4mZVh2diGxTIt7jruITgT1J9ySyyKfeO6AapSbLrPlPAt4s9sk464aHbOYY0nvyc4V5GZiS56jEvkiePnPFC0JGAD1IZnEDlTzhXpf7w-whgIZodXC6mOPHaLi6U7ApQoUYJPqL19Q/s2048/mitchell+photo+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1343" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_g4mZVh2diGxTIt7jruITgT1J9ySyyKfeO6AapSbLrPlPAt4s9sk464aHbOYY0nvyc4V5GZiS56jEvkiePnPFC0JGAD1IZnEDlTzhXpf7w-whgIZodXC6mOPHaLi6U7ApQoUYJPqL19Q/s320/mitchell+photo+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(From the United Irishman)<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPyyfVc7mlVM-uX-E5dsBT7krFzR9OIaWBwBDQJZEkHWMKALoDxt0lzCTSe0vTRmuq_fbs8MsH60sonrk39wLD4aYLfTOtaVoY6RbJAHDwcwoG2mTpJccDqISTR_6fIEzTzzZXx-LCw0/s2048/tom+mitchell+photo+4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPyyfVc7mlVM-uX-E5dsBT7krFzR9OIaWBwBDQJZEkHWMKALoDxt0lzCTSe0vTRmuq_fbs8MsH60sonrk39wLD4aYLfTOtaVoY6RbJAHDwcwoG2mTpJccDqISTR_6fIEzTzzZXx-LCw0/s320/tom+mitchell+photo+4.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Election Photo, 1967</span></div><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14tsuKy8SrPe6K9wjFLWVwFcVt_QGmXbfhayZ_K-aqJPy5ojXVkEgC8N3fFgpfU0n9PAxEPouSg-bnOsecq4bCm4RczLIZ0lF2INBOy31h9wrpCmLgMTcv0TkUIdZOqBiE5osnt-j7Hc/s2344/mitchell+photo+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2344" data-original-width="1140" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14tsuKy8SrPe6K9wjFLWVwFcVt_QGmXbfhayZ_K-aqJPy5ojXVkEgC8N3fFgpfU0n9PAxEPouSg-bnOsecq4bCm4RczLIZ0lF2INBOy31h9wrpCmLgMTcv0TkUIdZOqBiE5osnt-j7Hc/w212-h436/mitchell+photo+1.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjPxJzOMX_ggVh2LAe2b6FGgurmY0DIvfozoR3qPq4t2YCosCOVEMVqOPTdvCW92269rA3cG3Fr37ZF1Hck89aarZBKlOlC7YMHHzKLGInH5T8_DmlIAoNDwdhdc2YMdJRJwDSxUcTlg/s3922/mitchell+photo+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3922" data-original-width="802" height="1538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjPxJzOMX_ggVh2LAe2b6FGgurmY0DIvfozoR3qPq4t2YCosCOVEMVqOPTdvCW92269rA3cG3Fr37ZF1Hck89aarZBKlOlC7YMHHzKLGInH5T8_DmlIAoNDwdhdc2YMdJRJwDSxUcTlg/w312-h1538/mitchell+photo+2.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJ7yEry1h9njuKtuttWJR0FjyTDruVfXaA6N2veUd_dx0Zlt_crn7vKXxzpfdo5LPK534cdxtsDA-3rW0C0chQtDk8o5a4q49EqElGmolnVZvXj4QtxH13sOIPfTCa5OcSucGZVeALiU/s2048/mitchell+photo+7.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJ7yEry1h9njuKtuttWJR0FjyTDruVfXaA6N2veUd_dx0Zlt_crn7vKXxzpfdo5LPK534cdxtsDA-3rW0C0chQtDk8o5a4q49EqElGmolnVZvXj4QtxH13sOIPfTCa5OcSucGZVeALiU/s320/mitchell+photo+7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">At the unveiling of the republican monument in Carrickmore, Tyrone, 1971. <br />The monument was a decades long project initiated by the Old IRA veterans.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div> <div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHtY1UesHBwzjTT2xqAReu9QD3bvYoPSM2q7gqBPswXTZIYG5GeiOkBSptqrUGPBjexxqAMra3G6XpceBS_O5G9a5VCAuSxHMIdTc8ErIlBK0Wih8-yQmWyy4f2wHN48D1ymcJdB9cIw/s1056/mitchell+photo+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="848" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHtY1UesHBwzjTT2xqAReu9QD3bvYoPSM2q7gqBPswXTZIYG5GeiOkBSptqrUGPBjexxqAMra3G6XpceBS_O5G9a5VCAuSxHMIdTc8ErIlBK0Wih8-yQmWyy4f2wHN48D1ymcJdB9cIw/s320/mitchell+photo+3.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4TABQvqib5TkblaNiGYM6PqulYEKNZ0VZum-S4ThLKJMBAXbfj2sm3_YLfY3pJ7uHX_d-LhcWyxO2Rbx3MKsSSTXPGnqKzZStrhdreHBUv9ZypW5FZxro_z-hMSZJlam-pBzRrQF6xOA/s1514/mitchell+photo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1514" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4TABQvqib5TkblaNiGYM6PqulYEKNZ0VZum-S4ThLKJMBAXbfj2sm3_YLfY3pJ7uHX_d-LhcWyxO2Rbx3MKsSSTXPGnqKzZStrhdreHBUv9ZypW5FZxro_z-hMSZJlam-pBzRrQF6xOA/w463-h294/mitchell+photo.jpg" width="463" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1971<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPzGMmpWGBiD1NBCzNSNV8OqVP21mS9n1USv2c9eRXroEgwv27wlTQW5_ctZZd0cPi8IL_wVuFY0zzz95m8NKMPUvcJBLR7npb1kf_SORfDAf-63vhe8lFZMnyfJNKzHgKBReSKBe3wQ/s3212/mitchell+fisheries.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3212" data-original-width="979" height="932" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPzGMmpWGBiD1NBCzNSNV8OqVP21mS9n1USv2c9eRXroEgwv27wlTQW5_ctZZd0cPi8IL_wVuFY0zzz95m8NKMPUvcJBLR7npb1kf_SORfDAf-63vhe8lFZMnyfJNKzHgKBReSKBe3wQ/w286-h932/mitchell+fisheries.jpg" width="286" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In Support of a "fish-in" protest. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div> </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOyGIdqKoOju8OZu4edej1kJHPfacR9OwWbjRkJ6A7yCjZsnb4EAvqT-fygOiASbruEJ_cNXD4QQi3prmevFfMnNPkaywRvxKPjLZ6B02ASvcFwkpxM9eB9Su1rmgcAFkZT-VPEZV6k0/s552/mitchell+photo+4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="384" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOyGIdqKoOju8OZu4edej1kJHPfacR9OwWbjRkJ6A7yCjZsnb4EAvqT-fygOiASbruEJ_cNXD4QQi3prmevFfMnNPkaywRvxKPjLZ6B02ASvcFwkpxM9eB9Su1rmgcAFkZT-VPEZV6k0/w330-h473/mitchell+photo+4.jpg" width="330" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-72623014495254916832016-04-23T08:23:00.001-07:002021-01-30T08:33:42.683-08:00Men of the North Part 3: Operation Harvest<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><strong>Men
of the North Part 3: Operation Harvest</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">"What
gifts hath fate for all his chivalry?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even such as hearts heroic oftenest win</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honor, a friend, anguish, untimely
death."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-Homer, "The Iliad"</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">THE
HANDBOOK</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">After
the Savoy attack, an op-ed writer theorized:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"In the North...there are signs of a
breeze that may trouble the waters. There is no reason to believe that the IRA
is in a position to carry out any grand strategy. The odds, in the Republic and
the Six Counties alike, are balanced too heavily against it. No sane Irishman
wants any more of that hopeless nonsense. At the same time," he continued,
"the fanaticism of such members as it may have has not diminished; and a
man with only one idea in his head is always dangerous..."</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By evidence and logic, the IRA certainly did
seem to have disappeared. But rarely in Irish history have events progressed
according to those two. In reality the IRA did have a grand strategy, thanks to
a former Irish Army officer, Sean Cronin, and his idea was called "Operation
Harvest." By his plan, the IRA would strike across the border from the
south using mobile, well-armed columns of 12-15 men. Their attacks on the
British Army and government infrastructure would make the country ungovernable
and inspire the nationalists to rise up. They would be assisted by smaller
Active Service Units of northerners and southerners fighting full time, and the
local units that existed around the north.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The few dozen men under Jim Rowntree that
comprised the Newry unit were of the latter category. They were "local
men," whose role was to "work during the day, go about their normal
routine, and then strike at night. Their job is to stay constantly on the
offensive, keep the enemy off balance and keep him guessing." Although far
removed from the (skin deep) romance of flying columns dashing across the
hills, they did the crucial grunt work of the army: gathering intelligence,
sheltering men and hiding arms, providing guides and for the ASUs and columns,
carrying out support operations and sabotage, and making sure the army
maintained a presence overall. They had the camraderie that comes from small
numbers, common sacrifices, and shared secrets. </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnswSLLTYQ2jxWLefhclq_RHOOqCXNfO9bKs7jQggRNpbycqa3NTpADQz338CAcPLU6ld8nWRWiMaK1CdDGm5W96VHXAeLh6dc8Kt51g7dSWsafKrQxc_enDIS3QZ0GaDJaxP0eBi4OY/s408/j.r..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="216" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnswSLLTYQ2jxWLefhclq_RHOOqCXNfO9bKs7jQggRNpbycqa3NTpADQz338CAcPLU6ld8nWRWiMaK1CdDGm5W96VHXAeLh6dc8Kt51g7dSWsafKrQxc_enDIS3QZ0GaDJaxP0eBi4OY/w128-h242/j.r..jpg" width="128" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jim Rowntree 1921-2002</span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(source:Evening Herald)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1956 Cronin wrote a "Handbook for
volunteers of the IRA" to prepare them for the job they were about to
undertake. Cronin was a journalist by trade, and typical of his writing it is
precise, well-detailed, and owing to his army background, a cut above the
average guerrilla cookbook.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"The Guerilla must always remember
that his main job is the destruction and breakdown of enemy communications,
administration, and supplies," Cronin writes. This would primarily be done
by local units, and their tools to this end would be explosives. The handbook
describes the appearances, uses, and storing methods for gelignite, 808, TNT,
ammonal, wet gun cotton, plastic, and 822, in addition to several paragraphs on
bangalore torpedos (useful against "enemy tanks and barbed wire") and
the three primary detonators.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gelignite, ("brown, used for cutting.
Initiate with primer. Can be initiated with bullet. Keep in cool place."),
was the only one the IRA made a habit of using. It was the most readily
available, having a legitimate use in quarries and mines, and could be obtained
from them legally under the disguise of "stuff exports." It was the
most stable, and can be knocked around without setting off the charge. And it
was the most familiar, having been used for several generations going back to
the Fenians. "Wee Joe," Seamus Trainor, and their generation were
versed in its use. Many Old IRA men who bedecked the Easter Parades had used it
in their day, and an early form was used by their predecessors in the IRB.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The primers and fuses which make the stuff
go off were another story. One had the option of electric fuse or copper wire,
and they were more volatile than the explosive itself, particularly when
exposed to moisture. It was not unusual they failed to work but many
volunteers, happy to get away from the scene after working in the dark with one
eye watching for police, did not usually risk their lives and freedom to go
back and fix it. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">THE
CAMPAIGN </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">On
December 12, the campaign opened along the border with a salvo of raids and
attacks; watching and listening for the explosions across the border one
volunteer thought it looked "like the western front."</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original plans for South Down were:
"Destroy Territorial Army station at Newry and burn down courthouse.
Destroy Banbridge Territorial army Station. Seize short-wave Radio transmitter
in Newry shipping office. Hit Warrenpoint R.U.C. Barracks. Raid Bishopscourt
Radar Station."A variety of factors worked against all these being carried
out. The party assigned to raid Bishopscourt set out but was forced to turn
back and in the end only a hut in which B-Specials drilled in Newry was
attacked and mostly burned down. The columns that marked activity in the
western counties were absent from Co. Down, and the area was quiet over
Christmas.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A column of volunteers from the southern
side of the border moved into the area around New Years. They set up a staging
point for operations at a lonesome farmhouse a full mile off road in
Clontifleece- a "wild and sparsely populated" area at the base of the
Mourne mountains. They were joined by three locals,
Christopher and Bernard Loy, and Thomas Kearns. These latter three, along with
Seamus Hand, Peter Duffy, and Pat Shaw of Dundalk, and Pat Considine of Dublin
from the column torched a B-Special barracks the night of January 2nd-3rd.
