Officers Remember Japan & WW 2 Ryanair & Unions The Emergency Philip O'Connor Labour Comment Manus O'Riordan page 16 page 20 back page IRISH POLITICAL REVIEW January 2009 Vol.24, No.1 ISSN 0790-7672 and Northern Star incorporating Workers' Weekly Vol.23 No.1 ISSN 954-

Interesting Times! Swelling The Ranks Of The Irish electorate voted wrong over Lisbon. The vote was unacceptable to those who are in authority over them. But, instead of punishing the voters, as British authority The British Military did. when they voted wrong in 1918, the Irish and European authorities have kindly by 0.01% decided to give them another chance to vote right, as they did over Nice. This new European democracy is a guided democracy, subject to authority. The old On 27th November 2008, BBC Radio form of democracy—which was taken to be the source of authority—was disorderly and 4's PM programme carried a story about a will no longer be tolerated. The meaning of the New Democracy is that the people are large increase in the number of recruits to given the opportunity to agree with what has been decided for them by an authority which the British military from the Irish Republic. they did not elect. Voting wrong is to be treated as a kind of rebellion—just as Britain The story was trailed on BBC news head- treated it in 1918-19. lines throughout the day. Since then, the The voters voted wrong because they were misled by an evil influence called Ganley. BBC website has carried an article written The European Parliament has investigated Ganley for Un-European Activities with a by PM journalist, Michael Buchanan, view to morally intimidating the electorate for its own good. But the operation was under the headline Irish Swell Ranks Of spoiled by the Czech President on his visit to Ireland, when he treated Ganley as a person UK Military [1]. with legitimate views on Europe who publicised those views legitimately. One could be forgiven for thinking the In the European Parliament the Czech President was harassed on behalf of majority British Army's serious recruitment prob- opinion in the Parliament by Rudi Dutschke, the famous dissident of the 1968 happening lems were at an end and that, thanks to the who cannot tolerate dissidence now. Such is the way of the world, especially with regard fighting Irish, Britain was, happily, in a to student revolutionaries. position to continue its imperial mission The Czech President—a dissident in a Westward direction today as he was in an in the world. * * * * Eastward direction way back then—was driven to hint at a similarity of attitude between Rudi Dutschke and President Brezhnev of the Soviet Union. Which is of course of a bit The BBC website story begins: of an exaggeration—so far at least. "The British military is experiencing a large rise in recruits from the Irish Originally the plan was to make the Irish electorate take its medicine neat: to vote on Republic, figures obtained by BBC Radio an unamended Treaty. Now there is notional talk of some small changes in Lisbon 4's PM programme have shown. provisions as far as Ireland is concerned—to be introduced at some distant date—on the "They reveal a four-fold increase in condition that the new Referendum is held before the end of 2009. A British General military personnel from the Irish Repub- Election is expected soon after that. And Tory leader David Cameron has let it be known lic during the past three years." that, if the Lisbon Treaty has not completed its ratification process by then, he will grant The least one would expect from an the British electorate a vote on the Treaty. More democracy. A dreadful prospect. article making such a bold claim would be a set of numbers showing exactly how Ganley, the Un-European demon, is investigating the possibility of forming a many recruits from the 26 Counties joined European Party to contest the next European election. And the European Parliament sees the British military in the past three years. that as a great menace to Europe. Remarkably, the article doesn't give any The European Parliament is a gigantic gravy train with little or no actual power. such numbers. Politicians of the various parties of the various States are put out to grass in it. Its purpose The only figures given relate to recruits is what in another context would be called corruption. It helps to elicit consent by to the British military through its recruiting dispensing lavish patronage. centres in Northern Ireland. According to Corruption is a slippery concept. It is called something else when it is approved of. the article, the percentage of these from But functional liberalism in the modern world had its origin in the massive system of the 26 Counties has risen as follows in the corruption operated by the first British Prime Minister, Robert Walpole, for more than past few years: 20 years in the first half of the 18th century. Walpole appeased the conflicts of principle, by which England had torn itself apart for a century, with large doses of patronage 2005-06 3% dispensed on all sides. Principles were bought off, with little pretence that anything else 2006-07 4.5% was being done. And the system of corruption that nurtured liberalism was continued 2007-08 10% for a century after Walpole. The bribery by which Pitt induced the Anglo-Irish Parliament to dissolve itself in 1800 was nothing really exceptional. It was just another 2008-present 14% instance of principle being undermined by patronage in the development of functional continued on page 2 continued on page 5 insisted that the project be called off, and C O N T E N T S he got Rory Quinn in the Labour Party to say that the Labour Constituency Council Interesting Times! Editorial 1 in the North, set up by Pat Rabbitte, would Swelling The Ranks Of The British Military—by 0.01%! David Morrison 1 be wound up, so that the North would Editorial Digest. (UUP Conference; NI Tories; Lawrence Kennedy; The IN; Reg again be made stew in its own juices as a Empey; David Cameron; Roy Garland; Defection Rumour; FF Forum; Intimidation lost province between two States, as it was Increasing; Great War Groupies; John A. Murphy 3 for two generations after 1922. Readers' Letters: Don't Give Up On Six Counties. Wilson John Haire 3 From Australia. Patrick O'Beirne 13 But things are not working out as smoothly as Cowen and Gilmore expected. Lisbon: Mantras And Realities. Jack Lane 6 A Fianna Fail Forum was launched in Shorts from the Long Fellow (Lenihan Must Try Harder! But How? What Is To Be Crossmaglen during the month, and its Done? Joseph E. Stiglitz; The Real Economy; Interest Rate Policy; Equality? 9 first meeting was attended by Fianna Fail 21st Century Commission's False Premise & Flawed Conclusion. Report 10 VIPs from the Republic, led by the Minister How Many Nations? Seán McGouran 11 for Foreign Affairs. And the anti-North Remembering Tom Barry. Cathal Brugha Oration (Report) 12 policy of the Labour Party received a Commdt. General Tom Barry Committee. Seamus Lantry 13 check at the Party Conference in Novem- Es Hora. Julianne Herlihy 14 ber. Gilmore could not bring himself to Irish Wartime Officers, Potential Invaders, And Trinity College say that Northern Protestants with a Labour Draft Dodgers. Manus O'Riordan 16 orientation should join the SDLP. Muriel MacSwiney's Memoir Of War Of Independence. (Final Part) 17 And then David Cameron announced Japan & WW2. Philip O'Connor (Part 1: Has The General A Point?) 20 that the Tory Party is resuming a connect- Afghanistan. Wilson John Haire (Two Sonnets: Azizabad; Married To Death) 23 ion with the Ulster Unionist Party and will Biteback: Church Of Ireland v. Aubane Historical Society? Jack Lane 23 fight the next election in the North in Francois Mitterrand. John Martin (review of book by Jacques Attali) 24 alliance with it. There were echoes of Does It Stack Up? Michael Stack (Withdrawing All Pig Products; Scientific Genius?) 27 CEC [Campaign for equal Citizenship] Notes On Irish Agriculture. Roy Johnston 28 propaganda of the 1980s in his speech to Bobby Sands Remembered. Seán McGouran (Review Of Hunger) 28 a Unionist conference. But his project is Historians? Brendan Clifford (Part 2: More on Jack Lynch by Dermot Keogh) 29 different in kind from that of the CEC, A Review Of What? BICO Is Dead—Long Live BICO. Jack Lane which advocated normalisation of political (Reply to Steven King) 36 arrangements in the North within the Coolacrease Review. Philip O'Connor (Report of reply to Steven King) 37 British party system, and both Catholics and Protestants were active in its campaign. The Conservative and Unionist Party, Labour Comment, edited by Pat Maloney: which Cameron now wants to restore, was Ryanair Recognises Trade Unions? a figment after 1921. Of its leaders at the time, only Lord Londonderry took part in the Northern Ireland Government. Churchill, his cousin, thought he was mad liberalism—in this case, the earnestly- direction of the USA. And it has expanded to give up a seat in the real Government to held principle of Protestant Ascendancy into Asia through its special relationship take part in the Belfast sham. And which guided the Irish Parliament in with Israel, where it gives actual support Londonderry soon returned to the Govern- keeping Papism at bay. to Jewish colonisation while tut-tutting ment of the State. (That there ever was a for the sake of conscience. Northern Ireland state is something that Money makes the money-world go only academic historians whose mental round. The money-world was created by The European Parliament has been try- processes are lubricated by patronage Walpole and his associates and successors. ing desperately to pin a corruption charge could believe.) Swift campaigned as a Jacobite Tory on Ganley. But it is obvious that his real The Ulster Unionist part of the Conserv- against the Whig war on France on the offence is that he has not submitted to the ative Party was never Conservative. It ground that it was being funded by a EU system of corruption. And that he has was an all-party alliance of Ulster Protest- massive increase in the National Debt, the object of making the European Parlia- ants, whose ten or twelve MPs at Westmin- which was dissolving traditional values ment a responsible body, by means of a ster voted with the Tories for some and establishing money as the universal European party, instead of a gathering of symbolic reason, but which agreed that at value. He lost. Money has increasingly kept men and women. Stormont it should be bound by the out- taken the place of all other values ever come at British elections. Around 1947 it since. The ideal of the money-state and * voted with the Tories against the Socialist the money-society settling down into a Meanwhile, at home, Sinn Fein and the legislation of the Labour Party at Westmin- stable harmony in which there will be no DUP have agreed something like a ster, but re-enacted all of that legislation at corruption survives as a Utopian fantasy Government again for a while, despite the Stormont. (This fact escaped the notice of only. efforts of the SDLP. This has happened Trinity Professor, David Fitzpatrick, who The great objection to the European largely because Gordon Brown did not wrote that a Northern Ireland state obstruct- system, as it has been altered since the intervene in support of the Unionists, as ed social welfare legislation.) 1980s, is not the corruption by which it Tony Blair usually did. The Ulster Unionist Party wrecked itself lubricates itself, but the absence of under David Trimble’s leadership. The purposeful statecraft behind it. It has set Brian Cowen called off the project of remnant, led by Reg Empey (and in itself on a drift towards unlimited expan- extending Fianna Fail organisation to the Westminster by Lady Hermon, its only sion of which the only outcome that can be North, which Bertie Ahern initiated. Mark MP there and an admirer of Labour’s extrapolated is war on Russia under the Durkan, the leader of the SDLP remnant, Gordon Brown) will be committed under 2 this new arrangement to fighting elections on Conservative policies, which should LETTERS TO THE EDITOR · LETTERS TO THE EDITOR· LETTERS TO THE EDITOR· please the DUP and help it remain the major Unionist Party. It has been revealed that Cameron also Don't Give Up On Six Counties! has the ambition of linking with Fine Gael, and that a Fine Gael delegation is to In Julianne Herlihy's article: Es Ahora (Irish Political Review, Dec. '08) she go to England to study Toryism. Will this describes, what was for her, a frightening experience while on a trip to Belfast with some lead to a restoration of the full United companions. I don't suppose I can assure her that scene there is an every-day normality. Kingdom? Or just make problems about First of all the train journey from Dublin to Belfast is the equivalent of the USA's Get another Fine Gael/Labour Coalition? Your Kicks/On Route 66. Train-hopping by spooks is an old game. As teenage communists around 1949/1950 some of us decided to meet up with youth of a similar political point of view in Dublin. Editorial Digest Yes, your man plonked himself right down besides us in our carriage (some of the trains had no corridors then). He had no hand luggage, no raincoat (when raincoats were carried): he just sat there in his sports jacket and trousers with lots of pens and pencils The Ulster Unionist Party Conference, sticking out of his top pocket to prove he was educated. At the Dublin station he followed called off a couple of months ago, finally us for a bit and then disappeared. took place on December 6th. The Dave After a one-night stay over in Dublin we got to the station and looked around for your and Reg show is the common and fair man but neither hair nor hide of him could we see. description of it. UUP leader Reg Empey He re-appeared when the train stopped at Newry. This time we were on a corridor appears to want closer ties between his train. He stood in the corridor looking into our compartment throughout the two-hour Party and the Conservatives, leading to journey. unity, on the basis of having a single Then at what was then called the Great Northern Railway Station, in Belfast's Great British Party in favour of the Union. He Victoria Street, he dashed to the ticket barrier in front of us, in time to give us that doesn't want it mentioned that the Tories psychotic stare, Julianne describes. have had a Party organisation in Northern Ireland which has stood for election We used to wonder which police force was involved in trying to frighten us but that (mainly in the North Down posh area) stare is definitely a unionist one. That kind of spook is most likely committed for the last 20 years. The Tories seem to ideologically to the former rabid setup in the Six Counties. He will probably loathe want that forgotten also. The Dave power-sharing. Loathe Freestaters. Spooking is more than a job to him. Who knows, his (Cameron) and Reg show follows a joint dad could be one of those 55 year-old union-jacked tattooed skinheads, Julianne statement by both of them in July on describes so vividly. closer party ties. The poppy is almost extinct in England, especially London. You might see one being The Northern Ireland Tories were led worn out of every two hundred people who pass in the street. But of course it still by Lawrence Kennedy, now working as flourishes in Belfast. a surgeon in Florida. He gave up on Some time back in the 1950s, when air travel was beyond the pockets of most people, politics because, he says, the authorities an English football team came by boat to Belfast to play Linfield (the Blues—a did not give him proper protection after Protestant team). As the cross-channel boat came in carrying the English team, all they an attempt on his life by the INLA. could see on the jetty was masses of Union Jacks being waved at them in an aggressive Kennedy responded to the Empey/ manner. The captain of the English team and his players were quoted as saying they Cameron statement in July as follows: thought they were about to enter a foreign country. "I hope you will all forgive me for All I can say to Julianne and her companions is not to give up on the Six Counties, believing that the Conservative movement have a good look around it, eventually you'll become immune to the shock of it all. that I played a part in setting up may be in Wilson John Haire the process of being “stitched up”—I will be delighted to be proved wrong, but servatives in NI will be attracted by a The Irish News: Brian Feeney pronoun- nothing in either the joint article by cobbled up arrangement with the UU." ced on the matter on December 10th. He Cameron/Empey or the report by Andrew (Impala Publishers Blog Page 26th July.) warned the Unionists that they were being Porter makes me believe that former UU made the tools of the Tories, using the people will declare themselves now to be Lawrence Kennedy wrote in the Belfast Telegraph (26th July): analogy of the dog and the lamp post Conservative and willing to run as Con- with the Unionists being the lamp posts. servatives at elections. Anyway, I am out "Sir—If David Cameron is really But, of course, the mouthpiece of Ulster of all this, but keep in touch via the internet, interested in breaking the sectarian mould Hibernianism won't be seen as trying to and sometimes distance gives a clearer (Comment, July 24) he should welcome support the Unionists either, and mocks perspective than close involvement. Do members of any of the local parties, not not underestimate the propensity of the just the Ulster Unionists. Along with them with phrases like "Sir Reg 'never- Tory establishment, be it under Thatcher, others in the late 1980s, I campaigned to-be MP' Empey". But the Hibernians Major, or Cameron, to manipulate and for the Conservatives to organise in need the Unionists more than ever and ultimately piss all over potential support- Northern Ireland. The grassroots were must warn off the Tories as they have ers. I would suggest that the reason the wholly supportive, while the party hier- tried to warn off Fianna Fail and the Irish Conservative Party is not doing well in archy were aghast. As the Conservative and British Labour Parties. The SDLP elections in NI on its own is the same as candidate in 1992, I came a respectable and the Ulster Unionist Party (what's left always—when Tory leaders and shadow second in North Down, with more than of them) can live only in communal cabinet people come to NI they go out of 14,000 votes. The proposal of David politics. At least one of the parties their way to lavish praise on the wonderful, Cameron and Sir Reg Empey smacks running Stormont (Sinn Fein) has the farsighted people in the local parties and more of opportunism than genuine ambition to be a leading Party in a real pointedly avoid projecting the message political progress, and is unlikely to state. So commenting on David Came- that they want people to vote Conservative. attract support across the religious divide ron's speech to the UUP Conference, Please explain to me how Catholic con- in Northern Ireland." Feeney says: 3 "It's a cheap cruel gimmick thought out oldest parties in the United Kingdom as it price to protect democracy and the rule by a dangerous Dilettante and with pos- happens—should again come together to of law here in Northern Ireland. We owe sible repercussions for him a couple of forge a common identity and shared values. them an immense debt of gratitude… years down the line if he needs the support And that constitutional integrity isn't just "But the constitutional certainty that of nine DUP MPs. For Empey it's pure under threat from regional nationalisms. Northern Ireland now enjoys opens the lunacy." It is also under threat from the empire opportunity for that to change and for builders within the European Union. So it normal politics to develop. Normal polit- Reg Empey's Goal, apart from trying to is good to know that Jim Nicholson, our ics in which people in Northern Ireland stop the disappearance of his Party, is to MEP will be standing shoulder to shoulder can participate at all levels of government nullify the line from John Major's Gov- with Conservatives in the European in the United Kingdom, from the council ernment that Britain has no selfish econo- Parliament and defending our shared chamber right the way to the cabinet mic or political interest in maintaining heritage and political identity." (UUP table itself. But people in Northern the border. Major's statement was true Conference. 6th December.) Ireland need to be involved in decisions in the context of a massive campaign about their lives that are not devolved: David Cameron's speech to the UUP orchestrated in Britain to subvert the taxation, public expenditure, pensions, Conference: Free State over the last thirty years, but the broad thrust of social policy, defence "Today we come together— being finally exposed and publicly and foreign affairs. As things stand, Conservatives and Unionists—to create Northern Ireland MPs are effectively opposed in the last few years. Holding a dynamic new political and electoral the Six Counties prior to that gave a excluded from exerting a real influence force, a new force to cement Northern on any of these matters. This is not true leverage to Britain over Irish politics. At Ireland's position as a peaceful, prosper- that time the British had a definite representative democracy and it has got ous and confident part of our United to change. Why are there great Ulstermen political and economic interest in Kingdom… Today I want to tell you partition. DeValera's tearing up of the and women on our television screens, in why I utterly reject this view and the our boardrooms and in our military but Treaty, neutrality in Britain's war with whole notion of no-go areas for the not in our Cabinet? The semi-detached Germany in 1939, Ireland's break with Conservative Party and explain why I status of Northern Ireland politics needs Sterling and its joining the Euro, all believe that Conservatives and Unionists to end. It's time for Northern Ireland to weakened Britain's control of Ireland. are better together than apart. It comes be brought back into the mainstream of The British now have hopes for the re- down to three things. A deep commit- British politics. Northern Ireland needs incorporation of the whole of Ireland, ment to the Union. A strong belief in MPs who have a real prospect of holding albeit in a loose form. The more they are democracy. And a great respect for the office as ministers in a Westminster successful, the less partition will matter Ulster Unionist Party… government. That's what a dynamic to them. "I've never been a little Englander. I new political force of Conservatives and passionately believe in the Union and Unionists offers a revival of real Reg Empey said: the future of the whole United Kingdom democracy across the United Kingdom. "David Cameron says he is passionate … We're better off together—England, "But let me pay a particular tribute to about the Union. So am I. So, too, is the Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland— the Ulster Unionist Party, to Reg Empey's Ulster Unionist Party. David says he because we all bring our strengths to the leadership and to other leaders of the wants to be Prime Minister of the entire mix… But standing up for the Union past. It is largely through your efforts United Kingdom. And that's what we want, isn't just about expressing our important that Northern Ireland's constitutional too. A Conservative Leader and Prime feelings about our shared heritage. It's position is settled. The consent principle Minister who is not neutral on the Union. also a rational argument based on mutual is paramount, enshrined in national and A Conservative Party and Government interest. Together, we are the fifth largest international law. Nationalists and which is not a neutral observer of events economy in the world. Together, we republicans now work with Unionists in here. An Ulster Unionist-Conservative have a seat at the top table and are a shared administration at Stormont. The relationship which shifts Northern Ireland listened to in a way that other countries territorial claim in the Irish constitution from the "ledge of the Union" to the very can only dream of. Together, we have is gone. The relationship with the Irish heart of the United Kingdom. That's what one of only five permanent seats of the Republic is of the kind one would expect the Conservative Party believes in and United Nations Security Council. of two neighbours that share a land that's what the Ulster Unionist Party Together we are a major player in the border." believes in. Ulster Unionism was forged EU, in NATO and other international and formed from the Home Rule crisis in organisations. And together, we have Roy Garland, the Ulster Unionist Party the late 1880s. The geographical and the British military—one of the most resident columnist on the Irish News, political shape of the United Kingdom as respected armed forces in the world. was not as taken by David Cameron's we know it today is partly the handiwork Northern Ireland punches above its speech as the enthusiasts in the UUP of the Ulster Unionist Party. Our Party weight in Britain's armed forces and were: has taken the significant step of restoring Britain punches above its weight in the "…it was wrongly reported that it Unionism's historic relationship with the world because of the expertise and {Cameron's speech about the Conservative Party. It is a relationship bravery of those forces. Indeed, nothing constitutional position of Northern that is about much more than mere party embodies the Union better than our Ireland}“overturned Conservative politics. It is a constitutional statement. It military bonds. Last century, when we rhetoric". It clearly did no such thing… declares and demonstrates that Northern stood alone against a deadly threat to all Cameron thinks the new alliance could Ireland is not a place apart—not an internal we hold dear, we stood alone together. attract Catholic votes but a Tory alliance colony. It is an outward and visible sign of The servicemen of our islands fought won't produce a more Catholic-friendly Northern Ireland's rightful place within together in every single theatre of the party. The Orange Order has gone and the United Kingdom. The Union Second World War… A few weeks ago, despite everything a few unsung Catholics championed by David Cameron is the you welcomed home to this city the remain but even a few more Catholic Union and the United Kingdom that this brave men and women of the Royal Irish recruits would neither make a summer nor party and his party helped to fashion. So Regiment. All of them heroes—risking compensate for a party in danger of losing at a time when the constitutional integrity their lives thousands of miles away the common touch." (Irish News. 8th of that Union and United Kingdom is protect our security at home. We rightly December.) being challenged by a variety of regional salute them for their courage and nationalisms, how fitting that the Ulster professionalism as we do those who Defection Rumour It is believed (Irish Unionists and Conservatives—the two over thirty long years paid the ultimate News. 16th December) that Ken 4 Robinson, UUP Assembly Member for John A. Murphy was the interviewee on nearly 40,000 and the Air Force over East Antrim, is about to defect to the RTE's One To One programme on 40,000, it is a bit of a stretch to describe an DUP. The UUP denies the rumour, but December 1st. He came across as a extra 20 recruits from the Irish Republic Mr. Robinson refuses to comment. confused man—not in the sense that his as "swelling the ranks of the British mili- mind was going. But, while his instincts tary". The actual "swelling" amounts to A Fianna Fail Forum has been established are with the revisionists, his colleagues around 0.01%, that is, one ten thousandth, in Crossmaglen. It is the first NI branch in that crusade have regularly annoyed of the British military's total strength. outside a University; already existing him with observations, such as the That's why the story contained no actual are the William Drennan Cumann in Protestant mind being somehow superior recruiting figures. The message that the QUB and the Watty Graham Cumann at to the Catholic mind. But Murphy got British military wanted delivered about Magee. It will be able to send delegates quite animated over one "achievement", increased recruitment from the Republic and speak at the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis to as he called it. In the 1930s UCC was would not bear the inclusion of actual be held on 29th February. About 35 dominated by a statue of Queen Victoria recruiting figures. And BBC journalist, attended a meeting addressed by Justice which was removed and buried un- Michael Buchanan, colluded with the Minister Dermot Ahern, along with ceremoniously. It was replaced by a military in excluding them. former Dail Ceann Comhairle Dr. Rory statue of St. Finnbar, Patron Saint of * * * * O'Hanlon (who is current TD for Cavan- Cork. Murphy and friends had the Monaghan), FF Party Chairman Seamus What do I base my guess on? Famine Queen dug up and replaced in a First, an Irish Times article by Conor Kirk TD, and FF General Secretary Sean prominent position. Dorgan. The meeting elected an officer- Lally on 6th September 2008, entitled panel which is to be chaired by Martin Lure Of Combat Draws Irish Men And McAllister of Crossmaglen. James Women To British Army. This stated: Kernan, a former leading Irish show- "Last year, of the number of soldiers jumper, also from Crossmaglen is Vice- from the island of Ireland to join the Chairman. The Party was registered in Swelling The Ranks… British army, just three per cent were Northern Ireland on 7th December and continued from the Republic. This year, that figure the question of contesting elections will has jumped to 16 per cent, or about two Since no figures are given for the total recruits per month." [2] be considered by the National Executive recruited through these centres, it isn't at a later stage. possible to calculate the actual number This means that, up to then in 2008, only 16 soldiers had been recruited from Intimidation Increasing: 'Special recruited from the Republic in these years. the Republic (and the annual rate was 24). Purchase Of Evacuated Dwellings' is a The "four-fold increase" in recruitment from the Republic is justified by comparing Those figures must have come from the scheme which allows the Housing British military. Could it be that Conor Executive to by homes of people who the 3% in 2005-06 with the 14% in 2008 so far. Lally refused to be fobbed off with the have been intimidated out of them. Last meaningless percentage figures that later year the total number of houses bought Making such a claim assumes that the total numbers recruited through Northern appeared in the BBC story? It should be was 22. In the first eight months of 2008, said that his percentages are difficult to 32 homes have been bought under the Ireland centres were approximately the reconcile with the BBC's above. Note, scheme. This is one of many indications same from year to year (since, for example, if total numbers fell, 10% of the 2007-08 however, that they are for British Army that the sectarian divisions in the North recruitment only. are increasing since the War ended. total could be greater than 14% of the 2008 total). * * * * Great War groupies: The "Our War" The "four-fold increase" claim also Second, an Irish Independent article by campaign is now going local. There was ignores recruitment from the Republic Security Editor, Tom Brady, on 10th a TCD clone in Howth delivering the through other recruitment centres. The October 2008, which began: Our War message to the Heritage Society latter was justified after a fashion by saying "A recruitment drive by the British on 26th November—packed meeting of that "most of the southern Irish recruits Army in the Republic has had little 120 at least. The presentation was pure join up" in Northern Ireland. impact on the Defence Forces. propaganda and was accompanied by a * * * * "The expensive drive has been focused slide show of British propaganda Lt. Col. Dick Rafferty, the man respon- on potential recruits here for more than posters—described as being essentially sible for recruitment in Northern Ireland, a year. But the Chief of Staff of the accurate. He also called the Central was interviewed in the programme. Defence Forces, Lt Gen Dermot Earley, Powers the "Axis powers" and the Obviously, he knows the precise number revealed yesterday that between April National Volunteers the "Irish of southern Irish recruited through his last year and the end of September, only Volunteers". Germany's "Belgian centres, otherwise he wouldn't have been 24 applicants had signed up. He did not atrocities" figured large, as did the able to calculate the percentages. want to comment on the drive but made it clear the campaign had not interfered Lusitania etc. This was mixed with This begs an obvious question: why are with the recruitment process here." [3] accounts from some local unionists, who actual, readily understandable, numbers provided tearful memories of how their absent from Michael Buchanan's article? This figure, which again appears to be fathers/grandfathers had been "excluded" The answer is that, had actual numbers for the British Army only, represents an (including allegedly being refused houses been present, the article could not have annual rate of 16 for the period April 2007 by Dublin Corporation). This was been entitled Irish Swell Ranks Of UK to September 2008. followed by 1914-18 war songs by an Military—the "swelling" would have been (Defence Minister Willie O'Dea is entertainer now living in Britain but who revealed to be a pimple, because the quoted in the article as saying "there were came from the area. 1916 and War of numbers involved are extremely small, currently five applicants for every vacant Independence were ridiculed as even after the "four-fold" increase in the post for enlisted personnel in the Defence "nationalist myth", "nationalist icons" past 3 years. Forces, while the rate for officers' positions etc. No mention of course of 1918 My guess is that recruitment has gone was 25-1".) Election. Hard to get a word in against up from under 10 per year to about 30 per * * * * the torrent. But for all that, the 'Our War' year since 2005. Given that the British Third, a written question in the House line is very shallow and very fragile. Army is about 100,000 strong, the Navy of Commons on 18th February 2008 5 revealed that— public, with the help of the BBC, that the our helping to supply the cannon fodder, "In 2007, 257 people from Northern Irish are "swelling the ranks of the British as we did in 1914-18. Happily, there is Ireland, who applied through one of the military"? Their objective is obvious: it is very little evidence of success to date. four Armed Forces Careers or Army to make it seem that it is not an unusual David Morrison Careers Information Offices in Northern event for people from the Irish Republic 18 December 2008 Ireland, joined the Army" [4]. to join the British military, and by so www.david-morrison.org.uk doing encourage recruitment from the That was the written answer given by References: Defence Minister, Derek Twigg, in reply Republic. [1] news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7749793.stm to Conservative MP, Andrew Rosindell, A number of factors have convinced [2] www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0906/12 the British military that the time is ripe for 20629535638.html who asked "how many people from [3] www.independent.ie/national-news/british-army-drive- Northern Ireland joined the British Army recruitment there. Lt. Col. Rafferty told misses-our-troops-1494968.html in 2007?" the BBC: [4] www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhan "This is a generation who are less srd/cm080218/text/ In addition to these 257 people from 80218w0021.htm Northern Ireland who joined through these familiar with the British army supporting [5] www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhan offices there were, of course, others from the policing operation of the north. srd/vo060605/text/ "They are more familiar with the wider 60605w0007.htm the Republic. Taking the 10% figure given [6] news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5342624.stm efforts of the British army in Iraq and by the BBC as the percentage from the [7] www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article623015 Afghanistan. Where previously {the .ece Republic in 2007-08, at a rough guess this troubles in} Northern Ireland informed 5 June 2006 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ means around 28 from the Republic in the mindsets of the last generation, that cm200506/cmhansrd/vo060605/text/60605w0007.htm 2007. (It's only a rough guess because the is less the case with this upcoming 27 December 2007 http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ 10% figure is for 2007-08, rather than news/article623015.ece generation." 