Casement Florrie O'Donoghue Towards 2016 Conference page 10 Manus O'Riordan Labour Comment Diaries page 19 page 15 back page IRISH POLITICAL REVIEW October 2006 Vol.21, No.10 ISSN 0790-7672 and Northern Star incorporating Workers' Weekly Vol.20 No.10 ISSN 954- 5891

The latest Irish Times Stone Age Democracy Coup d’Etat Britain is having its first war-crimes trial. More than three years after the invasion The recent attempt to undermine the of Iraq a soldier is being prosecuted for brutalising an Iraqi businessman. The reason for Taoiseach Bertie Ahern with some the trial is that the deliberate destruction of the apparatus of state in Iraq has brought spurious revelations about alleged about a situation from which the British Government sees no clear way of extricating handouts from businessmen is the latest itself. in a long line of attempts by The Irish It collaborated with the USA in setting up a series of puppet Governments, whose Times to undermine the State. The first lack of connection with the populace made them an aggravating influence. It now has was in the 1920s when William Redmond, a kind of elected Government which is representative to some degree, even though a lot the son of John Redmond, intended an of pre-election weeding was done by the Occupation authorities. Insofar as it is alliance with Fianna Fail. R.M. Smyllie, representative it is hostile to the conduct of the invasion force. Britain cannot afford to who later became Editor of the newspaper, ditch it and look for another Government. There is no other Government there to be plied John Jinks TD, one of Redmond’s found. And so it is sticking a flimsy veneer of law over its conduct for propaganda supporters, with drink ensuring that he purposes, by prosecuting a few low-level soldiers for committing war crimes by obeying would be unable to vote for an alternative orders. to the Cumman na nGaedhal government. But why, if democracy now exists in Iraq, is the trial being held in a military court It was The Irish Times, which destroyed in Britain instead of a civil court where the crimes were committed? Would it not give Redmond’s party because it had the a great boost to the credibility of the hitherto ineffectual democratic Government of Iraq temerity to consider an alliance with if it was allowed to conduct its own trials of the crimes of the invasion forces? Fianna Fail. The Redmonds were decent people who were dupes of British There is no doubt that the soldier who pleaded guilty to war crimes is a scapegoat. Imperialism. When they had served their He was not part of a small, freely-acting, commando group, but part of a regular army purpose they were discarded. in which there is a closely-linked chain of command from the bottom upwards. He did And this is not the first time that The what he did under orders, in the way that orders are issued in such situations. Finding Irish Times has attempted to undermine himself on trial for war crimes, abandoned by his superiors, and confronted with a Bertie Ahern. Nor is it the first time that detailed description of his actions in the cold light of day in a court in England, he Geraldine Kennedy, the current Editor of apologises to one of the people he brutalised. The Irish Times has had a hand in events. It is the business of Army authorities to cover over the things that are done by soldiers In 1994 an Irish Times front-page in action on the ground, and to ensure, by the controls of military discipline, which story ensured that Bertie Ahern would not permeate the Army, that what is done is what it was intended should be done. And we succeed Albert Reynolds. do not doubt that such was the case in this instance—and that the trial is a Show Trial The best account of this whole issue is for a political purpose. continued on page 2 continued on page 4

Obituary Republican movement in the early 1970s, Donegal, and amongst them was Michael then the IRSP, before joining Sinn Fein. Ferguson. He was jailed in the late 1970s for arms At that time we discussed politics quite Cllr. Michael Ferguson MLA offences, joined the blanket protest and a bit—Michael’s views were sure, shaped was active in prison struggle. His younger and forged in conflict—my own less well Michael Ferguson (53), Sinn Fein brother Hugh had been killed by the formed. He was eager to hear other MLA, and for 18 years a Councillor in Official IRA in 1975 in Ballymurphy. views—particularly what thinking was Lisburn City Council died from illness going on in the Protestant community. He arising from testicular cancer on Sunday I first met Michael over twenty years was interested in the Protestant working 24 September. He was best known to ago, not long after he came out of jail to class, and their motivations. He was keen readers of Irish Political Review for enrol at Queen University. I had hitched for information, absorbed it quickly, recently launching the publication, by the a lift on the Queens "Community Action" argued about it and started again. Later, as Aubane Historical Society, of L.G. bus on my way to Magheroarty Pier (and an Education spokesperson, he failed to Redmond-Howard’s Six Days Of The Irish an International Volunteer building camp understand the outlook of political Republic. on Tory Island). The bus was taking a unionism in promoting a selective system Michael was active within the official community group from Lenadoon to West that worked against its most continued on page 6 not been about weapons of mass destruc- tion. The BBC is kind to important C O N T E N T S members of the Parliament which it serves. Page As for the mayhem in Iraq that followed Stone Age Democracy. Editorial 1 the destruction of the State—the British The Latest Irish Times Coup d'Etat.. Editorial 1 Government was in no way responsible Obituary: Cllr. Michael Ferguson. Mark Langhammer 1 for that. It was down to insurgents and The Removal Of A Taoiseach. Manus O'Riordan (unpublished letter) 3 extremists who are against democracy. Editorial Commentary. (IT Editor Kennedy & Unseating A Taoiseach; When professional politicians in a Michael McDowell Wobbles; Assembly Shenanigans; Stormont Revival?; democracy talk garbage on the subject of PSNI Attack Ombudsman; Not Reeling In 1969 Crisis; EU Liberal Democracy, we would not waste our breath Dogmatism; Northern Bank Raid; Daily Ireland 5, 24 taking issue with them. They know no The Greaves Summer School On 1916. David Alvey 7 better. They live within the cocoon of Casement's Way. Tim O'Sullivan reply to Jeff Dudgeon letter 10 democratic demagoguery and thought of Shorts from the Long Fellow ("Right" On, Bono; Palestinian Unity; Chinese any other kind is alien to them. Revisionism; FitzGerald Interviews 11 But Alan Johnson is an old friend of The Mansergh Correspondence. (Martin Mansergh vs Brendan Clifford,report) 12 ours. He lived a life in the real world Florrie O'Donoghue On MacCurtain, O'Hegary, And "Dual Control". before taking up the profession of Manus O'Riordan. To Be Or IRB, part 3 15 Parliamentary politics. When he was Secretary of the Union of Communication The Casement 'Black Diaries', An Overlong Controversy In Outline. Workers he took up the Northern Ireland Tim O'Sullivan. Part 3 19 issue under the influence of members of Notes On Corruption. John Martin 22 his Union in Northern Ireland, and he British Newspapers On Ireland. Seán McGouran. Part One 23 joined the Campaign for Labour Representation, and he spoke at many Labour Comment, edited by Pat Maloney: CLR meetings at Labour Party Conferences, and he understood very well Towards 2016 that democracy does not consist of sticking bits of paper into boxes. Democracy is a comprehensive politi- The war crimes committed by this recall the comments of Cabinet Ministers cal structure in which periodic voting plays soldier are trivial by comparison with the during the early weeks of the invasion, a part. Voting which is disconnected from things that have been done by British applauding the general looting as a means the functional political structure of the soldiers all over the world for generations. of destroying the apparatus of the regime state does not constitute democracy. And not only in the distant past, but in the and as an expression of freedom. A Voting in Northern Ireland was a kind of period since the Nuremberg Trials were situation of wild anarchy was deliberately fetishism because it had no connection held to have established a form of brought about, and the Army was the with the formation of a Government for international law which was binding not means of bringing it about. the state, and therefore it did not have the only on Governments but on individuals. And then those politicians, accustomed kind of effect on society which it had in The barbaric treatment of the people of to using the word 'democracy' as a kind of Britain. Malaya by the British authorities began incantation, without thought of its Johnson understood that and was well the year after the Nuremberg Trials, and preconditions, thought they could conjure able to explain it. their barbarism in Kenya within the up a functional democracy out of the following decade. But there was not a anarchy, and one which would be obedient In 1991 Kate Hoey, Boyd Black etc., single prosecution of a soldier or state to their will. debased the CLR into Unionist Union functionary in either of these cases, Jackery. We dissociated ourselves from because in both cases Britain succeeded in Alan Johnson, British Secretary for it. But Johnson didn't. We thought at the establishing neo-colonial regimes—and Education, and a contender for the time that was because Hoey was one of its the Kenyan one still survives. leadership of the Labour Party, was Trade Union MPs, but it seems more interviewed on BBC Radio Four's Today likely in retrospect to have been because The reason the invasion of Iraq is programme on September 27th. He still he already had the ambition of a career in creating such a disturbance in its aftermath defended the invasion as the right thing to Parliament and was therefore unwilling to is that it is unlike any other war fought by have done. Weapons of mass destruction break any political connections. Britain. It was not a war of defence, even were mentioned, but he brushed them of the most far-fetched kind. It was not an aside. He said he had not been a member Anyhow, he understood then that assisted coup d'etat bringing to power a of the Government at the time—his rise functional democracy was an intricate political stratum with which Britain had has been meteoric as the established political arrangement connected with the well-established relations, as was the Blairites burnt out—but the decision to operations of a viable state—such as invasion of Iraq in 1941. It was not a war make war had been taken by Parliament existed in Iraq then Can he now have of annexation, as with the Boer Republics an he had supported it, and he could say become as simpleminded on the issue as if in 1899. that weapons of mass destruction were he was a political hack born and bred? The only definite purpose of the hardly mentioned by the decision makers. invasion was to destroy a functional state The reason for the decision to make war As we go to print there is conflict that was no threat to Britain or anybody was that Saddam was in breach of a series within the 'War On Terror' between a else outside its own borders, and whose of Security Council Resolutions stretching dictator and a democratically-elected oppression of its own people was wildly over many years, and it was felt that the President—between General Musharraf exaggerated. Beyond that it was cloud- time had come to implement them. and Mohammed Karzai. But the dictator, cuckoo land. He was not asked what all those who came to power in a military coup, One does not need a long memory to Resolutions had been about, if they had actually governs his state, and is 2 substantially representative of its society. And the elected President does not govern · Biteback · Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback Afghanistan, but lives within a military enclave set up for him by the USA. Karzai addressed the British Labour Party Conference two years ago and told The Removal Of A Taoiseach it that a wedding party wiped out by an American bomb was happy to sacrifice The following letter failed to be published in the Irish Times itself in the cause of freedom. He now Two down, one to go! How else to interpret the quite extraordinary opening sentence accuses Musharraf of stirring up his people of your editorial on September 28th: "The removal of a Taoseach from office can be a against him and making it impossible for long and painful process, as both Charles Haughey and Albert Reynolds found to their him to move outside Kabul. Musharraf cost". A pompous expression of one's own sense of editorial self-importance in responds with the contempt of a respon- publishing a sinister leak, or the declaration of a more threatening sense of mission in sible politician, existing by his own wits seeing a series of Taoisigh of a particular hue brought down, one after the other? I myself and the effective use of power, for a puppet. have been in opposition to Fianna Fail for almost 40 years. But that has been a matter of Bush had them both to dinner at the political differences openly expressed. The arrogant and irresponsible use of the powers White House and tried to manoeuvre of the press in unleashing its bloodhounds on a decent man for supposedly non-political, Musharraf into shaking hands with Karzai. ethical purposes does, however, carry its own political consequences at a particularly He failed. critical juncture in the peace process. Surely there are some others who can also recall the cautionary tale that the last time a Fianna Fail Taoiseach was hounded from office, Shortly before this Musharraf was in order to be replaced by one from Fine Gael, the "collateral damage" was nothing short criticised by Bush over an internal treaty of once again unleashing the dogs of war. which he made with the tribes in Manus O'Riordan (29.9.06) Waziristan, under which he agreed not to interfere with them if they would not interfere with him. It is a very sensible Stone Age. And, in the outcome of the that has ever used nuclear weapons. arrangement. Eighty years ago the Royal bombing, Cambodia adopted Stone Age Air Force set out to civilise Waziristan by politics. Musharraf went further than revealing bombing it. But Waziristan was stubbornly The same threat was made to Iraq the barbaric threat made to him by the true to itself and survived. And what if shortly before the attack was launched in USA in its war on barbarism. He Osama is living there? America has had 1992. Secretary of State Baker told the spokesmen have reminded the world that five years of free-ranging action in which Iraqi Government that, if it used the "Islamic fundamentalism" was cultivated to find him, using a combination of terror weapons it was suspected of having, the and armed by the USA over many years as and bribery, and failed. country would be nuclear bombed. part of its campaign against the Communist The doyen of British political And of course the USA is the only state Government of Afghanistan. correspondents, John Simpson, led the 'liberation' of Kabul away back then, and in tones of certainty he made a statement which does not deserve to be forgotten. BOOK LAUNCH He said that Osama and Mullah Omar would soon be captured because a large reward had been offered for them, and Aubane Historical Society "betrayal is the national culture of Aubane, Millstreet, Co. Cork Afghanistan" Well, it proved not to be the case. Another culture has taken root in Friday, 20th October 7.30 pm Afghanistan. And the outcome of four years of Western activity there is the revival TEACHERS CLUB, 36 PARNELL SQUARE, DUBLIN of the Taliban (and a huge increase in poppy growing, which the Taliban had Envoi, Taking Leave Of Roy Foster curbed when they controlled the state). reviews of his made up IRISH STORY Meanwhile, across the mountains, by Julianne Herlihy, Brendan Clifford David Alvey, Brian P Murphy osb Musharraf is running a state which is ISBN 1 903497 28 0. 204pp. Index. Euro 15, £ 11 Muslim, but without which the 'War On All Welcome Terror' could not have been conducted. Or could it? Musharraf, when criticised Also available: Reprint of the 1918 Classic by by Bush over his treaty with Waziristan, J.J. HORGAN: Further information about events and reminded us of the days when Bush publications can be found at declared that everyone who was not his The Grammar Of Anarchy: Force ally was his enemy. He let it be known Or Law—Which? Unionism, 1910-1914 that in those days the White House put it ISBN 1 874157 15 4. 64pp. Euro 6, £4 www.atholbooks.org to him that if he failed to be an active ally of the USA, Pakistan would be bombed back to the Stone Age. Britain's Great War, Pope Benedict's Lost Peace: or you can write to: This was a repetition of the threat How Britain Blocked The Pope's Peace Efforts made back around 1970 (by General Between 1915 And 1918 [email protected] Westmoreland, as we recall) that any by Dr. Pat Walsh country near Vietnam that helped the ISBN 1 874157 14 6. 60pp. Euro 6, £4 Vietcong would be bombed back to the 3 as Taoiseach. Maire Geoghegan Quinn’s speech, and Irish Times It was at this point that Geraldine read it again. She had indeed dropped COUP Kennedy of The Irish Times revealed that heavily coded hints of prior knowledge other Fianna Fail members of the of the Duggan case, but in a way that continued Government also knew about the Duggan couldn’t possibly have made sense until Case before Reynolds went ahead with you knew the true position” (Page 272, in Fergus Finlay’s book Snakes And Snakes And Ladders, Fergus Finlay). Ladders . A report from Geraldine the Whelehan appointment. Kennedy in The Irish Times was the In recent times Vincent Browne has catalyst that led to the collapse of Unfortunately, Spring, backed by his written some very good articles negotiations between Fianna Fail and parliamentary party, mounted his high questioning the uncritical acceptance of Labour. horse and decided that Ahern et al were IRA responsibility for the Northern Bank The extraordinary circumstances of unfit for office: a position that with the robbery. He is the exception. In general the collapse of the Fianna Fail/Labour passing of the years seems even more the media act like a herd and deliver the Coalition need to be re-visited. ridiculous now than it was then. line that they are fed. The implication of the Labour position Finlay, who was Dick Spring’s advisor, was that the previous two years in There must be many in Fianna Fail explains quite well why the then Taoiseach Government had been a mistake despite who resent the malignant influence of the and leader of Fianna Fail, Albert Reynolds all its achievements. Labour returned to Irish media which has become had to resign. It seems that Reynolds was the arms of Fine Gael in the manner of a unrepresentative of Irish life. Following a compulsive risk taker. This turned out to prodigal son who had realised the error of the retirement of Charlie McCreevy from be a tremendous asset in the Anglo-Irish its ways. It had re-discovered its destiny the Finance Ministry he took the negotiations. He successfully faced down of being the junior partner of Fine Gael. opportunity to reminisce about Irish John Major when the latter tried to Needless to say the Irish people gave politics on RTE and it was almost renegotiate the Joint Framework document. Labour a vote in the following General interesting. It would have been more than The issue that brought down the Election commensurate with the modest “almost interesting” if the interviewer Reynold’s government concerned the role it had consigned for itself. Sean O Rourke had asked some obvious Attorney General. Despite the mess in questions. which Harry Whelehan had landed the Pat Rabbitte has continued that Government in the “X case”, Reynolds tradition and has succeeded in rescuing In the course of the interview the former was determined to promote him to Fine Gael from oblivion. Fianna Fail Finance Minister regretted the President of the High Court. Spring collapse of the Fianna Fail/Labour opposed this vigorously and relations were THE NATIONAL INTEREST Coalition in 1994. He said the reason was further soured when it was discovered that So much for the Labour Party! But the “outside influences”. But the RTE the Attorney General’s office had sat on replacement of Reynolds by Bruton at a interviewer didn’t bother asking what an extradition demand for seven months. key stage in the Anglo-Irish negations those “outside influences” were. The warrant from Northern Ireland was was not in the National interest. Indeed it for the notorious paedophile, Father could be said that having a Redmondite Could it be that there are people in ‘the Brendan Smyth. Taoiseach was in the British interest. know’ in the Irish media and political Reynolds agreed with Spring’s sug- On his retirement from the editorship establishment that have a bad conscience gestion that the Attorney General should of The Irish Times, Conor Brady was and do not wish to be manipulated again? write a report explaining himself. Whele- asked if he had any regrets over the last han’s response was to arrange for Matt sixteen years. This is what he said: Russell, the civil servant who had been “I suppose there are a lot of things dealing with the case, to send a short note really. A newspaper is a very imperfect to the Taoiseach. thing. I think maybe we were a bit hard Although Spring was very unhappy on Albert Reynolds. We got into an Editorial Commentary with Whelehan’s arrogance, he allowed adversarial position with Albert Reynolds go ahead with the appointment Reynolds for a number of reasons that I rather than precipitate a General Election. don’t really want to get into. But he’s a Irish Times Editor, Geraldine Kennedy man who made a significant impact and was accused by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern It then emerged that the reasons given for probably at the time, the paper didn’t the delay in the extradition were spurious of attempting to drive him from office give him enough credit for it” (Sunday with misleading interpretations of when details of another case, the Duggan Tribune, 4.8.02). case, became known. Isn’t it amazing how information illegally leaked from the Mahon Tribunal. At a point when his things ‘emerge’ when Fianna Fail is in But Brady is not the only one with career seemed at an end, he made a power? regrets. Vincent Browne, a former Fine moving defence which turned the tables But by this stage Whelehan had already Gael supporter, made a bid to save the on his accusers. He wrote: been appointed. Against Finlay’s advice, Fianna Fail/Labour Coalition following Spring agreed to Reynolds making a "…Politics, sport and serving my the publication of Geraldine Kennedy’s community are my only outside interests. speech criticising Whelehan as a means to story. Here is what Finlay says about the I neither have nor crave personal wealth preserve the Government. incident in his book: or the trapping of affluence. Never, in “Later after the suspension of talks all the time I have served in public life, However, there were a few more twists hit the lunchtime news, I got a call from have I taken a bribe or in any way put my in this saga. It then emerged that Reynolds a very agitated Vincent Browne. He personal interest ahead of the public knew about the Duggan Case before he spent an hour on the phone, for reasons good. I have served this country and the went ahead with the appointment of I’ve never understood, trying to convince people I have the honour to represent in Whelehan. This forced the FF leader’s me that there was nothing new in Dáil Éireann honestly. I have for many resignation. Geraldine Kennedy’s story, that Maire years endured all sorts of false allegations Geoghegan Quinn had said it all in the Since the dispute was not over a policy and they have proven to be false.