Unknown to them as they hiked cross-country back to the farm, the authorities
were on to them and a landrover of six policemen armed with sten guns and
revolvers was approaching from the other side. As they jostled up the long
rocky lane they passed the farmer walking away the house. They stopped the car
and split up, approaching from different directions.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
column had apparently sensed the presence of the police, and was crouching along
the wall of a pen while one man leaned over to dump their materials in it. A
policeman, armed with a sten, came up behind. The others were soon on the scene
and the column, in no position to shoot it out or escape, was captured. They
calmly stood up and assembled along the farmhouse wall. The police, outnumbered
and in dark, unfamiliar surroundings pressed the volunteers with shouting,
threats, and prodding with their stens to disclose where their explosives were.
None gave an answer and no explosives were found in the area, although in
various places around the pen and in the haversacks each was carrying were
tell-tale detonators, small arms, knives, copies of Cronin's manual, and
ordnance survey maps. A lorry arrived on the scene shortly and took them away. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
means 12 years for us, one remarked grimly. Although that imminent sentence
hung over them, they played it cool at their trial, chuckling at inside jokes
as evidence was brought forth and waving to some women in the gallery. It
wasn't as bad as predicted: they got 8 years each.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Jhg0ZcdiBtpNyiQXRvK5CUTaSCRLd9WtpUvw-hvr4SiUGKXxR7qneEDBOX6QYl2UBpyWY6RZdZLFIsfryJF-LXid9hsOWolDclBDDydW7bReSdE1eqgV5MBL5NNqaoXg6XFX8ViLC5w/s1600/kearns.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Jhg0ZcdiBtpNyiQXRvK5CUTaSCRLd9WtpUvw-hvr4SiUGKXxR7qneEDBOX6QYl2UBpyWY6RZdZLFIsfryJF-LXid9hsOWolDclBDDydW7bReSdE1eqgV5MBL5NNqaoXg6XFX8ViLC5w/s320/kearns.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The following day over 500 police and
members of the British Army carried out one of the largest sweeps seen in South
Down for some years. They combed the Mourne mountains and arrested two hapless
volunteers who were caught in daylight on the barren landscape with nowhere to
hide, and uncovered a dump of the usual items near Rostrevor. House to house
searches followed.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the 9th a false alarm provided some
comic relief when a parachute with a "small object" descended out of
a clear blue sky and came down in the middle of the road. Those watching
assumed that this was an innovative new weapon of the IRA, and took cover.
Before the bomb squad got there a taxi man ventured to pick it up. It did not
explode: it was a meteorological instrument that had run its course. There were
similar scares throughout the spring as ordinance and ammunition were found
around disused installations that housed the US Army during WW2.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On February 22nd, about 40 Territorial
Army members were drilling in one of their huts on Downshire road. They left
for the much-awaited canteen. Half an hour later an explosion from under the
hut gutted it, leaving only the frame and blowing out the roof, windows, and
sections of the floor. A comedy of coincidences prevented casualties. Two men
on their way to relieve the sentries, and a caretaker who just happened to be
outside were all shielded from injury by a landrover, and the sentries were
protected by the sandbags around their post. The men in the canteen were thrown
to the floor like ninepins but, aside from scrapes, bruises, and a bump on the
head for one who was struck by a wireless transmitter, all were fine. This
attack, like the previous two barracks bombings in Down, was timed specifically
for when they were empty so as to avoid casualties: the objective was to
deprive the police and TA of their safe places, rather than to rack up a
bodycount. This attack prompted more searches through the mountains. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through late February and mid March targets
in South Down focused on telephone transformers, wires, and kiosks to isolate
communications, and some bridges were damaged in attacks to isolate troop
movements. The Fianna were tasked with the former job of cutting wires, done by
hurling over a rope with a stone attached and pulling them to the ground.
Flickering lights and momentary power loss to the sound of not-so-distant
explosions were common. "Once (indeed more than once) it was the local
(transformer) on the site of the present Southern Regional College,"
writes one local. "For minutes at a time (or so it seemed) the sky was
filled with multi-coloured flashes, then all went dark."</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The British for their part took to felling
bridges to isolate IRA movements and it was not always clear to observers who
was responsible for what. To control traffic they made roads some impassable by
alternately blowing very large craters in them, or placing iron spikes, or
concrete blocks in the way (or a mix of all 3). By 1958 only a handful of the
180-odd roads across the border in the north were open, and travelers on these
ran a gauntlet of searches and roadblocks by the RUC, and B-Specials, and less
commonly the British Army.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was an old abandoned house on Chapel
Hill the police frequently raided, believing it to be a hideout. Their searches
brought nothing by way of volunteers, but on<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>March 1st they found a bomb waiting for them with 28 pounds of gelignite
primed to go off. The police deferred to an army bomb disposal expert, who
claimed it was the most complicated device he had encountered.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On March 6th, in a fairly straightforward
operation, an explosion leveled an army recruiting office which had just opened
in November. The issue of army recruitment was one that would surface later
with more drama than a simple explosion.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just after this, two volunteers
"borrowed" a taxi cab for an operation, long enough beforehand that
the owner reported it stolen. Around 8:15 in the evening, residents heard them
racing up Frances street, accompanied by the sound of the Electricity Board's
windows shattering as a bomb was hurled through. The volunteers ditched the
taxi a hundred yards way at Merchants Quay, unharmed and ready to resume its
legal use. But there was no explosion. The street was closed and the police and
fire brigade watched as military disposal experts were called in. They found a
2 foot long iron water pipe with 75 sticks of gelignite stuffed inside, along
with a 12 foot fuse that had burned out only an inch and a half away from
detonation. Speculators pointed out a garage with underground petrol tanks was
next door, although whether they intended to cause an explosion with that, or
if the gelignite was capable of doing so, is debatable. The street was then
reopened.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On March 11th William and Sheila McCormick
resumed life at their respective places of work after a five-day honeymoon.
Around midday, word went around Sheila's workplace that police raids were going
on- an unusual occurrence as that usually came around in the wee hours of the morning. On
her lunch break she asked a neighbor what the <i>sceal</i> was only to find that William had been taken away. The police arrested a total of
seven volunteers in precise daytime raids: Oliver Rowntree, Vincent and William
McCormick, Bernard Larkin, John Duffy, and Lennie and Edward Campbell. Sheila
appealed to Joe Connellan for help, who called for William's release without
result. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Easter commemoration that year was
one of the largest in recent memory. The streets were flooded by a sea of over
5,000 people, who left just enough room for the Old IRA veterans' color party
to lead the procession through. Their route passed through a police cordon and
there was no chance of the tricolor passing it; the flag was kept hidden until
they had gone through, whereupon it was pulled out and triumphantly borne aloft
to St. Mary's Cemetery by Bob Savage. Dr Padraig O Cuinn read the proclamation
and led a decade of the rosary, after which four buglers sounded the last post.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The police arrived at Bob's home in the
early hours next morning and arrested him for the tricolor stunt. A few days
later in court, the judge ordered him to pay 10 pounds. Bob was released but
promptly ignored the fine out of principle; he ignored the reminders and
finally in September he was arrested and given a month in jail for non-payment.
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bob was not the only Tan War veteran to be
arrested. After the attack on February 22, among the homes searched was that of
66 year old Christie Loy. Christie was one of the Sinn Fein stalwarts of Newry,
and sold record amount of issues of "The United Irishman." Rummaging
through his bedroom they found, in a cabinet, copies of "The United
Irishman," "Ghlor Uladh," and "The Writings of Philip
Clarke" (a 30-page pamphlet promoting one of the IRA candidates who won
his seat during the 1955 elections)- all banned. Loy arrived home late that
night from his job at the Gas Works and was promptly taken away. The
prosecution tacked membership of Sinn Fein on to his list of offenses. His
hearings lasted a matter of minutes, during which he took full responsibility
for the documents and gave a defiant statement:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">"
I am proud to claim I have been a member of the republican movement for a long
number of years. And if I may be allowed to say so, I am proud to be the first
member of the civil arm of the republican movement to be charged with this
offence, if it is an offence.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">..I
have been a member of the Republican movement since I was a youth of 11 years,
and I have continued my association with the movement from that time to the
present time and I have no regrets in that connection. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">"I
hereby state and proclaim the fact that I am a soldier of the Irish Republican
Army, and I am proud of my connection with that organization. That about sums
up all I have to say. (Then, in Gaelic:)Long live the Republic. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">"Thank
you sassenachs."</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The "sassenachs" sentenced him to
nine months in the Crum. A crowd showed up to cheer him on and as he was led
away to the police van a lady broke through to give him a cigarette. He joined
the growing list of incarcerated Loy's.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such arrests were doubly significant as the
men of Bob Savage and Christie Loy's generation were an inspiration for the
movement. The Tan War Flying Columns were the basis for Sean Cronin's campaign.
The young volunteers grew up in the shadow of their exploits and looked back a
little longingly for the days when a republican soldier could fight such a war.
That some of them remained involved over thirty years later gave both impulse
and a sense of legitimacy in the movement's undertakings.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">NEWRY'S
BORSTAL BOY</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">After
Bob Savage raised the tricolor, someone had the presence of mind to take a
picture showing the color party and their flags marching towards the camera
head on in all their determined glory. Under the tricolor, a few steps behind
Bob, one can make out a young teenager, much smaller than those around him but
well dressed and with accomplished air of an older volunteer. This choir-boy
face was actually the brains behind some of the explosions that rocked Newry.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span> </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The
rebel of his family, Dessie Mathers joined the Fianna in 1955 at the age of 12
and loved the republican lifestyle. The Newry Fianna was the first in the north
to show itself publicly since the organization disintegrated in the 40's,
marching in uniform at Easter in 1952. They had around half a dozen boys,
including Oliver Craven, whose fate was then quite unknown as they marched in
their green uniforms and slouch hats looking very much like the first Fianna
boys of 1909. Selection was rigorous, and took into account their moral
background rather than purely physical abilities. Theywere expected to parade
twice a week, drill, and attend classes on Irish language, history, and
politics. There was scout-style training consisting of camping out in the country
over a weekend. Weapons training was forbidden, but smuggling them, and the
construction and transportation of bombs was not- it was a time honored Fianna
service to the active volunteers dating back to the days of the Howth Gun
Running. In this field Dessie discovered a talent.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, his mother was unaware that there
was more to the Fianna life than parades and dress uniforms. This had
complications for the boy, who was barely out of primary school. One time he
missed his brother's wedding so he could attend a training camp in Omeath, for
which his Ma "battered him." Later, when working with bombs, he would
arrive home reeking of unknown odors (gelignite), for which he was further
battered. Facing his mother was only slightly less frightening than cutting
live telephone wires; or the bomb he set which failed to explode, and Dessie
undertook the job which earned British sappers respect from their IRA
opponents, that of disconnecting a live and volatile explosive.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8vlUjVCOJ17s-N_I_zzzUAjKjOU50VoHqApcAjpgJQN-y95pWVJuan1HHSFPjQ6tHnjuh95lCQoosOGyxtS6R9tPVT2Y_-vZoO27yqRnpQKMHb4qTkQ-7bPBUIuXsBSaAovTS3ahfHM/s1600/fianna.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8vlUjVCOJ17s-N_I_zzzUAjKjOU50VoHqApcAjpgJQN-y95pWVJuan1HHSFPjQ6tHnjuh95lCQoosOGyxtS6R9tPVT2Y_-vZoO27yqRnpQKMHb4qTkQ-7bPBUIuXsBSaAovTS3ahfHM/s320/fianna.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anecdotes of his hijinks abound. One day
while his brother was playing in the street there was a "heavy"
explosion, the sort whose concussion left both houses and people trembling far
away from the epicenter. "Its the end of the world," an old matron
shrieked. Reality was more mundane- it was his younger brother at work. Another
night a girl was in the process of "getting it on" with a boy whom
she had been eying for some time without success. They went into the backyard
and just as she was about to kiss him the mood was interrupted by an explosion.