18 February 2008 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/ 2007, and it applies to all recruits to the pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080218/text/ British military, not just the British Army). Another factor that he doesn't mention 80218w0021.htm This figure (which is for the Army is the current vogue for celebrating past 18 August 2006 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5261834.stm only) is higher than the other two, but it is Irish participation in the British military, 6 September 2008 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ still very small beer in a British military by, for example, claiming the first World ireland/2008/0906/1220629535638.html 10 October 2008 http://www.independent.ie/national-news/ complement of around 180,000. War as "our war". The British state sees british-army-drive-misses-our-troops-1494968.html * * * * the possibility of making Afghanistan and 27 November 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/ future British wars "our wars" too and of 7749793.stm On 1st April 2006, there were only 325 people in total from the Republic in the British military, 215 in the Army, 50 in the Navy and 60 in the Air Force, that is, roughly 1 in 500 of the Army, 1 in 1000 of European Round-up the Navy and 1 in 1000 of the Air Force, were from the Republic. This was revealed Lisbon—Mantras And Realities in a written answer in the House of Commons on 5 June 2006 [5], which sets ALL HEART AND NO SOUL? fashioned window dressing. out in detail the extraordinary numbers of Micheál Martin has prepared a few The original European ideal is as dead non-British people in the British forces, favourite mantras for the upcoming as the Monty Python parrot. Passing particularly in the Army. campaign on Lisbon. A favourite one is Lisbon would the final funeral rites for it. In April 2006, 6.2% of the British Army that it is necessary to pass Lisbon for That means there will continue to be at wasn't British (6,670 personnel) and that Ireland to be at the heart of Europe. A nice least 27 hearts in Europe. It will be an doesn't count over 3,000 Gurkhas, which place to be if one was certain where it is. unending spectacle of some and the rest, brings the total non-British close to 10% To develop the metaphor, the problem is with the odd one haggling and hustling in [6]. Of this, the contribution from the that Europe had a heart transplant some their own national interests and winning Republic (or "Eire" as it is called in the time ago. It was founded and thrived on some and losing some—with great dis- answer) is small compared with Fiji the integrative values of Christian Demo- plays of unity at all costs. But it will be all (1,995), Jamaica (975), South Africa (720), cracy, politically based on the Franco- synthetic unity. If real unity of purpose Ghana (660) and Zimbabwe (565). Even German axis and the main instrument was existed in Europe there would be no need the Caribbean islands of St Vincent and St a Commission to devise and implement a to mention it, any more than anyone would Lucia, with 280 and 225 respectively, new European polity. That was the heart go on about the great unity of the 26 each contribute more. The "swelling of and soul of the project. That is the case no Counties. The only sensible slogan is the ranks" by 20 or so, which seem to have longer. 'Europe was good for us—keep it that occurred in the last few years, will not Outgoing President of Europe Sarkozy, way—Vote No!' change matters significantly. in his end of term report to the European The British Navy and Air Force are Parliament on 16th December, specifically THE SMOKING GUN? much less dependent on foreign recruits ruled out more integration. For him it is a The relaunched Village magazine has than the Army—only 1.2% of the Navy future of expansion, rather than integration initiated the latest piece in the 'Get Ganley' and 0.4% of the Air Force are not British. by a collection of nation states, and that's campaign in the hope that, if he is dis- (If an article in The Sun on 27th Decem- the way it's going to stay. "In conclusion, credited, the Lisbon referendum will be ber 2007 is to be believed, the number of Mr. Sarkozy said Europe required an passed next time. The logic of this new foreigners in the Army has rocketed in understanding between different nations, approach was explained by its author: recent years. There were, The Sun says, though he stressed he was not an only 300 foreign troops in the Army a integrationist but he was determined to "When we know who paid for the most expensive private political campaign in decade ago, not counting the Gurkhas preserve the nation state" (EP Website). the history of State, we will know their [7].) And he was cheered. His boasts of unity * * * * motivation. And then the Irish people and unanimity achieved on this, that and will know just who it is who is asking Why is the British military engaging in the other during his Presidency was a case them to vote No, and maybe also, Why. this outlandish attempt to convince the him protesting too much. Good old- The cemeteries of Europe prove it 6 matters" (Mr. Colm MacEochaidh, stop the second beginning. And he only The IIEA is a body of the Great and the Village, 26 November) got involved to defend his state when it Good in Ireland under the patronage of the So funding is the smoking gun that was attacked. And I might add that the President herself, God bless her. explains all. This is pathetic. It says more largest percentage of the dead of these As the Lisbon Treaty is essentially a about MacEocdhaidh than about Ganley. wars were from Stalin's state. He is not request for a vote of confidence in this It is a form of perverted Marxism gone responsible for a single one of those 70 very body and its European equivalent, crazy. That man is some kind of money million deaths. When it comes to trying to one would expect this document to make and material driven automaton. If money stop and avoid World Wars. Colm should a succinct and convincing case for a Yes explains why and how a case can be made propose a monument to Stalin in Brussels vote—especially to people like me who successfully against Europe then it would rather than making cheap jibes. have supported the European project for follow that more money is the key to a Colm is of course quite right to focus about 40 years. successful campaign for Lisbon. And, on the World Wars as the raison d'etre of The problem is that it begs so many whatever else the referendum proved, it the European project but he inevitably has questions which the authors seem to see proved that money and funding do not win a cock-eyed appreciation of what it really no need to explain. There are the usual arguments about Lisbon—even billions is all about if he cannot accept the actual reasons given in favour of the Treaty that of it. Money can awe, intimidate, coax , cause of its creation—Britain's engineer- are assumed to be self-evidently good— bribe and frighten people but it cannot ing of two world wars at the expense of such as that enlargement necessitates more actually persuade them in the secrecy of a nations of Europe. And now Britain is streamlining etc. (para 42). But there has ballot box. Something more powerful does. trying to replace the old, pacific motives never been a convincing case made for And, if money and funding is the crucial for building up the Union with a new, this. The existing structures have facilitated thing, then it should also follow that the militarist, perspective. enlargement and its functioning with no European project itself must be based on The original founding states eventually obvious problems for years. such things as it has been successful so far. got together to to put an end to British The document does not consider the But Colm himself realises this is not the playing off European powers against each dynamic of never-ending expansion: after case. He begins with an attempt to explain other—and naturally enough did not invite all, as more countries join, their relations the origins of the project. the cause of their problems to be a part of with neighbouring states are disrupted, the solution. And the cause of their problem necessitating further enrolments, with the "In September this year I visited cemeteries along the route of the western most certainly did not want to be part of Union being diluted each time. front of the First World War, where Irish the solution. These are the basic facts that As the EU becomes more unwieldy, Soldiers lie among the fallen. The seem unknown to Colm and so many 'streamlining'—meaning less democratic European powers and their acolytes others these days. procedures—becomes increasingly neces- killed millions of young men in the This ignorance can have him say things sary. At the present time, the elimination name of … well, not even historians like: "The union of states expanded from of the rotating Presidency—to be replaced agree on why they fought. The war to a crude trading bloc into a true by a permanent President selected by the end all wars failed to live up to its billing. community". It has expanded in the very Council of Ministers—is the real and The European powers went back to the opposite way. It began as a true community significant target of this streamlining. mass killing of soldiers and civilians with clearly shared values based on There is only one fleeting reference to this two decades later. Conservative estim- European Christian Democracy and is now in the 157 page document, despite its huge ates place the number of dead at 70 a crude trading bloc with undefined borders significance. Again, no real argument is million. It's easy to let those numbers and its aims have now developed into made against the existing system, despite slide by, misled by Stalin's cold remark modernised versions of European imper- the fact that the rotating Presidency is a that the death of one person is tragic but ialistic attitudes towards the rest of the real practical demonstration of equal treat- the death of a million is “a statistic”…". world. It is now led by the state that knows ment and equal responsibility among It strikes me as very odd that he has not best how to do this—the UK—led by the Member States. Where has it failed? taken the trouble to arrive at some definite state whose imperialistic games were the (Compare it with the nonsense of the two conclusion himself as to these why those original raison d'etre of the project! site rotation for the European parliament 70 million died. If the historians don't This is why the EU is in crisis. That is which is a complete joke.) There is very agree, he seems quite capable of reaching why there is a growing gut distrust of it. productive competition among Member his own conclusion. He certainly does not That is why the Ganleys of this world can States to outshine each other at being lack the brains to do so. His legal training make a case to people against Lisbon. better at running Europe. What could be should surely make him consider such Anyone and everyone can also do so. It so more important for integration than this evidence as looking at who actually easy to pick holes in the Union when its type of practical integration through the declared the war on Germany which set basic moral purpose is shattered. Up to experience of having the responsibilities the whole thing off. Then at who attacked now, people here and elsewhere in Europe that go with the Presidency? Turkey to enlarge the war further. Then at did always give it the benefit of the doubt, What could replace it is a real two tier who invaded Greece. Then at who got but they are now saying enough is Europe which the Lisbon supporters all Italy to join in and who therefore got the enough—and that will remain the case claim to abhor—those who are deemed up War truly going on a world scale. He even if another referendum is won. People to the job and those deemed not—a real could rest his case on those facts alone. will hate themselves even if they vote for first and second class divide. The new There is of course no mystery about it as they know and everyone knows their arrangement is bound to put more power who and what the smoking gun was in that heart will not be in it. into the hands of the big States. case, even if our forensic legal eagle The document does produce a new chooses not to see it. No mystery whatever MAKING ANOTHER PITCH FOR LISBON rationale for the Treaty which I have not —it was Britain's plan to extend its Review: "Ireland's future after Lisbon" by seen emphasised before. It is at pains to Empire's power and influence and destroy the Institute of International and European point out that the whole process that led to anything it regarded as standing in its Affairs (Dublin, Nov. 2008) the Treaty began with D'Estaing's way. The document is very worthy and wordy Convention which was set up shortly after I don't get the gratuitous dig at Stalin. in outlining various scenarios that might the 9/11 attack in New York because, inter Stalin did more than most to end the First arise from the various possibilities as alia, "debate on the future of Europe took World War—and did more than most to regards the future of the Lisbon Treaty. on a new and disturbing dimension, not 7 least in terms of internal and international sitates a new EU Treaty! It seems Russia Sarkozy become so Anglo-Saxon that he security" (para. 26). cannot win with the West. Again, most is as perfidious as Albion? But how exactly that event necessitated people appreciate that Russia is not now We have the absurd spectacle of the an EU Constitution is not explained. This any sort of threat and yet the EU slavishly Council President criticising Ireland for is in effect a convoluted way of accepting follows the most aggressive notions about causing problems for the City of London the US interpretation of the current Russia that float around the USUK world.. in attracting sterling into the Eurozone— international situation. The suggestion is We are then told that recent "financial it should not dare upset the poor dears in that the international security situation turmoil" has "strengthened the need for the City of London! If this is Lisbon's after 9/11 necessitated a new EU Treaty. the reform contained in the Lisbon Treaty" answer to Ireland's crisis then it's a case of What this has meant in practice is that the (para. 12). But how exactly? This is just God Save Ireland from this Treaty! EU response has been to adopt the US an add-on claim that occurred to no one In conclusion, this document deals with view on this event and the responses to it the first time round. all sorts of conjectures, speculations, by USUK. There should be one focus and one scenarios, legalisms, etc. but the real world The US would like the world to regard focus only for the EU in this crisis— is spectacularly absent. Despite its 9/11 as the year zero of modern times and which is not of the EU's making—and that elaborate presentation and its august spon- as the cause of all that followed; it wants is the survival and strengthening of the sors, it has all the characteristics of a the world to believe that current US Euro. The single currency is the big success rather desperate snake oil salesman trying policy—with all its bloody consequences story of the Union but there is no reference to make another pitch at selling a product —is just a result of this. But this is a to that in the Lisbon Treaty and it makes that he could not sell at his first attempt. A convenient way of transposing cause and no practical proposals whatever. script might go as follows: effect. It is the Great Lie of the times. The That job of safeguarding the currency world did not begin again on 9/11: that could begin immediately with the heads A MIRACLE CURE! event was itself the effect of previous of the Euro zone actually meeting for "Roll up! Roll up!" says the salesman USUK policies and actions. This capitula- once! That is what Mr. Sarkozy should do, (bearing a striking resemblance to Micheál tion to the US view of things has prevented rather than running around organising all Martin) the EU from continuing to present what sorts of other meetings and taking on a "I have a wonderful product that cures was one of its great attractions—an world responsibility for a role in the crisis all ills. It's called the Lisbon Treaty." independent world view. that the EU has no need to take on, as it did "You just changed the name?" Consequently this document, like so not originate in the Euro zone. He should "Yes, the French and Dutch did not like much commentary on Lisbon and the EU not be pulling other people's irons out of it so we rebranded it; happens all the time. at the present time, is so much reasoning the fire they themselves have stoked up. I A simple marketing tool." in a completely flawed, closed context. did not notice Brian Lenihan quoting the "But we did not buy the new brand Lisbon was misconceived at birth. Most relevant part of the Treaty when he either?" people instinctively feel this is the case: proposed his Bank Guarantee Scheme "I know, I know but you did not fully they react as they have done on Lisbon, which, so far, has been the best policy understand it? Neither did I, to be honest. without necessarily being able to explain produced by anyone. If such a thing I'm not blaming you but this is a really new why. It is sheer word-mongering to try to existed I am sure Brian is clever enough to product because we have discovered it make a case for the new quasi-Constitution have spotted it. It was the national sphere has all sorts of new cures for all sorts of on this view of the world. People quite of competence which enabled that policy problems, its better than even I ever understandably just switch off. to be introduced. claimed before." This interpretation of the EU's new But maybe we can at least look to "It's the very same thing." world view is further confirmed when we Europe for support in this Irish initiative. "I know but now it solves problems that are told that the argument for Lisbon has After all, when Cowen visited Sarkozy you did not even know you had last time?" been "strengthened by the conflict in the Lara Marlowe told us that— "What are you talking about?" Caucuses and the resurgence of Russian "Mr Sarkozy, acting president of the "Well, if you suffer from credit crunch, nationalism" (para 166) and that the European Council, supports Ireland's your bank going bust, a recession, losing "Russian/Georgian conflict has led to a bank guarantee plan, said Taoiseach your job—the solution is the Lisbon fundamental re-assessment of security Brian Cowen after meeting him at the Treaty?" policy" (para 12). Is it not obvious that Élysée Palace yesterday. “I think the "Eh?" Georgian nationalism is what instigated president understands precisely the "And it will prevent the Russians the recent conflict in the Caucuses and yet reasons why the Irish Government had marching in from South Ossetia to South there is no mention of that in the document? to act and the circumstances in which we Kerry." Cause and effect are again turned upside found ourselves”…" (Irish Times). "Eh?" "And it will help change the climate down and back to front. It is time to again That's all right then, but then Sarkozy from global warming to global cooling" 'get at Russia'. went as public as he could go with his real "Eh?" Russia has gone through hell on earth views: to dispense with its international socialist/ "Addressing the European Parliament "And it will make energy cheaper and communist mission and is now reshaping in Strasbourg yesterday, Mr Sarkozy more secure with water, wind, hot air, itself as a fully functioning part of the said the Irish bank guarantee had led to etc." capitalist world. While USUK has been a situation where money was flowing in "How do I know it will work?" invading and destroying states in recent and out of countries, depending on which "Trust me." years, Russia has been doing the very offered the best deal. He claimed the Jack Lane opposite, shedding states from its Feder- City of London had been left with no ation that want to leave. But suddenly it's liquidity, as money there sought a better now alleged to be a new threat: for doing deal in guaranteed banks in Ireland. It www.atholbooks.org exactly what the West always said it should was, he said, a very serious repercussion do! Nationalism oozes out of the USUK arising from Ireland's decision." (Irish world, but a spark of Russian nationalism Times 22.10.08). Plenty to read; Catalogue + in response to a blatant assault on South Who is fooling who? Did Brian Cowen ordering publications Ossetia by Georgia is a threat that neces- make a phone call for a clarification? Has 8 Secondly, he should place the onus on revenue. The Irish situation is particularly the solvent banks to sort out any banks on acute because the six counties are in the the verge of bankruptcy. After all, if a sterling zone and therefore retail sales are bank goes bust the remaining banks will also affected. Shorts be in a position to pick up new customers. In a somewhat similar situation a couple from Thirdly, if it is decided that a bank is of decades ago, Taoiseach Haughey took nationalised the State should be very clear direct action to inhibit shopping in the the Long Fellow as to what it wants to achieve by this. North. This was against European compet- ition rules, but by the time a decision was handed down, things had settled down in LENIHAN MUST TRY HARDER! JOSEPH E. STIGLITZ Ireland. It should not be beyond the The Long Fellow learns from the Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph bounds of Lenihan's ingenuity to devise a Financial Times, the mouthpiece of British Stiglitz has cast a cold eye on the American scheme that would reduce shopping in the Finance Capitalism, that Brian Lenihan is bail-out: a policy which has been advo- North. the second worst Finance Minister. cated for this country. His main point is The UK receives the benefit of free Apparently, it thinks that the honour of that, in order to arrive at a solution, it is trade within the Euro zone, while retaining being the worst falls to the Portuguese essential to understand the problem. The the advantage of its own currency. The Finance Minister. problem is deregulation. Successive Long Fellow is not aware of Ireland or any The Irish Political Review believes that Presidents have removed checks on finan- other Euro zone country complaining Lenihan must try harder. Second best is cial products, allowing the financial system about the competitive advantage that the not good enough! In 2009 he must strive to be debased with worthless 'assets', in UK is receiving as a result of the fluctuation to exceed the heroic efforts of the the shape of loans which can never be in the currency. And yet, when Ireland Portuguese. repaid. Banks and other institutions don't obtained a competitive advantage follow- know what their assets are worth. ing the introduction of the Bank Guarantee BUT HOW? Stiglitz believes that handing over tax- scheme, the UK went ballistic. Even more But how should Lenihan respond to the payers' money to the banks is like giving extraordinary, the French President current crisis? The ICTU has advocated a blood transfusion to a bleeding patient. Nicholas Sarkozy complained about the nationalisation of the six Irish banks. There is not much point if nothing is done capital flows from the UK (a non-Euro But is that in the interests of the working to stop the bleeding. Stiglitz says that zone) to Ireland (part of the Euro zone). class? Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson allowed The Long Fellow is not suggesting that At one stage last year the Bank of the banks to pour out money to their Ireland leave the Euro zone. She is a small Ireland's share price was €0.80. When shareholders as taxpayers were pouring open economy and it is not practical for speculation on nationalisation began, it money into the banks. her to have her own independent currency. immediately rose to €1.20. In whose inter- The American State has spent billions But what he is suggesting is that Irish ests will nationalisation be? It is certainly in shoring up the speculative economy. At politicians take a more robust attitude to in the interests of the shareholders of the time of writing it appears that there is defending the national interest when it is ailing banks. And, once the State bails out no money left to support the real economy. under attack from Britain. the shareholders, what guarantee is there The American automobile industry is on that it will not have to inject many more the verge of bankruptcy. INTEREST RATE POLICY millions into the bank to prevent it going Britain does not feel any obligation to bust. consult with Europe over its interest rate Fine Gael as usual is all over the place. THE REAL ECONOMY policy. And at present the policies of the It is advocating "recapitalisation of the And what about the real economy in British and European Central Banks are Irish banks" (i.e. putting money into the this country! In 2001 there was a massive diverging. Britain is of the opinion that the banks), while at the same time urging the cull in manufacturing employment. economy needs to be stimulated by the Government to charge a greater premium However, the impact was not felt on private sector and therefore wants to reduce for the Bank guarantee scheme (taking employment because the boom in the interest rates. Europe, on the other hand, money out of the banks). building industry enabled the surplus feels that interest rates have reached a This is not to say that there is no working labour to be absorbed. Those conditions floor. There is a level below which interest class argument for a State bank. When a no longer apply. rates should not go. privately-owned bank makes exorbitant At the present time there are a lot of The Long Fellow thinks that Europe is profits its shareholders keep them. On the small to medium sized Irish-owned right. Part of the reason for the current other hand, when it makes losses it is manufacturing companies that are on the crisis is that low interest rates have presented as a problem for society and verge of bankruptcy. And the reason has stimulated a credit boom, which has proved ultimately the taxpayer. Also, the banks very little to do with the credit crunch to be unsustainable. As well as this, there are risk-averse, in that they favour giving directly. Most of these companies have has been very little incentive for owners loans for property rather than productive their main export market in the UK. Also, of surplus cash to put their money on investment. This is not in the social interest. it is often the case that their main compet- deposit in the bank with interest rates itors are UK based. As the UK remains out barely above the rate of inflation (and in WHAT IS TO BE DONE? of the Euro zone the terms of trade have some cases below that rate). Speculative So much for the theory! What should gone against Irish exporters. bubbles have been created in property and Lenihan do now? Up until now he has Two years ago the exchange rate was shares because there is nowhere else that done nothing wrong. He has held his €1.00 = £0.68. At the time of writing it is surplus cash can go. powder dry and is perfectly right to do so. €1.00 = £0.89. So, two years ago an Irish The French believe that the private To indicate too early (or at all) a willingness exporter would have received €1.47 (ie. 1/ sector cannot be relied upon to resuscitate to nationalise would artificially boost the 0.68) for every £1.00 of sales in the UK. the economy. The State has therefore share price of target banks. He has already Now he receives €1.12. This is a 23% embarked on a policy of massive capital committed himself to bail out depositors. reduction in sales revenue. A UK exporter investment to improve the infrastructure Why should he bail out shareholders as to the Euro zone (in particular Ireland) and therefore labour productivity. This is well? receives a 31% increase in his sales an example, which Ireland should follow. 9 DECLAN GANLEY REPORT: Northern Ireland Declan Ganley is an example which no one should follow. He appeared before the Oireachtas Committee with a number of his The 21st Century Commission's False associates. Ganley is clearly a highly intelligent person with an impressive grasp Premise And Flawed Conclusion of detail. Also, he vehemently denies being The final report of the Labour Party's do with regard to Northern Ireland, but in a "Eurosceptic". But he does not appear to understand why he was on the victorious 21st Century Commission is now reality as a holding operation until such side at the last referendum. scheduled for publication in January 2009: times as Fianna Fail's intentions became He seemed incapable of dealing with a so the Party Conference in Kilkenny, 29- clearer. A degree of clarification occurred point raised by Beverly Cooper Flynn. 30th November, was told by Greg Sparks, in July 2007, when the new Fianna Fail Flynn claimed that the number of votes in the Chair of the Commission. The report leader, Brian Cowen, poured cold water Europe as a whole cast in favour of Lisbon is to be put to special Party Conference in on his party going North, when he told the was greater than the number of votes cast Mullingar in March for approval. BBC: "I don't think that people should think against. All Ganley could say was that the The party leadership had originally planned that the report would be finalised that there's any imminent change about rules were that every European country to take place." [3] had to pass the Lisbon Treaty. But he in time to be presented to the Kilkenny didn't seem to understand why. Conference. But this proved to be im- The way was then clear for Gilmore to The basic fact of the European Union is possible because of disagreements about clasp the SDLP to his bosom with renewed that it is not a single polity. It is a collection the party's future relationship with the passion, even though the SDLP had shown of nation states with national peculiarities. Trade Unions, which according to Greg signs of wanting to get into bed with Greater integration can only proceed Sparks are now close to be resolved. Fianna Fail, if it moved North. slowly and by taking into account that Despite the fact that the Commission basic fact. It would be completely un- had yet to publish its report, the agenda for The 21st Century Commission was the democratic to have a European-wide Kilkenny Conference included a session instrument chosen to deliver the coup de referendum on the Lisbon Treaty because on it (entitled Consultative Session on grâce to the party's Northern Ireland the sentiment of the larger nations would 21st Century Commission Report & members—and tell them to go and join override those of the smaller nations. For Recommendations). This was introduced the SDLP. It usurped the special Northern the same reason it would be completely by Greg Sparks and followed by questions Ireland Commission because Gilmore undemocratic to have a directly-elected to him from delegates. He said that, believed it wasn't a suitable instrument to President or directly-elected Commission- although the report had not been published, propose Party strategy towards Northern ers. Equal weight must be given to the most people would be familiar with it organisation, even though the matter was constituent elements (i.e. individual nation since it had been leaked. within its official remit. A Labour states) of the European Union for the Questions from delegates indicated conference established it with the project to succeed. disquiet about several aspects of the leaked following terms of reference: report, for example, the party's relationship "1. to invite and receive submissions with Trade Unions, the reduction of local EQUALITY AUTHORITY on and to consider the future role and All of this leads to the vexed question of autonomy in the choice of electoral organisation of the Party in connection Equality and what it means. The Equality candidates, and the proposal to have a with Northern Ireland and its internal Authority has its own ideas. In a recent case much smaller executive committee affairs, and for that purpose to meet with (Irish Independent, 18/11/08) it found in (presumably to centralise control over the relevant parties, trade unions and other favour of a part-time waitress who refused party). interest groups, to wear a skirt to work. She insisted on "2. to explore the potential to participate wearing trousers. The woman had only been Section 8 of the report, dealing with in elections there" working in the hotel for one month and Northern Ireland, was also raised [1]. In complained to the Equality Authority. The this, the Commission concluded that the Gilmore obviously thought wasn't suit- Equality Tribunal found in her favour and existing party organisation in Northern able because it had two party members awarded her €1,600 for gender Ireland should be wound up in favour of from Northern Ireland on it (Mark discrimination and €6,500 for being the SDLP. Langhammer and Mary McMahon), who victimised and dismissed. It would be Organisation in Northern Ireland began would have objected strenuously to being interesting to know if the equality goes in in October 2004, with the launch of the told to go and join the SDLP. the opposite direction. Can waiters insist on Northern Ireland Labour Forum by party By contrast, the 21st Century Commis- wearing skirts? leader, Pat Rabbitte. The Forum was later Last month the Government decided to sion wasn't encumbered with any party upgraded by the party to the Northern members from Northern Ireland. Nor was cut funding to the Equality Authority by Ireland Constituency Council, which, at 43%. The Chief Executive Niall Crowley it burdened with much knowledge about last year's conference, sought permission Northern Ireland political institutions in resigned in protest. The news received to put up candidates in Local Government front page treatment in The Irish Times the wake of the Good Friday Agreement. elections. On the contrary, in reaching the conclusion (12.12.08) as well as an opinion piece Eamon Gilmore, the new leader, supportive of Crowley by Carol Coulter. that the party organisation should be publicly expressed his scepticism about wound up in favour of the SDLP, it The following day another Coulter report this step, saying that "his party would do listed the messages of support for Crowley. demonstrated a breathtaking ignorance of nothing to undermine the position of the the terms of the Agreement. When the Long Fellow looks at some SDLP in Northern Ireland" (Irish Times, of the decisions of the Authority he is not 9 November 2007 [2]). However, at that Believe or believe it not, the Commis- surprised that its wings have been clipped. time it looked as if Fianna Fail was going sion's 'argument' for abandoning the to organise in Northern Ireland, and Labour constituency in the North was NOTE: Since the above Column was written, perhaps swallow up the SDLP and its based on the false premise that, under the the Government has announced a €10 billion Agreement, political parties have no option re-capitalisation fund for the banks. The details vote. So, the party leadership decided to are unclear as we go to press, but will be establish a special Commission, ostensibly but to designate themselves as either reviewed in the February issue. to consider what the Labour Party should Unionist or Nationalist. In fact, they have 10 another option: they can designate them- References:- Party conference last November that the selves as Other (as the Alliance and Green [1] The text of Section 8 of the 21st Century Commission Party contest Local Government elections report can be found at southbelfastdiary.blogspot.com/ Parties do). 