‘FIGHT BACK’ - AGAINST “TRAITORS” AND INFORMERS!

A Provisional Sinn Féin ‘recruitment leaflet (!)’ on view in Dublin , under one of their election posters…

We have already mentioned receipt of photographs of these posters , and now we have recived more of the same - from Irish Republicans in Dublin , Waterford and Kerry , so far.
Of course , it’s not only the Provisional Sinn Féin party that has called on Irish people to collaborate with the British presence - Leinster House , Stormont and Westminster are full of like-minded political toads - but the Provos deserve special mention as they continually attempt to sell themselves as ‘the radical republican alternative’ compared with the politically jaded inmates of the above-mentioned institutions . I believe they quitely recognise that they , too , are a politically jaded and spent force , certainly where republicanism is concerned , anyway , but what the heck - parliamentarism pays better than ‘paramilitarism’ , and offers the opportunity to mix with ‘other’ world leaders! !

Now - about those photo’s we received -

“Informers Wanted : apply to your local PSF rep or any cop shop…”

Like all ‘good’ informers , you can get two for the price of one…

The pathway to informing…

And then there’s this photo , which we publish just ‘cause we like it so much -
Well , if you can’t make a living out of informing…!

Thanks!
Sharon.

DUBLIN 1980 : THE GLUE SNIFFERS…….
Pictures by Andrew McGlynn. From ‘MAGILL’ magazine September 1980.

It started three years ago . A 14-year-old brought a great new idea up from Limerick . It can be picked up on just about any building site , in a lot of factories , or in any hardware store .

The parents may have problems of their own . Some kids stay at home some nights , but mostly they sleep rough - they can be found along the quays or around the O’Connell Street area , maybe on the Bridge , most times of the day or into the small hours of the morning , glue bags in hand . At around 4.30pm they head off to a large city centre house run by the Dublin Committee for Travelling People , where they pay 51 pence for a meal of potatoes , sausages and peas . They can play snooker or lie on the floor or hold gentle mock fights or mess around with the members of the Committee who run the place .

Altogether , the Committee deals with about seventy children . In one room there’s a large , delapidated juke box , complete with ‘Bee Gee’ hits and Elvis singing ‘ In The Ghetto’ . Come October , the house will become a night shelter , and winter is now coming . The kids won’t stay in doss houses or mix with dropout kids from the settled community - they have their own ‘code’ . The kids they don’t mix with group together in gangs of approximately the same age , ranging from eight to twenty-one…….
(MORE LATER).

HOPE IN THE SHADOWS…….
For some Northern nationalists the Anglo-Irish Agreement (’Hillsborough Treaty’,1985) only makes their lives more dangerous , for others it offers hope on a road to nowhere. Fionnuala O’Connor visited a (Provisional) Sinn Fein advice centre in the Ardoyne and Seamus Mallon’s office in Newry.
From ‘MAGILL’ magazine, December 1986.

Tommy McGrath said : ” We see this Agreement as giving equality to Catholics in state bodies and private employment where (*) , unless you ‘kicked with the right foot’ you wouldn’t get through the employment door . Now changing that won’t happen overnight.”

They talked of the machinery for getting things done , the Dublin civil servants whose presence in Belfast was so important as a symbol of that machinery , the dangers involved - changes of government in Dublin and London , uncertainty about a Haughey government line , Britain hesitating because of loyalist anger ; ” Now that would be a very dangerous policy . That would be the road to nowhere , it would destroy the (Anglo-Irish) Agreement (Hillsborough Treaty) , “ said Frank Feely. Was it already happening ? No-one seemed to know.

What was known is that this ‘equalisation programme’ will take time , there was a lot to do . ” It wasn’t even new at the time of partition , after all , ” said Tommy McGrath, ” the loyalist prople always got jobs and we got the sour milk .” Now people knew there was someone there ” in the form of Peter Barry, ** someone they can appeal to , some sort of redress . ” This meant hope , and cause for hope , said Tommy McGrath…….

(’1169…’ Comment -* “Equality” being the key word in that statement - whereas nationalists see the ‘problem’ as being one of ‘equality’ issues , republicans see the problem as being the actual British military and political presence in Ireland. ** God Bless that man’s innocence ! Or is it political ignorance ? Or perhaps hoping to ‘pull a quick one’ on those of us that know better ? Peter Barry , purely through an accident of birth [ie he was born in the 26-County State!] might very well have been considered by some to be a ‘nationalist’ but apart from that ‘accident’ it was an extremely naive person who would consider Barry an ‘ally’ when it came to arguing with you against Westminster!)
(MORE LATER).

A BATTLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS…….
A look at issues raised by Liz Curtis’ recent book.
From ‘IRIS’ magazine, August 1984.
Review by Trisha Fox.

In a recent paper produced for a GLC-sponsored conference on the media and imperialism , Liz Curtis wrote - ” It is scarcely surprising that , contrary to the widespread view that the media in Britain are the bastions of free speech , the national media reflect with rare exceptions the view of the world held by the ‘establishment’ . The bulk of national papers are owned by a handful of millionaires - Rupert Murdoch alone owns The Sun, The News Of The World, The Times and The Sunday Times. Most media workers are by comparison with the bulk of the population , highly paid . Many of the staff in key positions in the broadcast media are university-educated white males .”

The censorship debate is not only about what does or does not reach our screens , but about the context within which the republican perspective is presented . In documentaries , sparse interviews with Irish republicans are cut , distorted and overlaid with particular music which creates an effect of something sinister or clandestine . All these elements are part of a method , often received unconsciously by the viewer , of creating a specific and highly adverse reaction . One programme in particular ,transmitted in December 1983, is a classic example of this manipulation…….
(MORE LATER).

DON’T BUY A SAT-NAV FROM LIDL!

We were on to them before over this issue but , not only did they not reply to us, they never even acknowledged our correspondence. And , since Sunday May 10th 2009 , we have contacted them four times and have received the same treatment - no ‘Thank-You-We’ll-Be-In-Touch’ , no acknowledgement that they have received our e-mails - nothing!
The reason we have been chasing Lidl since May 10th last is because of a newspaper advertisement which that company ran in some of that days newspapers - in the tabloid we seen it in , it was published in a side-by-side two-page spread , bearing the headline ‘PRICE REVOLUTION : ONE COUNTRY - ONE PRICE!’ :

Lidl Irish newspaper advertisement claiming ‘ONE COUNTRY - ONE PRICE!’

But if you click-on to the Lidl.ie website , you are requested to
‘Select Your Country-
Rep. of Ireland
Northern Ireland ‘ :

Lidl Irish website - ‘SELECT YOUR COUNTRY : REP. OF IRELAND / NORTHERN IRELAND’ .

From our experience , Lidl doesn’t deal with our type of ‘customer query’ over the internet and the manager of our local Lidl Supermarket is always either “too busy” or “not available just now…” when the nature of our visit is explained to the receptionist/security guard. But we’ll keep trying , and will post any update regarding this situation on this blog.
Thanks for reading!
Sharon.

DUBLIN 1980 : THE GLUE SNIFFERS.
Pictures by Andrew McGlynn. From ‘MAGILL’ magazine September 1980.

Not a bag of sweets . Glue. Heavy , vaporous adhesive. You put it to your face , inhale through your mouth and nose at the same time . It gets you high , or makes you feel better. It’s comforting. You use a plastic bag. After a while your lungs have drawn so much fumes from the bag that the glue becomes dry , soggy , pale brown. You have inhaled the solvent. In about an hour the bag is useless.

The solvent attacks your nasal tract , your lungs , kidneys , liver and brain . Your nose runs , there will be sores around your mouth. You are dizzy , speech slurred , eyes dilated . Your mood changes from tranquility to aggression in the space of minutes .

There are a lot of kids sniffing glue around the city centre , these days and nights. A hard core of three dozen , with others trying it occasionally ; they are mostly travellers’ children . They are curious and naive , like all children , gentle and excitable , sometimes aggressive , always with little respect for the future. When told that the glue will damage them , maybe even kill them , they shrug. It’s a cheap comforter , a cheap high. It’s something to do. Some of the older kids ‘graduate’ to alcohol .

A social worker gives a weak smile - ” They’re behaving pretty normally for someone who’s totally rejected….”
(MORE LATER).

HOPE IN THE SHADOWS…….
For some Northern nationalists the Anglo-Irish Agreement (’Hillsborough Treaty’,1985) only makes their lives more dangerous , for others it offers hope on a road to nowhere. Fionnuala O’Connor visited a (Provisional) Sinn Fein advice centre in the Ardoyne and Seamus Mallon’s office in Newry.
From ‘MAGILL’ magazine, December 1986.