The lights went out, and in the darkness she watched a small figure hop the
fence behind her and ran away. It was some time later when she met her cousin's
boyfriend and instantly recognized him as the shadow than ran through the yard
that night. Dessie was known to her as "Blackout."</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the midst of this he was still attending
school, and played on the local soccer team. He was a messer by nature and was
not about to let a little thing like age get in the way of something he liked
doing, although he earned the unsurprising sobriquet "The Child" from
the other volunteers. He would leave his mark on the town<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>before the campaign was over.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>MORAL FORCE AND OTHER THINGS</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the night of May 12, two lorries of
"masked men with blackened faces" approached the Victoria locks,
which guards the opening of the Newry canal, built as an artificial link for
shipping between the industrial city and the sea. Three approached the small
wooden house on site where the lockmaster lived, relieved him of the keys, and
told him and the family to get away quickly. They then accessed the locks on
which two gelignite bombs were planted. They watched them detonate from the
shore before driving across the border. The operation was carried out swiftly,
for the gatekeeper and his family had only gone a hundred yards up the road
when they felt the explosion.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Locals woke up to see water gushing through the mutilated lock into the
river. Newry port was closed, shipping was blocked, and incoming goods rerouted
to Belfast. Repairs initially cost £50,000, but by the time it was finished the
following January the cost grew to £350,000. A small vessel was trapped and it
cost further expense to extract that. The closing of the port left over a
hundred dock workers idle- in a town in which one in six people was unemployed.
(Nationalists for years accused the British of depriving Newry of jobs.)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
one was perhaps more surprised with this than the local IRA men. Reports of
sabotage by masked men with guns were taken to refer to them without further
inquiry. In this case it was not so: Jim Rowntree had not cleared any such
operation, and the army foresaw with horror the political fallout this could
produce. They called the Urban Council Chairman, "on behalf of the
Adjutant General (Charlie Murphy)" of the IRA and denied responsibility.
They then distributed a statement around Newry declaring they had no hand in
the explosion and decrying it as the work of "pro-British saboteurs."</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"The object of the Storemont saboteurs
was two-fold:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"First, to strike what was hoped would
be a crippling blow to the economy of the Newry area- a nationalist stronghold-
by stopping all work at the port.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>"Second, by putting blame on the resistance and so give it a bad
name among the Nationalist people of Newry.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Storemont has been unsuccessful in
the second of these aims and only partially successful in the first."</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in conclusion they reiterated:</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"It is not part of (our) campaign to
engage in operations designed to damage the material interests and welfare of
any section of the Irish people."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The statement, which was reproduced in the next issue of the United
Irishman, went on to try and find gaps in the evidence as reported in the
papers. They even posted photos of government leaders repeating the accusation
beneath as if they set the fuses themselves.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
explosion was actually the work of Saor Uladh, backed up by the Dublin-based
Christle Group. The latter had stolen the gelignite explosives from stores in
the south, and thanks to a masterful explosives expert they destroyed the
target rather than simply causing some damage, or worse, a burned out fuse as
was the result of so many operations. In J. Bowyer Bell's words, it was
"immense damage at a minimal cost." And their volunteers were not a
little put out at the IRA's denial. They considered it to be akin to
"felon-setting" and "aiding the (authorities') process of
elimination" against the interests of a group fighting against a common
enemy, and whose help the IRA availed themselves of when it suited the
leadership. In any event, the Victoria Locks bombing is often to this day
mistakenly blamed on the IRA.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two
years prior when Joe Christle was the rising star in Sinn Fein, he delivered
the Easter oration in St. Mary's cemetery. With Dan Sheridan next to him, he
applauded the Old IRA men and proclaimed with Pearsaic oratorical flair:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFQp1KZWgifFqsrETn7fGyWc-tSNj-4fTeaZW57g62lrUyzU3sUIymqHhi3d_JQl5eL_0f6wNDP3OR0fUg7NSqTlrQ-JQJiHm0sJnfv0oFI7Qoyge-ERWhVnDofjaNZY6LAeHTxIO1Ys/s1600/christle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFQp1KZWgifFqsrETn7fGyWc-tSNj-4fTeaZW57g62lrUyzU3sUIymqHhi3d_JQl5eL_0f6wNDP3OR0fUg7NSqTlrQ-JQJiHm0sJnfv0oFI7Qoyge-ERWhVnDofjaNZY6LAeHTxIO1Ys/s320/christle.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"A new generation has come of age since
these men fought- a generation which has inherited the ideals for which they
died.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">..Here
today, in this spot and during this peaceful feast of Easter we promise: never
to yield; never to cease our efforts against the enemy; never to cooperate with
the government; but to train ourselves in the use of arms, and having made
ourselves proficient with the weapons of war we shall take up the fight where
Newry's patriots fell."</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">On
the subject of the army's activities as opposed to those of the Nationalist
Party, he added:</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Is it for using moral force that Joe
Campbell and our fellow republicans are this day confined in the penal cells of
English prisons? The answer is 'no' and the reason is obvious. England has no
cause to intern anyone advocating moral force, because such a weapon can never
harm her. . ."</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christle had a more drastic maneuver in mind
than the bombing: a takeover of the city, which he hoped would set off a chain
of events to involve the British Army and Free State Army in open conflict.
However, Liam Kelly, ultimately in charge of Saor Uladh, and his aides would
have none of it. (The idea of the Free State invading Newry came back a decade
later in the form of a rumor that circulated during the "events of
'69" ) </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(To be continued....)</span></div>
Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-60696317608431102292016-04-14T12:12:00.001-07:002016-04-14T12:16:56.909-07:00Cumann na mBan: 1957-58<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
A few photographs of the Cumann na mBan from 1957-58. Many thanks to G.B.:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
1957:<br />
<img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" class="spotlight" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/1554570_677876948967359_3850408339375574800_n.jpg?oh=f93af1b5804331be406b59af262ace26&oe=57B1A2C4" style="height: 629px; width: 838px;" /><br />
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<img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" class="spotlight" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/v/t1.0-9/10527486_677878755633845_1612784167903138929_n.jpg?oh=cea2f6fc33757e11a51a0b43847bd1d5&oe=57B6720A" style="height: 629px; width: 838px;" />
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1958:
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<img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" class="spotlight" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10524342_677882492300138_4981792761504810118_n.jpg?oh=4ddaecf2e09aedaeecb834a81f209483&oe=577441FD" style="height: 629px; width: 838px;" /><br />
<br />
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<img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" class="spotlight" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/v/t1.0-9/10550987_677883062300081_6157569082364538827_n.jpg?oh=4e4f7fef15c8383472fcb8e4380f61f0&oe=5779B2A3" style="height: 629px; width: 838px;" /><br />
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<br />Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-76563639767641883462016-02-22T08:08:00.000-08:002016-02-22T08:08:01.097-08:00POW lists, 1954-56The following is a collection of lists of POWs that appeared in the United Irishman between 1954, when the prisoners aid committee was formed, and 1956. <br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
May, 1954<br />
<img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" class="spotlight" height="320" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/969821_423737761068248_1323249694_n.jpg?oh=cd22822c79ac1d17f2ea1f21f9a60810&oe=5728DE9D" style="height: 892px; width: 632px;" width="226" /><br />
<br /><br />
October, 1954<br />
<img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" class="spotlight" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash2/v/t1.0-9/1000235_423739014401456_2120939301_n.jpg?oh=6a2b1eaaf0e5ff585a1f9fd4470e547c&oe=5722C1E9" style="height: 892px; width: 576px;" /><br />
<br /><br />
May, 1955<br />
<img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" class="spotlight" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash2/v/t1.0-9/1002333_423739504401407_1155844099_n.jpg?oh=27351ec0b1b4f443f3d8490d7e3db494&oe=57237D5F" style="height: 861px; width: 838px;" /><br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
September, 1956<br />
<br /><br />
<img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" class="spotlight" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/1098231_423738227734868_490313338_n.jpg?oh=8f514b343502ad85698f22902776ef62&oe=575FC275" style="height: 892px; width: 545px;" /><br />
<br /><br />
October, 1956<br />
<img alt="" aria-busy="true" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" class="spotlight" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/v/t1.0-9/1002507_423749241067100_1272082456_n.jpg?oh=e4348139deeff3443c3a3b0f7a3e8b4d&oe=5753C462" style="height: 892px; width: 544px;" /><br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Many thanks to the James Connolly Association of Australia's collection. Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-58877592547265380142016-02-22T07:55:00.002-08:002016-02-22T07:55:44.923-08:00A poem for 1916<img alt="" aria-busy="true" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" class="spotlight" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/1170843_427049577403733_1426670190_n.jpg?oh=147be62820bebcbf5ffaa33374553442&oe=576431E8" style="height: 892px; width: 513px;" /><br />
(Thanks to the James Connolly Association of Australia)Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-85124113746068216432015-12-20T19:10:00.002-08:002015-12-20T19:10:56.303-08:00Cork Volunteers Pipe Band No. 5 (Supplementary edition ) The following is a supplementary edition of Jim Lane's series on the Cork Volunteers Pipe Band with various photos and bits from over the decades, including the funeral of James Crossan, and band members/ Cork brigade volunteers from the 50's.<br />
<br />
https://irishrepublicanmarxisthistoryproject.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/cork-volunteers-pipe-band-supplementary-edition-no-5-by-jim-lane/<br />
<br />
Parts 1-4 are posted here:<br />
https://rebelcorksfightingstory.wordpress.com/cork-volunteer-pipe-band/Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-972697674015400072015-12-17T14:53:00.000-08:002015-12-17T14:53:17.274-08:00Vol. Seamus Murphy -RIP IRA prisoner on life sentence who escaped from Wakefield prison<br />
http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/ira-prisoner-on-life-sentence-who-escaped-from-wakefield-prison-1.2446680<br />
Séamus Murphy: August 8th, 1935 - November 2nd, 2015<br />
<br />
Sat, Nov 28, 2015, 01:00<br />
<br />
<br />
IRA man Séamus Murphy, who has died aged 80, was the only man to succeed in escaping from Wakefield prison in west Yorkshire on February 12th, 1959, when republicans staged a daring rescue attempt.<br />
<br />
“There were five men that had been earmarked for the escape. Two of them were Eoka men [George Skotinos and Nicos Sampson], another two were IRA, myself and Joe Doyle, while there was also a fifth with us, Tony Martin, who had deserted the British army in Cyprus and fought on the side of Eoka before he was arrested,” Séamus Murphy said afterwards.<br />
<br />
Murphy had been serving a life sentence for an IRA raid on an arms depot at Arborfield in Berkshire in 1955. The raid, which was part of Operation Harvest, intended to obtain arms to use against the British army in Northern Ireland, had succeeded, and the main party, including Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, escaped. Séamus Murphy had stayed behind to tidy up loose ends and he and Joe Doyle and Donal Murphy were arrested, charged and given life sentences.<br />
<br />
<br />
‘Freedom fighters’<br />
Already in Wakefield prison then was Cathal Goulding, IRA chief of staff, along with a future chief of staff, Seán Mac Stiofáin. The Irish quickly made common cause with Greek Cypriot Eoka members, the two groups seeing in each other fellow freedom fighters.<br />
<br />
In prison Murphy played chess with Klaus Fuchs, a German scientist jailed for giving atomic secrets to the Russians, while his fellow IRA prisoner Marcus Canning learned Greek from the Cypriots. Another Cypriot prisoner, George Ioannau, translated the writings of James Connolly into Greek.<br />
The IRA had failed in an earlier attempt to get Goulding out, and the Séamus Murphy escape was the work of a splinter group associated with maverick republican Joe Christle, working with Eoka sympathisers living in London.<br />
<br />
Outside the prison, republicans Aine and Séamus Grealey acted as decoys by pretending to be a courting couple, while Hughie Farrell and Pat Farrelly threw a rope over the prison wall. In the event only Séamus Murphy made it to freedom. The operation, which involved the rent of flats and the hire of two cars, was paid for by a Cypriot woman, Katerina Pilina, with her £500 wedding dowry.<br />
<br />
<br />
Fake interview<br />
<br />
Murphy hid in a flat in Manchester for three weeks, while a Sunday Press “interview” in Dublin proclaimed his return to Ireland. He eventually made his way home via Glasgow.<br />
Séamus Murphy, Jim to his parents and younger sisters, was a native of Castledermot, Co Kildare, where his mother was the postmistress. His father, a baker, died young. While boarding at Terenure College, Dublin, he joined the IRA.<br />
On his return to Ireland, he had difficulty finding work, eventually working on a baker’s delivery round. He met a young woman, Betty O’Donoghue, also from his home county of Kildare, and they married in 1963. They settled in Bray, Co Wicklow with their son, and Séamus Murphy worked in the nearby Solus light bulb factory.<br />