… I Dail debate on the crisis a couple of have provided more details about my issue, the coalition looked as if it was going weeks earlier…. personal finances than any person in this to continue with Ahern replacing Reynolds “Afterwards, I went and got hold of House who has ever held office. 4 Somebody who has access to confidential offence. As we go to press, Justice Alan At this point Empey formed the Ulster documents decided to leak them to a Mahon is expected to rule on the proceed- Unionist Assembly Group with Ervine. newspaper. With contempt for the courts ings. It is open to him to fine the paper The extra seat for the UUP-led group and the tribunal process, this person Euro 300,000—which seems nothing meant that Sinn Fein lost its windfall, made a sinister calculation. They thought given its assets and the gravity of its giving a Unionist majority of Ministers: if they could leak this information about political interference—or to imprison 3 + 3 vs 2 + 2. me and my family, they could destroy me. They are wrong. … the Editor for up to two years. The Irish Acting on advice, Eileen Bell of the "It is important to bear in mind that Times led the public howl for Ray Burke Alliance Party ruled the Ulster Unionist the reason I volunteered all my bank to be imprisoned for the misdemeanour Assembly Group was not a real political statements and documents, going back of not giving sufficient financial records party and so could not act as such under many years, was to refute a set of to a Tribunal. In view of the gravity of the d'Hondt system. (Obviously there outrageous allegations. People made its offence in destroying evidence, after was nothing to be gained for Britain in secret allegations about me - like I had it being requested by a judicial body, can provoking the DUP in advance of the €15 million stashed away, or that I had the Tribunal retain public respect if a 24th November vote on whether the bank accounts in exotic places such as lesser sentence is imposed? political institutions of the Good Friday the Dutch Antilles and Mauritius. These Agreement are to come into force.) were lies. In disproving the lies, I provided my details to the tribunal - and Michael McDowell, the new Progressive now someone has leaked those details in Democrat leader, pursued an uncertain Stormont Revival? The Democratic an effort to throw up more material to course on this issue. At first McDowell Unionist Party has sent out increasingly damage me. felt obliged to back his Coalition senior, rejectionist signals about sharing power "The people who are pushing this but as the media onslaught grew, he with Sinn Fein under the GFA. On 6th story have one objective in mind. They "wobbled" (CC O'Brien's word) and September Alderdyce's IMC put out a want to drive me from office. They will seemed about to withdraw his support— positive report on IRA activity. The not succeed " (1.10.06 News Of The only to come into line again when it next day Jeffrey Donaldson suggested World). became clear that Ahern had connected that "main blockage" to power-sharing Though the Irish Times Editor was with the people in his lengthy television was republican failure to accept NI not named directly by the Taoiseach, it explanation of the affair. It is clear that policing arrangements: "That is the was she that published information he is seeking a good excuse to ditch the fundamental issue—do Sinn Féin support disclosed to her in the most damaging coalition. the police and accept the rule of law" way possible. And where the paper of McDowell was in the hot seat (8.9.06 IT). A couple of weeks later Dr. British Ireland led, the rest followed. because, having forced the electorally Paisley added further preconditions: Conor Cruise O'Brien, wrote gleefully popular Mary Harney to resign, he had Those involved in a £300m ill-gotten in Sir Anthony O'Reilly's 'Irish' supplanted her as Tanaiste and as PD financial Empire "must be handed over Independent of "devastating" criticism leader. No election was held: rival Liz to the police"; "the police had to seize of Ahern's actions, and a "bombardment" O'Donnell was given the Deputy these funds; and the IRA must be by "The leading newspapers in the Leadership, and rival Tom Parlon the disbanded" (IT 20.9.06). Rev. William republic [which] are now arrayed against Presidency of the PDs. Believing in McCrea added that republicans should the Taoiseach" (30.9.06). competition as a "panacea for all other "renounce and repent of what they have Bertie Ahern has been the most situations", the PDs thus avoided it stood for" (IT 21.9.06). successful Taoiseach since Charles themselves, as Brendan Butler pointed NI parties will participate in talks Haughey, and the most popular out in a letter to the IT, 12.9.06. about restoring devolution on 11-13 Taoiseach since Jack Lynch. That is October in St. Andrew's, Scotland. These why the Irish Times and friends are so Assembly Shenanigans Sir Reg Empey's will be chaired by Premier Blair and eager to destroy him, as a means of scheme to win an extra Unionist Taiseach Ahern. The DUP will then further damaging Fianna Fail: the party Ministerial position by forming an embark on a consultation process with which reflects (however imperfectly) alliance between his Ulster Unionist its members (IT 19.9.06). Irish national aspirations. Party and the sole Progressive Unionist What all the fuss is about are Party Assembly member, David Irvine, Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's payments of £38,500 made collectively has been overruled by Eileen Bell, term of office expires in 2007 after 7 by 12 of Ahern's friends in 1993-4 when Speaker of the Northern Ireland years. Irwin Montgomery, Chairman of he was in financial difficulties, resulting Assembly. This means that, in the un- the NI Police Federation, told his annual from a Judicial Separation from his wife. likely event of the Assembly institutions conference that her tenure had been (That he refused to divorce her is no coming into being after 24th November, "disastrous" for the PSNI because she doubt one of the things held against him there would be a 5:5 Nationalist/Unionist insisted on re-examining old cases, where by Irish Times liberal dogmatists.) A share-out of Ministerial positions. (In there were complaints about the way the few Manchester Irish businessmen addition the DUP would have the position RUC had conducted the investigation. chipped in £8,000 as well. Ahern was of First Minister, and Sinn Fein the He suggested that, if she retired, she under no obligation to disclose these position of Deputy First Minister.) should be replaced by a senior judge (IT sums in the Oireachtas: ethics legislation This is the third change in (theore- 14.9.06). changing the rules of public life was tical) Ministerial proportions under the Danny Kennedy MLA, UUP, introduced in 1995. Knowing this, the d'Hondt system since the 2003 Assembly supported the PSNI complaints on the Irish Times has suggested that the Ethics Elections. Initially the 10 Ministerial grounds that the Ombudsman Nuala legislation applied retrospectively, or positions should have been shared out as O'Loan was married to an SDLP that there may be unmet tax liabilities follows: 4 for the DUP, and 2 each for Councillor, and because of a widespread relating to the payments (which may be the other three parties: 6 Unionist and 4 perception that she was "not only anti- loans). Nationalist. However, one DUP member police but particularly and most When Geraldine Kennedy was called lost the Party whip, which then meant especially anti-RUC" (IT 20.9.06). to account by the Tribunal she destroyed that the DUP was only entitled to 3 the leaked documents on which the story Ministers and Sinn Fein got an extra Reeling In The Years, the RTE TV was based, thus compounding her seat. programme reprising events of the 5 previous generation, got over a swathe Armstrong, was indeed shot on her way "personal stuff" by allowing his own case of tricky facts to do with the North home from a Lisburn Council meeting, to publicize the need for men to overcome boiling over in 1969 simply by ignoring surviving with injuries. embarrassment to "get checked out" for them. There was no Lynch speech of I lost regular touch with Michael— cancer. When committed to hospital for 13th August 1969 and no Arms Crisis of although we would meet on occasion with Chemotherapy, and armed with his laptop, April-May 1970! some fellow feeling—the experience in he turned his hospital bed into a makeshift common of operating in 'hardwired constituency surgery, firing off electronic EU Liberal Dogmatism The Advocate- majoritarian' Unionist Boroughs: myself representations on behalf of his General of the EU Court has given a in Newtownabbey, Michael in Lisburn. constituents. preliminary legal opinion saying that Michael and his colleagues made serious Two days before he died, I received an the Irish Government has breached attempts to reach out to DUP and UUP e-mail from him—to arrange a get together. competition rules by awarding the Euro Councillors, notably over the successful He was also undertaking a DLA (Disability 47.5 m contract to supply social welfare bid for City Status. Unionists in Lisburn Living Allowance) claim for a pensioner benefits to 1.1 m people to An Post look to have rowed back, since, on their from Ballymena. That was "Massey"— without putting it out to Tender. commitments to a "City for All". always at his work! Similarly, the State's Euro 9 m contract In 1998, when I was Chair of Play- to Dublin City Council for emergency board, the childrens’ play charity, we had His funeral was well attended, with a ambulance services breached discussions on the Dutch "Homezone" very broad range of people represented— competition rules (IT 15.9.06). This initiative that helped Michael plan some a commentary on the way he lived his life. hardline neo-liberal economic stance successful traffic calming campaigns. His Michael is survived by his wife Louise, follows other anti-social rulings from years on Lisburn Council earned a grudg- whom he held in huge esteem, and children the Luxemburg-based Court. ing respect from Unionist council colleagues. Aodh Tomas, Daibhead, Aoife and Naimh. In fact, the welfare payments contract He adored them all. Michael Ferguson helps to maintain rural communities by Michael was elected as an MLA in will be a loss to Sinn Fein, to West Belfast subsidising small Post Offices. Similarly 2005 and took on the role of Education and Lisburn - he was one of the good guys! with the Dublin ambulance contract: in spokesman. He was the Vice Chair of the Mark Langhammer Dublin it is customary for retired firemen West Belfast Partnership Board. By his to work in the ambulance service. Any own admission he was most comfortable Irish Labour History competitive interference with that at community level, a tireless community beneficial arrangement is likely to cost campaigner, undertaking campaigns on Society Conference the taxpayer more in the end. traffic calming, tackling anti-social 20-21 October 2006 behaviour through positive youth www.ilhsonline.org engagement, forever seeking better facili- Northern Bank Raid After consistently Full fee E10; individual sessions E5 asserting that money confiscated in Cork ties and programmes for people in Pole- on 17 February 2005 formed part of the glass, Colin Glen and Twinbrook. Few proceeds from the Northern Bank Raid community organisations or tenants Friday Oct 20 7.30 Liberty Hall of 20 December 2004, garda officers associations in Greater West Belfast would Professor John Horne, TCD have been bringing samples of the money not have received his help, wisdom and James Connolly and the Great Divide: to Belfast over the Summer. "Together energy over the years. Ireland, Europe & the First World War with the PSNI, the gardaí met bank staff to try to establish if any distinctive marks In the past two years I had a lot of Sat 21 Oct 10.30 Liberty Hall on the notes recovered in Co Cork could contact with Michael, in his role as Sinn Prof Emmet O'Connor U. Ulster be clearly identified as coming from the Fein Education spokesperson. He had a stolen cash consignment" (Barry Roche, detailed grasp of his brief, and earned Labour & republicanism: the un- Southern correspondent, IT 12.9.06). respect from educational employers, importance of James Connolly administrators, civil servants, and teachers' Dr John Newsinger, Bath Spa Univ unions. He surrounded himself with a Connolly & 1916 well-versed education reference group and instinctively took the side of the Dr Colin Whitson, Keele Univ Michael Ferguson disadvantaged. Connolly & Trade Unionism - the struggle Last November, he spoke at a confer- for an independent working class politics continued ence I organised for the GMB (General, Open Forum & Questions disadvantaged. He was particularly proud, Municipal & Boilerworkers' Union) on Break 1.00 - 2.30 recently, to have met and represented apprenticeships and had well-formed women from the Old Warren estate in views of forcing the Strategic Investment Sat Oct 21 2.30 Liberty Hall Lisburn on a drugs issue. It is safe to say Board to build quality training places into that Sinn Fein have lost one person who capital contracts. We shared a platform a Michael D Higgins TD really could "connect" with the Protestant few months ago at a NICVA conference Connolly the Internationalist community. on the Post Primary issue, in opposition to Manus O'Riordan, SIPTU selection at 11, WW1 - Why Connolly wanted a German He was elected as a Councillor on victory Lisburn Borough Council in 1989 at a In his personal life he was, like many time when simply attending the Council Republicans of his generation, disciplined Sinead McCoole was a dangerous exercise. Moving from and abstemious. He exercised regularly, The women of 1916 mere attendance to making a sustained once ran in the Dublin Marathon, lived Open Forum & Questions Council contribution involved consider- modestly and felt guilty to benefit from able risk. Times and places of meetings even modest comforts. Chocolates were Conclude 6.00 p.m. are public knowledge and, as such, made his minor weakness! Michael and his colleagues vulnerable to When diagnosed as having testicular Social Evening assassination. His party colleague, Annie cancer, he overcame a reluctance to do Sat 21 Cle Club, Liberty Hall, 9.00 p.m. 6 poor state of working class housing in the tenements of Dublin, the welfare of children and the 1937 Constitution on which she split with de Valera. She was The Greaves Summer School on 1916 one of a group of political women who objected to the role being envisaged for At the conclusion of this year's (the official title was: Children of the women in the Constitution. Desmond Greaves Summer School at the Nations: Dorothy McArdle, International- Irish Labour History museum in Dublin, a ism and Republicanism). Gibbons was Late in the thirties she got a job with spokesman for the organisers thanked the less interested in pure history than in the the League of Nations. Like Lester she audience for making it the most successful cultural ramifications of historical events. was an early opponent of Nazism. From Summer School in Ireland. Each of the His main focus was on the nature of Irish what Luke Gibbons said she must have five sessions on the theme Evaluating the historical memory and he referred to an relished involvement in international 1916 Rising and the struggle for Irish Irish TV documentary by Anne Roper affairs. Gibbons contended that her independence had been packed to capacity about Irish veterans of the Vietnam War. memories of the Irish struggle, as had (about sixty people) and the high quality Some of the vets had been inspired to been the case with Lester, informed her of the lectures and discussion had been choose a military career because of how involvement in the struggle against sustained throughout. much they had been told about 1916 and fascism. The Irish Republic was published the War of Independence. Then their by the famous Left Book Club in Britain On this my second Greaves Summer actual experience of fighting in Vietnam and this highlights her involvement with School I would say that the secret of its made them feel like members of the Black British socialism. She was also deeply success is that it picks topics likely to be of and Tans. influenced by the works of Sigmund interest to a definite target audience, the Gibbons went on to talk about the Irish Freud's daughter, Anna, and could write Irish republican left (females and males) diplomat, Sean Lester. The manner in authoritatively about matters like trauma inside and outside the country, and while which Lester had stood up to the Nazis before such terms entered into the common the lectures are usually given by academics while UN representative in Danzig won vocabulary. with knowledge of specific topics the him international admiration. Lester, discussion often ends up focussed on Gibbons stated, had learned about politics She moved to Britain during the war to present day practical politics. Being named through his involvement in the national assist the war effort. After the War she after Desmond Greaves is obviously what struggle—his memories of resisting wrote a book on the effect of the war on gives it this orientation towards practical British terror in Ireland informed his children. In researching the book she politics. actions in refusing to be cowed by Nazi travelled to virtually every European brow beating. Lester was a principled country affected by the War. All in all Speaking for the organising committee opponent of Nazism yet he supported Irish Dorothy McArdle was a political dynamo Ruan O'Donnell stated towards the close neutrality in the 1939-45 War. According with a wide range of passionate involve- of the last session that the School was not to Gibbons this was down to his recollect- ments. She was a republican, a socialist, intended to be a talking shop. He was ions of the Irish struggle. a feminist, an internationalist, a journalist, answering a point made by a speaker from a novelist, a playwright and probably a lot the floor, Percy Podger, that it was all very By this stage, like many in the audience, more. well to listen to academic speakers talking I was beginning to wonder whether about 1916 but something practical needed Dorothy McArdle was going to get any As I recall, the theme of Luke Gibbons' to be done about revisionism. O'Donnell mention. But sure enough Luke Gibbons talk was that historical memory could be said that the papers from the school would began to inform us of the many double edged. He warned of the danger of be published and that in publishing them achievements of a very energetic woman. being blind to the different dimensions of the committee would positively welcome McArdle was a member of the family who historical phenomena. He quoted Primo controversy. Otherwise the committee produced McArdles' ale in Louth. She Levi, historian of the Jewish concentration would gladly consider written suggestions was therefore from a Protestant, unionist camps, as saying that oppression turns from anyone who had attended the School. background. Imprisoned during the War some people into champions of human of Independence/Civil War period she rights and others into oppressors I attended this year's school with my was a fervent republican. She wrote The themselves. He was suggesting that the own political agenda. Thankfully the Irish Republic and was quite brave in story of Dorothy McArdle illustrated how Greaves School is a place where you can allowing the first edition to be kept in the historical memory could have a positive do that, provided you don't distract National Library: subsequent editions effect on some people. He argued that it attention from the topics under discussion. contained many corrections. She was could also have the opposite effect. He I was determined to publicise the upcoming close to de Valera but unusual for the time was concerned about how Ireland was launch of a book from Aubane Historical she was not afraid to differ with him. coping with its new status as a multi- Society, Envoi, a critical review of the cultural society. That the Irish had been in arch-revisionist, Roy Foster. Those As well as writing one of the seminal the recent past immigrants themselves attending the school were exactly the sort histories of the national revolution she was no guarantee that they would meet the of people who should know about the was a novelist and a playwright. Luke challenge of large scale immigration to launch. I also wanted to make contact Gibbons held up a copy of one of her Ireland. with anyone interested in helping to start novels that was the only copy in existence. up a broad grouping aimed at taking on the He was determined to re-publish it for no In this summary I cannot do justice to revisionists. other reason than to prevent it from the subtlety of Gibbons thesis. Listening disappearing completely. Dorothy to his talk I thought at times that he was Of the three sessions I attended the McArdle got a job with the Irish Press conceding too much to contemporary first was by Professor Luke Gibbons of when it started in the thirties and this academic mores. At one point he referred Roscommon and Notre Dame University began a new chapter of her life as a in a somewhat reverential tone to in the US who spoke about Dorothy campaigning journalist. Issues that 'holocaust studies'. I don't dispute for a McArdle, author of The Irish Republic exercised her as a journalist were: the moment the veracity of the generally 7 accepted history of the holocaust but I am national independence. O'Donnell's talk was his obvious alert to the way it is used in the worldview I don't remember any of the later knowledge of the history of all the of the US and Britain. That the Nazis contributions beyond pressure being Rebellions. He seemed to take personal represented the epitome of evil compared applied on Luke Gibbons to write a offence at references to Emmet's Rebellion to the Western powers oversimplifies and biography of McArdle; he declined as he or 1848 or 1867 as being poorly organised. omits too much of the anti-semitic, racist was not trained in work of that sort. Each of these insurrections had involved a and genocidal history of those same sophisticated degree of organisation. That powers. Gibbons' talk was thought provok- The afternoon session was on The 1916 they had not become full-scale revolts ing and I look forward to reading the Proclamation in Context and was given was down to chance and the difficulty of published paper. by Ruan O'Donnell from the University of organising in circumstances of military Limerick. O'Donnell started by saying oppression. O'Donnell also referred to the In the discussion Rayner Lysaght that he would try to limit his talk to an hour six occasions in the three hundred years picked up on a point that Luke Gibbons but that he could easily talk for nine hours before 1916 in which Irish national rights had made about John Mitchel. Mitchel on this topic. He talked about the printing had been asserted in arms: the 1641 Ulster had been an apologist for slavery and no of the document, how it would have needed revolt, the Confederation of Kilkenny and amount of historical explanation could to be kept secret, how it was printed by the Cromwellian War of the 1650s, the disguise the fact. Margaret Ward asked Citizen Army printers under Connolly's Jacobite conflict with William of Orange about McArdle's religion, whether like supervision. The story of how the various in 1688/89, the United Irish revolt in 1798, other feminists of the time she had been republican and socialist organisations Emmet's Rising in 1803, the Young drawn to pagan ideas. Luke Gibbons was managed to get their publications printed Irishmen of 1848 and the Fenian Rising of not sure whether she had converted to at a time when the authorities frequently 1867. That makes seven so we must await Catholicism but he was certain that she smashed up printing equipment sounded the publication of the Summer School was a Christian. 