2008/11/close-door-on-your-way-out.html in Northern Ireland. In response, the NEC This abysmal ignorance on a basic [2] www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2007/1109/ set up "a special commission, represent- 1194549940620.html political fact does not bode well for Labour [3] news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7495294.stm ative of the NILF, the PLP and the NEC" as a future governing party. to explore the issue, amongst others. Two Party members from Northern Ireland sit This leaflet was, pointing out theCommission's false premise and flawed conclusion:- on the special commission, which has yet to report. The 21st Century Commission has now The 21st Century Commission apparently usurped the role of the special commission and concluded, on the basis NORTHERN IRELAND of an imperfect knowledge of the Good Friday Agreement, that the Party should The 21st Century Commission's Labour Party members in Northern have no organisation in Northern Ireland, conclusions about Northern Ireland Ireland are drawn from both traditions. as the Party did in 1970 at the time of the (Section 8) are based on a fundamental We are utterly opposed to the Party seeking SDLP's foundation. It follows logically misunderstanding of the terms of the votes exclusively from just one of the two from this that the existing organisation of Good Friday Agreement. traditions and we wouldn't remain the Party in Northern Ireland should be Contrary to what its report says, the members if it did. Happily, the Good disbanded. Labour Party would NOT have to Friday Agreement doesn't require the Party In 1970, as the Commission's report designate itself as either Unionist or to do so, if it were to put up candidates in reminds us, the Party "instructed all its Nationalist in order to organise and either Local Government or Assembly members to join the new SDLP". Is that contest elections in Northern Ireland. elections. the Commission's recommendation in Organisation in Northern Ireland 2008? Are we going to be told to join a doesn't require designation at all, and STRENGTHENING LINKS party which, in the words of the neither does contesting Local Government WITH THE SDLP Commission, has chosen to opt "for elections. Designation would only become The Commission recommends "the adherence to—and seek votes exclusively an issue for the Party if it were to contest strengthening of links" between the Labour from—just one of the two traditions". elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly Party and the SDLP, rather than the Party —since members elected to the Assembly organising and contesting elections in As members of the Party from have to designate themselves as either Northern Ireland in its own right. Northern Ireland, we would like to Unionist, Nationalist or Other, before Remember, the SDLP has always know. taking their seats. This is a requirement of chosen to designate itself as Nationalist Clause 6 of Stand One of the Good Friday in the Assembly and to opt "for adherence Agreement, which states: to—and seek votes exclusively from—just How Many Nations? one of the two traditions", in the words of "At their first meeting, members of the Apparently there are five nations in the Assembly will register a designation of the Commission. Under the Good Friday Agreement, it United Kingdom (sorry… the British Isles). identity—nationalist, unionist or other— This is according to the (BBC) radio listings has always been open to the SDLP to for the purposes of measuring cross- for Monday 5 to Friday 7 of October 2008. The community support in Assembly votes designate itself as Other, and attempt to Ulster Orchestra performed in a short series under the relevant provisions above." appeal across the traditional divide. It has called The Five Nations. This is the Mandelson never done so. Were it to do so, it would It goes without saying that, if the Party usage of the word 'nation'. 'Northern Ireland' is obviously risk losing a significant section a 'nation'. And not a bit of a province. Local were to stand in Assembly elections, it of its vote to Sinn Fein—and it's therefore lads whose music was played include Steven would opt for the Other designation, as unlikely that it will ever do so. Gardner (who lives in Wicklow). There's also Alliance and Green Party members of the If the Labour Party were to stand for Howard Ferguson (he taught in London, but Assembly do at the moment, and which elections in Northern Ireland, it would did his composing in Belfast (and Mayo) during would offer the best chance of the Party seek to appeal across the traditional divide. summer breaks); and Hamilton Harty of making an appeal across the traditional To that end, in Assembly elections the Hillsborough. One of the latter's works played divide. Labour Party would obviously designate is called Orientale. Not the most obviously Unfortunately, the 21st Century itself as Other and, by so doing, avoid 'Irish' or even 'Northern Irish' item. Commission doesn't seem to be aware of giving the appearance of appealing to just There is the Coleraine-man Hay, with his the existence of the Other designation. one tradition. Breeze from Scotland. There are no women, or Its report states: persons from 'Wobland' (WOB—'west of the Bann'). There is AJ Potter, born in Belfast, "... we are not at all convinced that ARE WE TO BE INSTRUCTED TO brought up in Bromley, educated in Bristol, parties based in either Dublin or London JOIN THE SDLP? and spent the whole of his career in Dublin. have any real or significant contribution A final point: the report poses the The Dubliner Stanford is included, the Irish to make to Northern Ireland politics by question "should the Labour Party follow Rhapsody No. 4, The Fisherman of Lough organising there—and adopting one or Fianna Fail and consider organising in Neagh and What He Saw. It is essentially a other of those labels for the purpose. the North". pæan of praise to the 1912 UVF. "Effectively, this would require Labour We find it difficult to believe that the He contributed two items to the 'Irish' to opt for adherence to—and seek votes Commission is NOT aware that the Labour programme, one was Songs of the Sea. This is exclusively from—just one of the two Party is already organised in Northern a raucous item celebrating Drake, Raleigh (the traditions, …" Ireland, and has been since 2004, when latter chap ethnically-cleansed Rathlin Island— Given the existence of the Other Pat Rabbitte launched the Northern Ireland though that does not get a mention), and other designation, that passage is simply Labour Forum (NILF) in Belfast. The True Brit pirates. untrue. The Good Friday Agreement NILF has since evolved into the Northern The Beatles had Back in the USSR; Beeb would NOT "require Labour to opt for Ireland Constituency Council, as agreed Radio 3 seems to have a policy of 'Back in the adherence to—and seek votes exclusively by the Party's Organisation Committee UK'. from—just one of the two traditions". and NEC. We proposed to the Labour Seán McGouran 11 Cathal Brugha's Oration at the unveiling in Cork of a statue commemorating General British rule in Ireland. Tom Barry, Commandant of the West Cork Flying Column, 1920-1921 Emboldened by Kilmichael, in March 1921 Tom Barry and the West Cork Brigade decided to carry out a similar ambush at Crossbarry. The British got Remembering Tom Barry wind of their presence through a spy, and A Uachtaráin, agus baill Coiste and flair for military matters, he was organised a 1,200 strong force of soldiers Chuimhneacháin Thomáis de Barra appointed the Brigade's training officer. and auxiliaries to encircle the Flying Ceann Catha, sibhse atá i láthair go raibh As their grip over the Irish people began Column of 104 officers and men. Barry baint ag bhúr gaolta le Cogadh na Saoirse, to diminish, the British Government divided these into seven sections, and go h-airithe Gerald Barry, Paddy O'Brien introduced the Black & Tans and the succeeded in breaking out of the encircle- agus gaolta eile Thomáis de Barra, agus Auxiliaries to frighten the Irish back into ment, while inflicting heavy losses on the a cháirde Ghaeil atá bailithe inniu chun submission. This put pressure on the new enemy. This was one of the greatest ever onóir a thabhairt don laoch, tuigim Irish Government, whose policy had been field-battle defeats of British occupation tabhacht an ocáid seo. Leanfaidh mé as to avoid open military engagements, while forces in Ireland. Bearla ar eagla go bhfuil daoine ag they were recruiting, training, and Negotiations followed, and the Anglo- éisteacht nach dtuigeann Ghaeluinn. equipping the Army. Irish Treaty was adopted, which Tom It became apparent that there was a Barry opposed. We are here today to celebrate and need to stand up to the Auxiliaries who Barry was arrested and imprisoned, affirm the memory of a great Irish hero. were upping the ante against the Irish by and later escaped, travelled south, took Tom Barry was born in Killorglin, Co. driving at top speed in lorries through the command of the anti-Treaty IRA Second Kerry on 1st July 1897, the son of a former countryside bullying, terrorising, and Southern Division, captured several towns, Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) officer. shooting ordinary people. but then concluded that the civil war should His family later moved to Bandon, County Tom Barry's role at this point was be brought to an end, as there was no hope Cork, He was educated at Mungret crucial. He had helped to turn the West of victory. College, in Limerick. In 1915, like many Cork Brigade into one of the most discip- Subsequently he helped the Free State other young Irish men of that time who lined, efficient and brave units in the Irish Army to strengthen the defences of Cork were looking for adventure, he enlisted in Republican Army. Now his innovation, Harbour against any would-be-invader, the British Army. It might seem strange leadership, personal courage, and assert- British or German, and was appointed today during this month of November iveness led to his becoming the most General Superintendent of Cork Harbour when people are remembering the many outstanding battle-field commander of the Commission from 1927 to 1965. who died in a different war, including War of Independence, and maybe in all In the mid-thirties he re-joined the IRA, 50,000 Irishmen, that, not only did Tom Irish history. and was appointed Chief of Staff in 1937, Barry fight in the British Army during Possibly the greatest single military but resigned shortly afterwards because World War I, but he fought in what is now event in the Anglo-Irish war was when, he opposed both the 1930s bombing cam- Iraq. It was there he learned about the yesterday 88 years ago, on 28th November paign in England and IRA contacts with Easter Rising, seeing on a British Army 1920, young Tom Barry stood out on the Nazi Germany. From 1940 until the end bulletin board a summary of the events up road at Kilmichael in an Irish officer's of World War II he held responsibility for to and including the executions of the uniform as the first of two lorries con- Intelligence in the Irish Army's Southern 1916 leaders. The idea of Ireland as a taining Auxiliaries arrived, causing the Command. separate nation came to him as a shock driver to stop in surprise at the sight. In later years he supported the Provi- because, like everyone else, all his educ- In the ensuing battle a column of Irish sional IRA campaign in Northern Ireland, ation had been British-orientated. This volunteer amateurs defeated the enemy of while expressing reservations about many began a period of reflection for him about professionally-trained Auxiliary army of their tactics, in particular the killing of Britain's role in Ireland, and about the officers, fighting at close range, because civilians in England. Irish claim to independence. On his return the Irish weapons of hand-guns and shot- Now that the IRA campaign has finally to Cork he became involved with ex- guns were useless for long range-fighting. ended it is easier for us to give Tom Barry British Army servicemen's organisations. The main Irish losses were when several the recognition that he always deserved. The 1918 Election had seen a massive of the British officers changed their mind We are not making a political statement electoral victory for Sinn Féin, and their after surrendering and caught some of the today. assertion of the Irish Republic in January inexperienced Irish off-guard. Tom Barry was a military man who 1919. A Government was formed, which The Kilmichael Ambush was a turning planned operations with great precision. set about cautiously training and equipping point in the war. Confidence and morale He was exceedingly careful about not the Army while simultaneously building on the Irish side increased, and diminished endangering the men he led, and he was support for the Republic. The success of amongst the Auxiliaries, the Black & Tans, conservative with the very limited this led to hundreds of RIC resignations, and the other British forces. For the first resources at his disposal. Irish policemen voting with their feet to time the British Army had to face the fact But he was not a political man. In 1925, switch allegiance to the new Government. that they were fighting a real war. when he proposed that the IRA surrender In March 1920 the RIC assassinated From then on the British Government their arms and ammunition to the Free Lord Mayor Tomás MacCurtain, and in sent the bulk of their military reinforce- State, the IRA expelled him, and in 1941 August his successor Terence MacSwiney ments to County Cork; at one point these they denounced him for writing for the was arrested. MacSwiney proceeded to amounted to 12,500 troops. It is true, as Irish Army's journal. In his one attempt at challenge the authority of the court and the song goes, that "the boys who beat the entering politics, he polled very poorly in British occupation of Ireland. He died in Black and Tans were the boys from the a Cork Borough by-election in 1946. Brixton Prison on October 25th after 74 County Cork". Our role here today is neither military days on hunger strike. Against this As the Irish grew in confidence, they nor political, but to consider the testament background, in June 1920 Tom Barry began to challenge the British forces in of the man to the nation. It is about became active in the 3rd or West Cork Cork City. This led to the burning of Cork judgement, about establishing truth, about Brigade of the Irish Republican Army. on the night of December 11th and the Tom Barry's legacy to history, about the Because of his knowledge, experience final collapse of the moral authority of patrimony of the man. 12 Tom Barry was passionate about the LETTERS TO THE EDITOR · LETTERS TO THE EDITOR· LETTERS TO THE truth, and had a military accuracy about the details of every event. In 1949, he published his memoirs Guerilla Days In Ireland to correct the accounts given by From Australia others who fought alongside him in the Fergus O'Raghallaigh (Irish Political Review, September and October 2008) War of Independence. He doubted the appears to have a good grasp of economics, but I can't agree with him about Ben possibility that a true account could ever Chiffley and the legend of "The Light on the Hill". The real Labour Hero was Chiffley's be assembled from all the contradictory predecessor, John Curtin, the son of Irish immigrants from Co. Cork, who was the only versions that people gave and were putting true socialist in the Labour wartime administration. Curtin's father was jailed for into the military archives. supporting the Irish people in their War of Independence against Britain. Curtin died Nevertheless, the duty falls to us to take in 1945 and was replaced by Chiffley towards the end of the war. He lost the 1949 on this task and help to establish the truth general election to Bob Menzies. One of the factors leading to his defeat was his earlier in the next decade before a century has war on the Miners. I will do an article on Curtin and Chiffley. passed since these events, and the Surprise! Surprise! I turned on Radio National to listen to our "Decayed Leninist", memories inherited in the families here Philip Adams, who likes to boast about the fact that at one time he was a member of today have faded. the CPA, and guess whom he was interviewing? none other than our very own Truth does not come without renewing revisionist-in-chief, Roy Foster. Foster is out here flogging his latest book, which is trust, without reconciliation, without published by Penguin. honest admission that some of our Adams, who is not antagonistic to the Irish, conducted a monologue about how relations, may have said or did things Ireland had changed for the better in later years. And reminded us of the struggles over which we regret. contraceptives and divorce. Foster "revealed" that the Dublin government no longer With reconciliation comes understand- wanted a united Ireland and pointed out that Westminster now appeared to have ing. Collins, Brugha and Barry were become aware of this "change." Obviously he has never read Joe Keenan in the Irish comrades who shared the unequal task of Political Review. All in all it was a mild sort of discussion, which appeared to show freeing Ireland from the British Empire. Foster as a genial character, who would never dish out the dirt about the Irish that he In the difficult transition from a military usually does. Obviously Foster was posing as a friend of the Irish to sell his book, but to a political campaign they differed on on the other hand it may be that what happened to himself and Peter Hart may have strategy and tactics. caused both to think twice before making false claims about what happened in Irish All three tried to resolve the split in the history. At least they know that they can no longer get away with their creepy Army caused by the Treaty, but in different imperialist propaganda with impunity. To listen to Foster on the ABC you would never ways. Tom Barry tried to reunite the army suspect that he likes to dish out his vicious, anti-Irish dirt most of the time. by proposing a new confrontation with the I still think it is necessary to continue to expose the Irish Times, RTE and the British. He and others occupied the Four universities whenever possible. There can be no question about the fact that the British Courts, which was then bombed by Free Liberals waged the bloodiest, most stupid war in human history, or that they have State forces. When Brugha failed to slaughtered more innocent people than any other nation on earth, for purely commercial convince those in the Four Courts to leave, gain. WWI far outstrips the Rwandan massacre, Auschwitz and Buchenwald, the he and others initiated a diversionary 600,000 civilian casualties in Iraq, or the mass murders at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. operation in O'Connell Street, hoping also These facts should be exposed, if only to prevent a repeat performance. I shall do a that this would rally support to a third proper article on Curtin and Chiffley. middle ground. He was shot as he organ- Patrick O'Beirne ised the final evacuation of this operation. When Collins was shot the following any way sectarian. Tom Barry was Barry sat for Séamas Murphy during the month he had been on a mission to meet up scrupulous in this regard. Now that this is 1940s. I commend the Committee who with Tom Barry along with Tom Hales to being questioned by historians who are collected the fund to recast this bust to persuade them to help reconcile both sides. ignoring the established truth, we have an perpetuate his memory. Tom Hales' son Sean is with us here today. urgent duty to tell the full story, even if it When I think of the importance of These men differed, but were never is uncomfortable. The trust of future establishing Tom Barry's memory I think enemies. Indeed it was Tom Barry who generations expects that the testimony of of an old Irish saying: Is beó duine d'éis a unveiled the memorial to Michael Collins these events be true. anma, ach ní beó d'éis a einigh. Noble at his family birth-place in Sam's Cross in Central to Tom Barry was that he was heroes such as Tom Barry will live in the 1966. It is fitting that these two great Cork a fighter, not a fighter against people but memory of the nation forever. men should now be remembered together for people. In his latter years he fought to here in Fitzgerald's Park. support the poor, often giving generously to the less well-off, especially former Tom Barry often spoke using the comrades. His wife was the famous Leslie Commdt. General Tom philosophy enunciated by Terence Bean de Barra, who had been director of MacSwiney in the first chapter of Barry Committee: organization for Cumann na mBan, and Principles Of Freedom: was for many years President of the Irish Some Remarks "In the destruction of spirit entailed Red Cross Society. In this role in 1961, The Committee was set up two years lies the deeper significance of our claim she set up Gorta, the Irish branch of the ago to erect a Monument in Cork city to to freedom… It is a spiritual appeal, World Freedom from Hunger Campaign. the memory of Commandant General Tom then, that primarily moves us. We are Barry, a great Irish soldier in the Army of urged to action by a beautiful ideal. The There is nobody more suited to have the First Dail Eireann set up as a result of motive force must be likewise true and the democratic General Election of 1918. beautiful. It is love of country that inspires sculpted the bust of General Tom Barry us; not hate of the enemy and desire for that we are unveiling today than the great That 1918 General Election was organised, full satisfaction for the past". Séamas Murphy RHA, whom I remember held and supervised under the British with fondness and whose works adorn Government but, when the results were The War of Independence was about this park, including the bust of Michael seen as a total vindication of Sinn Fein, the freedom from British rule, and was not in Collins that faces this one of Tom Barry. British did as they usually do in the 13 circumstances; they refused to accept them done by Seamus Murphy. regulatory body, the BCC, to ask RTE for and set about destroying the fledgling For the record, the Committee consisted an apology and a corrective statement, democracy by military rule. Never-the- of Uachtarain, Sean O Ceileachair, Leas they were eventually told to basically hump less it was a fact that those public Uachtarain Peadar O Riada, Cathaoirleach off. So far, so typical. But what RTE representatives who were not already Noel Kenneally, Runai Con O Farrell- couldn't have known was that the 'little locked up by the British, met in Dublin as Kingsway, Committee members Diarmuid people' wouldn't slink off as they were Dail Eireann and the Irish Government O Tuama, Angela Davern, Michael Fitz told by their so-called betters in Dublin 4; was formed. gerald, Aongus MacDonald, Jake Mac but would respond by doing all the 'British democracy' was exemplified Siacais, Ray Lloyd, Seamus Lantry, scholarly research themselves and produce by the British forces arresting as many Michael Baylor and Tom Keane. an outstanding book which is now leaching members of the Irish Government as they Funding came in amounts, mostly small, into the mainstream and calling forth could find on the first Armistice from all over Ireland from Belfast to Cork. reviews from what we laughingly call 'our Remembrance day, 11th November 1919. Regrettably, and widely noticed, no intelligentsia' who so far have only tried to They were unceremoniously loaded into funding was contributed by Cork City blacken the people involved again but the back of a British Army lorry and Council nor Cork County Council. All the cannot interact with the scholarly argu- imprisoned. The British refused to funds were contributed by private persons. ments in the book. The book is flying off withdraw their Army which they Seamus Lantry the shelves; the academics are now busily reinforced with the terrorist Black & Tans trying to ignore the phenomenon and … and they attacked the people of Ireland— PS A longer article by me was asked for oh yes the Baltimore Village Eejit is at it burning towns, looting and executing by the features Editor of the Evening Echo again in the Sunday Independent. ordinary people throughout the country John Dolan. It never appeared due to including Cork city and county. censorship. This month's Irish Political Review It was the great work done by Tom reports the unveiling of the Seamus Barry, Liam Deasy, Sean O'Hegarty, Liam Murphy bust of General Tom Barry in Lynch, Dan Breen and others which Fitzgerald's Park on the 29th November defeated the British Army in Ireland and 2008. As the Cork-born and much-loved led to the British Government calling for es ahora * Murphy was one of the great Irish sculptors a truce, leading to the Treaty under which of the last century, it was fitting that it was the British withdrew from the twenty-six his work that should be displayed in what As our nation continues to dance to the Counties which they could not continue to Cork locals call 'the Park'. Almost straight foreign tune of Britishness, it is interesting govern. Unfortunately, the Irish Govern- across at an angle was his other great bust nevertheless to state that there are events ment did not have the resources to compel —Mick Collins. The whole project was that attract bigger and bigger followings, the British to withdraw from the Northern done by 'people power', with no monetary while managing to be censored totally by six counties which the British held and input from the Corpo who have spent so the national media and our tax-paid RTE still hold by force of arms. Hopefully, the lavishly on the British Legion monument broadcasters. Agreements in recent years which in the South Mall. At the end of my article last month, I recognise the Irish Government as having The former plastic-poppy-wearing mentioned two particular events that I a function in dealing with the six north- Mayor, Cllr. Donal Counihan (Fianna Fail, attended and was rather astonished at the eastern Counties. will be used and worked South East electoral ward), was first off huge attendance. The first was at Tulla- by Unionists and Sinn Fein towards a the block to give generously to the British more for the launch of the book united Ireland at peace. Legion and the present plastic-poppy- Coolacrease: The true story of the Pearson It was perhaps because of the fracturing wearing Lord Mayor, Cllr. Brian executions—an incident in the Irish War of Ireland that many of our great patriots Birmingham (Fine Gael, South West of Independence by a number of authors since 1916 onwards remain without electoral ward) is continuing the trend. who have already been written about in physical memorials. Perhaps also because But there is more to the fine British Legion the last Irish Political Review. people like Tom Barry felt they were part monument and I can't believe the anti-war Going from Belfast and then Dublin to of an Army which was a team. They felt crowd just left it lie—what was once a the small town of Tullamore, I was amazed they were one amongst many who fought very fine monument to the Hiroshima and at the seemingly thriving local economy and suffered. Men who had no barracks so Nagasaki nuclear holocaust bombings is and, besides knowing that it was the home- they had to live rough and sleep in a now buried into the ground and one town of the Taoiseach, Brian Cowen TD, different place every night. The women literally would have to look to try and find wondered if there were factories in the who provided food and shelter at the risk it in the growing grass. Meanwhile all vicinity. When I enquired, I was told there of their lives and homes and who stored around the British monument lies beautiful was mainly farming, and some small local and transported guns and ammunition for landscaped grass inlaid with lovely granite trades which probably did well from the the continually on-the-run soldiers and slabs of stone which form a surround to construction industry. took messages from one Flying Column the monument itself. But back to the book launch: the room to another also deserve their own Of course 'our' national monument in was packed with an overspill into another recognition. the Grand Parade has fallen into disrepair one. All the authors spoke and afterwards This memorial, now in Fitzgerald's with bottles and cans of lager trash inside there was a Q & A session which was Park, Cork, will go some way to help the railing and one of the arms broken off equally robust for want of a better word. It remember all those who with Tom Barry the statue of one of our patriots. The was the engagement of a community about fought for Irish freedom. The memorial Corpo, through the office of the Lord an incident that had been made into a itself consists of a bronze bust of Tom Mayor, was asked to just clean the surround biased RTE documentary, that had caused Barry done by the great Cork sculptor of trash of the National monument for the bad feeling as some of the work—a word Seamus Murphy RHA when Tom Barry reception of the unveiling of the Tom I use advisedly here—was totally wrong was forty-two years of age. It is mounted Barry statue, as there would be crowds and misrepresented what had actually on a handsome limestone plinth and it is around and it would seem so disrespectful happened. When people asked the situated in a part of the lawn, facing west, otherwise. And that was the extent of the near the Museum. It looks across the lawn effort made by our civic authorities for towards a bust of Michael Collins also It Is Time this most important event. 