His days of active service were over, but he remained a member of the republican family, did not embrace Goulding’s move to socialism and opposed the Belfast Agreement.<br />
<br />
When Vivas Lividas launched the Greek language edition of his book Cypriot and Irish Prisoners in British jails 1956-59 in 2007, Séamus Murphy visited Cyprus and met many old friends from prison days, including Nicos Sampson, by then a highly controversial, some would say suspect, figure.<br />
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There he also got to thank in person Katerina Pilina, who had donated her dowry to get him out of jail. He is survived by Betty, his son, Pearse, and his sisters, Carrie and Chris.<br />
<br />
<br />
-------TRIBUTES-------<br />
<br />
Brian Hanley:<br />
<br />
I first met Seamus at a reunion of Border Campaign veterans in 2005. At the time Scott Millar and I were working on the Lost Revolution and Semaus immediately agreed to help in any way he could. Seamus did not support the Officials after the split but he remained on good terms with people on all sides of the various fractures in republicanism. When I interviewed him at his home in Bray he gave me access to his vast collection of photographs and permission to use them as I saw fit. He also gave me a DVD of home movie footage he had shot during the 1960s. It included footage of the pre-split Bodenstown commemoration in 1969, the Official republican Bodenstown in 1970 and various protests in Dublin and Wicklow. Some of the footage has since found its way onto the internet, much to my embarrassment as Seamus never gave me permission to allow that. However when I rang him to apologise he was his usual goodhearted and generous self. He was a gentleman. My condolences to Betty and his family.<br />
<br />
Des Dalton:<br />
<br />
Seamus remained a committed Republican over the succeeding decades. Seamus Murphy was a man of erudition and intellect as well as action. Seamus was a very private man who did not boast of his exploits yet in private was generous, both with his time and his extensive knowledge of Irish and international revolutionary history.<br />
Time spent in the company of Seamus Murphy was always a rewarding experience.<br />
In 2008 Seamus honoured me with an invitation to join him and other IRA and EOKA veterans for a private dinner which was a marvellous night of stories and great comradeship, one truly felt in the presence of living history and privileged to be there.<br />
To his wife Betty, his son Pearse and the rest of his family I wish to express my deepest sympathy. His like will never be seen again. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.<br />
<br />
<br />
Manus O'Riordan:<br />
<br />
Seamus Murphy was a great friend and supporter of International Brigaders, and attended many commemorations in both Ireland and Spain. My brigadista father Micheal O'Riordan was on a visit to Seamus and Betty Murphy in January 1996 when the news came through that the Spanish Parliament had voted to give the right to claim Spanish citizenship to all surviving brigadistas, and it was in the Murphy home that he was filmed for RTE News welcoming that vindication. Sincere condolences from all the O'Riordan family to Betty and family.<br />
(He was also an acquaintance of Bob Doyle-Ed.)<br />
<br />
<br />
From the National Graves Assoc. FB page:<br />
<br />
Seamus died on 2 November 2015 and his many friends assembled in the Victorian Chapel of Mount Jerome Cemetery to celebrate his life. Fr. Piaras Ó Dúill recited prayers in Irish and Sean O’Mahony, author, acted as master of ceremonies. Manus O’Riordan sang in Spanish in tribute to Seamus’s deep interest in the Spanish Civil War and his participation in commemorating it over many years. He also sang ‘The Galtee Mountain Boy’, while Johnny Morrissey and daughter performed traditional music. Anna Barron read “The Wayfarer” by Patrick Pearse. Operatic arias and “die Internationale” (in Russian) sounded among the Victorian monuments to the British establishment in tribute to Seamus’s other interests.<br />
<br />
A defining moment of Séamus’s early life was his participation in the Arborfield raid in Berkshire on 13 August 1955, which was well planned and executed; the following weapons were seized according to Hansard, the official parliamentary record in Britain:<br />
<br />
Rifles, 2; Bren Light Machine Guns, 10; Sten Carbines, 55; Sten Magazines, 359; and Pistols .38, 1.<br />
Ammunition—52,315 rounds .303; 30,899 rounds 9 mm.; 1,332 rounds .38; and 1,300 rounds .22.<br />
<br />
A zealous policeman spotted one of the loaded vehicles returning to London, investigated and arrested its passengers, leading to the seizure of their cache and the arrest of Seamus, Joe Doyle of Bray and Donal Murphy. They were sentenced to life and Seamus found himself in Wakefield Prison, a grim institution, schooling Irish prisoners in the Fenian tradition. There he mingled with Klaus Fuchs, the German-born Atomic spy, and Greek Cypriot EOKA prisoners, in whom he found life-long friends. Escape was plotted, part-funded by a Cypriot lady, who donated her dowry. Pat Donovan transformed himself into a troublesome criminal to enter Wakefield to assist from the inside.<br />
<br />
When the jail break came off, Nicos Samson and Joe Doyle were left behind, while the cautious Fuchs declined. Only Seamus crossed the wall and was spirited away to Manchester. In Castledermot, his Mother pretended that he had arrived safely to mislead the authorities and he finally flew home on Aer Lingus to a hero’s welcome.<br />
<br />
Seamus and his wife Betty made a great team with a warm welcome to their home in Bray. Their Cypriot friendships of fifty years culminated in the publication of a book by Vias Livadas in Greek and English about Cypriot and Irish Political Prisoners held in British prisons 1956-1959. Cypriot messages of condolence were read aloud in Mount Jerome. Seamus was invariably reading or discussing political theory with friends, but he was also devoted to his son Pearse and three beloved grandchildren.<br />
<br />
Fíor Ghael, a fhulaingt a ualach gan gearán. Chun tosaigh ag déanamh an íobairt. Mhothaigh sé comhbhrón le gach muintir, pé áit sa dhomhain, a bhí faoi chos an tíoránach. Sheas sé, i gcónaí, leo siúd a bhí faoi míbhuntáiste. Beidh an saol níos measa ina easpa. Ní bheidh a leithéid linn arís.<br />
Go mbeidh suaimhneas air. May he rest in peaceMick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-72420193373059873592015-12-17T14:38:00.000-08:002015-12-17T14:38:27.704-08:00George Ioannou- "Greek Cypriot Fighter who fell in love with Ireland" Greek Cypriot fighter who fell in love with Ireland and Irish history<br />
http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/greek-cypriot-fighter-who-fell-in-love-with-ireland-and-irish-history-1.2240329<br />
George Ioannou: August 23rd, 1933 - April 8th, 2015<br />
<br />
<br />
George Ioannou, who has died aged 81, was one of the leading figures in the Eoka struggle against British rule in Cyprus between 1955 and 1959.<br />
<br />
Ioannou had been imprisoned in Nicosia central prison. but due to the large number of Eoka men in that prison and the rioting that followed hangings there he was among those transferred to England, where he met IRA prisoners and his relationship with Irish republicanism developed.<br />
<br />
Ioannou immersed himself in Irish literature and history and was particulary impressed by the writings of James Connolly, which he translated into Greek for the benefit of his fellow Cypriot prisoners.<br />
<br />
These books later took pride of place in the library of his Nicosia home following his release in 1959, when the Zurich agreement ended the hostilities in Cyprus.<br />
<br />
Among the Irish prisoners Ioannou met were Cathal Goulding and Sean Mac Stiofáin, later to become leaders of the Official and Provisional IRA respectively.<br />
<br />
His brother Nicola, an 18-year-old student, came to Dublin to meet Seán Cronin, then chief of staff of the IRA, to plan a joint escape attempt from Wakefield prison but was killed in mysterious circumstances on his return to England. Archbishop Makarios, president of the newly independent state, was to officiate at his burial at home in Cyprus.<br />
<br />
Open house<br />
Following his release, George Ioannou returned to Nicosia and took up a position with the new administration. He married an English woman, Betty Jane Davis, and they kept open house for many years for Irish and Palestinian activists.<br />
<br />
Ioannou and his family made many trips to Ireland and he was particularly moved by his visit to Kilmainham Gaol. He also loved going to Tara and the Boyne Valley.<br />
<br />
An animal lover and keen gardener, he spent many hours tending to his exotic plants and fruits. A man with a big heart, he is survived by his son, Nicola, daughter, Elena, grandchildren, and many brothers and sisters.<br />
<br />Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-63077572479322322282015-12-10T13:46:00.000-08:002015-12-10T13:46:01.048-08:00Marion Steenson, CnamB (RIP) Marion Steenson of North Strand Dublin, a veteran of the Cumann na mBan since the 1940's and a valuable assistant to the movement in every decade since, died on November 18th 2015. (You can read about her husband Leo here http://laochrauladh.blogspot.com/2013/10/vol-leo-steenson.html)<br />
<br />
Marion Steenson was of the old breed of republicans whose beliefs transcended the many splits of later years; upon her death tributes came in from all sides, from dissident groups to PSF to the Workers Party.<br />
<br />
The following articles from An Phoblacht sum up her life very well:<br />
<br />
<br />
(Marion was also a lifelong member of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association (and a non-smoker) and a Third Order Fransiscan, proof that, in one republican's words, you can be a staunch republican and still be a devout Catholic.)<br />
<br />
<br />
‘I was born into republicanism. It was a great life. I never changed my principles for anybody’<br />
http://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/23870<br />
MARION STEENSON (neé Murphy) is a formidable woman. She had to be. As a youthful 87-year-old, the most striking thing about meeting her is the clarity with which she recalls her upbringing in a republican household steeped in history and the fearless way in which she still espouses her beliefs without fear or favour.<br />
<br />
Ní h-aon ribín réidh í Marion. Laoch imeasc laochra sa ghluaiseacht poblachtánach – a bhfuil tuairimí láidre fós aici faoin streachailt leanúnach.<br />
<br />
When we meet in the home near Fairview Park in Dublin which she has lived in all her life, Marion tells me that she is proud of being a republican. “I was born into it. It was a great life. I never changed my principles for anybody.”<br />
<br />
It was inevitable that Marion would become involved with republicanism. She talks particularly about the influence her mother had on her.<br />
<br />
“My mammy was in Cumann na mBan, the Citizen Army and the Red Cross corps and she worked with Nurse O’Farrell in the Pro-Cathedral. She was an amazing woman. She was only 17.”<br />
<br />
Marion’s mother, Martha Kelly, was active in the Irish Citizen Army in the GPO. Her father was Captain Michael Murphy, who fought in Bolands Mill, in 1916. Both are listed as taking an active part during Easter week 1916 and they are reported to have met in Kilmainham Jail while being held as prisoners.<br />
<br />
On release they married and moved into the house which Marion still occupies. They both died relatively young, leaving 16 children (eight boys and eight girls) behind, of whom Marion raised the younger.<br />
<br />
Marion recollects those early days and particularly the formative influence her mother had on her.<br />
<br />
“There was always politics here. The [Irish Republican] Army used to use our front room at night. She never spoke of anything else. It was always politics. We were on our own here (in North Strand). But we had lovely neighbours. Actually, this was real Church of Ireland because a lot of the houses down there, artisan dwellings, they built them for the Church of Ireland.<br />
<br />
“Everything was culture,” Marion continues. “Coiste na bPáistí for the youngsters. Get them ready for the Gaeltachts. I was wreath bearer in Clann na nGael and I danced for commemorations. Used to dance in ‘Bulfin’ for the craobh.”<br />
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Míníonn si dom go raibh dlúthbhaint ag an am sin idir an dream a bhí gníomhach sa ghluaiseacht agus an dream a bhí gníomhach ó thaobh na Gaeilge de.<br />
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“It was the same people in both. We were all just connected. I was out of school at 14. We used to go to Irish classes. My parents didn’t speak Irish. We used to go to the ceilis. Outside I always spoke Irish. We’d go out to the mountains with friends on a Sunday and it would be all Irish. I did my fáinne exam with Máirtín Ó Cadhain. He was a lovely man.”<br />
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During this time Marion was also becoming immersed in the Republican Movement and the activities that would shape her future life and political philosophy.<br />
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“When I was young, Clann na nGael was the first thing. They were the girl scouts. When we were in Clann you went to anything that was on – Irish on a Monday night, something else on a Thursday. That’s the way we were brought up. Some of my sisters were in Cailíní when they were young and you could go into Cumann na mBan afterwards but they didn’t. I was in Cumann na mBan. You didn’t do that much really because that was after the 1940s and it was banned. They brought out internment then.”<br />
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She explained to me what role Cumann na mBan played at that time.<br />
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“I was involved up to the time I was married really. We had a meeting every week. We used to do collections for the internees and then we used to get food parcels ready for them to send down, somebody went down every Saturday. And we’d have concerts and different things for them. We were very well supported locally.”<br />
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Marion met her husband, Leo Steenson, another dedicated republican, at a public meeting. A Belfast man, Leo was involved in the IRA campaign of the 1950s and eventually settled in Dublin, where he met Marion through her brothers.<br />
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She talks about her husband and the effect the republican struggle had on the family.<br />
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“Leo was involved and when you have a family you had to look after them. There were no babysitters then. I had five children: four boys and a girl. That changed the whole thing. I didn’t know much [about Leo’s prominent role in the IRA]. It’s only when he died that some of the fellas would tell you how he was involved.<br />
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“I still went to anything I could. We used to go up with Cumann Carad, to Joe Cahill’s father. They had a little shop on the Falls Road and [Leo] used to go up on a Saturday morning and have breakfast there.<br />