'Christian socialist' might most interesting. papers for an answer to that riddle. He did be a good summary of her beliefs. refer to two notable omissions from the Talking about the actual wording of list: the Defenders revolt and the campaign Another speaker asked about her the Proclamation, O'Donnell emphasised of the Whiteboys, both substantial support for the British Communist Party. how much it had in common with Emmet's movements. He also referred to a number Speaking from the audience Manus Proclamation of 1803 and other such of international reverberations of Irish O'Riordan said that if she was a friend of documents. The authors of the Proclama- revolts: the course of Canadian history Victor Gollanz as Luke Gibbons had tion had a keen sense of historical was altered following an Irish Fenian stated, she might have supported the CP continuity. He brought us through each incursion from the US in the 1860s; and at until the Nazi-Soviet pact, would have section of the document drawing out how an Australian stockade rebellion the opposed it for the duration of the pact, and it derived from the republican/national password was 'Vinegar Hill' for the simple supported it again when Hitler invaded tradition but at the same time broke new reason that most of the insurgents were Russia. ground. Its reference to universal male Irish. and female suffrage was unusual and well A speaker with a Liverpool accent in advance of what might have been After the talk the discussion initially took up a point made by Gibbons that the expected. Its guarantee of civil and focussed on the feminist angle. A number Irish could be progressive in some religious liberty meant a rising above the of feminist contributors defended the circumstances and reactionary in others. sectarian divisions fomented by Britain Rising on the grounds of its position on He said that Irish Americans of his over the full stretch of modern history. Its women. When I spoke I referred to the acquaintance in the New York were openly call for equal rights and equal opportunities opposition to 1916 in contemporary racist. for all citizens represented the most debate. I said that I had fixed my parents' advanced political thinking of its time. copy of the Proclamation to a wall in my When I got a chance to speak I said house and it had been a great conversation that, if the telling of Irish history as a The Proclamation was also interesting piece. I recommended everyone to put it morality tale was considered a bad in the references to the 'exiled children in on their walls. There was now widespread influence from which school children America' and 'gallant allies in Europe' opposition to the legacy of 1916 but the needed to be protected, as was the claim of (Germany). To succeed the insurrection opposition that should be taken most the revisionists, then Dorothy McArdle would need help from both places. One of seriously was opposition from the State. could not possibly have been a good the early actions of the rebels was to send person. She was the author of a history some form of communication to the US so They should never have stopped classic that glorified the struggle for that the first word about the rebellion commemorating the Rising but when they national independence. If anyone had would come from them rather than the finally re-commenced the annual made Irish history into a morality tale it British. The reference to 'relying on her commemoration this year they had done was she. Yet from what we had heard own strength' indicates that, even if so in conjunction with the Battle of the from Luke Gibbons, Dorothy McArdle substantial German support had got Somme. As a result, in celebrating 1916 had been an exemplary person. How through, the intention was not to establish we were now being sucked into the annual could this be? It did not make sense. a colony subservient to Germany. The British glorification of war. This made a Dorothy McArdle was a republican who international references show how keenly total nonsense of what 1916 was all about. wrote a classic republican history and yet aware the leaders were of the international Anyone who doubted the extent to which she made an impressive contribution not situation. They knew that a peace confer- the Battle of the Somme is important to only to public life in Ireland but also on the ence would eventually be held and this the Government should look up the international scene. Her life was a would provide an opportunity for winning Government's website. All the web pages testimony to the falseness of revisionism. recognition. A phrase that O'Donnell on 1916 can be downloaded as a document. It is not surprising that her story was singled out for particular attention was, 90 per cent of it is about the Somme. That unknown in modern Ireland. Regarding 'among the nations'. This harked back to is a disgrace. the threat of racism in today's Ireland, the Emmet's speech at the dock. best defence against it was a sound One way of counteracting the pro- education in the history of the struggle for What was memorable in Ruan British implications of our Government's 8 Somme celebrations would be to have a The next session I attended was the practical politics and secondly because pro-German celebration of it. That would afternoon session on the Sunday. The title essentially there had been two quite not go down well among our pro-British was The Social and Political Ideology of different lectures. elements. In many ways Germany was 1916 and it was presented by Brian Murphy the innocent party in the Great War. We osb, who was introduced in the brochure As I said at the beginning of this article, have been brainwashed into associating as author of Patrick Pearse and the Lost the first speaker from the floor, Percy Germany in 1914-18 as an aggressor much Republican Ideal, Origins and Podger, set the tone of the discussion by like the Nazis in the 1939 War. In reality Organisation of British Propaganda in asking what could be done on a practical British diplomacy fomented a war against Ireland 1920 and other books, and Manus level to oppose revisionism. I spoke Germany to destroy a trading rival, the O'Riordan, Head of Research, SIPTU, immediately after him. I said that I had a worst possible ground for waging war. author of numerous articles on labour practical proposal to make about history and 1916. combating revisionism but before that I It should also be remembered that wanted to comment on some of the ideas Roger Casement and James Connolly were I will not describe the main talks. Both raised by the speakers. both pro-German in 1916. The slogan contributions will presumably be outside Liberty Hall was, 'We serve neither reproduced in the published papers. Brian Murphy had drawn attention to King nor Kaiser', but as the war progressed During his talk, Brian Murphy referred to the global historical significance of 1916. Connolly did choose the side of the Kaiser. a letter of his published in the Limerick I agreed with that. It was why the Irish German social democracy had forced Leader defending the character of Patrick were held in high regard around the world social reform on the Kaiser and as a result Pearse. This letter was reproduced in last and particularly in developing countries. the German army had something to fight month's Irish Political Review. Manus A phrase from the Proclamation underlined for. American observers of the war had O'Riordan based a lot of the content of his by Ruan in his talk the previous day, noted that German state socialism talk on the pamphlet entitled, James Ireland's place 'among the nations', had underpinned the high morale of the Connolly Re-assessed, recently published stuck in my mind. Having our place German army. Connolly considered by Athol Books. He amended part of it to 'among the nations' means making a German socialism to be preferable to attack the Government's commemoration contribution to international affairs in line English socialism. of the Battle of the Somme and he issued with our national tradition. At present we this part as a press statement. are not making such a contribution. We The next speaker said my point was are not taking our place 'among the nations' revisionist rubbish. Connolly had never The contrast in style between the two because we have sold our soul to the US departed from the position that we serve speakers was very noticeable. Brian and Britain as evidenced by the Shannon neither King nor Kaiser. Rayner Lysaght Murphy is clearly a meticulous scholar stop-over. said that Connolly's position was that whose forte is the careful reading of German victory would be the lesser evil documentary sources. An interesting De Valera once said that Ireland could but he was loyal to the anti-war stance of source he had come across was one of the not stop the Great Powers from engaging the Second International. He also stated official reports on the Rising but the in military adventures and wars but we that German diplomacy had the worst particular copy he had seen was by Joseph could refuse to be their tool. That showed reputation in Europe. Brennan who later became a Governor of what could be done in modern international Manus O'Riordan said he would refer the Irish Central Bank and who worked as affairs by remaining true to our national to the points made about Connolly and a senior official Dublin Castle in 1916. tradition. At the present time things were Germany in his talk the following day. Murphy was able to show how much light changing on the international scene. China was thrown by the comments that Brennan was on the way to becoming a super- Ulick O'Connor attacked a speaker had written in the margins of his copy. He power. Russia was resurgent and India from Kerry on the grounds that the Kerry concluded his talk by underlining the world was emerging as an economic power. At IRB had made a mess of getting the arms historical significance of the Rising. the recent G8 summit, Putin had organised ashore from a German ship. Collins he a mini summit of Russia, China and India said had been critical of Kerry and made Manus O'Riordan's research was also in which they demanded reform of the UN this clear to Austin Stack during the Treaty clearly very thorough but he was and the G8. The call coming up from negotiations. This point was ably refuted unashamedly political in the thrust of his diplomats in developing countries across by another speaker. Word had come from argument. He was scathing in describing the world was the necessity of creating a Dublin to hold off bringing the arms ashore the anti-German and anti-Jewish character 'multi-polar world' (ie not a world for three days. Kerry's mistake had been of Redmondite activity during the war dominated by the US). This will be a to follow the Dublin orders too years. Connolly had actually produced cause worth fighting over the next decades meticulously! propaganda in Yiddish in canvassing for and Ireland should be to the fore in it. the Jewish vote in Dublin. Manus also Instead we are licking the boots of Britain After the meeting the discussion highlighted the hypocrisy of Britain in and America. continued outside the entrance of the particular in placing great emphasis on Labour History museum. I spoke to so their opposition to anti-Semitism in the On a practical note I would like to see many people I can't remember who said Second World War, while in the Great an anti-revisionist organisation of some what but some comments should be War they were in alliance with pogromist sort established. I would be prepared to mentioned. One person asked me how Russia. work with anyone across the political could Germany be considered an innocent spectrum in getting it set up. Following party in the Great War after the German I felt the format was a bit unfair to the this meeting I will be distributing a leaflet atrocities in Belgium. Another point that two speakers. Brian Murphy certainly did with my name and phone number on it came up in conversation concerned the not have enough time to present his full advertising a book launch by Athol Books. actions of Pope Benedict in trying to initiate paper. It was hard to see why both of the The book is a set of reviews critical of Roy peace negotiations. I was surprised to talks had been lumped together. In the Foster, the 'daddy of Irish revisionism'. hear the argument being put that the Pope discussion that followed neither of the Let this book launch be an opening salvo had been in receipt of funds from the speakers got the attention they deserved in a campaign against the revisionists. I German State. firstly because the discussion focussed on would like to see the book launch widely 9 publicised. Every academic and student in the universities should know that it is happening. They may not attend it but they should know that it is happening. Roy Johnson spoke about a book mentioned by Brian Murphy. Was it by his father? He was not sure. He also spoke about his own book which was available from Connolly Books. Another speaker said in taking on revisionism and all the rest we should work to revive the Irish language. She also said that socialists should learn from the past and adhere to democracy. Another speaker took up the point about the Irish language. She spoke in Irish to start with. She said that not having our own language left us defenceless and vulnerable against American and British influence. Rayner Lysaght said the book mentioned by Brian Murphy was not by Roy Johnson's father, that there was confusion between the names Johnson and Johnston. He had done his bit in countering revisionism in the past and wished my initiative well. He reiterated his view that Connolly was not pro- German but considered a German victory to be the lesser evil. Mary Cullen asked some questions of the speakers which I can't remember.

The school was officially closed by the director, Frank Keoghan. The two sessions that I missed were Representations of 1916, by Dr Sighle Bhreathnach-Lynch, Curator of Irish Paintings, National Gallery of Ireland and The effects of 1916 on empire, by Dr. Angus Mitchell, an authority on the human rights work of Roger Casement and co- editor of the book, Enemies of Empire: New Perspectives on Imperialism, Literature and History. David Alvey

Letter To Editor

was sincere and deeply felt. So he must lodgings would have been the natural and Casement's Way have realised any risks he took were not sensible thing to do, from their point of just risks to himself but risks placed upon view. Regarding Jeff Dudgeon's letter (Sept those he deeply wished to help. Such a Why should we assume all archival 2006), Casement:Another View, I accept consciousness of responsibility to evidence is fully authentic? Are not those what he says regarding the two thousands of other human beings must who create archives subject to the full inaccuracies and one omission he finds in necessarily have constricted the scope of range of human temptations and my summation of Casement's career. his potential behaviour. He would not behaviours? Before taking archival What he says on the matter of Casement have wanted to risk letting the Indians evidence at face value context needs to be potentially jeopardising his mission in down. So his behaviour would have been looked at. If there were deceptions afoot pursuit of sexual adventure I do find hard cautious. Illegal and frowned upon hanky regarding Casement is it not possible these to envisage. I agree with Jeff that men will panky would thus be very unlikely. deceptions might reach as far as files undergo great personal risk in pursuit of As for Casement not being questioned which would eventually end up in an sex. But the key point is that Casement's about the "diaries' at his interrogation it is archive? situation in the Putumayo went beyond most strange to imagine it took the police I do not believe the diaries were found the personal. As far as I am aware, all until Easter 1916 to come upon them as in April 1916. This sounds far-fetched. I biographers claim his interest in and Jeff claims. It was no secret he had lodgings believe they were found in 1914 after commitment to alleviating the intense in Ebury Street. They knew about his Casement's treason had become known. abuse and torture suffered by the Indians "treachery" from late 1914. To search his Tim O'Sullivan 10 instability in the region. The US remains Of the first three interviews that I have opposed to lifting the embargo, but the EU seen, by far the most interesting one was will resume its aid programme if the new with Vincent Browne. Browne asked him Shorts government of National Unity renounces about Haughey's criticism of the British violence and recognises the state of Israel. during the Falklands/Malvinas War and from No doubt some form of words will be in particular the sinking of the Belgrano. found, but what state of Israel are the In FitzGerald's opinion this was an the Long Fellow Palestinians supposed to recognise: the example of the Fianna Fail leader playing 1948 state, the 1967 state or some putative to the gallery and was counter-productive Israeli state extending to the Jordan River. in terms of Anglo-Irish relations and the It is not easy. situation in Northern Ireland. "RIGHT" ON, BONO The Venezuela Solidarity Network has Browne suggested that there was a recently taken umbrage at U2's Bono. moral issue involved: the Belgrano was Apparently, Ireland's world saviour has CHINESE REVISIONISM going in the opposite direction to the invested in a company called Pandemic/ It seems that Ireland is not the only exclusion zone when it was bombed by Bioware Studios. This company is a country in the world where there is a the British causing the loss of thousands subcontractor for the US army and CIA revisionist project. A report in the New of lives and an escalation of the conflict. funded Institute for Creative Technologies, York Times (1.9.06) indicates that there FitzGerald said that the first duty of which uses Hollywood techniques to has been an attempt to change the way government was to act in the national mount war simulations for military history is taught in China. The role of the interest rather than indulge itself on the training. great Mao Tse Tung has been downgraded world stage. He claimed that quiet Bono's investment in Pandemic/ as well as communism and world historic diplomacy was much more effective. He Bioware is through a company called events such as the French and Bolshevik said that the current Government was right Elevation Partners, which he helped set revolutions. These changes have been to express its concern over the US''s torture up to exploit marketing opportunities tentative and seem to be confined to of al-Qaeda suspects, but would have been between U2 and its fans. Pandemic boasts Shanghai. wrong to stop military flights going that, as a partner in Elevation Partners, Earlier this year Yuan Weishi, who through Shannon. Such an action would Bono "has visibility into all projects at seems to be the Chinese equivalent of have been pointless, as the business would Pandemic and Bioware". Kevin Myers, wrote an essay criticising have gone to Scotland or somewhere else. One of Pandemic's products is a video Chinese textbooks for "whitewashing" the Browne, referring to FitzGerald's game, which promotes the invasion and so called "savagery" of the Boxer "flawed pedigree" speech, pointed out destruction of Venezuela in order to check Rebellion which was designed to restore that the former Taoiseach had taken a high "a power hungry tyrant" who has "seized some self-respect to the Chinese people, moral tone in relation to Haughey, whose control of Venezuela and her oil supply". much like our own 1916 Rising. Incredibly, failings had no social impact (there is no The game simulates in minute detail a the New York Times article says that this evidence that political favours were mercenary invasion of Venezuela in the historian went on to call for a "more exchanged for money), and yet he had year 2007 in which the centre of Caracas balanced" analysis of what "provoked" taken a cynical approach to political events, is destroyed; the state owned Oil Company the imperialist plunder and pillage (and in which had very serious consequences. Petroleos de Venezuela is blown up; and the case of Britain the flooding of the FitzGerald ended the discussion by no part of Venezuela is untouched. country with opium) of China. indicating that Browne was entitled to his Bono has failed to respond to concerns Fortunately, it appears that common opinion, but that he disagreed with him. expressed by the Venezuela Solidarity sense has prevailed and the Chinese Network, but Pandemic insists that its authorities have reacted in the way that I think it was Evelyn Waugh who said product is "just a game". any self-respecting state would: the rather cynically that it was important to A supporter of the Venezuela Solidarity newspaper which carried this nonsense have principles when you were young, Network, Chuck Kaufman responded: was temporarily closed down; the editors otherwise you would have nothing to sell out on when you were older. In the sphere "If it's just a game and it's all about were fired; and when it re-opened it carried selecting fascinating and colourful an essay rebuking Mr. Yuan. of foreign relations I tend to think that, if locales, why didn't Pandemic select a country can always be relied on not to Dublin or Washington DC? Because rock the boat, it diminishes its influence people would be outraged, that's why. even in matters which affect its own Pandemic is simply capitalising on FITZGERALD INTERVIEWS national interest. As expected there has been a fair negative and inaccurate US press stories In the late seventies it was thought that about Venezuela and its leader, Hugo amount of revisionism in the recent series Chavez, in order to make a quick buck. of interviews with Garret FitzGerald on we were heading for exciting times when It's another piece of propaganda that RTE. In particular, he was evasive in his two dynamic leaders (FitzGerald and serves only the U.S. military, pure and description of the sequence of events that Haughey) succeeded the rather simple". led to the anti-abortion amendment in nondescript Liam Cosgrave and Jack 1983. The facts are that it was FitzGerald Lynch. But with the perspective of the who put this issue on the agenda by giving passing of the years it seems that Haughey's PALESTINIAN UNITY a commitment as Taoiseach to "Pro-Life" political legacy has been far more I suppose one should welcome the activists on their demand for a substantial than FitzGerald's. possibility that the EU will lift its embargo constitutional amendment. Once the issue In the interview with Marian Finucane, on aid to the Palestinian Government now was on the agenda, Haughey had no FitzGerald admitted that his happiest time that a National Unity Government is about alternative but to protect his conservative in politics was when he was Minister for to be formed between Hamas, the victors flank by going along with it. FitzGerald's Foreign Affairs. He claimed that he could in the recent election, and the group led by "Constitutional Crusade" was the first not achieve much as Taoiseach because of Mahmoud Abbas, which lost. casualty of his submission to the Pro-Life the economic situation. The EU and US embargo has resulted campaign. in a humanitarian crisis and further 11 The Irish Times of the past 35 years has equally ridiculously been accused of being "a British newspaper in Ireland", a gross aspersion on the integrity of editors and The Mansergh Correspondence journalists. It is in that paranoid mental world that the only current Fianna Fail Introductory Note making any personalized attacks on my Oireachtas member from a Protestant Martin Mansergh, in the course of his father. background is accused of being "a perman- long dispute with