” I had a seat for three terms at Stormont , ” said Frank Feely, ” and I had no vote. The Unionists never considered anybody from the South could possibly get elected. “ Tommy McGrath’s political pedigree goes back further - twenty years on the council as an ‘Irish Labour Party’ representative until the SDLP arrived on the political scene.

They sat there , the two of them , with their freight of election memories from the decades of anti-unionism while in the background among filing cabinets the business of an MP’s office carried on : 2,000 cases handled , say the two professionals , since Seamus Mallon took the seat from Official Unionist Jim Nicholson. Clearly the two older men find this new regime impressive though their style is obviously still more a question of meeting people in the street and carrying files in your head .

” These young graduates could tell you more about this than me , “ Frank Feely says over his shoulder , ” it’s a question of confidence , this whole ‘Anglo-Irish Agreement’ (’Hillsborough Treaty’) , it gives hope. Our first interest is solving the constitutional issue and getting to the bottom of it . It holds out the hope of that.” (’1169…’ Comment : that 1985 Treaty only offered “hope” to those who believed it could be used to brush the whole issue of British involvement in Ireland under the carpet or , at the very least , put a ‘new gloss’ on it . It was doomed to fail from the start.)
(MORE LATER).

A BATTLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS…….
A look at issues raised by Liz Curtis’ recent book.
From ‘IRIS’ magazine, August 1984.
Review by Trisha Fox.

Ian Stuttard, the producer of Thames TV’s series ‘The Troubles’, who has consistently striven to avoid emotive rhetoric used by so many reporters - such as ‘murderers’ and ‘terrorists’ when referring to the IRA - described the depiction of the crew in ‘Acceptable Levels’ as ” wickedly accurate” (they spend most of their time in the sanctuary of the Europa Hotel indulging in drink , food and chatting up women on expense accounts while they apply for more overtime) .

The strongest part of the film is that it does illustrate powerfully the process of self-censorship practised by people within the media as a semi-conscious act , motivated by self-interest and a class/ideological allegiance to the British establishment.
(MORE LATER).

TURNCOATS , PLACE-SEEKERS , COLLABORATORS and TRAITORS …
(UPDATE : we can add ‘Treason’ to the above list as well - “The betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery.” One such example of political treason can be read in this excellent post. Those political criminals should be properly dealth with , and you can make of that statement what you want to make of it , so long as they are not able to simply walk away after their punishment…)

Leinster House, Kildare Street , Dublin.

“John Sadlier, Solicitor, Banker and M.P. for the borough of Carlow, and William Keogh, Barrister-at-law, and M. P. for Athlone, fought the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill at every stage, and were acclaimed great Popular heroes. They were prominent figures at the “aggregate meeting” held in the Rotunda on the 22nd August, 1851, to protest against the. Bill, which had been passed, and to take measures for Catholic defence. The chair was occupied by the Archbishop of Armagh (Dr. Cullen), in a short time to be Archbishop of Dublin.

Keogh raised the gathering to the highest pitch of enthusiasm by giving the Chairman his territorial title, and promising that he and his friends would have the Act repealed if the people of Ireland would but send them a few “more Parliamentary colleagues. We will make no terms,” he declared: “with any Minister, no matter who he may be, untill he repeals that Act of Parliament”.
In his own constituency, where he was entertained to a public banquet on the 28th October, 1851, Keogh declared, in the presence of Archbishop McHale : “I will not support any party which does not make it the first ingredient of their political existence to repeal the, Ecclesiastical Titles Act…” Again, in Cork on the 8th March, 1852, he declared : “So help me God, no matter who the Minister may be, no matter who the party in power may be, I will support neither that minister nor that party, unless he comes into power prepared to carry the measures which ,universal popular Ireland demands.”

The sequel to these pledges is well known to the Student of history. In a few months Keogh and Sadlier became brazen pledge-breakers and accepted office under the Government - Keogh as Solicitor-General for Ireland, and Sadlier as Lord of the Treasury…”
(From here.)

John Sadlier and William Keogh are but two foul figures in a long list of foul curs that have not only failed to deliver that which they promised but have , in most cases , done the complete opposite. Here are a few photographs, with captions, of some others that belong in that particular camp -

Vichy collaborators, France.

Gerry Adams and Hugh Orde , Head of the British paramilitary ‘police’ in the Occupied Six Counties.

And finally - three new posters which were sent to this blog by supporters of Irish Republicanism (and which inspired this post!) :

Working for Westminster!

British administrators want Republicans to inform on their colleagues.