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“My youngest brother was in Belfast in the ‘56 campaign. He was last to be released and another one was interned here. After all that Mammy done and they were jailing us, the Special Branch gave her an awful time.”<br />
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State forces were a constant shadow over the Steenson household also, but Marion recalls with great humour that she and her family always got the better of them.<br />
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“They raided the house regular alright. I was in hospital with the second one, Pádraic, and a sister of mine was here and they came to raid. It was a false alarm but they shovelled all the coal out of the back. There was nothing there and when they wanted her to put it back she wouldn’t and they were looking for soap to wash their hands she wouldn’t give it, saying: ‘I didn’t send for you and ask you to do that.’”<br />
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The house was always a safe haven for republicans and they would outfox the authorities in helping out comrades in need throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.<br />
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I ask Marion what she thinks of the current crop of Sinn Féin representatives and the move away from the armed struggle towards democratic politics.<br />
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“You are better in it trying to do something than outside. I must say I like Mary Lou McDonald a lot. She speaks very well.”<br />
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The Cumann na mBan veteran still aspires to a united Ireland but isn’t sure that the unionist rump will ever be ready to agree to equality.<br />
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“And while we have that [Fine Gael/Labour] Government we still have the element of the Blueshirts about the place. Enda Kenny says we’re closer to Britain now than we ever were. And sure they have given everything away. Look at the ESB, the fishing, the farmers, the turf. I think they’ve sold us out, to be honest with you.<br />
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“I asked [Labour Party minister and local TD] Joe Costello the other day, how could the Labour Party go with the conservative party, Fine Gael. Two different policies. Do you know what he said to me? That Clann na Poblachta went with Fianna Fáil.<br />
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“Another thing I go mad about is Seán Kelly. He brought the GAA down. And he walked out and joined Fine Gael – two different policies. And there”s another thing with Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, they seem to have lost an awful lot. They never use ‘Cumann Lúthchleas Gael’. And the way they stand for Amhrán na bhFiann, they’re a disgrace. I mean, whoever taught them to stand with their arms around each other?”<br />
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Croke Park was also the catalyst for a former Taoiseach being reprimanded by Marion.<br />
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“Bertie Ahern was going around here for the election at the time the English queen was coming or the rugby match with England was on. He shook my hand and I said I’m going to watch you tomorrow to see if you’re going to stand for God Save the Queen and he said to me, ‘Well what do you want me to do?’<br />
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“I said ‘I don’t care what you do’ but I showed him that photograph of Bloody Sunday in Croke Park and said ‘Croke Park wasn’t built for that.’”<br />
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The influence of Marion’s mother is ever-present, even as she explains why she still fights against unfair policies being imposed by this Fine Gael/Labour Government.<br />
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“She was an amazing woman. She was only 17 and that’s why you’ll be coming to see me in jail. I wouldn’t pay my Property Tax. So I got a letter a month ago saying I had to have it paid by March, and all the things they can do. They can dock it out of my pension and I’m waiting to see if they do because they have no right to – it’s illegal. I’m still battling.”<br />
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Agus níl aon dabht orm go bhfanfaidh Marion ag troid ar son a cuid prionsabail poblachtánacha fad agus is féidir léi. Eiseamláir iontach is ea í do phoblachtánaithe an lae inniú agus sampla iontach do na mná, ach go h-áirithe i mbliain seo comórtha céad bliain ar bhunú Chumann na mBan. Go mairfidh Marion céad agus ós a chionn<br />
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Eight decades of republicanism<br />
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http://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/16210<br />
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Dublin woman Marian Steenson (neé Murphy) is a lifelong republican and next February marks her 80th birthday. Here she talks to ELLA O’DWYER about her life, the republican home into which she was born and growing up in the 1930s and ‘40s.<br />
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Marian Steenson (neé Murphy) was born in 1927. She has a vibrancy that defies her years and a determination that comes with experience. Her parents took part in the 1916 Rising, the Tan War and Civil War and are said to have met while both were prisoners Kilmainham Jail.<br />
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Her father was Capt Michael Murphy, C Company, 3rd Battalion. He was the O/C of A Company 2nd Batt at Boland’s Mill in 1916. Her mother was Martha Kelly of the Irish Citizen Army, F Company 2nd Battalion.<br />
The couple later married and moved to the house at Leinster Avenue, North Strand where Marian still lives today. She was part of a large family, some of whom she helped raise herself.<br />
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“My parents came to this house in 1918 and I was born here in 1927. I was one of 17 children, one of whom died at birth. My father went with the Free Staters and my mother with the republicans.<br />
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“My Mammy was in the Irish Citizen Army with James Connolly in 1916 – the Imperial Hotel which is Cleary’s shop now, and in Croke Park on Bloody Sunday. She encouraged us to join the Movement. My mother remained republican till the last. Her parents threw her out because she wouldn’t have anything to do with a British soldier. Her name then was Martha O’ Kelly but she dropped the ‘O’ when Sean T O Kelly/Ceallaigh was made president. This was because he had gone with the Free State. She was very bitter against the Free Staters. That was at the time when the ‘40s men were interned in the Curragh – Tin Town they called it then. My mother was very good to all the lads in the ‘40s. They used to use the front room in this house for their drilling.<br />
“Maggie Doyle who was over Cumann na mBan and her husband used to come to the house. I remember my mother going to Bodenstown when De Valera banned it. They went down in a lorry.<br />
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On growing up in Dublin at the time she says: “It was a very hard life but we had fun too. We used to play among ourselves. We’d play a game called ‘buttons’, we’d do skipping and we’d another game called ‘kick the can’. And of course we were in the Republican Movement.<br />
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“There was Clan na Gael, Cumann na gCaílini, Cumann na mBan and the Fianna. Clann and Fianna were more or less amalgamated. Basically the girls went with Clan na Gael.<br />
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“At that time Sinn Féin headquarters was at number 9 Parnell Square. We used to go upstairs there and do our drilling or marching, preparing for parades and after that we’d go to the Ceilidh.<br />
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“My mother insisted we understood Irish culture. They all spoke Irish. I’m a fluent speaker myself. I was active in Conradh na Gaeilge and in the Irish dancing circle.” Marian got her fáinne after being taught by Mairtín Ó Cadhain.<br />
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“I love traditional Irish music. We had Ceilidhs and the like. The Fianna boys used to go camping at the weekend and the girls would go with the Clan. We always had sing-songs, dance classes and Irish classes. We had outings on Sundays. There’s nothing like that for young people now. Young people should be taught Irish history too.<br />
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“The Headquarters of the Gaelic League was in 14 Parnell Square at that time. Easter Sunday was a big event and we’d cycle to Bodenstown for the Wolf Tone commemoration.”<br />
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Most of the eight boys in the Murphy family – all now deceased – were involved in the struggle as volunteers and her brother Eamon Murphy was one of the last to be released from Crumlin Road jail after the IRA’s 1950s Border Campaign and another brother Bertie was interned during the campaign.<br />
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The house in North Strand where Marian lives has always been known as a republican house. It was a stop-off for many republicans including Sean Sabhat who stayed there on the Christmas Day in 1956 before he was killed along with Fergal O’Hanlon in a raid at Brookeborough in the New Year.<br />
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“There were about ten men staying in the house that night. I remember Seán Sabhat playing a violin up in the room and teaching the children to play cards through the Irish language. I remember the lads leaving by degrees in order not to draw attention to themselves.”<br />
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Marian Murphy was of the Sean Russell Cumann, Sinn Féin. The Russells were her neighbours. She was also involved in organising the unveiling of the Sean Russell statue in Fairview and still attends commemorations at the monument.<br />
Marian met her husband Leo, another dedicated republican, at a public meeting. A Belfastman, Leo was involved in the IRA campaign of the 1950s and eventually settled in Dublin where he met Marian through her brothers.<br />
Marian Steenson’s children are all republicans and one son, Pádraig went to prison for his republican beliefs in the late 1990s: “Naturally I worried about him when he was imprisoned but at least I knew where he was”, she says.<br />
For Marian Steenson, republican unity is very important, even if in the context of differing opinions:“We’re all – as republicans – entitled to our views but whatever about splits in the past, the families knew each other and were friends and should always remain so. We should always talk to each other.”<br />
The house has often been the target of Garda raids: “We only learned we had an attic after one of the raids when the Guards found it. I remember another raid when they dug out all the coal in the shed. They found nothing and my sister made them put it all back in again. They must have thought we were eejits. There was never, ever, anything found in this house”<br />
She also remembers men on the run escaping out of the house. She remembers that her “neighbours were great.”<br />
During several raids the house also received a visit from the clergy. On one occasion the priest came to the house to tell the family to excommunicate themselves for their republicanism.<br />
“I told him he was a servant of God and he should remember that”, she says. Marian believes that the nationalist community in the North have a greater awareness of their Irishness and points to the growth in the Irish language and culture there.<br />
She remembers the 1981 Hunger Strike as a particularly sad period: “It was very sad. DeValera and the rest should have finished what they started. If they had dealt with it then those ten young men wouldn’t have had to die. Them that started it all should have finished it and it’s not finished yet.”<br />
Marian says that being a republican makes her happy. Her favourite song is The Patriot Game. She remains an unrepentant republican and says that her policy was always to ‘burn everything British except their coal’.<br />
“I never changed my principles for anyone. I enjoyed my life”, she says. And long may it last.Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-10561612582110615252015-11-07T14:50:00.000-08:002015-11-07T14:50:42.224-08:00Pat Leo O'Doherty This past August saw the death of Pat Leo O'Doherty of Derry- artist, Gaeilgeoir and one of several "cultural hostages" who were interned during the 50's simply for speaking Irish.<br />
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PRESS RELEASE [issued by CRN - Civil Rights Network]<br />
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Bogside Gaeilgeoir dies in London<br />
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After a short illness, aged eighty, Patrick 'Pat' Leo O'Doherty, born at 134 Bogside, sadly passed away on Thursday afternoon, at the Marie Curie Hospice in Hampstead, London.<br />
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Mr. O'Doherty was an active promoter of the aims of Conradh na Gaeilge (the Gaelic League) over the past six decades. He became widely acknowledged as an enthusiastic tutor to countless Irish language students.<br />
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'Pat Leo' or "P.L", as he preferred to be called, attended the Christian Brothers 'Brow-of-the-Hill' primary school and technical college. He was one of the earliest beneficiaries' of the Eleven Plus examination process. Such enabled him to befriend many other young scholars, including some who later became world-renown figures, then enrolled at St. Columb's College.<br />
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Coming home, on a break from studying art in Belfast, he and another Gaeilgeoir, who hailed from nearby Rossville Street, where stopped by B' Special police, before being taken to Strand Road RUC barracks, under provisions of the draconian Special Powers Act. Both had been conversing in their native tongue at the time. Within hours, and without their families being informed, the two young friends were interned without charge or trial.<br />
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Irish language media referred to those who endured a similar fate as being “cultural hostages” while welcoming the fact that native language classes defyingly continued in spite of incarceration..Alongside hundreds of other detainees, who considered themselves to be Irish citizens, “P.L” refused to sign what was known as “the paper”. He was held at HMP Crumlin Road, Belfast, from the summer of 1957 until eventually being released in the spring of 1960.<br />
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His keen educationalist characteristics remained intact reflected in his decision to join the teaching profession. Past pupils describe him as "a quiet, popular and dedicated teacher". He taught a number of subjects, locally and in London, where he resided most of his remaining life. His last known local post was at St. Colman's High School in Strabane, after being engaged by its principal, Mr. J.E.P. 'Rusty' Gallagher, in the early 1960s.<br />
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"P.L" is also remembered by surviving contemporaries as "a brilliant cartoonist". His art work also included illustrations, particularly for Irish language publications. They also point to a diversity of talents including being "quite an actor and stage-hand” in a number of Irish language drama productions.<br />