Liam O Comain in the In any case, the person who I consider ent servant of Britain" and his father’s life Irish News (some of which has been inspired his letter, Brendan Clifford, has work dismissed as "British propaganda". reported in the Irish Political Review), now reinforced the attack—a necessary I acknowledge that Brendan Clifford threw a barb in my direction for no good move not because Nicholas Mansergh’s and his colleagues have done some good reason. I replied with a letter which, to my reputation among Irish historians is low historical work but he is out of his depth surprise, was published. (It was but because it is high. on the two world wars, the cause of many reproduced in this magazine last month.) I am proud of my father and of his of his attacks on my father. The prospect I thought that perhaps the Irish News was contribution to Irish historical scholarship of German assistance was vital to the no longer the paper described by James and International studies well recognised credibility of the Rising but historians of Connolly in Press Poisoners In Ireland. by his contemporaries and peers. Nobody many nationalities, especially German, Mansergh responded with a letter but Clifford has ever described him as have not validated Casement’s and published as I was going on holiday. I "thoroughly British"—national papers Connolly’s analysis that the First World managed nevertheless to put in a reply. throughout the 1930s acknowledged him War was a war on the German nation. When this had not been published a week as Irish. He was highly respected by many Equally it is too simple, as my father later, I circulated it by other means. Irish political leaders. Sean MacBride acknowledged, to blame it all on Germany. Somebody then made representations to told me, when I first met him, that my Nonetheless, the right-wing militarist the Editor and it was published. Mansergh father was "a marvellous man and Taoi- ethos which survived the war saw the responded with a further batch of ill- seach Charles Haughey—no anglophile suppression of German social democracy informed and incoherent allegations, one either—read a lesson at my father’s funeral in the early 1930s—hardly something of them having to do with President in Tipperary. Connolly would have approved of. McAleese's libel action against me. I John Hume and Bertie Ahern attended The balance of responsibility for the answered that point but the answer was the posthumous launch of his essays Second World War is different. cut out of my letter as published, leaving Nationalism and Independence, edited by Hitler wanted war—Chamberlain Mansergh's accusation unanswered. By my mother in 1997. didn’t. Clifford’s belief—revisionism this action the Editor of the Irish News In Cambridge, he lectured on Ireland applied to the Nazi period—that Britain made Mansergh's garbled and groundless in the 1960s when no-one else was doing was again responsible because it refused allegation his own. And the major respon- so. reasonable German demands regarding sibility lies, of course, with the publisher In 1948 he told the British they had the Danzig corridor is naive. "Danzig is rather than the writer. been wrong to insist on dominion status in not the issue," Hitler said in May 1939. (Mansergh relishes discussions in 1921 and again post-1937: and he "The question for us is one of expanding which the other side is silenced, but it is denounced the Suez adventure publicly at Lebensraum in the east". This statement the publisher who arranges it.) an early stage. Nicholas Mansergh’s is highlighted in a current Berlin exhib- The Irish News is no longer the power exposition of de Valera’s foreign policy ition. De Valera denounced the Nazi that it was when Connolly wrote Press including neutrality was positive and invasion of neutral Holland and Belgium Poisoners. It was then one of the organs sympathetic. in May 1940 as "a most cruel wrong" and of the Redmondite movement and While he corresponded with a small adopted a policy of neutrality which expected to be central to the anticipated liberal wing of unionism, his book on the included valuable covert assistance to the Home Rule arrangements in Ireland. When government of Northern Ireland was allies. Logically, was not the German the approach, of which it was a vehement critical of it, pessimistic about its future invasion of Belgium in 1914 also "a most advocate, led to Partition and exclusion and did not provide the lifeline that some cruel wrong"? But surely, the Germany from the political life of both the British two-nations ideologists supplied to union- that modern republicans should learn from and Irish states, it adopted a humbler role ism at its most intellectually belligerent as is the united Federal Republic of Germany as the general paper of the Northern articulated by David Trimble before he —Ireland’s European Union partner. The Catholic community. What it says in its became unionist leader. Trimble’s Berlin exhibition referred to blames mass editorials counts for little. What has kept biography records his debt to them. population displacement in the 20th it going is that it gives expression to the Nationality has nothing to do with a century on "the bringing into being of an views of every substantial tendency in the person’s politics or writings. ethnically homogeneous nation state" Catholic community. It would not last There is no sectarian ideological test particularly when combined with maxi- long if it ceased to do so. But that is its for people of a particular background, mum territorial demands. The modern limit. otherwise unionists would never have the nation, like the modern Republic, has to Below are the further letters published option of being Irish. be open and inclusive, not exclusive though in the correspondence. It will be seen that Some two-nations theorists exhibit it still needs a cluster of core elements to the final letter has had extensive changes extraordinary hostility to non-unionist provide a centre of gravity. made to it, only some of which are normal persons or institutions with an Anglo- Treating minority traditions as a editorial ones. Irish and/or Protestant background and contaminating fifth column thankfully has Brendan Clifford identified with Ireland, looking out for no part in the thinking or development of opportunities to denounce them as either the modern Irish state or nation. MARTIN MANSERGH: THANKFULLY irredeemably English/British. Seanad Eireann, Dublin IRELAND VALUES CITIZENS OF MINORITY It has even been suggested that to call TRADITIONS writers like Swift, Berkeley, Goldsmith, BRENDAN CLIFFORD: HISTORY TELLS Irish News, 7.9.2006 Wllde and Shaw anything but English is NO LIES to ‘contaminate’ the notion of an Irish Irish News, 20.9.06 Liam O’Comain now disclaims national literature. 12 It is a pity that Martin Mansergh The militarisation of the Rhineland, Ireland has helped me to contribute (September 7) invents facts instead of the formation of a navy and an army, and something in a different way as well. meeting reasoned arguments with a the merger with Austria were all breaches Few people today would maintain that modicum of reason. of Versailles. either the Irish or the British—living in I did not 'inspire' Liam O Comain to do And then Britain went way beyond such close geographical proximity—can anything. Versailles in 1938, by browbeating the be confined to exclusive watertight I don’t know him. I have never met Czech Government into handing over the compartments. Countless Irish people, him, or communicated with him. Sudetenland to Germany, making it a gift north and south, have been—for a few His general position is certainly much not only of territory with strong defences years only in my father's case–either closer to Senator Mansergh’s than to mine. against Germany but of a massive increase soldiers, civil servants or government I noticed his dispute with the Senator, in armaments. appointees to public boards in Britain or and found that he raised awkward issues Then, having prevented France from Northern Ireland without forfeiting their that needed raising. acting in accordance with its treaty nationality of origin. Casement was one, In that way he influenced me rather obligations to the Czechs in 1938, it Sam Maguire was another. It is not held than I him. decided to go to war against a greatly against anyone's memory or identity today, I did not intervene in their argument strengthened Germany over the as the Messines Tower and this year's until the Senator took a gratuitous side comparatively trivial issue of Danzig. official Somme commemoration at swipe at me. Britain encouraged the Poles to refuse Islandbridge have shown that they have With regard to the senator’s father, the a negotiated settlement over Danzig by fought in British uniform in the First World senator has made it clear that he is a including them in an apparently powerful, War. missionary on behalf of his father and that but actually illusory, military alliance Volunteers who fought fascism in you can’t have one without the other. And against Germany—encircling Germany. Spain are properly honoured. that’s a pity too. But Britain did not fire a shot when None of the Irishmen and women who I did not say that his father was British Germany broke the encirclement by engaged in whatever capacity in the because of nationality or religion or destroying Poland. struggle against the far worse evil of Hitler education. That might be described as a series of have any right to be regarded—because of Nationality in that region is a will o’ mistakes—it is nevertheless a series of that and because of their background, as the wisp. major historical facts. Clifford would have it—as aliens in their I said he should be treated as British It is what the British state did with its own country. because he worked for the British state in victory in the Great War of 1914 in defence It is a fundamental error to demand sensitive areas, and helped it to handle the of civilisation. that history conform to political ideology. Irish state after it broke free of the Treaty I don’t know what grounds the senator It is bizarre to suggest that Casement's impositions. thinks he has for associating me with and Connolly's views on the First World With regard to Connolly, Casement David Trimble. War constitute new 'evidence' or contain and the Great War, the senator says that Over 30 years ago I saw Trimble as original lines of argument that all historians "historians of many nationalities… have part of a fascist development within union- have ignored. not validated Casement’s and Connolly’s ism and I never changed that view. In an Austrian-owned house recently, analysis". A curious formulation. I thought he would be a disaster as I picked up former Chancellor Prinz von 'Historians of many nationalities' have Unionist leader, and said so when he was Bulow's memoirs, in which he speaks of not been presented with the Casement/ elected. the fecklessness of the Kaiser and the Connolly view by Irish publicists, so And I was certain that he would subvert incompetence of his ministerial advisers. naturally they have not dealt with it. the Good Friday Agreement, which he Volker Berghahn in his recent book No doubt Connolly would not have signed under duress. Imperial Germany concludes that "World approved of the suppression of German Senator Mansergh thought otherwise. War I had been unleashed by a small circle socialism in the 1930s by "the right wing of decision-makers, based primarily in militarist ethos that survived the war". Berlin and Vienna", who were motivated MARTIN MANSERGH: BRITISH AND IRISH How does that make him wrong in also by a reactionary response to internal ARE NOT EXCLUSIVE IDENTITIES TODAY 1914-16? Irish News,25.9.06 democratic and nationalist pressures. What continuity is there between As for the suggestion that Britain bore Nazism and the constitutional government, I wish with this letter to close on my the major responsibility for World War II with a strong social reform ethos, that side a distasteful correspondence. What by 'encircling' in 1939 a Germany that was Connolly supported in 1914? Brendan Clifford (September 20) has in the process of annexing its neighbours, It gives the senator some satisfaction obvious difficulty in accepting is that in it is simply not worthy of serious to travesty what I have written about British modern Ireland neither he nor any other discussion. responsibility for the Second World War. ideological vigilante has any role in A person of similar background and Britain joined with France to plunder determining other people's nationality for related to my father—the well-known and humiliate Germany in 1919, but them. To describe a historian from writer Elizabeth Bowen whose roots were prevented France from disabling Germany. Tipperary, who—among other activities— in north Cork—has been subjected in the Britain then played the balance-of- made a substantial and widely recognised past to comparable attacks by Clifford. power against France by supporting contribution to the advancement of Irish A new book by Brian Girvin reveals humiliated and resentful Germany against historical studies, as 'thoroughly British' that she was encouraged to visit and report the French. (ie not Irish at all) is not just to repeat an on Ireland by John Dulanty, the Irish high The British refused—in the era of untruth by any objective criteria but is commissioner, to help provide a more Weimar democracy—to support a removal gratuitously offensive as well. A son who nuanced view in London, making a of the Versailles conditions that fed the defends his father's reputation and his nonsense of that invective. nationalist resentment on which Nazism right to his Irish identity, as most sons Brendan Clifford owes readers of The flourished, but from 1933 to 1939 either would, is not a "missionary" for him. My Irish News a fuller account of his own collaborated with the Nazi regime to break father had his life. I have mine. dialectical journeys. those conditions, or connived at the They are in many ways different. In what way, for instance, was the breaking of them. Undoubtedly, the respect he was held in in British and Irish Communist Organisation 13 (B&ICO)—in which he was a leading War. [In the nature of things they could [Re Elizabeth Bowen: She was light—or its agenda 'thoroughly Irish'? not have done so.] Both of them had been suddenly hailed about 15 years ago as the In his latest letter, Clifford implies that killed by Britain before the War was history greatest North Cork writer. She was born he was always strongly anti-Trimble, [became a subject of historical in Dublin, wrote that when her family notwithstanding the inspiration provided investigation] . They made their judgment went to England she felt she was coming to him by the two-nations theory. If so, it and acted on it as the war was raging [on home, was published in England, but is difficult to explain why in a Belfast the War as it was happening, and acted on inherited a Big House remnant of a magazine in 1987 he strongly criticised Cromwellian estate in North Cork. Despite the integrity of Mary McAleese's that judgment]. I have re-published the all the hype, I have still to meet anybody in appointment to the post of director of the views of both and said why I think they Institute of Legal Studies at Queen's, where were sound. Nobody who thinks they Slieve Luacra who has read her novels - the only other candidate was David were wrong—and that the 10 million war and it is a place where people read a lot. Trimble; and why he joined and supported dead [dead of the Great War] was [It was through the insistence that she the Unionist hullabaloo over it. necessary for the achievement of some was an Irish writer that I came to see that How did he respond to the threat of great moral cause [purpose]—has the meaning of "Irish" was being changed. legal action by Mary McAleese fully published a criticism of their writings. In influential circles it is now used as a backed by Queen's? Clifford definitely I summarised my views on World War regional variant of British: the default has form. 2 in my last reply to Senator Mansergh: position of Irish is British. That appears My father may not have been the ultra- that Britain helped to build up Germany to be Senator Mansergh’s view. In the nationalist pro-German anglophobe that into a great power, [despite France’s light of it Irish is only a way of being Clifford now seems to require of Irish objections,] before deciding to make the British. Stated with less cantankerous historians of a certain background but at comparatively minor issue of Danzig a evasion, it would perhaps be an arguable least Nicholas Mansergh did not toady to war issue against Germany. As for position, and the sequence of events from Unionism. 1912 to 1922 would appear as a blip, a Seanad Eireann, Dublin Germany being "in the process of annexing its neighbours", has Senator Mansergh deviation, which has been curbed. But it [really] not noticed that the first Nazi was not the position of Casement and Connolly, or of De Valera, founder of the BRENDAN CLIFFORD: NICHOLAUS [SIC] annexation was a gift from Britain to party for which the Senator speaks, or of MANSERGH'S HISTORY EASED BRITAIN'S Hitler—the Czech Sudetenland? GUILTY CONSCIENCE With regard to the "two nations": I Charles Haughey. And, even if it should Irish News,28.9.06 suggested in 1969 that the Ulster Protestant be the case that the Irish national community should [be treated as a development is over, leaving behind it a (The text in square brackets was stubborn] nationality, and should] be state without a distinct national purpose, omitted by the Irish News. Where wording approached as a nationality rather than a it would still be bad history to misrepresent has been changed, the original appears in feudal remnant which would crumble the views of the people who created the square brackets and italicised.) under pressure. state, or to set them aside without refuting Thirty years later Senator Mansergh them. Why did Senator Mansergh [I wonder proposes that they [the Ulster Protestants] [Re the Irish Times: Aubane has why Senator Mansergh (25.9.06) went out should have a right of veto on unification. published documentary evidence from the of his way to] bring me into his argument That is to accord them a right of national British state archives, that its effective with Liam O Comain if he finds decision. owner, Major MacDowell, conducted it in correspondence with me distasteful. He questions my opposition to David consultation with Whitehall during the I [have] never sought correspondence Trimble but the [The Senator suggests crisis of 1969.] with him but I am entitled to defend myself. that I "imply" that I was politically opposed [The Senator attributes the words [I suppose the reason I am distasteful to to David Trimble but was not actually so. "thoroughly Irish" to me in an obscure him is that, when attacked by him I defend The] evidence is [there for all to read in connection; seems to describe me as an myself—which is all I am doing now]. thousands of words] in the Irish Political "ultra-nationalist, pro-German, With regard to his father I said no more Review from the moment Trimble [he] anglophobe… toady to Unionism"; and than that he was a British historian. became leader. says the Irish News readers deserve a His history of Ireland has the blind [He gives the wrong title to the Institute fuller account of my "dialectical spots appropriate to somebody who saw of which Mary McAleese was appointed journeys".] the upset of British affairs in Ireland from Director, and it makes all the difference. The Senator says the readers of The the vantage point of the British state: e.g., She had no "professional" experience of Irish News deserve a fuller account of my the decision of the British Parliament to legal practice. The appointment was made "dialectical journeys" carry on governing Ireland in complete in breach of Fair Employment rules. My "journey" has been very simple disregard of the 1918 Election result was Though she had not made the appointment, and straight, compared with the tortuous not a basic problem of democratic morality she started a libel action against me over journey of leading Dublin politicians since for him. it and did not merely issue a "threat" of it. they denounced me in 1969, and it is all on He handled that [very awkward] phase I had to conduct my own defence against the public record. But the fuller account is of history [the British government of her solicitors and barristers for lack of something I would be happy to supply if Ireland] in a way that was designed to funds. A week before trial she settled The Irish News agrees with the Senator minimise the bad conscience of the British without a penny in costs or damages. My that it is required of me. state [about it. The revisionists of recent criticism of her appointment was not on years would have been well advised to the grounds that Trimble should have got stay within the parameters set by him]. the job. I did not know his application had Editorial Note: We will return to this With regard to Connolly and Casement, been solicited. The appointment of either subject in the next issue of Irish Political I never said they provided "new would have been in breach of Fair Review. ‘evidence’" about the causes of the Great Employment rules. 14 the LDF (Local Defence Force), but its To Be Or IRB? Part 3: members were 'never formally attested' and their names did not appear on any army roll. They were, consequently, Florrie O'Donoghue On MacCurtain, legally not eligible for the 1940-1945 Emergency Service medal later awarded O'Hegarty, And "Dual Control" to members of the defence forces. Special cabinet sanction had to be obtain- To Major Florrie O'Donoghue must however, already taken the initiative to ed in 1951 for the secret issue {by a Fine tap into their unequivocal patriotism in a Gael-led government—MO'R} of go to the credit for nipping in the bud the medals to SIS members, who as earliest operations in Ireland of the CIA, manner parallel to some strategic thinking committed republicans were still shy of or as it was known during its Second on the part of Frank Ryan—but with one admitting their Emergency activities World War pioneering days—the OSS key difference: Ryan went as far as to {under a Fianna Fáil government— (Office of Strategic Services). Eunan suggest that they should have been MO'R}" (p166). O'Halpin has written: prepared to put on a "Free State" uniform! "American covert activities were In a letter written to Dev's Minister in If in some respects the structures of the mounted without consultation with their Madrid, Leopold Kerney, on 14th January SIS paralleled those of the old IRA, it allies… Bill Donovan, Roosevelt's 1942 (in which Ryan also remarked that would also be true to say that in other 'Coordinator of Intelligence' and the "the Goertz affair ends happily for all respects the very concept of the SIS sug- founder of OSS in July 1942, initially concerned… his arrest"). He observed gests that it was inspired by the old IRB— planned to dispatch Errol Flynn 'to act as from his Berlin exile: but with this fundamental difference: a public relations and intelligence agent'; "I am following home affairs as while within its ranks were those with instead he had to make do with an closely as I can with the help of papers only a conditional loyalty to the de facto undistinguished stand-in, who on a trip that arrive about a month late. While I in 1942 recruited a Kerry cattle dealer to Republic whose sovereignty de Valera's have my own theories I cannot, at this develop a network of people around the wartime policies had conclusively estab- distance, dogmatize—rather I will not. south-west to collect information for lished, at its apex was O'Donoghue himself The reason for the apparent apathy of a transmission to the American legation. with no other loyalty at this stage of his large number of good Republicans These arrangements were quickly life but to that de facto Republic itself. It puzzles me… In time of national crisis uncovered by Florence O'Donoghue of like this, there must be a unified com- had, however, been a somewhat different G2 (army intelligence), and with the aid mand. The country comes before party. matter with his War of Independence dual of informants were kept under So, in his neutrality policy—which is loyalties to both "the Irish Republic observation. In February 1944 O' the only sane policy under the virtually established" by the IRB Donoghue also confronted Smale, the circumstances—Dev should get 100% constitution and the actual Republic American consul in Cork, considered a support… Because I know hundreds of particular 'busybody' responsible for proclaimed and administered by the good Republicans who are standing aloof various scare stories about German democratically elected first Dáil Éireann today, I am fearful of what may happen activities" (Defending Ireland: The Irish of January 1919. if war reaches us… Why aren't they State And Its Enemies Since 1922, p239). leaders in the Defence Forces?