Irish ‘Republicans’ in the service of the British Crown.

Thanks for reading!
Sharon.

CABHAIR TESTIMONIAL FUNCTION , SATURDAY 16th MAY 2009 : REPORT AND PICTURES.

Des Dalton opening proceedings at the CABHAIR Testimonial and Republican Reunion Dinner and Dance , 16th May 2009, Dublin.

We had , as usual , a fantastic time last night (and during the early hours of this morning !) at the CABHAIR Testimonial Dinner and Reunion in the Morrison Hotel on Ormond Quay in Dublin city centre. More than ninty people turned-up for the meal , with approximately another dozen friends arriving after the meal and staying for the presentations and speeches etc . The hotel was beautifully laid-out for us , with a bright and fresh Ballroom manicured to within an inch of its life by an extremely capable , friendly and professional staff ,who stayed with us for the full duration of the event , fussing after and assisting us!
The food was simply to die for - cooked , presented and served to perfection by professionals , who looked after each attendee as if they were family!
We had a great chat with the Honorees - Peig and Paddy King (chosen by Republicans in Leinster), Pádraig Ó Baoighill (Ulster) , Frank Quinn (Connacht) , Liam Cotter (Munster) , Don Hurley (USA) and Michael Kennedy (Galway and London) , we met old and new colleagues with whom we shared the evening and with whom we enjoyed the party atmosphere.
The CABHAIR group are to be fully congratulated for organising this successful event , the Honorees are to be congratulated for staying true to the Republican principles that have sustained them and the Movement they support and the Morrison Hotel are to be congratulated for their sheer professionalism - very well done to all concerned ; it was our pleasure to share this occasion with you all!
We publish with this post five photographs in all , with another five published on our main site - click on the supplied link at the end of this post -

CABHAIR Testimonial ’shop’ close-up.

Some of those in attendance.

CABHAIR Honoree Plaques.

Section of the crowd.

Five other photographs can be viewed on our main site , here (post dated Sunday 17th May 2009) .
Thanks !
Sharon.

CABHAIR Annual Testimonial Dinner and Republican Reunion 2009.

Going back to at least the early 1970’s , the Republican Movement, and supportive and affiliated organisations , have come together each year to choose a handful of individuals who are deemed suitable emissaries to represent all that Irish Republicanism stands for and that which it seeks to obtain. Having decided on the best honorees possible , a Dinner , Dance and Reunion is held to properly convey the Movement’s appreciation to those people. And that pleasurable task has been undertaken this year , too -
On Saturday May 16th 2009 , seven Irish Republicans will be honoured at a function to be held for them in Dublin , in the Morrison Hotel on Ormond Quay, at which a Presentation will be made to each one of them. Those seven notable Stalwarts of Irish Republicanism are : Peig and Paddy King (chosen by Republicans in Leinster), Pádraig Ó Baoighill (Ulster) , Frank Quinn (Connacht) , Liam Cotter (Munster) , Don Hurley (USA) and Michael Kennedy (Galway and London) .
This blog extends warmest ‘Congrats!’ to those Honorees , and we hope to have a representative present on the night to record proceedings. Well Done to ye all - Ni Seoinini Sinn Go Leir !
(Last year’s CABHAIR Testimonial Dinner can be viewed here.)
Thanks!
Sharon.

THE IRA : the new IRA is younger , more radical and has seen little of life other than violence…….
By Ed Moloney.
From ‘Magill’ magazine, September 1980.

ED MALONEY : ” Do the negotiations over the H-Blocks between Cardinal O Fiaich and Humphrey Atkins involve the Republican Movement ? ”

IRA : ” No . But these negotiations are causing a lot of anxiety although by the time this interview appears in print there might be some conclusion to those negotiations .

It wasn’t until June this year after prisoners had been continually beaten , after there was no progress in O Fiaich’s ‘initiative’ that we decided to resume those attacks . Since June there has only been one IRA attack on the warders but we have said it is open season on them again . We want the H-Blocks settled , we don’t want to see warders killed. The H-Blocks are of no propaganda purpose to us. Our people in the jails are suffering real deprivations and we want that resolved.”
[END of ‘THE IRA’]
(Next : ‘DUBLIN 1980 - THE GLUE SNIFFERS’)

HOPE IN THE SHADOWS…….
For some Northern nationalists the Anglo-Irish Agreement (’Hillsborough Treaty’,1985) only makes their lives more dangerous , for others it offers hope on a road to nowhere. Fionnuala O’Connor visited a (Provisional) Sinn Fein advice centre in the Ardoyne and Seamus Mallon’s office in Newry.
From ‘MAGILL’ magazine, December 1986.