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He was the eldest of five sons and a brother of four sisters whose well-known late parents were Harry (1899-1989) and Mary Ellen O'Doherty, née Hegarty, Strabane (1908-2007). Mrs. O'Doherty is often referred to, by 1968 veterans, as the “Mother of Civil Rights”. Pat Leo's remains will return to Derry to be met by twin sister and brother, Deirdre and Fionnbarra as well as surviving siblings living abroad.<br />
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Irish language enthusiast Pat Leo O'Doherty<br />
http://www.irishnews.com/notices/livesremembered/2015/08/22/news/gaeilgeoir-teacher-artist-actor---and-cultural-hostage--236605/<br />
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22 August, 2015 01:00<br />
Irish language enthusiast Pat Leo O’Doherty was a man with many claims to fame, from cartoonist to stained glass artist, actor to singer, and even a 'cultural hostage'.<br />
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While he spent a lifetime in London, Pat Leo never lost his love of Ireland and in particular his native Derry.<br />
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He was a member of one of the city’s best known families and a brother of civil rights activist Fionnbarra O Dochartaigh, one of the organisers of the original Duke Street march on October 5 1968.<br />
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Pat Leo, or PL as he was often known, attended the Belfast College of Art where he studied stained glass art among other things.<br />
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While on a visit home in 1957 he added another entry to his growing CV, compliments of Crumlin Road jail.<br />
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As he walked with a fellow Gaeilgeoir along Derry’s Rossville Street, he was stopped by a 'B Special' who had overheard the two young men speaking Irish.<br />
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According to another friend, Dermot Kelly: “Within hours and without their families being informed, the two young friends were interned without charge or trial. Irish language activists all over Ireland took up their cause, describing them as 'cultural hostages'."<br />
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While in 'the Crum', Pat Leo would while away the hours honing his skills as a cartoonist, invoking the anger of one particularly belligerent warder with his mocking sketches of the guard.<br />
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After three years as an internee, Pat Leo trained as a teacher and secured a job at St Colman’s high school in Strabane.<br />
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During this time his talents as a cartoonist were employed by a range of Irish language publications.<br />
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He later moved to London where he worked with the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Movement.<br />
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Following the shooting dead of Seamus Cusack and Dessie Beattie in Derry’s Bogside in 1969, Pat Leo was one of the organisers of a major demonstration at Trafalgar Square.<br />
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Dermot recalled: “Leo and another member stood to attention, 10 metres apart in the clear area in front of the speakers’ platform, holding black flags vertically erect until the silence commenced. The flags were then lowered to the ground. The thousands present erupted into prolonged applause.”<br />
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A native of the Bogside, Pat Leo died in London on August 5. He was 80 years old.<br />
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He will be waked on Monday and Tuesday at the family home at Crawford Square in Derry and his funeral will take place on Wednesday morning to Derry city cemetery following Requiem Mass at St Eugene’s Cathedral.<br />
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Pat Leo is survived by his partner Lynnette Broomhead, his brother Fionnbarra and sister Deirdre.<br />
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Pat Leo O'Doherty.<br />
http://www.derryjournal.com/news/trending/remembering-the-son-of-harry-and-mary-o-doherty-the-feis-perry-como-1-6945432<br />
By Dermott Kelly<br />
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10:36 Tuesday 08 September 2015<br />
Pat Leo O’Doherty who passed away recently was a man of many talents, a cartoonist, stained glass artist, political internee, Gaelic actor and singer.<br />
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His cartoons were contemporary, relevant and humorous. One such was drawn when the Londonderry Corporation were discussing the erection of the high rise Rossville flats which was opposed by the Anti-partition party. One member of this opposition declared that this development would destroy the traditional Irish architectural ambience of the Bogside area. The architecture referred to consisted mainly of rows of one storey red brick slated houses with outside toilets. Pat Leo’s version of traditional Irish architecture was a drawing of the ancient Grianan Fort with clothes lines radiating in every direction carrying a variety of shirts, combinations, other underwear and drawers.<br />
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During his studies at the Belfast College of Art the curriculum covered a wide variety of artistic forms but stained glass design became his speciality.<br />
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In his coursework he produced many fine examples of leaded glasswork but his talent was shown most clearly when one of his tutors bought his entry for an end of term examination.<br />
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While Pat Leo was interned in the Crumlin Road jail he put his cartoon skills to accurate critical use on the prison walls. The most hated warder was a bullying loudmouth with big feet who Leo depicted as a huge pair of boots topped with a large mouth and a balloon caption of the warder’s latest comment.<br />
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The subject of the cartoons recognised himself but despite roaring and bullying he never succeeded in identifying the artist.<br />
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On release Pat Leo spent a period at home trying to reinvigorate his artistic career. During this period he was a keen promoter of the Irish language in Derry and a member of the Craobh. In the annual Feis Doire Cholmcille he competed in the traditional singing competitions and earned himself the title of ‘The Feis Perry Como’ because of his relaxed and confident style.<br />
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In the 1950s a period of high unemployment and religious discrimination, Pat, like many others emigrated.<br />
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He went to London and lived in Hampstead where he socialised in ‘The Bunch of Grapes’ with a group of journalists and artistic types which included the late Seamus McGonagle from Derry. It was there that he met his life partner Lynette who was a graphic artist.<br />
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<br />Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-40428549613582841892015-11-04T09:52:00.002-08:002015-11-05T05:43:09.954-08:00Edentubber Commemoration- Sunday, Nov. 8th 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oration to be given by Mick Ryan (Dublin), seen below speaking at last year's comm, flanked by fellow Op. Harvest veterans Oliver McCaul and Dan Moore.</div>
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The high cross at Edentubber:<br />
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<br />Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-77612118511428939042015-09-28T07:58:00.002-07:002016-04-14T12:00:41.348-07:00Men of the North<div style="text-align: center;">
MEN OF THE NORTH</div>
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Part One: The Cause of Campbell </div>
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"We men of the north had a word to say<br />
And we said it then, in our own dour way<br />
And spoke as we thought was best."<br />
- "The Man from God Knows Where"</div>
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THE SAVOY CINEMA<br />
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In July 1953 the Savoy Cinema in Newry was destroyed in an explosion. <br />
The posters on the outside had been proclaiming the arrival of a documentary about the recent crowning of Queen Elizabeth II, "A Queen is Crowned." The documentary condensed the 8 hour coronation proceedings into 79 minutes, thus providing to those who could not see the event in person an opportunity to watch it in their local cinema, in crisp and then-expensive technicolor, accompanied by Lawrence Olivier's narration. The pomposity of the script, no less than the grandiose coronation itself, elicited cringes from nationalists, for whom the coronation was a cause for protests across the country against partition and the general misery of their lot in the North. <br />
The Newry town council, with a large Nationalist majority, was the only one in the North to refuse to pass a resolution congratulating the Queen. Nationalist Councilor Matt Cunningham made a short speech opposing any such bill, saying: “As an Irishman I am proud of my birthright. The British government imposed partition, against the wishes of the Irish people; and there is no need to tell you about the treatment, which minority has received from the Northern government. We should tell the British government to withdraw their forces, and let the people of the Six Counties join with the rest of Ireland.” There was no protest or opposition to the above from the Unionist councilors.(1) <br />
None of the cinemas in the south would show the film, so the "shoneens" -anglophilic Irishmen, who were mostly in Dublin- who wished to see it had to go north to cinemas in County Down and Belfast. To remedy the latter, the railway which acted as the primary link between the two capitals was cut. To remedy the former, the cinemas were destroyed thus, the IRA hoped, rendering the island coronation-free. <br />
The Savoy was the loyalist owned theater in Newry; the other two in the city were owned by nationalists. It sat close to 800 people, and the showings were heavily booked ahead by the southern shoneens.(2) The IRA first sent a warning, or a threat, to the cinema not to show it. The owners ignored it, though a 24-hour police guard was put on the premises.(3)<br />
One Sunday night while a movie was being shown, "some person or persons" concealed themselves in the theater. When it was finished and viewers had vacated, they planted a bomb on the frame supporting the balcony. Avoiding the police, they vacated the scene and awaited the explosion; but there was none. The fuse would not ignite. There was nothing to do but return inside, once more dodging the police, and reset it, a dangerous task during which at any point the fuse could gave gone off.(4)<br />
When it did explode, the balcony collapsed, the roof was blown apart, the seating area was destroyed, the screen badly damaged, and the front wall and foyer were blown in. The police, in a different section, were unharmed although the building was gutted inside.<br />
The owners did emergency repairs and announced the proverbial show would go on, even if not in time for the scheduled opening. The damage was initially put at £3000. When it was rebuilt, a wide screen was installed and the general consensus was the new cinema was a great improvement on the old one.(5).<br />
Sectarian divisions were "not rigid," as can be discerned from the conciliatory attitude of the Unionist councilors, but they did become more visible at times like this. One local remembers the reaction: "When the Savoy Cinema was blown up by the IRA, I came racing home for dinner to my granny’s house and burst into the tiny living-room shouting “the Catholics blew up the Savoy!” Kathleen Hughes, her Catholic next-door neighbour, who, unknown to me, was sitting behind the opened door, firmly informed me that the dire deed had been done by the IRA, not by “the Catholics”. This was a distinction which had not occurred to my seven-year old brain. Looking back, I think that it was a formative moment."(6)<br />
The bombing was widely reported in the papers. The IRA worked a similar explosion at a cinema in nearby Banbridge, following the same technique, but like most sequels it did not live up to the original either in damage caused or public stir elicited. There was no onslaught of condemnations; in fact, rather than outrage, the public reaction seems to have been one of mild amusement or ridicule. The attitude was well summarized by one commentator who, writing about the attacks, described up the IRA and its operations as merely "...an expression of bad taste, an eruption of Irish exuberance that went a bit too far." Additionally, no one was hurt, something which we shall see later on was a defining factor. <br />
The IRA's internal newsletter, An t-Oglach, painted a more sophisticated picture and was glowing in its description of the skill that went into the operation:<br />
"That the Headquarters training classes in engineering are proving successful in turning out efficient Engineers was clearly demonstrated in some recent Army operations, e.g the destruction of Newry cinema, extensive damage to Banbridge cinema and the blowing up of the railway bridge and cutting of the line on the Armagh/Louth border.<br />
"The section which carried out the operation on the Newry cinema did a splendid job of engineering by causing the maximum amount of damage to their objective whilst doing a minimum of damage to adjoining property.<br />
"Given the materials, almost anyone can cause an explosion; it is only the trained Engineer who can estimate the amount of explosives to use and place the charge where it will be most effective." They further said the unit was to be "commended" for avoiding detection by the police. <br />
All volunteers received a course in the dangerous art of engineering as part of their basic training, which was organized locally. But a chosen few were taken to the IRA's haunts in the country and given special training; a cut above the usual courses, run by the army headquarters, and taught by men experienced in the field. A bomb-battered Armagh veteran of the late 30's, Seamus Trainor, did valuable work training engineers in the North during this period. The new engineers would then use their knowledge at home and pass it on during local training sessions. <br />
Police searches commenced throughout the city.(7)<br />
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JOE CAMPBELL<br />
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Joe (center) and two of his brothers at home. (Photo from Cúisle Na nGael)</div>
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Joe Campbell worked as a cobbler repairing shoes at the family business, "Campbell's" on Castle Street. In his 30's, he lived at home with his father Patrick, sister, and brothers Teddy, Lennie, and Bobbby, who also worked as cobblers. "Wee Joe," he was known to the locals, with a signature "(walk) with a roll like an overweight jockey" <br />