14 But the majesty of the event was still overseas to Sierra Leone as part of "the now in these more straitened times can be stunning in its moving simplicity. The famous British Eighth Army". Obviously bought for €29.95. Or for €19.95 I could Tom Barry National Committee gathered intended to be a piece of propaganda, buy a pair of "feather and down-filled outside the gates of Fitzgerald Park in a Michael rather ruined the story by telling slippers" which "could act like mini-duvets bitterly cold November afternoon. The us that before his death, his grand-uncle for my feet". piper, playing a slow march, was followed haplessly abjuring the role of noble hero, Yet even the Phoenix falls into the error by the national flag borne by Ray Lloyd. confessed that his British Army period —while coruscating the Irish Times for its Behind came Committee President Sean happened because he was "merely an gung-ho Brits patriotism, for that is what Kelleher and members of the committee opportunist". He is buried in a small it is—of still calling it "the paper of and others. What was stunning was the Yorkshire cemetery. record". I have heard both that other eejit huge crowds waiting for this most solemn The Phoenix (12th December 2008, and bully, Fintan O'Toole (of An Taisce as of events, with the unveiling done by the Vol. 26. No. 24) had a rare go at the Irish Michael Stack revealed in another Irish invited special guest Cathal Brugha Times and especially its Editor, Geraldine Political Review) as well as Caroline MacSwiney whose speech drew Kennedy, "for its recent recruitment drive Walshe revealing publicly their longing thunderous applause. on behalf of the British Army" who as the to be an Irish Guardian. Listen up guys— The statue was then Solemnly Blessed writer acknowledged were "currently Alan Rusbridger, the Editor of the with Holy Water by Monsignor Caoimhim struggling with a personnel crisis". The Guardian wouldn't even employ either of O'Ceallachain who gave out the prayers to Phoenix lambasted some "ludicrous you as journalists, quite simply because the uncapped crowd. Then a beautiful air editorial decisions" that "Douglas Gageby you are not, and neither is your Editor. I by the master himself was played. Peadar would never have tolerated". What really well remember O'Toole being outed by O Riada. The great Cork singer Sean O Se enraged the Phoenix was the large front- the New York Review of Books by a sang out in the growing darkness a full page photograph of the British Army reviewer as a plagiarist and his wimpish throated A Nation Once Again, and bugler at the Westport funeral of local plea that, as he wrote a populist book, he following that our National Anthem, man Robert McKibben, "who was killed didn't have to source all his references. Amhrán na bhFiann. The people were in on active service with the British Royal Did the Irish Times dare write about that full throat and fine voice too. The evening Marine Commandos in Afghanistan". or did they choose instead some hapless was rounded off by a lovely dinner in one Besides "extolling the activities of politician or whoever for their vitriolic of Cork's many fine restaurants 'Jacques'. McKibben", the paper went on to conclude attacks? Did they what? It was noticed with some derision (by a "inexplicably, that he had not died In 2005, the Guardian broke the story few of our more disaffected scholars) that "fighting for a foreign army in a foreign of Abu Ghraib by having that great a nest of historians stole by us to another land". American journalist Seymour Hersh write table towards the back of the restaurant. The 32 year old had Special Forces it up as an extract from his then upcoming After dinner some of our people went training and at the funeral were "60 marines book The Chain Of Command. The down and spoke to them while the rest of from the Royal Marine Brigade Recon- Independent on Sunday, 19th October us went off to the more comfortable naissance Unit, mostly in plain clothes as 2008, broke a story about the British surrounds of Canty's Bar. befits an underground, Special Forces Army's finance, showing the appalling Last month I spoke about my trip to outfit, one of the deadliest fighting units in money lavished on the officers and their Belfast and one of Northern members of the British Army which produces personnel lifestyles while ordinary soldiers were the Tom Barry National Committee came for both the SAS and SBS (Special Boat dying in the field of battle because "of a over to me and asked if I was the one who Squad)". If Kennedy has a "hidden lack of equipment". This is how a real didn't leave our hotel and rather mortify- marketing hand in the British Army's paper wrote about the way the British ingly I had to admit it was. He asked me recruiting department" in-house, she fight a war: to tell him why and then asked me to come couldn't be a more enthusiastic recruiting "Britain's military top brass receive over to the rest of his group and retell them agent for young Irish men and who knows nearly £100m a year in special my story. I did as told and when I finished how many more will follow in McKibben's allowances and benefits, with almost telling them about the state of repressive path. £87m of that spent on paying for private CCTV, the march et cetera, they all burst The Phoenix also compared the way school fees for their children." out laughing and said something to the her paper treated the 50th anniversary of Read the rest of the piece and weep. effect if I had known what it was like when the peace-keeping operations of The it was "really bad", then would I have There in the article was the story of a Defence Forces on behalf of the UN a few young soldier who died in Iraq simply something to complain about. But fair's days later. While "the Irish Independent due in the bar we all had a great sing-song because he or his unit didn't have the marked the occasion with an article on the basics of a satellite phone or even a distress and I promised them that I would give commemoration illustrated with their city another try-out some time soon. flare which would have cost a couple of photographs", the Irish Times "failed to quid and almost certainly would have even mention the event". saved his life by calling in reserves to Even with all the propaganda of State But the Phoenix isn't the only one to relieve them. The story is headed Officers and media, there was one person who, find the Irish Times in a strange position get chauffeurs, chefs and private school while trying to ride this comparatively these days. Every day, it in particular, fees, while troops die for lack of equipment. new idealisation of what some are carries copious inserts which by now have I suggest the next time the Irish Times beginning to call 'The Great War' probably finished off the Amazon places what amounts to a recruitment (really?), got it rather spectacularly wrong. Rainforests. And yet … the oh so correct advertisement, they also might include Reading An Cosantoir, The Defence view on the environment and climate some articles on the realities of war. Or is Forces Magazine (May 2008), Armn. change. What startling hypocrisy. Under that too much to ask for from the so-called Michael Whelan, MA (Curator of the Air the Irish Times heading there is a 'reader paper of record? Corps Museum & Heritage Project) wrote offer' magazine with some pretty bizarre about his grand uncle, Sean—or John as items for sale. But of all the most useless On a somewhat lighter note, last month Michael called him—who left the Irish things, my favourite has to be "an was the 60th birthday of the English Prince Army in 1940 and went over to extending sofa for my dog to curl up" with Charles, King-in-Waiting and there was Southampton and joined the British Army a very fetching accompanying photo of a the usual hullabaloo in certain quarters. —the Royal Warwick's and was posted dog on a tweed sofa which was €59.95 but Hello is magazine-in-chief to the celebrity 15 culture of which the Royal Family (the similar nature and we were told: "Don't referred to, and I distinctly remember we Irish Times keeps the capital letters) is forget, at that time homosexuality was were keenly aware of our neutrality and the fact that we were under immediate now part and parcel of, so there was a still illegal and he was the First Sea Lord threat from both sides. Whichever, multi-page tribute with lots of quotes from and in charge of unifying all the armed technically—or theoretically—whichever the elderly prince about the main events of forces". The subliminal message here was of them hit first, would be the enemy, and his life. One of these happened in 1979: that he had plenty of chicks from which to the others would come in in our support. "Murder Of A Mentor, Lord pluck, but the paper then used a former Now there was a meeting called of all Mountbatten. “I adored him—and miss valet to kind of rubbish the claims but here officers in the Military College. I being him dreadfully now. It is a cruel and is the kick. The poor over-worked valet, the junior member, I just sat there and bitter irony that he should have survived after ten unstinting years of facilitating listened. But the College commandant two World Wars and then be blown to the Lord, had a nervous breakdown. When had been up to a special meeting of the bits by sub-human extremists…“" he went to Mountbatten to resign, the Sea army headquarters in Dublin. He explained Lord "told him to look after himself and to us what the situation was, you see, that The Daily Express on 26th November said goodbye". There was no severance there could be an airborne invasion by the 2008 ran a piece Tarnishing Of A True pay or pension, let alone any suggestion Germans and this would be resisted by the Hero—meaning Mountbatten. There is a he should have a rest and see a doctor. The British, so that you could have them way that the English tabloids write up a poor former valet went on to claim that coming down and coming in. Coming story that is so particularly English that Lord Louis "always said I'd be looked down from anywhere, and coming in from one has to admire their murky morals after but of course I never had anything in the north. And somebody asked, 'What somewhat. By pretending to expose and writing. You don't ask those sorts of people happens if we're engaged with both of decry the horrors of some iffy revelations to put things in writing." Then there was them?' And he said, 'We just have to sort and revelling in outrage, they bring out all this strange admission: "Coincidentally, that out. The army headquarters will have the stuff that is not in the public domain he (the valet) was in Ireland when to sort that one out for us.' But by eleven o'clock the following morning that threat and give their readers their dose of 'sex Mountbatten was murdered by the IRA in had passed. Now, we discovered much, among the toffs'—always a huge money 1979". One hopes that the Prince when spinner. much later—in fact, post-war—that the denigrating those who killed his uncle Germans just hadn't the capacity to have Mountbatten stood accused of using realises that they were his own people. "rent boys" and other allegations of a brought about the airborne invasion, and Julianne Herlihy we were too well-spread on the ground for it to have any immediate effect. By that time the British would have been across the border, with our consent, an the whole situation would have changed." Irish Wartime Officers, Potential Invaders, Quinn further stated: "Another point was the British estimate And Trinity College Draft Dodgers of what it would have taken to invade us In the Irish Political Review of February became familiar with them due to exercises and control us—they'd need at least two divisions. The Americans decided that it 2007, in an article entitled "A Patriotic week after week after week. My battalion... were familiar with every field along the would take ten divisions. I don't know Freemason at the Irish Times", I quoted whether this was ever verified or not, but from an interview that George Boyne, which was our defensive line. We exercised there, up and down the Boyne, it will give you an idea as to what the Hetherington had given to Benjamin Grob- thinking was. At the peak, I think our Fitzgibbon for the latter's 2004 book, The for years. Pat Daly would have an entirely different point of view." regular army at around about 1943 would Irish Experience During The Second have been about 50,000, but these 50,000 World War—An Oral History. It is worth Daly proceeded to elaborate: spread around with a few machine guns now also quoting from that book a portion "And the idea was that the Southern and some rifles and things like that. of the interviews which the author had Command—and remember that General Another thing is that the whole conducted in January 2001 with five retired Hogan's unit was facing the north—we population would have been against the Irish Army officers—Brigadier General were facing the south, the south coast. invader, whoever came first." Patrick Hogan, Brigadier General Patrick And all our defences were based on the Daly, Lt. Col. James Coyle, Lt. Col. John defence of the south coast, stretching right Daly later introduced the subject-matter P. Duggan and Commandant Owen Quinn. along from Waterford over to Kerry." of wartime internment: "One thing we haven't mentioned yet is that we had Hogan recalled: Q: "Which threat did you perceive would come from the south coast, British or internment camps here, for British airmen "The army in different parts of the German?" and German airmen." country had a slightly different view and Daly: "Oh, German invasion—at that a slightly different mission. Here in Duggan responded: time... Christmas 1940. Leinster our eyes were all the time turned "Not only that, we also had an internment towards the border. Our exercises, our camp for the IRA. And don't forget Here, however, I should point out that manoeuvres, were all exercises aimed at throughout the war, de Valera executed the defence of the country against an Christmas 1940 was the exception that six IRA men, and had to do it. I remember attack from the north, an attack from the proved the rule. General M.J. Costello, them as a soldier in 1940-41 and they British. And that was our interpretation of Assistant Chief-of-Staff and O/C of the were a terrible crowd of bastards. Down how the war might turn out. Ourselves ... Southern Command throughout the in Tintown (the Curragh internment camp) and our 4th Brigade had the western part Second World War, specifically they would be shouting insults up at you, of the border, and all those exercises emphasised: "The only serious threat as if you were a second class Irishman." combined were aimed at protecting the during the War was from the British" Daly: "I was at the camp when the IRA country from an attack from the north. (Irish Times, 3 November 1984). burnt the whole place down to the ground." Fortifying them, and becoming used to Duggan: "They were very dangerous, I the countryside, on the lines of the rivers Quinn recalled: must say." and lakes, defending the northern part of "I was attached to the staff at the Military Daly: "We didn't know what to do with the country. Such hills as there were, we College at precisely the time Pat has just them." 16 Quinn later added on his Curragh camp against Trinity railings and a baton charge recollections: went by me. You see, these were English Part 3. Witness Statement No. 637 "Another feature of the internment was blokes who had come over to study in a very large number of submariners. There Trinity." must have been a hundred or more of Duggan: "They dodged the bloody draft." Muriel MacSwiney's Memoir young German naval staff." Hogan: "And Northern Ireland blokes. of the War of Independence Hogan: "They were not submariners. And Anglo-Irish folk from the Republic. And they went up on top of the pediment They were all from the squadron that was We returned to Cork and had a small intercepted. A Japanese ship was coming in Trinity and burned the Tricolour." Duggan: "It was mostly Northern Ireland house in the Douglas Road. Seán O' back from the East Indies, loaded to the Hegarty and Mid lived not very far from gunnels with immensely important war people. Draft-dodgers. It's hard to explain us. I also then met for the first time P. H. industries metals. And the British had the feeling at that time. But, it was them tracked, of course, and they sent a encapsulated in Churchill's talk about, and Mina O'Hegarty with Seán Óg, a most squadron out, which intercepted them in 'We were forced to come to close quarters beautiful baby in a pram. The O'Hegartys, the Bay of Biscay. They sank the escort, with Éire.' And everybody was aghast and Terry, Fred Cronin and a few others had which was provided by the German navy, there was great national euphoria over formed the Cork Literary Society very and I'm not sure if they sank the ship itself Dev's reply." many years before – a little group of or captured it. But into the middle of this Hogan: "A masterly reply. Even Dev's pioneers. naval battle in the middle of the night enemies, of whom they were many in the Terry was arrested and was for a few came a little ship of ours, a civilian ship, country, said that his reply to Churchill weeks in Cork Jail in October 1917. It was on its way home to Wexford, bringing was remarkable." on the day of his arrest that I knew that I bananas to Ireland, and things like that. was pregnant. There was a short hunger And in she sailed into the middle of this, These retired Irish Army officers all strike of a few days when the prisoners and there were German sailors in the made a point of emphasising how the were released. Bob and Mrs. Una Brennan water, and she picked them up until her resolute national commitment to the who had done such wonders in Wexford gunnels were down to the water. She was defence of Irish wartime neutrality against for the cause, and another prisoner whose called upon by the {British} Fleet Com- all threats—whether British, German or name I think was Synott stayed a few days mander to hand them over, but she refused IRA—had also played a decisive role in with us. After this Terry was out every and sailed for Cork, and just got into Cork helping overcome the divisions of Ireland's night and all Sunday, drilling Volunteers. before she could be intercepted." own Civil War. It was during this time that the memoirs of Duggan: "I can remember it so well. The Seandún, an old Cork Fenian were written British kicked up a terrible racket about Hogan: "First of all, the army had been down at the dictation of the old man, by that. I was in the cadet school at the time, representative of only one side of the civil Terry and Diarmuid Ó Murchadha, his cleaning a window, and here come the war. The Civil war was over fifteen or German 'master-race', marching back into son-in-law, and published with the help of sixteen years before I joined, but still the Seán Ó Cuív. Terry also published a small the Curragh, these little, small, miserable, leaders of the army and everyone above volume of his poems where I was some German sailors. They marched up past the rank of lieutenant in it had fought in Pearse Barracks there and into the intern- the civil war, and on one side in the civil use in reading proofs. Terry did not enjoy ment camp. But it was fair play to the Irish war. So, there was that which made it a drilling Volunteers; he hated militarism who took all these to the gunnels and gave little tighter than if it had been and political work. If Ireland had been the two fingers to the British. So, we were representative of the whole country. At free and the condition of everyone satis- neutral, make no mistake about that. We that stage it was not representative at all. factory, he would have written principally weren't going to be pushed around by It became so as soon as the war broke out. poetry, and he would like to have been a anyone." Very quickly it became representative of librarian. He told me this often. the whole country, entered into the social At this time Terry went every month to The author went on to pose a question stream, and was very much part of the life. Dublin to the Coiste Gnotha and at the which results in the shedding of further The people of the country became very same time privately to the meetings of the light on the subject-matter of my "Haughey conscious of the army immediately." Volunteers. I am, I am glad to say no judge And The Nazi Flags" article for the August Quinn concurred: "I think there's one of military matters, but it was said by 2008 issue of Irish Political Review: "VE thing that can be brought up for our own those who are, that it was the munitions Day. What were your feelings when you personal point of view, from the end of Terry brought every month from Dublin found out the war in Europe was over?" our own civil war of 1922-23, when we that made the war in the South possible, saw these old-timers united at last, this is unlike the '16 Rising when they had Duggan: "The general feeling at that what has enabled us to survive the situation nothing. time was one of relief. But at the same that we're in at the moment." time, a great annoyance at Britain. You We had a children's party at Christmas with a tree. In March, Terry was re-arrested see, so many people from this island had While Duggan concluded, in agreement: fought and died in the war, and you had under the 'cat-and-mouse' Act. I never these pricks in Trinity College who had "Very important. I would say that coming went with him to Dublin on his monthly dodged the war and nevertheless went up together was the first thawing of the civil trips; this was to save expenses, but I did on top of Trinity College and burned the war bitterness. Coming into the army in by great luck go this once. I think it was Tricolour, which infuriated a number of the Emergency, together, in 1940, was the principally because I wanted to get the us. Like Charlie Haughey was down there first time they were united. Because, as clothes for my baby in Dublin. We were in UCD and set fire to a British flag." you know, before that you had the 26th having tea in the Clarence Hotel on the Hogan: "I was down there that night." 'Old IRA Battalion, and the 12th Murder Quays when the porter arrived and said to Duggan: "I was on the verge of getting Battalion, but now there was that coming Terry that two gentlemen wanted to see on a jeep myself and going up there and together and it was the thawing of the civil him "officially" he added. He was no petrol-bombing them. Thanks to be Jesus war." doubt what was then called a sympathiser, that I didn't." it is now fellow traveller. Terry told me to Hogan: "Well, I was down on the streets This valuable set of interviews does come up to our room at once and emptied that night, down outside of Trinity College. indeed shatter many of today's myths about his pockets. He also gave me a verbal I saw it all. Well, there were several baton Irish wartime neutrality. message for Seán O'Hegarty and Fred charges by the silly Guards. I was up Manus O'Riordan Murray. Then he went down and the 17 detectives took him. Seán Ó Cuív came speakers who knew no English. It was because he was Mayor of Cork elected by soon after to see Terry by appointment. then I got the Fáinne. Terry, of course, had the will of the people and therefore He found out for me where they had taken it already. representing them. There were three Terry and also advised me kindly to give Here, I am afraid is a blank in my indictments. Having a police code was him a rug and pillow. I crossed the river to memory. Except that I was ill. (I had been one, being able to use it was another. I the Bridewell. I saw Terry who asked me before and only found out about ten years forget the third. Terry said that of course to find out where they were going to take later that it was caused by food poisoning. he had the code and was able to use it, but him. He said I had to ask the Lord Mayor, I used to be quite incapacitated). During that he was the only person in Cork entitled which I did not want to do as we thought my well times I was active naturally in the to both these things, or somebody him too pro-British. However, of course, movement and the language. I spoke authorised by him, which the British were I did. I don't remember what he said. I nothing but Irish for two years. not. don't think I got any information. Seán Ó All this time people were being arrested; He had already at this time been on Cuív, who knew the detectives personally, homes were being raided. The Bishops hunger strike several days. He was taken found out they were sending Terry to were fulminating against the Volunteers, to England in a submarine and brought to Belfast. I then went immediately to Cork excommunicating people and refusing London, arriving at two in the morning, with a very heavy suitcase, full of arms. I absolution and the sacraments to men and for fear of demonstrations. In Brixton had telephoned on the night of Terry's women in the movement. But no one gave Prison the Misses MacSwineys and I took arrest. When I arrived at St. Ita's, Seán in. Terry was an extremely orthodox it in turns to be with him all the time O'Hegarty was there to meet me and all Roman Catholic, and in religious matters during the day, his two brothers at night, were well. I next carried a cardboard box he would have obeyed the Pope without and his great friend, Fred Cronin, a married to the Nursing Home, Mrs. Blundell's, questioning but not in lay matters. man with a big family who left everything where I was going to have the baby. All In January, 1920, (I may have the exact to do this, one of the greatest workers in the way I was followed by a policeman. I date wrong) Terry said to me that as there the cause of Irish Independence who was terribly sorry that he did not ask me to was to be a new Mayor elected did I not never wanted any limelight. open my parcel. I went the next day to think Tomás MacCurtain would be the Whilst Terry was there the assistant Belfast and visited Terry daily in the prison. best person? He did, I too. After he had doctor in the prison asked me to ask my It was difficult at first to get in – one had been a short time in office the Black and husband to take food. I did not resent this. to have permission from a magistrate. I Tans came and knocked at his house at 4 I understood. He said, "He might be stayed with a Mrs. McNamee. Joe a.m. and murdered him in the presence of released permanently injured, you might Connolly and Denny McCullough were his wife and children. Mrs. MacCurtain have more children and this might affect very kind. Then Terry was moved to was pregnant. This killed the babies (twins, them". I said I had been thinking this for Dundalk. Here everything was easier. I and she had always wished for twins); the the past two years but I never interfered lived with a Volunteer family near the jail, birth came much later fortunately in a with my husband in a matter of conscience. railway people – Kieran. I went to Cork good Nursing Home or she would have "I wish my wife was like you", said the for the birth of my daughter (taken from died. doctor, and never asked me again. I me aged 14 by the Dublin so-called Courts All the details of this are well known. naturally tried to save Terry's life. On of Justice). Terry wished the child to be We Irish had at that time a civil arrival in London I asked Art O'Brien if born in Cork. He was in Belfast Jail again Government, Irish Mayors and the British Government intended to release when I took her to see him, aged six Corporations, Irish Courts of Justice, even him. We, of course, had our own secret weeks. Annie MacSwiney went with me, police to keep order. This worried the service who told us these things. Art said, and Dick Mulcahy met us at Kingsbridge British Government more than the war I "Not at present. Of course, they may and took us across Dublin to Amiens think because they could not say it was change". I therefore sent a letter to the Street, looking after everything. murder. After Tomás' murder Terry heads of the Volunteers – Dick Mulcahy, In August, 1918, Terry was released thought he should take his place. It meant, Cathal Brugha and I forget the third. (I and re-arrested on the doorway of the of course, the end of his life. He was said it did not matter which one of them prison, then taken to Lincoln prison. He arrested in August 1920, at a session of the the letter reached) saying that Terry, in my was there when De Valera escaped and Corporation in the Town Hall, the T. C. s opinion, was more valuable to Ireland knew how it had been done. He naturally being present. alive than dead (naturally I could not give refused to tell. I was the only person in I and my little daughter were at a tiny expression to my personal wishes) and Cork who did not ask him. I never asked little place on the seacoast near Youghal would they think of giving him an order to these kinds of questions. He was released when this happened. Terry had been going give up the hunger strike. Then something in March 1919. Then in the General to stay with me on the day he was arrested. very unpleasant happened. The Irish Election of 1918 elected as Teachta Dàla. He said to me when we were leaving, "I Government did not do this. It was not He did not want this; he did not like don't see why I should not have a holiday, until after Terry's death and that of two of politics although in those days the Sinn Dick Mulcahy is having one. Shall I come his comrades in Cork Prison that that they Féin politics were clean. to you or not?". I said "You may as well". called off the strikes. Terry became After Terry's release I went to live in Usually at this time we were not openly delirious during the last few days of his Ballingeary. Terry was only able to be together because I was a mark by which life and had to be given morphia. He died there for part of each week as his duties the English Imperialists and their allied as all the world knows, on October 25th. kept him in Cork. My daughter Máire was Irish Imperialists and Redmondites would Until these last few days he was perfectly nine months old and we both wanted her find Terry and kill him but at this juncture clear. In fact, some of his best friends said to speak our own language from the first. they knew all the hiding places so that he more so than in ordinary life. He said to Terry, of course, spoke Gaoluinne fluently, was not much worse off with us. me once that he has often suffered from and had even studied the highly difficult I went to the court-martial in Cork the fact that Volunteers objected to his rules for writing poetry, in prison; he had Barracks. Mary MacSwiney came to the going into action in ambushes, etc. because no time outside. little place we were at and took charge of they considered him too valuable, but he We were there until the following the baby during this time. At this date the said to me "I feel this is as dangerous and winter. I was soon a fluent speaker, and Volunteers did not recognise the British more so". then went round with the pram (sometimes alien courts, whether military or lay, but During the time in Brixton we also down precipices) to all the old Irish Terry said he would defend himself learned that the Roman Catholic Church

18 wanted to excommunicate Terry on the aliens. Terry flew at them. Soviet Government, to the Irish grounds that he was committing suicide. Years before I knew him he studied for Republican Government as security for a They only desisted from doing this because his degree in philosophy. He told me this loan made by the Irish Republican Terry's hunger strike and Ireland's cause himself. He was hard at work all day and Government to the Soviet Government. It were so well put before the whole world, studied in the evenings. He got serious was shortly after this that Dr. McCartan and everybody knew that he only desired headaches and was advised by a doctor visited Soviet Russia officially. to be released from prison, so that this not to work late at nights. He then took to would have made them ridiculous. going to bed at 8 o'clock after his tea, and We received wonderful kindness from Fortunately there are others like Terry getting up at two. First of all he had a good all Americans who were very pacifist and in different parts of the world. If it were fire; he thought this made him go to sleep idealist in those days. One hopes this will not so our life would be utterly abominable. so he studied without in the freezing cold. return.We testified before the Commission Nevertheless it is hard to do him justice. I was invited to Washington D. C. by in Washington constituted to enquire into He was of middle height, strong, neither the Editors of the "New York Nation". I the atrocities perpetrated by the British very thin or the opposite. He had raven did not want to go to America at all, and Government in Ireland. black hair and an olive complexion. I naturally not at such a time. However, We were at a friendly evening party at think his eyes were his most remarkable various Irish people in London said I the Villards with a German Christmas feature, rather light blue, they had an ought to go, so I wrote to Arthur Griffith Tree. Mrs. Henry Villard's daughter, a expression of idealism I could never (Leas Uachtarán) and he sent me a wire very clever child, spoke some words of describe. None of his photos are like him. "Urge you to go". This was a polite Irish in our honour. I was given the I think what resembles him most is the command. I thought that I had better freedom of the city of New York, not of portrait of John Mitchell, young (whom choose my sister-in-law, M. MacSwiney course for myself, but to honour and in Terry had a very great admiration for). as my companion. It was usual to go in recognition of Terry's heroic fight. That is almost exactly like Terry except pairs. I did not blame her but she had been Back in Dublin, January/February 1921, that the lower part of the face is a bit very difficult in London (not with me but the war was raging, people being raided, thicker or larger in Mitchell's portrait. with the Irish organisations there). I taken out and shot, curfew. My daughter There is a description by Chief Justice therefore made an appointment with had been staying with my mother in Cork. Russell of his seeing Mitchell on the coach Arthur Griffith who was practical and She was now of course with me in Dublin. going from Newry to Drogheda. Russell kind. It was my one meeting with him. He In the summer of 1921 was the Truce. De was, of course a little boy. His description understood the situation and asked me if I Valera, Bob Barton (who had been in of Mitchell's appearance is exactly like knew Harry Boland. I said I did. "Well", penal servitude) and others went to Terry. But apart from appearance. He was Arthur Griffith said, "he is in the U.S.A. London. De Valera negotiated with Lloyd of course for absolute separation from and will see to that". George. I met them all in London; I was on England – everyone knows this. But with We went from Cobh. I was terribly ill my way to Germany where I was going for him it did not end there. Nor was an Irish- all the way over. On arriving in New York the first time. I and my German girlfriend speaking Ireland enough. He wanted we were besieged by journalists before followed the Treaty negotiations at fever justice. I am certain that if he were alive landing. Fortunately A. O'Brien had taught point. I was not in Wiesbaden for political today he would not turn his back on the me interviewing in London but I had not work but for medical treatment. It was the first Irish Constitution to which he had yet had to interview twenty altogether. time of the Allies' occupation of the sworn allegiance. He would "cherish all Fausset, who was our Consul in New Rhineland. Wiesbaden was occupied by the children of the nation". He would have York, also came on to the boat. On landing, the French troops and a lot of civilian been horrified at the rich people, lay and Harry Boland and many other Irish were French were there. I did a lot of work for clerical, in a country governed by an Irish there to greet us officially, and important the Irish Republic amongst both French Dáil, and equally horrified at the lack of Americans. We would have been killed and Germans. I wrote to Seán T. O'Kelly education and welfare. several times over by kindness. We were who was our diplomatic representative in He was absolutely straight and self- taken to the St. Regis Hotel and millions Paris (an honourable post in those days) sacrificing, and I remembers how terribly of people wanted to see us. Jane Adams, and he sent me propaganda in French at the state of corruption in the Workhouse Doctor Gertrude Kelly, and of course, out my request. There was nothing in German, and the Asylum worried him when he was hosts, the Villards; Mrs. Frances Villard, When the Treaty was signed with England Mayor. He said to me once that if only that widow of the founder of the "New York it was the greatest, even personal tragedy was clean it would be a greater load off his Nation", and daughter of Garrison who that had befallen me up to that time. I little mind than anything else. But at that time was tarred and feathered for protecting the dreamt of what was to come later. it was the Redmondites who were corrupt, Negroes. I stayed the night with her on my I was alone a far as anybody was not us. subsequent visit in 1923 and joined the concerned who understood the Irish Terry was not always serious. He liked Women's League for Peace and freedom, situation. I wrote a letter-card to Seán T. a good joke and fun. I remember him founded by her and others during the 1914 O'Kelly saying that if the Treaty was dressing up to play charades at Mrs. War. I am still a strong pacifist. accepted it would be the worst calamity O'Riordan's in Cork at Christmas. Terry After a few days we went to Washington that ever had happened to Ireland. This was eminently reasonable. Also he could with Harry Boland and other. When there was read in the Dáil subsequently at the speck quietly to his greatest opponents. we stayed with Mr. and Mrs. P. Drury Treaty Debates. He had been years working in the mad met Senator Davis L. Walsh, Senator wholesale department office of Dwyer's Borah and several other important people. Conditions, if any, Stipulated by where by the way they had to stand. He Doctor McCartan, who was our official Witness: Nil had a man at each side of him abusing all representative, took me round Washington Signed: MUIRGHÉAL, BEAN his ideals the whole day. He said this to show me that beautiful city. Dr. MHIC SUIBHNE taught patience. I believe I only saw him McCartan did wonderful work during Paris, December 1951. lose his temper once. This was when the those years, so did De Valera. While in the police asked me to sign a form in U.S.A., Harry Boland showed me the Bromyard. Part of this was the law as the famous Russian Jewels, rubies and MRS. MURIEL MACSWINEY, war was on, but they asked me to continue sapphires to the best of my recollection. C/O NATIONAL CITY BANK, COLLEGE GREEN, DUBLIN. to fill out the part that only concerned They had been given by their owners, the AND: 78 RUE BLOMET, PARIS XVieme. 19 Japan and WW2— those of other Western empire builders.

