Wednesday, August 18, 2004

Working within British 'law' with a vow NOT to use force against the British....... :

DANIEL O'CONNELL -1843 ;

THE PROVISIONALS -1994 TO DATE .


....... Ireland 1843 - Daniel O'Connell and the 'Loyal National Repeal Association' had been 'side-lined' by both Westminster and the Irish people ; the 'Young Irelanders' were attempting to 'gear-up' for a Rising against British mis-rule - but the people were dying from the effects of the 'Great Hunger' . Those that had the strength tried to help themselves and their famlies .......

'The Freemans Journal' newspaper wrote on 15th April 1846 : " There have been attacks on flour mills in Clonmel by people whose bones protruded through the skin which covered them ; staring through hollow eyes as if they had just risen from their shrouds , crying out that they could no longer endure the extremity of their distress and that they must take that food which they could not procure . As we pass into summer , we pass into suffering . Every week develops the growing intensity of the national calamity ..."

It should be noted that every sort of food except the potato was available because the harvest in every other crop but the potato was excellent ; food was leaving the country for export in vast quantities , and even more was coming in ! Apart from the Indian corn , nearly four times as much wheat was being imported into Ireland as exported : but that food was not for the hungry .......

(MORE LATER).


WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN :

war and peace in rebel Cork ,
in the turbulent years 1916-21.

By Micheal O'Suilleabhain : published 1965.

SHOOTINGS.......

"....... it was a quiet Sunday in early September 1920 , in the village of Ballymakeera ; two British military lorries drove through the small streets and came to a halt about four-hundred yards outside the village . The local children were curious ......."

" The children approached the British lorries and loitered around them to try and discover the cause of the stoppage ; the British soldiers made no effort to keep secret the cause of their delay . The covered lorry had broken down - they wandered about the road talking loudly about it , and now and then cursing it . The children returned to the vilage of Ballymakeera , and all told the same story to the few local IRA Volunteers they met : " The covered lorry had broken down . The soldiers had said so . It could not be repaired . Some of the soldiers had suggested burning it , others had said that it was not worth the trouble of burning but to "let it there to hell....." "

That last suggestion was acted upon ; all of the British soldiers had mounted the open lorry and had driven away . The covered lorry was now abandoned on the spot where it had stopped . IRA Section-Leader Liam Hegarty had got ready a bicycle to go on a journey when the news reached him about the lorry - with Dannie Healy and a few other IRA Volunteers he discussed the children's report . They did not doubt its accuracy , but saw the possibility of a trap ; all were agreed that before taking the risk of a near approach to the lorry , it should be tested by firing a few shots into it . Had any firearm been near at hand the test would undoubtedly have been applied but , unfortunately , there was none within easy distance . They knew that , before a weapon would be available , the enemy would return to recover the lorry .

It would be too bad if the British soldiers found it as they had left it ; it would be a disgrace . They would take the risk and burn it ......."

(MORE LATER).


THE CIA : REAGAN'S SECRET ARMY .......

Since 1947 , the CIA has been a powerful force in covertly executing American internal and foreign policy . A major book detailing the workings , methods and sometimes incompetence of the secret service - 'The Agency ; The Rise and Decline of The CIA ' , by John Ranelagh , has recently been published .

Gene Kerrigan examines the books findings and assesses the importance of 'The Agency' and the role it has played over the last 39 years .


First published in 'The Sunday Tribune' newspaper , Dublin , 24th August 1986 , page 11.

Re-produced here in 21 parts .

(15 of 21).

John F. Kennedy was a spy buff ; he was an avid reader of the 'James Bond' novels and , soon after taking Office he demanded that the U S real-life version of James Bond be bought before him !

The corrupt Batista regime had been driven out of Cuba by the forces led by Fidel Castro at the beginning of 1959 . By the beginning of 1960 , the CIA was under orders to get rid of Castro - plans were under way by the time J F K took Office .

The new U S President endorsed an invasion planned for April 1961 , to be mounted by the CIA , using Cuban exiles . Word of the invasion plans leaked but the 'New York Times' newspaper obliged President Kennedy by suppressing the story . But Kennedy , nervous about his image , flinched at the last moment and cut back on air support ...

...the invaders were bogged down at the 'Bay of Pigs' and three-hundred of them died .......

(MORE LATER).