Besides the daily business of helping new school children and First Communicants (their staple customers) with their shoe needs, "Wee Joe" and Teddy were both members of the IRA. Joe in particular- "A man of immense courage and energy" a friend described him in this regard- had fought in the IRA's campaign during the early 1940's and spent 3 years in Crumlin Road Jail. Upon release from the dungeon-like "Crum" he was unphased by the Army's near-disintegration and signed up again, the IRA's equivalent of re-enlistment. He become one of their engineers, for which he attended the training spoken of in An-tOglach. He operated within the few kilometers of Newry proper; "My republic starts up at Cloghoge bridge," he told Sam Dowling, "and finishes somewhere about the far side of Derrybeg estate. Let them call it whatever the hell they like." (8) <br />
While probing the area following the Savoy explosion, the police found 12 sticks of gelignite hidden in the chimney flue of "Wee Joe's" bedroom. Joe, his father, and brother Lennie were all arrested along with a Michael Hollywood who was on the premises.<br />
Judge Curran presided over the trial. When asked how he pleaded, Joe stood up and to spare his family the pain of a trial, or mistrial, dismissed the proceedings with a short statement: <br />
"I have taken responsibility for the stuff found. I exonerate from all blame these other people who could not possibly have known I had the stuff. Furthermore, as a soldier of the Irish Republican Army I take no further interest in this case."<br />
The rest were dismissed. The trial was as good as over; Joe had resigned himself to the obvious and did not call any witnesses or offer a defense. "You are a destructive agent," Curran said as he sentenced him to 5 years of penal servitude in Crumlin Road Jail. (9)<br />
Joe Campbell had the dubious honor of being the first sentenced Republican prisoner of the 1950's. Other volunteers and activists had been interned, but internment by nature was applied to both innocent and guilty alike and the Army was not inclined to justify the government's actions by claiming them. Being sentenced made an otherwise secret membership into a public badge of honor.<br />
While "Wee Joe" lost five years of his life to yet another sentence in "the Crum", and the army lost a valuable volunteer, the political movement gained a valuable public relations opportunity. Sinn Fein and the IRA had just merged into one movement, and during the next Sinn Fein meeting in Dundalk he was put forward as their candidate for the upcoming Co Louth election. (And it was decided if there was any problem in approving Joe, another man from around the border, Arthur McKevitt would step in as their candidate.) <br />
While not his native area, co. Louth is widely considered to be Ireland's El Paso and in this aspect Joe was familiar with the place. Lying directly across from South Down, separated by a river that creates the border, it is a haven for volunteers going into and out of the North, arms dumps, "dead drops" in the fields at which explosives were left and picked up, and all forms of nefarious activity directed at removing the border, and the Newry unit played a central role in the Northern side of these operations. Just the Easter prior to his arrest he was part of a color party the South Down brigade sent to Dundalk's Easter commemoration. <br />
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As candidate he did not have to exert himself in any way; all he had to do was be in prison, and the people in SF would do the rest. And they did with gusto. "The cause of Ireland is the cause of Campbell" became a slogan proclaimed by supporters and scrawled on walls.(10) "Joe Campbell... is a living symbol of Ireland's demand for unity and independence," an appeal read, "Show your support for this demand by helping in every way you can to have him elected..."(11). Dan Sheridan, an Old IRA man and still the official contact for those wishing to join the movement in South Down, was "one of the most active campaigners." But for all their work, he only received 1400 of the votes, the majority going to Fine Gael.<br />
His imprisonment also precipitated the creation of an informal group to collect funds for the dependents of Republican prisoners, called the Republican Aid Committee ("An Cumann Cabhrach"). As the number of POWS increased, the group morphed into an official charity that operated well into the 60's and at its height collected tens of thousands of pounds from various quarters. <br />
Ideally, a secret army's membership and its activities should be a secret. But in the static, close knit nationalist communities of the North secrets had a way of getting out. Or in local jargon, "the dogs on the street know...," meaning everyone knows it, or think they know it. The dogs on the street knew Wee Joe the cobbler was also an IRA man. They thought he was responsible for the bombing, and, somehow, some even knew about the bomb having to be reset and admired his courage doing so. The Special Branch concurred with his responsibility, but had nothing to prove it. Many came to the conclusion he was in jail for it except, legally, Joe was only guilty of having explosives. A Dublin Sinn Fein campaigner, Thomas O Dugbhall, wrote a letter to the Irish Times lamenting the perception, saying: "I should be obliged if you would note that Joe Campbell was not charged with the cinema explosion. Some gelignite had been found in his father's house and his father and brother were arrested. Joe accepted responsibility for it . . .The cinema explosion had taken place some time previously but Joe was not charged In connection with it." (12) <br />
The incident had an interesting economic sequel. The damages in the end totaled £8,200. These were levied on the people of Newry and Warrenpoint, to be paid at an extra 1/4 to 1/2£ each. It was a Glasgow newspaper, the Scots Independent, which pointed out "Either the citizens are innocent, in which event they are being unjustly punished, or they are guilty, in which event the case for partition falls apart at the seams." But perhaps significantly there was no public protest from those paying it.<br />
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Part 2: Kevin and the Queen<br />
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A WALK UP MARGARET ST.<br />
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While Wee Joe languished, unelected, in prison, Newry's drama with the Queen was not over. On August 17, 1954, a year after the coronation, she paid a visit to the North to launch a merchant ship in Belfast, the first time a reigning Queen had made such a move. In the preceding weeks large round-ups were made of republicans, particularly in Belfast, and "thousands" of police were on duty the morning of her arrival.(14) <br />
In the wee hours around 3 am that morning, the O/c of the Newry brigade, Jim Rowntree, met with a couple of young volunteers, Matt Loy and Seamus Kearns, and Kevin O'Rourke from Banbridge who had brought along 3 electrical fuses and a fuse box. As they walked along Upper Margaret Street (a nationalist section) they split into two pairs to avoid suspicion. The little group strolling around at night aroused the interest of a policeman, Sgt. Aiken, and two others making their rounds in the car with him. Particularly a bulge in O'Rourke's pants- in addition to the fuses, he had brought along a loaded .38. (15)<br />
Aiken already knew Rowntree; he passed over the others and approached O'Rourke, who gave his name as Patrick Delaney.<br />
"I'll have to search you" Aiken said.<br />
O'Rourke replied in the negative and pulled out his wallet (which was not that of a Patrick Delaney) to explain the bulge. He was caught unprepared, and no doubt frightened at the increasingly realistic prospect of going to prison. While the policeman looked over his wallet, he stepped back and then ran away. <br />
Aiken gave chase but O'Rourke was a good distance ahead; Aiken fired a warning shot past him and shouted "Come quick" to those in the car. O'Rourke ran down Water Street to a short wall where he dumped the fuses and the .38. The policemen in the car, watching this, were faster than he was and as they pulled up, one grabbed hold of him while another proceeded to search him. Aiken walked over to the wall and found the gear.<br />
"I now know why you ran away." He said.<br />
"I take no responsibility for that" O'Rourke declared. <br />
A couple streets away they found his Austin in which - most telling of all- was a copy of the United Irishman and one of Wee Joe's election leaflets. (16) <br />
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Rowntree and the two others had slipped away in the confusion but they were all lifted in an intense series of house raids afterwards. At almost exactly the same time this happened, a bomb went off outside a barracks in Belfast, but it was claimed by a one-man breakaway group, Laochra Uladh. What Rowntree and co had planned to do is unknown. No explosives were discovered on them or in the ensuing searches. The police announced that there was "no question" they were on their way up to Belfast and the papers concluded the four mostly unarmed men, 50 miles away, were a threat to the Queen (which, given the IRA's modus operandi at the time, was out of the question.) Meanwhile the Queen had blissfully "carried on" in spite of a drizzle and christened the ship the "Southern Cross" before heading home.(17) <br />
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TRIALS<br />
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The authorities were afraid of display that would be created by a public trial, so it was moved at the last minute to the Newry RUC barracks. "The dogs on the street" found out and a crowd formed outside, raising a commotion and trying to peek through the drawn shades (barracks were a far more informal institution in 1954). Had the shades been open they would have watched a five minute scuffle between Kearns and O'Rourke, who refused to stand when required, and the guards trying to make them do so. When charged, they one by declared they had nothing to say until it came to O'Rourke.<br />
"I take all responsibility for the stuff found" he announced. <br />
Unlike Wee Joe's case, it was not as simple as that, as the circumstances in which the stuff was found was quite different from hiding them in a chimney. The four looked like IRA men doing IRA business but, incapable of charging them with that fact alone, the prosecution was pinning possession on all four. "Under the law, possession by one means possession by all" one of the detectives explained to them. The three others made it quite clear they would have none of this.<br />
Seamus Kearns declared: "I am...charged with having the articles with intent to endanger life or cause injury to property. If you admitted that I had none of the arms except the two that God gave me, how could you explain that I could do these things?"<br />
(They noticed some women outside peeking through the windows and for the first time realized why their trial was in the unusual surroundings.)<br />
Jim Rowntree: "The prosecution witness already admitted that I bad none of this stuff in my possession Therefore I could not endanger life. This is the third time that he has asked for a remand, and, as yet, not one basic piece of evidence has been submitted to substantiate these charges. Am I held on suspicion or on evidence?"<br />
Det.-Sergt.—I have to await further instructions in the case<br />
Rowntree: In other words, you are just a stooge or a puppet.<br />
The Magistrate: I cannot allow that as a question.<br />
Rowntree: This is supposed to be a fair trial but it is just a mockery and a complete denial of human rights.<br />
The District-Inspector: This man is making a platform of the proceedings.<br />
Rowntree: I cannot help it If he has not the intelligence to answer the questions.<br />
"With this, the proceedings ended..."(18)<br />
One afternoon in early September, Rowntree, Kearns, and Loy were told to get their things together. They were taken to the head office of the prison where rail vouchers awaited them.<br />
"Why are we being released?" Rowntree asked.<br />
"Don't ask any questions." <br />
When the press inquired the police denied they had been released. In reality the Attorney General ordered it, in so doing bypassing whatever the "possession by all" laws were, saving them from a prison sentence and the government from a disastrously unpopular case.(19)<br />
Convoluted and sometimes ridiculous legal battles like this were a fact of life for northern Republicans. They came and went and were quickly forgotten in the grand scheme of things. It would not be the last time young Loy saw the inside of the Crum. Rowntree was never again arrested and remained O/c until he stepped down in 1958. <br />
That left O'Rourke in the belly of the beast. At 30 years old, he was living at home with his widowed mother and siblings on a 25 acre farm, which he helped run. For extra income he occasionally worked as a bricklayer. He had no trouble with anyone, no history of arrests, republican or otherwise, and this incident came as an anomaly in the record of an otherwise placid citizen. <br />
At his first trial by himself in September, supporters packed the courthouse steps and cheered with shouts of encouragement as he entered. He had to be lifted to his feet and held there when the charge was read, to which he was silent. The court declared him mute by malice although the judge ordered that a plea of "not guilty" be put in. O'Rourke announced for the record: "This is a foreign court, sitting here trying to administer the law in the six north-eastern counties against the will of the majority of the Irish people." The jury found that there was not enough evidence to prove the revolver and fuses were actually his, and he was bundled into the police van for another trial while the crowd cheered him.(20)<br />
He had a total of 6 hearings, all following a routine of refusing to stand up, being "mute by malice," and protesting the illegitimacy of the court. He refused to question the witnesses- the policemen who arrested him- although he did occasionally address the jury. And not without some effect; at his final hearing at the Belfast Assizes in early December the jury took over 90 minutes to reach a verdict and came to the conclusion that there was not enough evidence to prove the .38 belonged to him. The prosecution conceded this point, and proceeded on the second charge, relating to the detonators ("unlawful possession of articles), for which another trial was held within the week and a new jury was brought in which found him guilty. <br />
A constable mentioned Kevin's quiet home life in his favor. The judge, Justice McDermott, seemed favorably inclined with this, but decided: <br />
"I cannot leave out of account the use which could be made of a pistol, fully loaded, like this, and the use to which detonators of this kind can be put. It seems to me you were on some errand of an unlawful kind, and it is necessary to show quite clearly that this kind of conduct will not be tolerated."<br />
Kevin is said to have smiled when his sentence was pronounced, and as he was led away he asked the judge "Is that all you can do?" (21)<br />
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WESTMINSTER ELECTIONS<br />
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Wee Joe was alone, in status as a republican prisoner at least, until early '54 when a movement organizer from Dublin, Leo McCormack, was sentenced and they were now joined by Kevin and the 8 volunteers arrested in the wake of the failed arms raid at Omagh. "There was great comraderie" amongst the small group of prisoners in those days remembers Eamonn Boyce, one of the eight.(22)<br />