Hawaii—the later site of the US Pacific Fleet—had been a timeless Pacific Island Part 1: Has The General A Point? Kingdom until 1893, when a group of American businessmen operating there On 6th December 1941 the Japanese Agreement of 1935, Britain in fact was the organised as a "Committee of Safety" and Navy attacked the US Pacific Fleet docked effective military ally of Nazi Germany. proceeded to overthrow Queen Liliuoka- in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It has gone down The War in Europe got under way in 1939 lami. In 1894 the US Congress formally in World War Two mythology under as a conflict launched by Britain and France annexed Hawaii to the US. (The Clinton Roosevelt's term, the "Day of Infamy", against Germany and Russia. Germany Presidency "apologised" for this coup a comparing only to the Al-Quaida assault sought to keep Italy neutral so as to prevent century later.) Other island kingdoms with on the New York Financial Services Centre an escalation of the war in the West, while no quarrel with the US were overthrown in 2001. France and Britain, instead of attacking in a similar manner and their territory and Germany on the basis of their paper resources seized. THE GENERAL'S ESSAY "guarantee" to Poland, set about military Recently the Chief of Staff of the operations against Russia through Finland. The Philippines proved a lot trickier. Japanese Air Force wrote an essay. By 1941, the only side which developed America's war against Spain—aimed at Amongst other things he stated that ambitions to a global war and a global seizing Spain's remaining colonial America had been covertly at war with victory were the Allied Powers, and possessions anywhere within a few Japan throughout the 1930s, supplying especially the British-US alliance created thousand miles of the US—ended in 1898 the Chinese Kuomintang and urging it on in early 1941, when the US was technically with a Treaty "ceding" Cuba, Guam, the to ever more aggressive assaults on the still as neutral as Ireland, Sweden or Philippines and Puerto Rico to the USA. Japanese presence in northern China. Switzerland. After Hitler's attack on the But national resistance movements in all These assaults ultimately led to the Soviet Union in June of that year, Stalin of these were to delay American efforts at outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War in went along with the common cause securing their new 'possessions'. In the 1936. Most unforgivably, he also stated declared by the Atlantic Allies for the case of the Philippines, a peasant-based that America instigated the battle that sake of a common front in Europe. As has resistance, which had developed there ignited the Second World War in East been demonstrated by Brendan Clifford against the Spanish in the 1850s, led to the Asia: in his "Afterword" to the 2nd edition of establishment of an Independent Republic "Roosevelt had become president on his Elizabeth Bowen: Notes On Eire: in 1898 on the defeat of the Spanish. But public pledge not to go to war, so in order Espionage Reports To Winston Churchill the US was having none of it and invaded. to start a war between the United States 1940-2 (Aubane Historical Society, 2008), A bitter war was fought and although this and Japan it had to appear that Japan took the Japanese and Germans undertook no formally ended in 1901 with the overthrow the first shot. Japan was caught in joint planning and Hitler himself was of the national government, resistance to Roosevelt's trap and carried out the attack hopeful for a restoration of the British American domination continued until on Pearl Harbor" (Tamogami Toshio, Empire in Asia with which he could do 1913. Suppression of the resistance cost Was Japan An Aggressor Nation?). business. over a million Philippinos their lives in a A few weeks ago, General Toshio was The Japanese concluded a Non- genocidal campaign waged by the US sacked. Aggression Pact with the Soviet Union in Army: April 1941, thus allowing the Soviets to "The Americans… exceeded even the In Britain the history of the Second concentrate forces against the coming cruellest Spanish precedents in World War in Asia is little known about. German attack in the West and allowing manipulating disease and hunger as What is written or—more often— Japan to concentrate its forces in southern weapons against an insurgent but portrayed on film about it centres mostly Asia where it saw itself being forced into weakened population. Beginning with the on the plight of British prisoners of the a showdown with the US. Critical Intel- outbreak of war in February 1899, military Japanese, and involves a generalised view ligence confirming the absence of a com- authorities closed all the ports, disrupting of the Japanese war as a continuum with mon German-Japanese design came from the vital inter-island trade in foodstuffs the Nazi war in Europe. Mindless portrayal the communist spy in the German Embassy and preventing the migration of hungry of 'camps' is used to imply an identity of in Tokyo—Richard Sorge—and this laborers to food-surplus areas. Then, as conditions and purpose between Ausch- enabled the Soviet Union to move its drought began to turn into famine in 1900, witz and Japanese detention camps in Siberian Army west and mount the credible they authorized the systematic destruction Asia. The War throughout the globe by resistance which brought Hitler's invasion of rice stores and livestock in areas that the gallant 'Allies' is presented as a fight to a standstill at the gates of Moscow. The continued to support the guerrilla for democracy and freedom against the Soviet-Japanese Agreement came just two resistance… An ensuing campaign of unspeakable barbarism and pure evil of an months before the German attack on terror against the rural population, backed up by a pass system and population 'Axis' alliance bent on "world domination". Russia. It dispels any notion of a Berlin- “reconcentration”, prefigured US strategy Tokyo "Axis" let alone a joint plan for in Vietnam during the 1960s. “All palay, WORLD DOMINATION "world domination". rice, and storehouses clearly for use by But no evidence exists for the view of enemy soldiers”, writes [the historian] De a common Axis war effort for world US EXPANSION IN ASIA Bevoise, “were to be destroyed… The domination. Germany, Japan and Italy US eastern expansion in the hundred food denial programme got out of hand. had agreed a so-called "Anti-Comintern years prior to Pearl Harbor needs some Increasingly unsure who was enemy and Pact" in 1936, but this declaratory anti- explanation. Driven by Protestant zeal who was friend, American soldiers on Communist stance was a propaganda event ("Manifest Destiny") and Free Trade patrol did not agonize over such with little practical meaning, organised in doctrine (the "Open Door"), the US had distinctions. They shot and burned response to the Popular Front campaign of been storming across the Pacific, 'penetrat- indiscriminately, engaging in an orgy of the Comintern. At that time Britain and ing' China in an openly imperial venture, destruction throughout the Philippines.” America were also arrayed against the and arranging naval stand-offs with their As one soldier wrote back home to "communist threat" of Soviet Russia. rival Japan. The methods of American Michigan: “We burned every house, Following the Anglo-German Naval expansionism differed in no way from destroyed every carabao and other animals, 20 all rice and other foods.” … —more particularly—a coming industrial has become the kind of world that Japan "As peasants began to die of hunger in power. Even prior to the First World War was urging at the time. " the fall of 1900, American officers openly it was widely written about in the US as a On the annexation of Korea that fol- acknowledged in correspondence that serious challenge to American ambitions lowed the Sino-Japanese in which Britain starvation had become official military in China and the Pacific that would have strategy. “The result is inevitable”, wrote backed Japan, Toshio says "Japan tried to to be dealt with. During the 'Great War' develop Manchuria, the Korean Peninsula Colonel Dickman from Panay, “many Japan was a British ally and used its forces people will starve to death before the end and Taiwan in the same way it was to protect the British Empire in Asia. At of six months”. On Samar, Brigadier developing the Japanese mainland." In General Jacob Smith ordered his men to the end of that War, the US moved to contrast to Western empires, it sought to begin isolating Japan. As Toshio writes: turn the interior into a “howling wilder- incorporate its colonies "within the nation ness”. … De Bevoise concludes: “The "However, four years later, in 1919, itself". Under a "very moderate" colonial American war contributed directly and when China was allowed to attend the regime, the plains of Manchuria were indirectly to the loss of more than a million Paris Peace Conference, it began com- transformed from an agricultural economy persons from a base population of about plaining about the 21 Demands with to an industrial one, and in all three seven million”. In comparative terms, this America's backing. Even then, England territories mass education was introduced was comparable to mortality during the and France supported Japan's position. for the "native peoples", modern road, Irish famine of the 1840s." (Mike Davis, Moreover, Japan never advanced its power and water infrastructures were Late Victorian Holocausts, London, 2002, Army without the agreement of Chiang installed and universities established. The p198-9.) Kai-shek's KMT. " Army was opened up to these populations China—Even before its brutal colonis- By the 1920s, most of East Asia was and men of Chinese, Taiwanese and ation of the Philippines the US had been securely in Western hands. India, Burma, Korean background were to achieve the pushing its "Open Door" policy in China. Singapore, Malaya, Hong Kong and highest ranks in the Imperial Japanese Following Britain's "Opium Wars" of the numerous Pacific Island were 'British', Army of the Second World War. (Shiang 1840s, much of China became occupied the French 'owned' most of Indo-China, Kai-shek and several of his Generals were as Western states seized territory and China itself was in the hands of various themselves also graduates of Japanese resources. In 1901 following the defeat of Western powers and its weak central military academies.) The imperial the Chinese nationalist uprising—known government was increasingly a creature households of China and Japan inter- in the West as the "Boxer Rebellion"— of the United States. Holland controlled married. Most of all, while populations this occupation was formalised and the East Indies (later Indonesia) and was were falling elsewhere, in the Japanese- "legitimised" by a Treaty with the Qing merrily pumping oil, rubber and numerous occupied regions it doubled between 1920 Dynasty which the latter had little choice other minerals out of it, and the United and 1940. States controlled the Philippines and had but to accept. The eleven Western powers Toshio claims that the Sino-Japanese effective hegemony over much of the thus legitimised in their Imperial War of 1936 was started by a large scale Pacific. Pacific islands which were not occupation of China included the US, offensive by Chiang Kai-shek's outright Western colonies were held as Britain and Britain's ally at the time, Japan. Kuomintang (KMT) against the Japanese League of Nations 'mandate territories' by presence (military and civilian), and that Western powers, Australia or New JAPANESE GENERAL'S RESPONSE this offensive was instigated by the US Zealand. But Britain's freedom of action The now ex-General Toshio writes of KMT forces were massively supported by in the world had been ended by the war these events from a Japanese perspective: the US, and Chinese strategy was also bankrupting it, and—after briefly "If you say that Japan was the aggressor being manipulated from Moscow contemplating and rejecting with a shudder nation {in relation to China—PO'C}, then following the creation of the Popular Front the prospect of war with the US—Britain I would like to ask what country among with Mao's Communists. He provides recognised that its future imperial role the great powers of that time was not an convincing evidence from recently would best be served as a junior partner in aggressor. That is not to say that because available US and Soviet sources that this an Anglo-US Alliance. The British other countries were doing so it was all was in fact so. The war thus cooked up reluctantly abandoned their Japanese ally right for Japan to do so as well, but rather went badly for the disunited Chinese in 1921 on US insistence and joined in the that there is no reason to single out Japan forces, however, and led to partial Japanese American strategy of isolation and as an aggressor nation… victories and the extension of Japanese economic strangulation of Japan. "Going back … to 1901, in the aftermath power in China in the late 1930s. Toshio Japan had gained control of Korea and of the Boxer Rebellion, the Qing Empire admits that Japanese atrocities occurred, signed the Boxer Protocol in 1901 with Manchuria in the joint imperial carve up but dismisses these as individual acts of eleven countries including Japan. As a of China after 1901, and had done so as an delinquency not unusual in the context of result, our country gained a right to station ally of Britain. Toshio argues that Japanese colonial wars of the time and also refers to troops in Qing China. Also, in 1915, occupation of these territories was both of Chinese atrocities against Japanese following four months of negotiations a type with, but also more benign than, military and civilians. with the government of Yuan Shikai, and Western imperialist norms: incorporating China's points as well, "By contrast {with Western empires— agreement was reached on Japan's so- ROOSEVELT'S TRAP PO'C}, … Japan had been calling for called 21 Demands towards China. Some Japanese actions between 1920 and harmony between the five tribes, laying people say that this was the start of Japan's 1944 were determined by what the West out a vision for the tribes—the Yamato invasion of China, but if you compare was doing in Asia. The 'Allied' economic (Japanese), Koreans, Chinese, Manchur- these demands to the general international isolation of Japan led to the Japanese ians and Mongols—to intermix and live norms of colonial administration by the peacefully together. At a time when racial responding with a desperate strategy. If it great powers at the time, there was nothing discrimination was considered natural, this did nothing, its industrial base would terribly unusual about it. China too was a groundbreaking proposal. At the collapse, as Japan itself had no resources accepted the demands at one point and Paris Peace Conference at the end of World of oil, rubber or copper. It had adopted a ratified them" (Was Japan an Aggressor War I, when Japan urged that the abolition Western practice—secure itself as an Nation?). of racial discrimination be included in the industrialised military power by control- But there was a problem. Japan was the Treaty, England and America laughed it ling the sources of raw materials it needed. sole remaining sovereign Asian state and off. But if you look at the world today, it These resources were located in the 21 Western colonies of Indochina, Malaya 'Flying Tigers' based with the KMT began most a year, "but I have absolutely no and the Dutch East Indies. It sought direct covert air attacks on Japanese posi- confidence for the second and third years". repeatedly to negotiate with the US for tions in China. The Notes to Japan were In July 1941, as American pressure grew, peaceful access to these areas through meant to instigate hostilities and on 25th the Japanese Naval Chief of Staff, Admiral trade, but the US blockade, supported by November 1941 the US Cabinet decided Osami Nagano, told the Cabinet: the European colonial powers, ruled this to act. As Secretary of State Stimson noted "As for war with the United States, out. Japan extended its slice of China in in his diary: although there is now a chance of achieving the 1930s and, following the German "The question was how we should victory, the chances will diminish as time defeat of France and Holland in 1940, it manoeuvre them into the position of firing goes on. By the latter half of next year it advanced on their now adrift colonies in the first shot without allowing too much will already be difficult for us to cope with Indo-China in 1941. Its aims were limited danger to ourselves. It was a difficult the United States; after that the situation —establish a Japanese sphere in the proposition. Hull laid out his general broad will become increasingly worse… If we Western sense as a secure basis for its own propositions on which the thing should be conclude that conflict cannot ultimately industrial development. Brendan Clifford rested—the freedom of the seas and the be avoided, then I would like you to describes it as follows: fact that Japan was in alliance with Hitler understand that as time goes by we will be "{Japan} became an imperialist predator and was carrying out his policy of world in a disadvantageous position." aggression. The others brought out the when the alternative was to become the In September 1941 Nagano told the prey of capitalist imperialism, as China fact that that any such expedition to the Government that a surprise attack on Pearl was. The Japanese islands lacked the south as the Japanese were likely to take material resources necessary for capitalist would be an encirclement of our interests Harbor gave Japan "a chance to win the industrialisation. Japan was not self- in the Philippines and cutting into our war", by temporarily disabling the US sufficient in these things as America was, vital supply of rubber from Malayia. I Pacific Fleet, but otherwise he believed and as England had been until it chose to pointed out to the President that he had Japan was getting weaker while the US become a world Imperialist power for already taken the first steps towards an grew stronger (John Ellis Brute Force: other reasons…. In 1939 America revoked ultimatum in notifying Japan way back Allied Strategy and Tactics in the Second its commercial agreement with Japan and last summer that if she crossed the border World War, London, 1990, p443-4.). in 1940-41 it stopped the export of oil, into Thailand she was violating our safety So what did the Japanese mean by rubber and other commodities, and froze and that therefore he had only to point out "achieving victory" and "a chance to win Japanese assets in America and demanded that to follow any such expedition was a the war" following the impossible ultima- that Japan withdraw from its empire. This violation of a warning we had already tum of the Hull Note? They believed a was while the two countries were at given" (quoted in ibid., p188). short war launched by a surprise attack peace… American policy towards Japan could bring about the temporary breaking was such that there were only two possible The US issued its ultimatum and the of American naval power in the Pacific, outcomes: war, or Japanese surrender Japanese found themselves in a "trap". which would open an opportunity for a without war. The current edition of the As Toshio writes: new agreement with the United States Encyclopaedia Britannica puts it this way: "Roosevelt had become president on his providing for Japan's right to control 'its' The Japanese “faced the alternative of public pledge not to go to war, so in order sphere in Asia. As Ellis writes, their bid either withdrawing from Indochina and to start a war between the United States was to try to assert "a Japanese equivalent possibly China or seizing the sources of and Japan it had to appear that Japan took of the Monroe Doctrine" in the Pacific, oil production in the Netherlands East the first shot. Japan was caught in Roose- though even this is probably overstating Indies”... The Japanese Government spent velt's trap and carried out the attack on it: In 1946 the United States Strategic the Summer and Fall of 1941 trying to Pearl Harbor. negotiate a compromise with the USA Bombing Survey concluded: "There is no "Could the war have been avoided? If evidence in the Japanese plans of an which would remove the stark choice Japan had accepted the conditions laid out between economic collapse and war. In intention to defeat the United States. Japan in the Hull note, perhaps the war could planned to fight a war of limited objectives July 1941 it established a joint Protectorate have been temporarily avoided. But even and, having gained what it wanted, with Vichy France over Indochina… and if the war had been avoided temporarily, it made preparations to move into the when you consider the survival of the expected to negotiate for a favourable Dutch East Indies to gain oil supplies… fittest mentality that dominated inter- peace" (quoted in Ellis, Brute Force, At the same time it sought to make an national relations at the time, you can p445). agreement with the USA for gaining a easily imagine that the United States would Japanese expansion through south-east supply of raw materials by trade if it have issued a second and a third set of Asia during 1941 was based on what Ellis dismantled its Empire. But the US insisted demands. As a result, those of us living describes as a "strategic concept" that that its ultimatum be complied with today could very well have been living in was "essentially defensive". The East unconditionally before any other a Japan that was a white man's colony" Indies were the prime source of oil and the agreement could be made. …" ('Afterword' (Was Japan an Aggressor Nation?). other raw materials it sought, and peaceful to Elizabeth Bowen, p187) access to which it had been denied by the In that dog-eat-dog world, the Japanese US and British Blockade supported by the The American ultimatum took the form leadership regarded their war with the US other Western colonial powers in the of the "Hull Note". Cordell Hull was US as a desperate gamble which it had only an region. Seizing these and temporarily Secretary of State and a leading advocate— odds-on chance of carrying off. As Toshio disabling the US Pacific Fleet, according along with Henry Morgenthau, Secretary points out, the Japanese leadership was to Ellis, were— of the Treasury—of expansion in Asia "not stupid". It was a conflict it believed it "not seen as part of a remorseless and war with Japan. War was unpopular had no option of avoiding. advance towards mainland America, but with the American public and, though he as the establishment of a ne plus ultra had been elected on a programme of keep- From other sources it emerges that in line that would deny potential air and ing America out of war, Roosevelt and his September 1940, Admiral Isoruku Yama- naval bases to the enemy. When the inner circle were intent on joining the War moto, the Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese commanders sanctioned their in Europe and provoking one in Asia. Japanese Navy, told Prince Konoye his amphibious blitzkrieg it was on the clear America was both overtly and covertly view of the prospects of a war with the understanding that the initial conquests subsidising the war efforts of both China United States. He believed they had six were to be the only conquests, and that and Britain. In October 1941, the US months to achieve their objectives, or at there was to be no thought of fighting a 22 protracted war to the death with the Western powers in the Pacific" (p446). · Biteback · Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback Wars do not follow pre-ordained patterns, and once the conflict began, so Report of letter sent to the Right Reverend Paul Colton, the Greater East Asian War—as Toshio Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross on 18th December calls it—took its course. When Japan did attack Pearl Harbor, they sunk a range of aging battleships—the modern aircraft Church Of Ireland carriers were conveniently absent. v. Aubane Historical Society? Roosevelt had his War. Philip O'Connor Dear Bishop, I refer you to an article in the Sunday Independent of December 14, 2008, in which Next month: Anti-Fascist War or Eoghan Harris referred to our society. He was commenting on a seminar organised by the Asia for the Asians? Cork, Cloyne and Ross Diocese of the Church of Ireland on 8th December last. It has been reported to us that Senator Eoghan Harris "declared war" on our Society at the seminar and that he also said we were "mentally deficient". We have confirmed this detail and the information below, since publication of the article, with a number of speakers at the seminar, and with some of those who attended. Afghanistan Senator Harris's were unusual sentiments, to put it mildly, expressed at an event organised by a Christian Diocesan authority. We understand also, that a security firm patrolled the venue all day. Their representative explained that they were doing so to prevent a plan on our part to "storm and disrupt" the 1 event. AZIZABAD Please rest assured that we had no intention of doing any such thing at the seminar or indeed at any other event. We publish, write, discuss and debate. Anyone who may have reported otherwise to you was bearing false witness. We would have been more than The United States again sends its regrets: delighted to have been invited, however. Taliban Mullah Siddiq—Yeah, sad, We understand that one of our published authors, the Oxford educated historian, Dr seen in the village of Azizabad Brian Murphy of Glenstal Abbey, Co Limerick, was referred to by Senator Harris in A ground attack with missile-firing jets, but first, the screaming cannon-fire of somewhat disparaging terms. These terms referred to Dr Murphy's capacity as a Roman hate. Catholic priest. The term "meddlesome priest" and the suggestion that priests should not Ninety-three dead, including sixty kids. "dabble in history", were, it has been reported to us, part of Senator Harris's presentation. NATO says most civilian deaths are fibs. On the other hand, Protestant clergy were encouraged to keep "their heads up" by Senator Remember August 22 '08 Harris. Guernica 1937 We also wonder at the appropriateness of Senator Harris referring to a Minister of Lidice, June 10, 1942 State, Dr Martin Mansergh TD, in his capacity as a member of the Church of Ireland, as Deir Yassin, '48, all in Heaven a "lie down and die Protestant". This was at an event organised by your diocese as part via the gates of Hell, long grows the of the Hard Gospel Project, which has the subtitle, "love your neighbour". queue. We find it particularly disturbing that the diocese might be seen to condone remarks Now, listen to the killer’s moral tones while standing on a mound of human that may have bordered on the sectarian. This would be unfortunate, considering the bones. reason for setting up the Hard Gospel project was to distance the Church of Ireland from inadvertent association with the activities of the Orange Order at Drumcree Church of Ireland Parish Church. We commend generally the Hard Gospel Project's work, especially the way in which concern with sectarianism associated, however inadvertently, with the 2 Church has been combined with a desire to oppose the twin evil of racism. MARRIED TO DEATH We are very interested in the subject matter of the Seminar, "Understanding our history—Protestants, the War of Independence and Civil War in County Cork" and we have published relevant material. I enclose some for your consideration. Here comes the peace-keepers, filler of We would welcome an opportunity to discuss the topic of the seminar with the Hard graves: Gospel Project—under whose auspices the Seminar was held—and to explore the issues Kerosene vapour streaks the mountain involved in this topic and to provide a basis for our mutual understanding. air, burners glow white-hot, sending out We desire, at the earliest opportunity, to correct the record for all who were present at shockwaves. the seminar. We would like the opportunity to demonstrate that we are decent, polite and Down in the valley is the suspect’s lair? respectful individuals. Normally, we would assume that others might assume it of us. In Deflecting flares sprout, sizzle and cackle. this case, I think you will agree that those who heard otherwise will need to see the Bride and bridegroom and village stop to evidence for themselves. stare; I am sure you will agree that there is nothing to be gained from making and/or mud huts, dusty street, the geese cackle. condoning outrageous allegations about people in their absence and that everything is to He dropped democracy so do take care. be gained from dialogue, respectful discussion and reflection. 'If I hurt you like that then I’m sorry', I very much look forward to hearing from you and hope you are in a position to arrange says the soldier on the satellite phone, a meeting at the earliest opportunity. 'Yes, still love you, Beth, and little Harry. What about getting hitched when I get We are copying this letter to the academic speakers and to representatives of the Hard home? Gospel Project. The ring is Afghan gold, a wedding band— Yours sincerely, I didn’t find it! It’s not second-hand.’ Jack Lane PRO. The Aubane Historical Society Wilson John Haire. 5th December, 2008 NOTE: A report of the Church of Ireland Seminar, along with other relevant material, appears in Church & State for the first quarter of 2009.

23 nationalised industries to buy up other Book Review private companies and gradually bring all of the economy under state control. C'était Francois Mitterrand by Jacques Attali This reveals two elements of Mitter- rand's political philosophy. He was This is a remarkable biography of a to that office. prepared to concede on what he considered remarkable man. Mitterrand was narrowly defeated by inessentials, but was inflexible on what he Jacques Attali, as a student in the elite Valéry Giscard d'Estaing (12.7 million to considered was important. Secondly, he ENA, first met Francois Mitterrand in 13.0 million) in the election of 1974. Attali never worried too much about whether the 1966 in Paris. Mitterrand had just been makes the point that Mitterrand had more State could afford a necessary reform. defeated by General Charles de Gaulle in votes in France Métropolitain (i.e. main- Attali says that Mitterrand believed econo- that year's Presidential race. Attali must land France), but the votes of the overseas mics was invented by civil servants and have been impressed by the Socialist candi- territories and postal votes favoured conservative types to prevent politicians date because he approached the latter as Giscard. Mitterrand, according to Attali, from achieving things in the world. he was leaving a restaurant and offered his always believed that the Gaullists stole According to Attali Mitterrand often said: political services. This was to be the start most of the overseas and postal votes and "France is a rich country even if the of a close political friendship that was to thereby robbed him of victory. French for the most part are not. Don't last for almost 30 years. Following the defeat of 1974, Mitter- worry about reforms which we may be Since Mitterrand was the most import- rand remained the dominant figure on the able to do. They are marginal compared to ant political figure of that period, a biog- French Left. But, although the Communist what France can bear. Our real limit is not raphy of Mitterrand cannot avoid being Party was in terminal decline by the 1970s, the finances but the character of the French: also a history of modern France. The book it remained a powerful force and was still so conservative, so difficult to develop. is also, in part, about Attali himself. needed by Mitterrand if he was to win the And those who call themselves commun- Attali is a Jew who was brought up in 1981 Presidential Election. Meetings ists are the most resistant to change." Algeria. Back in 1966 when he met Mitter- between the Communists and Socialists He was not worried at the breakdown rand he thought of himself as an intellectual in the late 1970s were interminable and of negotiations with the Communists. As engagé. His early heroes were Albert contentious. At one such meeting as negoti- he said to Attali: Camus and Jean Paul Sartre. But he became ations had "turned to vinegar" Paul Laurent disillusioned with Sartre for his uncritical the Communist Party's number 2 con- "They {the communists—JM} will stance in relation to the Soviet Union. The cluded the meeting with a joke: return and support a united candidate of the Left. The people want it and they intellectual Attali most admired was Ray- "Comrade Lenin was in exile in Switzer- know it. They cannot betray the working mond Aron. As a non-Marxist Socialist it land. He had been working very hard and class." was perhaps inevitable that Attali should his comrades brought him to the country- gravitate towards Mitterrand. side of Cervin. They walked a long time. A LEFT WING GOVERNMENT Attali runs quickly through the various And near the top of a mountain everyone And so the day arrived. Mitterrand was upheavals in French political life in the waited for his reaction to the beautiful late 1960s. On 1968 he remarks that the view. After a long silence Lenin said: elected President in 1981 and in the parlia- events of May led to a victory for the Right 'Pathetic! Absolutely pathetic'! Everyone mentary elections the Socialists and Com- munists had a majority. in June. was astonished by this reaction until some- one asked comrade Lenin: 'but how can In the interregnum between his election and swearing into office Mitterrand LEFT UNITY you say that about such beautiful scenery?' observed the constitutional niceties and The famous dictum of André Malraux 'Oh, my apologies', replied Lenin. 'I was —"between de Gaulle and the Communist thinking of Social Democracy'." refused to make any decisions until he Party there is nothing"—applied less in was sworn in. Instead he occupied his Attali says that a "heavy silence" time reading Zola and Maupassant. He the 1960s than in the 1940s. Nevertheless descended and everyone turned to see laid a rose on each of the graves of Jean the French Communist Party was still the Mitterrand's reaction. He exploded with most powerful force on the left with about Moulin, Victor Schoelcher and Jean laughter. From other passages in the book Jaures. Attali was asked to lay a rose on 25% of the vote. The French Socialist it is clear that Mitterrand had contempt for the grave of Leon Blum. On his election Party didn't exist at that time. The Left some of his Social Democratic comrades. alternative to the Communist Party was a Mitterrand read the messages of congratul- ation from world leaders. He was particul- pot-pourri of tendencies surrounding The negotiations in 1977 broke down various individuals. It was only at the on two issues: a Minimum Wage and the arly taken by a warm note from King Juan Congress of Epinay in 1971 that Mitterrand extent of the Nationalisations. The Com- Carlos of Spain, who it turned out detested Giscard d'Estaing because of the latter's succeeded in forging those tendencies into munist Party wanted a minimum wage of a party. 