… Can As the Editor of Florence And Jose- the Govt. itself be partly responsible for O'Donoghue had been no less resolute the failure to get 100% support?… I phine O'Donoghue's War Of Independ- and astute in ferreting out and eliminating want to get back—so that I can play a ence, John Borgonovo has drawn on those actual Nazi German subversive part (and I really believe I could do a O'Halpin's research on the SIS and he activities—as opposed to the fictitious little) in unifying my friends to support pays handsome tribute to O'Donoghue's ones invented by US 'dirty tricks' Dev in his foreign policy, while reserving vitally important intelligence role during operations—that had in fact posed a real our rights to differ on other matters" the Second World War (page 206). And threat: (quoted in Seán Cronin, Frank Ryan— these wonderful O'Donoghue memoirs, "Jim Crofton, the ex-Broy Harrier The Search For The Republic, p242-3). penned during the early 1960s, also explain {Dev's Special Branch—MO'R} who where that expertise had first been fine- was the IRA's most important Garda O'Halpin recounts how O'Donoghue tuned—the even more outstanding intel- agent, was detained in Kerry while had imaginatively come up with a far ligence record of both husband and wife attempting to arrange the escape of the more radical solution: during the War of Independence. As Joe German agent Herman Goertz (in 1941). "In the Munster area, hardened Lee rightly points out in his Foreword to This was a result of intelligence gathered republicans who would not dream of Borgonovo's book: by Florence O'Donoghue through his taking a Free State oath or of wearing a SIS. Even then O'Donoghue initially Free State uniform were secretly "The poorly equipped IRA had no had difficulty in persuading the local recruited to a clandestine intelligence- hope unless they could compensate for police not to release Crofton, who gathering, security, and 'stay-behind' their gross inferiority in gun power, not purported to be on undercover duty" organisation, the Supplementary only through greater willpower but (p205). Intelligence Service (SIS). Established through superior Intelligence. The role by Major Florence O'Donoghue of G2, of IRA Intelligence Officers was crucial It is rather ironic, but surely even more one of the few War of Independence in levelling up the odds. It is the veterans who could bridge the political judgement of John Borgonovo, the enlightening, to learn that such thoroughly editor, that O'Donoghue, the farmer's effective actions taken in defence of the and personal treaty divide, it was organised on the same battalion areas as son from Kerry, was as crucial to the wartime security of this very State had struggle in Cork as Michael Collins, a been accomplished through the creation the pre-1922 IRA in anticipation of an invasion of the south coast by either set farmer's son from Cork, was to the by O'Donoghue of an organisation whose of belligerents. In the event, its main struggle in Dublin… Nor can this verdict members adamantly refused to swear function turned out to be that of gathering be dismissed as merely a case of allegiance to that self-same State. As far intelligence on clandestine activities. Its excessive editorial pietas. Borgonovo, as such incorruptible Republicans were greatest service was the detection of the an American, has already acquired concerned, what had been 'good enough escape plans of the German agent authority on the subject in researching for Dev' had been no more 'good enough' Herman Goertz and the Special Branch his thesis, Informers, Intelligence and the 'Anti-Sinn Féin Society': The Anglo- for them than what had been 'good enough renegade Jim Crofton in Kerry in 1941. The SIS was notionally a secret unit of Irish War in Cork City, 1920-1921" (p for Mick Collins'. O'Donoghue had, ix). 15 Indeed he has: for John Borgonovo's Volunteer companies rather than the subsequent problems in Cork had also thesis represents a thorough refutation of IRB" (p73). been overcome: the revisionist thesis of Peter Hart—in his "Many of the more responsible leaders The IRA & Its Enemies—that what had I disagree with John Borgonovo on had come out of jails and internment been waged in Cork was a sectarian war. this one point and believe that he himself camps in 1917 with the firm conviction By focusing on the quality of the has understated the IRB issue. He accepts that there was no further need for a intelligence work produced by the at face value O'Donoghue's statement that secret movement, that the IRB should be O'Donoghue team, Borgonovo was able any problems of conflicting lines of IRB/ allowed to lapse, and the whole future struggle be based on the open political to illustrate just how accurate had been the IRA authority had been overcome. O'Donoghue had joined the IRA in the and military organisations. They information gathered in respect of included de Valera, Cathal Brugha, informers of whatever background before Winter of 1916-1917 and subsequently Austin Stack, MacCurtain and Mac they were then executed by the IRA—an joined the IRB in April 1917. He had no Swiney. But they had reckoned without argument also well made by Borgonovo personal experience of the turmoil in the the astuteness, tenacity, and organising in the Irish Times this July 14, in answer ranks during the Easter Rising and the ability of Collins, who had virtually to a letter from Hart on June 28, leaving particular IRB recriminations that taken control of the IRB after the Rising, the latter struck suitably dumb. followed. O'Donoghue's experience was re-organised, expanded, and infused new that of what he himself described as a life into it, and who now refused very But there is one issue where he pursues post-Rising "illumination", not least determinedly to wind it up or even curtail its activities… Neither Tomás nor Terry an argument against Hart that in my view inspired by his IRB cousin, Pat O'Connor, who had been killed in action in Dublin as had taken any active part in the IRB is misplaced, in respect of events preceding since their release from internment. On the RIC murder of Cork's Lord Mayor and a member of the GPO garrison. But for the other hand, Tomás had taken no IRA O/C Tomás MacCurtain. This topic those IRB activists who had personally steps to suppress or discourage it in his is introduced by Borgonovo as follows: experienced the 1916 Rising debacle in area. Seán O'Hegarty was County Centre "On the night of 19 March 1920, City Cork it continued to fester as an issue in (IRB) and Brigade Vice-Commandant Volunteers shot and killed RIC Constable contention, as the North Cork IRA leader (IRA)" (p58). Joseph Murtagh on Pope's Quay in Cork. Seán Moylan, who had nothing to do with Two hours later, a party of police with the IRB himself, was to observe in respect A crisis did, however, develop when blackened faces invaded Tomás of the dual IRB/IRA West Cork leader, an IRB man, conceded by O'Donoghue to MacCurtain's home and shot down the Tom Hales: be one of "the tough men" who probably young Lord Mayor as he opened his "There was only one Brigade in Cork also made use of his gun to benefit from bedroom door" (p90). City and County and when it was "pickings" (a term not understood by John reorganised in 1917 I was at the first Borgonovo—see pp59 and 73), was arrest- It is in a footnote that Borgonovo meeting. There was less than a score of ed by an RIC constable for being "under proceeds to argue: men present, among them Tomás the influence of drink". "Peter Hart writes that the killing of MacCurtain, Terence MacSwiney, Seán "Harry (Varien) promptly pulled the Constable Murtagh was the work of the O'Hegarty and Tom Hales. The meeting gun and fired… The policeman was 'wild men of the IRB' and not authorised opened in stormy fashion, Tom Hales wounded seriously but did not die… by Tomás MacCurtain (p.79). I disagree. charging the Brigade staff with neglect The issue was forced by the arrest of There is some evidence to support Hart's of duty during Easter Week, 1916, with Fred Murray and his positive identifica- conclusion, including the fact that when a lack of initiative and a desire to avoid tion by the wounded policemen (wrongly MacCurtain phoned the Cork Infirmary fighting. Those against whom his recrim- of course) as the man who shot him. I to check on Murtagh's condition, he inations were directed were Tomás then told Tomás who had done the offered his condolences. O'Donoghue's MacCurtain and Terence MacSwiney. shooting and the lid blew off everything. papers include a letter from Volunteer Their reputations need now no defence, When Varien was questioned, he declared Cornelius Kelleher who heard second- nor are there any doubts of their courage truculently that he had Seán O'Hegarty's hand that MacCurtain said he would or selflessness. This, however, is not to authority to carry a gun and use it if need make the killers 'pay the piper' for condemn Tom Hales. His attitude was be…" 'shooting police on their own'. However, rooted in the sincerity of a man "The event raised for Tomás in the as O'Donoghue states, the Brigade had disappointed in a great purpose" (Seán most positive way the question of his already targeted Constable Murtagh (and Moylan: In His Own Words, p25). authority as officer commanding the Sgt Ferris) weeks earlier for being Brigade. He could not ignore it… Seán 'particularly aggressive and obnoxious Moylan himself, who had also would not and could not be expected to towards us'. This would indicate that mobilised on Easter Sunday and then abate anything of his IRB authority… MacCurtain previously approved the disbanded in response to MacNeill's Knowing the compositions of the shooting of Constable Murtagh" (p105). countermanding order, held to a much Volunteer mentality at the time… and more realistic perspective regarding 1916: believing that whatever was attempted In an earlier footnote he had already would emanate from the driving forces argued: "People talk nowadays of the conflict- ing orders of 1916 and the might have of the hard core of the IRB men within "Peter Hart's book (pp. 79, 240-1, beens. Had the orders agreed, been clear the ranks, I had become convinced of the 246-7) emphasises the tension between and explicit, there would have been here necessity for maintaining the organisa- the Volunteers and the IRB in Cork City. and there throughout the country an tion (the IRB), notwithstanding all the Hart argues that Seán O'Hegarty led an attempt at fighting, but little more, for difficulties and damages of dual control. 'irregular' squad of IRB men that acted there was not a countrywide organisation, Now the difficulty came home to me as an 'underground' body, outside the very little arms and no general will to very forcibly. Fortunately in Cork it was command of the Cork No.1 Brigade. I fight" (p16). not complicated by any bitterness or believe Hart overstates the case. Rather personal ambition. Both Tomás and than an IRB 'gang' operating unilaterally, Returning to the Hales onslaught on Seán were acting out of a strong sense of I believe the situation in Cork was one of MacCurtain and MacSwiney, Moylan duty. Seán resigned his position as Vice individual Volunteer companies acting commented: Commandant of the Brigade and returned on their own to secure weapons and to the ranks as an ordinary Volunteer. It "The storm blew itself quickly out control their own areas. While IRB men was not a complete solution, but it was a and then we got down to a discussion on frequently organised and led non- gesture to the authority of Tomás, and it organisation" (p25). sanctioned sorties in Cork, they seem to left Seán's IRB position intact. Terry have acted on behalf of individual O'Donoghue's memoirs suggest that (MacSwiney) replaced him as Vice 16 Commandant of the Brigade". "I was considerably agitated over my Statement), before proceeding to also realities of the situation. To read own position, now more complicated by detail all of the arguments advanced by O'Hegarty's statement directly in all its reason of the fact that Seán held no rank. MacCurtain and MacSwiney as to why unsoftened starkness has, however, quite I knew that any day something could they had rejected any idea of radically a different impact on the reader. T hat arise which would confront me with the changing tack from the countermanded statement concludes: dilemma of dual allegiance. I had so orders for action by Cork City Volunteers "On Easter Monday about 1 o'clock much of Seán's confidence in the IRB Tomás MacCurtain and Terry came matters, that I feared a situation in which on the Cork/Kerry border in order to walking to where I lived. {O'Hegarty it would conflict with the loyalty I owed belatedly embark on a Cork City Rising had been forced by the British authorities to Tomás and to the Brigade. that had never been envisaged in anybody's to reside outside Cork City in the West "Without consulting anybody, not scheme of things. O'Donoghue himself Cork Gaeltacht of Ballingeary—MO'R}. even Joe O'Connor (IRA Brigade also observed: We talked on the roadside and walked Quartermaster) who was in a similar "Neither they nor Seán O'Hegarty East to Túiríndubh. I gathered from (IRB) position but without the added were aware that the Rising had started in their talk that they had been frequently complication of close association with Dublin three hours earlier. It was in Dublin of late and that they had all Seán, I decided to offer my resignation between 8 and 9 o'clock on Monday along foreseen what actually happened from the position of Brigade Adjutant to night when they reached the City and viz., a conflict of orders from the two Tomás". saw for the first time the message from sides there—the IRB and the Irish Pearse". Volunteers. They told me how they had MacCurtain, however, refused to O'Donoghue further related: conflicting orders during the week and a accept it: final note on Friday from Seán "Two independent inquiries were held "He assured me again that the IRB McDermott that all were now agreed to in 1917 into events in Cork at Easter position would not make the smallest go ahead on Sunday; and then MacNéill's 1916. Three officers appointed by the difference as far as he was concerned to Sunday morning cancellation. They told Volunteer Executive carried out one our mutual trust and cooperation. It me the arms ship was sunk and Casement inquiry and two members of the Supreme never did down to the day of his death" captured; but it was mainly of the evil of Council of the IRB carried out the other. (pp59-60), 'dual control' that they spoke, and that Having investigated all the facts and seemed to exclude everything else from heard a number of witnesses, each of the their minds". O'Donoghue suggested that the issue inquiry boards arrived at the same "I gathered from the tone of their had now been completely resolved and findings—that no blame attached to remarks generally that they took it for Tomás MacCurtain or Terence John Borgonovo agrees. Yet, in one of his granted that MacNéill's cancellation MacSwiney for the miscarriage of the footnotes taking issue with Hart's meant that whatever action might have plans for the Cork Brigade in the Rising" interpretation of the IRB issue, he becomes been contemplated was now abandoned. (p120). somewhat more equivocal when he restates They did not say this in so many words; that organisation's ongoing mistrust of the they did not even suggest to me that they actual IRA leadership in place: This had been expressed in far softer were aware of any specific action or tones by O'Donoghue himself than in John "The city IRB arranged the election activity contemplated. They were very of IRB men to quartermaster posts in the Borgonovo's summary: general and indefinite in their city's Volunteer companies, placing them "MacCurtain and MacSwiney were conversations. They left Túiríndubh in charge of local arms. That policy is court-martialled for their conduct during about 3 going East, Driver D. understandable in light of the 1916 the Rising by both the Volunteer O'Callaghan, Substitute Driver Bob Rising, when MacCurtain and Executive and the IRB. Both bodies Hales". MacSwiney surrendered Volunteer eventually cleared the two leaders of weapons to the British" (p74). wrongdoing, since they had indeed There we have it. Not for a moment followed orders issued by the Volunteer did O'Hegarty cast any aspersions on either John Borgonovo ends up validating a chain of command. However, Cork's the integrity or personal courage of pattern of organisational behaviour based failure during the Rising had a profound MacCurtain or MacSwiney. But he did impact on Cork's Volunteer movement" on such distrust of both the Commandant (p20). question their leadership capacity, and Vice Commandant of the IRA's Cork showing that the passage of thirty years No. 1 Brigade on the part of those of their And indeed it was the language of the had not modified this verdict of his by one Volunteer subordinates who also held dual court-martial, rather than any milder iota. How then might O'Hegarty have membership of the IRB. Whereas North "inquiries", that Seán O'Hegarty continued been expected to act as IRB Centre for Cork IRA leader Sean Moylan fully to employ forever more. Three decades Cork? At MacCurtain's funeral in March accepted the need for people to get the down the road, on 24th October 1947, 1920 his coffin was carried by three issue off their chests in 1917, for the O'Hegarty provided a Witness Statement Brigade Officers—Vice Commandant specific purpose of ensuring that it would to the BMH, personally taken down by Terence MacSwiney, Quartermaster Joe then be dropped and no longer muddy the Florrie O'Donoghue and simply entitled O'Connor and Adjutant Florrie O' waters for the War of Independence that "Conversations with Tomás MacCurtain Donoghue—and by one 'rank-and-file' had yet to be fought, it continued to be an and Terence MacSwiney during Easter Volunteer, Seán O'Hegarty. It is true that, issue that exercised Seán O'Hegarty to the Week 1916". O'Hegarty had remained when MacSwiney stepped into Mac very end, never for a moment leaving his totally lacking in the motivation to provide Curtain's shoes as Commandant on the chest. the BMH with a witness statement on any following day, the move was accompanied aspect whatsoever of the War of Independ- by O'Hegarty's return to his old position as But what of Florrie O'Donoghue? One ence. 1916 was the only bee in his bonnet Vice Commandant, and that after could not find a fairer and more balanced and it was a queen bee. We can now see MacSwiney's arrest in August he went on presentation of that whole 1916 issue than that it was from this statement that to succeed him as Commandant. From in O'Donoghue's 1955 biography, simply O'Donoghue quoted so extensively in his that point onwards the leadership of both entitled Tomás MacCurtain—Soldier And MacCurtain biography in order to provide the IRA and IRB in Cork City was Patriot. Pages 103 to 108 draw in detail us with O'Hegarty's recall of that Easter concentrated in the single person of Seán on O'Hegarty's account of his encounters weekend, but its hard-hitting impact was O'Hegarty and a very effective war was with MacCurtain and MacSwiney over immediately softened by him when he waged. But are we really expected to Easter 1916 (from what we now know to straight away followed with MacCurtain's believe that he had remained quite content be his Bureau of Military History Witness own assessment and judgement of the to adhere to the IRA discipline of behaving 17 as just any 'Joe Soap' rank-and-filer But decided by whom and when; and planned and carried out in less than two between April 1919 and March 1920? to be carried out under what set of hours—between 11.15 pm on the 19th circumstances? Subsequent paragraphs and 1.10 am on the 20th. If the whole In this regard John Borgonovo would date that decision to January 1920, party engaged had come from one overlooks the evidence inadvertently or early February at the very latest. But barrack, that may have been possible, supplied by O'Donoghue himself that he whereas Sergeant Ferris had been armed but the evidence, as will be shown, indicated that a much larger number had in fact reported to an independent IRB on the occasion of both unsuccessful participated than the admitted available command structure that on occasions quite attempts on his life—early February and strength of the King Street force… The deliberately bypassed his own IRA March 10 (with O'Donoghue himself being shooting of Constable Murtagh was not superiors MacCurtain and MacSwiney. It slightly wounded during the exchange of a factor in the event which followed it" was in September 1919, during O'Heg- gunfire on the latter occasion)—the killing (pp57-59). arty's IRA limbo period, that O'Donoghue on March 19 had been of an unarmed had first met his future wife Jo: Constable Murtagh while he was out on O'Donoghue's meticulous examination "A little later … we discussed the leave. I am not myself taking up any of the evidence for this argument was matter of getting (her son) Reggie back partisan position regarding MacCurtain's indeed a tour de force. And it was here into her custody {by the IRA 'kidnapping' obvious belief that public opinion did that Peter Hart, having been such a 'bright him from his deceased father's family in matter and that there was a limit to what it spark' in discerning a distinctly indepen- Britain—MO'R}. For the Volunteer would support at that stage of the War. dent IRB role in Cork, reverted to his organisation as such no action within the Nor am I arguing against the O'Hegarty/ normal role of 'cute hoor'. For Hart had law was possible; if we acted at all it only absolved MacCurtain from would have to be on other lines. The O'Donoghue perspective that, given the proposal was of course something out- nature of warfare, this was too precious a responsibility for the shooting of Murtagh side our immediate local control, and distinction to make any meaningful in order to argue for an ultimate IRB was moreover something quite outside difference. What I am arguing, however, responsibility for MacCurtain's own our proper functions. So that when I put is that it most certainly did make a murder, through a presentation of Mur- it to some of the Brigade Officers (I do difference to IRA Brigade Commandant tagh's death as the cause of it. How else to not think it ever went beyond Seán MacCurtain himself and that this explain why Hart, acclaimed in academia O'Hegarty and Joe O'Connor) it appeared difference pointed yet again to what as the 'wonder boy' who brought statistical to them to be a matter requiring careful O'Hegarty described as MacCurtain's analysis to bear on the War of Independ- consideration as well as needing the concern with what he regarded as "the evil ence, endeavoured to subvert O'Don- sanction and active help of GHQ… It oghue's very precise quantitative evidence was to Collins I put the proposal and I of dual control". doubt if it ever went beyond him. In in respect of "less than two hours", by a both his capacities as Director of John Borgonovo correctly notes (p105) very deliberate resort to obscurantism as Intelligence and head of the IRB he was that "when MacCurtain phoned the Cork to the interval of time involved? Here is in a position to do all that was needed Infirmary to check on Murtagh's condition, how Hart set about muddying the evidence: and he did it" (pp125-6). he offered his condolences". This fact had "On the evening (of 19 March) Constable already been recounted by O'Donoghue Murtagh… was shot… Several {!!!!