THE SEEDS OF A POLICE STATE ....... There is substantial evidence that a major crime was perpetrated within the Garda Siochana five years ago .
The evidence for this crime has certainly been available to senior Gardai ever since then , but no enquiry whatsoever has taken place , let alone any Garda being disciplined in connection with that crime .
By Vincent Browne and Derek Dunne .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1983 .
Not alone was there no investigation of any kind into the very compelling prima facie evidence that Osgur Breathnach , Nicky Kelly and Brian McNally were beaten up by the Gardai and that a significant number of Gardai conspired to subvert the course of justice by plotting to commit perjury , but no safeguards were instituted to ensure that it would not happen again . This in spite of very specific recommendations by a (State) government-appointment commission .
But the story does not end there - of the 19 members of the Garda Siochana against whom allegations of ill-treatment were made in connection with the Sallins mail train robbery , the following is a progress report on some of their careers since then :
Detective Garda Thomas Ibar Dunne is now a Detective Sergeant ; Detective Sergeant Francis Campbell is now a Detective Inspector ; Detective Garda Thomas Boland is now a Detective Sergeant ; Detective Sergeant Patrick Culhane is now a Detective Inspector ; Detective Sergeant John J. McGroarty is now a Detective Inspector ; Detective Inspector Edward Ryan is now a Detective Superintendent ; Detective Sergeant Cavanan is now a Detective Inspector ; Detective Inspector Courtney is now a Detective Superintendent and Detective Garda Michael Finn and Detective Sergeant Patrick F. Cleary have not been promoted .
Thus at least eight of the 19 Gardai against whom allegations were made were promoted subsequently.......
(MORE LATER).
A PEOPLE'S ARMY ....... 'IRIS' magazine talks to two active women Volunteers in the Irish Republican Army about their involvement , their political attitudes , and their observations on the role played by women in the liberation struggle. Both Volunteers are from the Free State , where they live , and are in their twenties . 'Mary' comes from a country area and has been in the IRA for six years ; 'Anne' comes from the city and joined the IRA about a year ago .
From 'IRIS' magazine , November 1982.
'IRIS' magazine : " Do you think that the war in the North of Ireland has led to the reduction of male domination in nationalist society , because of the role women have played ? "
MARY : " That's hard to answer , living here in the Free State , but from what I've seen of it , yes - it has . Women in the North have been liberated and involved of necessity . They've just woken up and found that their husbands have been arrested or imprisoned , and they have had to adapt themselves . Down here in the 26-counties there hasn't been the same progress . "
(MORE LATER).
NEW DEPARTURES FOR SINN FEIN....... ? Sinn Fein's recent election success in the North of Ireland have focussed attention on the Provisionals' new turn to political activity at local level . There have been parallel developments in the organisation in the 26 counties .
'GRALTON' magazine spoke to Paddy Bolger , Ard Comhairle member and National Organiser for Sinn Fein ,with special responsibility for Dublin , about the changed perspective .
From 'GRALTON' magazine , August/September 1983 .
'GRALTON' magazine : " (...question continued..) You refer to 'the public' and to 'the people' . Do you have within the three-and-a-half million population strategic targets you are trying to reach ? "
PADDY BOLGER : " (...answer continued..) .....the rest of that class is probably at this stage , through the development of Fine Gael , committed to anti-national and , currently , monetarist positions . But there are sections of the people who could not be described as working class or small farmer who would not be reactionary on economic issues . Fianna Fail have , through mild social democratic policies , maintained that broad constituency of working class , petit bourgeois and small farming support .
That is the base that we would we be aiming at as well , primarily because they are the people who need to be given a project for a political and economic independence , with a socialist programme - not an ultra-Left programme , but a thoughtful socialist programme with a long-term objective . "
(MORE LATER).