2,400 francs a month, whereas Attali, who habit of constantly giving advice. Mitterrand believed that the strong pos- was the economics advisor for the Mitterrand also took time out to offer the following wise advice to Attali: ition of the French Communist Party was Socialists believed that the State could not an unnatural element of French political afford more than 2300. On nationalisations "The one thing I would ask of you is to life and could only be explained by the the Communists and Socialists agreed on beware of the women. Yes I am being heroic role the Party had played in the what needed to be nationalised, but the quite serious: the women. They are Resistance. But whereas other socialists, Communists wanted the subsidiaries of attracted to people who have power. such as Michel Rocard, wanted to oppose the nationalised industries to be also And they will do anything to approach them. Don't trust them. Beware!" the Communist Party, Mitterrand under- nationalised. mined it by forming an alliance. Mitterrand was perfectly willing to On Mitterrand's accession to power In 1974 Mitterrand was the agreed Presi- concede on the minimum wage. As he Attali remarked that the functioning of the dential candidate of the Socialist Party said to Attali: "you mean you are prepared State remained as before. The Government and the Communist Party. In the era of the to sacrifice the unity of the left for 100 had changed but not the State. However, Cold War it was inconceivable that a francs a month!" However he was in- there were some personnel changes in the Communist could be elected President of transigent on the second issue. He felt that administration, but most of these were not France, given the military powers accorded the Communists wanted to use the newly controversial. After the sacking of one 24 particularly incompetent diplomat a typical pared quite favourably with economic he admired her ability to defend her Gaullist reaction was: performance under the Gaullists. How- principles in the face of massive un- "You see my dear friend, even the ever, the socialists were no better than the popularity. He was also fascinated by her Socialists find you vulgar". Gaullists at tackling the problem of dominance over her Cabinet. Attali says But once Mitterrand acceded to power unemployment. Mitterrand believed that that Mitterrand described Thatcher as he wasted no time in implementing the a Leninist policy could solve the problem having "the eyes of Stalin and the voice of of unemployment, but he was not prepared Marilyn Monroe", which probably says Socialist Programme. He believed that the momentum was with the Left after his to pursue such a policy because of the loss more about the French President's election and therefore it was important to of individual liberties which it would imagination than Thatcher! entail. Mitterrand had no illusions about British implement as many reforms as possible before the tide turned. The slogan of the Ultimately, Mitterrand was a Social foreign policy. Nevertheless, he supported Socialists was "changing life" (changer la Democrat. He said to Attali that he would Thatcher in the Falklands/Malvinas War. never pursue a policy which he knew in Much to the chagrin of the Quai d'Orsay vie). And Attali makes a good case that Mitterrand succeeded in doing precisely advance would fail. I take this to mean (the French Foreign Office), he revealed that in France. Among the reforms that that he would never try to impose a policy the technical details of the Exocet missiles on French society against its will. France had sold to Argentina to the British, Mitterrand implemented were: Attali is quite critical of Mitterrand's making them easier to bring down. - the 39 hour week Governments. He says that after the first Mitterrand had no regrets about this. He -reduction of the age of retirement to 60 three years he let things drift and preferred believed that France had interests in -a fifth week of paid holiday leave to concentrate on foreign policy. Perhaps Europe and Africa, but had no influence in - abolition of the death penalty Mitterrand felt that in regard to domestic Latin America or the Middle East and -improvement in working conditions policy he had come up against the limits of therefore it was in France's interest to -a rebalancing of the relationship between what was achievable in a parliamentary support Britain. tenants and landlords democracy. Attali briefly refers to the war in - Abolition of discrimination against In 1986 the Left lost the parliamentary Rwanda. He says that Mitterrand saw it as Homosexuality. Also the decriminalis- ation of Homosexuality which was a elections and for the next couple of years a conflict between Francophone and crime in France as it was in Ireland. there was a period of cohabitation. (A left Anglophone countries, which I think is - paid maternity leave wing Government returned after accurate. Attali also exonerates France of - increased powers to regional government Mitterrand was re-elected in 1988.) any responsibility for the genocide, which Mitterrand remained as President but the I also think is fair. (This will be examined Attali argues that these were funda- Gaullists were in Government. The French in more detail in a future issue of Irish mental reforms which changed French Constitution was unclear as to the Foreign Affairs). society and could not be reversed by prerogatives of the President in this However, he disagreed with Thatcher subsequent Gaullist Governments. But situation and so the issue was resolved by in her policy regarding the IRA Hunger Mitterrand believed that his greatest a battle of wills between Mitterrand and Strikers. He also found her toleration of achievement was to be elected and then the Gaullist Prime Minister, Jacques Apartheid in South Africa repugnant. His re-elected for a second term of seven Chirac. Again we see how Mitterrand was approach to the Soviet Union was different. years. For a country which had been prepared to concede on inessentials but And, of course, he was permanently at dominated by right-wing Governments, was inflexible when it came to what he loggerheads with her on Europe. the fact of left-wing power was even more considered important. He had a hard-headed attitude to the significant than what it had achieved. Attali In the period of cohabitation Mitterrand defence of France. He believed that France quotes the following from Mitterrand: summed up his relationship with Chirac should have all the weapons of any "Since the first French Revolution in as follows: potential enemy including biological 1789 the Left has only been in power "I control the Army and you control weapons. France can say that she will not four times. In 1848 for four months. In the SNCF {the French railways—JM}". use them. But she should only destroy 1870 for two months and only in Paris: The "Army" included all matters of them if her enemies do likewise. the Commune. In 1936 for a year. foreign policy. The "SNCF" was shorthand Unlike many social democrats of the Therefore one can say that the first long for the domestic economy. Accordingly, time Mitterrand was a strong believer in lasting leftwing government was ours." Mitterrand had to sign off on the privatis- the nuclear deterrent. In particular he Attali also says that under Mitterrand ations of the recently-nationalised believed in an independent nuclear there was greater access by the working companies. However, he successfully deterrent for France. However, he had no class to third-level education. However, resisted Chirac's attempt to privatise interest in France having short-range the Socialist President was not too companies which had been nationalised nuclear missiles. For France to have an enthusiastic about the ambitious plans of in 1945. He argued that these were part of effective nuclear deterrent its enemies— his Education Minister Jean Pierre the heritage (patrimoine) of the State and no matter where they were in the world— Chevenment, who wanted 80% of young as head of the State he was obliged to must believe that they themselves could people to graduate from University. defend their retention. When Mitterrand be attacked. For this reason he preferred to threatened to have a referendum on the have his nuclear weapons in undetectable "What are we going to do with all these submarines. graduates? We also need bakers!" issue, Chirac was forced to back down. France was, and is, the only independent Mitterrand's Governments implement- FOREIGN POLICY nuclear power in Western Europe. (Britain ed a wave of nationalisations. Although Chirac made some feeble attempts to is not independent of the USA.) However, most of these were reversed by the Gaul- muscle in on foreign policy but he was no Mitterrand believed that she was incapable lists, Attali makes the point that many of match for Mitterrand. In any case, although of defending Western Europe on her own. these companies were on the verge of Mitterrand detested de Gaulle, it turned He hoped that in time Europe would be bankruptcy when they were nationalised out that his foreign policy was very Gaullist capable of defending herself, but until that and were bought back by the private sector in orientation. However, he seemed to time came the defence of Western Europe at a substantial profit to the State. have had a soft spot for Margaret Thatcher. was the responsibility of NATO. For this Attali claims that the growth in the Although he found the British Prime reason he was in favour of American French economy under the socialists com- Minister's economic policies repugnant, nuclear missiles located in West Germany. 25 His great fear was that there would be However, Mitterrand did not resist questioned Mitterrand on this, he said that a nuclear war confined to Europe. He Germany's recognition of Croatia's inde- Bousquet had given valuable information thought that the USA could watch from pendence. Attali says that Mitterrand was to the Resistance and that no one could across the Atlantic, but in such a war horrified but felt he could do nothing really understand that period in French France "could not escape to the moon". because negotiations for the Euro were at history unless they had lived through it. In For this reason he always demanded that a sensitive stage. my opinion the fact that Resistants were American Presidents commit themselves On the subject of the Euro, Mitterrand dining with Collaborators seems to indi- to attacking the Soviet Union in the event decided to hold a referendum in France on cate that Mitterrand had a point. of a Soviet invasion of Western Europe. the Maastricht Treaty because he thought Attali also describes an evening spent Anything less would render the nuclear that Europe should be a Europe of the with Francois Sagan and other writers in deterrent ineffective. people. He won a narrow victory. But in which Mitterrand seemed to defend the He refused to form a nuclear alliance the light of recent events, it would be notorious French Nazi Pierre Laval. with West Germany. Such an alliance interesting to know how he would have Mitterrand remarked that Laval, along would compromise France's independ- responded to a defeat. with Léon Blum and André Tardieu, was ence. This was consistent with the policy one of the few men of real stature in pre- of de Gaulle, Pompidou, and Giscard MITTERRAND & SECOND WORLD WAR war France. But he had lost his way because d'Estaing. When nuclear disarmament was he had no convictions and had too much implemented in Europe, Mitterrand Mitterrand followed the Gaullist confidence in himself. Attali suggests that insisted that France's nuclear missiles were doctrine that France under Vichy was not Mitterrand could have been talking about the "real France" and therefore the "real not included. Attali remarks that this himself. Maybe so! Mitterrand certainly annoyed both the USA and the Soviet France" had nothing to apologise for. had feet of clay. But if Attali is suggesting Union which both agreed that France Whether one agrees with that historical that one should suppress all thoughts about view or not, it makes sense for France to should not have an independent nuclear a person because of his repugnant politics deterrent. adopt that position in relation to other I would have to disagree. The USA was also against France countries so as to avoid being at a moral disadvantage. Recently Nicholas Sarkozy having an independent foreign policy in Elsewhere he recalls with horror a relationship to the Soviet Union. repeated this Gaullist doctrine, but as has discussion Mitterrand had with Kohl on Mitterrand tried to develop relations with been pointed out in this magazine, in his the subject of Rudolph Hess, who had book Testimony he says France was Gorbachev but was undermined by leaks been arrested by the British at the begin- to the media. (I have read elsewhere that liberated by the Americans. De Gaulle ning of the War. Mitterrand thought that Mitterrand believed that a senior journalist always claimed that France liberated Hess's punishment of 40 years imprison- herself. in Le Monde was working for the CIA.) ment was "inhuman". He continued: The life of Francois Mitterrand shows Attali recounts a very revealing meeting "You know I saw Hess. I was present at Mitterrand had with Constantine Cher- that the "real France" was a very complic- ated entity. In the Autumn of 1994 Pierre a session of the Nuremberg trial. It was nenko, the elderly Soviet leader. During Péan, a distinguished journalist, revealed grotesque to see those accused in front of the meeting Gorbachev arrived late from the judges in all their finery like a spectacle. that Mitterrand worked for the Vichy an economics meeting. In front of Certainly they were awful people, but Mitterrand, Chernenko asked Gorbachev administration from the Spring of 1942 to some perhaps less so. And among them the beginning of 1943. It was not until how things were. Gorbachev proceeded Hess appeared like a stranger. During to outline the dire economic state that the 1943 that he joined the Resistance. breaks in the session they talked among Soviet economy was in. Attali doesn't This revelation caused a personal crisis themselves. But Hess did not mix with the for Attali. He realised that he had been comment on this incident. But in my others. He remained on his own in a opinion it shows Gorbachev's naivety. lied to by Mitterrand for all the years that corner." Gorbachev believed that the West would he had known him. Attali felt that he had to reassess his relationship and the record Mitterrand went on to talk about Goring help him make economic reforms. of Mitterrand. He couldn't believe that and concluded: But while Mitterrand thought that the "He was not an ideologue. He was an West should give unconditional economic Mitterrand was anti-Semitic. On the contrary, he seemed an admirer of Jewish adventurer." aid, this was not the policy of the USA and Britain. They made aid conditional on a culture. His mother had inculcated in him Attali is shocked at what he sees as an collapse of the existing economic system. a great love of the Bible. He was a supporter attempt to humanise the Nazis. He seems of the State of Israel,while recognising I have sometimes speculated what to think that the Nazi ideology is so terrible would have happened if Brezhnev's suc- that the Palestinians should have their that all thought about it should be cessor, Yuri Andropov, had lived longer. own State. Attali claimed that France was suppressed. And that furthermore Mitter- the only country that had good relations Attali says that the Austrian Socialist Prime rand's opinions are a subconscious defence Minister Bruno Kreisky thought that with both the PLO and Israel. Attali felt of his collaboration during the War. Andropov "was the strongest Soviet that Mitterrand was less "arabist" than the Attali also recalls a speech in 1987 in Quai d'Orsay. personality since Lenin". which Mitterrand recalled the kindness of Mitterrand viewed the collapse of the a German woman who gave him bread Attali was forced to recall other inci- when he was a prisoner. He concluded Soviet Union with a sense of foreboding. dents and conversations that he had witnes- He was particularly worried about political that the Germans do not hate the French. sed. He remembered meeting Mitterrand And the French do not hate the Germans. developments in Germany. However, un- at a restaurant in 1977. The latter was like Thatcher, he was realistic enough to Attali is outraged at this. He turned to dining with some well-known figures in Mitterrand's foreign minister—Roland know that a United Germany was inevit- the Resistance and some other people that able. He concentrated his efforts on Dumas, the son of a Resistant who was Attali did not know. Two of the diners shot by the Nazis—and said: anchoring Germany within the European turned out to be senior members of the Union. He also insisted that Chancellor Vichy police force. One of them, René "Surely he should have said some Kohl recognise the border with Poland. In Bousquet was involved in the notorious Germans did not hate France." the euphoria of unification there was a Vel d'Hiv incident, in which thousands of Dumas replied: strong political tendency in favour of Jews were transferred from Paris to the "You cannot understand. De Gaulle reclaiming the German parts of Poland. concentration camps. When Attali thought the same". 26 To which Attali responded: heaven or hell, but did believe in the time the problem was declared—well not "But I did not think we were Gaullists." "forces of the spirit". He assured his friends a problem—the farmers were on-side and that he would not leave them when he EU money was promised in compensation Dumas smiled and made a sign to died. Every day he thought about "his and Lisbon 2 made its landing full throttle. indicate that he wanted to hear the rest of dead", people whom he remembered. He But back to the beginning of this highly the speech. Mitterrand concluded his saw himself as a "tomb of memory", a intriguing story. In the newspapers of 8th speech by saying: "guardian of memory". He hoped that December 2008, which must surely have "We must change. Let us move on people would, in turn, remember him after gone to print by 10pm on Sunday evening, from grief, the wounds of all kinds, his death. Most of all, he hoped that he there were full instructions given on the divisions…". would see his mother again. disposal of all pork and bacon products. In Attali's opinion Mitterrand was trying Attali concludes the book by writing On the RTE 6 o clock news that night, we to build the Franco-German alliance on movingly about Mitterrand's last days. As were shown workers who had gone to a the basis of forgetting the past. But I don't I write, I am thinking of a good friend of slaughtering and processing plant for work see it like that. I don't see why it is necessary my own, Pat Murphy, who is also dying. at 7am as usual, and they were told by to dwell on the Nazi atrocities in all I reproduce the passage below while Department of Agriculture officials that dealings with Germany. Furthermore, in thinking of him as well as the French they wouldn't be allowed on site and to go some ways, despite Mitterrand's lies and President. to the Social Services office for their dole. evasions, the evidence of this book would "When he left the Élysée in May 1995, There they were told that it would take suggest that he was grappling towards a he only thought of himself and the mark until at least 6 weeks before any claim more realistic view of the Second World he had made in the memory of others. He could be processed: it was hard watching War than Attali! braced himself to look in the face of death. hard-working parents reduced to penury At that adversary who had hung over him by our State just before Christmas. This is and on whom he had imposed his own THE MITTERRAND ENIGMA how our Government acts these days when time table; fifteen years after the dire our democracy is out of step with the At the time of writing there is a prognosis of his doctors. It was, as he said television series on Bertie Ahern. One of political elite over EU policy. And make himself, 'an honourable fight'. no mistake that is what this so-called the themes is Ahern's enigmatic quality. "The apartment he chose, in rue Frédéric But a reading of Attali's book indicates crisis was all about. All told, some 1,800 Le Play, near the Champ de Mars, was the workers in pig meat factories were laid off that Mitterrand was even more complex. antechamber of his death, a neutral place, immediately. Ahern had a similar style to Mitterrand in without any link to his former lives. Never conducting Cabinet meetings. Both would choose. Always remain free. Right until Then on Friday 12th 2008, the scare not reveal what they thought about a the end. was over, killed off by Minister of Agri- particular issue before finding out what "For nine months, he prepared his culture, Brendan Smith TD, after obtaining their Ministers thought. However, there departure and received some of his friends. on Thursday 11th a promise of fifteen was one difference. Ahern would arrive at Not all. Not me. He was too sick to accept million Euro from the EU Commission. a decision by consensus and by nudging the least criticism. At the end of his days And mirabile dictum, with a wave of his the discussion in a certain direction. he walked in the neighbouring streets and ministerial wand, the pigs and all the pork, Mitterrand, on the other hand, would loved when people stopped him in the bacon and sausages were fit for human conclude a meeting by saying that he street and said to him a simple 'thank you'. consumption again. The Government, the would "reflect" on what had been said. He said to me on the telephone that he was Minister and the EU had all between them The following morning he would issue far from being detached. He suffered saved Ireland's bacon and everyone thank- written instructions. There was never the enormously. On his last New Year's Eve ed the Government and the EU for being slightest ambiguity as to who had made he said to Jack Lang: 'I suffer as if I have able to look forward once more to their the final decision. the Gestapo in me'. Christmas Hams and Turkeys. Phew— "On the 8th of January 1996, at the end Attali tells us that Mitterrand had a what a relief! of his strength, he chose to go before his By Friday 12th, everyone and particul- rural background and preferred the death, beyond pain and nothingness, regional press to the national newspapers arly the print media seemed to have towards what he hoped would be the smile forgotten (a) the Government and the such as Le Monde. His favourite authors of liberty." were also provincials: Chateaubriand, Minister for Agriculture had started the Lamartine, and Barbey d'Aurevilly. He Quel homme! What a man! scare, (b) the Minister's order to pull all didn't like Malraux, Aragon, or Proust: John Martin pig meat and dump it was way over-the- "too Parisian". top and did enormous damage to Ireland's He had no interest in America: neither Does export markets—millions of Euros worth its language nor culture. But he did like It of damage and (c) the Department of her "provincial" literature: Steinbeck, Dos Stack Agriculture was guilty of gross negligence in not inspecting the food production plant Passos, and Styron. Up more often that twice a year. But who He believed that Socialism in France ? must be rooted in her national traditions. cares? The Government was praised in the And yet he stood as a centre-right candidate WITHDRAWING ALL PIG PRODUCTS media for fixing the 'problem' and the EU in his youth. He said that to understand a Things do not happen by accident. promised to contribute Euros and the re- person's politics you must not look at what Mostly. There was knowledge of the running of the Lisbon Treaty was again he says but at his feet. Where does he dioxins (PCBs) in pork products at least as announced. So we must all be good citizens stand? Mitterrand claimed that he stood far back as last September. Why break the and vote 'YES'. on the ground of the working class. story with such ferocity on Sunday 7th There is so much information about December 2008? It was just not a leak of SCIENTIFIC GENIUS? Mitterrand in this book, and yet he remains information—it was a full-blooded Again the "pig crisis" showed up the an enigma. He didn't believe in religion, officially-backed scare at a time of maxi- lack of a decent State laboratory in Ireland. but did believe in a supernatural power. mum selling near Christmas. Ah, those So much for our knowledge-based He thought prayer was important as a farmers who marched against Lisbon were economy. The PCB/Dioxin tests were sent means of communicating by thought with going to be taught a lesson by those who to a laboratory in York, England and cost "something higher". He didn't believe in govern they would not soon forget. By the £1,000 per test. 27 A matter of serious national importance, 6. We need somehow to re-develop also which our pig industry is, was entrusted to natural local synergies between livestock, http://www.iol.ie/~rjtechne/climate/ a laboratory in a competing country (and tillage and horticulture, generating all fwcc0807.htm also a country which is one of our biggest possible added-value user-ready food and the other papers hotlinked from it. customers). The Government which boasts products. This is the co-operative of our high turn-out of young scientists is production challenge. Can we do this It will be evident from the foregoing caught out once more to be caring nothing systematically, in a town hinterland, on a that I am trying to re-capture something of for our science graduates, who have to managed scale of say 100 sq kms? 10k ha? the tradition of Craig and Ralahine, as emigrate, probably to places such as York, This problem needs to be addressed by noted by Connolly in his 'Reconquest'. to get work. ICOs: think how to scale up the supply Also Plunkett and Russell; later my father, The same also happened also in the chain of Myrtle Allen's foodie hotel. with his 1923 Agricultural Commission Foot and Mouth epidemic and it is happen- 7. OK, there would still be report addendum, and his 1951 'Irish ing also with the Health Services Execut- specialisations; Munster for milk, Meath Agriculture In Transition'; also R.M. Burke ive, which sends its cancer screening tests for beef, Wexford for barley, Armagh for in Tuam, whose centenary was recently to the USA. What the Department of apples, but in all cases as a prime product celebrated. but I am not in a position to Agriculture and the HSE are doing is not in a product mix, all export-worthy, and give a lead, in retirement at age 79, and only depriving young scientists of jobs all giving a rich local supply. living in Dublin. It is a matter of finding an but also ensuring that there is no expertise 8. the key idea is to treat the grass- organic activist who is motivated to re- being passed on in Ireland in what should clover mix as a rotating crop, as a 5 to 7 discover the co-operative movement, and be our scientific community. Also, of year ley in a multi-crop rotation, where build an integrally-managed multi-product course, the present policies show a substan- the fertility is built up by ploughing in the 'estate' from the bottom up, reviving and tial lack of National Self-Respect for our urban bio-waste fertiliser during the tillage updating Bobby Burke's Tuam vision. own security and sovereignty even during part of the cycle. This is the organic Perhaps the Rossinver organic people will all these Celtic Tiger years. alternative to industrialised monocultures, come around to this in the end. Michael Stack dependent on pesticides and artificial The Left has never got on top of the fertiliser; these are not sustainable, and agriculture problem. it cannot be done by are gluttons for fossil energy. industrial analogy. You have to know Notes in Response To Feargus O how to keep the earthworms happy and Raghallaigh's Commodities: there's see also perhaps working away at the ploughing! Perhaps anudder way to build an economy http://www.iol.ie/~rjtechne/climate/ the energy crunch will wake people up. (November Irish Political Review) orga0708.htm Roy Johnston PhD FInstP CIEI Perhaps these notes might start a trail leading to a structured response, perhaps with someone else. 1. These is a genetic problem with the Film Review Chinese regarding their ability to digest cows milk. this is likely to emerge as a problem, but there are perhaps ways around Bobby Sands Remembered it. i have observed this at first hand among Steve McQueen's film Hunger is not Catholic priest of the old school who Chinese in Ireland. easy to watch, especially the reconstruction would have argued the point of hunger- 2. China as a food importer is of the 'dirty protest' in the H-blocks in striking to the death (if necessary), and undoubtedly of interest to Australia and Long Kesh (under its alias of Her Majesty's would not have flounced out when Sands New Zealand, and global food trade is Prison, The Maze). The transmission of made it plain he was prepared to go all the going to develop all sorts of new channels. 'comms' (communications) is pretty eye- way to death. the problem is going to be how to sustain watering stuff too, and is shown in detail. 'Suicide' as 'Father Moran' puts it. Even production by recycling nutrients back In some ways, this is the documentary that though, (unlike Denis Faul), he is into the soil, using urban waste biomass as could not be made at the time of the described—by Sands—as 'a Republican'. source. this will impose constraints on the Hunger Strikes. A reason why this section of the film has length of the supply chain. Globally food Steve McQueen is Black British, which disturbed so many critics is that Sands is supply will need to be localised as near as is probably significant. He is culturally allowed to put his case remarkably clearly. possible to the main conurbations. close enough to the British (especially the And the visual artist McQueen allows the 3. Yes we can produce food from grass, official) mentality to understand it—and discussion to carry the film—the camera but pure pastoral production is essentially tangential enough not to take it at face does not move for seventeen minutes. seasonal. To deseasonalise production we value. He is an Art College product and Sands made the decision, (essentially), to need to Winter-feed with fodder crops, has been accused of 'over-aestheticising' re-commence the Hunger Strike because and promote Autumn calving as well as the physical conditions of the men on the the authorities had not kept their end of the Spring. 'dirty protest'. That is not accurate. Thank bargain that had ended the previous strike. 4. Our problem is not the dual-purpose the Abstract Entity the 'smellies' never This was in his capacity as O/C of the cow; this has gone decades ago; Frisians really took off. PIRA prisoners. (There were INLA are everywhere. The problem is that the Steve McQueen contributed to the script prisoners—it was in this period that the milk production follows the grass cycle; (the 'writer' billed is Enda Walsh). The Workers' Party disowned Official IRA the seasonality factor is 10 or more. now-famous discussion between Bobby prisoners—leaving their welfare needs to Whence the concentration on powdered Sands (Michael Fassbender—who looks their families and friends.) 'O/C' means skim; a Summer peak disposal operation. nothing like Sands—and in one full-face 'Officer Commanding', and Sands makes 5. We also have the problem of regional close-up strikingly resembles Roger the cold-blooded calculation that the strike over-specialisation, generating a long-haul Casement) and 'Father Moran' (Liam should be 'staggered'. He would begin the load for intermediate products. Pigs and Cunningham) is fascinating. The person hunger strike and others should join him poultry in Monaghan fed with Wexford Sands had this debate with was Father on a fortnightly basis. This (military) barley. Calves from Connaught fattened Denis Faul. He might have engaged in aspect is implicit in the script of Hunger— in Meath. folksy chat about his job. But he was a Sands is not portrayed as a victim of 28 circumstances—he is calling the shots. Part of the context was that young impatient—until the (television) images This aspect of the matter has made this Sands happily played soccer in a 'mixed' coming out of the place meant they had to film problematical for British critics. Sight team in Newtownabbey—until the day be seen to do something. At which point, and Sound, the journal of the British Film the UDA (Ulster Defence Association) they sent seventeen-year old troops to Institute has not reviewed it—which is toured his own housing estate turning the Belfast. Where they ran away from armed extremely unusual. Neither has the Taigs out—and in many cases burning and trained loyalists who burned Bombay Guardian, which takes film very seriously. their premises. There is also the fact that Street to the ground in a matter of minutes. The only mention of Hunger on its website when the Taigs, in 1968-'69, asked to be The hunger strikes did not happen in is a very short notice from May, when the allowed to be properly British, Unionism stable states and societies like those in the film was shown in Cannes. went berserk. And Westminster (which is cosy Twenty-Six counties (from where where the power lies in the UK State) did Fintan O'Toole does his pontificating), or Ireland's own revisionists will un- nothing about it—other than lecture the Great Britain (from where NI is ruled). doubtedly be less inclined to silence. natives about being undisciplined, or Seán McGouran Fintan O'Toole was first out with a confusing (and confused) article (IT Sat., Historians? 22.11.08) 'Hunger' fails to wrest the narrative from the hunger strikers. It is by Part Two no means clear why the 'narrative' ought Continuation of review of Jack Lynch by Dermot Keogh to be 'wrested' from the hunger strikers. Or even of what this 'narrative' consists. "Conspiracy To Import Arms importing arms for the IRA through the O'Toole doesn't say it, but he is concerned "The 'autumn of 1969 provided fertile agency of Captain Kelly. But, if you about the dialogue between Sands and (in ground—and luxuriant cover—for interrupt a reading of the narrative to effect) Faul. And that Sands makes his conspiratorial politics', wrote Dick assure yourself that the assertion is sup- case so vigorously. So half the article is Walsh, “whether designed to hijack the ported by some evidence, you find that the given over to the aesthetic effect of the party or to subvert the state, or to achieve reference Note is about Kevin Boland, film. There is a curious sub-theme both ambitions at once”. He argued that who is not mentioned in these crucial the causes of the Arms Crisis in 1969-70 involving the former hunger striker, Pat paragraphs and was not charged with McGeown, whom O'Toole once accom- were Conspiracy. panied on his rounds as a Belfast 'the existence in the competing factions that were prepared to seize The reference given for the assertion Councillor. The relevance of the latter that Blaney ran a "a parallel government" appears to be that Sands and the rest ought any issue as a vehicle for their ambitions and the party's failure to that was trying to import arms illegally for not to have died, and by his {Fintan the Provisional IRA is as follows: O'Toole's} reckoning become 'martyrs'. arrive at any clear definition of its He writes (of the hunger strikes), that first national aim and how it might "Ironically, Boland was not part of that "… aesthetics trumps politics. The fusion be achieved'. {From Dick Walsh's inner circle and, for all his bluster, would of a visual imagery that deliberate tapped book, The Party, 1986.} not have agreed with its alleged collective action {sic} that resulted in a failed gun- into images of Christ…". Steve McQueen "While Lynch carried the party at the running attempt. He wanted a British made the point that there is only a minute ard-fheis {17 Jan 1970}, there were those in the Government who only gave lip declaration of withdrawal. Not expecting and a half's worth of moving film of the that partition would be ended over night, strikers. Most of the still images of the service to Government policy. Blaney, who would emerge as the leader of a Boland anticipated a period of transition strikers were taken from this stock. shadowy 'parallel government', only of two parliaments in a federal Irish state. In O'Toole's view, the hunger strikers rejected the clear statement of non- In reality he was very far from the Blaney were manipulated by Sinn Féin, the violence repeated by Lynch. He sought, line—and the supposed Haughey line— National Anti-H-Blocks Committee. And in a sinister and underhand manner, to which expected immediate full unity the media. The strikers were absorbed by weaken Lynch's leadership and to imple- following a British withdrawal. Boland the facts of the strike. The Christ-images ment his private policy on Northern was also worlds apart socially from that O'Toole is referring to are of men with Ireland to arm militant nationalists in Haughey. Although they had attended the long dark hair and beards. Sands himself order to 'finish the job' and restore same secondary school, and Haughey had was fair-haired. His supporters also national unity'.* The newly formed been in an accountancy partnership with deployed the photographic image of Sands Provisional IRA embarked on a 'long Kevin Boland's brother, in 1969 they as a cheerful, open-faced, young man. war' to bring about a British withdrawal moved in different social milieus— The latter image was used on the cover of from Northern Ireland achieve the goal Haughey in the world of fine living, high his books of verse. And on the mural on of Irish unity. The illegal importation of art and the young entrepreneurial movers the Falls. arms, in such a combustible situation, and shakers. As Minister for Finance, Haughey had to discipline the spending Then there is the assertion "the prisoners had to be stopped by the state. Yet the Special Branch had passed on inform- propensities of his colleague. He did not were killers": it is true enough that many respect Blaney very much and, according of them were 'killers'. They were IRA ation to the Dept. of Justice in Oct. 1969 that implicated Capt. Kelly in a plan to to Bruce Arnold, felt that Lynch ought to Volunteers, who killed for specific use Government funds to purchase and have got rid of him early on because of his political reasons. The police and soldiers import arms illegally for the purpose of divergent views on the North. But that they killed themselves killed for pay or distribution in Northern Ireland"—but view was expressed before the 1969 pleasure. O'Toole asserts that "29 prison the information was not passed on, and general election" (p535). officers" were "murdered by the IRA". the Taoiseach, Lynch, said he had not Surely the Loyalist paramilitaries (who been informed of it (p233). So what we get in the reference note on have—decidedly—not gone away) were the crucial paragraph are random thoughts, more enthusiastic about killing prison The reference Note indicated by the connected by free association, about officers than Republicans? A Guardian asterisk is given 300 pages later, on page somebody against whom no allegations of blog on Hunger starts with a similar, if 535. One expects it to substantiate the criminal conduct were ever made, and more crude, assertion that the strikers assertion that Blaney was running a who did not figure in the Arms Trial in any were criminal, thus simplistically taking "parallel government" in defiance of the way whatever, but who, in the light of the British law as the yardstick. Taoiseach and was engaged in illegally political mess brought about under Lynch's 29 leadership, resigned from the Government, about the actual Trial.) Keogh has two ative journalist, but by Captain Kelly. and was removed from Party office for quotations from it, neither of which says refusing to withdraw a statement that anything about the Trial itself. The other The day after Hefferon had finished Lynch had acted treacherously. one is: giving evidence the Judge collapsed the Dick Walsh is the seminal authority for "Few Governments would have Trial on a flimsy excuse. It would then the paragraph. I met him once, and would survived the tumultuous aftermath of have made sense for the Government either not waste my time meeting him again. He the trial—but, in Dublin, the Party, long to let the matter rest, or to present a new was an Irish Times journalist who sat on a in power, kept power… Oh Cabbage case for a new trial. It did neither. A new bar-stool and circulated the latest gossip Republic, 'tis of thee we sing" (quoted Trial was held very quickly with the same brought to him from the corridors of power. by Keogh, p270). Prosecution case and the same list of Prosecution witnesses, with the difference In those days I presumed—in accordance The law took its course. The course with Burke's injunction—that important that the Prosecution indicated that it would that it took was promptly ignored by those not call its main witness, Colonel Hefferon, people in public life acted with the best who launched it on its course, as it is now to give evidence. intentions. Walsh had some importance ignored by their historian. in public life. I tried to engage him in a The Defence protested against this Prosecution attempt to exclude Hefferon's discussion of social realities in the North— The Prosecution case was presented to evidence while retaining him on its list of as in those years I did with people across the Court in concentrated form (at least it the entire spectrum of politics in the witnesses. The Judge responded by him- seems concentrated by comparison with self calling Hefferon to the witness box. Republic—in the hope of showing them the diffuse form in which the historian But, having called him, he did not examine that their idea of the Ulster Protestants rehashes it), was gone over in detail for was a piece of completely groundless him, and he did not require the Prosecution three weeks, and was found wanting. The to examine him. What he did was call on make-belief, and that it would all come to Defence case was upheld by the verdict. grief on the reality, unless that reality was the Defence to question him and then call The historian makes no mention, that I on the Prosecution to question him. This come to terms with beforehand and a noticed, of what the Defence case was. radically different approach adopted. He was as close as could be got to allowing the Prosecution to cross-examine its own wasn't interested. He seemed to live in a It was that the Government authorised dimension where reality did not count. He witness. a covert import of arms—meaning an Cross-examination of Prosecution evi- is an apt authority for Professor Keogh. acquisition of arms that would not be dence is the essential right of the Defence known to the British State—and that those The Walsh/Keogh case was put to the in adversarial trials. The Defence was charged with criminal conspiracy had deprived of it in this instance by the actions test of a trial for criminal conspiracy against acted covertly but on lawful authority. the legitimate authority of the State. As of the Prosecution and the Judge. There Keogh puts it: was no Examination and there there could The Prosecution apparently depended be no Cross-Examination. But, by requi- "On 10 May {1970} Lynch had on the Director of Military Intelligence, ring the Defence to question this Prosec- “handed to the Attorney General all the Colonel Hefferon, to give evidence against ution witness first and then passing him copy documents given to me by Mr. his subordinate, Captain Kelly. The Berry “Secretary of the Dept. of Justice, over to the Prosecution, the Judge gave Colonel in fact gave evidence that Captain the Prosecution the de facto right to cross- who claimed he had been trying to inform Kelly had acted under authority, and with examine its own witness without declaring Lynch of these things since the previous the knowledge of the Minister for Defence. October} for whatever action he, the him hostile. Thirty years later it came to light that But the Prosecution failed to break its Attorney General, decided. I had nothing the Statement which Hefferon gave to the own witness. The essential thing in his further to do with the matter or with the police was altered by the Prosecution subsequent trial”. evidence remained firm—that Captain before being put in the Book of Evidence "The law took its course" (p265). Kelly acted under official authority with for the Trial. Parts of it which conflicted the knowledge of the Defence Minister. The law took its course in the form of with the Prosecution case were deleted or two Trials, the first of which was aborted changed to say something different. The Defence case, which convinced by the Judge who took offence at a remark Privilege was claimed over the original the jury, is not even mentioned by Keogh, made by a Defence Counsel. Keogh's documents. (The Judge in the second trial even though it is substantiated by military account of the law taking its course takes recently issued a statement that he did not documents put in the National Archive up six lines in a book of over 600 pages: know that this file had been withheld by thirty years later. The Army was instructed "On 22 Sept. the “Arms Trial” began, the Government on the grounds of by the Government to prepare for possible Mr. Justice Aindrias O'Caoimh privilege.) incursions into the North, and for the presiding. It was stopped on 29 Sept.