Sitting in his chair below the ‘Death or Victory’ IRA poster , Tom Fleming lit another cigarette and leaned a little closer to the electric heater . ” If the SDLP can maintain things even at the present level and keep on promising - that, plus the Catholic Church’s attitude to (P) Sinn Fein and it’s support (*) for the IRA - they can hoodwink a lot of people.” (’1169…’ Comment * - “support” then, condemnation now for those in Ireland who militarily challenge the British political and military presence!)

I stopped three people on a midweek morning to ask the way to Seamus Mallon’s Newry office and all three were from Dublin , up doing their shopping! In his office , the new SDLP MP’s two staff - young and paid - had brought in those elected to speak for the party : local councillor Tommy McGrath and Frank Feely, elected to the defunct ‘Assembly’ .

We were straight into the question of “I” voters , at least 800 of them in Newry town , they said , at least twice that number in the local government area , and every one of them annoyed for years because they could vote in Westminster elections but could not vote for their local council ! Guess who they’d vote for once the Anglo-Irish Agreement (Hillsborough Treaty) finally did the right thing by them…….?
(MORE LATER).

A BATTLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS…….
A look at issues raised by Liz Curtis’ recent book.
From ‘IRIS’ magazine, August 1984.
Review by Trisha Fox.

While a handful of TV producers such as Colin Thomas- who resigned from the BBC in protest at cuts made to his 1978 documentary about daily life in Derry - have taken a protest stance , most consciously choose to work within the system and to get their material transmitted , while acknowledging the limitations of their practice.

‘Acceptable Levels’, a recent film made for Channel 4 , dealt with this issue of ’self-censorship’ by TV producers . The film’s storyline is about a crew making a liberal documentary about the effects of ‘the troubles’ on children from both communities . Towards the end of the crew’s film-shooting , a nationalist child gets shot with a plastic bullet and the crew are thrown into a dilemma as to whether they should incorporate this material into the final film , which would change the original (and pre-conceived) concept of the documentary . Inevitably , they decide to omit it .
(MORE LATER).

RSF Dublin Rally in commemoration of the 22 Irish Hunger-Strikers and in support of present-day POW’s , Saturday 9th May 2009.

A two-hour Rally was held on Saturday May 9 , 2009 , in Dublin , by Republican Sinn Féin members and supporters . The aim of the Rally was two-fold - to commemorate the twenty-two Irish Republicans who died on hunger-strike for Irish freedom between the years 1917 and 1981 and to remind all concerned that Irish Republican prisoners are still fighting to obtain full political status. About thirty people took part in the Rally , some of whom, with others , held banners and placards and helped to distribute leaflets to the many thousands of people in the area. As usual , the State political police - the ‘Special Branch’ - practically tried to close-down the event , such was the manner in which at least nine of them attempted to discourage members of the public from approaching those holding the Rally. Their intimidation failed , however, (as is always the case!) and those thousands of people - Irish and foreign tourists - who were in the area over that two-hour period were reminded of the sacrifices made and the sacrifices that continue to be made by incaracated Republican POW’s.
A full report and more pictures will be published in the June 2009 issue of ‘Saoirse’ , which will be available from Wednesday June 3rd ‘09.
Thanks!
Sharon.

In Dublin or Armagh , on Saturday May 9th 2009 - show your support for Irish Republicanism !

On the same day that Irish Republicans will be holding a Rally in Dublin, fellow Republicans will be campaigning on the streets of Armagh in support of political status for Republican prisoners.
Part of a communique received over the Easter period , 2009 , from Irish Republican prisoners -
“We, the PoWs, continue to resist all attempts by the NIO to criminalise us and our struggle and with your continued support we are confident of victory. In the words of Liam Lynch “we have declared for a Republic and will live by no other law”.
Continuity not compromise.
Tiocfaidh ár lá.
O/C Republican PoWs Maghaberry.”

A picket in support of the demands for the restoration of political status for imprisoned Irish Republicans will be held in Lurgan,County Armagh,on Saturday May 9th 2009, in Edward Street , at 2pm.
If you are in , or near , Dublin or Armagh on Saturday May 9th 2009 , please show your support . All Welcome!
Thanks!
Sharon.