} hours In this narrative O'Donoghue forgot himself in his 1955 biography of later, in the early morning of 20 March, a himself. Such a deployment of IRA MacCurtain (pp70-171). Why then did group of anonymous men appeared at the personnel and resources should have O'Donoghue drop that same fact from all Blackpool home of Tomás MacCurtain" undoubtedly required the appropriate the accounts he subsequently wrote of the (p78). And again—affecting ignorance approval of his Brigade superiors—yet circumstances surrounding MacCurtain's of the distinction in meaning between "a Commandant MacCurtain and Vice death—whether in his Rebel Cork's couple" and "a few"—this quantitative Commandant MacSwiney were clearly Fighting Story (1961) or these 1960s analyst wrote: "A few hours later he was bypassed. In this account O'Donoghue memoirs? The answer must surely lie in dead" (p241). wrote of consulting O'Hegarty as if he the fact that the reference to such condol- were a Brigade Officer, forgetting that the ences in that same biography had prompted Hart's attempt to establish a cause/ latter was a mere 'rank-and-file' Volunteer Volunteer Con Kelleher to write to effect relationship is totally refuted by the during this period. But, within the O'Donoghue on 2nd July 1958 with a sharpness and precision of O'Donoghue's command structure of the IRB, O'Hegarty more damning quotation from Mac forensic analysis. In contrast, John Borgo- was indeed O'Donoghue's superior as Curtain: "Whoever did this will pay the novo does indeed appreciate that O'Dono- Centre for Cork. O'Donoghue's referral of piper. We can't have men roaming around ghue proved his point as regards timings, the matter through both O'Hegarty and armed shooting police on their own" but then unfortunately also proceeds to fellow-IRB man O'Connor, and then (quoted and dated on page 241 of Hart; minimise its relevance: upwards to IRB President Collins himself, partly quoted, undated, on page 105 of "O'Donoghue argues that Mac served to underline the ongoing operation Borgonovo). Curtain's death was not a direct reprisal of the IRB's own chain of command as for the shooting of Constable Murtagh, something quite independent of the IRA's And so it was that in 1961 O'Donoghue but rather an RIC assassination that command structure. And, on the issue of decided to mask that controversial issue happened to occur on the same evening that particular proposed IRA action, both by completely dropping his previous as Murtagh's killing. He cites the large MacCurtain and MacSwiney were treated reference to MacCurtain's condolences to number of police that had to be organized, the Murtagh family when he came once disguised, and posted at various positions as if they were just another pair of Eoin to seal off MacCurtain's home from the MacNéills to be kept in the dark. again to write of MacCurtain's murder in neighbourhood. This complex John Borgonovo accepts at face value Rebel Cork's Fighting Story. The key deployment would have been almost Florrie O'Donoghue's statement in argument that O'Donoghue decided to impossible to co-ordinate in the 90 concentrate on in this book nonetheless Florence And Josephine… that, since minutes between the killing of Murtagh "certain policemen in the city made remains a powerfully convincing one: and the start of the operation to shoot MacCurtain… That would indicate a themselves particularly obnoxious by their "The theory that the murder of the Lord Mayor was a reprisal for the police counter-assassination policy aggressiveness towards us, it was decided shooting of Constable Murtagh at Pope's already in place. While O'Donoghue to shoot two of them—Sergeant Ferris Quay about 11 pm on the night of the raises good points, it seems too much of and Constable Murtagh" (p85). 19th presupposes that the crime was a coincidence that MacCurtain's killing 18 occurred only two hours after the shooting of a Cork policeman. The most likely explanation is that the local RIC had plotted to assassinate MacCurtain if The Casement 'Black Diaries' another policeman was shot in the city (probably in response to the —An Overlong Controversy in Outline {attempted—MO'R} shooting of {the Part 3 armed—MO'R} District Inspector In 1993 under the Open Government including the explicit 1911 Black Diary. MacDonagh by O'Donoghue and Tom Crofts). The police then put their plan Initiative of the new Labour administration Mitchell spent a number of busy weeks in into action upon hearing of Constable in Britain it was decided to make the the National Library of Ireland, in Dublin, Murtagh's killing" (pp105-6). Diaries and previously closed files going through an extensive body of connected with Casement freely available Casement personal papers relating to his In my view, O'Donoghue's analysis to researchers. time in Brazil and his part in investigating went much further than "good points". the horrors the rubber industry inflicted But that analysis, painstakingly conscien- HANDWRITING A new phase in the on the native people of the Putumayo. tious as it undoubtedly was, also appears controversy was ushered in with what was This was a resource that had not been to have been conscience-driven, in the represented to the public as a serious thoroughly investigated or utilized by light of O'Donoghue's knowledge of the examination to test authenticity. A previous researchers. The experience was full details of MacCurtain's response to handwriting expert Dr. Baxendale made to have a profound effect on Mitchell. the Murtagh shooting. an inspection. The result was broadcast on Previously he had believed the Black a BBC Radio 4 programme, Document, in Diaries genuine. Now he began to change Does any of this matter? Yes it does. September 1993. The press duly reported his mind. Things just did not appear to While in no way being the cause of the Diaries were real. But all that really him to add up. Details of events in the long MacCurtain's murder, O'Donoghue had happened is that a handwriting examiner overlooked papers did not correspond with to wrestle with the knowledge that the made an inspection which had no the narrative in the Black Diaries. assassination of the unarmed Murtagh had meaningful scientific or legal value. It provided a pretext for propagandists— was not a fully fledged forensic He severed his connection with Dr. not only then, but also down through the examination. Handwriting experts, even Sawyer and began to pursue a research years to today's RIC-Black-and-Tan when carrying out their work to full and publishing project of his own. This apologists Eoghan Harris and Kevin professional standards, err. There are the would result in 1997 in the appearance of Myers—to argue that the murdered, examples of the Dreyfus and Parnell The Amazon Journal Of Roger Casement. unarmed, innocent, and democratically- forgeries and more recently the forged It contained a 40 page section specifically elected Lord Mayor of Cork had been a Hitler Diaries in the 1980s. Yet again, no devoted to the controversy, in which the 'legitimate target' who was quite rightly written report emerged. author explained why he came to the on the receiving end of his 'tit for tat' just conclusion that forgery had occurred. The desserts. LINGUISTICS In 1994 independent research and ideas of Eoin Ó Máille researchers Eoin Ó Máille, Michael Payne, regarding linguistic discrepancies are And what of the problem of "dual and M Úi Callanan privately published an mentioned favourably. Among many control"? It is indeed true that it would eighteen page study which compared the aspects discussed is the simple question cease to exist as a War of Independence linguistic patterns of attested Casement as to why a man might keep an problem in Cork City once Seán O'Hegarty writings and the contested matter. The incriminating document on his person became IRA Brigade Commandant in Vindication Of Roger Casement— when he realised he was being watched addition to his role as IRB Centre. But the Computer Analysis And Comparisons and he moved through "an atmosphere of existence of two parallel command made a striking case that something was fear, suspicion and death". structures was to matter very much amiss with the notion that Casement could nationally when it came to the struggle for have written the contested diary entries. The book reconstructs Casement's an against the Anglo-Irish Treaty. And it The case was made that the material lacked 1910 investigative journey up the Amazon was the real centre of authority in the IRB, Casement's habitual verbal patterns. to the Putomayo from material collected its President Michael Collins, who roundly Also included was a detailed analysis from a number of disparate archives, but outmanoeuvred that Treaty's opponents. by Maura Scanlan of spelling especially from the National Library of Cork anti-Treatyites O'Hegarty and inconsistencies between the 1910 Black Ireland and the Public Record Office in O'Donoghue nonetheless went on to play Diary and Casement's 'White' Putumayo Kew, near London. Events in the diaries an honourable role in refusing to fight in Journal. did not tally with Casement diary a fratricidal Civil War, by establishing Ó Máille had over a number of decades fragments and letters Mitchell had their 'Neutral IRA' organisation and by taken a deep interest in the Diaries discovered. His book deepened acting as a conduit in attempts to bring question. His letters to newspapers, when appreciation of the scope of Casement's that conflict to an end. against likelihood and the prevailing work in the Amazon and promoted climate of the 70s, 80s and early 90s, they renewed interest in his place in history. As for Peter Hart, when it comes to were published, provoked readers to assessing the role of the IRB in establishing question what was then becoming What is most interesting is that in his the Free State and pursuing a policy of conventional wisdom. footnotes he details forty two assassination as part and parcel of its inconsistencies between the 1910 Black modus operandi, it is here that he takes A NGUS M ITCHELL Angus Mitchell signed Diary text and what appears in the archives. leave of any previously expressed critical a publishing contract in 1995 to co-edit For example, according to the Black Diary faculties in order to knuckle under the line "Casement Diaries", along with Dr. Roger on his arrival at Iquitos on 31st August established by his guru and thesis Sawyer, author of the biography The 1910 Casement booked into the hotel Le supervisor, David Fitzpatrick. Flawed Hero. Mitchell, like Sawyer is of Cosmopolite. But a letter from him to the Manus O'Riordan British heritage and he is an Oxford Foreign Office of 3rd September shows graduate. It had been planned to publish that, instead of using a hotel on that date, To Be Continued diary material never before published, he became the house guest of a David 19 Cazes. [1] The Black Diary entry for spy sent by the British. There is no R I A A growing interest in Casement as November 29th has him walk to the Iquitos reference in the archival material to any a significant historical figure as well as town square with a character called involvement on his part in a clandestine the Diaries question prompted The Royal Harrison. Casement's Putomayo Journal homosexual lifestyle. Irish Academy in May 2000,with the of his investigations for November 29th backing of the Irish Government, to narrates he walked to the square with a MAIREAD WILSON When the Dublin- conduct a symposium: Roger Casement man named Brown. [2] published Sunday Press newspaper, in the in Irish and World History. Advocates of mid 1980s, carried a serialisation of the both forgery and authenticity were The Amazon Journal reignited a debate then recently published Casement, The represented. Various aspects of Casement's about the authenticity of the Diaries. It Flawed Hero by Roger Sawyer, Mairead activities on three continents were was beginning to become fashionable Wilson, then a civil servant in Dublin, felt discussed, including the question of the again to contend they were forged. prompted to undertake her own Diaries, by a variety of scholars. The investigations. In the coming years she possibility of a forensic examination was ROGER S AWYER Covering similar territory used the facilities of the National Library discussed. James J Horan an American Roger Casement's Diaries—1910: The of Ireland and collected information from forensic scientist gave his views on what Black And The White by Roger Sawyer whatever source she could. A pamphlet such an examination should entail. He appeared the same year. Sawyer still was published in 2000 by the Roger emphasised the value of up-to-date remained firmly with the school of thought Casement Foundation titled Roger technologies, such as X-ray Fluorescence that the contested Diaries were genuine. Casement: A Reassessment of the Diaries and Ramon Spectroscopy, for the Controversies. It contains an exposé of a detection of erasure and interpolation. The THE F ORGER? A hint of excitement arose number of misconceptions that have been examination of handwriting could be when it was suggested that the actual allowed to thrive over the years which had enhanced by the use of a computer program forger of the Diaries could be named. The been promoted by a series of Casement called Write On. cause was a purported transcript of an biographies dating as far back as the 1950s. interrogation of former Chief of the Also it contains the most insightful GILES REPORT Professor W.J. Gestapo, Heinrich Mueller, by the CIA in highlights from Professor McHugh's McCormack had shown an interest in the Switzerland in 1948. However, Mueller groundbreaking article from 1960. She forgery question from the time it was was last with certainty seen alive during wrote that she believed there were very brought back into public view through the the battle of Berlin in 1945. An author strong reasons for believing the documents writings of Angus Mitchell. He was a based in California who used the name in the Public Record Office "have been literary historian based at Goldsmith's Gregory Douglas among other aliases, tampered with". This thought-provoking College, London, who had also published wrote a number of books claiming Mueller pamphlet was re-published by Athol Books poetry under the name of Hugh Maxton. escaped to Switzerland and then fled to on behalf of the Foundation in 2005. He organised an examination in 2002 with the USA where he became a senior CIA the help of a committee of academics, officer. The alleged transcript named a COLM TOIBIN Ireland's literary set still most of whom had no qualifications in the Swiss called Zwingleman as both a forger tended for the most part to regard the forensic science field. It was financed in the employ of the Gestapo and the Diaries as genuine. The fashionable partly by the BBC, partly by RTE, and an forger of the Black Diaries on the literary figure Colm Tóibín published a amount was contributed by the Irish State. instructions of Captain Hall. The allegation book Love In A Dark Time (2001), a A handwriting analysis was carries out by was carried in an edition of the American collection of essays on gay historical Dr. Audrey Giles of London, a document radical right journal The Barnes Review in personalities such as Oscar Wilde and examiner. The results of the examination 1998. It was referred to and accorded Thomas Mann. The chapter on Casement were rather dramatically made public as some respect in a book on Irish history he called Sex, Lies And the Black Diaries. part of two television documentaries in Birth Of A Republic (1998) by Eoin He interviewed both Roger Sawyer and March 2002. The BBC showed Roger Neeson. The reality is that Douglas, also Angus Mitchell. Some textual Casement: Secrets Of The Black Diaries. known as Stahl, among other aliases, is a inconsistencies Mitchell pointed out to RTE provided Alan Gilsenan's The Ghost clever and inventive fraudster. him he described as "interesting". Yet he Of Roger Casement. The Diaries were wrote there was no "howler" which declared genuinely and solely the work of LINGUISTIC FINGERPRINTING The Roger demonstrated absolutely a forger had given Casement. Casement Foundation, which had come himself away by totally misunderstanding into being on the initiative of Jack Moylett, something. While he obviously favoured The result was reported far and wide. held its first symposium in Dublin in 1997, the point of view of Sawyer, the essay The appearance of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the relevance of 'linguistic ends on a subtly ambiguous note when he on one of the documentaries gave the fingerprinting' to the controversy was quotes from the word-frequency analysis appearance of official acceptance of the discussed. The Foundation came to afford found in The Vindication Of Roger test results. Practically speaking, however, a point of contact for people around the Casement which he found "detailed and Ahern merely politely acknowledged the world interested in Casement's interesting". outcome. All this had a significant humanitarian and political legacy. Its influence, both on general public opinion annual symposium has become a forum Adrian Weale In Britain was published and on the views of scholarly specialists. where ongoing developments in Casement Traitor Patriots (2001) by Adrian Weale, However, the Report received no mention scholarship and themes related to his wide a former Army Intelligence Officer turned in specialist forensic science periodicals, ranging activities and writings are featured. writer, about the two British citizens as one would expect of a study of some executed for High Treason in the 20th weight. It has been criticised for being REINHARD DOERRIES German historian century: Casement and one John Amery limited to the long used and fallible art of Reinhard Doerries published Prelude To who was hanged after WWII and was a handwriting analysis. Recently developed The Easter Rising—Sir Roger Casement son of leading Conservative politician Leo technologies have a greater chance of in Imperial Germany in 2000. The archives Amery. As the Amery that appears in the answering questions related to erasure in Germany recorded that the Irishman book was an opportunist, misfit, and petty and interpolation; questions very relevant had been shadowed by the Kaiser's secret criminal, reviewers found comparisons in this particular case. It was also criticised service, for they suspected he might be a with Casement strained and tasteless. for a mix-up which resulted in some very 20 interesting material never reaching the transcription errors from the Singleton- what is a 'forensic test'? Essentially, it is desk of the examiner. Steps were not Gates edition were corrected. The texts, a test the results of which are valid as court taken to ensure that the comparison however, are abridged. This book from evidence. No forensic expert has claimed handwriting, against which the Diary 2002 briefly acknowledges James Horan's this for the Giles Report. The recent works entries were checked, was authentic. So criticism of the Giles Report but claims of McCormack and Dudgeon and their the possible danger of comparing forged science can not answer the question of authors' uncompromising 'diary material with forged was not obviated. authenticity to everyone's satisfaction. dogmatism' are well commented upon. Since its original limited publication, Instead, the author says, there should be two eminent American document reliance on "historically based evidence" VINCENT B ROWNE In the Summer of 2004 examiners have, independently of each and common sense. Vincent Browne, in his regular column in other, asked serious questions about the The Irish Times discussed paedophilia value of the report. Both of their opinions One really has to question this lack of and mentioned that Casement, from the have for some time been available to read confidence in the efficacy of science, evidence of the Diaries, must have been on the internet. especially since we are dealing with an active paedophile himself. This physical objects which, as such, lend unleashed one of those skirmishes in JAMES HORAN James J. Horan, of John themselves to technological examination. newspaper letters pages which has been Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, characteristic of the controversy for over who had delivered a paper on how forensic O SIOCHÁIN & O'SULLIVAN The text of half a century. Dr. McCormack wrote to science would approach the question of the 1903 Diary and the text of Casement's The Irish Times extolling the virtues of the Diaries at the 2000 RIA symposium, Congo Report which was presented to his "forensic examination". The Roger wrote in the newsletter of the British Parliament in Feb. 1904 were published in Casement Foundation took the opportunity Association of Irish Studies in July 2002: 2003 in Dublin under the title The Eyes Of to outline its grave shortcomings. "To the question, 'Is the writing Roger Another Race. The editors were Séamas O Interestingly, McCormack never replied Casement's?' on the basis of the Giles Siocháin and Michael O'Sullivan. O to the points raised. Report as it stands; my answer would Siocháin is Senior Lecturer in have to be I cannot tell." [3] Anthropology at the National University KEVIN MANNERINGS delivered a talk on his of Ireland, Maynooth. On page 182 it is investigations at the 2004 Casement MARCEL MATLEY Relentless Diaries claimed the editors have "no doubts" the Foundation symposium. He displayed high investigator Kevin Mannerings prompted Diaries were fully Casement's work. In resolution close up photographs of pages document examiner Marcel Matley to addition the Giles report is cited as "an from the Diaries which exhibited evidence asses the report. His reaction formed part important milestone" in the debate about of erasure and interpolation. Well known of the 3rd Virtual Graphology Conference authenticity. The conclusions of the Report Dublin media figures who had pronounced in 2002 and was published in Graphodigest are quoted uncritically. on the Diaries in the preceding year had 2002 edited by Nigel Bradley of the been invited to attend. None showed up. University of Westminster. Matley The 1903 Diary does indeed tally very concluded: "Even if every document well with the known movements and LUCY MCDIARMID The Irish Art Of examined were the authentic writing of activities of Casement, as the authors Controversy appeared in 2005, by an Casement, this report does nothing to claim. Indeed it was the assertion of the American based academic; Lucy establish the fact." [4] investigator, the late Prof. Roger McHugh, McDiarmid. Among a number of early that it is more than 90% authentic and the 20th century Irish controversies is included DR. MCCORMACK Roger Casement In rest interpolation. the question of the Diaries, though it being Death (2002) by Dr. W.J. McCormack, so enduring, it does not quite fit in with the the organiser of the examination which ANGUS M ITCHELL In Sir Roger Casement's others which are long over and done with. gave us the Giles Report, claims to be a Heart Of Darkness (2003) Angus Mitchell The piece is called The Afterlife Of Roger deconstruction of the 1930s investigation recreated Casement's 1911 Putomayo Casement. It gives a history of the by a number