In 1955 Sinn Fein had enough confidence to contest the Westminster elections and the republican prisoners would be their candidates, as the mere sight of Irishmen in English prison aroused sentiments of support. The two Down men stood for their county: Joe for North Down, and Kevin for South Down. While a small area in size, North Down is to this day one of the strongest, most uncontested bastions of Unionism. Joe received only 1600 votes, which was considerable given the size of the nationalist community. His opponent, George Currie, took 50,000. Kevin on the other hand, took 19,000 from the nationalist area of South Down and made a considerable challenge to his opponent, Unionist Lawrence Orr. (23) Elsewhere the prisoners won their seats and Danny Donnelly insightfully points out that "the fact that thousnds of respectable people...voted not once, not twice, but three times for a convicted felon...should have told the government that there was, to paraphrase the bard, 'something rotten in the state of Northern Ireland.'"(24)<br />
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POWS<br />
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In 1957 Joe should have been released, but given the outbreak of the IRA's campaign the powers that be decided he was instead to be interned for the duration of the campaign and transferred to D Wing to prevent him from contributing to the war effort. His two brothers soon joined him as internees. The experience in the Crum during the 40's had mellowed him and like most from that era who found themselves in prison again, he kept a low profile. Joe impressed his comrades inside as "such nice fellow" and "a gentleman." One of his hobbies in prison was playing chess, particularly with a volunteer from the south, Jack McCabe. "Their games could go on for days at a time and we always knew when one of them had been check mated, because we would see the chess board being tossed up in the air and one of them walking away in disgust." (25)<br />
As for Kevin, a volunteer from Cork remembers that he too "was a gentleman by nature." While on A Wing (for the long term sentenced men) he shared space with some volunteers from the Cork brigade for whom "he was a tremendous help to us during the remainder of his time explaining the do’s and dont’s of prison protocol, what was safe to eat, how to deal with the screws and in general keeping us up to date with the prison routine."(26) He also was eventually interned, and was joined by his brother Enda.<br />
They ran once more for Sinn Fein in North and South Down in 1959. The one thousand faithful few turned out for Joe, but Kevin's popularity shrank to 6,000 votes, Orr once again coming ahead. Sinn Fein's poor showing is generally attributed to disappointment with the way in which the campaign progressed.<br />
As the campaign, and support for it, ramped down the government felt comfortable enough to release some of the internees, leading to freedom for Wee Joe and Kevin in November and December 1960 respectively. (27). <br />
Upon imprisonment, all rank was lost and the men went back to being "only" volunteers. But understanding the personal ordeal prison entails, the IRA has always afforded members the option of either reporting back to their unit, or going their own way, and nobody thinks less of them if they choose the latter. Kevin returned to work on the family farm, and we hear of no more republican activities from him.<br />
Joe returned to work at the cobbler shop on Castle street. He also reported back to the Newry unit, which had been whittled down by arrests (over 2 dozen members were interned or sentenced) but was nonetheless intact and in need of experienced men as always. He had missed most of Operation Harvest but republicanism was his life and there were larger undertakings. <br />
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In an interesting postscript, one of Queen Elizabeth II's acts on the 50th anniversary of her coronation in 2003 was to bestow the status of "city" on Newry.<br />
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(To be continued)<br />
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*-There is a disparity in accounts. The newspapers and IRA documents unanimously hold that it was blown up before the film was shown. Locals seems to remember it happening after the film was shown. It was blown up after <em>a </em>film concluded, which may have led to the confusion.<br />
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Notes:<br />
Many thanks to Oliver McCaul and Brian Patterson.<br />
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Photo at top: Joe Campbell's beret and gloves, harp he made while in the Crum, and Croppy boy statuette presented by comrades from Operation Harvest in recognition of his service. <br />
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Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-63134909724835329022015-09-11T08:29:00.001-07:002015-09-11T08:29:30.455-07:00Tony Magan Obituary- Irish Press 1981<h1 class="headline">
Former IRA chief to be buried today</h1>
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Irish Press, Wednesday July 8th, 1981 pg 4</div>
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MR. <span class="hit">ANTHONY</span> <span class="hit">MAGAN,</span> from Lower Dodder Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin, who has died, was a former chief-of-staff of the IRA. Mr. <span class="hit">Magan</span> was active in the Republican movement during the 1940s and 1950s and was chief-of-staff when preparations, including arms raids in Britain and the North, were made for the 1956 <span style="font-style: italic;">to</span> '62 Border campaign. Following his release from internment in The Curragh after the "Emergency" he presided over the re-oxganisation of the IRA and was regarded as a strong disciplinarian. </div>
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Mr. <span class="hit">Magan</span> was arrested in Dublin in 1956 and imprisoned for IRA membership. He was subsequently interned in The Curragh. </div>
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Mr. <span class="hit">Magan,</span> who worked as a taxi driver, was a batchelor and is survived by his sisters. His body was taken to the Church of<sup><span style="font-size: small;">:</span></sup> the Annunciation, Rathfarnham, yesterday evening, and the funeral takes place after '10 o'clock Mass to Mount Jerome Cemetery today. </div>
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Mass Notice - Irish Independent, 1982</div>
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<span class="hit">MAGAN</span> — First Anniversary Mass for, <span class="hit">Anthony</span> J. (Tony), late of 45 Dodder Rd., Rathfarnham, will be 'offered in the Church of the Annunciation, Rathfarnham, on J uly 3, at 7.30 o'c.'at thp request of his sisters.</div>
Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-14420662711652687732015-09-11T08:05:00.000-07:002015-09-11T08:05:01.323-07:00"The Dream" - January 10th, 1957<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_55f2ec5989fe52380093203">
The Dream<br />
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(Published in the Irish Catholic, January 10th, 1957, after the deaths of Sean South and Fergal O'Hanlon)<br />
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When a young man dies for his country, what does he die for? He dies not for green fields, silvery lakes, purple mountains, white farmhouses or city streets of pleasant memory. He dies for a people. You may question his wisdom. You may condemn his methods. You may hint that he was, in his own way, seeking excitement or that he was dreaming romantic dreams of glory. But in these days there are plenty of ways of seeking excitement without seeking death. And in these d<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">ays the romance of swirling flags and glittering swords is gone. When young men risk death they do so for what they consider a worthy cause, the cause of their nation. And in that word nation they wrap up the ideas of "a people". They want those people to have liberty to govern themselves properly. They want those people to live in comfort in their homeland, enjoying justice and equality of opportunity. You may question the wisdom of a young mans methods. You may condemn them. But you cannot question or condemn the dream for which he died. If you are anything other than a complete self-centred moron, or a despairing cynic, you too have that dream in your heart for your people and your children. And whilst you discuss the young man who dies does it occur to you to examine your own attitude to the dream. You may praise or criticise him. But what, beyond discussion, are you doing for the dream? You watch the young people moving out to England, Canada, Australia and America. You fume about the over-all disease of "patronage" and "influence". You rant about governments and civil service. You complain bitterly about the country's lack of money, of production and prestige. You talk and debate energetically. But how much do you do? When young men die how guilty do you feel? How much have you done or sacrificed to remove the obstacles to the dream-the obstacles which build up complete frustration in so many young people? The obstacles and the sense of frustration which cause some of our best youngsters to emigrate in despair and which cause others to seek drastic solutions. When a young man dies for his country, he dies for a dream that is your dream. If you believe his methods are wrong, it is for you to demonstrate what methods are right. How far have you progressed or even tried? </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">GALLOWGLASS Foilsiodh san 'Irish Catholic'10 Eanair 1957</span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show">Go raibh mile maith agat to Seamus Linnehan for posting this on his FB page, "A Rebel Spirit"</span><br />
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Mick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190068757414380335.post-69257887436783699902015-04-09T18:35:00.001-07:002015-04-09T18:35:33.284-07:00Book Review: The Irish in Early Virginia 1600-1860 A slight intermission from our usual material to give a little shout out for comrade Kevin Donleavy and his new book on Irish America.<br />
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Much has been written about Irish America in the north of the US; there is less about the Irish in the south, and even less about the Irish in the state of Virginia. Kevin Donleavy's new book, "The Irish in Early Virginia 1600-1860" the only one on the subject, explores new ground that will be of interest to both Virginians and Irish everywhere.<br />
The book is 200 some pages, and in it Kevin covers quite a bit of ground. Among the highlights are:<br />
Irish slaves and indentured servants who were transported to the colony. Like their African-American counterparts, they endured harsh transatlantic crossings, cruel overseers, and were hunted down when they tried to escape. The presence of Irish slaves in VA is little known- less known than those in the Caribbean, whose story is told in the classic "To Hell or Barbados." Virginia, Kevin shows, was equally hellish for the thousands of Irish that were enslaved there. This is a field of research that hopefully others will be inspired to look further into.<br />
It also tells of the many United Irishmen and political exiles who settled in VA, and their contributions to the state. Men like John Neilson, who designed parts of James Madison's and Thomas Jefferson's homes, John Burke, John Glendy, the United Irishman and Protestant minister who gave a wildly popular oration for George Washington, and many others. True to his revolutionary sensibilities, Jefferson kept contacts among the Irish rebels and his various acts or statements of sympathy is an interesting dynamic to both the man and Virginia's history. <br />
The book also tells the story of the Irish railroad workers who built the railways in the Shenendoah mountains. This grueling and historic task is the subject of a larger research enterprise of Kevin's called the "Clann Mhor Project" and you can read about it here:<br />
http://www.clannmhor.org<br />
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There are also of course lighter moments, and the background to the 90+ places with Irish names or history is covered. Printed by Pocohontas Press, the book is very nicely formatted as well. Casual readers will not be bored, and researchers will not be left wanting.<br />
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In conclusion, a unique and highly informative addition to Irish American history.<br />
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The price is $12.95 including shipping; make checks payable to<br />
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Kevin Donleavy<br />
105 Minor Road<br />
Charlottesville, VA 22903<br />
USA<br />
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Message from Kevin Donleavy:<br />
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"Here is a note about Kevin Donleavy's new book. The title is The Irish in Early Virginia 1600-1860, and the book is aimed at the general reader. This little 200-page paperbound work is the first and only study of those Irish, and also the first to clarify the strong revolutionary link between Thomas Jefferson and Ireland.<br />
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Kevin is offering this new production to U.S. friends and sympathizers for $12.95, and there will be no postage cost to you. You can simply send your cheque or a money order (made to his name) thusly:<br />
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Kevin Donleavy<br />
105 Minor Road<br />
Charlottesville, Va. 22903<br />
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Your copy will be shipped to you the day I get your order.<br />
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You will read of some lighter items in this history. There were several Irish exiles who were known for keeping black bears and owls in their Charlottesville houses, and the new Irish in Winchester Va. saw their first elephant in 1808 in that fair town.<br />
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But how to account for the Irish who came to Va? Historian Kerby Miller calculated that some 7 million Irish came to N. America over the past four hundred years, and perhaps 20,000 of them came to Va. Why ? The most telling reason is the awful slaughter in Ireland over the centuries by the ferocious soldiery of the English ruling class. In the 1500s, some ten thousand died; in the 1600s, 504,000 perished; and in the late 1700s, about thirty thousand were killed. Loads of those who became emigrants and exiles would have known of and feared such horrors. Political oppression produced appalling economic deprivation and poverty.<br />
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In Va., there are some ninety or so scattered places with Irish names, such as Lynchburg, Kinsale, Doylesville, Foley Hill, Dungannon, and Casey Hollow. These names are found on modern maps and gazetteers.<br />
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Enough. I hope to hear from you soon, and I sincerely hope you enjoy this wee book.<br />
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KevinMick3http://www.blogger.com/profile/05495577736050198140noreply@blogger.com0