— When the Colonel saw his Statement as arming of Nationalist civilians in the North, the day following the James Ryan given in the Book of Evidence, he must if events in the North took a certain turn. funeral—after an exchange of views have seen that it was not the Statement he The latter required the covert importation between the judge and a defence counsel. gave to the police. It is not known if of arms, which Captain Kelly organised. The jury was discharged. a new trial anybody in authority discussed the altered opened on 6 October and lasted fourteen Statement with him. The significance of The distinction between covert and days. On 23 October, the four defendants the alterations cannot have escaped him— illegal should not be difficult to grasp, but were acquitted. The writer Tom Mc it is not a distinction that is made by they had to do with his reports to the Intyre described what happened" (p267). Defence Minister about Captain Kelly's Keogh who, de facto, equates covert with And that's it! activities. All that is known is that he illegal. A short paragraph by Mac Intyre is seems to have had a crisis of conscience Half a century after the foundation of included, describing not what happened immediately before giving evidence in the State there was still no Irish arms at the Trial, but the response to the verdict: the first Trial. And the certainty is that he industry. Arms had to be imported, and "The place flies asunder to a brute roar…" gave evidence in accordance with his the arms imported in the regular way were etc. Mac Intyre's Through The Bridewell Statement as given to the police. This known to the British State and therefore Gate (1971) is the only book ever published Statement appeared in the National could not be made available to nationalists about the Trial. (A book called The Arms Archive thirty years later, where it was not in the North. Trial, by Justin O'Brien, has little in it discovered by any historian or investig- The relationship of the British State to 30 the Irish Army is one of those sensitive the Volunteer Army that had fought the The occasion of the Prosecution, and matters that are not spoken of, though War of 1919-21, that had been crushed by the basis of the formal charge, was the nobody who looks at the matter can really Collins's Army acting as a British proxy in final bungling, in April, of the Army believe that there is no relationship. 1922-3, but that survived with real military attempt at a covert importation of arms. The Irish Army post-1921 was not the potential half a century later, due to Army that in 1919-21 fought the war systematic misgovernment by the British The proceedings of the Trial left no against Britain (in support of the 1918 State in the Six Counties. (I do not say, realistic grounds for doubt that Captain electoral mandate) which obliged the 'because of Partition', because I do not Kelly's covert actions were authorised by British to negotiate, and to concede much think that Partition would have remained the Government. The military documents more than it would have done without that an issue capable of generating war if the of the period, made public in 2000-2001, war. But, in conceding, it had the object of Six Counties after 1921 had been governed confirm that covert action was required by breaking the military force which had within the British political democracy.) the Government. That covert action was obliged it to negotiate. It succeeded I am not saying that the IRA remained called off on 20th April 1970, and there is brilliantly in this. the legitimate national army despite the no evidence that Haughey, or Captain Collins imagined that he could take Treaty, the repeal of the Oath, and the Kelly, or the two together, intended to what Britain offered (under ultimatum) in 1937 Constitution. I used what little persist in it after it ceased to be authorised December 1921 and use it as a stepping- influence I had in an attempt to prevent its by the Government. The Ministers were stone towards gaining what was denied. revival in West Belfast in 1969-70. But dismissed on 6th May and the Prosecutions He failed to carry the bulk of the Volunteer there are such things as facts in the world, were launched three weeks later. Army with him from the Republic to the and one of them is that Irish military Free State. During the first half of 1922 he tradition was alive in the IRA and nowhere The launching of the Arms Crisis ended organised a new, paid, Army which was else. the effective influence of the Dublin armed by Britain. He hoped to devise a The IRA was continuously regenerated Government on Northern affairs—an Free State Constitution that the bulk of the because of the position of the Catholic influence which it had actively sought in Volunteer Army could live with, but community under the form of British August 1969, and during the following Whitehall would not allow it. He still government imposed on the North, and Autumn and Winter. hoped to proceed with the formation of was continuously repressed in the South the Free State while leaving the Volunteer where it disputed the legitimacy of the The Irish army was required from Army in being for further development, State. August to April to do something which it but he was given another ultimatum: if he was incapable of doing, because it not did not make war on the Volunteer Army, After the Treaty War the work of only lacked experience in it, but had been the British Army would do so. So, with a repression passed from the Defence Force forbidden to contemplate until it was paid Army armed by Britain, he set about to the Special Branch of the Guards. Long- ordered to do it. The attempted covert destroying the Army that had compelled term control of the Special Branch was operation was a fiasco. Britain to negotiate. exercised by the Secretary of the Justice Department, Peter Berry. In the August of The other Irish Army equipped itself The Treaty War—the so-called Civil 1969 the Army was deployed on the Border illegally for war, declared war, and kept it War—was fought by the Free State on the for the first time, and it was instructed to going for a quarter of a century under authority of the Crown with armaments make provision for incursions into the apparently impossible conditions. supplied by the Crown. And that was the North, either openly or in conjunction only war it ever fought, or was equipped to with the defensive insurgency that came Legitimate fact and accomplished fact fight. It was called a Defence Force rather into existence there in response to the parted company in the Summer of 1970, than an Army, but was actually a force for pogrom of mid-August. and legitimacy became infinitely internal repression. One would expect the problematical even as a notion. Until then General Staff of a Defence Force to look The Special Branch had tunnel vision. the position was that the Irish Constitution across the borders of the State it was There was nothing improper or unusual in that. Agencies of the State have their own asserted a de jure right of sovereignty supposed to be defending and to draw up over the 6 Counties while limiting de contingency plans and play war games particular purposes to which they are facto jurisdiction for the time being to the relevant to a range of possible situations. dedicated. In the Autumn of 1969 the Army went about the tasks set for it by the 26 Counties. An assertion of sovereign The Free State/Irish Defence Force did right carries with it implicitly a right of not do that. Though amended somewhat Government. The Special Branch noticed enforcement. Lynch may have made "a after 1932, and particularly under the that there were contacts of an unprecedented kind between members of clear statement of non-violence", and said prospect of British invasion around 1940, that unity should only be sought through and though it took part in UN operations the Government and of the Army and "agreement between Irishmen", but he after 1960, it still in 1969 had not done people from the north which it was programmed to see as IRA. Berry was did not revoke the sovereignty clause of most of the things one would expect a the Constitution—and neither four years Defence Force to do. told about this by the head of Special Branch, and he tried to tell Lynch about it. later did the Coalition Government in It remained very much an Army That was in October 1969. He did not which Doctors FitzGerald and O'Brien subordinate to the British influence succeed in telling Lynch—or in getting had the handling of Northern Ireland policy through which it was established in the Lynch to acknowledge what he was being in Cabinet. That Coalition pleaded in first place. In 1939-40 Ireland was urged told—until April 1970. Then, as soon as Court that the sovereignty clause remained by Britain to make war on Germany— he admitted to being told, Lynch launched intact for future Governments to handle it after Britain had ensured that it lacked the the Arms Crisis, sacking his chief Cabinet as they pleased. means of making war on anybody. (And Minister, Haughey, and prosecuting him— Britain, which understood this very well, along with Captain Kelly of Military Lynch said he did not intend to enforce did not want Ireland to make war, only to Intelligence and John Kelly of the Defence the sovereignty claim by military means. make its territory available to Britain for Committees in the North, for criminal That was no more than was said by all his the War.) And by 1969 the Irish Defence conspiracy against the State—and also predecessors and by all his successors. Force had still not peered across the Border. sacking Blaney but not prosecuting him, And it was all he had the authority to say, Actual war-making capacity lay with for a reason that was never admitted. as he left the Constitutional claim standing. 31 But, while saying it, he continually Ex-Servicemen from the British Army circumstances in the Six Counties so reasserted that no section had the right to played an effective part. It was then that demand… {Irish Times 9.12.69}… opt out of the nation, and that Partition the Provos began to flourish. Lynch said emphatically that he had ruled was the cause of all the trouble. out the use of force and that Fianna Fail * had never taken a decision not to rule out Saying that he would only use peaceful Keogh gives this account of Captain force in Northern Ireland {IT 16.12.69}…" methods to achieve the primary aim of his Kelly's contacts with Northerners: (p223). "Lynch encouraged Blaney to issue a party and of the State, and to overcome the "Capt. Kelly spent nearly six weeks clarification… Blaney claimed that his travelling around the North… He met fundamental breach in the life of the nation, speech was in perfect harmony with the members of the defence committees in did not amount to a policy—not unless he Government policy on non-violence {IT Belfast and Derry at a time when the lines was doing something else to achieve that 12.12.69}…" (p223). aim. I could not see at the time that he was were blurred between those who were doing something else, and Keogh does not members of the IRA and those who were Then there is Dick Walsh's assertion show that he was. nationalist activists… Kelly was very much influenced by what he had about the parallel Government subverting Seeking an evolution of unity through the State, given earlier. agreement between Irishmen requires in witnessed; he could be said to have become less an observer than a partisan. that is the Thus we arrive at February 1970, the first instance that you should catch the when— attention of the relevant Irishmen. And setting in which the following events need to be set and understood* (p217: the * "According to one account, the Minister that required as a precondition that you reference is a remark about rivalry between for Defence, Jim Gibbons, on …6 should not be asserting a right over them, Special Branch and Military Intelligence. February, issued a directive on army as Lynch was. Policy-wise he did not It contains nothing in support of the contingency plans to the chief of staff… even reach the starting point. With every assertion about Captain Kelly ceasing to and the director of intelligence, Col. speech he intensified the hostility of the be an observer and becoming a partisan). Michael Hefferon… According to Unionists, and they just stopped listening. contemporary sources in Military As to the distinction between IRA Archives, Gibbons issued the following From August until April his government members and "nationalist activists", the directive orally to the chief of staff, in the cultivated contacts with the defensive condition in which the political structure presence of Col. Hefferon…: “The insurgency of the Northern Catholics called Northern Ireland placed the Catholic Government have instructed me to convey which had come about in response to the community meant that it was a mere to the army a directive that plans be immediately put in train for operating in August pogrom. Lynch went into denial distinction of expediency at the best of Northern Ireland in the event of the about this later, but there is no credible times. By treating it as a substantial doubt about it. Then he slapped the situation (in the opinion of the Govern- difference of principle, Keogh shows that ment) warrants {sic} interference. The Northern Catholics in the face by prosecut- he never tried to envisage the public ing John Kelly. He thereby lost the means Government further directs that training conditions of Catholic existence in the and planning programmes be directed to of influencing the conduct of the Catholic North. community whilst continuing to cater for such an eventuality*…" (The* referencing of this is odd. The documents antagonise the Protestant community by Berry was informed about Captain telling them that they had no right to opt in question are in the National Archive, Kelly's activities. He tried to contact with a Reference Number, but Keogh's out of the nation. Lynch to tell him, but Lynch "was out of reference is to Magill, May 1980. The Lynch is praised for smashing a Repu- town", as he was at so many critical wording in question has Gibbons telling blican conspiracy within his Government. moments. So he told Haughey instead. the Chief of Staff and Colonel Hefferon: There are no Doubting Thomases about Haughey seems to have been the de facto "“The Taoiseach and other Ministers have that. It is an obligatory article of faith for Acting Taoiseach on the many occasions met delegations from the North. At these academic or commercial writers that such when Lynch was not only out of town but meetings urgent demands were made for a conspiracy existed, so evidence is not out of reach of the telephone. The Tanaiste, respirators, weapons and ammunition the sought. Even though the Prosecution Erskine Childers, seems to have been provision of which the Government failed, the fact of prosecution is held to treated as a mere figurehead by everybody agreed. Accordingly truck loads of these items will be put at readiness so that they have aborted the conspiracy. (This put me (which was just as well, as he was a may be available in a matter of hours.{”}". in mind of Anthony Eden's insistence that, regular visitor to the British Ambassador). Haughey reassured Berry that all was OK: even though his invasion of Egypt failed, Keogh then refers to a record of a the fact that he attempted it stopped in its "Berry would not have been so reassured meeting on 10th February 1970 between tracks the Fascist movement that would had he known, as he learnt subsequently, the Chief of Staff, the Adjutant-General, otherwise have over-run the Middle East.) that Haughey had had a meeting in his the Assistant Chief of Staff, Colonel home with Capt. Kelly and… Col. Hefferon, and Lt.-Colonel Adams, entitled But the Republican disposition of the Hefferon in late September and again Ministerial Directive To Chief Of Staff. on… 30 October—the day before he bulk of the Fianna Fail party was not Again he does not give the Archive visited Berry to reassure him… According wiped out by the prosecution. There was Reference, but says: "I am grateful to jubilation at the failure of the prosecution. to Michael Mills, the minister… told the captain that £50,000 was available for the Commandant Victor Lange, head of And it seems to me that Haughey's rapid Military Archives, Cathal Brugha return to the Front Bench, and his purchase of guns" (p217-8: the Mills reference is to Hurler On The Ditch). Barracks, Dublin, for sending me this replacement of Lynch as Taoiseach, was document, together with a transcript and fuelled by a belief, for which there is no Berry tried to tell Lynch himself about other documents" (p535). evidence, that he was guilty as charged it and thought he had done so, but Lynch but got away with it. These military documents, and others denied it (p218). covering the period from August 1969, The Provisional IRA scarcely existed "Blaney… made his views very clear on were collected and published by Angela when Lynch launched the Arms Crisis in his support for the use of force in certain Clifford in Military Aspects Of Ireland's May 1970, and broke the relationship circumstances in Northern Ireland. “The Arms Crisis Of 1969-70 in 2006. Keogh between the Dublin Government and the Fianna Fail Party has never taken a chooses to direct the reader neither to this Defence Committees—in which Catholic decision to rule out the use of force if the book nor to the National Archive. 32 atiously", wearing a Mohair suit and Keogh refers to these authoritative Government authority. But there is no "sitting all too comfortably in an official documents, and then passes on as if they such evidence. And the defendants (or the Mercedes" (p126) etc. had no bearing on what went on in that two that counted in this respect) were But what have these (atavistic?) period from August 1969 to April 1970. clear in their evidence that they had acted expressions of Spartan dislike of the new He makes charges against Haughey, in accordance with the Government Irish business class got to do with it? If Captain Kelly and Colonel Hefferon based Directive that preparations should be made one praises Lemass for freeing Ireland on journalistic gossip, without presenting for a doomsday situation, with action being from the De Valera mould (and Keogh a shred of hard evidence, and he turns a set in train by the Government. does), where is the sense in deploring the blind eye to the clear evidence regarding Keogh quotes O'Malley against Captain consequences? The Lemass/Whitaker covert but legal actions, which was the Kelly, but Kelly's position at the Trial was change of direction required "self-made core of the Defence in the Arms Trials. identical with the position stated thirty entrepreneurs" (as distinct from what other years later on television by O'Malley, who kind? Government licensees?) in order to He takes leave of those documents with in 1970 as the Justice Minister had presided function. It may be that Lemass and the the following paragraph: over the tampering with Colonel party elders disliked the new breed that "On a 'Prime Time' television programme Hefferon's police statement in the service they unleashed, but it is odd that an in April 2001 Capt. Kelly claimed that a of the Prosecution. Establishment historian should be giving directive had instructed the army to prepare such raw expression to that dislike forty for a situation in which it would have to So what was it all about? That remains years later amidst the hectic prosperity of move into the six counties to provide a mystery. What it was NOT about was a the Celtic tiger created by the self-made people in the civilian population with difference of opinion over invading the entrepreneurs with Haughey at their arms to defend themselves. On the same North, with Lynch making preparations head—especially when that Professor also programme Desmond O'Malley said that to do it in certain circumstances and deplores the republican sentiment of De the scenario could happen only in a Haughey wanting to do it now regardless Valera's Ireland! doomsday situation. Clearly, the directive of circumstances. The purpose of the subjectivist character covered a hypothetical situation. Action -assassination of Haughey is to take the would be taken only in case of a complete (The February 1970 Directive to the place of evidence that he engaged in breakdown of law and order, in which the Army, on which the Defence case rested, criminal conspiracy in 1969-70. Although forces of law and order in Northern Ireland is mentioned by Keogh between pages it is conceded that he was not "considered were “unable or unwilling to protect the 235 and 237, and then is promptly to be of authentic republican timbre", if {Catholic} minority”*. Contextualised forgotten. And, brief and inconsequential the reader participates in the Professor's in that way, the decision was both responsible and prudent. The instruction, as his commentary on it is, a reading of it intense dislike of the ostentatious however, provided the chief of staff with is interrupted by eight pages of flamboyance of his wealthy life-style— an opportunity to advise against such a photographs of Lynch meeting important the antithesis of authentic republicanism— move and to demonstrate how ill-equipped people, which are inserted between pages he will take it on trust, without the need of the army was to undertake such an order" 236 and 237) evidence, that Haughey engaged in a (p237). * criminal republican conspiracy to invade Keogh does not maintain that the Court the North with the ulterior motive of So Lynch did contemplate invading the verdict, dismissing the Prosecution charge gaining the leadership. North, and he instructed the army to make of criminal conspiracy, flew in the face of I first heard gossip about Haughey preparations for an invasion, if a certain the evidence presented to the jury and was around 1964, from Republicans from the turn of events happened. His position perverse. Nor does he take the verdict as 1956 campaign who became internation- therefore was not that there must be no being in accordance with the evidence alist revolutionary Marxists after its failure, military incursion into the North under presented, and thus requiring the motives who claimed to know everything that went any circumstances—because if that was of the Government to be queried as on in Dublin. They told me that not only his position he would have had no reason problematic. Nor does he present was Haughey a capitalist, but he did not to instruct the Army to make preparations Prosecution evidence which later came to live in the fear of God and was known to for an incursion under certain light and which, if available to the have paid visits to Mme X's. It was natural circumstances. But Keogh, until he Prosecution, would probably have gained that they should hate him in that way. He suddenly admitted the existence of this a Guilty verdict. Nor does he mention the had suppressed the Republican campaign, Directive to the Army, had been giving statement made by the Tanaiste (Childers) and Dublin was still Spartan—apologies the reader to understand that Lynch had to the British Ambassador that the jury to Sparta over the comparison. But to hear absolutely ruled military incursions into had been tampered with. He just treats the the same gossip from an Establishment the North off the agenda regardless of Trial as an irrelevance, barely mentioning source forty-five years later, amidst the circumstances. And he makes no attempt it amidst a welter of gossip of various flamboyant ostentation of entrepreneurial to reconcile these two positions. kinds. Ireland, is a sad case of atavism. Haughey had "overweening ambition" The * reference he gives for the Keogh presents one case of alleged quotation, "unable or unwilling to protect and lived in the fast lane "in the company of self-made entrepreneurs" (as distinct difference between Lynch and Haughey the {Catholic} minority" is neither for the in 1969, which he calls a "gulf". It had to National Archive, nor for the collection of from what other kind?}, and engaged in "antics" that did not amuse the elders of do with Haughey's response to a suggestion documents published by Angela Clifford by T.K. Whitaker (who was Lynch-s guru but to the Irish Times of 2001, 2nd January. the party (p117). He had "lingering and growing feelings" of "unrequited in 1969-70, according to Keogh) regarding The words are not from either of the two constitutional reform: lots of Army minutes recording the ambition" over not getting the leadership Directive. when Lemass retired, and he "bided his "Whitaker, in his letter of 22 time, waiting for an opportunity" (p126). September… made reference to longer- The wording of the Directive might be His "flamboyant style must have jarred term planning on North-South relations. considered irrelevant to the Arms Trial if with senior officials", though no instance He sought an urgent examination of the there was a shred of evidence that the of this is given (p124). He became wealthy kind of “constitutional setting” that might defendants were committed to an and "displayed his wealth most ostent- prove acceptable to a majority in the North. unprovoked invasion of the North without 33 Referring to a conversation between depend the framework within which himself and the Taoiseach the previous solutions to the practical problems thrown A Memorandum on The Constitutional week, he said: “I mentioned the ingenuity up by the proposed departmental studies Position Of Northern Ireland was required and you mentioned the possibility would have to be propounded” {Haughey produced by the Finance Department in of an informal study group gathered around to Lynch 22 Sept. 1969. Ref P175 in late November 1969. Keogh gives the the Attorney General”. Whitaker Papers, UCD}. Haughey's draft reference number in the National Archive He had another proposal: letter to be issued by the Taoiseach spoke and comments: of the events of recent months having "On reflection, I think that it would be "The Whitaker-Maher-Murphy paper quicker and more effective to have specific “opened the possibility of changes in the existing constitutional arrangements in was a thoroughgoing examination of ideas come forward from Denis Fahy and North-South relations. The thinking was Kevin Murphy (the two Finance men that area”. That called for a thorough examination in order to identify “the non-sentimental, factual and free from responsible for the constitutional paper republican yearnings. It also brought into you have already seen) and myself. One practical problems that may have to be overcome if any worthwhile progress the domain of the Department of Finance of the crucial elements in any plausible a clear articulation of the reasons for solution is how to keep the British £100m towards national reunification is to be made”. He had in mind an examination continuation of the Lynch line on the a year for the North, and to work the North" (p208) requirement into a constitutional {sic} covering “all major areas of government demands some knowledge of Common activity”. Then, in the following paragraph he Markets, Customs Union etc.—economic "Haughey's draft stated that a start had says of Lynch that "two of his most senior been made by the Department of Finance, information not normally possessed by ministers were not reconciled to his lawyers" (p205-6). which had completed a study “of the finan- cial implications of the ending of Partition” peaceful Northern policy" (p207). It is Whitaker thought "it might be possible and had produced “a first draft of a study not mentioned in this connection that to find a way of separating Northern on the constitutional position of Northern Haughey was the Minister of the Depart- Ireland politically from Britain without Ireland”. His letter asked departments to ment that produced the Memorandum, severing the economic and financial links concentrate “on the comparative aspects but the implication is that civil servants in at least for a long time…" (p206). of the services, methods of financing, Haughey's Department produced a Memo administrative arrangements etc., con- which directly contradicted Haughey's Keogh says that "Whitaker favoured cerned with a view to identifying the main views on the matter. Was Haughey the making haste very slowly on constitutional problems of assimilation”. The draft kind of Minister who was likely to let that change and urged that it be sectional—as stressed the confidential nature “of this happen? In the absence of hard evidence for example the repealng of article 44 {on whole exercise and would ask you to to the contrary, the realistic assumption is the special position of the Catholic ensure that the officials of your Department that the Memo expressed Haughey's Church}"—and this accorded with Lynch's who may be concerned are so advised” position. cautious approach. {Haughey draft letter, with Ref. No. in Transferring the matter to the Finance National Archives}. What was Lynch's position? Before, Department meant giving it to Haughey to "The correspondence quoted above during, and after the Arms Crisis he consider. Keogh asserted earlier that shows the gulf in outlook on the North declared that Ireland was a nation, that no Haughey's style "must have jarred with between Haughey on the one and Lynch section had the right to opt out of the senior officials, such as Whitaker" (p124), and Whitaker on the other. The Taoiseach nation, and that Partition was the cause of sought to make haste slowly; Haughey, in but supplied no evidence that it did so. the trouble in the North. That is how I contrast, concerned with planning for recall it, and that is how it appears in And when Whitaker suggested that, in “assimilation” and “reunification”…" order to get urgent consideration of a (p206-7). Keogh. Lynch also said that Partition "constitutional setting" acceptable to should only be ended by peaceful means, Unionists should be dealt with by the And that's it! by agreement between Irishmen. But, as I recall it, every statement he made Finance Department, he knew who the Whitaker also suggested that considera- aggravated those Irishmen whose Minister was. And Keogh does not suggest tion of a "constitutional setting" for agreement was needed for the peaceful that Whitaker wanted to make use of unification would be"quicker and more ending of Partition, and Keogh almost Finance Department civil servants behind effective" if dealt with by the Finance concedes that this was the case. For the the backs of the Minister. Department. Haughey set the wheels in leader of a party whose primary aim was Here is Keogh's evidence of the gulf motion and reported to Lynch three days the political unification of the between Haughey and Lynch: after Whitaker made the suggestion to dogmatically-asserted Irish nation, that Lynch. And that demonstrates that there "Charles Haughey… was probably very was a futile position at best. sympathetic to the idea advanced by was a "gulf in outlook" between Haughey Whitaker. But his emphasis was distinct. and Lynch. Haughey was asked by Lynch Lynch's position was in accordance of On 25 September 1969 he wrote to Lynch to plan for reunification and the fact that that of the Official IRA at the time. It was enclosing a “self-explanatory” letter that he did so demonstrated that there was a anti-British for nationalist reasons, rather he might “consider sending to the gulf between him and Lynch! than anti-Stormont for reasons to do with Ministers named in the programme of The suggestion here is that Lynch did intolerable government. With Stormont work attached”. He added: “The object, preserved and the Dublin Government briefly, is to complete as quickly as pos- not want a "quicker and more effective" washing its hands of the North so piously, sible a dossier of the practical problems consideration of the matter. But, if so, that would have to be solved in the context why did he refer it to Haughey's Depart- while still retaining the sovereignty claim, of any moves to evolve a new constit- ment? If he had wanted it put on the back the defensive insurgency changed utional relationship between North and burner he should have referred it to his character and the Twenty Year War began. South”. This was concerned with the own Department. Everyone knew that And the first achievement of the War was broad field of government administration. Haughey was by far the most energetic the abolition of the Stormont system which Those studies needed to be paralleled by and businesslike Minister in the Lynch and the Official IRA had wished to an examination, possibly conducted by Government. preserve. Both saw the North through a the Attorney-General of the various If Lynch felt that Haughey's Draft dense ideological fog which completely possibilities for a new relationship between demonstrated that there was a "gulf" obscured the social realities of the North. North and South, “since on this would between them, where did he indicate this? And, in an official culture of mere anti- 34 Provoism which a series of Dublin Justice since the previous October" (p294). neither influence events in the North nor Governments shared with the Stickies, That was Jack Lynch's story. Berry's let it be. And his wife (who was apparently the Official IRA all but took over RTE. 