of individuals which resulted journey from surviving archival material, controversy with an acknowledged bias in The Forged Casement Diaries by just as he had done for the 1910 towards the position the documents are Maloney. It does not seriously engage investigative venture with The Amazon fully genuine. Strikingly, the extensive with Maloney's arguments. What passes Journal. It is a beautifully-produced 800- research of Angus Mitchell and the for analysis in the book is bolstered page hardback volume which was grounds upon which he argues the Diaries occasionally by blunt assertions that the published by the Irish State Manuscripts are forged are ignored. Diaries are genuine, based on Commission. Unlike The Amazon Journal McCormack's 'forensic test'. The text is there is no effort made to relate the text to PAPERS ON CASEMENT After a half decade enlivened by occasional humour and the Black Diaries. Thus lacking are long gestation the Royal Irish Academy bravado. footnotes comparing the two as in the published the volume of papers Roger earlier volume. The intention appears to Casement in Irish and World History in JEFF DUDGEON The 1911 Diary finally be to encourage the reader to perceive late 2005. Most of the contributions appeared publicly in print in Roger Casement's activities and ideas in their originate from the RAI symposium of the Casement: The Black Diaries, With A own right without the distraction of the same name of five years before. It contains Study Of His Background, Sexuality And Diaries getting in the way. However he reflections on Casement as humanitarian Irish Political Life by Jeff Dudgeon. The says, intriguingly, in his Introduction that and as political activist, as well as papers author is an Ulster Unionist and the book has been arranged and compiled on his trial for treason and on his legacy homosexual rights activist. There is much to allow historians to "make a more both political and cultural. biographical information on Casement. informed contextual scrutiny of the two There is a serious effort to deal with contested diaries for 1911". The editor, University College Dublin Mitchell's critique of the 1910 Black Diary historian Mary E. Daly, takes a neutral and he argues the case that the Diaries BRENDAN CLIFFORD A series of essays position on the question of forgery/ genuine. In this detailed book material mostly by Brendan Clifford entitled The authenticity. There are also a number of from all the Black Diaries are printed with Casement Diary Dogmatists appeared in interesting papers on the Diaries question, an attached commentary. Many 2004. Among other matters is discussed; covering the full range of opinion on the 21 matter. At the end is the Giles Report capitalists. The first type of economic followed by a commentary on it by James development only exists in the fantasy J. Horan. An appendix contains a technical world of university economics depart- discussion of the paper used in the ments. The second type is how things are documents by a Peter Bower, a paper done in the real world. historian. Regrettably, Horan's paper on Notes on Corruption The Beef Tribunal found that there what a full scale forensic examination Isn't it interesting that some of the were good economic reasons for might entail was not included. most effective European politicians in the supporting Larry Goodman. State last few decades such as Charles Haughey, encouragement of more than one supplier WHY THE FUSS? The question is often Francois Mitterand and Helmut Kohl have to Iraq would have led to competition and posed, now with the oppressive laws gone been tainted by corruption? It seems that reduced prices. This would not have been and attitudes regarding homosexuality politicians who want to achieve things in in the national interest. Whatever about changed, why should the question of the the world are vulnerable to such a charge. tax fiddling, screwing the European tax possible forgery of the Diaries matter? The question also arises as to who payer etc, there was no evidence of political Why the fuss? The Diaries do not merely benefits from the exposure of wrong doing. corruption. That was the substance of the portray a gay man. They portray someone Albert Reynolds proved to be an extremely report and the Irish Political Review agreed at times deranged, at times a paedophile. effective negotiator in the Irish interest, with that finding. Furthermore, as stated at the start, if he leading a strong Fianna Fail/Labour The Beef Tribunal also found evidence were to have behaved as the Diaries suggest cabinet during the Anglo Irish negotia- of tax evasion. But there was no evidence in the Amazon in 1910 and 1911 he was in tions. It was extremely convenient for the of political collusion so the "corruption" great danger of compromising himself British that he was replaced following a was not political corruption. Of course it and putting the mission he had to tackle story from The Irish Times. This is not to is right that the Goodman organisation the brutalisation of the native people in say that British interests had a hand in his should bear the consequence of its great jeopardy. As such the 'Black Diaries' downfall. This writer doesn't know. It was wrongdoing. But does this mean that the do not portray a gay icon, or an Irish just extremely convenient that he was Goodman organisation is corrupt or that nationalist icon but an irresponsible and replaced by John Bruton. That's all. because tax evasion was widespread that hypocritical figure. Casement, always The question of who benefits from the the National bourgeoisie was corrupt? It idealistic and brave, deserves a better exposure of corruption arose recently in appears that tax evasion was one of the memorial. France regarding the resignation of Herve means by which native capitalists Gaymard from Chirac's Government. The accumulated capital: a necessary condition The forgery thesis goes beyond the Government party is split between the for the development of capitalism. British Diaries to a number of questionable neo-liberal Nicholas Sarkozy and the more capitalists accumulated capital from the documents in various archives around the traditional Gaullism of Chirac. profits of the slave trade. In the general world. Aside from this questionable The satirical weekly Le Canard scheme of things it is difficult to get too material and the output of the propaganda Enchaine revealed that the pro-Chirac excited about our native "corruption". campaign mounted against him in 1916, Finance Minister had the use of a 600 there is nothing that states compellingly square metre apartment at a cost of 14,000 How long ago was the Beef Tribunal Casement was homosexual. euros a month to the State. He might have Report, ten years or more? But Fintan O' From this mere outline of the survived if it were not for the fact that he Toole in his incessant drive to end controversy one learns that, in the standard had other apartments of his own in Paris corruption wants us to examine the Beef story of the Black Diaries, in the text and which he was renting out. The French can Tribunal again (The Irish Times, 8.2.05). on the written page there are anomalies tolerate a Napoleonic ego, but that last If moral indignation was an Olympic sport and discordances. But the questions raised detail was just a little too petty bourgeois. this magazine would insist that O' Toole leave enough space into which an argument As Gaymard was considering his take a dope test! for authenticity, however uncomfortably, position, Sarkozy declared that: In the absence of direct state involve- can still be squeezed in. "The minister has drawn the ment, "corruption" or the favouring of one consequences. I continue to think that it This controversy looks like continuing serves no purpose to denounce him or group of individuals as distinct from until a comprehensive forensic carry out a man hunt". another group by the state is a necessary examination using the best and most up to All very reasonable, except he then added element of economic development. date technologies is carried out. This pompously: The only sensible criterion for making must include examinations of handwriting, "The French, confronted by daily an overall political judgement on whether language, narratives, inks and paper. The difficulties can question and judge with the country is genuinely corrupt or not is: sooner this happens the better it will be. a certain severity what has happened". have the economic policies of Irish After ninety years we are all becoming a What a little squirt! Governments in the last twenty years been little tired. a success or a failure? Tim O'Sullivan ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT September 2006 AND CORRUPTION In most mature capitalist countries the Notes: "Corruption" tends to be more investigation of corruption is encouraged. common in countries in the process of It is the means by which the existing [1] Page 91, Note 95, The Amazon bourgeoisie prevents its position from Journal Of Roger Casement, Angus economic development. This is not because people in developing countries being usurped. The snobbishness Mitchell The Lilliput Press, Dublin are inherently more corrupt than others, regarding "new money" by "old money" 1997 but rather that "corruption" is a necessary is another element of this. But in Ireland [2] Page 473, Note 325. Ibid. part of economic development. the "old money" failed to develop the [3] http://www.atholbooks.org/review/ There are two types of capitalist country and was largely represented by gilestest.php against each other in a free market. In the corruption among the native bourgeoisie [4] http://www.wmin.ac.uk/ second type the state does the job either on does not make any sense in terms of marketingresearch/2179casement.htm its own or in alliance with native emerging anything within nationalist culture. 22 NON PRODUCTIVE CORRUPTION members of the species). He appears to Independent) with a big headline, Peace Of course it could be said that not all have financed the setting up of Sinn Fein at last for Ulster. There is a sub-heading corruption is productive. The rezoning of Offices in the USA to help the peace Blair, Ahern and Mitchell seal historic land resulting in enormous profits for land process. agreement 17 hours after passing of talks speculators was not productive or did not It was a pity that this organisation deadline, which is all too typical of the contribute to economic development. collapsed after it was undermined by British media 'spin' on Northern Ireland or However, does anyone believe that there Justice Minister McDowell. even Ireland. Blair and Ahern had nothing is a surplus of housing stock in this In our view some politicians are whatever to do with the Agreement, though country? A significant element of this scrutinised more closely than others. It Senator Mitchell's patience and diplomacy society, including many middle class can also be said that some institutions are was probably of use in the 'talks'. The socialists, did not wish to have any land investigated, but others are above susp- ceasefires and then the Agreement were rezoned. Corruption was the means by icion. The level of investigation of the examples of 'people power'—and of Sinn which the social demand for housing was Catholic Church has been exhaustive, but Féin's ability to respond to the wishes of satisfied. the media, understandably, never comes its constituency. The January 2003 issue of the Irish under the spotlight. This had been made clear to the IRA Political Review identified the real econo- The investigation of corruption in this and Sinn Féin long before the 1994 mic scandal in Irish life. It is the state tends to be one sided and serves a ceasefire, Danny Morrison has spoken of subsidisation of the rich by the poor West British interest. This is why this a "moral onus" being on the Republican through our property laws. As an example magazine takes a jaundiced view of the movement in the late 1980s and early '90s. in 1996 and early 1997 300 acres of land occupiers of the high moral ground. Above The 'moral onus' being whether or not in Lucan was bought for 35 million euros. all, the first question that must be asked is: they carried on the war, even on a very low The land was rezoned and as a result the in whose interest is the exposure of level—or looked for peace for the a war- speculators could sell it for 225 million corruption serving. weary population. This population euros in 1998. It was calculated that the John Martin included the Protestant people as well as price per unserviced housing unit was the Catholic, and clearly the Republican 50,000. The cost per unserviced housing movement was responding largely to unit was 8,000. Therefore before any working class pressure. Though Sinn building was done 42,000 euros per house Féin, of course, will take its votes where it was the cost of the land speculation element finds them—this is one of its main at 1998 prices. It is a matter of indifference British Newspapers strengths, and not a weakness. It is doubtful to this writer what proportion of the 42,000 of some of the leadership of the Loyalist euros per house is distributed between On Ireland paramilitaries could pronounce the phrase corrupt politicians, land speculators or Part One 'moral onus' much less act on such a bagmen/consultants such as Frank Dunlop. 2006 is the seventy fifth anniversary concept. All land rezoned for residential housing of the [British] Newspaper Publishers' should be compulsorily purchased by the Association, the NPA and the British The other aspect of the Sinn Féin (and state at its agricultural value. This would Library put on an exhibition and a series the 'Provisional Army Council') of 1970 eliminate a vast swathe of non productive of talks, lectures and discussions at the vintage is that it was never hung-up on corruption as well as enabling the provision main Euston location rather than the shibboleths. This is not to claim that the of affordable housing. newspaper library in Colindale. The exhib- 'Provisionals' were opportunists. If the ition consisted of newspaper front pages people who had brought about 'August CENTRE FOR PUBLIC INQUIRY ranging from Freddie Starr Ate My 1969' had been the traditionalists, the "Corruption" can be of the form of the Hamster to Hitler Dead, by way of Gotcha, 'Provis' may have been perceived as the state favouring one set of individuals over the spectacularly crude Sun headline about 'left wing' of the movement. Some of their another set within the state. However, several hundred Argentine service person- slightly overheated rhetoric of the early there is another form of corruption. This nel being killed. And the Daily Sketch phase of the war in Northern Ireland had type of corruption involves one state headline Dublin In Flames complete with to do with the fact that State-pogrom of favouring cultural or economic tendencies large pictures of British soldiers behind mid-August was a result of would-be in another state, so as to undermine the barricades and (presumably the GPO) in Machiavellian 'Marxists' losing touch with latter state's development. flames, which can't have pleased the Northern reality. A few years ago the "Centre for Public censors, it was published on May, 3 1916. Inquiry" was set up. This was a body Roy Johnston in the late 1960s funded by the Irish American Chuck This is the only mention of Ireland denounced Belfast Republicans as 'sectar- Feeney to root out corruption in this state. except for an article in Front Page, the ian', rather than realistic. Part of the Such "Globalist" institutions are usually tabloid (sorry, compact) publication which realism was that they knew the Unionists designed to undermine national state was produced for the exhibition—and could see through aspects of the 'civil structures in the interests of an Anglo which was more readily available at rights' strategy. The Prods may not be American world view. Colindale than Euston—Playing chess interested in politics but they could spot Normally, this writer would agree with with human pieces in the name of Ireland. the Fenian in that particular woodpile. the criticism of this institution by Senator This was by "David Beresford of The And they could separate-out the genuine John Minihan (PD) who has been Guardian" who followed "the Irish troubles civil libertarians from the sub-Bolsheviks supported by Brian Hayes of Fine Gael from the Easter Uprising of 1916 to the or Fenian fakers. Working class Protest- and Mary O Rourke. However, among the hunger strikers of the 1980s". If this is the ants were quite strongly in favour of people involved in this new organisation best the British Library and the united 'British Rights for British Citizens'. The was Frank Connolly (brother of Niall journals of Great Britain can come up NILP (NI Labour Party) and the Unions Connolly of the Columbia Three) and with on 'Ireland' is it any wonder they held back mainly because of the Damien Kiberd of the Sunday Business politicians are totally in the dark about the involvement of the Communist Party and Post. Feeney himself is no ordinary Irish island? the IRA (under the influence of CPGB American billionaire (not that this writer operatives). can claim familiarity with "ordinary" There is a front page (from the To Be Continued 23 2016 continued Penalties on employers for non- What the farmers are seeking is for the compliance are to be greatly increased. workers to make up the shortfall they will now experience with the reduction in EU * Joint Investigation Units: New INFLATION STALKS subsidies. legislation to allow Revenue, Social THE soaring cost of housing and Where is the voice of Labour? Welfare and ODERC to work together, energy brought the annual rate of inflation share data and target areas on non- to 4.5% in August, the highest figure for compliance in JIU's. almost three and a half years. ****************************************************************************** Despite less aggressive rises in the * Sub-Contractors in Construction: "A group of up to 130 Irish farmers in an investment syndicate are pooling their cost of petrol and mortgages in the second The RCT1 (Tax-Form) regime will be half of the summer, consumers are still overhauled to minimise bogus self- resources to build a $200 million (Euro being hit hard for everyday goods and employment. The employment status of 157.5 million) apartment development and golf course in Florida, one of the biggest services, new figures show. workers will be a particular focus of the According to the Central Statistics JIU's. holiday destinations in the U.S." (Irish Office, inflation increased by 0.7% last Times, 21.9.2006). month alone. * Employment Records: Legislation ****************************************************************************** Consumer prices were 4.5% higher will be introduced to require the keeping than in August last year—the fastest rate of statutory employment records in a of annual inflation since March 2003. prescribed format. Failure to do so will be TRADE UNION NOTES CSO figures showed higher oil and a criminal offence punishable by a fine of interest rates drove the cost of housing, up to Euro 250,000. LECH WALESA, the legendary water, electricity, gas and other fuels founder of Poland˙s Solidarity movement almost 17% higher over the year, while * Amendments to the Protection of which helped bring down communism, transport costs rose 5.2%. Employment Act, 1977 and the Unfair said yesterday he had formally left the Dearer energy and mortgages account Dismissals Acts, 1977-2001, will be put Trade Union. for almost half the 4.5% increase in the in place to prevent replacement of workers "I have given up my membership national shopping basket. But the other via collective redundancy and awards of because Solidarity and I have gone half appears to be rising in price faster up to five years salary for dismissals in separate ways," he said. He also said he planned to stay away than elsewhere in the Euro area. Health this context. from events marking the 26th anniversary costs were 4.1% higher, education charges of Solidarity's founding on 31st August, were up 4.7%, and restaurant and hotel 2006. prices rose 4.3%. ECONOMIC MIGRATION POLICY Several economists predict inflation * Workers will own their own work * COACH DRIVERS working for could reach 5% by the end of the year, permits. Non EEA students will have to private bus operator Aircoach have won with Davy Stockbrokers forecasting a grim be covered by work permits; permit holders Trade Union recognition after a 20-month 5.5%. "The last increase in mortgages may transfer between employers and organising campaign. will show up in September inflation, with language schools will be regulated. SIPTU organiser Paul Hardy said the more to come", they said. Union began recruiting Aircoach drivers "If this trend continues, inflation at general election time could be the highest THE LORDS OF THE LAND in January, 2005. Management had since the election of this Government in The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) initially resisted unionisation despite the 1997," said Green Party Finance and the other farming bodies have still not fact that its parent company, First Group, spokesman Dan Boyle, T.D. signed up to Towards 2016. recognises Trade Unions throughout The IFA. newsletter for the World Britain. LABOUR STANDARDS Ploughing Championship being held in "We're delighted to have finally SIPTU General Secretary, Joe O'Flynn September in Tullow states: "I.F.A. could concluded this recognition agreement," said: have signed up to a deal in June, at the said Mr Hardy. "Union members have clearly decided same time as the Employers and Unions, "Our members now hope to build on the recognition agreement and the in favour of the proposals on the basis of but the money on offer fell far short of the substantial progress achieved on improved industrial relations atmosphere what farmers require." at the company to make real measures to combat exploitation, the It is understood the farm lobby is threat of displacement and the proper improvements in terms and conditions." enforcement of labour standards as well seeking Euro 7.1 billion and Government as the wider social agenda. has offered Euro 6.3 billion. "Our concerns in this area were "The Partnership agreement coincides highlighted by the events surrounding with Ireland's next National Develop- ment Plan 2007-2013, which covers all Daily Ireland has closed down, after Gama and Irish Ferries and we held 20 months' production, with the loss of firmly to the view that only when the key farm schemes: REPS, Dis- advantaged Areas, Early Retirement, 15 jobs (10 of them journalists'). Máirtín sufficient progress was made on these Ó Muilleoir, Managing Director, issues could we proceed to consider the Installation, On-farm Investment and rest of the talks agenda," he said. Forestry. blamed the closure on the refusal of the "In 2000-06, these schemes were British Government to aggregate the funded roughly 50:50 by the national EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS COMPLIANCE circulation figures of the Andersons- exchequer and the E.U. In future, AND ENFORCEMENT town News Group when placing official because of Ireland's prosperity, the E.U. advertisements: Daily Ireland sales of * A new high-level Office of Director share will decline. c10,000 were not high enough on their of Employment Rights Compliance "As a result, the national share of own to qualify. In the first half of 2006 funding will have to increase to about (ODERC) to be established. The number 70% for 2007-13. The total value of Belfast Telegraph dropped by 5.7% to of Labour Inspectors will be increased these schemes to farmers will be close to 90,827; Irish News sales are 1.8% up from 31 to 90 by end of 2007 and will have Euro 1,000m per year for the next seven to 29,272; while the News Letter is much greater administrative support. years." (IFA September newsletter). down 6.5% to 24,562.