'Diaries' told a very different tale. Keogh his most important adviser) found it defends Lynch's account by referring to expedient to issue a public statement that Lynch did not accept that the Trial the well-known fact that Berry's 'Diaries' she did not support the British Army. verdict as being in accordance with the did not consist of daily entries—as Lynch evidence. He insisted that there had been himself did at the time of their Lynch was, of course, praised by the an attempted illegal importation of arms. publication—and says "the historian must British Government for launching the He treated Captain Kelly outrageously, avoid the temptation to become over Arms Crisis—which I assume he did at its withholding his pension and gratuity for a reliant" on them. And yet little would insistence. But he was also held in con- year after it was due, and by intimidation remain of his own account of this if all that tempt by it thereafter and it paid little heed of printers and booksellers tried to prevent he takes from Berry was deleted. His to his carpings. He was the best Irish him from telling his story. But injustice narrative is supported by 34 Diary Prime Minister the British had, and they brought out the rotweiler in the Captain. references. Dick Walsh, the Oracle, comes humoured him as far as was convenient, Lynch blackguarded Colonel Hefferon second with a mere 9. but when he got too uppity they put him behind the scenes, and the Colonel down with a firm hand—a tactic which tolerated it. My impression of Lynch was that he had stopped being effective in 1916 but Haughey made a statement after the was a devil at the manipulation of inner- became operative again in 1970. verdict that the Trial had been political. party conflict in a closed system, but was Lynch is praised by uncritical admirers People had the Whip withdrawn for less. hopeless at statecraft in a situation that as a man of peace. They are filled with a He was not expelled, as he should have had been blown open by the events of kind of nameless terror about the dreadful been if those in command of the party August 1969. This tallies with the remark things that would have happened if, after believed what they were saying. In of Bruce Arnold at the time (a staunch the covert operation had ended, those who preparation for the next (1973) election, Lynchite, but also an Englishman) that had undertaken it had not been prosecuted Frank Aiken, an Elder of the party, gave Lynch was a man of the middle ground but for subversive conspiracy. There might Lynch an ultimatum: Haughey should not he could not see where the middle ground even have been war! be allowed to stand as a party candidate, lay. But what happened when Lynch ended and if he was allowed to do so, he (Aiken) the Government connection with the would withdraw his nomination in Co. The provoked insurgency of August defensive insurgency of August 1969 was Louth and make a public statement of his 1969 might possibly have been maintained that a positive Republican insurrection reasons. Lynch broke Aiken on the issue, in a defensive posture with Dublin support followed in the North. If, when launching compelling him to slink away on pretended under Dublin moderating influence. When the prosecutions, Lynch had declared that health grounds. Haughey topped the poll Lynch ended that relationship in April the North was part of a foreign country for in Dublin, but the election was lost. (In the 1970, the independent revolutionary which Dublin had no responsibility, had 1969 election Lynch was the nominal insurgency of the Northern Catholic initiated a Constitutional reform to give leader, but the party campaign was run by community took off, and it resonated effect to that position, and had urged the Haughey and Blaney, with Lynch being within the body of Fianna Fail. Northern Catholics to behave peacefully carted around the country to shake hands.) as required by the legitimate authority After the 1973 Election, Colley—the In my experience of that period—and I under which they found themselves—then major figure in the party and Lynch's was close to the centre of things in it might be said that he at least had washed assumed successor—told Lynch that Belfast—most of the people stirred up by his hands of the Northern situation in the Haughey must not be brought back on the the civil rights agitation were far removed Summer of 1970. He did not do that. Front Bench. Lynch brought him back. In from Republicanism in their own minds. Since he did not undertake to repeal the 1977 Lynch won the election on an All of that was passé. They were modern 32-County sovereignty claim, he lacked irresponsible populist economic people with modern ideals. It was for lack the Constitutional authority to do it. programme. In early 1979 he was obliged of anything else to be that they became So he kept on interfering in the Northern to retire over a piece of administrative Republicans. One saw it happening with situation with rhetorical statements which incompetence involving the North. the most surprising people during that irritated Unionists, and idealistic reform Haughey won the leadership election. year. It put one in mind of Ionescu's play demands which were incapable of being Lynch left behind a little group of fanatical about an epidemic of people turning into enacted. And he had forfeited the means followers dedicated to overthrowing hippopotamuses. An occasional person by which he might have directed or Haughey, but only succeeding in damaging did it at first, but as the numbers built up restrained the political movement of the the party. Then, in 1980, Lynch had to it became a rush. Catholic community. defend himself against the contradictions I tried to establish something different Unionists therefore came to see him as in his own story of the Arms Crisis, brought for them to be—and a surprising number a cheerleader for the Provos, and to out in Justice Secretary Berry's post- did. But the Catholic community as a disregard his pious exhortations about humously published 'Diaries', with whole quickly became a base for the posi- peace. Haughey looking on as Taoiseach and tive Republican insurgency that fought a holding his tongue. war for a quarter of a century and then Lynch sponsored the development of There is a story needing to be told there. transferred the momentum into a peace the SDLP as an alternative focus of Keogh does not tell it. His Lynch is settlement. And Lynch, after his Arms Catholic political activity, but in doing so incredible—always on holiday at critical Crisis, was dragged along in the wake of he merely succeeded in dividing the moments, always failing to be told things this development. At first (apparently vigorous Defence Committee people off it would be awkward to hear just then, under T.K. Whitaker's tutelage) he said from the futile, self-contradictory always somehow missing the point, always that the Stormont system should be 'Constitutional nationalism' supported by managing these things innocently. preserved as an Irish institution with which Dublin. If was self-contradictory because Keogh writes that on 20th April 1970, an agreement might be gained. But this its "British rights for British citizens" was "Lynch was hearing for the first time of went against the grain of actual experience, only achievable in practice through the plot to import arms, involving two and before long he was a revolutionary integration with the British political sys- ministers, known about by the Dept. of demanding regime change. He could tem, but the party programme remained 35 withdrawal from Britain and merger with Leaders of the Provo war, who never The following response was submitted to the Republic. I put this to Gerry Fitt at the said mea culpa, now run Government the Sunday Business Post in answer to an time and urged him to choose one of these departments. There is a tacit admission ad hominem review by Steven King of conflicting aims as the operative aim. He that Gerry Kelly and his colleagues acted Coolacrease, The True Story of the refused to make a choice voluntarily, but within the rights which fell to the Catholic Pearson Executions in Co. Offaly, an a choice was forced on him in June-July community, when thrown into a state of Incident in the War of Independence. 1971 when Brian Faulkner proposed a nature by both States, when it decided to It did not appear. kind of power-sharing arrangement make war. through Parliamentary Committees. The A Review Of What ? immediate SDLP response at Stormont But the Republic is still suffering BICO IS DEAD—LONG LIVE BICO! was to welcome the proposal. It said that existential angst, moral confusion, and this was Faulkner's finest hour. But then intellectual atrophy as a consequence of Steven King's review of the Coolacrease it found that community opinion was not Lynch's conduct of government in 1970, book in the Sunday Business Post (30.11. favourable. Instead of trying to give as Professor Keogh's book demonstrates. 08) is surely the poorest excuse for a leadership for constitutional evolution review that one could ever read. The book through Stormont, it rejected the proposal A traumatic event in Keogh's political itself is 472 pages of detailed information, with the extreme gesture of abandoning life was the burning down of the British including many original documents and Stormont and setting up an 'Alternative Embassy in Dublin after the Bloody page after page of discussion on the subject Assembly', thus conceding Provo Sunday shootings in Derry. He described of the execution of the Pearson Brothers, hegemony. Keogh skates over this. this in an RTE history of the state, Seven considered from every possible angle. I In August 1969 the Constitutional order Ages, broadcast about ten years ago. believe it is one of the most comprehensive of the North had broken down. It was O'Malley also spoke about the "incident" books on any subject that one is likely to bound to break down because in its proper on that programme, and Keogh refers to it come across. Yet what we get from King functioning it alienated the Catholic third in the book. O'Malley was rather light- is a rant about the publishers and their, and of the population, which therefore looked hearted, as I recall: there was anger and it others, alleged views on other issues. to Dublin. The Irish Constitution asserted was vented by the burning. The alternative Anything and everything but the subject a right of sovereignty over the Six of protecting the Embassy by shooting of the book. It is in effect a review that Counties, which the Unionist two-thirds people was unacceptable. But Keogh was inadvertently, by omission, concedes the rejected. Lynch continuously asserted shattered by the event: case the book makes about the executions. Mr. King has a fixation with BICO. He that right, while having no policy through "What happened that day was much makes it seem one of the most bizarre which it might be realised. In asserting more sinister than the irrational actions of that right, at Whitaker's prompting he people driven by blind emotion… Trade things that ever appeared on earth. BICO made ineffectual attempts to use language unionists turned out in their thousands… was made up of people who had tried to be which did not express the special The march ended in a rally and speeches. part of a variety of other left-wing relationship between his government and The formalities over, many thousands of movements and parties in the 60s and the Northern Catholics but also embraced people were left leaderless in the environs found them wanting. Protestants and Dissenters against their of the embassy. I found myself in the For example, I began political life in will. It fooled nobody. garden of Merrion Square, directly in front the Irish Labour Party and specifically in of the Embassy—a fine, newly restored creating a branch where it and other parties The net effect of all of this was that the Georgian building. Suddenly an instruct- were then banned, UCC. Despite my best Northern Catholics were on their own. ion was given to knock down the railings efforts to stay with it, the more I got to They were excluded from participation in by a man standing next to me. As I looked know the Labour Party the more dis- the political life of the British Constitution incredulously at him, a mob began to illusioned I became with it. I then associ- (without which the British Constitution is follow his lead and shake the railings in ated with the Internationalists and while unison… The small Garda force… was an empty show), and the Irish Government they were certainly a real alternative to the powerless to protect the building. What Labour Party—there was never a dull had broken off the joint action with them happened next had been planned. Two which had gone on from August to April. moment—they tended towards the men, one with a lump hammer, scaled the dogmatic and the unreal. A population cannot be without area to a window ledge and smashed the The ICO was my next port of call. It legitimate rights in the modern world—in glass. Molotov cocktails were lobbed… made sense of things. Its very origins and which only democratic rights are The building quickly caught fire, to an its main argument was that the Soviet legitimate. The doctrine of passive obed- atavistic chant of 'Burn, burn, burn'. Later Union was on the road to capitalism after ience to established power was denounced I saw members of the Provisional IRA in Khrushchev. That Stalinism was a in principle by the 1688 Revolution, and uniform take over 'crowd control'. It was continuation of Leninism and both were was not restored as a reputable principle a profoundly sad moment for Irish 'history' after Khrushchev. It argued that by the mere fact that those Revolutionaries democracy" (p832). the then EEC would be good for Ireland. immediately set about enforcing it in What he said on television ten years It argued for an industrial democracy practice in Ireland, and persisted in the ago ended on a different note. As I recall, approach to industrial relations along the attempt for a century and a half. John he said: 'I saw that it was Fascism!' And lines of what became the Social Partner- Locke was a hypocrite, but his hypocrisy I wondered that somebody, who thought ship. It argued and campaigned for a was sacred to the regime which he helped the burning of the Embassy—of the State separation of Church and State in the William to found. And, in accordance that had just tested the effectiveness of the Republic. When the North erupted in with the reasoning of the famous Second taste of administrative massacre in Derry August 1969, it helped the Defence Com- Treatise, I did not see how it could be —was Fascism, should set up to be a mittees in the Falls area. It concluded that denied that the Northern Catholic historian of 20th century Ireland. And the Ulster Unionists were a national community had been thrown into a state who was it who decided to let the Embassy grouping. It argued for a deletion of of nature in which its legitimacy derived be burned? Not O'Malley. But Jack Articles 2 and 3 as a gesture of good from itself. And the logic of that position Lynch, standing idly by, and fuelling the relations between North and South. was eventually conceded under the war in the North with demands for regime These are just a few of its positions it arrangements by which the War was change. took and when they were proven true it brought to an end. Brendan Clifford 'moved on' as they say. What else should 36 it have done? Some of its positions were planet is this guy on? proven to be failures—that Westminster There is a remark that Aubane is not a RYANAIR continued should include Northern Ireland in its conventional Local History society. That democracy via its political parties; that the is undoubtedly true. And ordinary History December 15 (which was an extra €150 British Trade Union movement adopt the Society is what it wanted to be. Its early on a round trip to New York) and there Bullock proposals of 1977 and thereby publications were about such mundane is talk that they may recommence short- avoid Thatcherism. It did not believe in things as the history of local roads in the haul flights from Shannon to Heathrow. flogging dead horses and 'moved on.' townland of Aubane. But the Irish Times Rupert Murdoch was often cast in a Maybe withered away would be a better suddenly took a keen interest in us and mould similar to O'Leary, as an anti- description. As with all forms of living traduced. Then we discovered we had Trade Union ogre, Murdoch was not things, one adapts or dies and of course become the butt of a Roy Foster party that, he was not anti-Union, neither was one learns as much from failures as from piece at international conferences, and the he pro-Union, if he really needed a deal successes. Mr. King seems to regret we rest, as they say, is history, conventional and the Trade Unions acted honourably did 'move on' or maybe he thinks that we and otherwise. and rationally—he would cut that deal! did not or should not or could not. I am not Jack Lane O'Leary would appear to be in a similar exactly sure what he is trying to say. In situation, he is not a fool! Whatever any case BICO clearly lives for him and I This response to King's review, by about IMPACT and the pilots, SIPTU am sure it will never die while he is alive. Philip O'Connor, editor of the might be wise to act now from some His rant includes some new and startling Coolacrease book, appeared in the position of strength and put it up to allegations. He says: “Think of any of the SBP in shortened form two weeks O'Leary. They have nothing to lose! far left's pet causes in the 1970s and 1980s after the the original review. and BICO could be relied upon to take the opposite stance. The Birmingham Six, Sean Coolacrease Review the genitals, in their sexual parts" (Sen. South and Mary McAleese were some of Harris): The records of the British military their particular hate figures.” As editor and co-author of the book court of inquiry prove that this was not the I am at a loss to recall or figure out what reviewed by Steven King in the Sunday case. The men received multiple wounds, the Far Left's view of Sean South was, that Business Post, 30th November ('Coola- none in their "sexual parts"; BICO was opposed to? The Far Left hated crease book has numerous axes to grind'), That the Pearsons were peaceable him, as I recall, as an anti-Semitic fascist, I must demand a right to respond to his "Amish-type" farmers (Harris): The so did BICO support him? In fact I don't outrageous comments. Pearson brothers and their cousin William recall any BICO position on Sean South. Mr King's review consists largely of an Stanley—whose religion played no part Some members had fought with him in the attack on the publishers (Aubane Historical in what happened—became active in a '56 campaign and liked him but he was Society) and the views he claims some of paramilitary capacity in the British war hardly mentioned by them or anyone else the people involved in AHS held forty effort in Ireland, and that was the sole in those days. He simply did not figure. years ago (!). Virtually his only reference reason for their execution; Neither do I recall a view opposed to to the book itself is a throw-away remark: That the Pearson family was then forced the Far Left on the Birmingham Six. Is he "making a 52-minute television documen- to cut its losses and sell their farm to the suggesting that BICO had a position of tary the subject of a 472-page book isn't Land Commission at a loss following them being guilty? I do not recall BICO funny. In fact it's sad." intimidation and boycott: documentary ever taking a position or commenting on Surely the least he could have done is evidence proves that there was no boycott them. Aubane has certainly never done so engage with whether or not the book does and also that the Pearsons received a in its many publications. what it claims, i.e. that it disproves the handsome price for the farm; I should declare an interest here. I was claims of the RTE film in relation to the That the Pearson farm was "grabbed" a family friend of Hugh Callaghan who execution of the Pearson brothers of Coola- and "squatted" by local people and that the one would need to know for about two crease during the war of Independence? Land Commission distributed the land to minutes to realise he was innocent—as all In the RTE film its star performer, these people: documentary evidence the prison officials immediately realised. Senator Eoghan Harris, in a reference to proves that there was no squatting of the Hugh loved singing, playing music and the Offaly historian who provided the farm and that after its purchase the Land playing cards, mostly in pubs. The idea facts of what actually happened at Commission distributed it in scrupulous that he could conceive of, or carry out the Coolacrease, blurted out: "When Paddy adherence to procedure, in fact favouring blowing up of a pub is about as credible as Heaney tells me things like that, I want anti-republican claimants and specifically him planning to blow up his local Church. documentary evidence in corroboration." former British Army soldiers. And this is exactly what the book does His 17 year ordeal was occasioned by his The book does exactly what it says on (and why it required 476 pages). It has concern to return a pound he had borrowed the tin: it reconstructs precisely the "true sourced much new evidence—including from one of the other Six and his inability story of the Pearson executions" and backs documentary evidence—which conclu- to resist a game of cards to pass the time this up with the reproduction of extensive sively disproves the claims made by the while waiting for a train. To suggest, as relevant contemporary documents. The RTE film, including most notably the King does, that I or any associates consider- horrendous charges of sectarian murder following: ed him or any of the others guilty is about and land grabbing aimed at the people of That the execution was a local affair as scurrilous as you can get—and I have Cadamstown, Co. Offaly, the army of the carried out by local men in pursuit of a developed a pretty thick skin for such First Dáil (which had a uniquely demo- grievance against the Pearson family: the allegations. cratic mandate), officials of the Land records of both the IRA and the British As for Ms McAleese, if a member is Commission and others are shown to be military show that it was carried out by a sued for libel by a Law Professor, one has the hollow—and, I might add, sectarian— Brigade level unit in retaliation for an to pay a certain amount of attention to the prejudices that they are. With the public- armed attack on an IRA roadblock and on litigant. What it has to do with BICO ation of this book, RTE, Senator Harris the basis of instructions issued by General opposing the Far Left view of her I find and the academic experts called on to Mulcahy himself. This occurred in a time even more bizarre than the other people support the theses of the film are left with cited. Did we criticise her because the Far of war. a very serious case to answer. Left supported her or vice versa? What That the men were deliberately shot "in Philip O'Connor 37 eyeing Iberia and Qantas, and Lufthansa's subjectivism on the big bad world. We RYANAIR continued focus is on Austrian Airlines and BMI in don't like O'Leary's manners but we have Britain. Air France-KLM is probably more to live in the real world—and a right stark Even the latest Ryanair bid would interested in Alitalia and its recent deal place it is just now. reduce those losses by €8m, while a with Delta-Northwest on transatlantic The final straw would be the awful successful offer would almost certainly flights out of Heathrow would seem to scenario of workers being forced to vote cut them further. lessen its need to gain Aer Lingus's slots at themselves into a "race to the bottom" in the London airport. Besides, Ryanair's an endeavour to sustain Aer Lingus and TRADE UNION RESPONSE 29.8 per cent stake in Aer Lingus is ultimately end up being employees of a "UNIONS last night warned that sufficient to block any other bid. Ryanair model operation. anyone who sees Michael O'Leary as Even if O'Leary fails on this occasion, The ramifications of the Aer Lingus/ 'some sort of modern day Robin Hood' needs a 'reality check'. once he makes a bid that is attractive to the Aviance deals may yet come back to haunt "SIPTU and Impact warned against Government shareholding (25.1 per cent), the Trade Unions: in the present industrial the dangers of an airline that was 'not combined with his own 29.8—it will be a climate IBEC and ISME will be noted for its concern for the public' done deal! The current offer is worth €188 encouraging their employers members to gaining a monopoly position by raiding million to the Government. The Unions queue up for similar arrangements. Aer Lingus's 'treasure chest'. can forget about the protection of EU The climate on the shop floor will be "They also claimed the no-frills carrier, competition law—if the Ryanair offer is equally harrowing: workers engaged in which does not recognise unions, would attractive to the Cabinet, Brussels will similar tasks, yet receiving separate rates drive down employment standards. give the nod: consumer and labour interests for the same job. "SIPTU claimed the travelling public, will take second place to Mr. Lenihan's exporters, airport authorities and workers fiscal famine. If Social Partnership is something really would become hostages to fortune if serious, surely this is the big moment, Ryanair's last bid for Aer Lingus RYANAIR between them the social partners have a succeeds. Ryanair was probably the most real strong hand, nearly 50 per cent of the "Union sources said employees would spectacular Irish business success story of Aer Lingus shares—which in itself would rather accept reduced terms and the "Celtic Tiger" era of the '90s. It is go a long way to providing the necessary conditions in cost-saving agreements that Europe's largest low fares airline. It employment guarantees in any Ryanair/ SIPTU and Impact negotiated with operates a fleet of 135 Boeing 737 jet Aer Lingus merger? management, than work for the budget aircraft, and in the last 12 months carried A potential repeat of the Eircom airline. almost 42 million passengers on its 229 experience—where the company was "SIPTU national industrial secretary low fare routes between 30 EU countries. repeatedly traded by greedy investors to Gerry McCormack said Mr O'Leary was (Aer Lingus carried 8 million on its 42 offering €745 million for a company the detriment of necessary investment in aircraft.) with cash reserves of €770 million as the upgrade of services—would be one of well as a fleet, infrastructure, staff and It employs 3,300 people at over 16 the great fears. Again, conditions of sale expertise to operative effectively on bases and operates to 22 European coun- can be laid down to provide protections, transatlantic routes. tries. Aer Lingus employs 3,500 staff. based on the experience of the failings of "He called on the Government and EU Between them, the two airlines hold an the Eircom sale. Competition Commissioner Nellie Kroes 83 per cent share of passenger routes out Ironically, Colm Barrington, the to ensure competition was preserved for of Dublin. Chairman of Aer Lingus is also Chief the Irish people. Ryanair was born out of Aer Lingus, Executive of Babcock & Brown Air in "The latest bid will make members which sat on its state-owned ass in a Dublin, an arm of the Australian company even more determined than ever to comfortable monopoly as the world around which now owns Eircom. defend decent pay and conditions within it changed. Incidentally, Australia's Qantas Sale the aviation sector," he said (Irish If the Trade Union movement had been Act limits foreign ownership of the Independent, 2.12.2008). serious about state or national ownership, Australian flag-carrier to 35 per cent and SIPTU represents the majority of Aer in the first place, we would never have the board must be two-thirds Australian, Lingus workers. allowed the company to be floated on the though the foreign ownership provision is stock exchange in 2006. set to rise to 49 per cent. Many of O'Leary's critics would prefer GOVERNMENT, COMPANY AND WORKERS In early December, O'Leary appeared That workers would continue to "accept to see British Airways, indeed any foreign on the RTE "Late Late Show", there was reduced terms and conditions" rather than carrier take over Aer Lingus at the expense no tantrums; he was out to convince and work for Ryanair is a very brave statement of Ryanair—anybody but O'Leary! explain. indeed! It is even more brave considering There are some valid reasons for his O'Leary has always insisted that the the economic depression that is beginning unpopularity. Ryanair has adapted a European Commission's decision to block to set in just now. ruthless approach to customer and the merger in 2006 was politically The aviation industry has taken a industrial relations. But if people acted motivated. This time round, he appears hammering! At least 30 carriers went to according to what they say, then Aer determined to play the political game to the wall last year. Another 30 are expected Lingus and not Ryanair would be the main get the deal across the line. to disappear this year. Last November, the operator out of Ireland. Contrary to O'Leary's plan for Aer Lingus would Association of European Airlines claimed common belief, it is not. Significant see it set up bases in frontline airports in the recent drop in international air traffic numbers of Irish people travel with Ryanair the UK and Europe and take on EasyJet, was the worst decline in 25 years. each year despite affecting to hating it and which prefers to use these airports. He's Over the past year, there has been a rash to preferring the culture of Aer Lingus. offering to create 1,000 jobs and guarantee of mergers in the airline business as These people would soon get over any the Heathrow slots. companies, faced with going bust, sale. Since O'Leary's bid: Aer Lingus scramble to cut costs and consolidate The Trade Union movement and the announced the removal of all fuel operations. aviation workforce haven't the luxury surcharges on its long-haul services from At the moment British Airways is afforded the petty-bourgeoisie and their continued on page 37

38 sustained within the Dublin business Government and Trade Union nominees. RYANAIR continued model". Unions and the Labour Party bitterly It is believed it has been finding it hard oppose the Ryanair move. involve the novel 'leave and return' to compete with rivals that are less worker- O'Leary said he would "ignore" the option, which a majority of S.I.P.T.U. friendly. wishes of the Board of his bitter rival and members decided to go for. The Furthermore, in the aviation crisis, urged the Government—which owns 25 I.M.P.A.C.T. deal is not dissimilar, at airlines are cutting the amount they are per cent of the airline—to consider his least in part, to the so-called 'yellow pack' arrangements that were common willing to pay for ground and maintenance €748 million offer. The deal would net the in Aer Lingus and the country's big services. Exchequer €188 million if it sells its stake banks in the later 1980s" (Industrial However, SIPTU, which represents the to Ryanair. Relations News-9.12.2008). affected staff, had said it believed it could "Mr O'Leary confirmed Ryanair is deliver efficiencies from the workforce seeking a meeting with the Aer Lingus The cabin crew agreement means that would make it more feasible for workers' Employee Share Ownership significant changes in work practices, and Aviance to remain in Dublin. Trust (ESOP): 'We want to bring them the loss of certain allowances—as well as Following meetings with the company, with us this time as I think I alienated a new lower entry rate. Included are up to the Union's representatives held a three- them last time.'" 96 voluntary redundancies, although the hour meeting with workers after which "Mr O'Leary added that apart from number of volunteers may be much higher they agreed to ballot on a 15% pay cut as Aer Lingus chairman, Colm Barrington, than this target. Like the SIPTU deal, long as other conditions were protected. and member, Sean Fitzpatrick, the rest which involves around 115 voluntary The ballot yielded a 67 per cent majority of the board 'are about as useless as the redundancies, the IMPACT agreement in favour of acceptance of the terms. board of FÁS'" (Irish Examiner- 2.12.2008). also includes a pay freeze until July of SIPTU aviation sector organiser, 2010. Dermot O'Loughlin, said: Figures have emerged which mean that THE 2006 BID the Aer Lingus/SIPTU agreement will "It will mean a very big sacrifice for On 5th October 2006, barely an hour our members. match the viability criteria laid down by had passed after the announcement of "However, the staff retain their Ryanair's bid before Brian Cowen, then management. The company was secondary benefits, including sick and Minister for Finance and Martin Cullen concerned that too many people might opt holiday pay entitlements." to remain 'as they are' on their existing pay issued a joint statement opposing the deal. and conditions, an outcome that would This time, Minister for Finance Brian RYANAIR BID FOR AER LINGUS have undermined the cost cutting targets. Lenihan says the offer needs to be On 1st December 2008, the day before Management wanted at least 50 per "considered carefully" and Minister for workers voted on redundancy and work cent to opt for the 'leave and return' option. Transport Noel Dempsey is "neutral" on practice proposals, Ryanair Chief But it looks as if they have well exceeded the proposed deal until such time as he Executive, Michael O'Leary made a €748 this target, with this option chosen by over sees the full offer document. million takeover bid for Aer Lingus. It 75 per cent of those who will stay. Dempsey even met Michael O'Leary as was his second bid in over two years. The a "courtesy" following his bid. This must "IRN understands that the following offer was rejected by the Aer Lingus Board. are the options chosen by SIPTU be of some concern to Aer Lingus's Board The bid included a guarantee that if it truly is determined to remain members since they formally accepted Ryanair would recognise Trade Unions at the deal: 850 ('leave and return'); 200 independent. Aer Lingus; that it would give the (voluntary redundancy/early retirement); Government control over the Heathrow 230 (retain status quo) and around 85 NEW IRISH AIRLINE GROUP with less than 18 months service who are slots and that it would post separate €100 O'Leary promised a new "strong Irish not entitled to benefit from the terms of million bonds payable to the Government airline group" with a domestic fleet twice the agreement." (Industrial Relations if it did not deliver on its promise to cut its current size, the creation of 1,000 jobs, News, 9.12.2008). Aer Lingus fares and abolish its trans- a doubling of the number of short-haul atlantic fuel surcharge. The ratio of 'leave and return' to 'stay as flights and protection for the Aer Lingus you are' staff comes as something of a Aer Lingus was state-owned until its slots at Heathrow. surprise, suggesting that the fact that 60 initial public offering in late September But the IMPACT Union said the merger per cent of staff on the ground have under 2006, when Ryanair started accumulating would result in a monopoly and SIPTU 10 years service is a major factor. Equally shares before making a hostile €2.80-a- said it was just another attempt at mischief- significant may be the fact that over 30 per share bid that October. making by Mr O'Leary. cent are non-nationals, who may have The current bid valued the airline at found the lump sums on offer (minimum €748 million—around half the €1.48 SHAREHOLDERS of €30,000 up to €70,000) very attractive. billion valuation placed on it by Ryanair The shares in Aer Lingus are divided when it made the initial offer for the between Ryanair with 29.8 per cent, the AVIANCE VOTE FOR 15% PAY CUT airline two years ago. Ryanair said the Government with 25.1 per cent, the No sooner had Aer Lingus succeeded merger of the two airlines would save Aer workforce with 15.2 per cent and others in achieving its €50 million cost-savings Lingus, which announced losses of over with 30.8 per cent. than workers at maintenance and ground- €22m this year. In 2006, 600 Aer Lingus pilots formed handling provider Aviance voted on 11th Aer Lingus has turned down the offer a company, spending tens of millions December 2008, by two to one in favour because it undervalued the company and buying a Two per cent stake to help prevent of a 15% pay cut that will save 150 jobs at was also "not capable of completion". Ryanair getting the magic 50 per cent plus Dublin Airport. The European Union blocked Ryanair's one in shares. Aviance had been planning to close its previous attempt on competition grounds, Some even mortgaged their homes to Dublin operation because it had carried but the changes to the global economic come up with the cash. Their pension fund out a full review of its British and Irish climate and the airline industry mean that also bought shares. businesses and found that "the cost base conditions are now dramatically different. Between them, they are nursing losses and customer profile could not be The Board of the airline includes of over €30 million on their shares. continued on page 38

39 VOLUME 27 No. 1 CORK ISSN 0790-1712 Ryanair Recognises Trade Unions? On the face of it—it is surely one of the ment for most of those who remain. terms. most bizarre agreements ever negotiated Staff had three options: they could stay At least 50 per cent of staff have agreed and approved by any Trade Union with the company on the same terms and to accept the 'leave and return' package, movement! conditions; take a voluntary severance fulfilling that target, while the aim of Aer Lingus, a company with gross cash package and return on reduced terms and reducing the workforce in Shannon by 35 of more than €1 billion, gains a €50 million conditions; or leave with the severance or per cent was near target. cost cutting plan; dispenses with over 200 early retirement package. The schemes were "well over- jobs; wins a wage freeze; creates a two- SIPTU's alternative plan had to take subscribed" and would lead to a far greater tier shop floor operation and rejects a €24.5 million off costs as part of an overall reduction in ground handling operations €748 million offer from Ryanair, its largest plan to shave €50 million off staff costs than envisaged by management. shareholder, describing it as a flagging after the airline announced losses of €22 This would mean many temporary low-cost yellow pack operation. million this year. workers will now be given the option of Last month, Aer Lingus concluded two The targets included: applying for permanent posts. related agreements with its Trade Unions, -a 7 per cent reduction in staff in Cork SIPTU's plan was backed by almost 80 SIPTU and IMPACT in a major cost and Dublin; per cent of its 1,700 members at the airport. reduction plan after the company threat- -a 35 per cent reduction in staff at ened to outsource 1,300 of its 3,500 jobs. Shannon; IMPACT CABIN CREW Close on 200 ground handling workers - half of the remaining staff must move However, the vote of the IMPACT have opted to leave Aer Lingus as part of onto the new terms and conditions, cabin crew was a much closer result an agreement to knock €24.5 million off including a reduction in the average wage from €42,000 to €38,200. – 59 per cent to 41 per cent in favour of the the loss-making airline's costs. cost-cutting plan. The number of staff who have decided Questions have been raised, however, to take early retirement or a severance about the workers getting the severance The total cost reduction plan targeted package, worth a minimum of €30,000 payment tax-free when they were then €74 million at the outset. Around €50 per worker, "substantially exceeded" returning to work for the airline. million of the original proposed total in expectations. But SIPTU said it has been assured by cuts was to come from labour cost savings. A seven per cent reduction in the ground the Department of Enterprise that the IMPACT had indicated that the handling workforce was part of a proposal scheme complies with legislation, as the proposed package would be tough for the put forward by SIPTU to avoid the workers will return to new jobs under new 1,500 members of its cabin crew branch to outsourcing of the 1,300 jobs. accept, but said it had recommended the deal on the basis that it would "minimise But the number that will leave the Subscribers to the magazine are regularly company is now likely to be well over 10 offered special rates on other publications job losses and keep the Shannon base per cent. open". The deal also means the scrapping Over 800 people will take the severance Irish Political Review is published by of a plan to outsource jobs on three deal but return to work on new contracts the IPR Group: write to— transatlantic routes. under poorer terms and conditions, 1 Sutton Villas, Lower Dargle Road Aer Lingus said that the outcome of the including a cut in pay. Bray, Co. Wicklow or IMPACT decision, together with a pay A further 300 will remain on their PO Box 339, Belfast BT12 4GQ or freeze in all other areas of the company and the outcome of the SIPTU vote "means existing terms and conditions but will not PO Box 6589, London, N7 6SG, or get the severance package, which is worth the Company will deliver annualised staff nine weeks' pay per year of service. Labour Comment, cost savings of €50 million". Earlier, workers had balloted to take C/O Shandon St. P.O., Cork City. The company said the decision by strike action prior to the Christmas period Subscription by Post: IMPACT also secures the future of the but this was averted when the Union's 12 issues: £20, UK; company's long haul services for the alternative plan was brokered at the Labour € 30, Ireland; € 35, Europe. Shannon region. Relations Commission. Electronic Subscription: DIFFERENT DEALS € 15 / £12 for 12 issues "The cabin crew deal is quite different OPTIONS (or € 1.30 / £1.10 per issue) The plan involved a seven per cent to the one agreed between the airline and You can also order both postal and S.I.P.T.U. ground staff, as it does not reduction in the workforce as well as electronic subscriptions from: poorer terms and conditions of employ- www.atholbooks.org continued on page 39