24 2016 continued Congress of Trades Unions. SECOND PROGRAMME: The Union, representing 32,000 members, put a claim to the Labour Court (1991) Programme for Unions—an increase of in membership in June and a recommendation is expected Economic & Social Progress (3 of 10,277 over 2004." (ICTU—Report this month. years=36 months) of Executive Council, 2003-2005). They are seeking: a standard 35-hour working week; a wage rise of 10.5% for First Year: 4%; Second Year 3%; Third nurses; a special Dublin living allowance; Year 3.75%. Total: 10.75%. ****************************************************************** a review of premium and overtime pay; payments for monitoring trainees; and THIRD PROGRAMME: (Jan. Trade Union membership extra senior nursing promotion jobs. 1994, December 1996) in Republic as percentage INO General Secretary Liam Doran explained that his Union is not indicating Programme for of all employees acceptance, rejection or abstention. It 1960...... 44.0% would indicate its position on the Towards Competitiveness and Work (3 1975...... 55.0% 2016 terms after its members consider the Years=36 months) 2000...... 36.7% anticipated Labour Court recommendation. First Year: 2%; Second Year: 2.5%; 2001...... 37.6% The INO. has already decided to Third Year (first six months): 2.5%; Third 2002...... 35.6% boycott the second Public Service Year (second six months) 1%. benchmarking review because it feels that Total: 8%. ****************************************************************** its concerns were ignored by the first review in 2002. MINIMUM WAGE Mr. Doran explained that his Union is FOURTH PROGRAMME: INCREASE engaged "in a difficult balancing act", (Jan. 1997-March 2000) EMPLOYERS and Trade Union which involves "assessing the benefits of representatives failed to agree on 'Towards 2016' and the nurses' ongoing Partnership 2000 for Inclusion, increasing the minimum hourly wage rate pay campaign". Employment and Competitive- in advance of the ICTU Special Conference "We cannot remain an independent ness (3 Years and 3 Months-39 on 5th September 2006. trade union and also be constrained by Earlier this year the main 'social the concept of social partnership, which months) partners' agreed that they would "make a has achieved many good things but also First Year: 2.5%; Second Year: 2.5%; joint recommendation as to the amount of hindered our ability to address our members' claims." Third Year (first nine months): 1.5%; the increase by September 1, 2006". Third Year (final six months): 1%. This is set out under clause 2.1 of the Seven years ago, nurses held a nine- Total: 7.5%. new pay terms. The wage rate affects an day strike which secured special increases estimated 220,000 workers. and spurred the Government and other Neither the Ibec employers' nor the Public Service Unions into promoting the FIFTH PROGRAMME: Irish Congress of Trades Unions' concept of benchmarking. (April, 2000-Dec. 2002) A representatives have even met to consider The delegates heard that since 1999 Programme for Prosperity & a revision of the minimum wage. about 7,500 nurses left the country, while They are now expected to meet later many older nurses decided to opt out of Fairness (2 Years and Nine this month and if agreement is not reached the health service. Months-33 months) the matter is likely to be referred to the Labour Court. First Year: 5.5%; Second Year: 5.5%; BUREAUCRACY Under the Sustaining Progress pay Third Year (nine months): 4%. Mr. Doran criticised the growing "layer Total: 15% deal, both sides decided to outsource the upon layer of management bureaucracy determination of the minimum wage in the Health Service Executive, which increases to the Labour Court which, most paid 11% pay rises to the growing number SIXTH PROGRAMME: recently, recommended a 65 cents rise to of managers". Euro 7.65. The minimum wage adjustment (January, 2003-Dec. 2005) is due to come into operation at the beginning of 2007. Sustaining Progress; (3 ****************************************************************** Years=36 months) The Irish hourly minimum wage is the SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP second highest within the EU. 3% over 9 months; 2% over 6 months; AGREEMENTS 1987-2008 2% over 6 months; 1.5% over 6 months; NURSES AND SHOP 1.5% over 6 months; 2.5% over 6 months. WORKERS GO IT ALONE FIRST PROGRAMME: (1987) Total: 12.5%. As reported above, the pay terms were also side-stepped by two leading ICTU Programme for National Unions, the Irish Nurses' Organisation, Recovery (3 years=36 months) SEVENTH PROGRAMME: which has made demands including a 35- Increase in basic pay at the beginning (January, 2006-March, 2008) hour working week, and MANDATE, of each of three subsequent years (1988, which is asking for a Euro 1-an-hour wage 1989 and 1990) of 3% on the first £120 Towards 2016; (2 Years and 3 rise for most of its members in stores and (Euro 152.37) of basic weekly pay and 2% months=27 months) supermarkets. on the balance (yielding an estimated 3% over 6 months; 2% over 9 months; Delegates at a special Irish Nurses' average increase of 2.5 %). A minimum 2.5% over 6 months; 2.5% over 6 months. Organisation (INO) meeting on 1st increase of £4 (Euro 5.08) per week in Total: 10%. September 2006 voted unanimously for a basic pay for full time adult employees 'go-it-alone' policy separate from the Irish would apply. ****************************************************************** continued on page 24 25 2016 continued persona as the 'rational, reasonable' voice two years. These special pay increases of Trade Unionism would be quickly averaged out at 8.9%, but varied from 3% exposed. But again, he need never worry to 25% across the Public sector. I t meant by increases on June 1st, 2007, March 1st, as the 'whingers' just do not believe in that the public sector workers, on average 2008, and September 1st, 2008. social partnership or even a prices and received pay increases of over 16% under incomes policy. Sustaining Progress 2003-2005. ****************************************************************************** To them, it would be total betrayal, if Murphy and McLoone may be the Left did anything to make these social regarded as 'reformist' Trade Union leaders programmes work more effectively, even but they have kept their eye on the political A TENDENCY TO if that effectiveness is to the greater benefit ball on behalf of their members. 'WHINGE'? "Ultimately, most opponents of social of their members and the working-class The public service is the country's partnership deals within the trade union generally. largest employer, 235,000, nearly 20% of movement, are made up of activists or You see it in the writings of the Social the working population—immune from officials. But even the proponents of the Workers' Party activist, Kieran Allen—in the waves of East European immigration. system can undermine their own cause" the book: The Celtic Tiger: the myth of No wonder Bertie Ahern and Fianna (Industrial Relations News, 13.9.2006). social partnership in Ireland. Allen Fail view them as the bulwark of Fianna completely avoids the issue of price control Fail's vote! This point was effectively made by in tandem with wage control. Public Service Executive Union (PSEU) As we go to press, our argument about TWO MILLION General Secretary, Dan Murphy. A staunch price control is borne out, further: WORKERS supporter of the Agreements, Murphy said "Trade union leaders last night called Herein lies the greatest challenge to the achievements in respect of the for E.S.B.'s planned 19.7% hike in the future of the Trade Union movement: employment standards "are in sharp electricity bills to be scrapped, say the contrast to the position in other countries rise endangered wage agreements. * Employment stands at 2,017,000, where the trend is in the opposite "ICTU fears the rise—along with the the first time the workforce has exceeded direction". 33.8% hike in gas bills from next two million. month—will eat into wage increases Another issue the Unions need to take and squeeze hard-pressed families" (Irish Examiner , 22.9.2006). * More than 84,000 from the new EU into account is the relationship between member states form part of the workforce. their approach to the programme and Trade ****************************************************************************** Union organisation. * Just less than a third of those "We have a tendency—not just in SADNESS AS WORKERS employed have a third-level qualification. respect of the Programmes but in almost LEAVE IRISH FERRIES everything we discuss—to concentrate "JUST to let you know," said the e- Employment and the labour force grew on what we might not have achieved and by 4.7% and 4.8% respectively, to appear almost as 'whingers'. Yet, at mail to Seascapes, "that the last Irish the same time, we recognise that our Ferries ratings, directly employed by outstripping the EU averages of 1.7% and overriding concern has to be to strengthen the company, have left. 1.25%. Since 1998, the number of people the Movement by a massively enhanced "There are still a small number of in employment has grown by more than recruitment and organisation officers left but they will be going soon half a million. programme." also. We put up a good fight but the time The construction and services had come to bow out gracefully. Thanks industries continue to fuel employment to everyone who supported us along the Murphy said it was difficult to imagine way. It was a good job—The best... But growth in Ireland, according to the latest "a less effective means of seeking to attract now it is only a part of Irish maritime figures released by the Central Statistics workers to our cause than to spend our history. Irish Shipping went, B&I Office (C.S.O). time highlighting what we may not have followed it and also closed, then came The survey shows Ireland˙s workforce achieved". On the contrary, Irish Ferries but it has few Irish seafarers has exceeded two million for the first time "we need to make the most of the left." in the state˙s history. gains the Trade Union movement has An e-mail with a tinge of sadness and The construction industry, alone, secured in this Programme and trumpet regret. As I understand it, there were, after accounted for almost a quarter, or 20,300, them abroad as real and significant gains the Irish Ferries dispute earlier this year, of the country's new workforce. in this, our core activity. We should not 48 Irish seafarers left in the company. More than half of the country˙s new be sheepish about the gains we have There are now about 12. I asked Irish workers are foreign nationals, who make made and which are for the benefit of Ferries for comment, but they preferred workers generally." up 55% of the 87,800 increase in the "not to go back into that debate" (Tom workforce. Murphy is correct about the 'whingers' MacSweeney, Seascapes, Evening Echo, The total workforce of Ireland now who see all the faults, failures and 'might- Cork, 13.9.2006). stands at 2,017,000 people. have-beens'—but cannot acknowledge any The biggest employment increases gains, unless begrudgingly. ****************************************************************************** were in the 25-34 year age category, which The Left have still the hang-up about seen an overall increase of 36,000 jobs in 'revolution'—it blinkers everything else. BENCHMARKING the 12 months since April 2005. They cannot be seen to be helping the No wonder Dan Murphy and the Public 'system' to work. Rather than engage in Service Unions can go ahead and put all Congress is the largest civil society social partnership, they just sit and whinge, their endeavour into the second organisation on the island, representing waiting for the recession. programme of Benchmarking—the and campaigning on behalf of some The fundamental contradiction in all Private sector workers are out of the way 770,000 working people. There are these agreements since 1987, surely, is the now, they have their 10% for 27 months. currently 56 Unions affiliated to Congress, absence of price control. All we have is The cost of implementing the first north and south of the border. wage control. If the Left took up this issue phase of Public Service Benchmarking in "Total affiliated membership in the and took it up seriously, Dan Murphy's July, 2002, was over Euro 1.1 billion for Republic of Ireland was 557,097, in 43 continued on page 25 26 2016 continued bargaining allowed on top of this. THE LAST WORD? Taking the opposite view, John Carr, The final words at the Congress Irish National Teachers' Organisation gathering were left to SIPTU General believes that when the pay agreement (INTO) General Secretary, said the President, Jack O˙Connor, the pivotal expires there will be 'headroom' between "priorities of this Agreement are the figure in the talks, and leader of the largest it and the overall inflation picture. creation of a fair economy and society Trade Union. He said they should have no Begg also believes that the employment which distributes its resources in an illusions that by ratifying the Agreement standards measures constitute— equitable manner. It is a timely and badly that the agreed measures would actually "perhaps the single most important needed vision for modern Ireland." be realised. piece of social legislation ever seen in "The same forces that resisted them this country. Across the globe, good will continue to resist them… the same working conditions and standards are MANDATE˙S PAY CHALLENGE forces that see Trade Unions and labour under threat… Here in Ireland we have regulations and agreements as reversed that trend". Most of the criticism came from traditional opponents, or from those who— impediments on the free market." Several delegates expressed concern like the IBOA and ATGWU—believe they The Unions must protect the gains that the pay increases might not keep pace could secure better pay deals in free made in employment regulations, gains with inflation. collective bargaining. Mandate, by its very absence from the that he said were the "most significant in almost half a century". There were also calls for Unions to process this time, believes the same. Its While it could be argued that some of engage in concerted action to prevent General Secretary, John Douglas, has the gains made would be achievable in the employers from downgrading Pension attacked "the restrictive agenda placed context of a General Election, O˙Connor Schemes. on wage increases" which, he claims, said that no one who had been through The agreement includes a commitment governed the conduct of the talks from the disputes such as Pat the Baker, right up to by the Government to engage with Unions outset. Douglas also believes that the the present day, would really believe that. and employers in drawing up a comprehen- "cosy consensus of social partnership" And he signed off with a warning on sive policy on pensions. It is also to has done little to improve the lot of lower— inflation and its impact on the pay deal: if publish a Green Paper on the issue. and many middle-income earners. the inflation forecasts are not realised, he Irish Bank Officials' Association (Mandate has lodged pay claims with all hoped that this would be confronted by "a President Colman Moore said Pensions major retailers in a bid to secure an extra united trade union movement". had been a key issue in the latter stages of Euro 1 per hour on all existing hourly rates the Partnership talks, but what had emerged for 25,000 workers across the country.) in the Agreement had been a "major IBEC Director General, Turlough disappointment". JOHN DOUGLAS O'Sullivan, for the employers, said the "Even the proponents of the deal have INTERVIEW pay terms were at the higher end of what publicly stated the section on pensions is "Last October, we decided not to was appropriate for the Irish economy. extremely weak," he said, after informing participate in a process to thrash out a "However, business and employers the conference that IBOA members had successor agreement to Sustaining have agreed to the programme on the voted by nine-to-one to reject the Progress. Why then did we choose to grounds that it will deliver stable Agreement. remain outside of the talks, while the economic development, industrial peace, vast majority of our colleagues in ICTU real reform in the public sector, increased However, Public Service Executive decided to proceed?"The answer for us productivity and practical measures to Union General Secretary Dan Murphy is very simple. For our members, most assist the manufacturing industry." reflected the majority view when he said of whom are employed in the booming opponents of the Agreement had failed to retail and hospitality sectors, the ****************************************************************************** put forward a better course of action. restrictive agenda placed on wage increases which governed the conduct Technical, Engineering and Electrical of the talks from the outset did not inspire Towards 2016: Union leader Owen Wills said the any hope that this agreement would do the pay provisions employment standards provisions of the any more than its predecessor deal did to Agreement addressed issues of concern to address the ever-widening gap between Workers covered by the new 27-month workers in the construction and electrical those on higher incomes and those at the pay deal will receive the following sectors. lower end of the scale. "The sop of an extra 0.5% pay increase increases: THE TEACHERS negotiated at the 11th hour at the national • An initial increase of 3% (the start The Association of Secondary agreement talks for those earning less date for this first phase varies from one Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) said there had than Euro 10 an hour is, in MANDATE's opinion, nothing more than a sick joke at employer to another but generally, January been an 82% vote to reject the Agreement. the expense of the lower paid. 1st, 2006); Only 15% of its members entitled to "Research carried out last year on take part in the ballot actually voted on the behalf of the union by Farrell Grant • 2% after six months of the deal Agreement, which the Union claims failed Sparks Consulting shows that since 1998, (additional 0.5% for those earning Euro to address key issues such as the under- the wages of full-time equivalent workers 10.25 or less per hour); funding of second-level education, in the wholesale and retail sectors grew overcrowding in classrooms, under- by 34.7%, a full 10% behind the average • 2.5% after a further nine months; resourcing of science education, and a in the economy of 44.8%. lack of emphasis on special education "Profits in retail have increased • 2.5% after a further six months to needs. dramatically. In the decade between 1995 and 2004, the incomes of retail workers cover the final six months of the The Teachers' Union of Ireland has increased by 126%, while profits Agreement. also rejected the Agreement in a members' increased by 338%." (John Douglas, ballot. TUI General Secretary, Jim General Secretary of MANDATE, Irish Public sector staff will receive the first Dorney, suggested that pay should be Times, 5.9.2006). increase of 3% on December 1st, followed indexed linked with further local continued on page 26 27 VOLUME 24 No. 10 CORK ISSN 0790-1712 Towards 2016

The big news on the Labour front Delegates to the Special Conference promised improvements in monitoring and for September was the massive accept- of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions enforcement of employment standards and ance by Trade Unionists of the seventh (ICTU) voted by a big majority—242 in labour legislation. Social Partnership programme favour and 84 against—to accept the 10- "Towards 2016". year agreement Towards 2016 : a 74% The 32,000-member Irish Nurses' More dramatically, Ireland's work- majority. Organisation opted out of the 'social force has exceeded two million for the The main employers' body, IBEC, partnership' decision after its delegates first time in the state's history and has announced that its members had also voted on 1 September 2006 to pursue their presented organised labour with a huge accepted the deal, which was negotiated 10.2% pay claim and demands for a 35- challenge. by the social partners and the Government hour basic working week. More than half of the increased earlier this year. And the 40,000-strong MANDATE workforce of 87,800 are immigrants: As well as a 10-year social and retail Trade Union also withdrew from the 55% of the total. economic strategy, the agreement includes process six months ago and is pursuing More ominously, the construction new measures to uphold labour standards individual demands for a flat Euro 1 an industry alone accounted for almost a and a 10% pay increase for workers in hour increase in basic pay rates. quarter or 20,300, of the State's new phases over 27 months, which provides workforce. There are 250,000 people for average pay rises of 4.6%. ***************************************"*************************************** currently employed in construction—a "…there was little by way of excitement. serious imbalance in the economy, some Public servants will receive the first- Most of the speakers had been around the say. phase increase of 3% on 1st December same track a few times already in the past Finally, the soaring cost of housing 2006 but a large proportion of private- year and were glad to move on. The oppon- and energy brought the annual rate of sector employees will have their pay rises ents of the deal, while critical of the pay inflation to 4.5pc in August, the highest backdated to January 1st, 2006. arrangements, were—without exception figure for almost three and a half years. They will receive a 3% rise from that —pleased with the employment standards And, yes, the farmers have still not date, as well as a further 2% increase due measures" signed 'up to a deal' on "Towards 2016". to them since 1st July 2006, giving them a (Industrial Relations News, 13.9.2006). cumulative increase of slightly over 5%. ************************************************************ AFTER VOTING to accept "Towards 2016", the new National Pay Agreement, Many Union leaders were swayed by That traditional Union opponent of the many Cork delegates who attended the centralized bargaining on principle, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions' Special ATGWU, epitomized the above. John Subscribers to the magazine are regularly Bolger made a point of praising the Conference at the Jury Doyle Hotel, offered special rates on other publications Ballsbridge, Dublin, on Tuesday, 5th Executive of Congress for a job well done September 2006, got a big shock on arriv- Irish Political Review is published by in this regard. He was one of many ing at Mallow railway station to be the IPR Group: write to— speakers who took their cue from IMPACT Deputy General Secretary, Shay Cody, informed that they would have to find a 14 New Comen Court, North Strand, way home other, than by rail. Dublin 3, or who thanked the management of Irish A strike by rail maintenance workers PO Box 339, Belfast BT12 4GQ or Ferries and Ryanair for giving a major crippled Iarnrod Eireann's InterCity and PO Box 6589, London, N7 6SG, or boost to the Union movement in the form commuter rail services. Workers walked of the new employment standards and for Labour Comment, the 2001-2004 Industrial Relations Acts. off the job in protest at being asked to C/O Shandon St. P.O., Cork City. undertake work which, they argued, should The size of the vote in favour was be carried out by others. Subscription by Post: striking across most of the Unions that 12 issues: £17.50, UK; accepted the deal. SIPTU members in The men were supported by other Euro 25, Ireland; Euro 30, Europe. Iarnrod Eireann workers in Cork. both sectors backed it by a similar margin "Industrial peace may be the order of Electronic Subscription: (72%), while in Unions that used to oppose the day in general, but incendiary disputes Euro 15 / £12 for 12 issues the deals, like the TEEU, there were big in both the private and public sectors, (or Euro 1.30 / £1.10 per issue) votes in favour. although not of a traditional type, seem You can also order both postal and The chief negotiator, Congress General inevitable in the current climate" electronic subscriptions from: Secretary, David Begg, said that Congress (Industrial Relations News, 13.9.2006). www.atholbooks.org continued on page 27